G'day all, It would be very interesting to get the current taxonomic musings
for our grasswrens, especially the Striated GW complex. Firstly, I must
apologise in advance for my simplistic understanding of taxonomy, but I do hope
that my questions & thoughts below are seen as very much that of a layman...
Richard B has commented that whitei & rowleyi may be next to be split from
Striated. I've often wondered how much habitat preference would play in this.
Apart from morphological differences, the Short-tailed merrotsyi is a rock
inhabiting species, quite unlike the nominate race striatus of Striated, which
is a sandplain bird. Race rowleyi of Striated is also a sandplain inhabitant,
well, at least from my observations. Yet, race whitei inhabits rocky terrain.
There must be a lot more to it than just sandplain vs rocky terrain, but I
wonder why it has been mooted that rowleyi is the next most likely race of
Striated to be split, given that it a sandplain bird (at least from
my experience). I would have thought that whitei being a bird of rocky terrain
(as is merrotsyi Short-tailed GW), would be one to consider very closely. It
would be interesting to get others' thoughts on this..... Cheers for now,
Martin Cachard,Cairns, 0428 782 808 > Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:35:17 -0800
> From:
> To:
> CC:
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] New Grasswren Species
>
> Yes, Jeff and Martin you're absolutely correct. I did have my ssp mixed up.
> The new Thick-billed is the one many people see at the whiteface site at
> Lyndhurst and surrounds. My visit to Mt Ive was two fold as I'd only ever
> had very poor, barely tickable views of Short-tailed in the Flinders and
> wanted to see them again.
>
> Although Western/Thick-billed are flat/low country birds, I have heard that
> the Whyallah birds are found on the hill tops in the Conservation Park near
> town. I've never been there but this is something I've often wondered about.
> Perhaps someone who has been to Whyallah CP can comment on this.
>
> Next stop: whitei androwleyi.
>
> I now think albatross taxonomy is easier than grasswren taxonomy!
>
> Cheers
> Richard
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jeff Davies <>
> To: 'martin cachard' <>; ;
> 'birding-aus threads' <>
> Sent: Tuesday, 22 November 2011 11:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] New Grasswren Species
>
> I think I should have explained more clearly, the important thing to realize
> is that the Western and Thick-billed are not actually on the ranges but on
> the flat country.
> I was just continuing on from Richards original post by saying he should
> have gone to the Flinders not the Gawlers, neither species are actually on
> the hills although they can be very close by. When I said Flinders I
> actually meant adjacent places like Lyndhurst which sits at the top of that
> range.
> Short-tailed GW however is actually on the slopes of both ranges and nowhere
> else.
>
> Cheers Jeff.
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> On Behalf Of martin cachard
> Sent: Tuesday, 22 November 2011 9:52 AM
> To: ; birding-aus threads
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] New Grasswren Species
>
>
> Hi Steve, The bird at Whyallah is race myall of Western, same race Richard
> saw in the Gawlers. Form modestus (ie the new species split) is widespread
> in the Eyrean zone, which Jeff explains. I have seen lots of them north from
> Lake Torrens in the Mt Lyndhurst area & right along the Oodnadatta Track,
> especially near William Creek. Cheers Martin CachardCairns
> > Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:35:13 +1100
> > From:
> > To:
> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] New Grasswren Species
> >
> > G'day all
> >
> > What is the species/subspecies of Grasswren in Whyallah Conservation
> > Park, SA please? I saw what I called Thick-billed there in 1999.
> > What would the current taxonomic position be for these?
> >
> > Cheers
> > Steve Clark
> > Hamilton
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