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Splits 1

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Subject: Splits 1
From: Phil & Sue Gregory <>
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2013 14:58:15 +1000
I flagged Yellow-rumped Pardalote as a possibility but I don't know how much 
intergradation occurs, I seem to recall this is why it got subsumed.

The Bronze-Cuckoos are a problem, I note that the subspecies russatus ( 
Gould's) was subsumed into poecilurus by Payne. Interestingly the new and 
generally excellent Cuckoos of the World by Errotzoe et al again splits them. 
The problem for me is that in New Guinea I can't see anything that looks like 
Gould's of Far N Queensland, they all look much like Little and I've seen them 
in the Sepik, the far west of PNG and around Port Moresby. I also can't 
distinguish the trill songs or the alarm call, so I am not aware of vocal 
differences personally.

There do seem to be a lot of intermediate type things up around Cairns and the 
Tableands, though here at Black Mt Road i only see Gould's, as you might expect 
in the rainforest proper. I know they are meant to parasitize different hosts, 
but I have no records of host species from New Guinea which might help clarify 
things. The Cuckoos book gives Little as a migrant to NG and Gould's as the 
resident, but  I am unable to distinguish them from my own observations up 
there thus far. I basically just ducked it and went with the IOC and Clements 
decision to lump them into Little. I'm happy to be proven wrong. The latest 
findings again suggest using Chalcites for our Chrysococcyx and confining that 
genus to the African ones.
Cheers
Phil

Email: 
Website 1: Http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com
Website 2: Http://www.cassowary-house.com.au

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