Lord Howe Golden Whistlers
The Lord Howe Golden Whistlers (Pachycephala pectoralis contempta), also known as the Lord Howe Whistler or Lord Howe Island Golden Whistlers, and locally as the “Robin” or “Yellow Robin”, is a small bird in the whistler family, Pachycephalidae.
It is a subspecies of the Australian Golden Whistler ( Pachycephala pectoralis) that is endemic to Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, part of New South Wales, Australia.
Description
Males are similar to those of the nominate subspecies, though with a broader yellow collar. Females differ slightly in having their primary and secondary feathers distinctly washed with cinnamon-brown, a yellowish-grey belly, and pale-yellow under-tail coverts.
Distribution and habitat
The whistler is restricted to Lord Howe Island, where it is widely distributed through the native subtropical rainforest, as well as in remnant native vegetation on roadsides in settled areas.
Breeding
The whistler breeds from September to January. It builds an open cup-shaped nest of palm fibres and vine tendrils, lined with grass, in which it lays a clutch of two eggs.
Feeding
The whistlers eat spiders, insects, and insect larvae, foraging through tree branches as well as on the ground in leaf litter.
Status and conservation
The population of the Lord Howe Golden Whistler has been estimated at 2,000 breeding birds and is stable. It has been listed as Vulnerable by the Australian Government because of its small distribution. It is not listed anymore.
