Pilotbird
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The pilotbird (Pycnoptilus floccosus) is a species of passerine bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is monotypic within the genus Pycnoptilus. The species is endemic to south-eastern Australia.
Taxonomy
The species was first described by English ornithologist John Gould in 1851. The generic name Pycnoptilus derives from the Ancient Greek Script error: No such module "Lang". 'thick' and Script error: No such module "Lang". 'feather'.[1] Its specific epithet floccosus is Late Latin for 'flocked with wool'.[1] There are two subspecies: the nominate subspecies Pycnoptilus floccosus floccosus lives in alpine areas; and P. f. sandfordi lives in lowland forest.[2][3]
Description
The pilotbird is a large, plump species of acanthizid, measuring around Script error: No such module "convert". in length and weighing Script error: No such module "convert"..[2] The plumage of the underparts is reddish-brown with scalloping on the chest and the centre of the belly speckled dull white. The upperparts are chocolate-brown.[3][4] The bill is short and finely pointed.[5] Its tail is broad and semi-erect, and flicked up and down when feeding.[3][6]
Distribution and habitat
The pilotbird is found from the Wollemi National Park and Blue Mountains National Park in New South Wales through to the Dandenong Ranges, near Melbourne in Victoria.[7] Its natural habitat is temperate wet sclerophyll forests and occasionally temperate rainforest, where there is dense undergrowth with abundant debris.[8][5] It is sedentary and common.[5]
Behaviour
Its name comes from its supposed habit of following lyrebirds, taking prey that they flush, and also from its call guiding bushmen seeking for lyrebirds.[5] This habit is well known but seldom observed. The pilotbird is highly terrestrial, feeding on or near the ground and when disturbed it runs swiftly on strong legs.[5] Its call has been described as "piercing and sweet".[6] The male makes a far-carrying call of wit-wit-weet-WHEER to which the female may respond with a softer wit-a-wit-ee.[5][6][2]
Breeding
The breeding season for the pilotbird is from August to December.[5] The globular nest is built with a side-entrance and hidden amongst the accumulated debris on the forest floor.[5] It is an untidy construction of bark, ferns, dead leaves and rootlets.[6] A clutch of usually two eggs, each measuring Script error: No such module "convert". and varying in colour from grey-green to purple-brown, is incubated by the female for 20–22 days.[5][6] During the nestling period, which lasts 14–17 days, the male will often feed the female or help with the care of the nestlings, if the female has a subsequent brood.[2] The nests are sometimes parasitised by the fan-tailed cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis).[2]
Conservation
The pilotbird is fairly common within its small range, which has reduced as a result of forest clearance and urban development, but much of its habitat is within national parks or reserves.[2] Its habitat is also threatened by climate change, severe weather and bushfires;[8] nevertheless, the most recent assessment in October 2016 classified the pilotbird as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.[8] The pilotbird was listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act in 2022,[9] in response to the 2019/2020 Australian Bushfires, which burnt 47% of its distribution, and contributed to an estimated 30-50% decline in the population.[10]
References
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- ↑ Conservation Advice for Pycnoptilus floccosus (Pilotbird) In effect under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 from 2 March 2022. https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/525-conservation-advice-02032022.pdf
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