Selayar Whistler
Pachycephala teysmanni
The Selayar Whistler (Pachycephala teysmanni) is a legendary whistler found only in Indonesia, weighing about 30 g. The Selayar whistler is a species of songbird in the family Pachycephalidae.
About the Selayar Whistler
The Selayar whistler is a species of songbird in the family Pachycephalidae. Described by the Swiss zoologist Johann Büttikofer in 1878, it is endemic to the Indonesian island of Selayar, off the southwestern coast of Sulawesi. After its initial description, it was long considered a subspecies of the golden whistler and later the rusty-breasted whistler, before being raised to species status again in 2016. Selayar whistlers are around 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in) in length. Adult males have grey heads, white throats, olive-green upperparts, pinkish underparts, and brownish-olive tail and wing feathers. Adult females are largely similar to males, but have dark ochre lores and rufous ear-coverts.…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Adult Selayar whistlers are around 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in) in length. Adult males have grey heads from the crown down to the lores, ear-coverts, and nape (back of the neck), with white throats. The upperparts are olive-green, with a yellower tint on the rump, while the tail and wing feathers are brownish-olive with dark olive-green margins. The underparts are pinkish, with a yellowish hue to the belly. The iris is dark brown, the beak is black, and the legs are greyish-brown. Adult females are similar, but have dark ochre lores and rufous ear-coverts.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in September. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Selayar Whistler?
- Adult Selayar whistlers are around 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in) in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Selayar Whistler?
- The Selayar Whistler is a small sized bird weighing about 30 g.
- Where can you see a Selayar Whistler?
- The Selayar Whistler is endemic to Indonesia, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Selayar Whistler?
- The Selayar Whistler is most easily confused with the Golden-backed Whistler, the Hooded Whistler and the Vanikoro Whistler.
- Is the Selayar Whistler endangered?
- The Selayar Whistler is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Selayar Whistler for real
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