Golden whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) is found in coastal lowlands from most of Queensland south through New South Wales to South Australia and then further west to southern Western Australia. There are also populations in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

This 7 inch bird is sexually dimorphic. The male has a black head and white throat. The black head color extends into a band across the upper breast. His dorsal wings are green and black with white markings. The female has a gray head, pale throat, and yellow breast.

Pachycephala pectoralis and Pachycephala melanura are very similar in appearance. Although very similar in coloration these are two distinct species. Both species are found in Australia and both species are found in New Guinea.

There are about 7 subspecies frequently mentioned. The ssp balim is found in the highlands of New Guinea. The nominate subspecies is found in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. The subspecies xanthoprocta and contempta are found on Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands respectively. The subspecies youngi is found in SE Australia. The subspecies glaucura is found on Tasmania and nearby islands. The subspecies fuliginosa is found in southern and southwestern Australia.

The whistler genus (Pachycephala) contains about 34 species of birds. Although there is a species found in Borneo and although the genus is represented in the Philippines, the majority of species are found in New Guinea and Australia. Several of the species are very brightly colored. The Australian golden whistler complex found in the lowlands of the coastal areas has males with a black head, white throat, and brilliant yellow breast.

The subfamily Pachycephalinae is found from Borneo (limited species) to eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand. The majority of species are found in New Guinea and Australia. Monroe in 1992 listed 59 species in this subfamily which includes tribes Neosittini(2), Mouhouini(3), Falcunculini(3), and Pachycephalini(51). Most of the species as noted above are in the tribe Pachycephalini.

Howard and Moore in 2003 have created the family Pachycephalidae with 6 genera and 41 species. (Their genera are Pachcare(1), Rhagologus(!), Hylocitrea(1), Coracornis(1), Aleadryas(1), and Pachycephala(36). The Howard and Moore list shows a large number of subspecies.

The typical Corvoidae (Corvoidea - Part II) is a large group of crow like birds found almost worldwide. Crows, ravens, magpies, jays, butcherbirds, bird of paradise birds, vireos, and relatives are found here.

In most modern bird taxonomies, the perching birds (Passeriformes) is treated as a single order. This large order has about 5739 different species. A common characteristic of this order is three forward toes and one reverse pointing toe. Most of species are also characterized by a tendon locking mechanism that permits their feet to lock onto branches when they relax. Recently, Monroe and Sibley in 1993 have divided this large order into six main divisions. To help our users navigate this gigantic number of species, we have arbitrarily placed these 6 different divisions at the order level.

This division can be referred to as:
Order Passeriformes (5739 species)
Suborder Passeri (4580 species)
Parvorder Corvida (1103 species)

Aves contains about 8,650 different species of living birds known to science. Each year about one new species is discovered in some remote rain forest or remote island. In addition, scientists have been raising many subspecies to full species status which may raise the species count to 10,000. Birdlife recognizes 10,027 species as of 2011.

However, each year about one species goes extinct. The rate of extinction is increasing, and the rate of new discovery is decreasing, so that the number of bird species will soon begin to decline rapidly. Although different taxonomists would organize the birds differently, there are approximately twenty-seven orders of birds. These orders are broken down into about one hundred and fifty-five different families.

Recent research of the genetic structure of some of the shore birds and owls would indicate that the present organization of orders and families should have some modification.

The birds are a worldwide group of animals that are characterized by having the front limbs modified into wings that are used for flying. Perhaps the most unique feature of the birds is the feathers. These feathers are made up of a central support called a quill and a series of small filaments that are hooked together as barbs.

For many years it was believed that Archaeopteryx discovered in Bavaria was the oldest bird from about 150 million years ago. However, in l986, Sankar Chattterjee, a Texas paleontologist, reportedly discovered a bird in the genus Protoavis that lived about 225 million years ago.

When this project was begun in 1978, we used Austin & Singer for bird taxonomy. Since then, we have adopted many changes, but have kept some older concepts that are still found widely in the literature. Recently, we have used Clements and Howard & Moore. Very recently, we have used Monroe and Sibley for the higher taxonomy of the perching birds.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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