Golden mangrove whistler (Pachycephala melanura) is found in the low coastal lands of northern Australia and north into New Guinea and further east into the Bismarck and the Solomon Islands. This 6 inch plus bird is sexually dimorphic. The male has a black head and black neck band. The throat is white. The breast is yellow. The female is generally a dull gray with darker gray wings. This species is close in appearance to P. pectoralis.

There are 5 subspecies. The subspecies dahli is found in New Guinea and east into the Bismarck Islands. The subspecies spinicaudus is found in southern and south east New Guinea. The subspecies melanura is found in northwestern and west central Australia. The subspecies robusta is found in northeastern Australia. The subspecies whitneyi is found in the Solomon Islands.

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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