Varied Sittella

Varied Sittella
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Neosittidae
Genus:	Daphoenositta
Species:	D. chrysoptera
Binomial name
Daphoenositta chrysoptera (Latham, 1802)
Synonyms
Neositta chrysoptera

The Varied Sittella, Daphoenositta chrysoptera is a small, around 10–11 cm long, songbird native to Australia and New Guinea. It is also known as the Australian Nuthatch, Orange-winged Sittella and the Barkpecker. Its crown and head can be white, grey or black, and its body is either whitish or grey often streaked with black and grey. Its wings are black, with a broad bar in either white or cinnamon. The iris is dark orange, and the eye-ring legs and feet are orange-yellow. The beak is orange with a black tip that can extend as far as the base. Colouration completely depends on the subspecies, and certain subspecies are known to hybridize. In the future some subspecies may become species in their own right.

Behaviour

Flocks of these birds forage in trees of all heights, often descending down the trunks in a rather Nuthatch-like fashion. Calls are short and rather high-pitched.

Subspecies

This species inhabits a broad range, and its appearance changes depending on its location hence the name "Varied" Sittella. The Australian subspecies are chrysoptera (Orange-winged Sitella), pileata (Black-capped Sitella), striata (Streaked Sitella), leucocephala (White-headed Sitella) and leucoptera (White-winged Sitella). The New Guinea subspecies are papuensis (Papuan or New Guinea Sitella), sometimes given specific status alba (White Sitella), intermedia (Intermediate Sitella) and albifrons (White-fronted Sitella)

Naming

Sitta is a word taken from Nuthatches. The origin of it is unknown. Chryso is Latin for "golden", Ptera for "wing" referring to the distinctive patch of colour in the dark wings.

Laceys Creek, SE Queensland

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Daphoenositta chrysoptera. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 29 December 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• Field guide to the birds of Australia (ISBN 0-670-90478-3)
• Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2007). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-84-96553-42-2

External links

• BirdLife Species Factsheet

This Corvoidea-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: IUCN Red List least concern species Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of Southeast Asia Birds of Western Australia Daphoenositta Corvoidea stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу Tsuyokiss Willow Creek No. 26, Alberta Look at other dictionaries: varied sittella — /vɛərid səˈtɛlə/ (say vairreed suh teluh) noun See sittella …   Sittella — Sittellas Varied Sittella, Daphoenositta chrysoptera Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia sittella — /səˈtɛlə/ (say suh teluh) noun either of two birds of the genus Daphoenositta, of the family Neosittidae: the black sittella, D. miranda, of New Guinea, and the varied sittella, D. chrysoptera, of Australia and New Guinea, having many subspecies… …   orange-winged sittella — /ˌɒrɪndʒ wɪŋd sɪˈtɛlə / (say .orinj wingd si teluh) noun a small Australian bird, Daphoenositta chrysoptera, with orange markings on the wings, noted for its habit of running down the trunks of trees in search of insects; varied sittella; tree… …   List of birds of Papua New Guinea — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Papua New Guinea. The avifauna of Papua New Guinea includes a total of 781 species, of which 76 are endemic, one has been introduced by humans, and 18 are rare or accidental. 28 species are globally… …   Wikipedia Sibley-Monroe checklist 13 — The Sibley Monroe checklist was a landmark document in the study of birds. It drew on extensive DNA DNA hybridisation studies to reassess the relationships between modern birds. Passeriformes (continued) =Corvidae= * Androphobus viridis Papuan… …   Wikipedia Daphoenositta — Daphoenositta …   Wikipédia en Français Neosittinae — Daphoenositta Daphoenositta …   Wikipédia en Français List of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds — This list is based on the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds [http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/hanzab/HANZAB spp list.pdf list, May 2002 update] , with the doubtfuls omitted. It includes the birds of Australia, New Zealand,… …   Wikipedia List of birds of Australia — This list is based on the Birds Australia [http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/checklist/ba birdlist sept03.pdf list, September 2003] (PDF, free registration required).The Birds Australia list is considered unofficial. It is based on Christidis and… …   Wikipedia 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”