The banded whiteface (''Aphelocephala nigricincta'') is a species of
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
in the family
Acanthizidae
The Acanthizidae—known as Australian warblers—are a family of passerine birds which includes gerygones, the thornbills '' Acanthiza'', and the scrubwrens of ''Sericornis''. The Acanthizidae family consists of small to medium passerine birds, ...
. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...
to dryer regions of
Australia.
The ornithologist
Alfred John North
Alfred John North (11 June 1855 – 6 May 1917) was an Australian ornithologist.
North was born in Melbourne and was educated at Melbourne Grammar School. He was appointed to the Australian Museum, Sydney in 1886 and was given a permanent posi ...
described the banded whiteface as ''Xerophila nigricincta'' in 1895, from specimens collected at Missionary Plains, Northern Territory.
Harry Church Oberholser
Harry Church Oberholser (June 25, 1870 – December 25, 1963) was an American ornithologist.
Biography
Harry Oberholser was born to Jacob and Lavera S. Oberholser on June 25, 1870, in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Columbia University, but did n ...
pointed out that this genus name was invalid as it had been given to a genus of mollusc, hence it gained its current name ''Aphelocephala nigricincta'' in 1899.
Description
The adult banded whiteface is around 10 cm (4 in) long. The upper parts of the body and head are greyish brown. The face has a white mask bordered by a darker band which runs vertically across the region of the eyes. The upper breast is pale blue-grey and the underparts white, separated by a prominent black band across the breast. There are red-brown patches on the flanks. The bill and legs are black and the eyes are white.
The plumage of male and female are alike and juveniles are duller.
[
]
Behaviour
Like the other birds in its genus, the banded whiteface hops over open ground in pairs or small groups foraging for seeds and insects.[
Nesting takes place in winter from July to September or after a period of rain. Located on the ground near shrubs, the round hollow nest is constructed of twigs and grass and has a long tubular entrance.][ Both the nest and the tunnel are lined with flowers and feathers.]clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts ...
consists of three or four matte white eggs with brown blotches mostly at the larger end. Tapered oval in shape, they are around 17 mm long by 13 mm wide.torpor
Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. The term "torpor" can refer to the tim ...
at night in winter months, reawakening as it warms in the morning.
Distribution and habitat
A nomadic or sedentary species moving according to seasonal conditions,[ the banded whiteface is found in a very large range from southwestern Queensland across dryer parts of central and southern Australia into mid-Western Australia. It inhabits mulga woodland, gibber plains and sandhills, and frequents saltbush and spinifex.][
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1304872
banded whiteface
Endemic birds of Australia
banded whiteface
banded whiteface
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot