Philemon corniculatus Latham, 1790

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Philemon corniculatus
General description:

The Noisy Friarbird is a large member of the honeyeater family with a distinctive naked black head and a strong bill with a prominent casque (bump) at the base. The upperparts are dark brown to grey, the underbody is off-white, with silver-white feathers around the throat and upper breast, and the tail has a white tip. It is a noisy and conspicuous bird mainly seen in small groups, usually up in trees. The Noisy Friarbird differs from other friarbirds by having a completely bare black head and upper neck. It can be distinguished from the similarly sized Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata when flying by its plain unstreaked upperparts, square tail with white tips, as well as the distinctive black head and bill.

Conservation status:

Not Threatened

Diagnostic description:

The Noisy Friarbird is a large member of the honeyeater family with a distinctive naked black head and a strong bill with a prominent casque (bump) at the base. The upperparts are dark brown to grey, the underbody is off-white, with silver-white feathers around the throat and upper breast, and the tail has a white tip. It is a noisy and conspicuous bird mainly seen in small groups, usually up in trees. The Noisy Friarbird differs from other friarbirds by having a completely bare black head and upper neck. It can be distinguished from the similarly sized Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata when flying by its plain unstreaked upperparts, square tail with white tips, as well as the distinctive black head and bill.

Size:

32-35 cm, 117 g

Phylogeny:

Taxonomy: Merops corniculatus Latham, 1790, Nova Hollandia = Endeavour River, Queensland, north-east Australia. Forms a superspecies with P. diemenensis . Proposed race ellioti (from Watson River, in N Queensland) is based on an intergrade between nominate and monachus; clamans, described from Wallaroo Gorge (Carnarvon Range, in SE Queensland), is synonymized with monachus. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:

Subspecies and Distribution:

* corniculatus (Latham, 1790) - S New Guinea (Wassi Kussa R E to Oriomo R) and NE Australia (NE Queensland from about Weipa-Iron Range S, extending inland to middle reaches of Mitchell R and Staaten R and upper Norman R, to Mackay). * monachus (Latham, 1801) - E & SE Australia from CE Queensland (Mackay region) S, extending inland to c. 144-145° E, to CS Victoria (Gippsland).
Habitat:

Prefers dry forests and eucalypt woodlands, as well as coastal scrub, heathlands and around wetlands and wet forests, and is found in most climate zones, extending into arid areas along rivers.

Trophic strategy:

Eats nectar, fruit, insects and other invertebrates and sometimes eggs or baby birds. They spend most of their time feeding on nectar high up in trees, only coming down to the ground occasionally to feed on insects. Often feed in noisy flocks, and with other honeyeaters such as the Red Wattlebird.

Reproduction:

Form long-term pairs, with both parents defending the nest and surrounds. The female builds the large, deep cup-shaped nest from bark and grass, bound with spider webs, slinging it in a tree-fork. She alone incubates the eggs, but both parents feed the young, up to three weeks after fledging. Breeding season: August to March Clutch size: 2 to 4, usually 3 Incubation: 18 days Time in nest: 18 days
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Philemon corniculatus
General description:

Noisy Friarbird

Other common names: (Bald) Friarbird
Taxonomy: Merops corniculatus Latham, 1790, Nova Hollandia = Endeavour River, Queensland, north-east Australia.

The Noisy Friarbird is a large member of the honeyeater family with a distinctive naked black head and a strong bill with a prominent casque (bump) at the base. The upperparts are dark brown to grey, the underbody is off-white, with silver-white feathers around the throat and upper breast, and the tail has a white tip. It is a noisy and conspicuous bird mainly seen in small groups, usually up in trees.

Diagnostic description:

The Noisy Friarbird is a large member of the honeyeater family with a distinctive naked black head and a strong bill with a
prominent casque (bump) at the base. The upperparts are dark brown to grey, the underbody is off-white, with silver-white feathers around the throat and upper breast, and the tail has a white tip. It is a noisy and conspicuous bird mainly seen in small groups, usually up in trees.

Behaviour:

Noisy, harsh and discordant; deep honking sound: 'tobacco' or 'four o'clock'. Also a sharp 'owk owk'

Look alikes:

The Noisy Friarbird differs from other friarbirds by having a completely bare black head and upper neck. It can be distinguished from the similarly sized Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata when flying by its plain unstreaked upperparts, square tail with white tips, as well as the distinctive black head and bill.

Size:

32-35 cm, 117 g

Phylogeny:

Forms a superspecies with P. diemenensis . Proposed race ellioti (from Watson River, in N Queensland) is based on an intergrade between nominate and monachus; clamans, described from Wallaroo Gorge (Carnarvon Range, in SE Queensland), is synonymized with monachus. Two subspecies are recognized.
Distribution:

Subspecies and Distribution:

corniculatus (Latham, 1790) - S New Guinea (Wassi Kussa R E to Oriomo R) and NE Australia (NE Queensland from about Weipa-Iron Range S, extending inland to middle reaches of Mitchell R and Staaten R and upper Norman R, to Mackay).

monachus (Latham, 1801) - E & SE Australia from CE Queensland (Mackay region) S, extending inland to c. 144-145° E, to CS Victoria (Gippsland).
Habitat:

Prefers dry forests and eucalypt woodlands, as well as coastal scrub, heathlands and around wetlands and wet forests, and is found in most climate zones, extending into arid areas along rivers.

Trophic strategy:

Eats nectar, fruit, insects and other invertebrates and sometimes eggs or baby birds. They spend most of their time feeding on nectar high up in trees, only coming down to the ground occasionally to feed on insects. Often feed in noisy flocks, and with other honeyeaters such as the Red Wattlebird.

Reproduction:

Form long-term pairs, with both parents defending the nest and surrounds. The female builds the large, deep cup-shaped nest from bark and grass, bound with spider webs, slinging it in a tree-fork. She alone incubates the eggs, but both parents feed the young, up to three weeks after fledging. Breeding season: August to March Clutch size: 2 to 4, usually 3 Incubation: 18 days Time in nest: 18 days
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EOL Text

Prefers dry forests and eucalypt woodlands, as well as coastal scrub, heathlands and around wetlands and wet forests, and is found in most climate zones, extending into arid areas along rivers.

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Source	http://pngbirds.myspecies.info/node/77

Habitat and Ecology:

Systems

Terrestrial

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Source	http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/22704227

Habitat and Ecology:

Systems

Terrestrial

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Source	http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/106005328

Eats nectar, fruit, insects and other invertebrates and sometimes eggs or baby birds. They spend most of their time feeding on nectar high up in trees, only coming down to the ground occasionally to feed on insects. Often feed in noisy flocks, and with other honeyeaters such as the Red Wattlebird.

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Rights holder/Author	Katerina Tvardikova
Source	http://pngbirds.myspecies.info/node/118

Statistics of barcoding coverage: Philemon corniculatus:

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1

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Rights holder/Author	Sujeevan Ratnasingham, Paul D.N. Hebert, Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD)
Source	http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=88796

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	Katerina Tvardikova
Source	http://pngbirds.myspecies.info/node/77

IUCN Red List Assessment:

Red List Category

Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2009

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s

Justification

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History

2008

Least Concern
2004

Least Concern

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source	http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/106005328

VOICE: Noisy, harsh and discordant; deep honking sound: 'tobacco' or 'four o'clock'. Also a sharp 'owk owk'.

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	Katerina Tvardikova
Source	http://pngbirds.myspecies.info/node/118

Noisy friarbird:

The noisy friarbird (Philemon corniculatus) is a passerine bird of the honeyeater family Meliphagidae native to southern New Guinea and eastern Australia. It is one of several species known as friarbirds whose heads are bare of feathers. It is brown-grey in colour, with a prominent knob on its bare black-skinned head. It feeds on insects and nectar.

Noisy Friar, Canungra, QLD

1 Taxonomy
2 Description
3 Distribution and habitat
4 Behaviour
- 4.1 Breeding
5 References

Taxonomy[edit]

The noisy friarbird was first described by ornithologist John Latham in 1790. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin corniculum "(having a) little horn".^[2] It is sometimes known as a Leatherhead.^[3]Wirgan was a name used by the local Eora and Darug inhabitants of the Sydney basin.^[4]

Molecular study shows its closest relative to be the silver-crowned friarbird within the genus Philemon.^[5]DNA analysis has shown honeyeaters to be related to the Pardalotidae (pardalotes), Acanthizidae (Australian warblers, scrubwrens, thornbills, etc.), and Maluridae (Australian fairy-wrens) in a large Meliphagoidea superfamily.^[6]

Description[edit]

Head

Measuring 31–36 cm (12–14 in) in length, the noisy friarbird is a large honeyeater with dull brownish grey upperparts and paler brown-grey underparts. Its black head is completely bald apart from tufts of feathers under the chin and along the eyebrow, which is how it came to be so named. It can be distinguished by its rounded knob above the black bill, which is visible at distance. It has dark blue-black legs and red eyes.^[7]

As its name suggests, it is noisy; one of its calls has been likened to "four o'clock".^[3]

Distribution and habitat[edit]

The natural range is from the vicinity of Lakes Entrance and the Murray valley in Victoria, north through New South Wales and Queensland to Cape York.^[7] In New Guinea it is restricted to the Trans Fly in the south of the island where it is locally abundant.^[8]

Behaviour[edit]

Juvenile in Canberra, Australia

Adult by nest

In southern parts of eastern Australia the species is migratory, moving north to overwinter and returning south in the spring. Large aggregations of noisy friarbirds are possible, often in association with little friarbirds. At such times, the constant cackling and chattering of the noisy friarbird can fill the forest with sound. The calls are used to identify an individual's feeding territory, and also announce the presence of food sources worth defending to other birds - not necessarily friarbirds alone. Their diet consists of nectar, insects and fruit. The consumption of commercially grown fruit, such as grapes and berries, can bring noisy friarbirds into direct conflict with humans who may regard them as pests under those circumstances.

Breeding[edit]

Breeding may occur from July to January, with one or two broods during this time. The nest is a large deep cup with an inverted lip or rim and made of bark and grass hanging from a horizontal branch 1–3 metres above the ground and usually well-hidden. Two to four (rarely five) eggs are laid, 22 x 33 mm (1 x 1⅓ in) and buff- to pale-pink splotched with darker pink-brown or purplish colours.^[9]

References[edit]

^ BirdLife International (2012). "Philemon corniculatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
^ Simpson DP (1979). Cassell's Latin Dictionary (5 ed.). London: Cassell Ltd. p. 883. ISBN 0-304-52257-0.
^ ^a ^b Wade P. (ed.) (1977). Every Australian Bird Illustrated. Rigby. p. 265. ISBN 0-7270-0009-8.
^ Troy, Jakelin (1993). The Sydney language. Canberra: Jakelin Troy. p. 55. ISBN 0-646-11015-2.
^ Driskell, A.C.; Christidis, L (2004). "Phylogeny and evolution of the Australo-Papuan honeyeaters (Passeriformes, Meliphagidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31 (3): 943–960. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.10.017. PMID 15120392.
^ Barker, F.K.; Cibois, A.; Schikler, P.; Feinstein, J.; Cracraft, J (2004). "Phylogeny and diversification of the largest avian radiation". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 101 (30): 11040–11045. doi:10.1073/pnas.0401892101. PMC 503738. PMID 15263073.
^ ^a ^b Slater, Peter (1974). A Field Guide to Australian Birds:Non-passerines. Adelaide: Rigby. p. 245. ISBN 0-85179-813-6.
^ Beehler, Bruce M.; Pratt, Thane K.; Zimmerman, Dale A. (1986). Birds of New Guinea. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 205. ISBN 0-691-08385-1.
^ Beruldsen, G (2003). Australian Birds: Their Nests and Eggs. Kenmore Hills, Qld: self. p. 317. ISBN 0-646-42798-9.

Reader's Digest. 1997. "Complete Book of Australian Birds". Reader's Digest (Australia).

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Source	http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Noisy_friarbird&oldid=635511744

Noisy, harsh and discordant; deep honking sound: 'tobacco' or 'four o'clock'. Also a sharp 'owk owk'

License	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author	Katerina Tvardikova
Source	http://pngbirds.myspecies.info/node/77

New Guinea Birds

Species

Philemon corniculatus Latham, 1790

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