Varied Sittella
Encyclopedia
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.
-like fashion. Calls are short and rather high-pitched.
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)
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. It is also known as the Australian Nuthatch, Orange-winged Sittella and the Barkpecker. Its crown
Crown (anatomy)
A crown is the top of the head.The following birds and other animals are said to have a crown on their head:* Cranes** Grey-crowned Crane** Red-crowned Crane** Black-crowned Crane* Crowned eagle* Gray-crowned Rosy Finch* Yellow-crowned Gonolek...
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 NuthatchNuthatch
The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs...
-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 arechrysoptera (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.