Bougainville Thrush Zoothera atrigena Scientific name definitions

Until recently (1 Dutson, G. (2011). Birds of Melanesia: The Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) considered conspecific with Z. talaseae, but differs in its slaty-black vs dark grey upperparts (ns[1]); heavy black scalloping on flanks (2); much-reduced wingbars (2); black vs pinkish legs (3); no vs broad white tail tips (1 Dutson, G. (2011). Birds of Melanesia: The Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), although this difference not mentioned in original description (2 Ripley, S.D. and Hadden, D. (1982). A new species of Zoothera (Aves: Muscicapidae: Turdinae) from the northern Solomon Islands. J. Yamashina Inst. Orn. 14(2–3): 11683–11687. Close ) (ns[2]); lack of vague white markings (lores, cheek patch) on face with feebler white eyering (ns[1]); shorter wings (2 Ripley, S.D. and Hadden, D. (1982). A new species of Zoothera (Aves: Muscicapidae: Turdinae) from the northern Solomon Islands. J. Yamashina Inst. Orn. 14(2–3): 11683–11687. Close ) (at least 1); longer bill, tail and particularly tarsus (2 Ripley, S.D. and Hadden, D. (1982). A new species of Zoothera (Aves: Muscicapidae: Turdinae) from the northern Solomon Islands. J. Yamashina Inst. Orn. 14(2–3): 11683–11687. Close ) (allow 2). Monotypic.

Bougainville I, in N Solomon Is.

Montane forest at c. 1500 m. Forages also in taro (Colocasia/Alocasia) gardens within or adjacent to forest.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: confined to a single island in the Solomon group EBA. An enigmatic Zoothera, known only from the type locality, at 1500 m in one region in the Crown Prince Range (3 Hadden, D. (1981). Birds of the North Solomons. Wau Ecology Institute Handbook 8. Wau Ecology Institute, Wau, Papua New Guinea. Close , 4 Ripley, S.D. and Hadden, D. (1982). A new species of Zoothera (Aves: Muscicapidae: Turdinae) from the northern Solomon Islands. J. Yamashina Inst. Orn.. 14: 103-107. Close ). There are very few records of this species, which is believed to have a very small population restricted to a single mountain range, but its numbers are thought to be stable as there appear to be no plausible threats within its known range. As with its congeners, however, it is a very secretive species and may be under-recorded.