Ashbyia
| Gibberbird | |
|---|---|
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| Gibberbird | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Meliphagidae |
| Genus: |
Ashbyia North, 1911 |
| Species: | A. lovensis |
| Binomial name | |
|
Ashbyia lovensis (Ashby, 1911) |
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The gibberbird (Ashbyia lovensis) is a species of chat within the passerine birds. This species, also known at the desert chat or gibber chat is endemic to Australia and the only species within the genus Ashbyia. This genus was in fact named after the South Australian ornithologist Edwin Ashby.[3] It, along with the four chats of the genus Epithianura, have sometimes been placed in a separate family, Epthianuridae (the Australian chats), but are now thought to be aberrant honeyeaters in the family Meliphagidae.
The common name of gibberbird was given as a reflection of the gibber plains that make up the primary habitat for the species and unlike other chat species, the gibberbird is almost completely terrestrial, completely at ease on the ground level where it feeds, roosts and nests.
The gibberbird has a distinctive visage which is characterized by a grey crown, yellow forehead, face and underbelly with a black to grey-brown rump. The bill is a dark brown to black with grey-brown feet. The iris of the eye is a distinguishing shade of bright yellow.
Unlike other chats, the gibberbird only has slight sexual dimorphisms between the male and female. Females differ very slightly and can sometimes be distinguished by more brown plumage, especially around the throat, face and neck. They can also have a heavier breast band and a generally duller appearance in comparison to the males.
Juveniles appear similar to adults, with a brown back, crown and wings, with a pale yellow throat.
The gibberbird is monomorphic in terms of length and weight. Generic measurements have been found to range from 125 to 130mm in length and 14 to 20g in weight.
Giberbirds are often observed in sparsely vegetated stony deserts with a scattering of grasses such as; Astrebla and Enneapogon. As well as low chenopod shrubland, which is mainly dominated by plants species such as Sclerolaena and Atriplex on higher grounds. In the stony deserts north of South Australia, gbberbirds can often be encountered in low, open shrubland or grassland of Atriplex vesicaria, Frankenia Serpyllifolia and Astrebla pectinata.
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Wikipedia