170 SHORT NOTES Forktail 22 (2006)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hellmayr, C. E. (1914) Die Avifauna von Timor. Pp. 1112 in C. B.

Haniel (ed.) Zoologie von Timor. Stuttgart: in Kommissionsverlag
We wish to thank Orlando Berek (Forest Guard, Suai district), Sixto der E. Schwizerbartschen Verlagsbuchhandlung, Ngele und Dr
Borges, Manuel Cardosa, and Maria Berek for help in the field and Sproesser in Stuttgart.
logistical support at Foho Lulik. Funding for the surveys was made Lesmana, D, Trainor, C. and Gatur, A. (2000) Arti penting hutan di
possible by the BirdLife International Asia Programme, and we would daratan Timor bagian barat: telaah awal informasi keanekaragaman
like to thank Richard Grimmett and Cathy Molnar. Permission to hayati dan sosial ekonomi di Pulau Timor (Propinsi Nusa Tenggara
conduct fieldwork was facilitated and given by Cypriana Soares and Timur). [The importance of forest areas in West Timor: a review of
Estanislau da Silva of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and biodiversity and socio-economic information based on rapid surveys]
Fisheries (MAFF, Timor-Leste). Adalfredo Ferreira of the Geographical Bogor: PKA/BirdLife International/WWF, Report No 13. (In
Information Systems unit (MAFF), provided access to aerial photos of Indonesian.)
the Foho Lulik area which helped pinpoint study sites, and Geoffrey Mayr, E. (1944) The birds of Timor and Sumba. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat.
Carr, Charles Darwin University (Darwin, Australia), kindly prepared Hist. 83: 127194.
the map. Thanks are also due to the United Kingdom Parrot Society Mauro, I. (2003) New and significant ornithological records from Asias
for supporting purchase of a vehicle which was used to access newest country: Timor-Leste. Bogor: Unpublished report to BirdLife
remote field sites and to Ian Cowie of the Northern Territory Herbarium International.
for providing access to a working list of Timor plants. Sonagrams McKean, J. L., Mason, I. J. and OConnor, L. W. (1975) Birds not
were kindly prepared by Richard Ranft of the British Library Sound previously recorded from Timor. Emu 75: 6264.
Archive. Noske, R. A. (2003) The breeding seasons of birds on Timor. Kukila 12:
3143.
Noske, R. A. and Saleh, N. (1996) The conservation status of forest
REFERENCES birds in West Timor. Pp. 6574 in D. Kitchener and A. Suyanto,
eds. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Eastern
BirdLife International (2001) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife Indonesian Australian Vertebrate Fauna, Manado, Indonesia,
International Red Data Book. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife November 2226, 1994.
International. Olsen, J., Wink, M., Sauer-Gurth, H. and Trost, S. (2002) A new Ninox
Bouma, G. A. and Kobryn, H. T. (2004) Change in vegetation cover from Sumba, Indonesia. Emu 102: 223231.
in East Timor, 19891999. Natural Resources Forum 28: 112. RePPProT (1989) The land resources of Indonesia: a national overview.
Coates, B. J. and Bishop, K. D. (1997) A guide to the birds of Wallacea. Jakarta: ODA/Ministry of Transmigration.
Alderley, Queensland, Australia: Dove Publications. Slade, M., Villanueva, J. F., Tacud, B. and Curio, E. (2005) First
Collar, N. J., Mallari, N. A. D. and Tabaranza, B. R. (1999) Threatened nesting observations of the Negros Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba keayi
birds of the Philippines. Manila: Bookmark Inc. and Haribon from Panay, Philippines. Forktail 21: 161163.
Foundation. Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. and Wege, D. C. (1998)
Dickinson, E. C., Rasmussen, P. C, Round, P. D. and Rozendaal, F. Endemic Bird Areas of the world: priorities for biodiversity conservation.
G. (2001) Systematic notes on Asian birds 1. A review of the russet BirdLife Conservation Series No. 7. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife
bush-warbler Bradypterus seebohmi (Ogilvie-Grant, 1895) Zool. International.
Verh. 331: 1164. Trainor, C. R., Santana, F., Xavier, A., dos Santos, L., Xavier, F. and
Gibbs, D., Barnes, E. and Cox, J. (2001) Pigeons and doves. dos Santos, J. (2004). Status of globally threatened birds and
Robertsbridge, Sussex, U.K.: Pica Press. internationally significant sites in Timor-Leste (East Timor) based
Gjershaug, J. O, Kvaly, K., Rv, N., Prawiradilaga, D. M., Suparman, on rapid participatory biodiversity assessments. Unpublished report.
U. and Rahman, Z. (2004) The taxonomic status of the Flores White, C. M. N. and Bruce, M. D. (1986) The birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi,
Hawk-eagle Spizaetus floris. Forktail 20: 5561. the Moluccas and Lesser Sunda Islands Indonesia). An annotated checklist.
London: British Ornithologists Union (Checklist no. 7).

Frank R. Lambert, c/o 64 Eldred Avenue, Brighton BN1 5EG, U.K. Email: flambertemail@yahoo.co.uk
Colin R. Trainor, Tropical Savannas Management Cooperative Research Centre, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina
0909 Northern Territory 0812, Australia. Email: colin.trainor@cdu.edu.au
Almeida F. Xavier, Chief District Forest Officer (Los Palos), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Timor-Leste.

A taxonomic reappraisal of the Black-browed Barbet

Megalaima oorti
N. J. COLLAR

As commonly treated (e.g. Peters 1948, Cheng 1987, Hainan, M. o. annamensis through parts of eastern
Clements 2000, Short and Horne 2001, 2002, Dickinson Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam), and M. o. oorti in
2003), Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti consists of Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra (see Fig. 1; note that
five widely disjunct subspecies: M. o. nuchalis on Taiwan, Robson [2000] also lists nominate oorti for extreme
M. o. sini in southern mainland China, M. o. faber on southern Thailand). In terms of plumage morphology,
Forktail 22 (2006) SHORT NOTES 171

these five taxa fall into three distinct groups, (1) nuchalis
as a standalone, (2) sini and faber, and (3) annamensis and
oorti. Wolters (19751982), who confined Megalaima to
a single species and placed the birds considered here in
the genus Cyanops, elected to treat these groups as three
species, M. nuchalis, M. faber and M. oorti. Lewthwaite
(1996) evidently concurred with this judgement, but his
information was overlooked by Short and Horne (2002)
who, in retaining all taxa in the single species M. oorti,
noted:
Very well-marked races sini and faber could prove
specifically distinct; nuchalis also sometimes thought
possibly to be a distinct species, but tends to bridge
the gap between these two races and nominate oorti
and annamensis; thus, all are considered better
treated as races of present species.
Lewthwaite (1996), however, had made the point that
important vocal differences supported the separation of
the taxa into three species:
When recent recordings of birds singing in Guangxi,
Guangdong, Taiwan and South Annam... were
compared with published recordings from
Malaysia..., the songs of sini and nuchalis were found
to differ from each other and from those of annamensis
and oorti, which in turn resembled each other.
Moreover, on the basis of a rapid assessment of museum
specimens, Collar (2004), who also overlooked
Lewthwaite (1996), pointed out that nuchalis is certainly
not geographically intermediate between the southern
Chinese faber group and the South-East Asian oorti group
(Taiwan is a north-easterly outlier of the complex and
over 10 further east than the latitudinally similar sini: see
Fig. 1), and much less morphologically intermediate than Figure 1. Ranges of the five taxa of Black-browed Barbet Megalaima
at first glance. While nuchalis shares a full red breast- oorti, conflated from maps in Short and Horne (2001, 2002) and adjusted
patch with the faber group, its forecrown coloration is to incorporate new range data for M. o. (=M. faber) sini (see text).
shared with the oorti group (in many ways this is the more Dashed lines indicate new species limits.
striking concordance, thereby leap-frogging the
geographically intermediate black-crowned Chinese
birds); but the latter two groups share a red rear mid- bill and tarsus for annamensis and faber, tail and tarsus for
crown while nuchalis has a red upper mantle-patch, a nuchalis and sini). I therefore measured, using digital
feature which further undermines the notion of the latters calipers, bill, tarsus, wing and tail of all five taxa represented
intermediacy. by specimen material in the American Museum of Natural
Measurements of taxa in Short and Horne (2001), History, New York (AMNH), and Natural History
although helpfully broken down by sex, do not allow full Museum, Tring (BMNH), constructing a matrix of their
comparisons because certain features are omitted (tail, key plumage patterns (Table 1) and morphometrics

Table 1. Plumage colour matrix for the five taxa in the Megalaima oorti complex. The asterisk (*) indicates that the text discusses slight differences
on the lower forehead.

Feature nuchalis sini faber annamensis oorti

Forehead narrow black black* black* red red
Forecrown pale yellow, shading black broad black pale yellow yellow
via whitish to blue
Hind-crown pale blue shading broad red square; broad red square; red central patch; red central patch;
to green; blue sides black and blue sides black and blue sides blue sides blue sides
Red loral spot large small small adjoins forehead adjoins forehead
Subocular cheek/moustache black/black black/black black/black blue/black blue/black
Ear-coverts and lower malar pale (turquoise) blue violet-blue blue turquoise turquoise
Throat and upper malar pale orange-ochre pale orange-ochre pale orange-ochre pale yellow pale orange-ochre
(mustard yellow) (mustard yellow) (mustard yellow) (mustard yellow)
Upper breast-band pale (turquoise) violet-blue, violet blue, turquoise turquoise
blue blackish-blue centre blackish-blue centre
Lower breast-band narrow red crescent broad red block broad red block blue shading to blue shading to
green, red breast- green, red breast-
side patch side patch
172 SHORT NOTES Forktail 22 (2006)

Table 2. Morphometrics (in mm) of the five taxa and grouped taxa in the Megalaima oorti complex. Bill was measured from skull, wing curved.
Sample sizes: oorti 10 males, 9 females, 1 unsexed; annamensis 10 males, 10 females; faber 10 males, 8 females, 2 unsexed; sini 1 male (bill 26
mm, tarsus 29 mm, wing 111 mm, tail 74 mm); and nuchalis 10 males, 10 females. For each pair or group of taxa considered, and for each variable,
a one-way ANOVA was done to test for statistically significant differences amongst the taxa and, if found, a Scheffe post-hoc comparison was
made to determine where the differences lie; the significance values in Table 3 are for these comparisons.

Bill Tarsus Wing Tail

N mean SE N mean SE N mean SE N mean SE
Taxon/Taxa minmax minmax minmax minmax
M. o. nuchalis 20 24.7 0.24 20 26.3 0.26 20 98.4 0.58 20 73.1 1.26
2227 2328 91102 6381
M. o. faber 20 25.5 0.35 20 27.0 0.29 19 102.6 0.65 20 74.1 0.89
2227 2429 95106 6881
M. o. annamensis 20 23.5 0.34 20 24.6 0.17 20 94.3 0.70 20 68.9 0.71
2126 2326 8999 6576
M. o. oorti 20 22.4 0.36 20 23.9 0.22 20 90.9 0.88 20 73.6 0.92
2025 2225 85100 6781
oorti+annamensis 40 22.9 0.26 40 24.2 0.15 40 92.6 0.62 40 71.3 0.69
2026 2226 85100 6581
faber+sini 21 25.5 0.34 21 27.1 0.29 20 103.1 0.75 21 74.1 0.85
2227 2429 95111 6881
Group 1 (all but nuchalis) 61 23.8 0.26 61 25.2 0.22 60 96.1 0.80 61 72.2 0.56
2027 2229 85111 6581
Group 2 (faber+sini+nuchalis) 41 25.1 0.22 41 26.7 0.20 40 100.7 0.60 41 73.6 0.75
2227 2329 91111 6381
Group 3 (oorti+annamensis+nuchalis) 60 23.5 0.22 60 24.9 0.18 60 94.5 0.58 60 71.9 0.62
2027 2228 85102 6381

Table 3. Statistical significance of different measurements of the taxa area (frontal ear-coverts) (1) and significantly smaller
in Table 2. size (bill, tarsus and wing) (1). There is the further
testimony (Lewthwaite 1996) that their songs, while
Contrasts between similar to each other, are different from the three more
subspecies Bill Tarsus Wing Tail northerly taxa (a score of 2 here may be unjustly low but
annamensis vs faber 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.01
at least assumes the difference cannot be minor). A total
annamensis vs nuchalis n.s. 0.001 0.01 0.05 of 13 indicates that these two taxa are better treated on
annamensis vs oorti n.s. n.s. 0.01 0.05 these multiple, distinctive characters as a single species,
faber vs nuchalis n.s. n.s. 0.05 n.s. although annamensis is unique among all taxa under
faber vs oorti 0.001 0.001 0.001 n.s. consideration in having a yellowish-green crown and throat
nuchalis vs oorti 0.001 0.001 0.001 n.s. (score 2) and in its longer wing and shorter tail it shows
nuchalis vs Group 1 n.s. n.s. n.s n.s. a (weakly) significant difference from oorti (1), and its bill
oorti+annamensis vs Group 2 0.001 0.001 0.001 n.s. more extensively grey-horn on the lower mandible than
faber+sini vs Group 3 n.s. 0.001 0.001 n.s. all other taxa (1), all suggesting that there is considerable
distance between the two forms in the newly arranged
species M. oorti.
(Tables 2 and 3). In order to assess species limits, I It is also clear that nuchalis separates out from faber
deployed a quantitative systemto be published in detail and sini on the basis of its paler, more turquoise-blue
elsewhere (Collar et al. in prep., but outlined in Collar upper breast-band and ear-coverts (1), much larger red
2006)for grading morphological and vocal differences loral spot (1), yellowish shading to whitish crown (2),
between allopatric taxa: a major difference scores 3, bluish shading to green upper hind-crown (2), diffuse red
medium difference 2, minor difference 1, a threshold of patch on upper mantle (2), and slightly smaller size
7 is set to allow species status, and no taxon can qualify (although this is only on average, and only signficant for
for this status on minor differences alone, no matter how wing length) (no score). In addition, a different song
many. (In this analysis, degree of significance in size (again, with the disclaimer it may be too low, 2), fide
difference is not allowed for, and such differences, if Lewthwaite (1996, also P. I. Holt in litt. 2006) takes the
counted at all, are considered minor.) total to 10 and confers species status on nuchalis.
From Tables 13 it is clear that oorti and annamensis The differences between faber and sini are small. In his
separate out (whether considered together or separately) original description, Stresemann (1929) diagnosed sini as
from faber, sini and nuchalis on the basis of their complete very similar to faber aber Federn des Stirnrandes mit
red forehead and lores (in the other taxa the lores are roten Spitzen auf blaugrnem Grunde statt mit
black by the eye, red by the bill, the latter making a red blaugrnen Spitze; Ohrdecken und seitlich-rckwrtige
spot) (score 2), turquoise (vs blue) on upper breast and Begrenzung des gelben Kehlflecks mehr veilchenfarben,
ear-coverts (2), red spot each side of the upper breast (vs weniger blau (but the feathers on the edges of the forehead
red breast-band) (2), and small, blue-boxed red nape- have red tips on a blue-green base, rather than blue-green
patch (vs either large and black-sided or absent) (1), all- tips; ear-coverts and lower upperside borders to the yellow
yellow crown (2), turquoise (vs black) subocular cheek throat [=lower malar area] more violet, less blue). He
Forktail 22 (2006) SHORT NOTES 173

gave the wing of the type as 112 mm, which conforms well 1988; also Short and Horne 2002), and common wherever
with the 111 mm of the single specimen in BMNH and found (typically in forest at 7501,300 m) in Peninsular
suggests that a longer wing may be a further minor point Malaysia (Wells 1999). Thus it would appear that all
of separation from faber (score 1). On the BMNH specimen three qualify as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
(1934.6.20.4) the more violet coloration of the ear-coverts
and lower malar is just discernible (1), but the red tips to
feathers on the lower forehead (area immediately above ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the bill) are absent (indeed, the dull blue-green feathers
on the lower forehead of the five BMNH faber are very few I am very grateful to the staff at AMNH (Paul Sweet, Shannon Kenney,
and barely noticeable) (0); however, it has a more complete Peter Capainolo) and BMNH (Robert Prys-Jones, Mark Adams,
blue lower border to the red hindcrown-patch than appears Katrina Cook) for access to the specimens used in the morphometric
on any of the five BMNH faber (0, since it is not known analysis, to Ana S. L. Rodrigues and Claire N. Spottiswoode for advice
if this feature is constant in other specimens of sini). A on statistical analysis and preparation of the tables and map, to Yves
score of only 2 therefore separates the two taxa. de Soye, Mike Kilburn, Craig Robson and Paul Holt for various
Most of the plumage differences used here to establish kindnesses, and to two refereesRichard Lewthwaite and Martin
species limits are evident in the photographs published in Williamsfor sensible suggestions and additional data.
Collar (2004). Vocal differences merit further analysis
when recordings of all five taxa become available
Lewthwaite (1996) was lacking faberand more detailed REFERENCES
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(19751982). Possible English names for the resulting Clements, J. F. (2000) Birds of the world: a checklist. Fifth edition.
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and Chinese Barbet (or possibly Black-crowned Barbet) Collar, N. J. (2004) Subspecies of Taiwan birdsfirst impressions.
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oorti, yielding the following arrangement: Collar, N. J. (2006) A partial revision of the Asian babblers (Timaliidae).
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N. J. Collar, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, U.K. Email: nigel.collar@birdlife.org