Chestnut-breasted Whiteface

About the Chestnut-breasted Whiteface

The chestnut-breasted whiteface (Aphelocephala pectoralis) is a small passerine bird endemic to inland South Australia, with some unconfirmed sightings in the Northern Territory. The species is most likely found on the Country of the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara, Arabana and Kokatha-Barngarla peoples, although no Indigenous name has been recorded for it and Country boundaries are approximate.

The holotype species was both described and named by John Gould in 1871 from a specimen forwarded to him by Frederick_George_Waterhouse the curator of the South Australian Museum at the time. Originally it was thought that the specimen was obtained by FW Andrews who was a well known field collector and had previously sent Gould new species. However, records of Andrews' collections make no reference to this species; evidence would suggest it was actually collected by Frank Gibson, a gentleman shepherd, who was an enthusiastic collector of field species for the South Australian Museum. In a book on South Australian birds, published by Waterhouse in 1876, the bird is referred to as 'Gibson's Xerophila, Xerophila pectoralis (Chestnut-breasted whiteface)' and the location was referred... Wikipedia →