Striated Pardalote - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

Four full species were originally named, and are clearly recognisable in the field. They are now classified as merely well-defined subspecies instead.

• The Yellow-tipped Pardalote (race striatus) is, found mainly in Tasmania, but crosses the 200 miles of Bass Strait to the mainland each winter in a migration.
• The Striated Pardalote, race substriatus, central and western Australia.
• The Eastern Striated or Red-tipped Pardalote, race ornatus, from the sub-tropical east coast, including the Sydney region.
• Two races of the Black-headed Pardalote, melanocephalus and uropygialis, from north-eastern New South Wales to north-eastern Queensland, and across the Top End to the Kimberley.

All five forms have a black cap which may be striated but never spotted, a white wing stripe and a small, conspicuous wing spot—bright red in all except striatus, which has a yellow spot.