The black-throated whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis) is a passerine bird found in several scattered populations in Southwest Australia. It is predominantly olive green in colour. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the white-bellied whipbird (Psophodes leucogaster), so shares the common name "western whipbird".

Taxonomy

The black-throated whipbird was described by the English ornithologist John Gould in 1844 and given its current binomial name Psophodes nigrogularis. Two subspecies are recognised. Both are under threat to some degree. The white-bellied whipbird (Psophodes leucogaster) was formerly treated as conspecific with the black-throated whipbird. It was promoted to species status based on an analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences published in 2017. The Clements Checklist refers to this species with the common name western whipbird (black-throated) to distinguish it from P. leucogaster (white-bellied).

Description

The black-throated whipbird is a slim bird some 21 – in length. It is predominantly olive green with a black throat and a narrow white cheek-patch edged with black on its face. It has a small crest and a long dark olive-green tail tipped with white, its underparts are a paler olive colour. The bill is black with blackish feet. Juveniles are a duller olive-brown in colour and lack the white cheek stripes and dark throat.

Breeding

Breeding occurs in spring. The nest is a bowl of twigs and sticks lined with softer material such as grasses, located in shrubs or trees less than 1 – above the ground. A clutch of two eggs, pale blue with blackish splotches and spots, measuring 26 x, is laid.

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