The black pitohui ( Melanorectes nigrescens) is a species of bird in the monotypic genus of Melanorectes in the family Pachycephalidae.
It is found throughout the highlands of New Guinea.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland .
Taxonomy and systematics
The black pitohui was originally described in the genus
Rectes (a synonym for the genus
Pitohui) and re-classified to
Melanorectes in 2013.
Alternate names include
black whistler and
dusky pitohui.
Subspecies
The following six
subspecies are recognized:
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M. n. nigrescens – (Hermann Schlegel, 1871): Found in northwestern New Guinea
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M. n. wandamensis – (Ernst Hartert, 1930): Found in the Wandammen Peninsula (western New Guinea)
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M. n. meeki – (Rothschild & Ernst Hartert, 1913): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Pitohui. Found in west-central New Guinea
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M. n. buergersi – (Erwin Stresemann, 1922): Found in northern and east-central New Guinea
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M. n. harterti – Reichenow, 1911: Originally described as a separate species. Found in northeastern New Guinea
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M. n. schistaceus – (Reichenow, 1900): Found in southeastern New Guinea
