Rhagologidae Mottled Berryhunter

A little-known species from New Guinea, this shy and drab denizen of lower and mid-montane forests is often overlooked, being revealed by frequent mist-net captures rather than direct observations of birds in the field. Only recently has molecular systematics identified this bird as belonging to a distinct clade all its own, quite distantly related to the whistlers that share its common name. Its song has the cadence of a thrush or solitaire but the notes have the whipped, ringing quality that characterizes the vocalizations of so many corvoids. The newfound interest that comes with a monotypic family will no doubt lead to many more discoveries about the biology of this enigmatic bird in the near future.