NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Growling Riflebird
Ptiloris intercedens Sharpe, 1882
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The growling riflebird (Ptiloris intercedens), also known as the eastern riflebird, is a medium-sized passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae.
The growling riflebird is endemic to the lowlands of easternmost Papua New Guinea. The male is polygamous and performs its courtship display solitarily. The diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods.
A common species throughout its range, the growling riflebird is evaluated as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
The common name "riflebird" comes from the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the British Army Rifle Brigade.
Wikipedia contributors, Growling riflebird; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:12:43.855948+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Ptiloris intercedens Sharpe, 1882
- Name authority
- Sharpe, 1882
- Common name
- Growling Riflebird
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paradisaeidae
- Genus
- Ptiloris
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPasseriformes
- familyParadisaeidae Vigors, 1825
- genusPtiloris Swainson, 1825
- speciesPtiloris intercedens Sharpe, 1882
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Ptiloris. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Magnificent RiflebirdPtiloris magnificus (Vieillot, 1819) | ParadisaeidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Paradise RiflebirdPtiloris paradiseus Swainson, 1825 | ParadisaeidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Victoria's RiflebirdPtiloris victoriae Gould, 1850 | ParadisaeidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Lophorina intercedens (Sharpe, 1882) (Sharpe, 1882) | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Sharpe, & Richard Bowdler. (1882). Contributions to the Ornithology of New Guinea.-Part VIII. The Journal of the Linnean Society. Zoology, Vol. 16. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4Q8FB. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.