Brown-backed whistler
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Pachycephalidae
Genus:	Pachycephala
Species:	P. modesta
Binomial name
Pachycephala modesta (De Vis, 1894)
Subspecies
See text
Synonyms
Poecilodryas modesta

The brown-backed whistler (Pachycephala modesta) is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae endemic to New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Taxonomy and systematics

The brown-backed whistler was originally described in the genus Poecilodryas.

Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognized:^[2]

• P. m. hypoleuca – Reichenow, 1915: Originally described as a separate species. Found in east-central New Guinea
• P. m. modesta – (De Vis, 1894): Found in southeast New Guinea
• P. m. telefolminensis – Gilliard & LeCroy, 1961: Found in central New Guinea