The species was first described by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard in 1830.

There are five subspecies recognised; the nominate ocellatus is found in New Guinea and surrounding islands.

Current populations are threatened by land clearing, inappropriate fire regimes and timber harvesting with future impacts of climate change posing additional risks.

[6] There have been estimates of the current pairs in the Conondale ranges being around 800 pairs with the current range of the species is just under 2000 ha with some potential future habitat increase in population being created by regenerating rainforest previously logged.

To cope with the heat and humidity of its tropical home, P. ocellatus has heart and respiration rates lower than is typical for birds of its size.