South Melanesian Cuckooshrike

Coracina caledonica

A large cuckooshrike with uniformly matte slaty-black plumage and a very striking pale eye. Long-tailed, with a relatively stubby bill. Resident in forests, usually in foothills and lowlands, especially coastal forest. Unlikely to be confused. Most common call is an ascending whistle, often followed by a shrill “kwa-kwawa-kwawa.”

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Coracina caledonica
Authority
(Gmelin, JF, 1788)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Campephagidae
Genus
Coracina

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Kerguelen Shag

Kerguelen Shag

Leucocarbo verrucosus

An attractive Southern Ocean crested and pied cormorant with pinkish feet, orange-buff warty caruncles on forehead, and a blue eye-ring, but without white wingbars. Juvenile is duller, lacking facial ornaments. Restricted to a single subantarctic island, Kerguelen, where it is the only cormorant and is commonly seen foraging in inshore waters. Although they do not overlap in range, most other Southern Ocean “blue-eyed” shags are larger, with whiter sides to the head, and many have white wingbars. Call is a grunting wheeze. 

Chestnut-capped Puffbird

Chestnut-capped Puffbird

Bucco macrodactylus

Attractive small puffbird of lowland rainforest. White below, reddish brown above, with a black mask and single black breast band. As with most puffbirds, can be difficult to spot as it sits motionless on a perch for long periods of time; usually perches fairly low, in the under and midstory in dense vegetation. Prefers forest edges and other areas of dense secondary growth, especially around water.

Urubamba Antpitta

Urubamba Antpitta

Grallaria occabambae

Plump, mostly terrestrial bird with long legs and a short tail found at high elevations in the eastern Andes of southern Peru. Plumage is mostly chestnut brown but is slightly paler on the belly. Similar to Leymebamba Antpitta, but larger, longer legged, and lacks gray in the plumage. The white eyering helps to separate it from Ayacucho Antpitta. Voice is also very helpful for ID; depending on location, it gives either three quick whistles with a pause after the first, or just two whistles. Also sometimes sings a longer, decelerating series of around ten notes. Usually stays well-hidden on or near the forest floor. Formerly considered a subspecies of what used to be called Rufous Antpitta.

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