White-bellied Erpornis
Erpornis zantholeuca
Small, crested, yuhina-like bird, frequently seen as a part of mixed flocks in a wide range of forested habitats. Upperparts yellowish green, underparts dingy gray except for yellow undertail coverts and whitish throat. Forages mostly in the upper layers of vegetation, from which its loud “nay nay” call is often heard.
Identification
In its coloration, morphology and acrobatic habits, this bird resembles a vireo quite a lot. However, it has a prominent crest like many yuhinas, which together with the unusual biogeography has served to obscure its true relationships for a long time. The crested head, back, wings and tail of this bird are olivaceous or golden brown while the underparts are white.<p>Erpornis possesses well-developed musculature for gaping or opening the bill forcefully and may use this to pry bark from trees to seek insects.
Taxonomy
Formerly placed in Yuhina and often still misleadingly called "white-bellied yuhina", it is the most distinct member of this "genus" in its obsolete paraphyletic delimitation. It is by no means closely related to the Timaliidae (Old World babblers), where most of the former members of Yuhina are still placed. The Timaliidae are members of the superfamily Sylvioidea in infraorder Passeri, whereas the erpornis is the closest relative of the vireos (Vireonidae), which are a more ancient lineage of songbirds. Indeed, it now is usually included in the Vireonidae as one of their few Old World representatives.<p>Several subspecies are recognised: E. z zantholeuca, E. z tyrannula, E. z griseiloris, E. z sordida, E. z canescens, E. z interposita, E. z saani and E. z brunnescens.
- Scientific name
- Erpornis zantholeuca
- Authority
- Blyth, 1844
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Vireonidae
- Genus
- Erpornis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Zimmer's Tody-Tyrant
Hemitriccus minimus
Very small flycatcher with a long thin bill and yellow eyes. Brownish-olive above and olive-buff below with indistinct dusky streaks. Note the two distinct yellow wingbars. Found mostly in forests on poor-quality soils, such as white-sand forests. The song is a ringing trill “Trieeee.” Similar to Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant, but Zimmer’s has more distinct wingbars and a very different song.
Mussau Triller
Lalage conjuncta
A rather long-tailed and long-winged bird with a short stubby head, similar in proportions to a small cuckooshrike. Plumage distinctively clean-cut in black and white, with mostly black upperside and white underside, broad white wing panels, and a white rump barred black. Belly often tinged with chestnut. Appears dependent on primary undisturbed forest. Often quiet, but voice reportedly includes a nasal “tchow-tchow-de-weet.”
Bismarck Boobook
Ninox variegata
A rather small owl with a grayish-brown head, brown upperparts spotted with white, and whitish underparts barred with rufous. Common in most forests up to at least 1000 meters of elevation. Differs from the similar New Britain Boobook in barred rather than spotted underparts, lack of contrastingly dark chest, and lack of slim white eyebrows. Ranges unlikely to regularly overlap. Voice is a gruff, frog-like “kra-kra-kra-kra.”
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.