Louisiade Pitta

A brightly colored songbird with a bright golden belly, a black hood and chest band, and an olive upperside and wings. Throat is a golden yellow. Population on Vella Lavella and Ranongga is mostly black with a golden throat, belly, and undertail. Birds on the Russell Islands are entirely golden, brighter below. Some birds on Guadalcanal are entirely cinnamon with a brownish “shawl” and a buffy belly. Mostly inhabits primary forest, but wanders into gardens and village edges. Voice includes a mix of flute-like whistles and squeaks with loud far-carrying whipcrack notes repeated.

A very common inhabitant of humid forests. Small chunky manakin with elongated central tail feathers. Males are unmistakable with their blue bodies, black wings and head, and red crown. Females are uniformly green with a dark eye and pale legs and bill. Very noisy at the display lek where males can be heard from a long way off delivering soft “kua-a-a-a” notes.

Fairly small, short-tailed parrot of lowland rainforest. Green backed with a yellow head and white and yellow underparts. Smaller than other short-tailed parrots and appears big headed. Usually forages and flies in pairs or small groups around the rainforest canopy. Listen for high, buzzing screeches.