Long-billed Honeyeater
Melilestes megarhynchus
A medium-sized honeyeater of forest interior from the lowlands to the mid-mountains. Long bill out of proportion with the rest of the body. Brown upperparts, grayish underparts and head with a red eye. Skulking and sometimes only seen flying across the road. Similar to Meyer’s Friarbird and Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, but Long-billed has a longer, thinner bill, a red rather than dark eye and lacks Tawny-breasted’s facial stripe. Call, a nasal, raspy, downslurred “reeeeuuuuww!” note.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Melilestes megarhynchus
- Authority
- (Gray, GR, 1858)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Melilestes
Range and habitat
It is found in New Guinea and offshore islands, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Band-tailed Antshrike
Thamnophilus melanothorax
A rarely encountered large antshrike. Both sexes are distinctive; male is mostly black with a broad white tail band, whereas female is mostly rusty-colored with a black face and throat. Pairs inhabit disturbed areas in forested regions and are especially fond of dense vine tangles. May ascend into midstory but usually remains in undergrowth where they are difficult to see. Song is a slow series of hollow notes, much slower than other antshrikes in range; also harsh churring in alarm. Range incompletely known.
Rota White-eye
Zosterops rotensis
A small bird, olive-green above and yellow below, with a bold white eye-ring and a yellow bill. Yellow in front of eye and on throat gives a yellow-faced appearance. Found in tall wet native forest above about 400 meters of elevation, but occasionally down to 200 meters. Voice consists mostly of high-pitched chirping.
African Swamphen
Porphyrio madagascariensis
When seen in good light, shows spectacular purple, green, and pale blue coloration. In dull light, looks dark, but still shows red bill and feet and white undertail. Found in freshwater and brackish wetlands with thick vegetation, mainly at low and middle elevations. Gives a loud trumpeting call. Coloration similar to Allen’s Gallinule, but chunkier and larger, with a much larger bill. Larger than Eurasian Moorhen, with brighter coloration, red legs, and no yellow tip to the bill.
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