Seram Myzomela
Myzomela blasii
A small, drab brown songbird with an entirely blackish downcurved bill and subtle scaling on the throat. Restricted to Seram, Boano, and Ambon islands. A canopy-dweller in forest and forest edge in foothills and mountains, where it gathers in small flocks within flowering trees. Distinguished from Wakolo Myzomela by absence of red on face and by indistinct throat scaling. Differs from Seram Honeyeater in smaller size, all-dark bill, lack of heavy breast streaking and lack of pale cheek mark. Gives high-pitched “sis, sis, sis…” calls and chattering notes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Myzomela blasii
- Authority
- (Salvadori, 1882)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Myzomela
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Karoo Bustard
Heterotetrax vigorsii
A medium-sized, drab, gray-brown bustard with a plain face and black throat patch. Creamy wing patches are displayed in flight. Small groups prefer semi-arid Karoo and barren farmland, where they feed on plants and small animals. During the heat of the day it retreats to drainage lines, where they shelter under thicker cover. Often first detected by its dry, throaty, frog-like two-or-three-syllabled “kraak-krook” or “kraak-krook-kook” calls, which are sometimes echoed by other group members, creating a choral cacophony. Vocal in the morning and late afternoon.
Stripe-breasted Wren
Cantorchilus thoracicus
Medium-sized wren, brown above with bold black-and-white streaking on face and breast. Distinctive in range. Fond of viney tangles at middle heights, but can be difficult to see through vegetation. Variable song always includes sweet repeated whistles, sometimes very simple but can be more complex, similar to other wrens.
Brown Skua
Stercorarius antarcticus
Large, dark brown skua with a very robust beak. Several subspecies vary in plumage from largely dark to mottled pale brown. In flight, exhibits a broad white patch on both upperwings and underwings. Usually seen well offshore, less often towards the coast; often follows boats. Lacks the capped appearance of Great and Chilean Skuas, and has darker underwing coverts than those species. The dark morph of South Polar Skua has colder tones and a smaller bill, but field separation is difficult.
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