Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove
Macropygia nigrirostris
A small-bodied, mostly brown dove with a long tail and a short stout black bill. Heavily barred tail and rump are diagnostic. Found from sea level to 2600 meters of elevation, usually singly or in pairs at forest edge, though groups of up to 20 can sometimes be found feeding on fruiting trees. Very similar to both Brown Cuckoo-Dove in New Guinea and MacKinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove in the Solomon Islands. Male Brown Cuckoo-Dove differs in being bigger with a grayish head and iridescent green neck patch, female has thick black under tail crescents. MacKinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove is a similar size but is a lighter tan color on the body showing contrast with the darker chestnut wings, whereas Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove is uniformly ruddy brown. It also differs from both species in its barred uppertail and rump. Commonly vocal and most often heard giving a rapid series of around twelve “woi” notes.
Identification
The bar-tailed cuckoo-dove measures 29 centimetres (11 in) in length. It has a short, completely black bill. The six central tail feathers are black barred. The central breast feathers are not bifurcated. The male is ruddy-brown, with no clear distinction between the underparts and the upperparts. The female, however, has black barred upperparts. The juvenile is similar to the female, but its tail is barred irregularly.<p>It is differentiated from other sympatric (other species existing in the same geographic area and thus frequently encountering with it) pigeons other than cuckoo-doves, by its chestnut brown plumage and slender, long tail.
Taxonomy
Genus: Macropygia; Family: Columbidae; Order: Columbiformes.
- Scientific name
- Macropygia nigrirostris
- Authority
- Salvadori, 1876
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Macropygia
Range and habitat
It is native to Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. It inhabits old-growth forests, forest peripheries, and second-growth forests. It also occurs commonly on submontane forests on altitudes of up to 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) from sea levels, and occasionally at sea levels on hills adjacent to coasts.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Tiny, hyperactive songbird usually found in conifer trees. Look for black stripes on the head and bold wing pattern. The namesake golden crown is usually just a small stripe, but can be flared into an expressive fiery-orange crest when agitated. Breeds in coniferous forests, usually staying high in trees. In migration and winter, often joins mixed flocks of other songbirds in a wider variety of wooded habitats. Very active; often hovers and flicks wings as it forages. Listen for extremely high-pitched call notes.
Volcano Junco
Junco vulcani
Demonic-looking bird with staring yellow eye set against black face. Otherwise gray with browner flanks, brown back with black streaks. Pale pink bill. Found in open habitats at high elevations, usually above 3000m but locally down to 2500m. Often on the ground or in small shrubs, usually in pairs or small groups. Very limited range only in Costa Rica and extreme western Panama.
Kolombangara White-eye
Zosterops murphyi
Small. Entirely plain yellowish-olive with a very broad white eye-ring. Restricted to mossy cloud forest, mostly above 950 meters of elevation, but has been recorded down to 350 meters of elevation. Overlaps with Solomons White-eye but has a much broader white eye-ring and is more uniformly olive-green. Song is a long high-pitched warble. Common call is a sharp piercing “peep,” quite different from that of Solomons White-eye.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.