Morningbird
Pachycephala tenebrosa
A rather small, mostly drab passerine. Male has a brownish-olive body with a darker hood and chest and a thick dark bill. Female is mostly drab brownish-olive. Dwells on the ground and in forest understory in deep primary forest. Similar to Dusky White-eye but larger, with a thicker bill. Smaller and paler than Micronesian Starling, with a dark eye. Song includes a varied mix of whistler-like staccato chirps, whistles, and rasps.
Taxonomy
The morningbird was previously placed in the genus Colluricincla until 2013, when it was transferred to Pachycephala. Some authorities have placed the morningbird in the genus Pitohui and it is sometimes placed in its own monotypic genus, Malacolestes. Alternate names for the morningbird include the brown pitohui, morning pitohui, morning whistler, Palau morningbird and Palau pitohui.
- Scientific name
- Pachycephala tenebrosa
- Authority
- (Hartlaub & Finsch, 1868)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pachycephalidae
- Genus
- Pachycephala
Range and habitat
The morningbird is endemic to the islands of Babeldaob, Koror, Ngercheu, Peleliu and Ngebad in Palau. Its natural habitat is deep primary tropical moist lowland forests. The species is non-migratory. It is apparently more common on the smaller islands in its range.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Morningbirds feed principally on insects, but also take snails, berries, fruit and seeds. They feed on or around the ground.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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