Makira Cicadabird

Large and distinctive dark eagle of forested mountains and hills. Adults appear all dark from a distance, but closer inspection reveals pale barring on the primaries, secondaries, and undertail, as well as a bright yellow bill and feet. Readily separated from other large birds of prey in range by structure as well as coloration; Black Eagles have broad wings with distinct “fingers”(emarginated primaries) in the tip, as well as a long tail that is fan-shaped when open and slightly wedge-shaped when closed.

Medium-sized drab brown endemic of Micronesia’s Caroline Islands, where it inhabits a range of habitats, from native forest to degraded coastal scrub and patches of tall grass. Capable of persisting on even tiny coral atolls if there is sufficient vegetation. Often forages in dense bushes or grasses, but also ventures onto the ground and into the treetops. Song is a rather pleasant series of whistles, warbles, trills and chatters, often with repeating notes.

A large, mostly black-and-white hornbill that occurs in thickets, dense woodland, and riverine and coastal forest. It can be surprisingly inconspicuous while eating large fruit in forest trees, but in flight it has noisy wingbeats and a far-carrying baby-like wailing “whaaaaaa waa waa” call. In flight note narrow white hind edges to the mostly dark wings; the similar Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill has a very broad white hind edge, and the Silvery-cheeked Hornbill has no white hind edge.