Sulawesi Hanging-Parrot
Loriculus stigmatus
A small, brilliant green parrot with a red throat, tail, rump, and shoulder patch, a yellowish wash to the mantle, and a blackish bill. Males are pale-eyed with a red forehead that is lacking in females. Throat and shoulder are yellowish in juveniles. Found singly or in pairs at upper levels of wooded areas and forest in the lowlands and hills. Differs from the smaller Pygmy Hanging-Parrot in its dark bill, yellow back patch, and red forehead (in males). Vocal; calls include high-pitched “seet” and “sit” notes, either singly or in a series.
Taxonomy
With a total length of approximately 15 cm, it is a small parrot, but the largest species of hanging parrot. It has traditionally been considered monotypic, but recent work has re-validated the subspecies croconotus from Muna and Buton Island, and quadricolor from the Togian Islands, leaving the nominate for the population on Sulawesi itself. The plumage of the nominate is overall green with an indistinct yellowish tinge to the mantle, and a red chin, leading edge of the wing, rump and crown (the red crown is missing in females). Compared to this, L. s. croconotus has slightly paler wings and tail, and a relatively distinct yellowish tinge to the mantle, while L. s. quadricolor has a clear orange-yellow patch on the mantle, a smaller red chin-spot, and a slightly brighter red rump.
- Scientific name
- Loriculus stigmatus
- Authority
- (Müller, S, 1843)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Genus
- Loriculus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Common Woodshrike
Tephrodornis pondicerianus
A medium-sized woodshrike with grayish-brown upperparts, black facial mask, white rump, and gray tail with white outer tail feathers. Bill strongly hooked, dark grayish-brown in color. Underparts white. Similar to Malabar Woodshrike and Large Woodshrike, but generally found in drier forests; also note prominent white supercilium. Usually found in dry forested areas and shrublands. Bright, fast-paced song starts out with two strident “wheeet” notes, followed by a descending series of shorter notes. Calls vary, but usually sound like isolated fragments of song.
Pied Butcherbird
Cracticus nigrogularis
Medium-sized ambush-hunter with a long gray bill with a dark, hooked tip. Adult has black head, upper breast, back, and tail that contrast starkly with white nape, breast, belly, and wing pattern. Immature similarly patterned in brown instead of black. More likely than Gray Butcherbird to perch atop trees and poles. Beautiful fluting, whistling song, sometimes heard at night.
Greater Coucal
Centropus sinensis
A large bird that resembles a cross between a crow and a pheasant. Largely black with distinctive rusty wings, glossy underparts, a long and heavy black tail, and deep red eyes. Juveniles are much duller with white bars on the tail and underparts and variable amounts of black streaks on the wings and upperparts. Common across a range of habitats except very dense forests. Similar to Lesser Coucal, but Greater Coucal is larger with a longer bill and red eyes. Adult Greater Coucals also lack the white streaks on the wings seen on Lesser Coucal. The call is a series of deep, resonant “oop-oop-oop” notes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.