Chestnut-bellied Malkoha
Phaenicophaeus sumatranus
Large, rather ungainly cuckoo; clambers about in the middle and upper levels of lowland forests and edges as it forages. Glossy green above, gray below and on head, with neon-orange skin around the eye, chestnut-orange belly and undertail coverts, greenish-yellow bill, and white-tipped green tail. Black-bellied Malkoha similar but paler overall, with a dark belly, and Green-billed Malkoha even paler, with dark red facial skin bordered in white. Gives multiple hollow-sounding notes, reminiscent of knocks on wood.
Identification
The plumage on its mantle is dark green and glossy, while that of its throat, breast, and crown are gray. The underside of its wings are green and yellow.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Phaenicophaeus sumatranus
- Authority
- (Raffles, 1822)
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Genus
- Phaenicophaeus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Yellow-breasted Crake
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Green-backed White-eye
Zosterops xanthochroa
A classic small greenish-yellow white-eye species with bold white eye-rings. Common in more humid habitats throughout New Caledonia; mostly replaced by Silvereye in drier and more disturbed areas, though the two can be found together. Green-backed is plainer overall than Silverye, without any contrasting plumage apart from the eyering. Has a typical white-eye vocal repertoire, with a high-pitched wheezy warbling song and high-pitched piercing quavering call notes.
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