Jobi Manucode
Manucodia jobiensis
A large bird of lowland rainforest. All black with red eye. Purplish-blue iridescence on wings and tail and iridescent scaling on the chest and back. Shy and little known. Best seen at fruiting trees. Very similar to Crinkle-collared Manucode, but Jobi is usually found at lower elevation and lacks the bump on its head. Trumpet Manucode co-occurs but is smaller and has a loose mane of feathers around its neck. Song, a series of hollow “hoo” notes.
Identification
The Jobi manucode is medium-sized, up to 34 cm long, greenish blue, black and purple-glossed with red iris, lightly crinkled bluish short upper breast and neck feathers. Both sexes are similar in appearance, however the female is slightly smaller and duller. This species resembles the crinkle-collared manucode in appearance, distinguished by its neck feathers and by having a shorter tail than the latter species.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Manucodia jobiensis
- Authority
- Salvadori, 1876
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paradisaeidae
- Genus
- Manucodia
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Olive-backed Forest Robin
Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus
Localized species found only in lowland rainforest south of the River Ogooué in Gabon, and possibly also in adjacent Congo. A short-tailed understory robin with a bright orange throat. Also shows a dark-green back, mostly gray face, pale-yellow belly, and a white spot in front of the eye. Vocalizations seem to differ from other forest robins, though more study is needed. One vocalization is a chirp note, followed by a series of modulated notes. Another is a series of phrases, which are continually repeated. May occur alongside very similar Orange-breasted Forest Robin, but distinguished by the green rather than brownish back, and the yellowish rather than whitish belly. Can also be confused with Lowland Akalat, but always distinguished by the white spot in front of the eye, as well as the dark-green rather than rufous-brown back, and the yellowish rather than white belly.
Red-throated Thrush
Turdus ruficollis
This eastern counterpart of the Black-throated Thrush also breeds in montane areas and winters in lower-elevation areas on average. Males gray above and white below, with a brick-red throat and supercilium. Female paler, with more streaking on the breast and light suffusion of red on the face. Streaky and drab young birds can be difficult to distinguish from Black-throated; chestnut outer tail feathers and orange suffusion to the throat area indicate Red-throated. In areas of overlap, beware hybrids that may show features of both species. Pleasant song is simpler than that of Black-throated, and is composed of fluty whistles and trills. Calls include typical “chekchekchek” and high, thin “tseee.”
Bob-tailed Weaver
Brachycope anomala
A small odd finch-like weaver with a short stubby tail. Breeding male has a yellowish crown and breast and a black face mask. Non-breeding male, female, and juvenile are buffy with blackish edging to the upperparts. A locally common resident in clearings near large rivers within the forested Congo Basin, where populations are scattered. Found in pairs and small groups. Vocalizations are quite simple: repeatedly gives a harsh “djet,” and the song has some liquid notes. Non-breeding male and female could be confused with many other small dull birds, but the short tail is unique.
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