Pygmy Cuckooshrike
Celebesica abbotti
A distinctive small cuckooshrike with bright white underbody, a dusky gray upperside, and a prominent red eye. Males display a contrasting black face and chin, while females’ faces have the same gray color as the back. An arboreal bird, usually encountered singly or in pairs (or occasionally small parties) within mixed-species flocks in canopy of montane forest. Song starts with one or two piercing high “whit” notes followed by a short jumble of four notes. Also gives single high-pitched “whit” and “seep” calls.
Identification
The pygmy cuckooshrike (Celebesica abbotti) is a species of bird in the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This species was formerly placed in the genus Coracina. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found the genus Coracina was non-monophyletic. In the resulting reorganization to create monophyletic genera, the pygmy cuckooshrike is the only species placed in the resurrected genus Celebesica.
Taxonomy
Genus: Celebesica; Family: Campephagidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Celebesica abbotti
- Authority
- (Riley, 1918)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Genus
- Celebesica
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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