Morotai Friarbird
Philemon fuscicapillus
A large gray-brown honeyeater with a long, powerful dagger-shaped bill and pink bare skin around the eye. Paler on the underparts. Singles or pairs inhabit canopy of forest, forest edge, and plantations in the lowlands. Similar to the entirely brown Halmahera Oriole by the bare skin around the eye. Bill shape also different, with a sharper, finer point to the bill on the friarbird. Gives a fluty, oriole-like song with repetitive “chewit-woow” phrases. Also gives a harsh “ker” alarm note.
Identification
The Morotai friarbird or dusky friarbird (Philemon fuscicapillus) is a species of friarbird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. It is a dark brown bird with pale undersides. The area around the eye is bare and pink. It is around 30 cm long. The species is mimicked by the dusky-brown oriole, which is almost identical in appearance, a situation that has arisen in many species of orioles and friarbirds that exist in the same habitat. This is thought to reduce aggression by the friarbirds against the smaller orioles. It is endemic to the island of Morotai (there are also unproven records on Bacan) in North Maluku, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests and tropical moist shrubland. The species is tolerant of habitat degradation and has been observed living in coconut plantations. It is probably threatened by habitat loss, as much of the remaining forest in its range is threatened with logging, but more research is needed.
Taxonomy
Genus: Philemon; Family: Meliphagidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Philemon fuscicapillus
- Authority
- (Wallace, 1862)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Meliphagidae
- Genus
- Philemon
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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