North Melanesian Cuckooshrike
Coracina welchmani
A large, thick-set, entirely black cuckooshrike. Long-tailed, with a relatively stubby bill. Resident in forests, usually in foothills and lowlands, especially coastal forest. Unlikely to be confused, but Common Cicadabird is smaller and paler sooty-gray, and Barred Cuckooshrike has a pale eye. North Melanesian Cuckooshrike’s most common call is a long descending whistle, often followed by a shrill “chii.”
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Coracina welchmani
- Authority
- (Tristram, 1892)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Genus
- Coracina
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Marsh Tapaculo
Scytalopus iraiensis
Small, dark ash-gray tapaculo. Note the unbarred dark brown vent. Occurs in marshy areas with dense tall grasses and sedges, where usually devilishly difficult to see. The song is a long (c. 30 seconds) repetition of “tchek” notes.
Great Black Hawk
Buteogallus urubitinga
Uncommon in forest, marshes, and mangroves, where usually greatly outnumbered by similar Common Black Hawk. Slightly larger and lankier than Common Black Hawk, with longer legs and tail, and adults of the two species have very different calls in flight. Adult Great Black has 2 white tail bands (1 on Common) and less extensive yellow in face. Immature looks whiter-headed than Common (no big black moustaches), and its longer tail has narrower and more numerous pale bars. Usually warier than Common, which can be quite unconcerned by people.
Pheasant Coucal
Centropus phasianinus
Very large, primarily ground-based cuckoo. Adults are streaked rusty brown in nonbreeding plumage. In breeding plumage the head and front are black. They can fly, but are more typically seen running/flapping across roads, or clumsily crashing into dense vegetation. Unlike many cuckoos this species builds its own nest and does not lay eggs in nests of other species. Voice is a familiar repeated ‘whoop,’ and a screeching cat-like hiss.
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