Moluccan Woodcock
Scolopax rochussenii
A chunky, snipe-like forest-dwelling shorebird with cryptic plumage, a stunted tail, and a long powerful bill. Buff below with extensive bold black markings above. Largely occupies the floor of lowland and foothills forests. Best seen in crepuscular display flights above the canopy, when its heavy body, short tail, heavily checkered broad underwings, and long bill can be noted. Confined to islands of Obi and Bacan, where it is the only woodcock. In display flight, frequently repeats a distinctive short, wet rattle, “titilit.”
识别特征
The Moluccan woodcock measures 32-40 centimetres in length. Its body shape is stocky and compact, with a rounded, robust chest, wide pointed wings, and a short tail. The bill is long, straight, and dark. The upperside of the bird is black with light tan spots and sparse barring, while the underside is unstreaked and yellow-orange with slight black mottling. It has black bands between the eye and bill and on the back of the neck.<p>The Moluccan woodcock is larger than other members of the genus Scolopax. S. rochusseni resembles S. celebensis (Sulawesi woodcock) but is larger, lighter, and more spotted. Despite their similar appearance, it is unlikely that the range of S. rochusseni and S. celebensis would overlap.
分类信息
The Moluccan woodcock is part of the sandpiper family Scolopacidae. Of the 15 genera in the sandpiper family, the Moluccan woodcock belongs to Scolopax, the woodcock genus. Scolopax includes eight species of woodcock, six of which are localized island endemic species, including the Moluccan woodcock. Within the Scolopacidae family, woodcocks are most closely related to snipes.<p>A Moluccan woodcock was collected for the first time in 1862 by Heinrich Bernstein and the species was later named Scolopax rochussenii in 1866 by Hermann Schlegel.
- 学名
- Scolopax rochussenii
- 命名信息
- Schlegel, 1866
- 目
- Charadriiformes
- 科
- Scolopacidae
- 属
- Scolopax
分布与栖息地
The Moluccan woodcock is a lowland species that prefers wet, coastal habitats in or close to forests. Their presence is closely associated with rivers and streams, and they occupy the same habitats year-round. Initially, the Moluccan woodcock was believed to be a montane bird, a habitat preference that would explain the lack of observations of the species. However, despite its occasional use of montane habitat, it is now considered more characteristic of lowland environments. Moluccan woodcocks fly anywhere between 15 and 1150 meters in elevation, but their population density is higher at lower altitudes. The species is tolerant of minor habitat destruction and has been found to occupy secondary forests affected by selective logging and small-scale agriculture. The estimated territory size for the Moluccan woodcock is 10.67 hectares.<p>Moluccan woodcocks are endemic to Indonesia. They have been found on Obi and Bacan, two small islands in the north of the Moluccas, an archipelago in eastern Indonesia. It is estimated that there are 9530 Moluccan woodcock territories on Obi. Only one individual has been recorded on Bacan in 1902, with most knowledge of the species coming from observations on Obi. It is unknown whether the species is still present on the island of Bacan.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
Moluccan woodcocks are usually only ever observed during display behaviour. The purpose of this behaviour in the Moluccan woodcock is unclear, and very little is known about the species' behaviour when it is not performing a display flight. Display behaviour occurs during dusk or dawn during the wet season from March until August. It consists of rapid and shallow wingbeats with loud vocalizations, with no obvious flight pattern. The bird follows a river or stream, or circles over a swamp, maintaining an altitude of approximately 10 meters over the canopy.<p>Moluccan woodcocks occasionally engage in territorial conflicts while performing a display flight. These encounters occur when two birds meet one another while participating in display behaviour. The conflict consists of a short flight where both individuals fly parallel to one another and do not overlap into the other's space. The birds communicate with a descending, twittering vocalization throughout the encounter.<p>The Moluccan woodcock's vocalizations are described as hard, explosive, metallic rattles, transcribed as ''ti’ti’ti’ti’ti’ti’ti’ti''. Each trill lasts 0.1-0.6 seconds long and occur at intervals of 1.9-3.2 seconds. One trill contains 8-11 motifs, with each motif between 0.04 and 0.05 seconds long. The vocalizations are only known to occur during display flights.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Spectacled Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula perspicillata
A large pigeon with a green back, gray underparts, a darker gray head, and a bold white eye-ring. Juveniles are merely duller versions of adults. A bird of lowlands and hills, found within the canopy of forest and forest edge, normally in singles, pairs, or small groups where fruiting trees are present. Routinely heard call is a descending series of six deep hooting notes: “hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot.”
Black-throated Shrikebill
Clytorhynchus nigrogularis
A distinctive shrikebill; male is large and brown with a striking black face, a pure white ear patch, and a heavy, upturned bill. Female much plainer, with mostly brown plumage. Prefers dense native forest, avoiding open areas and secondary growth. Female similar to Fiji Shrikebill but larger, with a much heavier bill. Gives a mix of long, mournful whistles and harsh scolding chatters.
Senegal Lapwing
Vanellus lugubris
A small, dour, gray-brown lapwing with a white belly and a well-defined white patch on the forehead. In flight it has a distinctive white wedge on the back of the inner wing. Small groups scurry over open dry savanna and short-grass plains below 1600 m, looking for insects. It moves to areas experiencing bush fires as it prefers breeding in recently burned grasslands. It can be surprisingly unobtrusive, but the loud two-note “chi-whoo” call often gives it away. The similar Black-winged Lapwing differs by preferring high-altitude grassland and cultivation above 1300 m and in being larger, having reddish (not dark) legs, a larger, diffuse forehead patch, and a dark edge to the back of the inner wing.
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