Samar Hornbill

A small bird with a very long blue tail that is held cocked. Breeding male has a bright pale-blue helmet, black breast, royal-blue back and chestnut shoulders. The tail is very long with small pale tips sometimes visible. Females are grayish birds with pale fronts, long blue tails, and very dark red patch between the eye and the bill (lores). This species is found in coastal New South Wales and Southeast Queensland, where it prefers wet and dense vegetation. In southeast Queensland it is believed occur mainly east of the Great Dividing Range, so take care when in this area to distinguish from Purple-backed Fairywren when close to the divide.

Attractive small dove of humid forest edges and clearings in tropical lowlands; in some places wanders into small rural villages. Typically rather wary, and most often seen in fast, rather direct flight, as singles or pairs. Powder-blue male is striking and distinctive. Female is most easily identified when with the male. On lone females, note the rusty rump and rather long rusty tail.

A Bornean highland specialty, this is for the most part the only flowerpecker inhabiting the island’s montane forests. Male is striking, with a glossy dark blue back and bright red bib. Female is duller, with a gray head, yellow-olive back, pale yellow flanks and rump, and a pale throat; no other female flowerpecker has this patterning, and other flowerpecker species do not overlap significantly in range anyhow. Forages actively at all levels of forest. Clicks loudly and persistently; also gives high thin “tseeep”s.