JACANAS: Jacanidae
This pantropical family comprises 8 species, 1 of which inhabits New Guinea and is shared with Australia. Somewhat rail-like in appearance, jacanas specialize by living on floating aquatic vegetation, especially water lilies. Their long toes permit them to walk over this yielding substrate. They feed on the abundant invertebrates and seeds such habitat provides. Their unusual breeding system has the male as the main care provider. He holds a small territory, builds the nest, incubates the eggs, and rears the young, while the larger female moves on to another mate. The male can carry small chicks under his folded wing.
Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea |
(Lily-trotter, Lotusbird)
20–23 cm. Common and conspicuous resident in lowland ponds, lagoons, and swamps where there is floating vegetation. A small black-and-white rail-like bird with amazingly long toes; walks on water lilies and other floating plants. Absent where non-native, plant-eating fish have been introduced. Adult: Conspicuous red comb, white face, and black breast band. Female: Larger. Juv: Paler with all-white breast, lacking dark band; comb barely evident; cap and nape rufous. In flight: Flutters along on conspicuous black wings; note pale face and dangling legs. Subspp: None, but wings and back darkest in North. Similar spp: Rails lack comb and white face. Voice: Agonistic calls vary, often shrill piping and trilling. Alarm call when flushed a shrill trumpeting. Habits: Highly mobile and dispersive. Sociable, congregating at good foraging areas. Active, quarrelsome, and noisy. Flies readily. Forages by walking with deliberate motions over lily pads and other waterweeds, leaning forward to peer under upturned leaves. Takes small invertebrates and seeds. Polyandrous—Female lays successive clutches in nests of multiple Males, each with its own territory. Male assumes nesting duties. Builds nest on vegetation, usually water lilies; nest a platform or shallow cup of vegetation (AU data). Eggs (2–3) pale brown marked with wavy markings. Range: NG, NW Is (Misool, plus sighting from Salawati), Aru Is, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux Is: Goodenough, Fergusson), 0–500 m. Also AU, Borneo, Philippines, Wallacea.
SANDPIPERS AND SNIPES: Scolopacidae
Of the 96 species of sandpipers and snipes worldwide, 32 occur in the New Guinea Region, almost exclusively as migratory visitors from Asia. They are a varied group of long-billed and long-legged wading birds. Most species feed by picking or probing in short grass, mudflats, or shallow water, taking small invertebrates and seeds. Breeding habitat includes the margins of deserts, wetlands, and tundra and in winter, the seashore, estuaries, wetlands, and fields of short grass. Most species are monogamous and nest on the ground; soon after hatching, the precocial chicks leave the nest and follow their parents.
There is only 1 resident species, the endemic New Guinea Woodcock, a cloud forest dweller that has departed from the usual shorebird way of life. All other NG shorebirds breed in the colder northern latitudes during the northern summer and migrate thousands of kilometers south to overwinter on coasts and lowlands of New Guinea and Australia. While snow and ice cover the nesting grounds, a seasonal flush of food attracts the shorebirds to the southern hemisphere for the austral summer. New Guinea and Australia are the main wintering grounds for certain species—the Little Curlew, Eastern Curlew, Great Knot, and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper; for many others, a large portion of their population winter in Australasia. How large these NG shorebird populations are and where they reside have been only partly documented, and future surveys of the great river deltas and tidal bays could well discover important new concentrations of shorebirds (Bishop 2006).
Several aspects of shorebird migration are worth mentioning. The long journey south in autumn (Sep–Nov) and north in spring (Apr–May) is hurried, with most species making a brief stopover in New Guinea before moving on. The numbers of birds seen in passage (migration) are usually greater on the journey south than when northward bound. Shorebirds arrive in NG during the monsoonal dry season when the margins of wetlands are exposed and optimal for foraging. However, with the coming of the rains in December, rising water levels flood this habitat and most shorebirds dependent on wetlands move on, presumably south to Australia. Nevertheless, significant populations of coast-loving species spend the winter in New Guinea, and a few nonbreeding individuals stay the whole year.
Shorebirds, including plovers, can be difficult to identify—there are so many species, and their plumages are confusingly similar. Learn the common species first to compare later with the more rare species. Pay particular attention to body size and overall shape, length of bill, legs, and wings (how far the wing tip projects beyond the tail when the bird is resting), as well as examining plumage pattern and leg color. There are 3 main plumages: nonbreeding (plain grey or grey-brown), breeding (often brownish and more colorful), and juvenile. Juveniles arriving in NG typically have fresh plumage and all feathers of equal age and wear, whereas adults have both new and old, worn feathers. Several excellent field guides devoted to shorebirds can aid the identification of New Guinea shorebirds (Hayman et al. 1986, Message and Taylor 2005, Geering et al. 2007, Chandler 2009, Hollands and Minton 2012). These guides will also prepare the reader for recognizing new vagrant species from Asia or N America. (We mention in the “Extralimital spp” sections those vagrant species that turn up in Australia with some frequency.)
New Guinea Woodcock Scolopax rosenbergii |
(Rufous Woodcock, East Indian Woodcock, S. saturata)
30 cm. Rare in high-elevation cloud forest and at timberline. Secretive. Best detected when making its vocal display flights at dusk or dawn, but occasionally flushed in daylight or seen scurrying away. Snipelike but plumper and color pattern differs. Note big eyes set far back on head. All plumages: Dark, with thick barring across the crown and nape (instead of stripes) and no sharp, whitish streaking on back. In flight: Wings broad, rounded, and dark underneath. Similar spp: Snipe, which may visit subalpine bogs but not the forest, are paler and have creamy striped head and back pattern; their wings are longer, narrower, and pale underneath. Voice: Song-flights, known as “roding,” performed by Male—bird flies a regular course low over forest canopy or grasslands, periodically singing and landing on a tree snag. Song cree, quo, quo, quo…. Habits: Solitary. Crepuscular or nocturnal, spending the day asleep on the forest floor or a mossy tree branch inside the forest. Emerges to feed at damp patches in forest openings at dusk. Probes the ground for worms, insect larvae, etc. One nest situated ~1.6 m above ground on a leaf-and-stick-covered horizontal branch. Eggs said to be (2), well-marked. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head, Central Ranges, Foja Mts, and Huon, 2400–3800 m (rarely lower). Taxonomy: The New Guinea W and Javan W were formerly combined as the Rufous Woodcock (S. saturata).
Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii |
(Japanese Snipe)
29–33 cm. Rare passage and overwintering Palearctic migrant to similar habitats as Swinhoe’s S. The snipe species are usually impossible to tell apart in the field. All are recognized as snipe by the camouflage plumage of rich brown, black, and rufous, with striped head, creamy scapular striping, and long straight bill. Juveniles are said to be separable from Adults with practice. Species cannot be confidently identified by plumage differences, and besides there is much individual variation. Surest means is by examination of a bird in the hand, specifically body size and tail configuration, including the total number of tail feathers, number of narrow outer “pin” tail feathers, and color pattern. If possible, take photos to aid/confirm identification. All plumages: Body shape of Latham’s more attenuated toward the rear (Swinhoe’s shape more truncated); in folded wing, tertials entirely cover primaries, which, if they project, do so for only a few millimeters (obviously project in Swinhoe’s); if present, broad straight barring across lower breast diagnostic. In flight: Toes normally do not project beyond tail (tips of toes project in Swinhoe’s). In the hand: Large size with wing length 146–158 mm. Tail 58–72 mm with 16–18 tail feathers and the outer 5–6 not as narrow as Swinhoe’s. Tail shows more white on the tips of the feathers than Swinhoe’s. There are numerous, other ill-defined differences; see a specialty guide. Voice: Alarm call when flushed, an explosive krek. Habits: Singly or in small groups. Wary and skulking. Active mainly at dawn and dusk. Thrusts bill into mud to find and extract worms, etc. Upon being flushed, often follows a zigzag path. Range: NG, but probably regionwide, 0–3500 m. Breeds Japan and far NE Asia, winters AU, with few records in between suggesting a nonstop migration.
Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura |
25–27 cm. Hypothetical. Probably a rare passage migrant and visitor to NG Region, where sightings have been reported but not verified. Smaller and squatter than the other 2 snipe species. Short tail that barely projects out from under tips of the folded wings (obviously projects in Latham’s and Swinhoe’s). In flight: Almost the entire length of toes projects beyond tail (barely projects in Swinhoe’s and Latham’s). In the hand: Small size with wing length 123–143 mm; tail short, 42–55 mm; tail has 24–28 feathers, of which there are 7 pairs of thin outer tail feathers, more than other snipes, and diagnostic. Voice: Alarm call similar to Swinhoe’s S. Range: Breeds N Asia, winters S Asia to Wallacea and AU.
Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago megala |
(Chinese or Marsh Snipe)
27–29 cm. The common NG snipe, a Palearctic winter visitor to short, moist grassland and wetlands from sea level to alpine bogs. Very similar to Latham’s S (see preceding). In the hand: Averages smaller than Latham’s; wing length 130–150 mm, with shorter tail, 50–63 mm; tail feathers 20–22 [18–26], the outer 5–6 very narrow. Voice: Alarm call, a rasping squak. Habits: Similar to other snipes. Utilizes dry grassy habitats as well as wetlands. Rarely zigzags when flushed. Range: NG, but probably regionwide, 0–3700 m. Breeds NE Asia; winters mainly in Wallacea, Philippines, and NG, but extends from Asia and Sunda Is (rarely) to AU.
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
27–30 cm. Vagrant to coast. Differs from Asian D by smaller size, all-white back (not barred), white trailing edge to secondaries, underwing faintly barred rather than white, and bill paler for basal third. Voice: Important to identification. Flight call, keek or keek keek keek. Habits: Similar to Asian D. Range: NG: 1 sighting from Port Moresby area. Breeds far NE Asia and N Amer, winters in N Amer.
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus |
(Asiatic Dowitcher)
33–36 cm. Rare Palearctic migrant to coastal mudflats and sandflats. Combines features of a godwit and a snipe; slightly smaller and more compact than a godwit, with straight, more robust, all-dark bill with blunt tip and longer face. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage brownish grey and faintly marbled above, white below with dark-speckled neck and breast. Breeding plumage rusty, variable, with Female duller and frosty; note that scapulars and wing-coverts have straight white margins, not pale-notched as in godwits. Juv: From Nonbreeding by darker cap and darker scapulars and wing-coverts with sharp, creamy edging; overall buffier. In flight: Same white rump with black barring as Bar-tailed Godwit. Similar spp: Godwits have longer necks and legs, and the bill is upturned and pinkish at the base. See Long-billed D. Voice: Flight call a quiet catlike miau. Also chep chep. Habits: Seeks estuaries and mudflats for feeding. Gregarious, associating with other similar-sized waders. Feeds by vertical probing for worms, etc. Range: NG: sightings from Trans-Fly and SE Pen, sea level. Breeds in N Asia, winters mainly in Greater Sunda Is, but as widely as SE Asia to AU.
40–44 cm. Common Palearctic passage and overwintering migrant on mudflats and beaches of sheltered coasts and wetlands. A large, slim, long-billed wader. Bill only slightly upturned; pink at the base. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage has greyish and unstreaked upperparts. Breeding plumage with rusty neck and heavily barred flanks; Female much paler. Juv: From Nonbreeding by buffier plumage and the wings and back feathers with dark, diamond-shaped markings, similar to breeding plumage. In flight: Broad white bar on black tail and flashy black-and-white wings. Feet and legs project beyond tail. Subspp (1): melanuroides (breeds NE Asia, winters S Asia to AU). Similar spp: See Bar-tailed Godwit. Voice: Usually silent. Flight call tuk or kek. Habits: More likely than Bar-tailed G to be found in freshwater lagoons. Sociable, in flocks of its own kind. Probes vertically into mud and sand for worms. Wades deeper than Bar-tailed, up to its belly. Range: NG, but probably regionwide. Breeds in N Eurasia, winters Africa, S Asia to AU.
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica |
37–39 cm. Uncommon Palearctic migrant, perhaps mostly on passage, but some overwinter; same habitat as Black-tailed G. Larger and stockier than Black-tailed G, with shorter neck and legs, bill obviously upturned. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage has greyish upperparts with distinct streaking. Breeding plumage with rusty head, neck, and breast, which lacks barring. Female: Much paler and larger on average. Juv: From Nonbreeding by overall buffy tinge; darker cap and eye-line that accentuate the white eyebrow; dark scapulars with pale-notched edges. In flight: Finely barred white tail and patch extending up back, and unmarked wings. Only tips of toes project beyond tail. Subspp (1 group): baueri (breeds N Asia and Alaska, winters S Asia to NZ). Similar spp: Black-tailed G and Asian Dowitcher. Voice: Flight call a barking yik yik yik. Habits: Predominantly coastal, on sandy beaches and mudflats, but visits freshwater lagoons on migration. Associates with knots and whimbrels. Foraging behavior similar to Black-tailed G but keeps to exposed flats and shallows. Range: NG, Aru, and SE Is, but probably regionwide. Breeds Eurasia to Alaska, winters Africa, Asia, Australasia.
Little Curlew Numenius minutus |
(Little Whimbrel)
28–31 cm. Locally abundant passage Palearctic migrant on arrival, Sep–Dec; uncommon on return, Apr–Jun. Widespread; many thousands in Trans-Fly. Visits coastal and inland expanses of short grass, such as airfields, playing fields, and burned-over savannah. The smallest curlew, plover-like and only a bit larger than a golden plover. Daintier than Whimbrel, and bill shorter, slim, and slightly decurved. All plumages: Resembles Whimbrel but buffier, with incomplete dark loral stripe. Female: Larger on average. In flight: Upperparts evenly colored, lacks white rump. Similar spp: Pacific Golden Plover stockier and has larger head with short, straight bill. Voice: Flight call a dry, explosive chu chu chu. Habits: Gregarious—traveling, feeding, and roosting in flocks. Sporadic—numbers vary from one location to the next, and from year to year. Associates with golden plover and other grassland waders. Feeds in short grass, picking and probing for insects. Flock first crouches at approach of danger, blending with the grass. Visits freshwater pools to drink. Range: NG (especially Trans-Fly) and Aru Is, but probably regionwide in migration; lowlands. Breeds NE Asia, winters mainly in AU and NG.
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus |
40–45 cm. Common and widespread Palearctic migrant along and near the coast, also small islands. Present throughout the year, as nonbreeders (Imm?) do not migrate north. Frequents mangrove creeks, estuaries, mudflats, beaches, reef flats, less often fields. The midsize New Guinea curlew, large with long, downcurved bill. Adult: Mottled brown, with head prominently striped. Female: Larger on average. Juv: Bill shorter; pale spots on the scapulars, tertials, and wing-coverts larger and better defined. In flight: White rump forming wedge up the back. Subspp (1): variegatus (breeds NE Asia, winters S Asia to Australasia). Similar spp: Little Curlew much smaller, bill shorter. Eastern C much larger, bill longer. Neither has white rump patch. Voice: Flight call a tittering, rapidly repeated whistle note, ti ti ti…. Habits: Mainly coastal, but passage birds may stop inland. Solitary or in small groups; associates with godwits and other large waders. Often wary, flushing noisily, scaring up other birds. Feeds at low tide; runs in quick bursts to capture prey, also probes. Takes mainly crabs, other crustaceans, and worms. Range: NG Region. Breeds in Arctic, winters along warm coasts worldwide. Extralimital spp: Bristle-thighed Curlew (N. tahitiensis) breeds in Alaska and winters in Oceania, possibly to SE Is. Similar size and shape, but buffier, with pale orange-buff rump, tail, and underwing (these barred grey-and-white in Whimbrel).
(Far Eastern Curlew)
60–66 cm. Uncommon Palearctic migrant, mainly in passage, though some overwinter; especially on S coast. Inhabits estuaries, beaches, mangroves, and salt marshes. Unmistakable: largest curlew in NG Region. A huge, heavyset shorebird with extraordinarily long, downcurved bill. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage buff-grey evenly streaked and speckled; head without stripes. Breeding plumage buffier with rufous highlights on the upperparts. Female: Larger. Juv: Obviously shorter bill; dark scapulars and tertials with sharply defined pale notching. In flight: Upperparts evenly colored, lacks white rump. Similar spp: Whimbrel. Voice: Flight call a loud, ringing, slow ker leeee or ker lew. Also a bubbling song. Habits: Singly or in small, loose parties. Wary, fleeing at the first sign of danger. Foraging movements slow-paced, walks the intertidal flats picking and probing for mollusks and crustaceans. Range: NG and Aru Is. Breeds NE Asia, winters mainly in AU.
Common Redshank Tringa totanus |
27–29 cm. Vagrant Palearctic migrant, although possibly more frequent but overlooked. Coastal flats and nearby wetlands. The only brownish, red- or orange-legged wader in the region. Also, bill orange at the base. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage evenly brownish grey above and dingy white below. Breeding plumage with feathers of upperparts light-and-dark notched; underparts finely streaked and barred. Juv: Like breeding plumage but more brightly spotted above, and paler with no barring below. In flight: Broad white trailing edge to wing and white rump. Subspp: Unknown for NG Region. Similar spp: No other sandpipers have such orange legs. Voice: Flight call a repeated teu note, and variations. Habits: Solitary or in small groups, associates with other waders. Wary and excitable, fleeing noisily. Actively forages with quick steps, stopping to pick or probe; wades. Range: NG: Sightings from Port Moresby area. Breeds Eurasia, winters from Mediterranean Sea to SE Asia, infrequently to AU. Extralimital spp: Spotted Redshank (T. erythropus) breeds N Eurasia, winters Africa to SE Asia, vagrant to AU. Also with orange legs, has longer, thinner bill, with slightly drooping tip; no white in wings in flight.
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis |
22–26 cm. Common Palearctic migrant, both a passage and overwintering visitor. Primarily in shallow marshes and freshwater lagoons, also brackish pools around mangroves, but not on the open shore. A smaller, delicate version of the Common Greenshank, with a straight, thin, needlelike bill. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage plain grey above, white below and on face and forehead. Breeding plumage greyish brown above with black diamond and chevron markings; finely speckled whitish head, neck, and breast. Juv: Like Nonbreeding, but feathers of upperparts quite dark with broad, buff edges. In flight: Dark wings contrast with whitish wedge up the back. Feet project beyond the tail with part of the shanks showing. Similar spp: Common Greenshank larger, sturdier, with longer, thicker, upturned bill. Voice: Call a short teu, sometimes repeated, but not in series like call of Common Greenshank. Habits: Singly or in small to large groups, often with other shorebirds. More sociable than Common Greenshank and will gather in parties of more than a hundred where conditions are ideal. Wary and excitable, when flushed it often circles repeatedly before landing. Forages in shallow water, mostly wading and occasionally swimming. Feeds by picking and sweeping; rarely rushes at prey. Eats insects and tiny mollusks. Range: NG and Aru Is. Breeds N Eurasia, winters Africa, Asia, Australasia.
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia |
30–35 cm. Common Palearctic migrant, both a passage and overwintering visitor. Widespread in coastal mudflats, brackish and freshwater lagoons, muddy riverbanks and tidal creeks, and marshes. A large sandpiper, lanky and large-headed with distinctive upturned, greenish-grey bill, and exaggerated bobbing motions. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage similar to Marsh S. Breeding plumage heavily streaked on the head, neck, and flanks; many scapulars and tertials blackish with white notching on the margins. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding, but scapulars and wing-coverts darker with broad buff or white edges, except at tip. In flight: Similar to Marsh S but only feet project beyond tail, not shanks. Similar spp: Marsh S similar but obviously smaller, with a very thin, straight bill, and different call. Voice: Call a loud, distinctive tew tew tew, the notes equally spaced. Habits: Singly or in small parties, often with other shorebirds. Wary and noisy. An active wader often seen head-down, rushing at small prey in the shallows. Feeds by picking, probing, lunging, and sweeping techniques, taking insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and fish. Range: NG and Aru Is, probably more widespread. Breeds N Eurasia, winters Africa, Asia, Australasia.
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
21–24 cm. Vagrant Palearctic migrant. All plumages: Deceptively similar to Wood S but appears almost blackish above (less speckled), especially in flight when all-dark underwing shows (underwing pale in Wood); white eyebrow does not extend past eye; white tail with 3 thick black bars (Wood has 4 thin bars); legs greenish and shorter, only toe tips projecting beyond tail in flight (in Wood most of foot projects). Voice: Call to lu wit or weet t weet, distinctive from Wood. Range: NG: 1 record from Trans-Fly. Breeds N Eurasia, winters Africa, Asia to Borneo and Philippines.
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola |
19–23 cm. Common Palearctic passage migrant and overwintering visitor. Frequents muddy, freshwater habitats and inundated grassland, never open shore. A small freshwater wader with dark back noticeably speckled with white, and yellowish legs. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage speckled by white notches on wing-coverts and scapulars; rather smooth grey neck. Breeding plumage more mottled above, streaked and barred below. Juv: From Nonbreeding by darker wing-coverts and scapulars with bold buff notches and streakier neck. In flight: White rump patch square, does not extend up back as a wedge. Similar spp: See Green S. Marsh S and Common S share Wood’s habitat. Voice: Call a distinctive chiff iff iff or a single chit. Habits: Solitary or in flocks of its own kind or with other waders. A swift, agile flier with clipped wingbeats. Forages in vegetation, in shallows, or on mudflats, probing and picking for small invertebrates. Expert swimmer. Range: NG and NW Is (Waigeo), probably more widespread, 0–500 m, records to 1700 m. Breeds N Eurasia, winters Africa, Asia, Australasia.
Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes |
(Siberian or Polynesian Tattler, Heteroscelis brevipes)
25 cm. Common Palearctic passage migrant and overwintering visitor. Uses a variety of habitats on sheltered coasts, including mudflats, coral rubble, reefs, estuaries, lagoons, rarely beaches or inland. Only the 2 tattler species show such uniform grey upperparts, diagnostic in flight. Note the short, yellowish legs. The two species are nearly identical. Best means of distinguishing Grey-tailed T from Wandering T is by the flight call. Field marks separating Grey-tailed: typically paler coloration, bolder white eyebrow contrasting with dark lores, paler grey tail, whiter flanks in Nonbreeding and Juv plumages, finer barring and more white on belly in breeding plumage, and wing tip in resting posture as long as or only slightly projecting beyond the tail tip (noticeably longer in Wandering). Beware that each of these differences is variable and not entirely reliable; in combination they make a better case. In the hand: Nasal groove extends less than half the length of the bill; scales on legs overlap. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage plain grey, darker above. Breeding plumage finely barred with dark grey crescents; belly to undertail white. Juv: Pale-dotted fringes to scapulars and wing-coverts. Voice: Flight call plover-like, a soft whistle, too eee, the second syllable rising. Habits: Singly or in loose groups when feeding. Alert, but often allows close approach. Bobs and teeters like Common S, but not as much. Forages quietly on shore or in the shallows, picking and probing for invertebrates. Sometimes actively rushes about in the water pursuing crabs and fish. Range: NG Region. Breeds NE Asia, winters Asia, Australasia, Oceania.
Wandering Tattler Tringa incana |
(Heteroscelis incanus)
27 cm. Uncommon Palearctic migrant mainly to eastern NG Region. Primarily on offshore islands and rocky reefs along mainland coast, often where there is wave activity. Nearly identical to Grey-tailed T and best separated by flight call. Darker overall, usually with obscure white eyebrow, darker grey tail, flanks with a thicker obvious grey margin in Nonbreeding and Juv plumages, thicker barring on underparts in breeding plumage, and longer wing tip projection beyond the tail in resting posture. In the hand: Nasal groove extends halfway or greater along the length of the bill; scales of legs do not overlap. Female: Larger on average. Voice: Flight call very different from Grey-tailed T. A whimbrel-like li li li … of 4–10 notes. Also gives short calls similar to Grey-tailed. Habits: Similar to Grey-tailed. Typically works rocky shorelines, often close to moderate wave action. Range: NG Region, mainly in coastal SE Pen and SE Is. Breeds in Alaska and far E Siberia, winters in Oceania, E AU and NZ, and Pacific coast of the Americas.
(Tringa terek)
22–24 cm. Common Palearctic passage migrant and overwintering visitor. Seeks coastal mudflats, beaches, mangroves, and reefs, and freshwater lagoons in passage. Terek’s strongly horizontal stance is accentuated by the long bill and short legs. The only sandpiper with conspicuous orange-yellow legs and obvious upturned bill. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage plainer (less streaky) and scapular bar obscure. Breeding plumage with head and neck finely streaked, and prominent black bar on scapulars. Juv: Similar to Breeding adult but upperparts slightly darker, head and neck less distinctly streaked, scapular bar obscure, and wing-coverts with narrow buff tips (white in Adult). In flight: Upperparts appear uniform except for prominent white trailing edge to secondaries. Feet do not project beyond tail. Voice: A variety of twittering and whistled calls. Habits: Solitary when feeding, but roosts socially. Usually in small numbers among larger assemblages of foraging waders. Behavior diagnostic—hyperactive, often runs through groups of feeding waders with head held low, dashing after prey and abruptly changing direction. Bobs head and jerks tail as it moves. Prey captured by chasing, probing, and sweeping in shallow water. Takes crustaceans and insects. Range: NG Region. Breeds N Eurasia, winters Africa, Asia, Australasia.
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos |
(Tringa hypoleucos)
19–21 cm. A widespread Palearctic passage migrant and visitor, this is the only small sandpiper commonly occurring along streams and rivers in the interior, also found in coastal mangrove creeks, debris-strewn sandy beaches, and rocky shores; visits large and small islands. Teeters rear end continually up and down. Grey-brown above, white below, with diagnostic white crescent before folded wing. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage has plain, dull brown upperparts with black vermiculation on shoulder. Breeding plumage similar but shows faint dark shaft streaking on crown, face, and neck and black shaft streaking and anchor marks on scapulars and wing-coverts. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding, but has more conspicuous buff fringing on upperparts. In flight: Note distinctive, pulsing wing-flutter, with stiff wings held with tips angled downward. Displays white flashes from long wing bar on both upper-and undersurfaces of wing. Brown rump. Voice: Flight call a penetrating, high-pitched swee wee wee. Habits: Typically solitary and territorial on wintering grounds, but sometimes gathers in groups during passage. Usually keeps apart from other shorebirds. Most often forages in tight situations—stream banks, tidal creeks, edge of reed beds. Tends to stay close to vegetation or rocks, seldom venturing far out onto mudflats. Forages mostly out of water, but can wade and swim. Active and agile, scurrying about; mainly picks or dashes after insects and crustaceans. Range: NG Region, 0–3500 m. Breeds N Eurasia, winters Africa, Asia, Australasia, Oceania.
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres |
22–24 cm. Common and widespread Palearctic passage migrant and overwintering visitor. Utilizes a variety of coastal habitats, but prefers rocky shores, reefs, open fields of short grass, and small islands. A distinctive, stocky shorebird with black breast band and orange legs. Wedge-shaped bill. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage like a much darker, duller version of breeding plumage. Breeding plumage—pied head and colorful orange-and-black wings and back; Female often darker orange. Juv: Difficult to separate from Nonbreeding, has somewhat paler head and more evident pale fringing on dorsal feathers. In flight: Pied wings and tail. Subspp (1): interpres (breeds N Eurasia and NA). Voice: Flight call diagnostic, a rattling trik-tuk-tuk-tuk…. Also a short, grating churr. Calls lower in tone than most other waders. Habits: Usually in small flocks; mixes with other species. Walks slowly along beaches, busily probing, pecking, digging, and turning over small stones and seaweed with its bill. Feeds on a variety of invertebrates and their eggs. Range: NG Region. Breeds in the Arctic, winters along warm coasts worldwide.
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris |
26–28 cm. Abundant on coastal mudflats as a Palearctic passage migrant and overwintering visitor. A medium-sized, robust shorebird. Proportions differ from the very similar Red K: slightly larger, with longer bill and legs, and smaller head. More coarsely marked than Red K. Always has spotting across breast and flanks. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage grey above with pale scalloping; head, neck, breast, and flanks with dark wedge-shaped speckling. Breeding plumage densely covered with salt-and-pepper markings, especially dark on breast and mantle. Rufous scapulars (many or few). Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding but more boldly patterned; mantle and scapulars blackish (not greyish) and head and neck more streaky. In flight: White rump. Similar spp: Red K very similar, but proportions differ: slightly smaller size, bill and legs shorter, and head larger. Grey Plover has a short stout bill, large eye, and is spangled above. Voice: Usually quiet. Flight call similar to Red K, a low double-noted nyut nyut. Habits: Gregarious, usually in dense flocks. Readily mingles with Red K, godwits, and other shorebirds. Feeds in parties, walking slowly across mud and through shallows, probing deep mainly for small clams. Range: NG (mainly Trans-Fly), probably also the satellite islands. Breeds NE Asia, winters Asia to Australasia, mainly in AU.
Red Knot Calidris canutus |
23–25 cm. Status poorly understood—present in numbers during passage on coasts of the Trans-Fly (Oct–Nov and Mar–Apr) with some overwintering; elsewhere rare or absent. Same habitat as Great K, with which it associates. Differs from the more abundant Great K in more compact shape and proportionally shorter bill. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage uniformly grey above (pale scalloping hardly noticeable, unlike for Great K). Breeding plumage unmistakable—face and underparts bright orange-brown, upperparts spangled rufous, black, and white. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding, but grey feathers on wings and back distinctly fringed with black and white; breast suffused buff when fresh. In flight: Finely barred rump. Subspp (1): rogersi (breeds NW Asia, winters in Australasia). Similar spp: See Great K. Curlew S smaller, with longer, decurved bill. Voice: Flight call a low, repeated, single note, k-nut. Habits: Similar to Great K. Feeding actions quicker than Great K, and diet of invertebrates more varied. Range: NG, mainly Indonesian Trans-Fly. Breeds in Arctic, winters Eurasia, S Amer, Africa, Australasia.
Sanderling Calidris alba |
20–21 cm. A rare Palearctic passage migrant and overwintering visitor, sparsely distributed along beaches. A small, sturdy sandpiper with large head and short, thick neck. Bill stout, straight, and black; legs black. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage silvery grey above, white below; note prominent dark eye and unique black shoulder patch, often covered by white breast feathers. Breeding plumage has rufous brown, mottled upperparts. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding, but wings and back checkered black and white and crown dark and streaky. In flight: Long, white wing-stripe stands out against dark wing—the most prominent wing-stripe of any small sandpiper. Similar spp: Knots larger, more sluggish. Other small sandpipers have thinner bills and less prominent wing-stripes. Voice: Flight call a sharp cht, sometimes repeated. Habits: Often found as a stray bird, but more typically in groups. Tame, allows close approach. Strictly a beach dweller. Very active, running along sandy beach at the waterline, stopping to pick or probe. Chases waves down the beach at top speed, pausing to capture prey before retreating on the run. Feeds on small crustaceans and other marine invertebrates. Range: NG, but probably throughout region. Breeds in the Arctic, winters on warm coasts worldwide.
Stints are tiny sandpipers. They all look much alike and can be difficult to identify to species. Features that help identification are habitat, leg color, bill length, and throat and breast color.
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis |
(Rufous-necked Stint)
13–16 cm. A common, sometimes abundant, Palearctic passage migrant, though a few overwinter. Seeks sheltered coasts with mudflats; sometimes found inland. This is the most often seen NG stint; other stints are rarities. Note short, tapered bill and short, black legs. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage pale, clean grey above, white below; only stint with white breast; note white eyebrow. Breeding plumage with diagnostic rufous neck and faintly dark-spotted breast; rust-and-black markings on scapulars. Female: Larger on average. Juv: Like Nonbreeding, with varying rufous tinge above, dark centers to scapular feathers, and pale fringes to feathers of wings and back, for a scaly effect. Similar spp: Little S is nearly identical; not yet confirmed for NG Region. Sanderling larger, with black-and-white wings. Voice: Flight call a soft kreet or chirit, infrequently repeated rapidly to form a short trill. Habits: Gregarious, usually in flocks; mingles with other waders. Feeds mostly out of water, but occasionally wades. Rapidly probes and picks for small invertebrates. Works one patch before running to the next. Range: NG Region. Breeds in the Asian Arctic and Alaska, winters SE Asia and Australasia.
12–14 cm. Hypothetical vagrant with 2 possible records, one of a bird in breeding plumage. A rare Palearctic visitor to AU with numerous records, so almost certainly migrates through NG Region but is probably overlooked. Identify with caution; difficult to separate from Red-necked S. Bill slightly longer; smaller body more compact (Red-necked S body more attenuated); wings a bit shorter. Call diagnostic. Adult: In Nonbreeding plumage not safely distinguished from Red-necked S; look for size, bill length, and shape. Breeding plumage similar to Red-necked but throat white, not rufous; orange-rufous areas of face and neck always finely streaked or spotted (vs unmarked red-orange in Red-necked); sides of breast with rufous and streaky spotting overlapping (vs Red-neck’s plain rufous neck separate from dark spotting on white side of breast); wing-coverts and scapulars more evenly brownish rufous (vs greater wing-coverts and tertials tending toward grey, contrasting with rufous on mantle and scapulars). Juv: Compared with juv Red-necked, wing-coverts more brownish, showing less contrast with the scapulars and back (greyish and contrasting in Red-necked); prominent white lines running down mantle and back (these obscure or absent in Red-necked). Voice: Flight call is a short tip or tit, vs lower-pitched, longer kreet or disyllabic chirit of Red-necked. Habits: Similar to Red-necked. Range: Breeds in Eurasian Arctic, winters Africa to S Asia, a few birds reaching Australasia, but no certain NG records.
Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta |
13–16 cm. A rare Palearctic migrant, mainly in passage, Sep–Dec. Found in freshwater or brackish wetlands. Differs from other stints in having pale yellow-olive legs and streaked breast. The cap is always dark, often rufous. Full-bodied with longish neck; legs long, bill fine-tipped. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage pale brownish grey. Breeding plumage with rufous wash on upperparts. Female: Larger on average. Juv: Brighter rufous of fresher plumage compared with worn feathers of breeding plumage Adult. Similar spp: Other stints have black legs. Red-necked Stint paler and has larger head. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Pectoral S much larger but otherwise similar with dark, streaky crown, rufous-edged back feathers, and olive legs. Voice: Flight call a trilling trrrt like a Pectoral Sandpiper, or a chirrup suggesting a House Sparrow, but more rolling. Habits: Solitary or small groups. Favors areas of soft mud with vegetation cover such as stranded aquatic weeds or inundated grass. Also visits dry, close-cropped grassland. Wary and secretive. Flight is often wild and dashing. Feeds by picking small invertebrates from mud or in shallow water. Range: NG, records from Trans-Fly and SE Pen lowlands. Breeds NE Asia, winters Asia to Australasia.
Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii |
14–18 cm. A vagrant N American stint. Favors dry edges of mudflats and short grassland. Unusually long-winged—folded wings project well beyond tail. Long, fine-tipped bill. Legs dark. All plumages show buffy breast band. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage shows scapulars and wing-coverts with long, dark shaft streaks, which are obscure in Juv. Breeding adult more heavily mottled above and streaked below. Female: Larger on average. Range: NG, 2 records: one from Bird’s Head (Jefman I, Sorong harbor), the other from Port Moresby. Breeds in N American Arctic, winters in S Amer. Extralimital spp: Another N American stint recorded occasionally in AU is White-rumped Sandpiper (C. fuscicollis), with faint, fine dark streaks along the flanks and an all-white rump; it too shows extensive projection of wing tips beyond the tail.
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos |
19–24 cm. A rare Palearctic migrant mainly passage in Oct–Dec to Port Moresby area; few records elsewhere and at other times. Shows distinct preference for grassy verges of wetlands. Similar to but much less common than Sharp-tailed S, from which distinguished by being less rufous, having a longer bill that is paler at the base (Nonbreeding), and the diagnostic sharp demarcation between the streaked bib and clear white lower breast and belly giving a heavy, puff-chested look; size larger on average. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage has soft, grey-brown tone. Breeding plumage more brownish, especially on the upperparts. Male: Larger, bib darker. Juv: Similar to Breeding but has a more rufous-capped appearance, closer to Sharp-tailed. Voice: Flight call a dry, budgerigar-like trill: prrrt prrrt …, very different from Sharp-tailed. Habits: Similar to Sharp-tailed. Singles or small groups. Will associate with other waders, especially Sharp-tailed and other small sandpipers, but tends to separate by foraging microhabitat. Range: NG, mostly Port Moresby area in SE Pen. Breeds in Arctic, winters AU, NZ, and S Amer.
17–22 cm. A common, sometimes abundant, passage and overwintering Palearctic migrant. Widespread; found mostly along the muddy margins of freshwater wetlands, also tidal mudflats and short grass, such as airfields, rarely seashore. Note dark-streaked, rusty cap offset by whitish eyebrow (cap obscure and not rusty in Pectoral S) and buffy wash on breast with only obscure streaking (unlike well-streaked Pectoral). Facial pattern noticeably different from Pectoral—dark, shadowy eye-stripe extends around and behind eye, accentuating the white eye-ring (Pectoral has dark lores only, so eye-ring is rather obscure and face looks plainer). Bill dark with only a trace of yellow at the base. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage has plain, brownish-grey tone. Breeding plumage has bright rufous tone on back and throat, dark arrow marks on throat and breast (lacking in Pectoral). Male: Larger. Juv: Has similar rufous-and-buff tone of Breeding, but lacks arrow markings on throat and breast. In flight: Very little white in wing and white at either side of dark rump. Similar spp: See Pectoral S. Voice: Flight call varies, wheep, pleep, or chrrt; may be strung together into swallow-like twittering sii sii sii or cwhe wi wi. Habits: Mostly in the lowlands, but stops in the mountains during migration. Gregarious, usually in flocks, mixing with other shorebirds. Rather tame. Forages at a leisurely pace, picking and probing for small invertebrates and seeds. Range: NG Region, islands of all sizes, mainly lowlands (0–3500 m). Breeds in Asian Arctic, winters in Australasia.
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea |
18–23 cm. An uncommon, passage Palearctic migrant, mostly Sep–Nov. Frequents margins of freshwater and brackish wetlands, less often on coastal mudflats. The region’s only small shorebird with long, slender bill, decurved throughout its length. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage has grey upperparts, feathers with faint, pale fringing. Breeding plumage with varying amounts of rufous above and below. Juv: Like Nonbreeding but feathers of upperparts darker with thicker fringes imparting a stronger scaled appearance, and creamy buff wash on breast. In flight: Conspicuous all-white rump and feet project beyond tail. Similar spp: Broad-billed S shows droop only at tip of bill and is also smaller, with hunched posture and dark rump. Voice: Flight call a cheerful purr, chirrup, more musical and sweeter than other trilling waders. Habits: Sociable; in small groups, often with other waders. Feeds over wet mud and in the shallows, wading in up to its belly. Picks, jabs, and probes deeply, taking an array of small invertebrates. Range: NG, mainly S coast. Breeds in Eurasian Arctic, winters Africa, Asia to Australasia. Extralimital spp: Dunlin (C. alpina) breeds in the Arctic and winters along warm coasts of the N Hemisphere, with a record from Cairns, AU. Has dark rump, shorter legs (feet not projecting beyond tail in flight), and long bill droops less and mainly at the tip. Nonbreeding and juv plumage similar to Curlew S; Breeding very different with pale head and neck, mostly rufous back, and large black blotch on white belly.
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus |
16–18 cm. An uncommon Palearctic migrant in passage with some birds overwintering. Found locally on mudflats along coast and on shores of freshwater and brackish lagoons, sewage treatment plants, etc. A tiny, stintlike shorebird with distinctive long, stout bill, drooped at the tip. Reminiscent of a diminutive snipe, with same shape and striped head. Unique double eyebrow—eyebrow splits, forming a pair of white stripes along the sides of the dark crown. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage plain, pale grey above, white below. Breeding plumage has frosted look owing to white fringes of dark brown feathers on wings and back (becoming darker and browner with wear); breast with obscure, dark arrow marks. Female: Larger on average. Juv: More colorful, neater, and streaky than breeding plumage, with rust- and white-fringed wings and back and brown-tinged breast with dark streaks and dots (rather than arrow marks). In flight: Wing with dark leading edge and indistinct pale wing bar; rump dark; feet do not project past tail. Subspp (1): sibirica (breeds E Siberia, winters Asia to Australasia). Similar spp: Stints have much shorter bills. Curlew Sandpiper stands taller; has slimmer, more curved bill; and lacks the head pattern. Voice: Call a distinctive, buzzy chrreet, low in tone, but loud enough to be detected in a flock of calling shorebirds. Habits: Singly or in small flocks, often among stints and small sandpipers. Movements and foraging similar to stints, but feeds more slowly with careful, vertical probing. Eats small invertebrates. Range: NG coasts, probably widespread in suitable habitat. Breeds in Eurasian Arctic, winters in Africa, Asia, Australasia.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
18–20 cm. Vagrant Palearctic passage migrant from N America. Favors short, dry grass, but occasionally found on mudflats, swamp edges, beaches. A plover-like sandpiper with uniformly bright, buffy-tan underparts and face; distinct black spots on side of breast. Dark, beady eye set in unmarked, buffy face. Legs bright orange-yellow. Adult: Scapulars black with buff fringes. Male: Larger. Juv: Scapulars more brownish with black subterminal tips and white fringes; belly paler. Similar spp: Pacific Golden Plover has spangled, not scaly, back and greyish legs. Sharp-tailed S juv has shorter neck, longer bill, dark eye-line, and pale eyebrow. Ruff female larger and differently shaped, with much longer neck, bill, and legs and smaller head. Voice: Usually silent in passage. Flight call low single tu. Also a trilling prrrt. Habits: Solitary in the region, but keeps company with small sandpipers. Forages unobtrusively, picking at the ground with plover-like actions. Range: NG: 1 record from coastal SE Pen. Breeds in Arctic of far NE Asia and N Amer, winters S Amer; many records from AU.
Ruff Philomachus pugnax |
(Common name of the species refers to the Male; Female is called Reeve.)
Male 26–32 cm; Female 20–26 cm. A rare, Palearctic passage and overwintering migrant. Found on muddy margins of freshwater swamps and lagoons, less often of brackish or salt water. A tall, medium-sized wader with characteristic build: small head, long thick neck, robust torso, and long legs. Bill thin and medium-length. Male: Nonbreeding plumage pale grey-brown above, white below obscurely mottled grey on breast; usually with some white on neck. Breeding plumage (never seen in PNG, only on or near breeding grounds) unmistakable with thick neck ruff and puffy crests; color variation beyond words—barred, spotted, or plain; ruff and crests white, grey, black, rufous, and combinations of these. Female: Nonbreeding similar to Male. Breeding has dark wings and back with buff fringing and barring; orangish legs. Juv: Similar to breeding female but with buffy face, foreneck, and breast and legs brownish. Similar spp: Buff-breasted Sandpiper similar to Juv Ruff, but much smaller and more compact. Sharp-tailed S also similar to Juv but smaller, shorter-legged, rusty cap. Voice: Silent in NG. Habits: Solitary in NG Region, but seeks company of other sandpipers, especially Sharp-tailed. Forages by walking along, bent forward while picking and probing rapidly for small invertebrates and seeds. Range: NG, most records from Port Moresby area. Breeds Eurasian Arctic, winters mainly Africa to Asia, rare in AU.
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus |
(Northern Phalarope)
18–19 cm. Common to abundant Palearctic migrant that overwinters on seas NW, N, and NE of NG; rarely on freshwater, with some birds on passage over land to and from AU waters. The only oceanic wader in the region; flocks feed and live at sea during the austral summer. In flocks far from land; small pied birds bobbing on sea or flying low over water. Bill black, straight, needle-thin. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage grey above, white below with white face crossed by a thick black eye-mask. Breeding plumage has slaty grey head and upperparts with contrasting white throat and spot above eye and colorful chestnut stripe down side of neck. Female: Larger on average and more richly colored. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding, but wings and back slaty with buffy fringes on the feathers. In flight: Dark wings with white wing-stripe. Similar spp: No other waders apart from phalaropes swim on open water or have a black eye-mask. Voice: Flight call a repeated chek or twick. Habits: Highly gregarious and tame. Normally seen swimming rapidly on a wandering course, head erect and bobbing. Sits buoyantly on the water. Picks small invertebrates at the surface. Range: NG waters from tropical Pacific west to Seram Sea. Breeds in Arctic. Winters in 3 main locations: NW Indian Ocean off Arabian Pen; seas between Sulawesi, Philippines, and NG; and Pacific off western S Amer. Extralimital spp: Red Phalarope (Grey Phalarope, P. fulicarius) breeds in Arctic, winters off western S Amer and W Africa, vagrant to AU and NZ. Larger, stockier, with a shorter, thicker bill. Nonbreeding and juv plumage similar to Red-necked. Summer plumage with chestnut underparts and white eye-patch.
COURSERS AND PRATINCOLES: Glareolidae
Some 17 species of coursers and pratincoles inhabit the warmer regions of the Old World. Only the pratincoles reach New Guinea, where two migratory species spend the winter, one from N Asia, the other from Australia. They are handsome, tern- or swallow-like waders, demurely colored in buffy tans with black-and-white markings. Strong, graceful fliers, they hawk insects from the air, and also run down their prey. Favored habitat is short grass and bare wasteland. Look for them at airfields and open plains.
Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella |
21–24 cm. A common to abundant AU migrant, mainly south of the Central Ranges. Spends austral winter on open fields of short grass. Likely one of the first birds seen by visitors to PNG upon landing at the Port Moresby airport. A small, sandy-colored, ternlike wader with short bill and long legs. Dark chestnut flanks look blackish. In flight: Very long, tapered, scythelike wings; note the dark M formed by wings and breast that separates sandy head and white undertail. Adult: Buffy; bill red with back tip. Juv: More greyish; all-dark bill; obscurely mottled; flank patch duller, smaller, smudgy. Similar spp: See Oriental P. Voice: Often heard before seen in flight. Flight call a sweet 3–4-note whistle. Contact call a plaintive tsoo wee. Habits: Inhabits dry plains, airfields, burnt savannah. Sociable, forming large parties. Activity mainly crepuscular; also flies at night. Forages mostly on the ground, swiftly running after insects; also springs into flight to take fleeing prey and sometimes hawks. Feeds on insects, spiders, centipedes. Range: NG, NW Is (Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), and Aru Is, 0–1700 m. NG: Mainly Trans-Fly and coastal Port Moresby area (SE Pen), less common elsewhere south of Central Ranges and Markham Valley. Breeds AU; winters AU, NG, Wallacea to eastern Greater Sundas.
Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum |
23–25 cm. A scarce Palearctic passage migrant and overwintering visitor during austral summer. Frequents expanses of sparse, short grass. A small, long-winged, short-legged ternlike wader with pale throat patch, bordered by a thin black line in Adult. In flight: Pale body, darker wings, forked white tail accentuated by a black terminal band. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage with neck and breast dull greyish olive; throat patch with streaked border; pale lores and eye-stripe; dark bill. Breeding plumage with buffy tinge on neck and breast; throat patch offset by a black border; black lores; red bill with dark tip. Juv: Upperparts and neck mottled, and feathers pale-fringed; lacks black throat border; bill all dark. Similar spp: Australian P has much longer legs, blackish flank patch. Voice: Alarm call ternlike, tchik tchik tchik. Habits: Habitat similar to Australian P. Singly or in small parties. Gregarious, associating with Australian P, curlews, and plovers. Feeds on the wing, catching insects in graceful ternlike flight. On the ground, forages with shuffling gait, but also runs well. Range: NG, mainly south of Central Ranges, 0–1700 m. Breeds in E Asia; winters SE Asia to AU.
Of the 102 species of terns and gulls worldwide, 17 terns and 2 gulls are known from New Guinea waters. These birds live along the coasts and out at sea, and a few species visit freshwater lakes, marshes, and rivers. Terns are small seabirds that are strong, swift fliers and very much at home in the air and over the ocean. Gulls are more robustly built, and although they soar and glide effortlessly, their slow flight is no match for the terns and thus gulls keep closer to shore. Terns are the most diverse and abundant seabirds in the region, and a few species breed locally, whereas the gulls are vagrants. They all feed on fish, and some species have broader diets that include crustaceans and other invertebrates; in addition, the gulls scavenge. Terns and gulls are social and often mix with their own and other species. They breed as monogamous pairs; males are larger on average or the same size, depending on species. When nesting, they seek remote islands away from humans and other predators. Unfortunately, few nesting sites are safe in the region, and there are no really large seabird colonies as are found off Australia and in Oceania. Most of the terns we see are visitors. A variety of terns can be found resting on small offshore islets or fishing over baitfish shoals driven to the surface by tuna. Two species are seen on inland rivers and lakes: Whiskered Tern and Gull-billed Tern.
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus |
(Common Noddy)
40–45 cm; wingspan 79–86 cm. Widespread and locally common resident over offshore waters. Adult: A brown tern with a conspicuous white forehead cap and long, tapered, wedge-shaped tail that shows a shallow notch when fanned. Upperwing-coverts distinctly paler than rest of wing; underwing pale greyish. Juv: Thin white forehead mark. Subspp (1): pileatus (Pacific and Indian Oceans). Similar spp: Black N smaller, more compact, and with a proportionately longer bill; appears darker overall because upperwing and underwing both darker than those of Brown N. Bulwer’s Petrel has a short, hook-tipped bill and lacks white forehead. Voice: Call is a guttural kar-r-rk and ok ok ok. Habits: Usually forages offshore, occasionally near coast. Feeds in large flocks at baitfish shoals, often with Black N and other sea terns. Parties rest on the open sea, floating buoyantly or perching on driftwood; gathers on small remote islands to roost in trees. Nests on such islands on the ground or in a shrub or palm; nest a substantial mat of vegetation. Egg (1) white with dark spots. Range: All seas of NG Region. Also tropical seas worldwide.
Black Noddy Anous minutus |
(White-capped Noddy)
35–39 cm; wingspan 66–72 cm. Widespread and locally abundant resident over offshore waters. Adult: Smaller than Brown N and more compactly built, yet with proportionately longer bill. Overall blackish because of all-dark wings that lack the pale bar across the upperwing and the greyish underwing of Brown N. Cap seems more gleaming white and extends further back onto the nape. May show pale greyish center to the uppertail (Brown N tail uniform). Juv: White cap extends only as far as the crown. Subspp (1): minutus (equatorial Pacific). Voice: Calls include a rattle kik-krrrr, screeching, cackling, and other calls. Habits: Similar to Brown N, but perhaps more frequent away from the mainland. Nests in trees; nest a pad of vegetation. Egg (1) white with dark spots. Range: All seas of NG Region. Also tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
White Tern Gygis alba |
(Fairy Tern, White Noddy, Anous albus)
28–33 cm; wingspan 70–87 cm. Rare oceanic visitor off N coast. Sightings suggest possible breeding sites in Bay Is and SE Is. Adult: An easily recognized all-white tern with moderately forked tail and buoyant and graceful flight. Large dark eye and dark slightly upturned bill. Juv: Like Adult but more greyish, has dark splotch behind eye, and mantle, back, and upperwing-coverts with faint brown scalloping, the markings less evident than in other juv terns. Subspp (1): candida (tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans). Similar spp: Black-naped T has tail wires and black nape; coastal, not oceanic. Voice: Heech, heech and clicking sound. Habits: Solitary birds feed far out at sea, typically near their remote nesting islands. Does not build a nest; instead balances egg on a branch. Egg (1) white with speckles and blotches. Range: N coast, Bay Is, and SE Is (Budibudi Is); breeds on small islands to the north of the region. Tropical seas worldwide.
(Larus novaehollandiae)
38–43 cm; wingspan 91–96 cm. Occasional AU visitor to S coast, especially Trans-Fly. Adult: The only gull with all-white head and short bright red bill and legs. In flight: Wing tip black with white “mirror.” Juv: Similarly white-headed, but with dark bill and legs and black markings on the mantle, back, and wing-coverts. Imm: Black markings restricted to wing-coverts; bill and legs vary from dark to yellow. Subspp (1): forsteri (AU). Similar spp: See Black-headed G. Voice: A loud screaming keeyow and kurr kurr kurr. Habits: Drawn to human settlement to scavenge for discarded food and dead marine life; also captures small prey. Cruises coastline with low, soaring flight. Alights at beaches, towns, and dumpsites and walks with rapid mincing steps. Range: S coast, especially Torres Strait. Breeds AU.
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus |
(Common Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus)
38–43 cm; wingspan 91–94 cm. Palearctic vagrant that turns up in harbors and sewage ponds. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage similar to same-size Silver G but with black smudges around eye and on ear-coverts. Breeding plumage unique with blackish-brown head. In flight: Broad white leading edge to the wing; lacks Silver G’s black wing tip with white “mirror.” Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding but with black markings on mantle, back, and wings. Imm: Black markings restricted to wing-coverts. Habits: Similar to Silver G. Range: All NG coasts, especially in W and N. Breeds in Eurasia; winters in S Eurasia, Africa, and Philippine Is.
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica |
(Sterna nilotica)
35–43 cm; wingspan 86–103 cm. Uncommon austral winter migrant from AU, mainly to S NG; also vagrant Palearctic winter migrant. Patrols tidal flats, estuaries, other coastal wetlands, and rivers. Bill diagnostic: stout, black, gull-like. Tail only slightly forked. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage looks all white (wings actually pale grey) with dark trailing edge to wing; note black smudge across eye and ear-coverts. Breeding plumage with black, crestless cap. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding adult but mantle, back, and wings have black markings. Imm: Black markings reduced. Subspp (2): macrotarsa (also AU); affinis (E Asia, vagrant to NG Region) separable in the field—smaller, with proportionately smaller bill, less extensive black eye-patch, and upperparts a shade darker. Similar spp: No other tern has stout, black bill. Voice: Normally silent away from breeding colony. Habits: Solitary or in flocks; will join other terns. Found over fresh and salt water, mudflats, and grasslands. Flies slowly and buoyantly, head tilted downward, searching. Dives in a graceful swoop to pick up prey from the ground. Captures crustaceans, insects, and small vertebrates including fish and lizards. Range: All coastal NG. Breeds in Eurasia, Africa, AU, and the Americas.
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia |
(Sterna caspia)
48–59 cm; wingspan 127–140 cm. A scarce visitor mainly to coastal Trans-Fly. The largest tern; robust with thick, red bill—unmistakable. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage with abundant white frosting on the black crown. Breeding plumage with heavy black cap forming a short crest above the nape. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding adult, but with black markings on the mantle, back, and wings; darker primaries; cap darker than other juv terns. Imm: Similar to Nonbreeding adult, but retains darker Juv primaries. Voice: Normally silent. Habits: Solitary or in small parties on coast, lagoons, and large rivers. Flies gracefully with slow beats of long and powerful pointed wings; hovers, then dives, plunging into the water to capture fish. Range: S coast only, mainly Trans-Fly; origin of these birds is unknown, presumably AU. Breeds Eurasia, Africa, AU, and N Amer.
Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii |
(Great Crested or Swift Tern, Sterna bergii)
43–48 cm; wingspan 99–109 cm. A widespread and common sea tern that breeds locally. A very large tern with dull yellow or greenish-yellow bill and black, shaggy crest. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage with white forehead and forecrown merging with black cap. Breeding plumage with a black cap sharply demarcated from white forehead. Juv: Sooty black cap; black markings on mantle, back, and wings; and dark primaries. Imm: Similar to Nonbreeding adult, but retains dark Juv primaries. Subspp (1): cristatus (Pacific Ocean). Similar spp: See Lesser Crested Tern. Voice: Calls include korrkorrkorr or wep-wep (AU data). Habits: Singly or in gatherings, sociable. Found along the coast and in estuaries, also out at sea; absent from freshwater. Plunges for fish, occasionally squid or prawns. Nests on small, remote islands; nest a shallow depression on the ground. Egg (1) white with dark markings. Range: All NG seas. Also Eurasia, Africa, AU, and Oceania.
Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis |
(Sterna bengalensis)
38–43 cm; wingspan 89–94 cm. A widespread but typically uncommon visitor to the coast; not known to breed. Plumages similar to Crested T, but Lesser Crested T smaller, more compact, slightly darker above, and with a smaller, orange bill. In breeding plumage, black cap extends to bill (no white forehead as in Crested T). Juv dorsal markings not as bold. Subspp (1): torresii (Pacific and Indian Oceans). Habits: Similar to Crested T, but usually further from mainland, near islands and reefs. Range: All NG seas. Also subtropical waters off Eurasia, Africa, and AU.
Little Tern Sternula albifrons |
(Least Tern, Sterna albifrons)
20–28 cm; wingspan 50–55 cm. Common visitor during austral summer to inshore coastal waters, lagoons, and swamps not far inland; most birds are probably Palearctic migrants, but some may originate in AU or Bismarck and Solomon Is. Not known to breed in NG. Smallest NG tern. Note dark leading edge to wing (first few primaries). Adult: Nonbreeding plumage with white forehead and cap and black bill. Breeding plumage with white forehead, short white eyebrow, and yellow bill with black tip. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding adult but with light-and-dark scalloping on the mantle, back, and wing-coverts (less so). Imm: Resembles Nonbreeding adult, but with some Juv dorsal scalloping. Subspp (1): sinensis (also E Asia to Solomon Is). Similar spp: No other small tern has blackish primaries, rapid winnowing wingbeats, and black cap. Voice: A chattering chik chik chik vaguely recalling a reed-warbler. Habits: Solitary or in flocks. Flight diagnostic: flies with rapid wingbeat, suddenly stops and hovers, then dives for small fish. Range: Throughout NG Region. Also Eurasia, Africa, and AU.
Grey-backed Tern Onychoprion lunatu |
(Spectacled Tern)
35–38 cm; wingspan 73–76 cm. Rare over ocean far from shore. Similar to the much more common Bridled T but paler grey on mantle, back, and wings and less white in the outer tail. Juv: Paler than Bridled juv, but not safely distinguished at sea. Range: Sightings from SW of Waigeo, Astrolabe Bay, and Bismarck Sea. Tropical Pacific, away from continents and larger islands.
Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus |
(Brown-winged Tern, Sterna anaethetus)
35–38 cm; wingspan 76 cm. Common resident and local breeder, usually found near coast and islands. Adult: The grey-brown back and length of eyebrow distinguish it from the black-backed Sooty T. Diagnostic grey-brown mantle, back, and wings contrast with black cap. White eyebrow extends well past eye, creating black eye-stripe. Long, wiry tail has white outer tail-streamers. Pale grey wash on lower breast and belly. Juv: Similar, but tail-streamers shorter; black cap less defined; mantle, back, and wing-coverts with white and buff markings; side and flank grey. White eyebrow and white throat and breast distinguish it from black-hooded juv Sooty T. Imm: Intermediate. Subspp (1): anaethetus (W Pacific). Similar spp: See Grey-backed T. Voice: Alarm call wep wep. High pitched growl and other calls at nesting colony. Habits: Singly or in flocks. Flight buoyant with slow wingbeat. Forages well out at sea. Takes fish by swooping and briefly dipping into the water and also by plunging from several meters height. Nests in small, loose colonies on safe offshore islets. Nest in rock cavity or scrape on the ground. Egg (1) white with dark spots and blotches. Range: All NG seas; breeds locally on islets off SE Pen, SE Is, and probably elsewhere. Also tropical and subtropical seas of the world, though absent from much of Oceania.
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus |
43–45 cm; wingspan 86–94 cm. A common visitor that typically lives over the open ocean far from shore, yet occasionally wanders inland. Adult: Black above, white below, with long black-and-white outer tail-streamers. Similar to Bridled T, but wholly black above except for a prominent white forehead triangle, pure white below (no grey cast to underparts), and white outer web to the long outermost tail-streamers. Nonbreeding birds have some grey scaling on back. Juv: Distinct—black with white breast and belly and white spots on back and wing-coverts. Forked tail lacks streamers. Imm: Intermediate. Subspp (1): serrata (Moluccas to AU). Similar spp: Bridled T. Brown Noddy and Black N differ from the dark juv Sooty T by their pale foreheads, absence of pale spotting on the upperwing, and dark undertails. Juv Sooty T has been confused with a petrel or storm-petrel, but has very different flight, shape, etc. Voice: A loud kirrak rak. Rather quiet at sea by day; birds call when traveling over land on dark, cloudy nights. Habits: Similar to Bridled T, but more gregarious and pelagic. Usually encountered in flocks at sea, foraging on fish shoals with other marine terns. Range: All NG seas; a few records of storm-driven birds from the Central Ranges. Tropical seas worldwide; breeds in vast numbers on remote oceanic islands.
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii |
35–43 cm; wingspan 76–79 cm. Local and uncommon breeder, usually found in vicinity of offshore nesting islands and in association with coral reefs and clear, “blue” water; avoids coastal waters. Bill unusually long, slender, lance-like. Adult: Long all-white tail-streamers, whitish upperparts, shallow wingbeat, wholly white underwing, and red legs and feet. Nonbreeding plumage with white forehead and forecrown; black bill. Breeding plumage with all-black cap, rosy bloom to breast; bill changes to red during nesting. Juv: Sooty cap; black scalloping on mantle, back, and wings; tail forked but without streamers; black legs and feet. Leading edge to wing not nearly as dark as in juv Common T, tips of secondaries not particularly dark, and tail lacks dark sides. Imm: Intermediate. Subspp (1): bangsi (Arabian Sea to W Pacific). Similar spp: Common T has dark sides to the tail in all plumages, lacking in Roseate. Black-naped T occupies similar habitats but is smaller, lacks tail-streamers, and has black eye-stripe and nape bar. Voice: aaark, aaark. Habits: Singly or in small parties. Joins other terns at fish shoals. Forages within a few kilometers of coral reef. Takes fish by dipping or plunging. Nests on small, sandy islands; nest a shallow scrape. Egg (1) off-white with dark spots and blotches. Range: Scattered sightings throughout NG Region; known to breed off SE Pen, likely elsewhere. Tropical to temperate seas near continents worldwide, except E Pacific.
Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana |
30–32 cm; wingspan 61 cm. Locally common near breeding islands on outer reefs and atolls, rare or absent elsewhere. Adult: A small sea tern, looks immaculate white but for a crisp, crescent-shaped, black nape band from eye to eye and a thin black leading edge to the outermost primary. Forked tail lacks streamers. Bill and legs black. Breeding plumage with rosy blush on breast. Juv: Similar but characteristic head pattern somewhat blurred and has sharp black scalloping on mantle, back, and wings and grey outer primaries. Imm: Like Adult but retains Juv’s darker primaries. Subspp (1): sumatrana (Pacific and E Indian Oceans). Similar spp: Roseate T and Common T adults are larger, have a black cap or nape patch (not band), and the outer 3 primaries are dark; juvs with darker cap and greyer mantle, back, and wings. Voice: A sharp chit, chit, chit. Habits: In small flocks, often with other terns. Essentially pelagic, occasionally along the coast, but never on freshwater. Flight similar to Common T but with quicker wingbeat. Takes fish by swooping and snatching or by diving. Nests on small islands; nest a shallow depression on rock or sand. Eggs (1–2) white with dark spots and blotches. Range: All NG seas; breeds off SE Pen and SE Is, probably elsewhere. Tropical W Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Common Tern Sterna hirundo |
32–38 cm; wingspan 79–81 cm. Common to locally abundant Palearctic winter migrant along NG coasts between October and April, with many nonbreeders remaining. Adult: Note the darker outer primaries; white outer tail feather with thin, black edge; and black legs and feet. Nonbreeding plumage with white forehead and forecrown and well-forked tail but no streamers. Breeding plumage with black cap and long tail-streamers. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding plumage but with darker carpal and forewing and diagnostic darker trailing edge to secondaries. Imm: Like Nonbreeding adult, but retains Juv flight-feathers. Subspp (1): longipennis (breeds NE Asia, winters SE Asia to AU) bill black in breeding plumage unlike red bill with black tip of W Eurasian and American race hirundo, which is vagrant to AU and hypothetical for NG. Similar spp: Roseate T much paler above, has mostly white primaries, all white tail (no dark edge), and red legs and feet. It also has a slimmer shape and longer bill. Voice: A strident kerr yah and kik kik kik or a subdued kek while feeding. Habits: Mainly coastal, where it is the predominant tern. Also visits freshwater. Sociable, mingling with other terns, often in large flocks. Dives for fish in sea and also picks food off surface in freshwater. Range: All NG coastal waters and locally inland. Breeds in N Eurasia and NA, winters in tropical and subtropical coastal seas of the world. Extralimital spp: Arctic Tern (S. paradisaea) breeds in boreal and Arctic regions and migrates to antarctic waters; difficult to distinguish from Common T in nonbreeding plumage—the best field mark is the paler wing with thin black tips to the primaries forming a crisp black border; distinguished in breeding plumage by all-red bill.
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida |
(Marsh Tern)
25–26 cm; wingspan 69 cm. The common tern of inland waters. AU migrant during austral winter to shallow bodies of freshwater and occasionally muddy beaches. A small tern with shallow-forked tail that becomes square or rounded as it is increasingly fanned; long bill and head shape similar to Common T. Largest of the 3 marsh terns. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage evenly grey across the back to tail (no contrasting white rump as in White-winged T); white forehead, crown, and underparts; black bill and feet. Breeding plumage unmistakable—white moustachial stripe separating black cap from dark grey underparts; red bill and feet. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding adult but for mantle and back heavily marked with black and buff; darker wings. Imm: Similar to Nonbreeding adult but retains Juv flight-feathers. Subspp (1): fluviatilis (breeds AU); swinhoei (E Asia) hypothetical, not separable in the field. Similar spp: White-winged T and Black T—see those accounts. Voice: A dry krrreck, like a rasping file. Habits: Singly or in small flocks; feeds and roosts socially, often with other species. Forages over rivers, lakes, marshes, sewage ponds. Flies gracefully with slow wingbeats, swooping down to pick food from the surface of the water, occasionally plunging into the water. Hawks insects. Feeds on insects, fish, and other small animal life. Range: NG: mainly lakes and marshes of Sepik-Ramu, S Lowlands, and Trans-Fly, 0–500 m. Breeds in Eurasia, N Africa, and AU, winters in the tropics.
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus |
(White-winged Black Tern)
22–25 cm; wingspan 66 cm. Uncommon Palearctic migrant during austral summer over shallow fresh and salt water. Very similar to Whiskered T, but smaller and with a shorter, thinner bill. In all plumages shows a white rump contrasting with the slightly darker back. Adult: Nonbreeding plumage similar to nonbreeding Whiskered T except has white rump and paler tail and darker head markings. Breeding plumage unique: black with whitish wings and tail and black underwing-coverts. Juv: From juv Whiskered T by White-winged’s mostly black mantle and back. Imm: Retains Juv darker flight-feathers. Similar spp: Whiskered T and Black T. Voice: Noisier and less rasping than Whiskered T; kreek-kreek and keek keek keek. Habits: Similar to Whiskered T. Range: All NG Region, but mainly near coast. Breeds in Eurasia; winters in Africa, SE Asia to AU.
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
22–24 cm; wingspan 66 cm. Vagrant Palearctic migrant during austral summer. Adult: Differs from White-winged T in nonbreeding plumage by the darker and more extensive black cap and evenly grey back, rump, and tail (no white rump). In breeding plumage by evenly dark wings and black-and-white (not all black) underwing-coverts. Juv: Grey rather than white rump. Subspp: No information. Range: 1 record from Port Moresby (SE Pen). Breeds from Europe to central Asia and in N Amer; winters in Africa and Central and S Amer.
JAEGERS AND SKUAS: Stercorariidae
The jaegers and the larger, more robust skuas comprise a family of 7 species of polar seabirds best known for their predatory and piratical habits. All 3 jaeger species and one skua species have been recorded in New Guinea waters. The jaegers are northern trans-equatorial migrants, breeding in the Arctic and migrating south in the Palearctic autumn through NG waters to reach wintering grounds in subtropical and temperate seas of the Southern Hemisphere. The South Polar Skua migrates in the opposite direction: it breeds around Antarctica and travels to northern oceans for the austral winter. Migrating jaegers and skuas keep to the open ocean, but wintering birds may wander close to the coast. All species are opportunistic predators and scavengers, and they also pursue terns and gulls to steal their prey. Jaegers and skuas forage on both land and sea, usually at sea during migration and winter, when they feed mainly on fish.
Jaegers are difficult to identify because of the similarity between species and the confusing variability in their plumages. Each species has pale and dark color morphs. Jaegers also have breeding and nonbreeding plumages. The breeding plumage is unbarred and sports long tail-streamers. The nonbreeding plumage is similar except for the addition of barring on the flanks and tail-coverts (both upper and lower) and the lack or reduction of the tail-streamers. Finally, young birds pass from a variable, profusely barred juvenile plumage without tail-streamers (look for barring in the underwing, absent in adult), through intermediate immature plumages, to adult plumage. Thus, while identification is aided by attention to plumage details, it often begins with recognizing a bird by its species-specific size, shape, and structure.
South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki |
(Catharacta maccormicki)
53 cm; wingspan 127 cm. Rare trans-equatorial, southern migrant during austral spring and autumn. Larger, more robust, and broader-winged than a jaeger and lacks projecting central retrices. Only pale morph reported from Australasian waters. Adult: Pale morph with diagnostic pale grey-buff head and underparts contrasting with dark underwing and upperparts. (Dark morph all dark with prominent pale hindneck.) Juv: Like Adult pale morph but more greyish, and bill with grey base. In flight: Pale underparts contrast with dark underwing-coverts. Habits: See family account. Range: Several records from Coral, Solomon, and Bismarck Seas. Breeds along the Antarctic coast, winters mainly in N Pacific and Indian Oceans. Extralimital spp: Brown Skua (S. antarcticus) breeds in sub-antarctic islands and winters in temperate southern seas; adult and juv much darker than South Polar S.
Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus |
(Pomarine Skua)
65–78 cm, including tail-streamers that project up to 10.5 cm; wingspan 122–127 cm. A fairly common, overwintering Palearctic migrant during austral summer. Larger, heavier, and somewhat wider-winged than other jaegers. Appears small-headed and barrel-chested, with flight like that of a heavy gull. Pale flashes in wings are caused by white shaft streaks in nearly all primaries and a pale panel in the underwing at the base of the primaries. Both pale and dark morph plumages are difficult to distinguish by plumage from the other, less common jaegers. Adult: In Nonbreeding plumage, the tail-streamers are short and narrow, but are nevertheless wider and more blunt than those of other jaegers; note barred rump, flanks, and tail-coverts. In breeding plumage, the diagnostic elongated central tail feathers are broad, twisted, and round-tipped. Juv: Central tail feathers form a mere nubby projection at the tail tip. Both pale and dark morphs barred in the underwing, a characteristic of all juv jaegers. Imm: Intermediate between Juv and Adult, difficult to age. Habits: See family account. Range: Winters on seas regionwide, but especially off N coast. Breeds in Arctic; winters in tropical and subtropical waters.
Arctic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus |
(Parasitic Jaeger, Arctic Skua)
46–67 cm, including tail-streamers that project up to 10.5 cm; wingspan 96–114 cm. Rare passage migrant from the Arctic during austral spring and summer. Smaller and more falcon-shaped than Pomarine J, with narrower wings and swift flight. Pattern of white wing shafts and pale underwing same as in Pomarine. Has pale, intermediate, and dark morphs. Adult: In Nonbreeding plumage, the central tail feathers are much shorter, but still pointed and may project visibly; heavy light-and-dark scalloping on rump and tail-coverts. In breeding plumage, tail-streamers narrow, pointed, and of moderate length. Juv: Similar to Nonbreeding adult, but pointed tail-streamers barely project and underwing-coverts heavily barred. Imm: Intermediate between Juv and Adult, difficult to age. Habits: See family account. Range: Passage migrant off N NG coast. Breeds in Arctic; winters in southern subtropical and temperate seas.
(Long-tailed Skua)
50–58 cm, including tail-streamers that project up to 18 cm; wingspan 76–84 cm. Rare passage migrant from Arctic. Smallest jaeger, slender and ternlike, with long, narrow wings. Upperwing with only 2 white shafts in outer primaries (many more shafts white in other jaegers). Underwing has all-dark primaries, like rest of underwing (other jaegers have pale panel at the base of the primaries). Only pale morphs reported in the region; dark morph rare in this species. Adult: In Nonbreeding plumage the central tail feathers barely project and may not be visible; heavily barred rump, flanks, and tail-coverts; the head typically has a hooded appearance without a dark cap, but varying from dark to pale. Tail-streamers very long in Breeding plumage. In both Breeding and Nonbreeding plumage, the pale morph is distinctive for pale grey upperwings with dark trailing edge. Juv and Imm: Similar to juv Arctic J, but paler, especially on the head. Look for few white wing shafts and lack of underwing panel. Subspp (2): No information. Habits: See family account. Range: Passage migrant off NG coast, mostly in the N. Breeds in Arctic; winters southern temperate and sub-antarctic waters.
PIGEONS AND DOVES: Columbidae
The pigeons and doves constitute a large and distinctive family (338 spp) without close relatives. Strong fliers, they have found their way around the world, yet two regions—South America and Australasia—hold most of the family’s diversity and seem to have been its evolutionary homelands. The family attains its greatest diversity of size, form, and ecology in the New Guinea Region, where 52 species reside. Here, pigeons utilize all forested and woodland habitats. Lowland rainforests support the greatest diversity—more than 20 species inhabit some localities. New Guinea’s pigeons range in size from the world’s largest pigeon, the almost turkey-sized Southern Crowned Pigeon, to perhaps the smallest, the Dwarf Fruit-Dove. Most types of pigeons eat seeds gleaned from the forest floor or in some cases taken as green or ripe fruit, digesting them seeds and all. However, the fruit-doves and imperial pigeons are fruit specialists that digest only the nutritious ripe fruit pulp and pass the seeds intact. Terrestrial species occasionally consume insects, spiders, and snails. Although restricted in diet, pigeons are opportunistic in foraging and breeding. Most appear to either maintain large home ranges or be nomadic, responding to spatial and temporal availability in the abundance of food. The nest is a simple platform, either skimpy and frail (fruit-doves) or substantial but untidy (ground-doves). Both parents share all nesting duties. One or 2 white eggs are laid. Parents feed the chicks a mixture of regurgitated vegetable material or secretions from the lower esophagus (“crop-milk”). In many species, chicks leave the nest well before attaining adult size, and they are cared for by the parents away from the nest.
For convenience we recognize these general types of pigeons and doves in New Guinea:
Feral Pigeon, this worldwide domesticated species is restricted to cities and towns in our region. The White-throated Pigeon is related to the preceding species, and it forages in trees for unripe fruits or on the ground for seeds.
Cuckoo-Doves (4 spp) are medium-sized to large, brown or brown and grey, with a long tail, and swift, graceful rowing flight; they forage in trees mainly for unripe fruit.
Emerald Doves and Ground-Doves (6 spp) are small, chunky pigeons with long legs and cryptic terrestrial habits, feeding mainly on fallen seeds and fruits.
Typical Doves (2 spp) are small grey-and-buff long-tailed forms that forage on the ground in open lowland habitats.
Ground-pigeons (4 spp) are a mixed group of large to very large forest-dwelling terrestrial feeders.
Crowned Pigeons or gouras (3 spp) are giant terrestrial pigeons that sport spectacular fan-shaped crests.
Fruit-Doves (16 spp) are small to medium-sized arboreal pigeons with cryptic green plumage, often marked with bright colors; they are found most often in fruiting trees, especially figs.
Imperial Pigeons and the Papuan Mountain-Pigeon (14 spp) are large arboreal species that consume fruit, and many species are renowned for their nomadic ways and long commutes to colonial nesting sites safe on remote islets or mountain tops.
These groups appear to have had different origins and histories within our region, as indicated by molecular data and biogeography. The White-throated Pigeon, cuckoo-doves, and emerald doves appear to have been late arrivals from Asia via Wallacea, whereas all the other lineages are of greater antiquity and arose within New Guinea and Australia.
In most pigeon species, the sexes share similar plumage and are of nearly the same size, with males larger on average, although a few species (especially the fruit-doves) are sexually dichromatic. Juveniles often resemble their parents but usually have pale tips to the feathers, showing a scalloped effect. Identifying juvenile fruit-doves can be especially problematic. These youngsters abandon their flimsy nest at an amazingly early age, when they are only a fraction the size of their parents. They live secretly, hidden in the tree foliage, and are almost never seen. Mostly a cryptic dull green, they offer few if any clues to their identity. We have not attempted to describe juvenile fruit-doves.
Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) Columba livia
(Common or Domestic Pigeon, or just Pigeon)
30–34 cm. Introduced to cities and towns, where widespread but local and uncommon. Th is is the domesticated pigeon of urban areas, descended from the wild Rock Dove of Eurasia. Oft en seen in tight, wheeling flock. Glides briefly with wings held in an upward V. Grey with iridescent neck and white rump patch, but many color variants exist. Local populations characteristically of mixed colors: typical grey, white, pied, brown, or black. Male noticeably larger and with more iridescence on neck. Juv: Duller than Adult; eyes and feet duller, darker. Similar spp: No other large ground-feeding pigeon inhabits towns. Torres Strait Imperial Pigeon, which stays in the trees, is larger and has black primaries and tail-band, unlike albino Domestic P. Voice: Rolling oo-rroo-coo-coo. Habits: Loiters around markets and town parks. Some people maintain flocks; this has been the source of NG’s feral birds. Feeds on seeds and waste food taken from ground. Highly social as pairs or in flocks. Untidy nest on building ledges, cliffs. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG, Numfor, Aru Is, and probably other islands, 0–1600 m. Native to S Eurasia and N Africa; introduced around the world.
White-throated Pigeon Columba vitiensis |
(Metallic Pigeon)
36–37 cm. Rarely seen, nomadic, and little known. Widespread but sparsely distributed through lowland and montane forest. A large, blackish pigeon with a clear white throat patch extending to cheek. In good light, note maroon-grey breast and neck, and glossy green scalloping on wings and rump. Male may be slightly brighter. Juv: Duller than Adult, nearly without iridescence. Subspp (1): halmaheira (Moluccas to Bismarck and Solomon Is). Similar spp: Papuan Mountain-Pigeon is slightly smaller and has a white breast and whistling wings. Voice: Rarely heard; 2 or 3 slow, very low-pitched notes, the first higher and upslurred.
Habits: Solitary or in small flocks in forest; sometimes flushed from the ground. Wings do not whistle in flight. Feeds on fruits and seeds in canopy, subcanopy, and also visits forest floor. As reported elsewhere in range, nest is built 3–6 m up in a tree; a scant stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), and SE Is (Goodenough, Fergusson, Misima, Tagula, Rossel), 0–2750 m. Also Philippines, E Wallacea, Bismarck Is, and Oceania.
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis |
(Spotted Turtle-Dove)
28–30 cm. Introduced to Indonesian NG. A bird of towns and roadsides in agricultural and disturbed habitats. Avoids forest. A medium-sized, grey-brown dove with moderately long tail. When flushed, the flared tail shows black outer feathers with white tips. Adult: Rosy breast and unique black collar with a myriad of small white spots. Juv: Lacks these features. Subspp (1): tigrina (SE Asia) identified by photos from Sentani. Similar spp: Cuckoo-Doves browner and with longer tails. Voice: Song cooo-cooo coo! Habits: Solitary, in pairs, or may gather in numbers, but does not travel in flocks. Feeds mostly on the ground, sometimes in trees, taking seeds and small fruits. Nests on a horizontal branch of tree or shrub. Eggs (2) white. Range: So far reported only from Sentani (NW Lowlands) and Biak (Bay Is), but expected to spread. Native to SE Asia (India to China and Greater Sundas), introduced widely in AU and Oceania, locally elsewhere.
(Giant Cuckoodove, R. reinwardtsi)
48–53 cm. Widespread but uncommon in forest from foothills and vicinity up into mountains. Largest cuckoo-dove, with distinctive elongate shape, including very long tail. Adult: Pale grey head, neck, and underparts contrast with the dark chestnut mantle, wing, rump, and tail. Very short hind-crest yielding big-headed profile. Juv: Sooty brown, often with some grey feathers on breast. Subspp (2): griseotincta (NG range except Biak); brevis (Biak I) quite different—smaller, with white head and underparts and blackish wing-coverts. Similar spp: Other cuckoo-doves are much smaller. Voice: Two very different songs: a repeated, upslurred cookuwook cookuwook cookuwook … very similar to that of Brown CD, but sometimes slower; and a hoo followed by a rapidly descending series of hoos, suggestive of insane laughter. Habits: Passes through the canopy rather than over it; flight swift and graceful, with deep, powerful, rowing wingbeats. A solitary fruit eater favoring umbrella plants (Schefflera spp) and related trees in the Ginseng family. Pair or small group may come together in fruiting tree. Usually in the canopy but also descends to ground. Nest placed a few meters above ground in tree or, reputedly, on steep rock face; a platform of sticks, roots, moss, and ferns. Egg (1) white. Range: NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Biak, Yapen), Manam and Karkar Is, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Goodenough and Fergusson), 0–1600 m, occasionally to 3000 m. Few records from Trans-Fly. Also Moluccas. Taxonomy: The Biak form may be a separate species.
Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia amboinensis |
(Slender-billed Cuckoo-Dove, Brown Pigeon)
34–37 cm. Widespread from lowlands to mid-mountains; the common brown pigeon of forest, edge, and gardens. Long, brown, unbarred tail. Male: Rosy grey head and neck; faint greenish iridescence on hindneck; much paler below. Female: Entirely brown; head barred and speckled; more heavily barred on breast; lacks neck iridescence. Juv: Like Female but wing-coverts with black subterminal bars and rusty fringes to feathers. Subspp (8): Male nearly unbarred in East to heavily barred below in West; distinctly barred in Louisiades. Similar spp: Black-billed CD smaller, slimmer, darker brown, with shorter black bill and tail barred with black above; male is deep rusty brown, female heavily barred. Voice: A series of identical, upslurred disyllabic hoots: woo-up woo-up woo-up … repeated monotonously at a rate of 6 phrases per 10 sec. One call of Great CD similar from a distance. Habits: Frequents forest and regrowth in lowlands, but above ~1500 m confined mainly to disturbed habitats. Solitary or in pairs, gathers in small parties to feed in trees. Feeds on small fruits and seeds; mainly arboreal. Nests in vines or in a small tree; stick nest rather bulky. Egg (1) white. Range: All NG and most islands, except Karkar, Trobriands, and Woodlark, 0–1800 m, rarely to 2300 m. Also Sulawesi and Moluccas east to Bismarck Is. Taxonomy: Some authorities split this species into Slender-billed CD (M. amboinensis) of Wallacea, NG Region, and Bismarck Is and Brown CD (M. phasianella) of AU; however, differences are small, and an intermediate population on Cape York, AU, bridges the two taxa.
Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia nigrirostris |
(Bar-tailed Cuckoo-Dove, Rusty Cuckoodove)
29–30 cm. Widespread from lowlands to mid-mountains where locally common. Ecologically similar to Brown Cuckoo-Dove, but in mountains it is the dominant or sole species of cuckoo-dove inhabiting the forest interior. Smaller than Brown CD, with a short, stout black bill and narrow tail finely barred with black. Male: Entirely rich rusty brown; red orbital skin. Female: Heavily barred with black on back and breast. Juv: Like Female but tail irregularly barred. Similar spp: Mackinlay’s CD, restricted to Karkar I, is like male Black-billed but with bill more slender and tail not barred. Voice: Easily distinguished from that of preceding species by being higher-pitched and rapid. A rapid, descending series of ~12 muted woi or koik notes, delivered at a rate of 3/sec, decreasing slightly in volume but with no change in rate; like subdued call of Pheasant Coucal but not rising at end. Can be confused with calls of some fruit-doves, from which this species differs in faster delivery, “hard” quality, and lack of acceleration. Habits: Similar to Brown CD. Nests on ground on steep slopes, in epiphytic ferns, and in crowns of tree ferns; stick platform. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG, Bay Is (Yapen), Karkar I, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Goodenough and Fergusson), 0–2600 m. All NG except Trans-Fly. Also Bismarck Is.
(Spot-breasted Cuckoo-Dove)
27–30 cm. Karkar I only, mainly in forest interior. Tail not barred. Bird overall bright chestnut without barring (except Juv). Neck feathers have unique V-shaped indentations at their tips, giving a spotted appearance. Individually variable (including grey morph in extralimital populations). Female possibly less rufous, more yellowish brown. Juv: With distinct barring. Subspp (1): arossi (Admiralty and Bismarck Is). Similar spp: The other small cuckoo-dove on Karkar, the Black-billed CD, is rare; it has a stubbier black bill and a barred tail; female with much barring below. Voice: A melodious, mellow, repeated, 2-note call vo ku …, the first syllable higher than second. Habits: Similar to Black-billed. Nests in a small tree or palm; stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: An insular species reaching NG Region only on Karkar I, with a single sight record on NG, at Bogia (Sepik-Ramu), 0–1200 m. Also Bismarck, Solomon, New Hebrides, and neighboring islands.
New Guinea Bronzewing Henicophaps albifrons |
(White-capped Ground Pigeon, Jungle Bronzewing Pigeon)
33–36 cm. Widespread but uncommon in lowland and lower montane forests. A large, dark ground-pigeon with a conspicuously whitish forehead and disproportionately long bill. Bronzy iridescence on wing. Male: Crown white. Female: Crown dingy white to buff. Juv: Lacks iridescence. Subspp (2): albifrons (all of range except Aru); schlegeli (Aru Is), underparts dark like back. Similar spp: Could be confused with emerald doves because of the white forehead and iridescent green wing; however, the bronzewing is much larger and darker and is proportioned differently, with longer tail and bill. Other ground-dwelling pigeons its size lack the prominent whitish forehead. Voice: A rapid series of 20–60 upslurred whoops suggestive of Brown Cuckoo-Dove but much faster and not disyllabic. Rarely a throaty descending krrrrrrr, repeated often. Habits: Solitary or in pairs, foraging on the floor of primary forest as well as dry second growth. Quietly flushes from ground and perches on saplings, bobbing its head. One nest was built on a branch 1.5 m over a slow stream; nest was a substantial stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Misool?, Salawati, Waigeo), Yapen (Bay Is), and Aru Is, 0–2000 m.
Cinnamon Ground-Dove Gallicolumba rufigula |
(Golden-heart Dove)
22–24 cm. Smallest of the lowland ground-doves, common and widespread in forest and second growth, but difficult to see. Occasionally glimpsed as a brown dove bursting up from the ground, with pale tail tip formed by the outer tail feathers visible in flight. Adult: Clay-brown with bright white underparts stained yellow. Its large, dark eye stands out against the pale face. Four grey wing bars. Juv: Underparts brown. Subspp (5): Subtle differences in grey shading. Similar spp: Bronze GD darker, lacks wing bars, has two-toned underparts. Voice: Song a faint, upward-inflected, froglike trill: br r r r r r r…. Habits: Ground dwelling and solitary in the forest interior. Forages in the leaf litter and on bare earth, taking small seeds. Nests low in the forest, ~1 m off the ground on a firm foundation such as a palm frond or bird’s nest fern; nest of flat dead leaves and a few sticks. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Yapen), and Aru Is, 0–1600 m.
White-bibbed Ground-Dove Alopecoenas jobiensis |
(White-breasted Ground-Dove)
24–25 cm. A widespread, nomadic ground-dove of unpredictable occurrence from foothills to mid-elevations. Distinctive pattern: black with white brow and throat. In good light, shows purplish gloss on back. Tail longer and more squared off than other ground-doves. Male: Bright white brow, throat, and breast. Female: Variable—some like Male, others duller with white areas dingy. Juv: Dark grey-brown with faint rufous edging to feathers, small purple wing patch, and whitish chin. Subspp (1): jobiensis (widespread). Similar spp: Juv may resemble Bronze GD, which is smaller. Voice: Little information. Call a weak, hoarse, froglike note. Habits: Solitary or in pairs. Numbers fluctuate locally: often absent, usually scarce when present, but sometimes common. Gathers in forests with mast crops of oak or bamboo seeds. Takes seeds from the forest floor, but also arboreal to some degree, feeding on fruits and seeds there. No nesting information. Range: NG, Yapen (Bay Is), Manam and Karkar Is, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Goodenough and Fergusson), 0–1600 m, sometimes higher. All NG except Trans-Fly and possibly Bird’s Head. Also Bismarck and Solomon Is.
(Beccari’s Ground Dove)
18–20 cm. Uncommon and widespread in montane forests. A tiny, compact ground-dove; dark with grey head. Male: Glossy maroon shoulder patch. Female: Overall duller, no shoulder patch. Juv: Brown edges to feathers, especially on wing. Subspp (2): beccarii (NG mts) dark olive green; johannae (Karkar I, also Bismarck Is) dark brown, note white eye-ring. Similar spp: Cinnamon GD has pale wing bars and whitish underparts; lowlands. White-bibbed GD juv similar but larger, usually mottled with grey in the face and throat. Voice: Song a series of 5 low, clear notes uttered from the ground or a low perch, cook cook cook cook cook. Habits: A terrestrial bird of the forest interior. Usually solitary, rarely in pairs. Forages for seeds on the forest floor. Visits terrestrial courts of birds of paradise and bowerbirds to collect regurgitated seeds. Nests not far off ground in young pandan or climbing bamboo; a small stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: NG, 1400–2900 m; Karkar I, 0–1800 m; possibly Fergusson (SE Is). NG: Bird’s Head, Central Ranges, Foja Mts, N Coastal Mts, and Huon. Also Admiralty, Bismarck, and Solomon Is. Taxonomy: The two subspp beccarii and johannae may be specifically distinct.
Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida |
(G. striata)
18–20 cm. A common, tiny, grey dove of savannahs and towns in drier parts of lowland S and E NG. Barred throat. Adult: Blue eye skin, pale eye, and dark scalloping on upperparts. Juv: White “spectacles” around dark eye; pale scalloping on back, rump, and wings. Subspp (1): placida (also AU). Similar spp: Bar-shouldered D much larger and darker, has an unbarred throat, chestnut hindneck, and brownish upperparts. Voice: Song is a common suburban sound: a musical, oft-repeated doodaloo. Courtship (crouch with tail raised forward and fanned) accompanied by crOOOuw. Habits: Solitary or in groups, foraging on the ground in short grass and weeds, burned patches, or gravelly sites near towns, roadsides, and riverbeds. Flushes in a steep take-off, wings whistling. Nests on tree branch a few meters up; nest a woven pad of sticks and roots. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG and Aru Is, 0–500 m. Trans-Fly to SE Pen, E Sepik-Ramu, S Huon, probably elsewhere locally. Also AU. Taxonomy: Sometimes included in Zebra Dove (G. striata).
Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis |
26–28 cm. A locally common, medium-sized, grey-brown dove of southern gallery forests and mangroves at savannah edge. Rufous hindneck and unbarred grey throat. Adult: Rufous hindneck and pale eye. Juv: White spectacles around dark eye, no rufous neck patch, pale scalloping to upperparts. In flight: Bright rufous primaries and secondaries unique; these are grey and black in Peaceful D. Similar spp: Peaceful D smaller and paler, no brown or rufous, barred throat. Voice: Songs a high-pitched coolicoo and an emphatic hook coo hook coo! Habits: Prefers more wooded habitat than Peaceful D. Singly or in small flocks. Forages on the ground for seeds. Nest built low in a tree; nest similar to Peaceful D. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG: Trans-Fly and southern SE Pen, 0–300 m. Also AU.
Thick-billed Ground-Pigeon Trugon terrestris |
32–36 cm. A large and altogether odd-looking terrestrial pigeon, uncommon in lowland forest interior on NG. Unique face with white-tipped bill, white slash across cheek and ear-coverts, large red eye, and short hind-crest; this “floating head” seems cut off by the black hindneck. Bright buff flanks. The wedge-shaped tail is flicked downward as it walks. Adult: Wings evenly grey-brown. Juv: Similar, but bill darker and wing feathers faintly edged rufous. Subspp (3): Minor. (mayri of NW Lowlands has pale grey rather than white on face and paler belly.) Similar spp: Might be confused with a scrubfowl. Voice: Seldom heard. Song short, low, nasal whouw note repeated monotonously at ~5 sec intervals. Calls are various single cooing notes. Habits: Singly or in pairs. Unobtrusive and easily missed. Walks about on the forest floor in search of fruit, from which it extracts seeds for consumption. Nests on the ground against a tree trunk between root buttresses; nest a scant stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG and Salawati (NW Is), 1–600 m. All NG except Trans-Fly, Huon, and northern SE Pen.
(Magnificent Ground Pigeon)
44–48 cm. Uncommon in forested hilly country from foothills to lower montane zone. An odd terrestrial pigeon with large, folded, tentlike tail that is pumped up and down emphatically as the bird walks. Adult: Generally blackish with bright red-brown wings and mantle and pale grey nape. The reddish bill and long yellowish legs are conspicuous. Juv duller: dingy black, dark rufous wings and mantle. Subspp (4): nobilis (NW Is, Bird’s Head to W Ranges, also Foja to Bewani Mts in N Coastal Range) crested, with neck patch iridescent opal, rump and underparts dark purple; cervicalis (Border Ranges east to Huon and SE Pens) no crest and with neck patch chalky white, rump and underparts dark green; insularis (D’Entrecasteaux Is: Fergusson I) no crest or neck patch, underparts purple; aruensis (Aru Is) no crest, neck patch white and large, underparts green and purple. Similar spp: Brushturkeys are similar but more robust and have black wings and back, not red-brown. Voice: Unmistakable song often heard, repeated at 3-sec intervals; a mournful, tremulous 2-note whistle lasting 2 sec: wooah woooooooooooo, the last part descending and fading out. Sometimes only the second note is given. Not loud, but carries a long distance. Easily imitated. Habits: Solitary and shy. Runs off or flushes at close range, thrashing off heavily to land on the ground some distance away. Feeds on fallen seeds and fruits. Nests on the ground against a tree trunk between root buttresses; a skimp platform of leaf petioles. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Waigeo), Aru Is, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Fergusson), 0–1800 m. NG mts (records from all but Cyclops Mts). No recent reports of race insularis. Taxonomy: Being considered for splitting into 4 species: Crested Pheasant-Pigeon (O. nobilis), Greenish Ph-P (O. cervicalis), Black-necked Ph-P (O. insularis), and White-naped Ph-P (O. aruensis).
Western Crowned Pigeon Goura cristata |
(Goura for any crowned pigeon)
61–71 cm. Usually rare or hunted out near human settlement; common and tame where undisturbed by people. Inhabitant of undisturbed lowland forest, especially near rivers and streams. A huge, fan-crested, blue-grey terrestrial pigeon with white patch on wing-coverts. Larger even than a brushturkey. Adult: From other crowned pigeons by its grey breast (lacking maroon) and maroon mantle (not grey). (There is no melanistic morph in this genus; this is an artifact of museum specimens in which oil from the skins has seeped into the feathers.) Juv: Duller, markings less pronounced, wing-coverts with grey or buffy edging. Subspp (2): Misool and Waigeo Is birds smaller. Similar spp: No other crowned pigeon in its range, but see Southern and Victoria CP. Voice: Song a loud, deep, drumlike booming hoom hoom hoom hoom hoom of 5–6 notes. Contact call a soft hoom. Habits (gouras generally): Gregarious, in small parties walking the forest floor in search of fallen fruit and seeds. Will flush readily and noisily through vegetation until awkwardly finding a perch on a midstory tree limb. Wings slap loudly (1–3 in a burst) on initial takeoff. Nervously wags tail up and down, rapidly and shallowly. Attracted to preparation sites for sago palm, where it feeds on starchy scraps. Best seen along riverbanks at dawn when birds visit beaches for grit and invertebrate food, or as dusk approaches, when the birds ascend partway up trees before flying across the river. Nest built on a tree branch; nest a bulky platform of sticks and leaves. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG and NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), 0–300 m. NG: Bird’s Head and Neck. Introduced to Moluccas (Seram). Taxonomy: Hybridizes with Victoria CP and possibly Southern CP.
Southern Crowned Pigeon Goura scheepmakeri |
71–79 cm. Differs from other crowned pigeons by combination of all-grey crest, maroon breast, and white wing patch and by the chin being grey (not black). Subspp (2): scheepmakeri (southern SE Pen west to Purari R) grey shoulder and foreneck; sclaterii (S Lowlands eastward to Fly R) maroon shoulder and foreneck. Identification to race of goura populations between the Fly R and the Purari R has yet to be determined. Similar spp: See Western and Victoria CPs. Voice: Song a deep, hollow drumming with heartbeat rhythm, boom-boom, boom-boom, etc. Reminiscent of a cassowary. Habits: See Western CP. Range: Endemic. NG: S Lowlands and southern SE Pen, 0–800 m, locally higher. (Possibly meets Western CP in far West.) Taxonomy: See Western CP.
58–74 cm. Differs from other crowned pigeons by white-tipped crest and grey wing patch (not white). Subspp (2): Bay Is birds smaller. Similar spp: See Western and Southern CPs. Voice: A double-beat booming similar to Southern CP, uh wuh-uh wuh–uh whu-uh … in 8 pairs. Contact call is a soft grunting, piglike. Another call is a low oooommm. Habits: See Western CP. Range: Endemic. NG and Bay Is (Yapen and Biak, where possibly introduced), 0–300 m. NG: NW Lowlands and Sepik Ramu, also a limited area of N lowlands of SE Pen. Taxonomy: See Western CP.
Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica |
32–33 cm. A large, dark, fowl-like pigeon of remote, forested offshore islets; widespread, but very local, can be common. Seasonally nomadic and able to commute between islands. The Nicobar P appears all dark and tailless, but in good light is a wondrous bird with iridescent, glossy green plumage reflecting copper and gold highlights. Resplendent, long, drooping rooster-like hackles. Grey, chalky bloom around the head and neck (variable). Bill topped with a black knob. Male: Bill knob larger, hackles longer, upperparts greener than Female. Both have immaculate white tail. Juv: Dingier, lacks hackles, and tail black. Subspp (1): nicobarica (widespread). Similar spp: Some local people classify the Nicobar as a type of scrubfowl. Voice: Song a disyllable: first part higher and short, second longer and lower, the phrase repeated without pause. Grunting calls. Habits: The Nicobar’s ecology is focused on pigeon islands—small, offshore islands where imperial pigeons flock in numbers to roost and nest. Here, Nicobars themselves roost at night in the forest interior and at dawn descend to the ground to feed on the abundant fallen seeds passed by the fruit-eating imperials. The Nicobar is wary and difficult to approach when on the ground. It flushes readily—all one sees is the white flash of its tail lifting into the trees. Rising steeply, the bird alights on a branch at midlevel where it stands still and upright, neck craned forward. Many seem to spend their day on the pigeon island, although some will commute to mainland forests to feed. Capable of flying long distances over the ocean, it usually travels in small flocks. Pairs or single birds disperse when foraging on the ground. Largely a crepuscular feeder, including large, hard nuts in its seed diet. Hackles raised in threat or courtship. Nests in trees and shrubs; nest a stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Locally along coasts of NG (seemingly missing from most of S coast) and many islands (not reported from Gebe, Manam, Goodenough, and Fergusson Is, which it probably visits). Also Indian Ocean to Melanesia.
Common Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica |
(Emerald Ground Dove, Emerald Dove)
23–25 cm. Confined to certain small NW and Bay islands. Adult: Similar to Pacific ED, but has a white forehead (patch smaller in Female), grey crown, and smaller white shoulder patch. Subspp (2): indica (NW Is); minima (Bay Is), underparts darker purplish brown. Similar spp: Does not co-occur with Pacific ED. Voice: Similar to Pacific ED. Habits: Presumably similar to Pacific ED. No nesting information for New Guinea. Range: NW Is (Gag, Gebe, Kofiau) and Bay Is (Biak, Mios Num, Numfor), 0–800 m. Also India east through SE Asia, Sunda Is, Philippine Is, Wallacea. Taxonomy: Formerly included Pacific ED.
Pacific Emerald Dove Chalcophaps longirostris |
(C. chrysochlora or indica)
23–25 cm. Eastern NG only. Common in forest edge and second growth in lowlands and hills. A chubby ground-dove with both back and wing-coverts iridescent green or bronze-green and white shoulder patch. Rump marked with two pale grey bands. Orange bill. Male: Grey-maroon head and underparts; sooty rump and tail. Female: Grey-brown head and underparts; white shoulder patch duller; brownish rump and tail. Juv: Breast obscurely barred; tips to flight-feathers brown; lacks white shoulder patch and less green on wing, but has diagnostic green back; rump and tail as in Adults, according to sex. Bill black. In flight: Darts across one’s path, a meter or two above the ground, directly into the forest. Look for green back and white shoulder patches. Similar spp: See Stephan’s ED. Common ED does not co-occur. Voice: A slow series of up to 7 long, forced oo notes, with a peculiar moaning quality, repeated at 1/sec. Each note descends then rises in pitch; successive notes are slightly higher in pitch. Habits: A solitary ground feeder but may gather in pairs or groups under fruiting tree. Feeds on fruits and seeds. Nest is a small platform of sticks placed a few meters up in vegetation. Eggs (2) white. Range: E NG and all SE Is, 0–1300 m. Locally distributed in Trans-Fly, Sepik-Ramu, Huon, SE Pen, and eastern S Lowlands. Also AU and portions of Wallacea and Melanesia. Taxonomy: Formerly with C. indica as the Emerald Dove.
(Stephan’s Green-winged Pigeon)
24–26 cm. Widespread in lowland and hill forest. Similar to Pacific ED, but rich, darker reddish brown overall, with conspicuous whitish forehead and green restricted to wing (back green in Pacific); no white at bend of wing; and 2 rump bands buff (pale grey in Pacific). Bill orange. Male: Forehead white; plumage with a purplish cast. Female: Forehead grey; plumage more brownish. Juv: Lacks the whitish forehead and has a dark bill and brown, not green, secondaries, but shows the diagnostic brown mantle, back, and scapulars, and 2 buff bands on rump. In flight: Compared with Pacific ED, shows white forehead and brown mantle. Subspp (1): stephani (also Kai, Admiralty, and Bismarck Is). Similar spp: Pacific ED. Common ED co-occurs in NW Is. Voice: A fast, slightly rising series of faint too notes lasting as long as 15 sec. Notes are repeated at 3–4/sec. Habits: More frequently found in forest interior than Pacific ED. Otherwise ecology, nest, and egg similar. Range: NG, NW Is (Batanta, Gag, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Yapen), Aru Is, Manam and Karkar Is, SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is), 0–1050 m, higher on islands. Also from Sulawesi, Admiralty, Bismarck, and Solomon Is.
Fruit-Doves. As a general rule, fruit-dove species of different body size occur within a given habitat, and species of the same size preferentially occupy different habitats. The most species-rich habitat is lowland rainforest, where one finds 6 fruit-dove species each ~50% heavier than the next smaller: from smallest to largest, Dwarf, Beautiful, Superb, Ornate (seasonally in lowland rainforest), Pink-spotted, and Wompoo Fruit-Doves. Three other species are confined to the mountains as breeders: the small Claret-breasted FD (northern watershed only), the larger Ornate FD (descends to the lowlands as a nonbreeder), and Mountain FD. Coroneted and Beautiful FDs are the same size and have similar calls, but Coroneted is concentrated in lower-rainfall forests, Beautiful in higher-rainfall forests. Orange-bellied FD and Orange-fronted FD are mainly in open habitats and forest edge. Yellow-bibbed, White-bibbed, and Moluccan FDs are confined to small offshore islands in the New Guinea Region. Wallace’s and Rose-crowned FDs appear to be only vagrants to the New Guinea mainland.
Fruit-doves are small to medium-sized tree-dwelling species, difficult to observe because of their cryptic green coloration and concealment within foliage. Thus calls are especially important for identification. These can be confusing because most species have 2 quite different vocalizations, and corresponding calls of different species are often similar.
One type of call, termed the “hoo series” is shared by most species. The call consists of a series of 7–20 hoo notes. They can be distinguished by 7 characteristics: (1) Pitch: lowest in Ornate; next lowest in Pink-spotted; medium-low for Mountain, Superb, and Orange-fronted; highest for Orange-bellied, Beautiful, and Coroneted. (2) Pace: constant throughout for Ornate, Orange-fronted, and Superb; accelerating somewhat for Orange-bellied, Beautiful, and Pink-spotted; and accelerating greatly for Mountain and Coroneted. (3) Whether note is ascending, descending, or at constant pitch. (4) Volume: softest for Ornate and Orange-fronted. (5) Length of each hoo: shortest for Pink-spotted. (6) Number of hoos: fewest for Ornate and Superb. (7) Whether series ascends in pitch (Superb), descends (Coroneted), or ascends and then descends (Orange-bellied).
The second type of call, termed “seesaw,” is a series of slurred notes on 2 pitches, each alternating with the other. The alternation gives the sense of a seesaw tipping back and forth. Such calls are given by Beautiful, Coroneted, Orange-fronted, Ornate, and Pink-spotted Fruit-Doves. Seesaws of these species differ in (1) pitch: Ornate is lowest, Beautiful and Coroneted are highest, (2) number of notes, (3) speed, (4) whether an interpolated third short note occurs (only Beautiful), and (5) whether the notes are downslurred, made at a constant pitch, or upslurred then downslurred. See individual accounts for details.
Wompoo Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus magnificus |
(Wompoo Pigeon, Magnificent Fruit Dove, Megaloprepia magnifica)
29–33 cm. Common in lowland and hill forest. Adult: A unique, large, long-tailed fruit-dove, with maroon-purple breast, pale grey head, and band of pale spots on the shoulder. Subspp (2): Minor differences in shading of underparts and shoulder spots (white or yellow). Similar spp: All other fruit-doves and imperial pigeons have shorter tail; none has such extensive purple breast but see Claret-breasted FD. Voice: Song a low-pitched, throaty, 2-note call, the first disyllabic and upslurred, the second on a constant pitch: hoowah-hooo, with quality of a human voice. Easy to recognize. Habits: A solitary, subcanopy species foraging at a variety of fruiting trees in the forest interior. Travels through and beneath the forest canopy, and unlike other fruit-doves, does not fly over the forest. Nest placed on a thin branch fork or palm leaf a few meters above ground; a pad of sticks characterized by curly vines. Egg (1) white. Range: NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Yapen), Manam and Karkar Is, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Normanby), 1–1400 m. Also AU.
25–27 cm. Common and associated with fig trees in lowland and hill forest. Oft en perches conspicuously in tree crowns. Adult: A large, long-necked fruit-dove with mustard-brown neck band, diagnostic pink spotting on shoulder, and terminal tail-band either lacking or indistinct, narrow, and grey. Subspp (3, in 2 groups): perlatus (range except that of next race) head capped yellowish green; plumbeicollis (Sepik-Ramu and N coast of SE Pen) head all grey. Similar spp: The very similar Ornate FD has a purple bar on the shoulder and a broad, yellowish tail-band. Wompoo FD also has grey head and wing spots, but is distinguished by a purple breast and long tail. Voice: A hoo series and a seesaw, both low-pitched (only Ornate FD is as low). Hoo series of Pink-spotted has abbreviated notes, giving a distinctly energetic quality to the series; it shows marked acceleration, the first and second notes sounding almost detached from the rest of the series; notes also initially rise a bit, then fall slightly in pitch through the series. The seesaw consists of 4–6 notes, alternate ones differing slightly in pitch, and each note is initially upslurred then downslurred:
Habits: A gregarious and nomadic species. Nests on tree branch; platform of sticks. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Yapen), Aru Is, and SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is), 0–1200 m.
Ornate Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus ornatus |
23–26 cm. Common and associated with fig trees. Breeds solitarily in montane cloud forests then wanders in groups to nearby lowlands aft er breeding. Adult: Similar to Pink-spotted FD—with which it co-occurs at lower elevations—but its size averages slightly smaller, and it has a hard-to-see purple bar on the shoulder, a neck band that is darker and two-toned (mustard above, brown below), and a broad, yellowish terminal tail band. Note unique Bird’s Head race. Juv: Shows a much reduced purple wing bar. Subspp (2): ornatus (Bird’s Head) wine-red head; gestroi (rest of range) head mustard-yellow. Similar spp: Pink-spotted FD. Mountain and Superb FDs are the only species sharing the montane habitat of Ornate. Voice: Sings mainly when breeding in the mountains. A hoo series and a seesaw, with the lowest pitch and soft est volume of any NG fruit-dove. The hoo series ascends initially and consists of 7–12 notes. Confusion with the hoo series of Superb is possible only if the Ornate series neither descends at the end nor accelerates. The seesaw is similar in pattern to that of Pink-spotted but is lower-pitched and consists of up to 10 notes. Habits: Similar to Pink-spotted but breeds in the mountains. Nest found 2–3 m up in a tangle of vines or scrambling bamboo; nest a scant platform of twigs. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG (no records for Kumawa or Wandammen Mts, and much of the S Lowlands and Trans-Fly), 0–2400 m.
Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus aurantiifrons |
23 cm. Common in disturbed forests, gardens, and towns of lowlands, less common in expanses of primary forest or in foothills. Adult: Unique orange-yellow forecrown. Diagnostic combination of white throat (because of shading, looks like white cheek-stripe and grey chin), grey breast, and green belly. Similar spp: From below, Pink-spotted and Ornate FDs both have brown breast band. Voice: A soft hoo series and a seesaw at medium-low pitch. All other fruit-dove species except Ornate have louder calls. Each note of the hoo series is slightly upslurred; rate of delivery may remain constant or accelerate slightly; pitch rises at the start and drops at the end. Seesaw usually consists of 6 notes: the first, third, and fifth upslurred, the others downslurred:
Also a series starting with a single low note followed by a higher series that steadily declines in pitch. Habits: Gregarious, oft en flocking in tops of trees. Frequents fig trees. Nests in isolated trees and those at forest edge; nest a rather substantial stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool?, Salawati), Bay Is (Yapen), Aru Is, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Fergusson, Normanby), 0–300 m. All NG except Huon and nearby lowlands.
27–29 cm. Only on islands and along coasts and rivers of Aru Is (1 record in western S Lowlands). Adult: Striking. Large, with red cap, grey breast and back, and yellow-orange belly. Often with a whitish throat and breast band. Similar spp: Rose-crowned and Beautiful FDs smaller, lacking the white breast band and having some red-purple on the belly. Voice: No information from NG Region. Habits: On Aru it occupies small patches of forest and savannah. Gregarious, in flocks. Nomadic. Range: Aru Is, but also recorded on NG mainland in western S Lowlands (coastal Mimika and Noord R), where possibly vagrant, 0–200 m. Also S Moluccas.
Superb Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus superbus |
(Purple-crowned Pigeon)
20–23 cm. The most widespread and prevalent fruit-dove, in forest from the lowlands up to middle elevations in the mountains. The only fruit-dove with white belly and undertail. In flight: White flank-stripes conspicuous. Few other fruit-doves have a grey tail-band that shows well. Male: With diagnostic orange hindneck and bold black breast band. Female: Obscure, but note unique all grey-green throat and breast and dark blue hindcrown. Subspp (1): superbus (Moluccas to Solomon Is and AU). Similar spp: None with Superb’s field marks. Voice: The hoo series is 8–11 notes at medium-low pitch. The series rises in pitch and does not accelerate. This song is distinctive in its simplicity and can be confused only with that of Ornate FD. Second song is more distinctive; a single note with an mm sound, followed by a 2-sec pause and then a series of 3–6 wo-up upslurs at 1-sec intervals. Habits: A solitary, generalized fruit-feeder of the forest interior. Its status as a migrant from AU is possible but undocumented. Nests in the forest midstory on a branch; nest a thin platform of sticks. Egg (1) white. Range: Throughout NG Region, 0–1400 m. Also Sulawesi, Moluccas, Bismarck, and Solomon Is, and AU.
Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus regina |
(Rose-crowned Pigeon)
20–23 cm. Status unclear, but probably a vagrant AU species. Adult: First impression is of a rather pale green fruit-dove. Grey breast and purple-and-orange belly; red crown and yellowish tail tip are also distinctive. Juv: Greenish below; may lack reddish cap, breast patch, or both. Subspp (1): regina (E AU). Similar spp: Coroneted FD lacks the grey throat and breast. Beautiful FD has a white throat and lacks the yellow tail tip. Both are clearly smaller. Voice: A low-pitched hoo series that starts very slowly, then accelerates greatly. Also a rapidly delivered, low-pitched seesaw, consisting of a downslurred note alternating with a higher note at a constant pitch. Habits: Occupies coastal forests. Range: NG Trans-Fly: 1 record from Daru I, sea level. Also E Wallacea and AU.
Coroneted Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus coronulatus |
(Diadem Fruit Dove)
18–19 cm. Common in lowland forest, less so in hills. Prefers drier forest than the similar Beautiful FD. Adult: Small and dark green, with grey head, lilac crown, and yellow undertail. Lilac crown edged with a gold band—unique but hard to see. Subspp: coronulatus (S Lowlands to southern SE Pen; Aru Is) crown obviously purple and belly purple and yellow (no orange); geminus (Bird’s Head, NW Lowlands to northern SE Pen) crown pale grey or purple, and belly purple, orange, and yellow. Similar spp: Same-sized Beautiful FD has large white throat patch and pale grey breast that contrast with dark green back. Orange-bellied FD has an all-green head and white undertail. Dwarf FD is smaller, has broad yellow edges to the secondaries, and an all-green head. Voice: The hoo series is high-pitched, accelerates greatly, and remains at the same pitch or descends slightly. Individual notes are downslurred. The seesaw is high-pitched, simple, and disyllabic: whoo-oh whoo-oh …, the first note higher. Also a “sad call” hu-h-h-h-h, hoodle. Habits: Solitary, in pairs, or in groups, mainly in the forest canopy. Nest in a forest sapling 1–5 m up; a shallow stick platform on an accumulation of dead leaves. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Salawati), Bay Is (Yapen), Aru Is, and Manam I, 0–1200 m.
Beautiful Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus pulchellus |
18–20 cm. Widespread; common in wet hill forest and lowlands. Adult: Small size, red crown, throat and breast white and pale grey, offset from orange belly by a wine-red band. In flight, may show faint grey tail-band. Subspp (2): pulchellus (most of range); decorus (NW Lowlands and Sepik-Ramu) grey breast feathers heavily tipped white. Similar spp: See Coroneted FD. Rose-crowned FD larger, with tail tipped yellow. Much larger Wallace’s FD lacks purple breast band and has undertail white, not yellow. Voice: Hoo series is high-pitched and accelerates moderately but not as much as does that of Coroneted FD. The pitch of the series is variable; individual notes are downslurred or unslurred. The seesaw is sad and distinctive, with a low, faint grace note between the 2 main notes, audible only at close range, usually only 2 or 3 in a series:
Habits: Similar to Coroneted FD; occurrence mostly complementary with Coroneted. Nesting similar to Coroneted. Range: Endemic. NG and NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), 0–1200 m, locally higher.
White-bibbed Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus rivoli |
(White-breasted Fruit-Dove)
20–24 cm. Common in SE Is and locally in the Bay Is. A small-island species. Bright yellow undertail and lower belly. Note yellow-green loral stripe. Male: White breast band (no yellow) and lacks purple patch on belly; these lacking in all-green Female. Subspp (2): strophium (SE Is); miquelii (Bay Is) smaller. Similar spp: Moluccan FD also found in Bay Is but on different islands; it lacks yellow in undertail and male has large purple breast patch. Yellow-bibbed FD, also in Bay Is, shares yellow undertail but is smaller and lacks the obvious yellow line from bill to eye; male has a yellow breast patch and purple belly. Superb FD, the only co-occurring fruit-dove, has white undertail, and its breast pattern is entirely different. Voice: The hoo series higher-pitched than Mountain FD. Also gives a slurred hoo-woo call, the second note at lower pitch (in place of the single hoo note of Mountain); this call is repeated aft er a pause, and the series may continue for a while and end in a single hoo. Habits: Occupies many small islands and some large ones where other similar-sized fruit-doves are missing. Takes a wide range of fruits, including nutmegs. Solitary or in pairs, foraging at all levels in the forest interior. Nests on a thin branch of a small forest tree; nest a shallow stick platform. No egg information. Range: Fragmented range: SE Is (absent from the 3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is and Woodlark I, but present on the many small islands from D’Entrecasteaux and Trobriand Is eastward to and including Misima, Tagula, and Rossel Is) and Bay Is (Mios Num, Yapen), 0–900 m. Also Bismarck Is. Taxonomy: See Mountain FD for explanation of split. The NG forms are provisionally classified with P. rivoli of the Bismarck Is.
Moluccan Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus prasinorrhous |
(White-breasted Fruit-Dove, Ptilinopus rivoli)
22 cm. A western small-island specialist. Similar to Mountain FD but slightly smaller, duller, and not quite as bulky. Note green undertail and, in Male, the all-white breast band (no yellow) and large purple breast patch. Similar spp: White-bibbed FD, closely related and also on islands, has yellow undertail, and male lacks large purple breast patch. Yellow-bibbed FD co-occurs in the Bay Is but is smaller and has yellow breast patch and undertail. Voice: The hoo series similar to Mountain but more high-pitched, on a steady pitch, and increases only slightly in tempo (less rise and fall in pitch, less acceleration). Habits: Probably similar to White-bibbed FD. No nesting information. Range: Occupies only the smallest of the NW Is, Bay Is (Numfor, others), and Aru Is. Also Moluccas. Taxonomy: See Mountain FD.
Mountain Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus bellus |
(White-breasted Fruit-Dove, Ptilinopus rivoli, see below)
23–26 cm. Widespread and common in montane forests; oft en the only fruit-dove in its habitat. Large, stolid, dark green fruit-dove—look for all-green belly and undertail (oft en with yellow edging). The obscure grey tail-band is hidden when bird is perched and doesn’t show well even in flight. Male: Broad white-and-yellow breast patch; purple cap and breast spot. Female: All green—most fruit-doves have patches of color somewhere. Th is and the previous 2 species unique in sharing a bright yellow loral stripe between the greenish yellow bill and eye, useful in confirming identification of the drab Females. Similar spp: See Moluccan and White-bibbed FDs; note that the females of these have all-green heads, whereas Female Mountain has a bluish cast on the crown and face. Superb and Ornate are the only regularly co-occurring FDs; both have different patches of color, except female Superb, which has grey underparts (not green), white undertail, and conspicuous tail-band in flight. Voice: A familiar sound of mountain forests, the hoo series is regretful and haunting, evocative of the cold and wet mountains. It begins slowly, accelerates rapidly, and drops in pitch. Another call is a single hoo that first rises, then drops in pitch. Also a series of hoo notes without change in tempo or pitch. Habits: Solitary or in pairs, foraging at all levels in the forest interior for large and small fruits. Nests on a thin branch of a forest sapling or on a rattan frond; nest a shallow stick platform. Eggs (1–2) white. Range: Endemic. NG (all mts, but no record yet from Kumawa Mts), Karkar I, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Goodenough, Fergusson), 1000–3200 m. Taxonomy: The Mountain and Moluccan FDs were recently split from the White-bibbed FD (P. rivoli). The ranges of all three are generally separate, but Mountain and White-bibbed co-occur in the D’Entrecasteaux Is, and Moluccan and White-bibbed both occupy the Bay Is, although they inhabit different islands.
Yellow-bibbed Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus solomonensis |
18 cm. Only in Bay Is. Co-occurs with larger Moluccan FD from which it differs in smaller size, bright yellow undertail-coverts, unique bare pale greenish skin around eye, and Male has unique yellow breast band (not white) and lacks purple cap, but note purple spot in front of eye. Subspp (1): speciosus (endemic). Similar spp: Moluccan and White-bibbed FDs are both larger, show a yellow-green loral stripe, and differ in details of male plumage; Moluccan lacks the Yellow-bibbed’s yellow undertail-coverts. Voice: The hoo series of 7–8 double notes, accelerating slightly: hoo-woo hoo-woo hoo-woo…. Habits: Similar to Moluccan and White-bibbed FDs. Nests in a tree or shrub; nest a meager platform of twigs and vine tendrils. Egg (1) white. Range: Bay Is (Biak, Numfor, Traitor’s, and Marai near Yapen), 0–300 m. Also Admiralty, Bismarck, and Solomon Is.
Claret-breasted Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus viridis |
18–20 cm. Uncommon, with patchy distribution across the northern NG Region. Confined to hills on NG mainland, but lowlands as well on islands. Small, with grey face and green-and-white striped undertail-coverts. Male and usually also Female: Unique maroon patch on throat, variable in size by subspp. Subspp (4): Sexes colored differently or not; vary in presence or absence of grey on shoulder and size of breast patch. Race pectoralis (NW Is, Bird’s Head and Neck) lacks grey shoulder and Male has small purple breast patch, absent in Female (all green); geelvinkiana (Bay Is: Biak, Mios Num, and Numfor) Male with grey shoulder and large purple throat-and-breast patch, Female green breast; salvadorii (Yapen I; Foja, Cyclops, and N Coastal Mts) both sexes with grey-spotted shoulder and small red-purple breast patch, though smaller patch in Female; vicinus (SE Is) grey shoulder and red-purple breast patch in both sexes, smaller in Female. Similar spp: Superb FD female shares white in undertail, but has white belly (not green). Female Mountain and Moluccan FDs lack white in undertail and the face is green. Compare with Wompoo FD. Voice: Two songs.
(1) a medium- to high-pitched series:
(2) a slightly hoarse series:
Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small flocks in forest canopy. Attracted to figs. Nests on a horizontal tree fork; a platform of twigs. Egg (1) white. Range: NG, NW Is (all), Bay Is (all), and SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is and Trobriand Is); NG 300–1000 m, islands 0–1000 m. NG: mts of Bird’s Head, Bird’s Neck (Fakfak, Kumawa, Wandammen), and N ranges (Foja, Cyclops, and N Coastal Mts east to Wewak, plus a sighting from Bogia, near Madang). Also S Moluccas and Solomon Is.
Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus iozonus |
20–22 cm. A common and widespread fruit-dove that prefers open lowland and foothill habitats. Adult: A stocky, stubby-tailed fruit-dove that is mostly green with an orange belly and white undertail-coverts. Bright eye stands out on plain, dark green face. Subspp (5, in 2 groups): iozonus (most of range); humeralis (NW Is, Bird’s Head south to western S Lowlands) shoulder patch purple, not grey. Similar spp: Coroneted and Dwarf FDs are obviously smaller, having a purple breast patch and yellow undertail-coverts. Voice: A series of high-pitched calls. Hoo series begins with a longer upslurred note, a slight pause, then a rapid series of upslurs that accelerate, rising and then falling. Also a 4-note phrase given without repetition:
In East, 2 additional slow calls:
Habits: In flocks of varying size in open habitats, forest edge, regrowth, mangroves, less frequent in tall forest. Prefers large fig trees. Usually less common where Orange-fronted FD is present. Evidently nests higher in trees than other fruit-doves; nest a scant stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Yapen), Aru Is, and Manam and Karkar Is, 0–800 m. Extralimital spp: Knob-billed Fruit-Dove (P. insolitus) of Bismarck Is virtually identical but has a large red knob on its forehead. Its nearest location is Long I, and 1 unconfirmed sighting has been reported from Bogia near Madang.
Dwarf Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus nainus |
(Ptilinopus nanus)
13–15 cm. Rare to common in foothill and nearby lowland forest. A tiny dove, surprisingly small, with a stubby tail. All green and marked only by a yellow undertail and 3 unique yellow wing bars. Male: Small purple breast patch and unique grey spot in front of wing, both lacking in Female. Similar spp: Coroneted FD very similar but larger, with lilac crown, and no obvious yellow edging to the wing-coverts. Might be confused with juv fruit-doves of other species, which early in life are much smaller than their parents and semi-independent. Voice: A high-pitched, slow, soft, prolonged upslur repeated 6 or so times at a rate of 1/sec:
Habits: Easily overlooked because of its size. Some local movement. Solitary, paired, or in groups. Usually mixed with other fruit-doves at a fruiting tree. Feeds on small fruits and nectar. Nests in forest interior in midstory; a small stick platform. No egg information. Range: Endemic. NG and NW Is (Batanta sighting, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), 0–1100 m. Distribution along the North poorly known.
Imperial Pigeons. Of the 13 species of this genus in the New Guinea Region, 6 are confined to offshore islands and are absent or virtually absent from the New Guinea mainland (Spectacled, Elegant, Pacific, Spice, Geelvink, and Floury IPs). Three species coexist in lowland forests, where they sort by size: the smaller Purple-tailed IP, the medium-size Zoe’s IP, and the large Pinon’s IP. The Rufescent IP has mountain forests to itself. Collared IP breeds in mangroves and the 2 sister species Pied and Torresian IPs on small islands and the coast, but all 3 move seasonally up rivers into lowland forests.
Spectacled Imperial Pigeon Ducula perspicillata |
44 cm. A large Moluccan species abundant on Kofiau I. Adult: A lovely green-and-grey pigeon similar to Elegant IP (does not co-occur), but note the white eye-ring, darker grey head, green extending partway up the back of the neck (not sharply demarcated at the shoulders), and the steeper forehead profile. Viewed from below look for grey undertail-coverts, not brownish as in all other green-backed IPs. In flight: Greyish underwing. Subspp: Not determined. Similar spp: Spice IP co-occurs and is slightly smaller, has a black bill knob, pink shading on the underparts, and brown undertail-coverts, and lacks the broad white eye-ring. Floury IP seems to be the eastern counterpart of Spectacled. Voice: Song a descending series of 7 low, hoarse coos, the first note at lower pitch than the second: hoo—hohohohohoho (similar to song of Floury IP). Calls include a soft, short, ascending br-r-r and a low-pitched coo that rises, then falls in pitch. Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small parties. A forest pigeon that can take quite large fruits. No nesting information. Range: Kofiau (NW Is). Also Moluccas.
43–45 cm. A large imperial pigeon resident on small islands within the Aru group and perhaps vagrant on Bird’s Neck (S Bomberai Pen). Adult: Green wings and all-grey underparts, except brown undertail-coverts. Swollen cere gives forehead a flatter profile. Striking yellow iris, but no white eye-ring. Blackish underwing in flight—looks broad-winged. Slow, deep wingbeats. Similar spp: None co-occur. See Spectacled IP. Voice: A loud, guttural almost barking ur aow. Also a hoarse grunt and a low-pitched upslur. Habits: A “super-tramp” species prone to wandering and capable of turning up on small islands or along the mainland coast. Singly, in pairs, or in small parties; associates with other imperial pigeons such as Pied IP. Feeds in the forest canopy on a variety of fruits. Nest built in tree canopy; a rough stick platform. No egg information. Range: Small Aru Is, plus 1 record on islets off S Bomberai Pen (Bird’s Neck), 0–100 m. Also E Wallacea.
Pacific Imperial Pigeon Ducula pacifica |
34–37 cm. An extremely local, small imperial pigeon so far known from a few small islands off Sepik-Ramu and in SE Is. Adult: Green wings and all underparts rose-grey; enlarged black knob atop bill, especially prominent in Male, absent in Juv. In flight, underwing uniformly dark. Subspp (2): Minor. Similar spp: Floury IP co-occurs and is larger and has a conspicuous white eye-ring; only the throat is rose-grey; no bill knob. Spice IP has grey throat, seems to be western counterpart to Pacific IP. Voice: Song a 5-note series wooiip—pu pu po po. Four different 1-note calls: (1) a high-pitched, descending br-r-r; (2) a broken note that rises then falls in pitch, with a peculiar throbbing, throaty quality; (3) a low-pitched note that slowly rises in pitch, then quickly drops; (4) an ascending growl. Habits: Occupies forest and open habitats with trees and shrubs. Inhabits small coral islands, often in large flocks, moving from island to island. Gregarious. Feeds on a wide variety of fruits. Nest on horizontal leafy branch; a substantial stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Small islands off Sepik-Ramu (Tarawai and Seleo) and SE Is (Amagusa, Budibudi, Conflict Is, Duchateau, Suau, Teste) and probably more islands in both areas, 0–100 m. Also Admiralty, Bismarck, and Solomon Is, east through Polynesia to Samoa.
Spice Imperial Pigeon Ducula myristicivora |
41–43 cm. A medium-sized imperial pigeon of small islands of NW Is. Inhabits coastal forests. Adult: Green wings. Head and neck very pale—almost white—with black bill knob and dark iris. With closer view note white eye-ring, blood-red iris, pinkish nape. White ring around eye in some populations at least, seemingly lacking in others. Grey throat contrasts with rose-grey breast. Similar spp: See co-occurring Spectacled IP. Pacific IP smaller, all rose-grey below. Voice: High-pitched crrruooo or urwoow, upslurred toward the end. Habits: This is another nomadic pigeon that crosses between islands and strays to the mainland. Singly, in pairs, or in small groups. On islets and coastal forest of larger NW Is. No nesting information. Range: NW Is (all), but mainly on smaller islands. Vagrants reach adjacent Bird’s Head coast. Also nearby Moluccas.
Geelvink Imperial Pigeon Ducula geelvinkiana |
(formerly included in Spice Imperial Pigeon, D. myristicivora) 38 cm. Restricted to Bay Is, large and small. In forests of all types. Adult: Similar to Spice Imperial Pigeon but smaller, grey-headed with striking pale yellow iris, and lacking bill knob or white eye-ring. Similar spp: None in its range. Voice: A medium-pitched, coarse crwwooo repeated incessantly, ~1 call/sec. Habits: Similar to other island imperial pigeons. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. Bay Is (Biak, Mios Num, Numfor), 0–500 m. NG: 1 mainland record from hill forests of Arfak Mts, Bird’s Head.
Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon Ducula rufigaster |
33–39 cm. Common and widespread in lower canopy and midstory of lowland and hill forest. Adult: Smallest and most brightly colored of the mainland imperial pigeons: orange-rufous underparts, green wings, purple tail, white eye-ring. Conspicuous terminal tail-band. Subspp (2): rufigaster (NW Is, Bird’s Head to S Lowlands and SE Pen) back and rump purplish red; uropygialis (NW Lowlands to Huon, plus Yapen I) these parts more green, underparts paler. Similar spp: Rufescent IP inhabits mountains, lacks purple rump and tail, lacks the white eye-ring, and the grey on the nape extends to sides of neck and throat forming a “cowl.” Voice: Diagnostic, mournful; 2 knocks followed by a medium-pitched, prolonged note that quickly drops in pitch then slowly rises, buk-buk hooo-oo-hoooooo.
Habits: A solitary, inconspicuous resident of rainforest interior. Sedentary, not nomadic. Usually noticed flying through the forest (rather than over it). Feeds on fruit from the canopy into the forest midstory. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), and Bay Is (Yapen), 0–600 m, rarely to 1200 m.
Rufescent Imperial Pigeon Ducula chalconota |
37–39 cm. Uncommon and widespread in mountain forest—this is the montane counterpart of the Purple-tailed IP, but much less vocal. Adult: From that species by its green rump (not purple) and grey “cowl” over the head and sides of neck; also lacks a white eye-ring. Subspp (2): chalconota (Bird’s Head and Neck) green upperparts tinged with more purple brown; smaragdina (rest of range) upperparts more green. Similar spp: Purple-tailed IP. Voice: Rarely sings. A slow, deep, mournful, hummed song of 3 notes slurred together:
Also a mournful, low hoo?; when alarmed, produces a hollow knock. Habits: Similar to Purple-tailed IP. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head, Bird’s Neck (Wandammen), Central Ranges, and Huon, 1250–2650 m. Taxonomy: Sightings from the Foja Mts may be of a very distinct undescribed subspecies or sister-species.
Floury Imperial Pigeon Ducula pistrinaria |
(Grey or Island Imperial Pigeon)
41–44 cm. Prevalent on small and midsize islands off the Sepik-Ramu coast and in the SE Is. Th is is the common green-winged imperial pigeon within its range, the smaller Pacific IP being restricted to a few islands. Adult: Look for the absence of a black bill knob, presence of white ring of feathers around the eye and at the base of the bill, and the subtly pink-tinted throat contrasting with the grey breast. Another difference is the gradual transition from the grey neck to the green mantle. At close range, the iris, eyelids, and nares of Floury IP are dark ruby red. Birds vary in the degree of green vs grey on the wings. Subspp (1): vanwyckii (also Admiralty and Bismarck Is). Similar spp: Pacific IP smaller, with black bill knob, evenly pink-washed underparts, and sharp division between grey neck and green back. Voice: Song a distinctive, high-pitched ahu ahu ahu ahu ahu, falling in pitch and volume. Also a peculiar, high-pitched trill. Habits: A mobile species, nesting and roosting in numbers on small islets and commuting to coastal forest on larger islands to feed. Possibly also resident on some of the larger islands such as Tagula. Seen singly, in pairs, or in small flocks. Feeds in the forest canopy on a variety of fruits. Nests colonially. Nest built on horizontal branch in tree canopy; a bulk twig platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Islands off Sepik-Ramu (Manam, Karkar, others) and SE Is (probably all, but only a local visitor to the 3 large D’Entrecasteaux Is and not yet reported from Trobriands), 0–200 m. Also Admiralty, Bismarck, and Solomon Is.
Pinon’s Imperial Pigeon Ducula pinon |
44–48 cm. Common and widespread in lowland and foothill forest. Our largest imperial pigeon, powerfully built; seen flying over the canopy. Adult: Dark grey with black shoulder patch, maroon belly, and narrow white band across the dark tail. Ruby eye set in a patch of red skin bordered by white ring. Subspp (3): pinon (all of range except the following) wings deep grey; jobiensis (NW Lowlands to Huon, plus Yapen I) wings boldly scalloped (birds on Bird’s Neck and SE Pen intermediate); salvadorii (SE Is) like pinon but lacking the white eye-ring. Similar spp: Collared IP is darker and shows a black collar and wider tail-band. Voice: A distinctive, resonant, very low-pitched, upslurred disyllable, preceded or followed by a note at the pitch of the lower syllable:
Also, a series of as many as 10 soft, low-pitched upslurs. Habits: Gregarious. Singly, in pairs, or in small groups; roosts socially in an emergent forest tree. Feeds on midsize and large fruit in the forest canopy. Nests on a tree branch 10–20 m high; nest a thin platform of sticks. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Yapen), Aru Is, Manam and Karkar Is, and SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is, plus Misima, Tagula, and Rossel), 0–500 m, rarely to 900 m.
Collared Imperial Pigeon Ducula mullerii |
(Mueller’s Imperial Pigeon)
38–41 cm. A seasonally common, nomadic imperial pigeon of mangroves and riverine lowland forest. Typically encountered during river travel: a few birds perched on a bare treetop or flying at speed above the canopy. Adult: Overall, similar to Pinon’s IP but slightly smaller and slimmer. Appears darker, and shows a black collar strongly contrasting with white throat and neck. Tail-band broader. In flight: Said to have longer wings and faster wingbeats than Pinon’s IP and therefore swifter. Subspp (2): mullerii (S Lowlands and southern SE Pen, east to Brown R) larger and darker; aurantia (NW Lowlands and Sepik-Ramu) smaller and paler. Similar spp: Pinon’s IP. Papuan Mountain-Pigeon lacks white-black-white collar and has a pale band at tail tip. Voice: Song a deep, 3-note series; the first note long, upslurred, followed by a short note, then a longer downslur, wooo-uh-wooo. Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small parties. Social, and will mix with Pinon’s and Torresian IPs. Feeds in the forest canopy on fruit. Nests on a tree branch a few meters above water; nest a thin stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: Endemic. NG and Aru Is, 0–200 m. NG: S Lowlands to southwestern SE Pen, NW Lowlands, and Sepik-Ramu.
Zoe’s Imperial Pigeon Ducula zoeae |
38–41 cm. Common and widespread in lowland and hill forest. A plump, stubby, short-winged imperial pigeon of the forest interior, generally keeping within the leafy canopy. Adult: Easily identified within its range by any one of these field marks: brown shoulders, two-toned pink and grey underparts separated by a black breast band, white-speckled brown “pantaloons,” bright iridescent all-green tail, and white eye. Similar spp: No other mainland imperial pigeon has these field marks. Voice: Distinctive song. A prominent first note, followed by a rolling series starting low and rising up the scale, this series repeated several times: hoo, h h h h hoo, h h h h hoo, h h h h hoo, or variations on this. Another song: buk, buk, buk, buk, woo. Also a loud, sharp chsak. Habits: A solitary, canopy-dwelling species, though may gather at a fruiting tree. Feeds in the treetops on a variety of fruit. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Salawati), Bay Is (Yapen), Aru Is, and SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is), 0–1200 m, locally to 1500 m.
Pied Imperial Pigeon Ducula bicolor |
(Nutmeg Pigeon)
41–43 cm. Common on small islands and coastlines of large ones in far western NG Region. Adult: A creamy white imperial pigeon with black flight-feathers and tail tip. Some birds with a yellowish tinge. From Torresian IP, its eastern counterpart, Pied IP lacks black tire-track markings on the undertail-coverts and thighs, and the bill is blue grey with a dark tip. Some birds appear to be hybrids between the two, showing reduced black markings under the tail and on lower flanks. Similar spp: See Torresian IP. Voice: Song a low hoo series of 10+ notes each upslurred. Also a guttural and hoarse repeated note hoo-oh! Or ka-oh! One per 4 sec. Habits: A nomadic or resident species roosting and nesting in coastal mangroves or on small offshore islands and feeding in the lowland forest of the mainland. Nests alone or colonially. Nest built on a horizontal branch in forest midstory or canopy; stick platform. Egg (1) white. Range: NW Is (Misol, Salawati), Bird’s Head, W Bird’s Neck, and possibly Aru Is (occupied by Torresian IP), 0–300 m. Also Nicobar Is eastward through Sunda Is, Philippines, and Wallacea. Introduced to Bahama Is. Taxonomy: Some authors include Torresian IP in this species.
Torresian Imperial Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa |
(Torres Strait Pigeon)
40–43 cm. Common on small islands and in coastal forests, mangroves, and locally in savannahs across most of NG Region, excluding range of Pied IP. Both resident and migratory. Much of the eastern AU population migrates to NG to spend the austral winter. Adult: Differs from Pied in showing black tire-track markings on the undertail-coverts and by the yellowish bill. Also, primaries with a greyish cast, rather than pitch black. Some birds with yellowish tinge. Birds resident in Trans-Fly with greyish tinge previously classified as subsp tarara. Juv: Black markings on the undertail-coverts obscure. Similar spp: Pied IP. Voice: Slow, hollow, low-pitched, downslurred hoooo or hoo hoooo repeated after a pause. Same note maybe be given in a rapid series. A familiar sound on NG islands. Habits: Same as Pied IP. Occasionally found far up large rivers. Range: NG Region (including Aru Is, where it may overlap with Pied IP), except range of Pied IP (NW Is, Bird’s Head, and Bird’s Neck), 0–300 m. Also AU. Taxonomy: Often treated as a subsp of Pied IP.
Papuan Mountain-Pigeon Gymnophaps albertisii |
(Mountain, Bare-eyed, or D’Albertis’s Pigeon)
33–36 cm. Widespread and common, nesting high in the mountains and commuting downslope daily to feed in nearby montane, hill, and lowland forest. This is the greyhound of the NG pigeon world. A sleek, midsize pigeon built for swift, long-distance travel. Social and usually seen in wheeling flocks high over the forest. The loud whistling of the birds’ wings is diagnostic. Adult: Simple color scheme—dark with a pale breast and a band at the tip of the tail. Breast patch white in Male, dingy in Female. Both have red eye-patch. Juv lacks red eye-patch and is dark and variously mottled with grey and brown. Subspp (1): albertisii (NG Region and Bismarck Is). Similar spp: Imperial pigeons are larger. Collared IP shows a distinct black collar and a pale band in mid-tail. Voice: Usually silent. During breeding season it gives a quiet, under-the-breath, low-pitched, upslurred wooooooo m. Also a soft, querulous whistle. Habits: In small or large flocks, highly mobile, regionally nomadic. Only NG species to swoop down mountain ridges at breakneck speed, wings whooshing. Nests semicolonially on peaks above 2000 m (lower on coastal ranges and islands). Feeds at or below this elevation. Wanders into lowlands at times when not breeding. Cues in on regional abundance of fruit, especially laurels and similar fruits, flocks appearing after months or years of absence. Flock will descend into crown of fruiting tree, birds scrambling about taking fruit, then depart with an explosive burst of whistling wings. Nests on tree branch or tree fern crown; nest a simple twig platform. Egg (1) white. Range: NG (all mts, though not reported from Kumawa Mts), Bay Is (Yapen), and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux: Fergusson, Goodenough), 0–3400 m. Also N Moluccas (Bacan) and Bismarck Is.
COCKATOOS: Cacatuidae
The cockatoos have been recently separated from other parrots and assigned to their own family of 21 species, of which 3 inhabit the New Guinea Region. Originating in Australia and New Guinea, the cockatoos have colonized nearby islands in Wallacea, the Philippines, and Melanesia. They are large parrots, either all black or all white and instantly recognized by their large, curved crest. The crest is folded at rest or snapped open in display when the bird is excited. Their powerful voices are among the loudest of any New Guinea bird. They feed mainly on seeds and nuts, which they chew open with powerful beaks. They form long-term monogamous pairs and nest in tree cavities.
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Palm Cockatoo Probosciger aterrimus |
51–63 cm. Uncommon in lowland and hill forest, often depleted near human settlement. A huge, blackish parrot with high, erectile crest and red cheeks. Massive, hooked beak. Adult: Plumage all black. Juv: Beak tipped white; belly with faint pale barring. In flight: Long, rounded wings and tail; undertucked beak and flattened crest make for a fist-headed profile; flight is slow, straight, and level with ~4 leisurely flaps, then a short glide. Subspp (3, in 2 groups): aterrimus (NG minus range of next subsp) exhibits regional variation in body size and crest width; goliath (NW Is, Bird’s Head and Neck) based on genetic data. Similar spp: None really (New Guinea Vulturine Parrot is differently shaped and has red on wings and breast). Voice: Distinctive and unlike any parrot or cockatoo. Very loud and far-carrying, yet surprisingly shrill; higher pitched than that of Sulphur-crested C. Calls include a variety of loud, musical whistles, with a large sweep in scale, somewhat squealing—suggestive of the whistles of guinea pig, but at tremendous volume. Alarm calls are jackass-like: KEEYAANK! or EEYOHN! or RAAH!!! Habits: Travels singly, in pairs, occasionally in parties of 5–6. Feeds on large, hard seeds of forest trees, such as Terminalia, Canarium, Pandanus, and palm nuts. Nests in a tree hollow; nest lined with splintered twigs. Egg (1) white. Range: NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Yapen), and Aru Is, 0–750 m, locally to 1350 m. Also AU.
(C. pastinator)
36–38 cm. Now uncommon in Trans-Fly forest, savannah, and agricultural areas. A medium-sized, white cockatoo with short crest and pale beak. Large bluish eye-patch. Adult: Eye-patch larger and possibly paler than that of Juv. In flight: Flight fast, direct, pigeon-like; quick, deep wingbeats; wings narrower than Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Underwing buff yellow. Subspp (1): transfreta (endemic). Similar spp: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, with which it sometimes associates, is larger, has a dark beak and a long, yellow crest. Voice: Call is a peculiar trisyllabic chuckling cry (AU data). Also a raah note shorter than that of Sulphur-crested C. Alarm call is a series of harsh shrieks. Habits: Gregarious and noisy; usually in pairs or small flocks, historically in hundreds; now reduced by trapping on Indonesian side. Feeds and roosts communally. Forages mainly on the ground for seeds of grasses and herbs. Visits rice fields. Nests in a tree hollow (AU data). Eggs (2–3) white. Range: NG: throughout Trans-Fly, with local movement. Also AU.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita |
38–51 cm. The often seen white NG cockatoo. Common in lowland and hill forest and open country, less so near human settlement. A large, white cockatoo with tall yellow crest and black beak. S-curved crest thrown forward in flamboyant display. Loudest and most raucous of the NG parrots. Male: Iris dark brown. Female: Iris red-brown, although some dark brown. Juv: Not distinguishable. In flight: Heavy bodied; wings rounded, underwing yellow; wingbeats rapid and shallow, followed by a glide. Subspp (2): 1 group, triton (endemic), blue eye-skin; body size and bill size vary regionally. Similar spp: Little Corella co-occurs only in Trans-Fly; see that account. Variable Goshawk white morph can be passed over for a cockatoo. Egrets are similar at a distance. Voice: Perhaps the loudest NG bird. Utters a variety of earsplitting notes. Most often a harsh downslurred scream, given singly or repeated (can be confused only with 1 call of the Eclectus Parrot). Contact call: AH-YAI-YAH. In flocks: KAI-YAH! Individuals when alone give a series of repeated calls, some unexpectedly soft. Habits: Gregarious, in pairs or small groups or flocks of 10 or more, but sometimes birds found by themselves. When disturbed it calls loudly and persistently; may break off and drop branches on observer. Sometimes screams at and pursues a hawk or eagle—useful for betraying secretive raptors. Stealthy and quiet when foraging in forest trees for seeds; descends to the ground in savannah country; also raids planted crops like corn, rice, and peanuts. Nests in a tree hollow. Eggs (~2) white (AU data). Range: NG and all large and midsize islands, 0–1500 m (2400 m). Also AU; introduced to E Moluccas, Palau Is, and NZ.
NEW GUINEA VULTURINE PARROT and relatives: Psittrichasidae
This relict family includes the New Guinea Vulturine Parrot and the 2 species of vasa parrots in Madagascar. Genetic evidence justifies this association, although the 2 genera are nevertheless somewhat distantly related. The New Guinea Vulturine Parrot has long been recognized for its peculiar morphology; recent molecular studies confirm its distinct position among the parrots.
New Guinea Vulturine Parrot Psittrichas fulgidus |
(Pesquet’s or Vulturine Parrot)
46 cm. Uncommon and confined to primary forest of lower montane zone, hills, and adjacent lowlands; absent from flat lowlands far from hills. Hunted for its red feathers and thus widely extirpated—one of the most vulnerable NG birds. A noisy, crow-sized parrot with vulture-like head and slaty black plumage accented by red on belly, rump, and wings; unique bare face visible at close range. Distinctive profile: robust body, long neck tapering to a small, narrow head; hooked beak is long for a parrot. Male: Small red streak behind eye, lacking in Female. Juv: Red markings duller. In flight: Diagnostic red in the wings and underparts is not always visible. Listen for the voice and look for the profile: narrow head, broad wings, medium tail. Rapid, shallow wingbeats followed by short glide. Similar spp: None, except at a distance. Against the sky, flying Palm Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Torresian Crow, and this species all look equally black, but each has different shape and voice. Voice: Usually seen flying, but heard before it comes into view, so voice is key to discovery. Varies regionally. A loud series of squawks similar to that of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo but less shrill, deeper, and coarser with an almost honking quality. Or a bellowing roar, like some large animal. Notes repeated in pairs or a short series. Quality suggests a sheet of canvas being torn or a deep, hollow retching—a terrible sound. Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small parties, especially where not hunted. Active and restless, with lory-like hopping gait, wing-flicking, and crane-peering behavior. Specializes on a diet of large figs of only a few species; also reputedly eats fruit or inflorescences of large climbing pandans (Freycinetia) and mangos. Nests in a cavity excavated into a dead tree trunk at midstory height. Eggs (2) white. Range: Endemic. NG: nearly all mountain ranges, but patchily distributed, 50–1500 m (2000 m). Apparently absent from Fakfak and Kumawa Mts; no information for Cyclops Mts.
AUSTRALASIAN PARROTS: Psittaculidae
The remaining 43 species of New Guinea parrots belong to this large and diverse family (~170 spp) that includes nearly half of all parrots worldwide. The family reaches its greatest evolutionary development in Australasia and from there extends far into Asia, Africa, and Oceania. The 7 groupings within the New Guinea Region are the tiger-parrots, lories and lorikeets, fig-parrots, hanging parrots, king-parrots and allies, Eclectus Parrot and allies, and pygmy parrots. Each group is adapted to feeding on either nectar, fruits and seeds, or fungus. Parrots appear stocky because of the powerful flight muscles that carry them for long distances in search of food, very short legs for scrambling about in trees, and large heads with strongly hooked beaks for chewing their food and excavating a nesting chamber. Australasian parrots range in size from the tiny pygmy parrots (world’s smallest) to the cockatoo-sized Eclectus Parrot. This is a colorful family, painted in every of hue of the rainbow, although green predominates. Parrots are highly vocal, with unmusical calls that range from loud whistles and screams to quiet twittering. New Guinea species lay their clutch of white eggs in a cavity chewed into a clump of epiphytes (lorikeets), a tree branch or trunk (lories and most parrots), or termite nest (pygmy parrots). Chicks are tended by both parents, and by helpers in some species. They are often kept as pets, although it is usually difficult to feed them an adequate diet or keep them happy as adults.
Parrots are among the highlights of New Guinea birding. Fortunately, they are easy to find, conspicuous for their loud voices and active flight. Yet actually observing and identifying them is another matter. Upon alighting in a leafy treetop, they instantly vanish—dozens can disappear into a single tree with not one bird visible, all perched perfectly still, cloaked by their protective green plumage and silently alert for signs of danger. Flying in the open the birds are plain enough to see, but their colors don’t show against a bright sky. How can so many kinds of parrots all look black? Yet identifying parrots on the wing is a useful skill. Try this from a river or forest clearing where birds are likely to pass over. Note shape and size first, listen to the calls, then carefully look for field marks: the color of the bird’s bill, underwing pattern, and tail, as these can vary dramatically. The plate devoted to small parrots in flight will help you (plate 49). Parrots often land in the open on high perches such as dead branches or a clump of foliage; from here they can look around to see what their mates are doing. Scan the treetops; this is the perfect place to view them. As for that invisible flock in the leafy tree—just wait quietly yourself. Though it may take a while, eventually one bird will begin to move about and reveal its location, and the rest will also become active. Finally, realize that a flock of feeding parrots can be remarkably stealthy, not uttering a sound and thereby going undetected. Yet they do make noise—listen for falling bits of fruit as these patter through the leaves and land on the forest floor.
Tiger-Parrots. Tiger-parrots are stubby, short-winged birds endemic to the mountain forests of New Guinea. The 4 quite similar species are recognized by their striped green plumage, red undertail-coverts, and pearl-grey beaks. Residents of the forest interior, they never make long flights over the canopy. Found singly, in pairs, or rarely in parties of up to 4, they are inconspicuous and typically located by call and noticed crawling about within leafy branches. Most are rather quiet, calm, and tame.
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Brehm’s Tiger-Parrot Psittacella brehmii |
21–24 cm. The most often seen tiger-parrot. Common in cloud forest, especially edges and clearings, where it feeds on seeds and fruit in second growth. The largest tiger-parrot, with all-brown head sharply defined from the green underparts; red under tail only. Male: Yellow crescent on side of neck. Female and Juv: Breast barred. Subspp (4): Minor. Similar spp: Painted TP, which shares the higher elevations of Brehm’s habitat, is slightly smaller and has a red rump (most populations) and/or bluish cheeks or breast; its western race, with yellow-green striped rump, is most similar to Brehm’s. The other 2 tiger-parrots are visibly smaller and do not exhibit the sharp contrast between head and breast. Voice: Contact call is a quiet and plaintive nasal downslur, ee-yurr. Habits: Forages at all levels in the forest; at the forest edge, descends into shrubs and onto the ground. Feeds on seeds and fruits; especially fond of bleeding heart (Homalanthus spp). Takes grit or clay from road cuts. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG Central Ranges, Bird’s Head, and Huon, 1500–2600 m (1150–3200 m).
Painted Tiger-Parrot Psittacella picta |
17–19 cm. Local and uncommon in high-mountain cloud forest and timberline shrubbery, generally above the elevational range of slightly larger Brehm’s TP. Head two-toned: brown with cheeks blue or with bluish cast. Only tiger-parrot with rump reddish or yellowish, barred black. Male: Breast patch blue or bluish; yellow neck-crescent. Female and Juv: Cheeks blue (bluish in adult Male), breast barred. Subspp (3): picta (SE Pen) head red-brown, rump red, Male with blue breast; excelsa (E Ranges) resembles preceding subsp but head dull brown; lorentzi (W Ranges and probably Border Ranges) crown dull brown, cheeks and Male’s breast blue-green, rump yellow (not red). Similar spp: Brehm’s TP is larger, has rump green with fine black barring (like back) and evenly brown head, without blue in cheeks or on breast. The other 2 tiger-parrots are smaller, mainly at lower elevation, and show different color patterns. Voice: Soft, nasal, and slightly musical. Contact call in East nhree arehn; in West err-eee, suggesting a streaked honeyeater. Habits: Similar to Brehm’s TP. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG Central Ranges, 2500 m to timberline. Taxonomy: Western lorentzi quite different, perhaps deserving species status.
Modest Tiger-Parrot Psittacella modesta |
14–15 cm. A small tiger-parrot locally common in high-mountain cloud forests. Where it co-occurs with same-size Madarasz’s TP, the 2 species tend to segregate by elevation, with Modest generally found above 1700 m. Very inconspicuous; look for it in small fruiting trees at forest edge. Male: Brown of head merging into green on breast well below bend in wing, and usually with yellow collar on hindneck. Female and Juv: Barred, orange breast. Subspp (3, in 2 groups): modesta (Bird’s Head) Male head all brown; collaris (Central Ranges) Male with yellow nape-collar. Similar spp: Madarasz’s TP male nearly identical to Male Modest, see Madarasz’s account; female Madarasz’s has blue-green head (not brown) and lacks ventral barring. The other 2 tiger-parrots are much larger. Voice: Little information. Habits: Frequents forest midstory and small trees at forest edge. A typical tiger-parrot in behavior, sluggish. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head to central E Ranges (absent eastward of Mt Hagen), 1200–2800 m.
Madarasz’s Tiger-Parrot Psittacella madaraszi |
14–15 cm. Uncommon in mountain forests. Where its range overlaps with similar Modest TP, the 2 species usually segregate by elevation at ~1700 m, with Madarasz’s occurring lower. Male: Resembles male Modest TP but brown of head merges into green on breast at bend of wing, yellow hind-collar is lacking, and more yellow spotting appears on back of head. Female and Juv: Unique—blue-green head; barring down the back but little or none on the front. Subspp (4, in 2 groups): madaraszi (Central Ranges) Female with red in nape; huonensis (Huon) Female lacks red in nape, dorsal barring reduced. Similar spp: Modest TP male nearly identical (see above), but female very different, with brown head and barred, reddish breast. Other tiger-parrots larger, with different color patterns. Voice: Call is soft and easily overlooked, a plaintive upslurred phrase, reminiscent of other tiger-parrot calls, but higher pitched and easily distinguished: huwee hee? or ee o ee. Habits: Similar to Modest TP. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG: Central Ranges, Foja Mts, and Huon, 1200–2500 m (rarely to lowlands in SE Pen).
Lories and Lorikeets. This is a diverse and species-rich group of brush-tongued parrots that feed on flower nectar and pollen, although some species eat fruit and seeds as well. Most species are gregarious and usually seen traveling in flocks flying over the forest or gathered at flowering trees. Their presence at any locality is dependent on the seasonal availability of flowers.
Plum-faced Lorikeet Oreopsittacus arfaki |
(Whiskered Lorikeet)
15–18 cm. Common in cloud forest, especially at higher elevation. A tiny, slender, dark green lorikeet recognized at a glance by its red-tipped tail. Purple cheek marked with a white streak. Beak black (most lorikeets have red or orange beak). Male: Red cap, lacking in Female. Juv: Similar but with dusky scalloping and red forehead in Male. In flight: Unique all-red undertail; underwing-coverts also red. Subspp (3, in 2 groups): arfaki (Bird’s Head, W Ranges) red patch on lower breast and another on flanks; grandis (E Ranges, Huon, SE Pen) all green below. Similar spp: None. Other lorikeets lack the red undertail. Voice: A soft, short, repeated note, ts, weaker than those of other montane lorikeets. A whispered twittering audible at close range, suggestive of a fig-parrot. Habits: Travels in small vocal flocks, flying either above or below the forest canopy; flight swift and acrobatic on whirring wings. Forages at canopy and midstory flowers, particularly those of epiphytes. No nesting information, but birds observed exploring and entering masses of epiphytic moss. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head, Central Ranges, and Huon, 1700–3650 m.
Red-chinned Lorikeet Charmosyna rubrigularis |
18–20 cm. The only small lorikeet on Karkar I, where it occurs throughout, but especially in montane forest. Adult: A small, bright green lorikeet with red chin and yellow-tipped tail. Beak red. Juv: Similar, but beak paler with dark base; tail shorter. In flight: Green underwing; yellow stripe across wing feathers; yellow undertail. Similar spp: None on Karkar. Voice: A high, shrill note, not as staccato or sharp as those of some other lorikeets. A quiet seezp while feeding, repeated in quick succession in flight. Also a harsher note, see-air. Habits: In small flocks of up to 10, remaining in forest canopy, foraging at flowering trees with other nectar eaters. No nesting information. Range: Karkar I, off Sepik-Ramu coast, 0–1500 m. Also mts of Bismarck Is.
Striated Lorikeet Charmosyna multistriata |
(Streaked Lorikeet)
19 cm. In hill and lower montane forest; usually uncommon, although sometimes gathering in large numbers. Adult: A dark green lorikeet with yellow streaking from face to belly and striking blue-and-orange beak. Iris red. Juv: Markings muted; iris dark. Similar spp: Goldie’s L is also streaked below, but with reverse pattern—dark streaks on paler yellowish green background; also dark purple face and red cap. Pygmy L is streaked only on the breast and is much smaller, with an all-orange beak and brief, dark tail. Voice: Calls are drawn out whistles, in 1, 2, or 3 notes. A calling flock sounds like chiming bells. Also kss note similar to other Charmosyna lorikeets. Habits: Travels in pairs or small groups, foraging at flowers of canopy trees and epiphytes. No nesting information, although has been observed exploring epiphytic moss cushions in the same manner as other Charmosyna. Range: Endemic. NG, southern slopes from W Ranges to E Ranges (Crater Mt), 80–1800 m.
Pygmy Lorikeet Charmosyna wilhelminae |
11–13 cm. Smallest lorikeet. Infrequently encountered, but gathers at flowering trees in hill and montane forest. Difficult to discern color pattern. Identify by tiny size and the abbreviated, pointed tail. Breast streaked yellow; look for dark blue patches fore and aft (cap and uppertail-coverts). Beak red. Male: Bright red rump and underwing; olive nape patch. Female: These parts green. Juv: Similar to Adult, but markings reduced or absent; beak and iris brown. In flight: Obviously smaller than other lorikeets; entire underwing red in Male, green in Female. Similar spp: Striated L larger, darker, and entirely streaked below, not just on breast; lacks red underwing. Red-flanked L larger, lacks breast streaking, and has longer, red-tipped tail and different facial pattern. Papuan Hanging Parrot of similar size and visits flowers, but has compact shape with stubby, rounded tail and red throat. Voice: Flight calls like those of other small lorikeets, although higher pitched and fainter. Quiet calls given between pair: ts ts tsee, reminiscent of call of pygmy parrot. Habits: Forages in pairs or flocks in canopies of flowering trees, usually in the company of other lorikeets. Difficult to observe in the treetops as it is so small, active, and easily lost in the foliage. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head, Central Ranges, and Huon, 1000–2400 m, occasionally to foothills.
Red-fronted Lorikeet Charmosyna rubronotata |
15–18 cm. Only in lowlands and hills of Bird’s Head and northern NG, where infrequently found. Compare with better-known Red-flanked L. Co-occurs with Red-flanked but generally at higher elevations. Differs by tail all black above (not green with red tail tip as in Red-flanked) and red rump patch. Beak red. Male: Red breast patch confined to near bend of the wing (not a long stripe down flanks); crown red and chin green (not red). Female: Only traces of yellow streaking behind the eye. Juv: No information. In flight: Similar to Red-flanked L but lacks red in tail and yellow wing-stripe obscure. Subspp (2): Minor. Similar spp: Red-flanked L. Voice: Similar to Red-flanked L but sharper. Habits: Similar to Red-flanked, but said to be mainly a hill species. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Salawati), and Bay Is (Biak), 0–900 m. NG: Bird’s Head, NW Lowlands, and Sepik-Ramu.
Red-flanked Lorikeet Charmosyna placentis |
15–18 cm. The widespread green lorikeet of lowland and hill forest and open habitats; seen in villages with flowering coconut palms. Locally common, but may be absent. Either sex shows a unique pattern of red, yellow, and blue. Tail gren dorsally with red-orange tip and yellow underside. Beak red. Male: Gaudily painted with long red flank-stripe, red chin highlighting the coral beak, blue ear-coverts, and bright yellow-green forehead. Female: Lacks these colors but shows a spray of yellow streaking across ear-coverts. Juv: Similar to Adult but duller and color patches reduced. In flight: Underwing-coverts red (Male) or green (Female); pale yellow streak across primaries. Subspp (5, in 2 groups): placentis (NW Is, Bird’s Head, NW Lowlands, S Lowlands) blue rump patch; subplacens (Sepik-Ramu to SE Pen and SE Is) rump all green. Similar spp: See Red-fronted L. Plum-faced L also with red-tipped tail, but has purple face and inhabits cloud forest. Other green lorikeets are streaked below. Voice: Call a short, sharp, caustic kssk-kssk-kssk. Habits: In pairs or small flocks foraging among flowers of tree canopy and palms. Nest is a cavity excavated in an arboreal termite nest, moss clump, or base of a stag-horn fern. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG, NW Is (Batanta, Gebe, Kofiau, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Aru Is, and SE Is (Woodlark), 0–1200 m. Also Moluccas, Bismarck, and Solomon Is.
Fairy Lorikeet Charmosyna pulchella |
(Little Red Lorikeet)
16–19 cm. The small red lorikeet inhabiting hill and montane forest, locally common. Red head and underparts; yellow streaking on breast. Note multicolored tail grading from green to red to yellow tip. Beak orange. Male rump green, Female’s with yellow patch on side. Juv: Similar to Female but with green replacing much of red; beak dark. In flight: Red underwing-coverts, yellowish undertail. Subspp (2): pulchella (most of NG, excluding range of next subsp) underparts red; rothschildi (N slope of W Ranges, plus Foja and Cyclops Mts) larger; ragged green patch on breast. Similar spp: Josephine’s L larger, has tail red to the base, dark purple shanks and belly patch, and lacks yellow breast streaks. Voice: Calls vary geographically. In the West, a nasal ks given 2–3 times, and a weak ss. In the East, a short high-pitched note, less sharp or staccato than that of Red-flanked L. These calls and those of other small lorikeets are distinguishable only with practice. Habits: Similar to other small lorikeets with which it associates. Observation suggests it may nest in a cavity excavated in an epiphytic moss clump. Eggs (2) white (in captivity). Range: Endemic. NG mts (records from all but Kumawa and Wandammen Mts), 500–1800 m (0–2100 m).
Josephine’s Lorikeet Charmosyna josefinae |
23–25 cm. Uncommon in hill and lower mid-mountain forest. A western species absent from much of the E Ranges, eastward. Intermediate in size and looks between Fairy and Papuan/Stella’s Lorikeets, yet surprisingly difficult to separate from the latter. Look first at the tail. Tail all red above with yellow tip (other lorikeets have green tails, at least at the base); tail length less than or equal to head-and-body length (much longer in Papuan/Stella’s). Beak orange. Male: Lower back red. Female: Lower back yellow or greenish yellow. Juv: Dusky beak; feathers with dark-scalloped edges; black-and-lilac patches washed green; Female with little yellow on rump. In flight: Tail proportionately longer than that of Fairy L, but much shorter than Papuan/Stella’s. Subspp (3): Minor, varying mainly in size of belly patch. Similar spp: Fairy, Papuan, and Stella’s Lorikeets. Voice: Flight call, a high-pitched kris! When perched, it gives a nasal engg note, similar to that of Stella’s L. Habits: Travels in pairs or small parties, feeding in flowers of canopy trees and in midstory epiphytes and vines, often in company of Fairy L. Inside an epiphytic moss cushion high on a tree limb. No egg information. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head to Central Ranges as far east as Purari and Jimi river basins; also Foja, Cyclops, and N Coastal Mts, 700–1800 m (0–2200 m).
Papuan Lorikeet Charmosyna papou |
36–41 cm. Common in cloud forest of Bird’s Head. Adult: Easily separated from Stella’s L, its counterpart in the rest of NG, by multiple plumage details including: only red morph (no black morph); blue-and-black crown patch of short feathers positioned above the eye (the blue-and-black patch of Stella’s is much longer and positioned behind the eye and connected to it by a black eye-stripe); black eye-stripe absent; presence of a red nape patch, a black crescent on the hindneck, a yellow patch on side of breast at the shoulder, and another on lower flank above the legs (all these absent in Stella’s); undertail orange-yellow (yellowish green in Stella’s); sexes similar (different in Stella’s). Juv: As for Stella’s. Similar spp: See Josephine’s L and Fairy L. Voice and Habits: Presumably similar to Stella’s. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head (Arfak and Tamrau Mts), presumably ~1600–2900 m. Taxonomy: Split from Stella’s L.
Stella’s Lorikeet Charmosyna stellae |
(Papuan Lorikeet, Fairy Lory, C. papou)
36–41 cm. Common in cloud forest. One of the most beautiful and enchanting of all parrots—striking in form, movements, color. Unmistakable. Sleek yet compact, with long neck, short wings with an exaggerated taper, and long, drooping tail-streamers. Flies like a missile propelled on loudly whirring wings, followed by a fluttering, yellow-tipped tail; weaves through openings in the treetops. Both red and black morphs show a plumlike, purplish tint. Adult: Red morph differs from Papuan L by the elongate blue crown patch reaching back to the nape where it joins the black eye-streak and nape patch; lack of yellow in the underparts in most of its range; and plumage difference between the sexes. Also, this species has a black morph in which purplish and greenish black replaces red. Beak red. Male: Lower back red; Female’s is bright yellow (or green in black morph). Juv: Dusky beak, feathers with dark-scalloped edges, much shorter tail; possesses a pair of erectile occipital tufts, visible at close range when bird is playing. Subspp (3, in 2 groups): stellae (Central Ranges and Adelbert Mts) breast all red; wahnesi (Huon) yellow band across breast (black morph rare). Similar spp: Josephine’s L rarely visits cloud forest, is smaller, and has a much shorter tail that lacks waggling streamers and is red on the upper surface. Voice: Flight call a loud, upslurred and grating nasal downslur, queea! A call when feeding or at rest is a nasal nreeennnggg! that increases in volume. Habits: Singly or in pairs. Aggressive and bullying toward other lorikeets at flowering trees and epiphytes. Fond of flowering umbrella plants (Schefflera spp). Black individuals, often paired with red, occur mainly at higher elevations. Observation suggests that these lorikeets nest in a cavity excavated within a large mossy clump of epiphytes. Eggs (2) white. Range: Endemic. NG Central Ranges, Adelbert Mts, and Huon, 1800 m to timberline (rarely down to 1400 m). Taxonomy: Split from previous species.
Yellow-billed Lorikeet Neopsittacus musschenbroekii |
(Musschenbroek’s Lorikeet)
19–23 cm. Common in mountain forests and around highland settlements with scattered trees. This and the following species are very similar. Both are small, mostly greenish, with red breast and yellow-streaked cheeks. In flight, note bright red underwing. Adult: Yellow-billed differs from Orange-billed L as follows: (1) flanks yellowish green, contrasting with emerald green wings (vs flanks and wings both emerald green), (2) undertail orange-yellow (vs dull green with red), (3) beak larger and yellow (vs orange), (4) larger size, and (5) crown and nape with more yellow streaking. Juv: Darker beak and eye; less red on breast, in patches. Subspp (2): Minor. Similar spp: (For both spp) no other lorikeet has the combination of greenish head and red breast. Voice: When perched, a high-pitched, slurred, double-noted shriek: sweet sweew, the second note at a lower pitch (thereby differing from call of other small lorikeets). Also a trisyllabic, descending and musical trill, shree-daloo. Flight call a short, staccato, shrill ks or ts. Calls are lower pitched, more nasal, and more hollow sounding than those of Orange-billed L. Habits: The two Neopsittacus species travel separately, in small flocks, although they may forage together in a flowering tree. Yellow-billed commonly feeds on unripe seeds of forest trees (such as oaks, beeches, podocarps) as well as at flowers. Rarely associates with parrots of other genera. Recorded feeding in casuarinas and eucalyptus in gardens, even feeding on annual weeds at ground level. Altitudinal range overlaps broadly with that of Orange-billed. Observed crawling in and out of tree hollows, where it likely nests. Eggs (2) white (in captivity). Range: Endemic. NG mts of Bird’s Head, Central Ranges, Foja Mts, and Huon, 1200–2300 m (1100–3000 m).
Orange-billed Lorikeet Neopsittacus pullicauda |
(Emerald Lorikeet)
18–20 cm. Common in cloud forest and openings. See previous species. Adult: Compared with Yellow-billed L, flanks dark emerald green, same as wings, i.e., no contrast (vs flanks paler, yellow green); beak is smaller, more orange; and underside of tail is dull green with red at the base. Juv: As for previous species. Subspp (3, in 2 groups): pullicauda (E Ranges to Huon and SE Pen) red breast; alpinus (W and Border Ranges) orange breast, darker red belly. Similar spp: See Yellow-billed L. Voice: Similar to Yellow-billed, but higher pitched, more musical, and quieter; recognizable with practice. Habits: In small flocks, sometimes with previous species in flowering trees, but generally occupies higher elevations than Yellow-billed L. Feeds primarily on flowers, also fruits, berries, and seeds. Observed entering tree holes, probably to nest. Range: Endemic. NG Central Ranges and Huon, 2100–3800 m, rarely lower.
Black-capped Lory Lorius lory |
(Western Black-capped Lory, Domicella lory)
25–30 cm. The widespread large red lory with a black cap; common in forest from lowlands to mid-mountains. This and Purple-bellied L are very similar and in flight share the same stocky profile with head and tail protruding equally. The unusually short wings whir rapidly, flashing yellow from the undersides of the primaries. The species differ in range, calls, and plumage details. Adult: Most populations of Black-capped possess a black hind-collar and in some races a black “vest” (these are actually dark blue or purple), lacking in Purple-bellied L; this species shows a dark cere (skin around the nostril) that is white in Purple-bellied. Beak orange. Juv: Dark beak; back patch greenish rather than purple; often with more red in plumage, less black. Subspp (7, in 5 groups): lory (NW Is, Bird’s Head and Neck) has purple-black vest, red underwing-coverts; erythrothorax (S Lowlands, SE Pen, except range of next subsp) breast mostly red, hindneck collar blue-black; somu (foothills of upper Fly R east to Purari R) similar to preceding, but collar absent or much reduced; jobiensis (NW Lowlands to Sepik-Ramu, also Bay Is of Mios Num and Yapen) shows reduced dark vest, and underwing dark blue or black (not red as in all previous races); cyanauchen (Biak I) also with dark underwing, but blue nape and black crown merge, and breast mostly red. Similar spp: Purple-bellied L. Other large lories show either a pointed tail or longer, rounded tail. Voice: Call a short series of varied melodious whistles or squeals, more like that of a wader or Golden Myna than of a parrot: wheedle wheedle. “Subsong” is a long series of phrases, each of a few notes repeated over and over before beginning a new phrase. Sometimes gives a monotonous series of identical notes suggesting a goshawk. Habits: Usually singly or in pairs, less often in small flocks, foraging in canopy of forest and edge for flowers, also some fruit and small insects. Nest excavated in a tree hollow. Eggs (2) white (in captivity). Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), and Bay Is (Biak, Mios Num, Yapen), 0–1500 m.
Purple-bellied Lory Lorius hypoinochrous |
(Eastern Black-capped Lory, Domicella hypoinochroa)
25–28 cm. A locally common coastal species on the SE Pen mainland; common everywhere on SE Is in forest, coconut palms, and villages, from sea level to mountaintops. From Black-capped L by its lack of a black hind-collar, its white cere, and a distinctive voice. Another subtle difference is the shape of the Adult neck feathers: lanceolate textured in Purple-bellied and smooth in Black-capped. Adult: Beak orange, back patch maroon. Juv: Beak dark, back patch green. Subspp (3): Minor. Similar spp: On mainland see Black-capped L. None on the islands. Voice: Call a loud, drawn-out, nasal wail that rises, then falls—harsh and unmusical, very different from musical squeals of Black-capped. Also a variety of other calls and whistles: REE!, or UWEE!, or rayer, or a repeated tonal whistle, and more. These may include “subsong” in manner of Black-capped. Habits: Similar to Black-capped. No nesting information, although seen attending hollows in large trees. Range: NG: SE Pen (westward almost to Lae in N and to Cape Rodney in S) and SE Is (all but the smallest, most remote islands); coastal on mainland, 0–2000 m on islands. Also Bismarck Is.
(Trichoglossus goldiei)
19 cm. Inhabits mountain forests and some highland towns; may descend to foothills when foraging. Gregarious, nomadic, and unpredictable—absent most places most of the time, though found regularly in certain highland towns where attracted to tall flowering trees such as eucalypts and silky oaks (Grevillea). Two-toned: dark green above, pale apple-green below. No other lorikeet has dark-streaked underparts. Adult: Purple head with red cap, note dark beak and eye. Juv: Similar; red on forehead only. In flight: Yellow stripe across flight-feathers. Similar spp: None if seen well. Voice: Call is a high-pitched shriek typical of other lorikeets, but very dry, less musical and with some vibrato; quieter and less shrill than those of Rainbow L. While feeding, a soft monosyllabic note resembling a hiss or loud whisper. Habits: In flocks, sometimes 20 or more. Flight swift and direct; undertakes long flights. Feeds in canopy of tall trees. This species likely capitalizes on the temporary local abundance of flowering trees, moving from one locale to the next in search of bloom. Nests have been found in the crowns of pandanus trees. Eggs (2) white (in captivity). Range: Endemic. NG: Central Ranges and Huon, 1500–2300 m (0–2800 m). Taxonomy: Placement to genus uncertain.
Dusky Lory Pseudeos fuscata |
28 cm. Locally common to abundant in forest and near settlements from the lowlands to mid-mountains. Most gregarious of the lories; often in large, high-flying flocks that are exceedingly vocal. Adult: A medium-sized, dusky brown lory with orange markings and conspicuous, bright orange beak and facial skin. Neck heavily scalloped. Note distinctive white rump patch and pale cap. Individuals vary in hue: red, orange, or yellow. Juv: Darker beak, facial skin, and iris; plumage pattern obscured. In flight: Yellow streak across flight-feathers, orange underwing-coverts and undertail. Similar spp: The Chalcopsitta lories all have black beaks, are larger and longer-tailed. Rainbow L has much green and a pointed tail. These large lories all fly high in flocks and shriek, but can be distinguished by their flight. Dusky flies fast and straight. Rainbow flies fast with abrupt twists of direction. The Chalcopsitta lories flap their wings vigorously but progress with low velocity. Voice: Loudest of the lories. Flocks call continuously and can be heard at great distance, sounding somewhat musical at first but more irritating on approach. This contact call is a powerful, harsh, grating screech that resembles Rainbow L, but the phrases are shorter, louder, higher pitched, and not upslurred. Alarm call is even more intense, obnoxious, and ultimately intolerable at close range—an effective deterrent. Habits: Highly nomadic and perhaps migratory. Makes long daily flights from communal roosts. Forages in canopy of forest, edge, and plantations of coconut, teak, and coffee (attracted to flowering Leucaena shade trees). Feeds on flowers, rarely fruit and insect pupae. Birds disperse in pairs into the forest to nest. Nest is in an excavated tree cavity. Eggs (2) white (in captivity). Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Salawati), and Bay Is (Yapen), 0–1500 m, rarely to 2400 m.
Black Lory Chalcopsitta atra |
(Rajah Lory)
30 cm. Fairly common in lowland forest edge, swamp forest, mangroves, open country, plantations, and settlements, and presumably rainforest. All plumages: A large, black lory with long, rounded tail. Note black beak. In flight: Black with flame-colored undertail; eastern race additionally shows red in face and underwing-coverts. All Chalcopsitta species can be distinguished from smaller Dusky and Rainbow Ls by distinctive flight: rapid, shallow wingbeats but slow progress, as though the birds are working hard for little return. Subspp (3): atra (W Bird’s Head, NW Is of Batanta and Salawati) all black, red only in base of tail; insignis (E Bird’s Head, Bird’s Neck) red in face, flanks, thighs; bernsteini (Misool I) forehead usually tinged red, thighs red. Similar spp: In silhouette, other lories appear black. Identify lories by shape, locality, and in good light, coloration. Ranges of Yellow-streaked and Black Ls meet on Bird’s Neck, with evidence of hybridization. In poor light, Yellow-streaked may appear black, so look for green reflection and yellow streaking below. Voice: Contact call is a high screech, more shrill than any other lory, but not as loud as that of Dusky or Rainbow. All Chalcopsitta species have very similar voices. Habits: In pairs, threesomes, and flocks flying with the shallow wingbeat typical of the genus. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG (Bird’s Head and W Bird’s Neck) and NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati), 0–150 m.
30 cm. This is the northern counterpart of the Black and Yellow-streaked Lories. Uncommon in coastal lowlands, generally not venturing far inland; forest, edge, open habitats. All plumages: A large, brown lory with distinctive yellow and violet markings; black beak framed above by a yellow forehead and below by a yellow crescent around the mouth. Rump, undertail-coverts, and primaries violet. In flight: Yellow flash in wing, from underwing-coverts; yellow undertail. Subspp (3): Minor. Similar spp: Dusky L is smaller, with an orange beak and two broad yellow or orange bars on the breast. Voice: Call nearly identical to Yellow-streaked, a high, thin buzzing screech distinctive to the genus. Habits: Similar to Yellow-streaked. No nesting information from the wild. Range: Endemic. NG: NW Lowlands and Sepik-Ramu, 0–150 m.
Yellow-streaked Lory Chalcopsitta scintillata |
(Greater Streaked or Yellowish-streaked Lory)
30 cm. Locally common in lowland forest along rivers, in swamp forest, mangroves, and semi-open habitats including savannah and plantations. Adult: A large dusky green lory with a red forehead; red patches also on throat and thighs; yellow-and-green streaking often difficult to see. Juv: Red forehead reduced; overall somewhat duller. In flight: Blackish with red forehead and flame-colored undertail; western race additionally shows red underwing-coverts. Subspp (3): scintillata (Bird’s Neck and S Lowlands to lower Fly R) dark green with red underwing-coverts; chloroptera (eastern S Lowlands from upper Fly R to southern SE Pen) similar, but underwing-coverts green with or without some red; rubrifrons (Aru Is) broad orange streaking on breast. Similar spp: See Black L, which meets Yellow-streaked on the Bird’s Neck. Dusky L is also dark, but has more compact shape, an orange beak, and orange belly and bands across the breast. Voice: Flight calls shrill (weaker than those of Dusky and Rainbow Lories) and include a series of several buzzing screeches in descending series and a burst of musical twittering. Also, when perched, a variety of typical lory calls. Habits: Usually in pairs or small parties, feeding on nectar and fruit in treetops. Observed inspecting tree hollows, presumably for nesting. Range: Endemic. NG and Aru Is. NG: Bird’s Neck, S Lowlands, and Trans-Fly to southern SE Pen, 0–800 m, but usually flat lowlands.
Violet-necked Lory Eos squamata |
(Moluccan Red Lory)
28 cm. The red-and-black lory of the NW Is. Primarily a tramp species found on tiny islets and small islands. Favors coastal habitats, including villages and coconut plantations. Fairly common. Adult: Much individual variation in extent of the smudgy purple collar. Beak orange. Juv: Beak dark; dark-scalloped appearance. Subspp (1): squamata (endemic). Similar spp: None within its restricted island range. Black-winged L occurs elsewhere and possesses a blue ear patch and black wings and back. Voice: Flight call quite similar to that of Rainbow L but said to be less harsh, more musical. Habits: A flocking, wide-ranging island species that visits flowering and fruiting trees in small flocks. No nesting information. Range: NW Is (Batanta, Gebe, Kofiau, Misool, Waigeo, and smaller associated islands), 0–500 m. Also Moluccas.
Black-winged Lory Eos cyanogenia |
(Biak Red Lory)
30 cm. The red-and-black lory of the Bay Is (minus Yapen). Locally common and conspicuous throughout in forest and open habitats; found along the coast near villages. Adult: Note black saddle on wings and back, and vivid blue ear patch. Beak orange. Juv: Beak dark; red plumage with dark scaling. Similar spp: None within its restricted island range, but compare with local races of Black-capped and Rainbow Ls. Violet-necked L occurs elsewhere and lacks the black wings and back and violet ear patch. Voice: Contact call is a high screech like that of Rainbow L, but stronger, more abrupt, and less prolonged. Habits: Similar to Violet-necked L. Gregarious and seemingly nomadic. Observed tending a possible nest in a tree hollow. Range: Endemic. Bay Is: Biak, Manim, and Numfor (possibly Mios Num), 0–500 m (likely higher).
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus |
(For synonyms, see Subspp groups below)
25–30 cm. The most often seen NG parrot; common to abundant in towns, gardens, savannah, and other open country, less so in forest, from the coast to mid-mountains. Adult: Unmistakable: a noisy green-and-red parrot with pointed tail and yellow hind-collar contrasting with the dark blue head. Beak orange. Juv: Duller; beak dark. In flight: Darting and unpredictable, with fluttering wingbeats; yellow wing-stripe, red breast. Subspp (4, in 3 groups): haematodus, “Coconut L” (Moluccas to Melanesia; throughout NG Region, except range of next 2 subspp) maroon head with blue face, barring on breast thin or heavy, belly green; nigrogularis (Trans-Fly and Aru Is, likely part of moluccanus group, “Rainbow L”, in AU) all-blue head, breast barring obscure, blackish belly; rosenbergii, “Biak L” (Biak I) wide yellow-orange hind-collar, heavily barred breast, blackish belly. Similar spp: This familiar lory may be confused with others only at a distance. Dusky L is larger and has a rounded tail; flight more direct with regular wingbeats. Chalcopsitta lories larger, with long, rounded tails. Neopsittacus lories are quite similar but smaller and have green heads. Voice: Shrill, upslurred screeches alternating with musical notes. Habits: Usually in flocks of 5–20 or more. Large night roosts in eucalypts. Forages in treetops, taking flowers, soft fruit, sap, and rarely insects or seeds. Nests in excavated tree hollow. Eggs (probably 2) white. Range: NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Bay Is (Biak, Numfor, Yapen), Aru Is, Manam and Karkar Is, and SE Is (Budibudi Is and Misima, but no recent records from the latter), 0–1800 m, rarely to 2500 m. Also Wallacea east to Melanesia and AU. Taxonomy: This species, which ranges far outside the NG Region, is ripe for breakup, but a molecular analysis is needed to shed more light on species’ boundaries.
Large Fig-Parrot Psittaculirostris desmarestii |
(Desmarest’s Fig Parrot)
18–19 cm. The large fig-parrot of southern and far western NG. Uncommon in forest and edge of lowlands, hills, and mid-mountain basins. This and the next 2 species are big-headed, chunky parrots with brief spiky tails. Adult: Unique for its fiery orange crown; cheeks green, yellow, or orange. Sexes alike except in race godmani. Juv: Crown not as bright, either green or with orange restricted to forehead, depending on race. In flight: Yellow across underside of flight-feathers; blue underwing-coverts. Subspp (5, in 4 groups): desmarestii (Bird’s Head and Neck, Batanta and Salawati Is) blue spot below eye, cheeks green or yellow, brown band on lower neck; blythii (Misool I) head all orange; godmani (western S Lowlands) yellow cheeks contrast with orange crown, Male with yellow hindneck; cervicalis (eastern S Lowlands to SE Pen) face golden orange with blue-and-purple nape and collar. Similar spp: No other parrot has the crown entirely orange. Compare with Double-eyed FP, which sometimes associates with Large FP. Voice: A sharp, broken note. Also, a high, thin, downslurred flight call, and a small clicking noise. Calls of this and other Psittaculirostris species are stronger than those of smaller fig-parrots and small lorikeets, but weaker than those of Red-cheeked Parrot. At nest, birds call excitedly: chet chet, repeated continually—a beacon to investigate. Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small flocks, usually quite vocal. Flies rapidly just above or through the forest canopy. Feeds mainly on fig seeds. This species appears to nest colonially in cavities in upper tree branches, with many pairs in noisy attendance. Range: Endemic. NG: Bird’s Head and Neck, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati), S Lowlands to SE Pen, 0–1650 m. Taxonomy: Plumage differences among the subspecies seem extreme, warranting investigation.
Edwards’s Fig-Parrot Psittaculirostris edwardsii |
18–19 cm. The large fig-parrot representative in the Sepik-Ramu and Huon. Locally common to abundant in lowland and hill forest, edge, and villages. Unique head pattern: bright red cheek bounded by blackish eye-line and collar. Conspicuous yellow ear patch. Male: Red breast; green in Female. Juv: Similar to Female, but ear-coverts greenish yellow, not golden yellow. In flight: Underwing similar to Large FP, except underwing-coverts green. Voice: Flight call is louder, harsher, than similar calls of Double-eyed FP, screet screet or screet-a-lut. Also a short, metallic ks. Habits: Similar to Large FP, feeding mainly on figs, and also casuarina seeds and nectar. Often many birds active and noisy around the nest, but whether this indicates cooperative or colonial breeding is unknown. Nests in a high tree hollow. Range: Endemic. NG: Sepik-Ramu and Huon, from Jayapura east to Huon Gulf, 0–800 m.
Salvadori’s Fig-Parrot Psittaculirostris salvadorii |
18–19 cm. The large fig-parrot representative in the NW Lowlands. Local and uncommon in lowland and hill forest, edge, and villages. Green parrot with turquoise highlights and yellow-streaked cheeks. Note turquoise-green crown and blue mark behind the eye. Male: Orange breast band. Female: Turquoise-blue breast band. Juv: Similar to Female but iris dark (Adult’s is reddish) and male has blue breast band with some orange. In flight: Underwing same as Edwards’s FP. Similar spp: Blue-collared Parrot is larger, has different shape including a squared tail, and shows much blue in the underwing. Voice: Similar to calls of Large and Edwards’s FPs. Habits: Similar to Large and Edwards’s FPs, including multiple pairs at a single nest hole. Range: Endemic. NG: NW Lowlands from E shore of Cenderawasih Bay to Sentani and Cyclops Mts, 0–400 m. This and Edwards’s FP may meet in the Jayapura area.
Orange-breasted Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta gulielmitertii |
(Opopsitta gulielmi III)
11–13 cm. Common in the South, rare and local in the North; forests and edges from lowlands to foothills. A very small, stubby-tailed parrot. Black-and-white facial pattern unique, with forecrown regionally black or blackish blue. Often with orange on the breast. Male: White or yellowish face, without orange; large orange breast patch (lacking in amabilis group of NE). Female: Ear-coverts orange or pale orange, in contrast to white cheek; breast generally green (orange in amabilis group). Juv: Generally similar to Female. In flight: Lacks yellow in flight-feathers; underwing-coverts yellowish. Subspp (6, in 3 groups): gulielmitertii (Bird’s Head, NW Lowlands to Sepik R) Male with yellowish cheeks and narrow comma-shaped cheek patch, Female upper breast obscurely orange compared with other races; amabilis (Ramu R to northern SE Pen) Male with ivory-white cheeks, throat, and breast (no black cheek patch, no orange on breast), Female shows orange extending far down onto breast, as in males of other races; melanogenia (S Lowlands to southern SE Pen; Aru Is) Male with ivory-white cheek and thick, black cheek patch, Female with yellowish or orange restricted to upper breast. Voice: Similar but higher pitched and sweeter than call of Double-eyed FP. In flight, a shrill, penetrating tseet repeated at frequent intervals. Also an explosive chit chit chit. A subdued chittering is given when feeding and is useful for locating hidden birds. Habits: Noisy and gregarious. Usually in small parties. Forages on figs, other fruits with small seeds, and unripe palm fruits. Often feeds quite low and is readily observed at figs that bear their fruits like bead strings or in clumps against the trunk. Roosts and nests colonially in arboreal termite nests. Range: Endemic. NG, Salawati (NW Is), and Aru Is, 0–300 m (rarely to 1100 m). Taxonomy: Perhaps more than 1 species is involved; research needed.
Double-eyed Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma |
(Opopsitta diophthalma)
14–15 cm. Mainly a foothill and lower montane species; locally common in forest and edge. Tends to be absent or rare where Orange-breasted FP is common, and the other way around. A small, compact, stub-tailed parrot with diagnostic yellow flank-stripe; colorful face of blue, red, and yellow varies with sex and geography. Mainland races have blue spot in front of eye—the “double eye.” Male: Generally has red cheek, that in Female is yellow, blue, or grey. Juv: Resembles Female. In flight: Underwing pattern mostly yellow; green-and-yellow underwing-coverts. Subspp (4): diophthalma (N NG, Bird’s Head to SE Pen) Male has red face with blue “double eye,” Female with red crown and eye-stripe, yellowish cheek; aruensis (S Lowlands east to Fly R and Aru Is) Male similar to preceding, Female with blue-and-grey face (no red or yellow); virago (D’Entrecasteaux Is) Male with red face lacking “double eye,” Female resembles next race but with a hint of blue on the cheek; inseparabilis (Tagula I) sexes alike, showing only a red-and-blue forehead spot. Similar spp: No other parrot has yellow flank-stripe. Compare with the large fig-parrots and Orange-breasted FP, with which Double-eyed associates at fruiting trees. Voice: Flight call is a lorikeet-like tseet rapidly repeated a few times, but with stronger attack than a lorikeet, weaker than those of the large fig-parrots; has been likened to the jingling of coins. Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small parties. Forages in fig trees in the canopy or in midstory. Also consumes flower nectar and insects. Observed taking gravel or mud from road cuts. Appears to nest in solitary pairs, with no evidence for colonial nesting as in other fig-parrots. Nests in a cavity chewed in a tall, dead stump. Eggs (probably 2) white. Range: NG, NW Is (Kofiau, Misool, Salawati, Waigeo), Aru Is, and SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is, plus Tagula I), 0–1600 m. NG: throughout except eastern S Lowlands and southern SE Pen. Also AU. Taxonomy: Eligible for splitting into multiple species.
Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot Loriculus aurantiifrons |
(Papuan Hanging Parrot)
9–10 cm. An uncommon and frequently overlooked tiny parrot of lowland and hill forest. Listen for calls as it flies over the forest. Fast-flying and bullet-shaped, with small beak and brief, rounded tail. Smooth bright green, with red rump and gorget. Male: Yellow cap; white iris. Female: Face bluish (missing yellow cap); dark iris. Juv: Like Female, but no red gorget. In flight: Bright blue underwing. Subspp (3): Minor. Similar spp: Even the smallest lorikeets are larger, and they have longer, pointed tails. Pygmy parrots are duller and creep on bark. Fig-parrots larger. Voice: Call, a harsh, sibilant, high-pitched, rapid tseo tseo tseo (2–4 notes). Song reported as a series of 3–5 buzzing, warbler-like chzee notes, delivered by a bird perched in midstory. Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small parties of 4–5. Feeds on flowers, fruit, and probably insects in canopy and forest interior. Noted feeding in casuarina and albizia. Roosting habits in the wild unknown, but in captivity sleeps hanging upside down. Reported entering a hole in an arboreal termite nest and also nesting in a cavity at midstory height in slender tree. Hanging parrots carry leaf strips and other nesting material tucked into their contour feathers; as yet unreported for this species. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Misool, Waigeo), Karkar I, and SE Is (D’Entrecasteaux Is: Fergusson, Goodenough), 0–1200 m (1600 m).
Moluccan King-Parrot Alisterus amboinensis |
38 cm. The far-western counterpart of the Papuan KP. Adult: Wing entirely dark green (Papuan has yellow-green stripe across wing-coverts). Mantle blue (not black or green). Juv and Imm: Sequence similar to Papuan. Subspp (1): dorsalis (endemic). Voice: Similar to Papuan KP but shorter and not as high pitched and ringing. Habits: Similar to Papuan. Range: NG (Bird’s Head and Neck to Weyland Mts in W Ranges) and NW Is (Batanta, Salawati, Waigeo), 0–1200 m. Also E Wallacea.
Papuan King-Parrot Alisterus chloropterus |
(Green-winged King Parrot)
38 cm. The widespread king-parrot, locally common in forest interior and regrowth from foothills to mid-mountains. Usually noticed gracefully flying with rowing wingbeats through or below the forest canopy; alights with mothlike fluttering. Green with long, blackish tail and red underparts. Male: Red head, glowing yellow-green stripe across wing-coverts. Female: Either mostly green and showing red only from breast to undertail, or resembles Male in one race. Juv: Similar to Female but tail feathers narrower and with pointed, pink tips; darker beak and iris. Imm: Intermediate between Juv and Adult; takes several years to attain Adult plumage. Subspp (3): Female very different from Male in first 2 races; chloropterus (SE Pen and Huon) Male with blue nape as well as mantle, Female green with red breast; callopterus (S slopes of W, Border, and E Ranges) Male with red nape, Female similar to previous subsp; moskowskii (N slopes of W Ranges and Border Ranges, east to Aitape) Male similar to previous, but Female resembles Male except that the mantle and back are green, as is side of breast. Similar spp: See Moluccan KP. Voice: Call is a sharp shhk! or keech! repeated in flight. When perched gives a series of shrill whistles gradually descending in pitch in mournful cadence: eree eree eree eree…. Habits: Singly, in pairs, or in small groups of up to 10. A relatively sedentary inhabitant of the forest subcanopy and midstory, feeding on seeds. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. NG: all mts except range of Moluccan KP, 0–2300 m (rarely to 2800 m). Taxonomy: Relationships among the taxa of king-parrots is in need of study.
Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus |
30 cm. Trans-Fly savannah and open woodlands, where locally common and perhaps nomadic. Brilliant yellow-green with red patch on wing. Iris reddish. Male: Possesses a large, oval, scarlet patch on wing; black back. Female: Overall green with red restricted to lower edge of wing-coverts. Juv: Similar to Female but iris dark brown and beak yellow. Subspp (1): coccineopterus (also N AU). Similar spp: None. Voice: Contact call is a metallic crillik-crillik or ching ching. Alarm call chik-chik-chik. Habits: In pairs or flocks. Flight buoyant and undulating on a weaving course. Arboreal, feeding mainly on seeds and fruits, also nectar and insects. Nests in a tree cavity, often high in eucalypts (AU data). Eggs (4–6) white. Range: NG: Trans-Fly between mouths of the Digul and Fly Rs, 0–100 m. Also AU.
Eclectus Parrot Eclectus roratus |
38 cm. The most often seen large, lowland parrot; common to abundant in forest and openings such as rivers; visits the outskirts of towns. Male and Female plumages utterly different. Male: Emerald green with orange beak; note red flank-stripe and orange iris. Female: Mostly red with black beak; blue breast, collar, and flight-feathers; white iris. Juv: Resembles Adult but with brown-and-orange beak and dark iris. In flight: Both sexes usually appear all dark against the sky; note long, rounded, steadily beating wings; short, squared tail; and rather slow flight; Male with red underwing-coverts, Female blue. Subspp (1): polychloros (also Kai Is of E Wallacea). Similar spp: None, but see Great-billed P for NW Is. Voice: Noisy. Contact call is a loud, harsh, grating squawk: graAAH! In flight a rhythmic kedek kedek kedek…. Female gives a musical keleng. Habits: Alone, in pairs, or in small gatherings. Eats seeds and fruit of trees and vines, also crops of bananas, corn, and papaya. Night roosts may consist of dozens of birds. Social life complex: the Female owns and ferociously defends a nest in a high tree cavity or hollow spout, spending much time inside or perched at the entrance with only her colorful red head and blue shoulders showing—a warning to all. Here she waits and watches with those glaring white eyes. More than one Male attends not only to her but also to other nesting Females over a wide expanse of forest. Kwila trees (Intsia) are favored for nesting and worth looking over for nesting eclectus. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG, NW Is (all), Bay Is (all), Aru Is, and SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is, Trobriand Is, and Tagula I), 0–1000 m, rarely higher. Also Wallacea, NE AU, and the Admiralty, Bismarck, and Solomon Is.
Red-cheeked Parrot Geoffroyus geoffroyi |
20–25 cm. The common, medium-sized, green parrot throughout the lowlands, usually seen flying high overhead calling noisily. Inhabits all forest types, mangroves, regrowth, open country with trees, savannahs, and town environs. Head pattern distinct, otherwise generally bright green. Male: Purple head with red cheeks. Female: Dull brown head. Juv: Green crown, olive cheeks. In flight: Swift flight on tapered wings; sky-blue underwing-coverts. Subspp (7): 3 southern ones with green rumps: aruensis (Aru Is, S Lowlands, Trans-Fly to Huon, SE Pen, and D’Entrecasteaux Is) reddish shoulder patch; sudestiensis (SE Is: Misima and Tagula) similar, lacking red shoulder patch; cyanicarpus (SE Is: Rossel) similar, with leading edge of wing blue. 4 northern races with reddish-brown rumps: minor (NE Lowlands to Sepik-Ramu) obscure bronze shoulder patch, underwing-coverts pale blue; pucherani (NW Is, Bird’s Head and Neck) similar, underwing-coverts dark blue; jobiensis (Yapen Is) similar to previous, turquoise collar; mysoriensis (NW Is: Biak and Numfor) dark blue underwing-coverts, shoulder patch red-brown, and head pattern extends onto neck. Similar spp: None in the lowlands. Blue-collared P lives in the mountains and has a green head; the 2 species overlap in hills. Voice: Varies geographically. In SE, a metallic kee! kee! kee! …, with piercing, ringing quality as of a metal surface being struck. In Sepik, kee-keer! kee-keer! kee-keer! … Habits: Singly, in pairs, or small parties, occasionally larger flocks. Its wheeling flight is conspicuous over open spaces, appearing singly or in small groups chasing each other. Perches on exposed branches. Feeds in the treetops and forest interior on seeds, fruits, flowers, and nectar. Swoops into villages to raid mango trees. Nests in a cavity excavated in a dead tree trunk at midstory height. Eggs (2–4) white. Range: NG, NW Is (all), Bay Is (all), Aru Is, and SE Is (all except Woodlark), 0–800 m, rarely higher. Also Wallacea and NE AU.
Blue-collared Parrot Geoffroyus simplex |
(Lilac-collared Parrot)
23–24 cm. The only parrot, other than lorikeets, making long flights high over mountain forest. A vocal, flocking species. Heard often, seen flying regularly, but rarely observed perched. Highly nomadic—abundance varies dramatically with season and year depending on food supply. Entirely leaf-green without distinctive field marks. Adult: At very close range note pale iris and Male’s obscure bluish collar. Juv: Collarless like Female, but iris dark, bill somewhat pale when young; bluish cast on crown and cheek; inner margin of flight-feathers whitish (as in Adult). In flight: Streamlined, short-tailed silhouette; twisting flight; bright blue underwing. Forms high-flying, strung-out lines. Subspp (2): Minor. Similar spp: Red-cheeked P, confined to lower elevations, has a different voice and shows a colored head; juv with olive cheek and dark (not whitish) inner margin on flight-feathers. Voice: Flight call tinkling at a distance, likened to the sound of sleigh bells; harsher at close range, a loud, rhythmic kree-kro kree-kro kree-kro…. Habits: Inhabits mid-mountain forests, especially dry ridge crests with oaks Castanopsis and Lithocarpus, the nuts of which are its favorite food. Also eats other seeds, fruits, and flowers. Nest similar to Red-cheeked P. Eggs (~3), presumably white. Range: Endemic. NG mts (records from all but Wandammen, Cyclops, and Huon Mts), 600–2000 m, occasionally descends to foothills and lowlands.
38 cm. A large parrot of the NW Is. All green with tapered body shape, long wings, and pointed tail. Big head and beak. Adult: Orange-red beak; shoulders marked gold-and-black. Juv: Beak smaller, yellowish; shoulder mostly green, the black-and-gold pattern nearly lacking. In flight: Distinctive shape (see above); wings turquoise above, yellow below. Subspp (1): megalorynchos (also N Moluccas). Similar spp: Eclectus P male has different shape with wider wings and shorter, squared tail; shows red flanks and lacks black-and-gold shoulders. Voice: Flight calls include a whine like a squeaky door, kyahn!, and a high-pitched, harsh, repeated eeyaak-eeyaak! unlike other large parrots. Habits: Singly or in small parties in forests, including mangroves, foraging on nuts and fruit. Prefers small islands and travels between them. Nests in a high tree hollow. Range: All NW Is, especially small ones, 0–1000 m. Mainland sightings southeast of Sorong (Bird’s Head). Also Wallacea.
Pygmy Parrots. These tiny “microparrots” are no bigger than a man’s thumb. Gregarious at all times, they live in small flocks that are probably families. When foraging, they creep about with animated stop-and-go movements on trunks and branches, picking at the bark for food. Their diet is not well understood—variously reported to include lichen, fungi, small seeds, and insects—it is in much need of careful study and should prove most interesting. The high-pitched voice is key to their discovery. In flight they seem too small to be recognized as a parrot. Their stubby shape and whirring pulsed wingbeats are like those of a mannikin.
Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot Micropsitta keiensis |
9 cm. Common in lowland and hill forest, but inconspicuous and difficult to locate, even when calling. Adult: Dark green with dark brown face and dingy yellowish cap; beak dark. Juv: Pale yellowish beak with dark tip. Subspp (2): keiensis (Aru Is and S Lowlands) entirely green underparts; chloroxantha (NW Is, Bird’s Head and Neck) Male with red streak down center of lower breast and belly. Similar spp: Buff-faced and female Red-breasted PPs have pale buff face and blue crown. Voice: Thin, high-pitched, and almost inaudible. Flight call, an incessant ssii ssii. Contact calls are weak, high, tinkling notes, tseeet, repeated every second or so, often uttered by several members of the foraging party. Feeding birds are generally silent but call in response to others. Habits: In small parties. These forage at any height on trees but mostly in the canopy and midstory. Flocks can be seen flying both over the forest as well as through it. Appears to be a cooperative breeder with as many as 6 Adults in the nest at once. Nests and roosts in a tunnel chewed into an active, arboreal termite mound; the round hole has a wide oval entrance with a platform at the front. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG, NW Is (all), and Aru Is. NG: Bird’s Head and Neck, S Lowlands east to Kikori R basin, 0–800 m. Also Kai Is in E Wallacea.
Geelvink Pygmy Parrot Micropsitta geelvinkiana |
9 cm. The only pygmy parrot on the Bay Is of Numfor and Biak. Blue and brown head. Male: Yellow patch down breast and belly; face usually darker; may have yellow nape spot. Female: Face usually paler and more mottled; lacks pale nape spot. Juv: Pale face set with dark eye; beak horn-colored. Subspp (2): geelvinkiana (Numfor I) and misoriensis (Biak I), difficult to distinguish. Similar spp: None in its range. No other pygmy parrot has as much blue on the head and a yellow breast patch as well. Voice: Similar to other pygmy parrots. Habits: Apparently identical to other pygmy parrots. Also nests in a tunnel excavated into an arboreal termite nest. Range: Endemic. Bay Is of Numfor and Biak, 0–300 m (higher?).
Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot Micropsitta pusio |
8–9 cm. Common to abundant in lowland and hill forest and tall regrowth, including eucalypts and coconuts. Adult: Face buff or brown, with blue cap. Dark beak. Juv: Greenish-blue cap and bicolored beak. Subspp (4, in 2 groups): pusio (southern SE Pen, SE Is, and Bismarck Is) face buffy brown; beccarii (NW Lowlands to northern SE Pen) face brown. Similar spp: Red-breasted PP occurs in the mountains; female is nearly identical but has a much narrower pale eyebrow (Buff-faced has broad, buff eyebrow), and the crown is dull blue, not azure blue; juv difficult to separate. Yellow-capped PP has an obvious yellow forehead and crown. Voice: Similar to that of Yellow-capped PP. Habits: As for Yellow-capped PP. Nest and nesting behavior similar. Range: NG, Manam and Karkar Is, SE Is (Fergusson, Misima, and Tagula Is), 0–800 m. NG mainly in N from E Bird’s Head and Neck to NW Lowlands and to SE Pen; in South, from eastern S Lowlands (Crater Mt and Purari R) to SE Pen. Also Bismarck Is.
9 cm. The only pygmy parrot in montane forest above 1000 m elevation. Usually uncommon and local. Male: Unique, with red underparts and blue nape, collar, and tail, and bright buffy face and crown. Female and Juv: Mostly green with blue cap and pale face; note that the pale eyebrow is narrow, not nearly so broad as Buff-faced PP. Subspp (1): bruijnii (endemic). Similar spp: See Buff-faced PP. Voice: Call, a repeated, high-pitched tinkling note that is louder, harsher, and more disyllabic than that of Buff-faced PP. Habits: Typical for a pygmy parrot. Forages creeperlike on the trunks and larger branches of trees. Occasionally in large flocks (50+). Nest cavity is excavated into a stump, usually only a few meters up; entrance identified by its sloping, triangular landing chewed at the foot of the hole. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG mts (records from all but Fakfak, Kumawa, and Cyclops Mts), 1000–2300 m, strays much lower. Also S Moluccas and Bismarck and Solomon Is.
COUCALS: Centropodidae
This family contains but a single genus of 28 species of large, black cuckoos extending from Africa and Asia to Australasia, with 4 species in the New Guinea Region. Formerly classified with Old World Parasitic Cuckoos in the family Cuculidae, coucals differ from them greatly in their morphology, behavior, and DNA. Coucals are unmistakable: their somber plumage, hunched posture, drooped wings, and floppy tail give them a downtrodden look, enhanced by their awkward, scurrying gait. They rarely fly and instead scramble around in thick vegetation, foraging for arthropods and small vertebrates. In contrast to parasitic cuckoos, coucals live in pairs, build and tend a nest, and raise their own young. Females are larger than males. Social organization and breeding are known only for the Pheasant Coucal and reveal an odd family life: the male incubates and does most of the feeding of the chicks. Usually shy and keeping to cover, they often emerge in early mornings and late afternoons, a good time to look for them. The loud hooting or booming calls are often heard. Coucals have a reputation for being bad tasting to humans, and perhaps as a consequence they can be found unmolested in the vicinity of villages and gardens.
Greater Black Coucal Centropus menbeki |
(Ivory-billed Coucal)
56–69 cm. The widespread forest-dwelling coucal. Keeps to thick cover such as vine tangles from the ground up to lower levels of the canopy. Large black bird, with an oversized tail. Bill ivory with a dark grey base. Adult: All oily black with green, blue, and purple sheen; iris red. Juv: Similar but tail with indistinct rufous bars and iris pale tan. Subspp (2): menbeki (species’ range excluding Aru Is) blue-green gloss; aruensis (Aru Is) purple gloss. Similar spp: Pheasant C has a shorter tail, dark bill, variable brown barring, and occupies scrub and grassland, not forest. Lesser Black C considerably smaller, with dark bill and iris, and inhabits scrub at the forest edge. Eastern Koel male smaller still and inhabits forest canopy. Voice: Low-pitched, resonant, far-carrying, booming hoots, given in a slow and cadenced series that descends in pitch: uh—oo-oo-oo—oo—ooo-oh; resembles call of the New Guinea Harpy-Eagle, and like that species also heard at night. Sometimes gives a single note: oodle. Or may give a peculiar and totally unmusical call consisting of a staccato upslurred grunt, followed by a dry rattled series rising in pitch. Calls not as rapid or high pitched as Pheasant C, more complex and longer than those of Lesser Black C. Duets frequently. Habits: Hops and scrambles clumsily through vegetation but difficult to observe; flies infrequently. Solitary or as a separated, vocalizing pair. One nest reported in a pandanus; nest a large mass of leaves. Egg white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Batanta, Misool, Salawati), Bay Is (Yapen), and Aru Is, 0–800 m (rarely to 1275 m).
Biak Coucal Centropus chalybeus |
44–46 cm. Biak Island’s only coucal. Common and noisy in lowland forest and second growth. Adult: The only NG coucal with a yellow iris and black bill. Juv: Washed with rufous, not barred; iris color unknown. Voice: Varied loud notes: a broken, very harsh rasp; a descending, slightly accelerating series of upslurred hoots; a repeated bup. Habits: Lives from ground to treetops. Behavior much like other coucals. No nesting information. Range: Endemic. Biak (Bay Is), 0–500? m.
(Black-billed Coucal)
41–51 cm. Common in grassland, scrub, and forest edge in western and central NG, overlapping range of very similar Pheasant C from about the Indonesian border eastward in the North to Bulolo Valley and locally in the South to the Purari R. Adult: Differs from Pheasant C by all-black wings, smaller size, and shorter tail (in some races of Pheasant C the barring may be difficult to see). Iris dark brown (not red). Juv: Black with faint rufous or buff barring; head buff-spotted, not streaked as in Pheasant C. Voice: Three hoots, woop woop woop, slowly delivered, on a descending scale; occasionally a longer series is given. Pairs often duet. Hoots suggest the call of a Brown Cuckoo-Dove or a weaker, flatter version of the Greater Black C. Habits: Similar to Pheasant C. Nests in grass; nest a smooth, irregularly shaped ball made of grass and with side opening. Eggs (2) white. Range: Endemic. NG, NW Is (Salawati?), and Manam Is. On NG, east to western SE Pen (Lae, Bulolo, and Purari R), 0–500 m (rarely 900 m).
Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus |
43–60 cm. The coucal of grassland and scrub in eastern NG. Adult: Variable. A medium-sized blackish coucal with brown barring in the wing. Seasonal and age differences in plumages not well understood. May be more streaked and barred outside of breeding season? Iris dark red. Juv: Head and underparts more heavily pale-streaked than Adult and with pale buff throat and upper breast; iris dark brown. Subspp (3, in 2 groups): nigricans (most of range) nearly all black, with obscure barring; thierfelderi (S Lowlands and Trans-Fly) rufous bars on wings and tail. Similar spp: Lesser Black C replaces Pheasant in similar habitats in West and is all black. Greater Black C inhabits forest and is larger, blacker, and has whitish bill. Voice: A conspicuous call of open habitats: a slightly musical, rapid, booming series of hooh notes, falling then rising in pitch, accelerating, then decelerating. One series may contain 50 or more notes. Habits: Clambers about in thick vegetation, often perching atop greenery with wings and tail spread or seen scurrying across the road. Spends much time on the ground. Singly or in pairs. Nests low in herbaceous or grass cover; nest a globular structure with side entrance. Eggs (2) white. Range: NG and SE Is (3 main D’Entrecasteaux Is), 0–1600 m. NG: E half of NG, westward to NW Lowlands and Trans-Fly; has colonized E Ranges. Also AU.