Sunday, December 1, 2013

>Lalage maculosa (Polynesian Triller)

Polynesian Triller


Polynesian Triller
Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Passeriformes
Family:Campephagidae
Genus:Lalage
Species:L. maculosa
Binomial name
Lalage maculosa
(Peale, 1848)
The Polynesian Triller (Lalage maculosa) is a passerine bird belonging to the triller genus Lalage in the cuckoo-shrike family Campephagidae. It has numerous subspecies distributed across the islands of the south-west Pacific.
It is 15 to 16 cm long. The plumage varies geographically; some populations are contrastingly black and white while others have more grey or brown coloration.
It is a noisy bird with a nasal, rasping call. The song is short and high-pitched.
The breeding range extends through Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu and the Santa Cruz Islands. It occurs in a wide variety of habitats including man-made habitats such as plantations and gardens. It feeds on insects such as caterpillars and also feeds on fruit.
The cup-shaped nest is placed in the fork of a tree branch. One or two eggs are laid; these are greenish with brown blotches.

ssp pumila, Abaca, Viti Levu, Fiji Isles

ssp woodi, Savusavu,Vanua Levu, Fiji Isles

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