- Lalage sharpei
Identification
13 cm. A distinctive triller with a juvenile-like plumage.
- Hair-brown plumage with darker feather shafts on head and most of upperparts
- Darker and more olive-brown rump and uppertail-coverts
- Blackish-brown wings with whitish fringes
- Rufous-buff ear-coverts and neck side, barred brown
- White underparts washed buff and irregularly dark brown barred
- White eye
- Bright red-orange bill
- Dark brown legs
- tenebrosa is much darker
Sexes similar. Juveniles undescribed.
Distribution
Endemic to two islands of Samoa in the Pacific Ocean.
A restricted-range species, generally uncommon.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies recognized:
- L. s. sharpei in the highlands of Upulo (Western Samoa)
- L. s. tenebrosa in the highlands of Savai'i (Western Samoa)
This species is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Oscarornis.
Habitat
Moist lowland forests and traditional plantations. Rarely in cattle pastures with undergrowth and some trees.
Occurs from 200 to above 600 m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on fruits and invertebrates.
Forages slowly, gleaning prey from leaves of small trees and shrubs.
Breeding
No information.
Movements
Probably a sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2014)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Samoan Triller. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 December 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Samoan_Triller
