Lalage leucopyga
The Long-tailed Triller, *Lalage leucopyga*, is a striking passerine bird endemic to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Measuring approximately 16-18 cm in length, it is characterized by its slender build and relatively long tail. Males boast a dazzling plumage of glossy black upperparts, pristine white underparts, and a highly conspicuous white rump patch, which gives the species its scientific epithet 'leucopyga' (white rump). Females are notably duller, displaying greyish-brown upperparts an...
Inhabits a variety of wooded environments, including primary and secondary forests, forest edges, plantations, and gardens, from sea level up to moderate elevations of around 1,500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming a wide array of invertebrates such as caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers; occasionally supplements its diet with small fruits. It forages mainly by gleaning from foliage and bark, and by sallying for flying insects.
Diurnal and active, the Long-tailed Triller typically forages alone or in pairs, moving deliberately through the canopy and understory. It employs a gleaning foraging strategy, plucking insects from leaves and bark, and also performs agile aerial sallies to snatch flying prey. Males are highly te...
The Long-tailed Triller is an insular endemic, found exclusively within the Southwest Pacific across the Solomon Islands and the archipelago of Vanuatu. In the Solomon Islands, its breeding range extends across most major islands, including Bougainville (politically part of Papua New Guinea but g...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name, *leucopyga*, translates from Greek as "white rump," a direct nod to the male's most distinctive plumage feature. - The Long-tailed Triller is an accomplished singer, known for its complex and melodious trills, which are a characteristic sound of the Solomon Islands and Vanu...