Coracina welchmani
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike (Coracina welchmani) is a subtly striking mid-sized passerine, typically measuring 19-20 cm in length, characterized by its predominantly grey plumage. Adult males exhibit a distinct black mask extending from the lores through the eyes to the ear-coverts, contrasting with darker grey upperparts and a paler, often whitish, belly and vent. Females are generally similar but tend to be duller, with a less pronounced black mask and occasionally faint barring on th...
Found primarily in dense primary and mature secondary rainforests, from coastal lowlands up to approximately 1,200 meters in elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of arboreal insects such as caterpillars, beetles, and orthopterans, occasionally supplementing its diet with small fruits or berries. Forages by gleaning from foliage and bark, as well as sallying for flying insects.
This cuckooshrike is a diurnal species, typically encountered singly or in pairs, though it may occasionally join mixed-species foraging flocks alongside monarch flycatchers and fantails. It employs a deliberate foraging strategy, moving methodically through the canopy and mid-story, gleaning ins...
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is endemic to a restricted yet widespread insular range across the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In the Solomon Islands, it is found on Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Guadalcanal, Malaita, Makira, and the New Georgia group of islands, including Kolombangara. Its distribu...
Least Concern
- The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is entirely endemic to a specific chain of islands in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, showcasing a classic example of island biogeography. - Its scientific specific epithet, *welchmani*, honors the Reverend J.W. Welchman, who was a missionary and naturalist in...