Edolisoma tenuirostre
The Sahul Cicadabird (*Edolisoma tenuirostre*), also known as the Common Cicadabird or Slender-billed Cicadabird, is a captivating passerine belonging to the Cuckooshrike family, Campephagidae. Males are generally a striking dark slate-grey to glossy black, often appearing entirely black in the field, while females exhibit remarkable variability, typically being paler greyish-brown above and whitish to buffy below, often adorned with fine dark barring across the breast and belly. Measuring 23...
Found primarily in tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, woodlands, and monsoon forests, from sea level up to 1,600m, occasionally reaching 2,000m in New Guinea.
Feeds predominantly on a variety of insects, including caterpillars, beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers, and mantises, supplemented by small amounts of fruit.
Typically observed as solitary individuals or in pairs, the Sahul Cicadabird exhibits a diurnal activity pattern, often becoming most vocal during the early morning and late afternoon. It is an agile insectivore, employing a mix of foraging strategies including gleaning insects and larvae from fo...
The Sahul Cicadabird boasts an expansive distribution across the 'Sahul Shelf' region, encompassing much of northern and eastern Australia, the island of New Guinea, and numerous associated islands. Its range extends through the Moluccas and Lesser Sundas in eastern Indonesia, across the Bismarck...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name *tenuirostre* directly translates to 'slender-billed,' accurately describing its delicate beak. - Despite its common name, the Sahul Cicadabird does not specialize in eating cicadas, though its characteristic song often mimics their buzzing. - Male Sahul Cicadabirds are mast...