Disambiguation: not to be confused with White-rumped Triller
- Lalage atrovirens
Identification
18–19 cm, 7.1-7.5 inches, 31.5 g.
Male
- Black head from upper ear coverts upwards
- Black upperparts with blue-green iridescence
- Pure white lower ear coverts, cheeks, neck side, throat and underparts
- Pure white axillaries and underwing coverts
- White rump
- Uppertail coverts with black and white barring
- Black upperwing coverts
- Black median and greater coverts with broad white tips
- Black innermost greater coverts with white margins
- Black alula, primary coverts and remiges
- Black tertials with broad white edges
- Black rectrices black, with greenish edges, outers with white tips
- Dark brown iris
- Black beak
- Dark grey legs
Female
- Female is similar to male, but duller
- Upperparts dark grey to black, with less shine
- Chin and throat white
- Breast and flanks with fine black barring
Juvenile
- Juvenile is undescribed
- Immature like female
Similar Species
Males differs from Mussau Triller by having more black on greater wing coverts, lacks reddish brown on lower underparts, lacks black on thighs. Males also differ from White-shouldered Triller with less white in the wing and no white supercilium.
Distribution
Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
- L. a. atrovirens:
- Misool, Salawati and Waigeo islands and northern New Guinea
Taxonomy
Biak Triller was formerly included in Black-browed Triller. Some authorities[3] consider White-browed Triller from the Tanimbar Islands (Arafura Sea) to be a third subspecies.
Subspecies
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
More common in secondary forest, light forest and forest edge than primary ot tall forest. Also found in mangroves, thin coastal woodland, scrub, gardens and partiall cleared areas. Mainly in lowlands. In New Guinea up to 1400 m.
Behaviour
Diet
Diet consists of fruit and arthropods, foraging singly, in pairs or in small groups. Occasionally observed in mixed flocks. Forages in canopy and middle storey, often at openings, eating small fruits and gleaning from leaves.
Breeding
Juveniles have been seen in mid-June in New Guinea. No other information.
Vocalisation
One song is made up of melodious, rapidly repeated “twee” whistles; also “see o seet weo”, repeated five or six times. Pairs duet with melodious “tewhit tewheet wheetu”; also 5–7 notes that sound like laughter.
Movement
No movement has been recorded.
References
- Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, M. Smith, and C. L. Wood. 2024. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2024. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v 15.1). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.15.1. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Black-browed Triller. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-browed_Triller
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
