Alternative names: Lesser Blackwit; Black False Pitta
- Melampitta lugubris
Identification
17 - 18cm. A pitta-like bird:
- Plumage entirely black
- Long black legs
- Short tail
- Black bill
- Males have a crimson red iris female's dark brown
Juveniles are dark brown.
Distribution
Endemic to the mountains of New Guinea. Locally fairly common.
Taxonomy
Three subspecies recognized:
- M. l. lugubris in the Arfak Mountains, northwest New Guinea
- M. l. rostrata in the Weyland Mountains and Nassau Range in west-central New Guinea
- M. l. longicauda in the mountains of north-central and east New Guinea
The affinities of this species are uncertain. See the genus page for more information.
Habitat
Mountain forests and adjoining regrowth. Prefers gulleys near streams. Found mainly at 2000 - 2800m.
Behaviour
Feeds on insects and other invertebrates like snails and worms. Takes also small frogs and fruit. Forages on the ground, probing with its bill. Breeding activity recorded in October and November. It builds dome-like nest in the forests. It's placed 2m above the ground on the side of a tree-fern trunk. Lays 1 egg. A sedentary species.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Lesser Melampitta. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Lesser_Melampitta
