South Melanesian cuckooshrike facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Melanesian cuckooshrike |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Campephagidae |
| Genus: | Coracina |
| Species: |
C. caledonica
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| Binomial name | |
| Coracina caledonica (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
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The South Melanesian cuckooshrike (Coracina caledonica) is a special kind of bird. It belongs to the cuckooshrike family. These birds are not very common.
You can find this bird in several island nations. These include New Caledonia, Bougainville Island, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
This cuckooshrike is a large bird. It measures about 32 to 37 centimeters (about 12 to 14 inches) long. It has a long, square-shaped tail. Its feathers are dark grey all over. Adult birds have bright yellow eyes. Young birds, called juveniles, have dark eyes.
This bird likes to live in certain places. Its favorite homes are warm, wet forests. These can be lowland forests or mountain forests.
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About the South Melanesian Cuckooshrike
The South Melanesian cuckooshrike is known for its unique look. It's one of the bigger birds in its family. Its dark grey feathers help it blend into the forest.
What Does It Look Like?
This bird is quite striking with its dark feathers. Its size makes it easy to spot among smaller birds. The yellow eyes of the adults are a cool feature. They really stand out against the dark grey. Young birds look similar but have dark eyes instead.
Where Does It Live?
The South Melanesian cuckooshrike lives on islands in the Pacific Ocean. These islands are part of a region called Melanesia. It enjoys places with lots of trees and moisture. This means it lives in subtropical or tropical forests. These forests can be found near sea level or up in the mountains.
How Scientists Name Birds
Scientists give every living thing a special name. This helps everyone know exactly which animal they are talking about. This system is called binomial nomenclature. It means each species gets two names, like a first and last name.
The Bird's Scientific Name
The South Melanesian cuckooshrike was first described in 1788. A German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave it its first scientific name. He called it Corvus caledonicus. Corvus is the group for crows. Later, scientists decided it was better suited in the Coracina group. This group was named by a French scientist, Louis Pierre Vieillot, in 1816.
Different Kinds of This Bird
Sometimes, a species can have slightly different groups within it. These groups are called subspecies. They are still the same species but have small differences. Often, these differences depend on where they live. There are four known subspecies of the South Melanesian cuckooshrike:
- C. c. thilenii: Found on islands like Espiritu Santo in central west Vanuatu.
- C. c. seiuncta: Lives on Erromango island in southern Vanuatu.
- C. c. lifuensis: Found on Lifou Island in the Loyalty Islands of New Caledonia.
- C. c. caledonica: This is the main type. It lives on Grande Terre and Île des Pins in New Caledonia.
 | Leon Lynch |
 | Milton P. Webster |
 | Ferdinand Smith |
