Image via Macaulay Library
Black Cicadabird
- Scientific name
- Edolisoma melas
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Conservation status
- Least concern
- Habitat
- Forest mixed
- Wing shape
- Broad
- Tail shape
- Pointed
Where it came from
The Black Cicadabird, Edolisoma melas, is a passerine bird belonging to the Campephagidae family. It is native to the lowland forests and swamp habitats of New Guinea and its surrounding satellite islands. Ornithologically categorized within the cuckoo-shrike group, the species is distinguished by its sexually dimorphic plumage, with males displaying an entirely black profile that earns them their common name. The bird is known for its shy behavior, often remaining concealed within the upper canopy, which has made it a subject of fascination for field ornithologists documenting the biodiversity of the Australasian realm.
The species was first formally described by German naturalist Hermann Schlegel in 1871. Its evolutionary design—characterized by broad, rounded wings suited for short, agile bursts of flight through dense foliage and a distinctly pointed tail—reflects an adaptation to the complex, multi-layered forest environments it inhabits. Unlike many of its vocal relatives, the Black Cicadabird is often noted for its relatively quiet demeanor, with its classification as a 'cicadabird' derived more from its taxonomic proximity to other members of the Edolisoma genus than a mimicry of insect calls.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About Black Cicadabird
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