A lot as I attempt to write posts about sure teams of birds of a particular location (“Woodpeckers of Hokkaido”, “Boring Birds of Northern Germany”), there are normally some species left. Reasonably than not exhibiting you these species in any respect, they have an inclination to finish up in posts reminiscent of this one. And a minimum of a few of them are nicely price exhibiting.
In most individuals’s opinion, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow might be not amongst these birds.
In fact, they’re mistaken. However then, people typically are.
However even these mistaken concerning the sparrow would in all probability agree that the Purple-winged Curler is price a glance.
It’s endemic to Sulawesi and a few smaller islands round it.
The hyperlink to the sparrow is a barely ugly one: whereas Purple-winged Rollers primarily feed on bugs and lizards, there may be one paper describing a curler killing and feeding on a Eurasian Tree Sparrow on Sulawesi (“Predation of a small passerine by the Purple-winged Curler Coracias temminckii, an endemic species of Sulawesi”, Marc Argeloo, James Fitzsimons, Kukila, 15, 115-117).
The scientific title temminckii refers to Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858), a Dutch ornithologist who’s commemorated in about 20 fowl names (each scientific and customary ones). Should have been one hell of a man.
In fact, I may have ready a separate put up titled “Woodpecker of Sulawesi”, as I solely noticed one woodpecker species: The Ashy Woodpecker. However that will have been barely bizarre.
Just like the curler, it’s endemic to Sulawesi and a few surrounding islands.
The scientific genus title Mulleripicus (full title: Mulleripicus fulvus) refers to a German, particularly Salomon Müller (1804-1864), a German explorer and collector within the East Indies.
He was despatched there by Temminck to gather specimens, leading to what have to be the final word humiliation for a German: having to publish in Dutch, leading to titles like “Reizen en onderzoekingen in den Indischen archipel, gedaan op final der Nederlandsche Indische regering, tusschen de jaren 1828 en 1836, 1857”.
As frequent for woodpeckers, the pink bits on the pinnacle point out a male particular person. One other indication of gender inequality: Male Ashy Woodpeckers do about 75% of the excavation of the nest gap, a minimum of in keeping with one commentary (supply: Cornell).
A number of of the Tangkoko birds will also be present in Shanghai, so I’ll solely point out them moderately briefly: Black-naped Oriole …
… Hair-crested Drongo …
… Purple Heron …
… and Scaly-breasted Munia.
Unsurprisingly, a number of species are named after the island: the Sulawesi Babbler …
… which is described moderately uncharitably as a “smallish, comparatively featureless babbler” by Cornell …
… the Sulawesi Myna …
… which Cornell calls “distinctive”, in all probability in order to not be accused of prejudice in opposition to the island …
… and the Sulawesi Hanging Parrot …
… which apparently now must be referred to as Nice Hanging Parrot.
I normally faux to not have seen species that I solely acquired unhealthy pictures of, however I’ll make an exception for the Pale Blue Monarch …
… (which might be a special species than the Black-naped Monarch) …
… and the Philippine Megapode, a burrow nester utilizing decaying tree roots or stumps of very massive timber (supply: Cornell).
It’s simpler to get first rate pictures of the Sooty-headed Bulbul.
However not fairly as satisfying.
The Buff-banded Rail has an enormous vary that features The Philippines, massive elements of Indonesia in addition to Australia …
… and an identical massive variety of subspecies (21 in keeping with Cornell).
Be aware to oldsters of annoying youngsters: grownup Buff-banded Rails evict their chicks when they’re about 5–9 weeks outdated.
My pictures additionally don’t fairly do the Yellow-billed Malkoha justice.
Whereas the scientific title Rhamphococcyx calyorhynchus sounds just like the fowl had a small function in Jurassic Park, the calyorhynchus highlights the attractive invoice of the species (kalos stunning; rhunkhos invoice).
The lack of expertise on this species is obvious within the Cornell profile stating “Frequent in appropriate habitat in Dumoga-Bone Nationwide Park in mid-Eighties”, data that certainly is moderately irrelevant in 2024.
Whereas Malkohas are cuckoo species, it doesn’t appear to be clear whether or not this one is a brood parasite, as indicated by the sentence “Though apparently a nesting species, a juvenile was fed by a Crimson Sunbird”.
And sure, it’s one other Sulawesi endemic.
Lastly, a number of nonbirds. Sure, they exist, although I normally strive onerous to disregard them.
