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Species
Coracina melas Gray, GR, 1846
Nomenclature
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Family: CampephagidaeGenus: Coracina
Species:
Coracina melas Gray, GR, 1846
Usage:
valid
Vernacular names:
Vernacular name:
New Guinea Cuckoo-shrike, (New Guinea) Black Cuckoo-shrike/Greybird
SUMMARY
Male nominate race is entirely black with puurplish gloss; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Female is bright rufous-brown, darker on upperparts, with ear-coverts and cheeks even darker, streaked pale, lores black, pale ochraceous stripe over eye, duller brown upperwing-coverts and remiges. Juvenile undescribed; immature like female, and subadult male mottled black and rufous. Races differ mainly in overall shade and richness of colour of female plumage, especially undeparts: meeki is palest; goodsoni and waigeuensis are darkest, female of latter also has barring on flanks; tommasonis is brightest; botantae similar to waigeuensis but female apparently lacks barring.