Birds of Solomon Islands 2005 ( Part 1) - Goshawk and others

In relation  with the previous page “ Birds of Solomon Islands . 2005- Pt.1. Blyth's Hornbill “, detail of each stamp described in the following:

Pied Goshawk

The Pied Goshawk (Accipiter albogularis) is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The Pied Goshawk has length ranged 33 – 43 cm and span 60 – 80 cm.This species is evaluated as Least Concern.

 

Imitator Sparrowhawk

The Imitator Sparrowhawk  or (Accipiter imitator) is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. Accipiter imitator is endemic to Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, and Choiseul and Santa Isabel, Solomon Islands.  Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests at least 400 m and, possibly, 1,000 m and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. As a lowland species, it is likely to be threatened by forest loss and degradation.

There is extensive logging in the lowlands and hills of Choiseul and some on Isabel. Logging may become a problem on Bougainville when the island opens up to development.

Its shorter wings and tail and longer legs suggest that it is better adapted to interior forest.

 

Buff headed Coucal

 

The Buff-headed Coucal or Centropus milo is a species of coucal.  C. milo is a common endemic of the central islands of the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland and mountain forests, mostly in primary and secondary growth.

This species is a large cuckoo with a heavy bill and short wings. The plumage of adults is striking with a buff head, upper back and undersides, and glossy black wings, lower back and tail. The iris is red and legs and bill are dark grey. Juveniles are very differently colours, with the wings and tail reddish brown with black barring  and the rest of the plumage brown mottled with black. The iris is brown-grey and the bill is bicolored, brown above and pale horn below.

Black faced Pitta

The Black-faced Pitta, Pitta anerythra, is a species of bird in the Pittidae family. Pitta anerythra is endemic to Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, and Choiseul and Santa Isabel, Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss. It has been categorised as Vulnerable on the basis of its very small known population.

The size approximately is 15 cm length. Typical pitta with prominent sky-blue wing-coverts. Bright green upper- parts, warm buff under-parts. Black mask encircles face and variably across forehead. There are three subspecies i.e: pitta pallida, pitta anerythra and pitta nigrifrons. All subspecies found in Solomon Islands.

 Melanesian Megapode

 

The Melanesian Megapode or Megapodius eremita is a species of bird in the Megapodiidae family. It is found in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

The population is declining owing to intensive egg collection, soil erosion, predation by feral dogs, consumption and unearthing of eggs by feral pigs and habitat destruction caused by growth of the timber industry. The species is evaluated as Least Concern.

 

Blyth’s Hornbill

Blyth’s Hornbill  or Papuan  Hornbill, occurs throughout lowland forests, from sea level up to 1,200-1,500 m ASL, in the Moluccas, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and as far east as the Solomon Islands.

The species has distinctive appearances are up to 91 cm in length, the adult male has a mainly black plumage with a golden or orange-buff coloured head, white throat and a white tail. Its irides are reddish brown, surrounded by naked pale blue skin around the eye. The female  is a smaller predominantly black bird with a white throat and tail. Young birds similar with female birds.

Blyth’s Hornbill  nests in a large rainforest tree hollow from 18 m to at least 30 m above the ground. Females make their nest in a hollow standing tree, and then build a wall to close all but the smallest of openings.

Its diet consists mainly of fruits  occasionally supplemented with insects and other small animals.Hornbills are seriously affected by habitat destruction in particular the removal of large trees used for nesting.