Black Butcherbird Melloria quoyi Scientific name definitions

33–44 cm; 148–196 g (subspecies unspecified), 180–220 g (spaldingi). Large, all-dark butcherbird with massive hook-tipped bill. Nominate subspecies is black, brighter glossy blue-black on back, duller ventrally, and becoming duller with wear; tail long, appears square-tipped at rest but rounded in flight; iris brown; bill blue-grey or milky blue, distal third black; legs dark grey or black. Sexes similar in plumage, male (wing 180 mm) slightly larger than female (wing 176 mm). Juvenile differs from adult in having underparts dull black or brownish black, iris brownish yellow, bill pale grey, legs dark grey; immature like adult, but underbody and most of upperwing duller black-brown, contrasting with glossy head, neck and back, area of bluish colour at base of bill becoming more extensive with age. Subspecies differ mainly in size and in bill morphology: alecto is larger than nominate (wing of male 190 mm, of female 181 mm), intermediate in size between following two, immature dull black; spaldingi is largest subspecies (42–44 cm; wing of male 198 mm, of female 186 mm), with slender bill, immature dull black; jardini is smaller than previous (167 g; wing of male 181 mm, of female 176 mm), with short, slender bill, immature dull black; rufescens is smaller than last (33–38 cm; male 161 g; wing of male 174 mm, of female 166 mm), with short, slender bill, immature either rufous-brown or dull black (sometimes both types in same brood).

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Subspecies jardini intergrades with rufescens in region of Endeavour River (northeastern Queensland). Subspecies form two groups, or “cryptic species”, apparently differing morphologically only in bill structure, northern group having thick bill and southern group slender bill; recent genetic analysis (1 Kearns, A.M., Joseph, L. and Cook, L.G. (2013). A multilocus coalescent analysis of the speciational history of the Australo-Papuan butcherbirds and their allies. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 66(3): 941–952. Close ) apparently unable to include subspecies alecto (2 Beehler, B. M., and T. K. Pratt (2016). Birds of New Guinea: Distribution, Taxonomy, and Systematics. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ), but earlier published data (3 Schodde, R., and I. J. Mason (1999) The Directory of Australian Birds. Passerines. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia. Close ) indicate alecto is relatively thick-billed and thus probably belongs in northern group. In addition, within New Guinea range, birds in west apparently differ vocally from those in central & east (4 Gregory, P. (2017). Birds of New Guinea. Including Bismarck Archipelago and Bougainville. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ); study needed. Five subspecies recognized.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Nominate race occurs in most forest types and plantations in lowlands and hills, to c. 1,300 m. In south New Guinea and north and northeast Australia, mainly mangrove forests and riverine vegetation along humid coasts, also coastal rainforest and adjacent woodland, including open grassy woodland.

Sedentary.

Invertebrates, mainly insects; also small vertebrates, e.g. small lizards and snakes, frogs, small mammals and birds (including nestlings), small crabs and fish; also some fruit. Sometimes feeds by pouncing to the ground, but in forest forages mostly at 8–30 m through subcanopy and lower canopy; also searches through litter. In mangroves, forages below canopy on trunks, branches, prop-roots and ground. Prey items too large to be eaten in one piece are wedged into a crack or fork or impaled on a spike, and then dismembered.

Repertoire not well known; regional variation reported, but not well characterized. Vocalizations loud. Song a rich, melodious yodelling with some clear liquid notes, sometimes (e.g. dawn in breeding season) given in long bouts. Antiphonal duets by presumed males and female, especially at start of breeding season. In early morning, male gives clonking "gronk, gronk" call from perch in canopy.

Little known. Laying in middle to late dry season August to early January (mainly September–October) in New Guinea; eggs mainly September–January (mostly October–November) in Australia. Territorial, remaining on territory all year. Nest an untidy bowl of sticks and twigs, may be lined with rootlets and grass, one was 25 cm in diameter and 8 cm deep; in Australia placed in vertical fork 5–15 m above ground, or (in Western Australia) at 5–7 m in vertical fork of tall mangrove and often overhanging tidal creek; frequently in same area, although not same tree, each year; in northeast Australia (Cape York) Trumpet Manucode (Phonygammus keraudrenii) often breeds in vicinity of nest of present species, apparently benefiting from its aggressive nest defence. Clutch 2–4 eggs, usually 3; colour variable, cream to greyish-green, olive-grey or greyish-blue, with rich reddish-brown or darker dots, spots and blotches concentrated at larger end, dimensions c. 33 x 24 mm; no information on incubation and nestling periods.

Not globally threatened. Common and widespread in much of New Guinea; fairly common in Australia. Reported density of 3 birds/10 ha in rainforest near Port Moresby, in southeast New Guinea. Australian population of race alecto rated nationally "Vulnerable" because of very small area of occupancy (islands of Boigu and Saibai, total area 100 km²); same race occurs also in southern New Guinea and Aru Islands main threat to Australian population of alecto is rising sea levels. Main potential threat to nominate race in New Guinea is logging of lowland rainforest habitat; for races on tropical coasts of northern Australia, frequent fires lead to modification of grassy woodland habitats.