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White-shouldered Triller Lalage sueurii Scientific name definitions

Barry Taylor
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2005

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

17–18 cm. Male has top of head and upperparts glossy greenish-black; narrow white supercilium (sometimes poorly marked) bordered below by black line from base of bill to nape; lower back, rump and uppertail-coverts light grey, uppertail-coverts tipped whitish; lesser and median upperwing-coverts white with black shaft streaks (large “shoulder patch”), greater coverts black, edged white; remiges black, secondaries and tertials edged white; rectrices black, narrowly tipped white, central pair narrowly edged white; cheeks, ear-coverts, neck side, throat and entire underparts, including underwing-coverts and axillaries, pure white; iris dark brown; bill grey to black; legs black. Differs from L. leucopygialis in having greener dorsal gloss and white lesser upperwing-coverts; from L. tricolor in having white supercilium; from L. nigra in larger size, narrower supercilium, more white in wing, grey on lower back. Female has black of upperparts, wings and tail replaced by rufous-brown, supercilium washed rufous, pale buffish edges of upperwing-coverts and remiges, buffy white below, breast and flanks narrowly and indistinctly barred dusky, thighs greyish. Juvenile is like female, but lower back light brown, underparts with brownish shaft streaks; immature also like female, but not fully described.

Systematics History

Sometimes considered conspecific with L. tricolor (1) (which see). Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

C & E Java, Bali, Masalembu Besar, NC & S Sulawesi (including Selayar, Butung and Tukangbesi), islands in Flores Sea (Tanahjampea, Kalao, Bonerate, Kalaotoa, Madu), and Lesser Sundas (Lombok E to Alor, S to Sumba, Savu, Roti and Timor) E to Wetar, Romang, Kisar, Moa, Sermata Is and Babar.

Habitat

Woodland, savanna, open forest, scrub, overgrown or lightly wooded cultivation (including rice fields), also gardens and areas near human habitations; occasionally in swamps. Also mangroves in Lesser Sundas (Sumba). Lowlands to 1630 m. Generally prefers drier habitats than those favoured by L. nigra.

Movement

None recorded.

Diet and Foraging

Diet not recorded; presumably insects. Perches in isolated trees and on stumps and fence posts; forages on the ground in short grass and on bare areas.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Harsh, rattling series of rapid, staccato notes that almost run together; song a series of c. 12 clear, rapidly repeated, musical notes.

Breeding

Breeds in Apr–May in Lesser Sundas. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Current status not well known. Regarded as common in C Sulawesi, and expanding N, in 1980s; fairly common in E Java and Bali in 1990s; common on Tanahjampea. Widespread and locally common in Lesser Sundas, including on some of the small islands. Occurs in several protected areas in Java and Bali, e.g. Bali Barat National Park.
Distribution of the White-shouldered Triller - Range Map
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Distribution of the White-shouldered Triller

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Taylor, B. (2020). White-shouldered Triller (Lalage sueurii), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.whwtri2.01
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