Polynesian Triller Lalage maculosa Scientific name definitions

15–16 cm; c. 30 g. Male nominate race has broad white supercilium, black line through eye to nape; neck sides white, almost forming collar on hindneck; top of head and upperparts greenish-black, rump and uppertail-coverts grey, barred buffy white and blackish; lesser upperwing-coverts like back, median coverts white, outermost with black centres, greater coverts black, tipped white, inner ones also broadly edged white; alula and primary coverts black; remiges black, edged white, white broader on secondaries and tertials; rectrices black, tipped white, white broader on outer feathers; cheeks, ear-coverts, throat and underparts, including axillaries and underwing-coverts, white; iris dark brown; bill all bluish-black, or with lower mandible yellow with dark tip; legs grey to black. Differs from L. leucopyga in having prominent supercilium, shorter tail. Female is browner than male on upperparts and wings, but top of head greenish-black, contrasting with back; upperpart feathers edged light brown, rump and uppertail-coverts ashy, faintly edged pale buffy and barred black, white margins of remiges and wing-coverts narrow (not forming distinct patch), rectrices brown, tipped white; underparts white, head side, breast side and flanks barred dusky black. Immature is blackish above, crown streaked tawny or white, back feathers sometimes tipped tawny, rump buffy grey, wings dark brown with white areas tinged tawny, tail dark brown, tipped white, white of head and underparts tinged buff and irregularly barred black; juvenile as immature, upperparts with buffy-white feather tips. Races vary considerably in colour and pattern, e.g. Fiji races are browner above and barred below: futunae has white-barred blackish rump, more white on upperwing-coverts; whitmeei has darker rump, shorter supercilium (not reaching white of neck side); keppeli has nape almost white, forming white collar, white feather tips on upperparts, pale grey rump; nesophila is like previous, but with less white on back and collar; <em>vauana</em> has white streaks on crown, partial white nuchal collar; <em>tabuensis</em> is similar to last, but collar more pronounced and feathers of back tipped white; vanikorensis is also similar, but smaller, with no collar; melanopygia resembles previous, but has blacker upperparts, including rump; modesta is larger than last two, with greyer rump, more barring on underparts, buffy wash on breast; ultima is larger, with pronounced barring on back, more grey on rump, pure white underparts; <em>pumila</em> has head side and underparts washed buffy brown and heavily barred; soror is similar but less heavily barred; rotumae has underparts washed bright tawny, less strongly barred; mixta is more rusty-tinged on upperparts and washed buff on underparts, bars restricted to breast side; <em>woodi</em> is more like nominate, but has white-streaked crown, white feather tips on upperparts, heavily barred underparts.

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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.

Forest and forest edges, from lowlands to mountains; often found also in gardens and parks, and at roadsides.

None recorded.

Food insects “and other animals”. Often forages on ground . No other information available.

Call is a loud “tchick”; also gives a loud, ringing “peach-it” or “pee-chew” after short flights.

Virtually unknown. A nest in Tonga in September was high up in a Casuarina tree. Recorded collecting lichens as nest material in Fiji in August.

Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Vanuatu and Temotu EBA, Fiji EBA and Samoan Islands EBA. Current status not well known. Recently thought to be common throughout Vanuatu and Santa Cruz Is. Formerly considered widespread and common on most islands in Fiji (including Rotuma) and Tonga, and on Futuna, Wallis, and the two Samoan islands (Savai’i, Upolu).