White-naped Friarbird Philemon albitorques Scientific name definitions

34–37 cm. Large to very large, rather neat and clean-looking honeyeater with medium-length, heavy and slightly decurved bill with only small protuberance at base of upper mandible. Plumage is distinctive, rich brown above, slightly darker on wing and tail and slightly richer chestnut-brown and finely streaked blackish on top of head, with conspicuous white and rather downy collar on hindneck and side of neck, continuous with white of chin and throat; large mostly blackish bare patch covering lores and area around eye, merging to more pinkish-black on anterior lores at base of bill; narrow dense and hair-like dark brown malar stripe ending on rear ear-coverts; white to off-white below, with varyingly faint buff wash on flanks and upper breast, feathering on throat sparse (sometimes exposing pinkish skin beneath); underwing buff with dark trailing edge and tip; iris dark brown; bill black, pinkish tinge at base of lower mandible, gape dull brownish-orange; legs blue-grey. Sexes alike, male probably larger than female. Juvenile undescribed.

Manus and Los Negros (also Big Ndrova, Ndrilo and probably other satellite islands) (1 Fitzsimons, J. (2014). Notes on the distribution and breeding of the Manus Friarbird Philemon albitorques and other birds of small islands of the Admiralties Group, Papua New Guinea. Austral. Field Orn. 31(3): 159–163. Close ), in Admiralty Is, in N Bismarck Archipelago.

Abundant in all disturbed habitats, including forest edge, town gardens and around villages, and other human habitation; less common in secondary forest and mangroves, and uncommon in other closed forests. Lowlands.

Probably resident, with local movements. Birds seen on Patamu, a small islet c. 500 m off Manus.

Takes nectar from flowering trees; presumed also to eat invertebrates. Noisy, active and conspicuous. Usually seen singly or in twos (probably pairs) or small groups; pugnacious, and highly aggressive in defence of flowering trees.

Song characteristic, heard often, a repeated rollicking phrase of 2–5 loud and rapid notes, “chick-ou cou”, “cou, cou” or “tchau-ka-ka”, the first 2–3 notes descending in pitch, the rest on similar pitch. Most common call described as loud “chauka” from single bird or “chaukapowe” by birds apparently disputing territories. Also loud screech like that of a parrot (Psittacidae); loud fowl-like cacklings; and quieter single harsh nasal notes. Duetting noted, first bird uttering a “chook ook” phrase, other a harsh “arrrrk”, and finished by a frenzied “choong” from first bird.

Active nests recorded mid-Mar, early Aug and early Nov, and nest being built in mid-Jul. Nest a bulky cup made of plant material, usually placed moderately high in outer fork of slender branch; one described as flask-shaped, suspended from branch overhanging river and close to active nest of Variable Goshawk (Accipiter novaehollandiae); another basket-shaped, in outer fork of branch 5 m above ground. No other information.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Restricted-range species: present in Manus, Admiralty Islands EBA; also recorded in satellite islands as Los Negros, Big Ndrova and Ndrilo (2 Fitzsimons, J. (2014). Notes on the distribution and breeding of the Manus Friarbird Philemon albitorques and other birds of small islands of the Admiralties Group, Papua New Guinea. Australian Field Ornithology. 31: 159–163. Close ). Common to very common within tiny global range. Suggested that population may have increased greatly in association with human colonization, settlement and clearing on Manus, and that this increase detrimental to Manus Fantail (Rhipidura semirubra), which now considered Vulnerable.