Black-bellied Cicadabird Edolisoma montanum Scientific name definitions

24 cm; 57–70 g. Male nominate race has blue-grey crown and upperparts, including most of upperwing-coverts, black greater coverts broadly edged grey; alula and flight-feathers deep glossy black, tertials edged grey; rectrices black, glossed green at edges; forehead, lores, side of face , neck side, throat and entire underparts , including underwing-coverts and axillaries, glossy black, thighs grey; iris dark brown; bill and legs grey to blackish. Differs from extremely similar E. holopolium in having pale grey edging restricted to tertials. Female is like male, but paler blue-grey above and below , has only base of forehead, lores and chin black. Juvenile apparently has rufous undertail-coverts, barred dark slaty grey; immature like female, but tertials and outer rectrices tipped white, chin and throat grey, variable fine barring on head, breast and undertail-coverts (may be absent). Race bicinia is larger than nominate, black of chin and throat more extensive.

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.

Population of Foja Mts not assigned to a race.

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.

Vocal; has conspicuous antiphonal duet, male giving a rising and falling, nasal, whistled note, female responding with 2–3 rapid, buzzy, downslurred notes; duet repeated for 8–10 seconds. Often calls in flight.