Black-throated Shrikebill Clytorhynchus nigrogularis Scientific name definitions

21 cm. A large, heavy monarchid with distinctive heavy bill, large eye. Male has black face and throat, strongly contrasting white ear-coverts , grey or brown crown and hindneck ; plumage otherwise grey-brown above , tail with pale greyish-buff spots at tips of feathers; pale greyish buff to whitish below , buff-washed on lower underparts; iris dark; bill black with horn edgings and tip; legs blue-grey. Female is dull cold brownish overall, much paler below, lacks striking head pattern of male. Juvenile resembles female; immature male has paler version of adult male face pattern, blackish throat speckled with white.

Fiji (Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Ovalau, Kadavu).

Dense closed-canopy native forest, from lowlands to 1200 m, avoiding disturbed areas and the more open vegetation favoured by C. vitiensis. Rather intolerant of heavily logged or degraded forest. Reported once from mangrove habitat.

Sedentary

Insectivorous. Forages in pairs; sometimes joins mixed-species flocks. Feeds at various heights, by gleaning, and probing in dead leaves and tangles; uses bill to tear open decaying stems and hollow branches. Fairly inquisitive, responding to imitations of call.

Wide range of complex whistles and harsher chatters, with the most varied whistles given by territorial males, which often call vigorously for long periods, these whistles presumably representing the territorial song, but up to six different song-types have been identified. Long drawn-out wavering  whistling call with several variations, and various harsh scolding series; one distinct call may be a short ascending or level “teeeoo” whistle, repeated in series at varying intervals. Calls not easily distinguishable from those of C. vitiensis. Male often cocks tail and shivers drooped wings when calling.

Virtually nothing known, but season is apparently Aug–Dec.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: confined to Fiji EBA. Rare and probably declining throughout Fijian range; although widespread, occurs at low densities (c. 1 bird/km²) and only at about half of apparently suitable sites BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Clytorhynchus nigrogularis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 14/04/2016. . Seems most numerous at Garrick Memorial Reserve and Mt. Tomanivi. Population estimated at 1500–7000 mature individuals and considered to be declining in line with forest loss and degradation, at rate of c. 0·5–0·8 % per year BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Clytorhynchus nigrogularis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 14/04/2016. . Has become much harder to find in the disturbed forests of the Nausori Highlands. Threatened by forest clearance and degradation, also invasion by aggressive alien plants, feral animals and, conceivably, such birds as Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) and Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer). Species formerly considered Vulnerable, new data suggesting slower population decline than previously suspected, which triggered downlisting to Near Threatened in 2015.