Lesser Melampitta
Encyclopedia
The Lesser Melampitta, Melampitta lugubris, is a medium-sized enigmatic terrestrial
songbird
of mountain forests of New Guinea
. It is now classify as a member of the family
Orthonychidae
(logrunners) by Birdlife International
, but in some other sources it is variously considered close to or in the Paradisaeidae (birds of paradise), Corcoracidae
(Australian mud-nesters), Cnemophilidae
(satinbirds) or Monarchidae (monarch flycatchers).
A local name, by the Ketengban people of the Jayawijaya Mountains
, is golík
It is approximately 18 cm long and has an all-black plumage with long legs and short tail. Both sexes are almost similar, distinguished by the color of the iris
. The male has crimson
red iris
while female's dark brown.
The Lesser Melampitta builds dome
-like nest in the forests. The diet consists mainly of insects.
Widespread and a common species throughout its habitat
range, the Lesser Melampitta is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species.
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
of mountain forests of New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. It is now classify as a member of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Orthonychidae
Orthonychidae
The Orthonychidae is a family of birds with a single genus, Orthonyx, which comprises three species of passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea, the Logrunners and the Chowchilla. Some authorities consider the Australian family Cinclosomatidae to be part of the Orthonychidae...
(logrunners) by Birdlife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
, but in some other sources it is variously considered close to or in the Paradisaeidae (birds of paradise), Corcoracidae
Corcoracidae
The Australian mudnesters are passerine family Struthideidae. The family is often commonly called Corcoracidae, however this is the junior synonym. It contains just two species in two genera, the White-winged Chough, Corcorax melanorhamphos, and the Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea...
(Australian mud-nesters), Cnemophilidae
Cnemophilidae
The Satinbirds or Cnemophilines, Cnemophilidae are a group of passerine birds which consists of three species found in the mountain forests of New Guinea...
(satinbirds) or Monarchidae (monarch flycatchers).
A local name, by the Ketengban people of the Jayawijaya Mountains
Jayawijaya Mountains
The Jayawijaya Mountains, formerly known as the Orange Range, are the eastern mountain range of the Maoke Mountains in the central highlands region of the Indonesian part of New Guinea. The range extends for 230 miles east of the Sudirman Range to the Star Mountains. Its highest point is Trikora...
, is golík
It is approximately 18 cm long and has an all-black plumage with long legs and short tail. Both sexes are almost similar, distinguished by the color of the iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
. The male has crimson
Crimson
Crimson is a strong, bright, deep red color. It is originally the color of the dye produced from a scale insect, Kermes vermilio, but the name is now also used as a generic term for those slightly bluish-red colors that are between red and rose; besides crimson itself, these colors include...
red iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
while female's dark brown.
The Lesser Melampitta builds dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
-like nest in the forests. The diet consists mainly of insects.
Widespread and a common species throughout its habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
range, the Lesser Melampitta is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species.