Guadalcanal Hooded Whistler Pachycephala implicata Scientific name definitions

16·5 cm; 33·5–37 g (male) or 30–39 g (female). Male   has head black, mantle to upperwing, rump and uppertail-coverts olive; tail black; chin to cheeks and upper breast dark grey, rest of underparts yellowish olive; iris dark red-brown; bill black; legs dark grey. Female has crown and sides of head grey, cheeks pale grey with slight mottling, back greenish olive, remiges black, edged olive, tail dusky, edged brown; chin grey with slight mottling, throat and upper breast pale grey, rest of underparts olive-yellow; iris dark brown. Juvenile is similar to female but crown dark olive, upperparts and underparts extensively rufous; immature as adult female.

Mountains of Guadalcanal, in S Solomon Is.

Forest, including mistforest at high elevations; at 1100–2000 m, at least. Co-exists with P. orioloides at some localities, but replaces that species above 1400 m.

Sedentary.

Insects, mainly soft-bodied ones, including Orthoptera and grubs; some small snails taken, also berries and seeds. Forages mainly in understorey, occasionally to midstorey and canopy, typically alone or in pairs, and females regularly inspect mossy tree-trunks. Prey captured by gleaning along small branches.

Song   (which is simpler, quieter and less melodious than that of P. orioloides) is a loud disyllable followed by quieter note, “wítchoo wi wítchoo, wítchoo wi woo”, with no acceleration or crescendo and given mainly at dawn; female gives single low melancholy whistle, “whew whew…”. Also harsh “chík” and “churk-chík”.

Fledgling seen in Oct. No other information.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Restricted-range species: present in Solomon group EBA. Reported as being generally uncommon, although locally common; generally commoner above 1400 m, where it replaces P. orioloides.