| Lesser Melampitta | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | see text |
| Genus: | Melampitta |
| Species: | M. lugubris |
| Binomial name | |
| Melampitta lugubris Schlegel, 1871 |
|
| Subspecies | |
|
Melampitta lugubris longicauda |
|
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)[1].
A local name, by the Ketengban people of the Jayawijaya Mountains, is golík[2]
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.[3]