Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus attacking birds caught in a mist net.

On 17 July 1990 we visited the Pacific Adventist College (PAC), National Capital District, in the hope of catching some Mannikins Lonchura spp. We set a 20 m, 4-panel mist net at a site where mannikins had been observed feeding on the ground. We then left the net for an hour. On our return we had caught 12 birds (10 Grey-headed Mannikins L.caniceps and 2 Chestnut-breasted Mannikins L.castaneothorax). Two Pheasant Coucals Centropus phasianinus had been attracted to the net, presumably by the flutterings of the trapped mannikins. One of the coucals was actually in the net but escaped as we approached. It had attacked and killed two juvenile Grey-headed Mannikins by pecking at the head and neck, but had not been able to get the mannikins out of the net. After extracting the birds, we again left the net. RR returned after about half-an-hour. We had caught no more birds, but a Pheasant Coucal was sitting close by the net where it was apparently visible to the mannikins as these were now flying higher than they had earlier and so missed the net.

Previously, RH had noted Pheasant Coucals sitting under mist nets set in his garden on Matirogo Point, Port Moresby, but no birds had been found dead in the nets.

(Originally published in Muruk, co-authored with Robin Restall)

Feeding Behaviour of Sacred Kingfisher Halcyon sancta

On 1 July 1990, at Jais Aben Resort, Madang Province, I watched two Sacred Kingfishers Halcyon sancta, feeding. One of the birds had a more prominent white supercilium which allowed me to keep track of each bird, as they were not in view the whole time. My observations lasted from 11:35 - 12:49 (74 minutes) and only ended when both birds were disturbed by a party of people sitting under the tree from which they were hunting.

Both Sacred Kingfishers employed a "sit and wait" approach. They perched on the lower branches of a large rain-tree, c. 8 - 10 m above the ground. They always perched in the shade, although they did not always use the same perch. At times they were within 3 m of each other although there appeared to be no intraspecific aggression. From their perch they dropped at an angle of between 30o and 45o from the vertical. Six forays were to the ground, which was the short grass of the hotel grounds. Two forays, both by the same kingfisher were into the foliage of a bush on the shoreline. Seven forays, out of nine observed, resulted in prey being caught.

Sacred Kingfisher "A" was in view for 53 minutes. During this time it made five forays, all to the ground. All were successful although only three of the prey items were seen for long enough by me to identify them. They were a beetle, a small (c. 3 cm long) lizard and a grasshopper. The kingfisher returned to a perch, not necessarily the one from which it had dropped, to consume its prey. Each of the above prey items was banged against a branch a few times and turned round in the bill before being swallowed. The grasshopper and lizard were swallowed head first. The other two prey items were small and swallowed too quickly for me to see them. On one occasion, when returning to a perch, kingfisher "A" landed near a Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys which chased it to another perch.

Sacred Kingfisher "B" was in view for 36 minutes. During this time it made four forays, two to the ground and two to the foliage of a bush. Only two were successful, one to the ground and one to the bush. On neither occasion could the prey be identified. It handled its prey much as kingfisher "A", returning to a perch, banging the prey against a branch and turning it around in its bill before swallowing.

Originally published in Muruk 5:110