Taveuni Silktail
A species of Silktail Scientific name : Lamprolia victoriae Genus : Silktail
Taveuni Silktail, A species of Silktail
Botanical name: Lamprolia victoriae
Genus: Silktail
Content
Description General Info
Description
The Taveuni silktail is a small black bird, measuring around 12 centimetres (4.7 in) and weighing 16 to 21 g (0.56–0.74 oz). It is a small, dumpy bird with long rounded wings, and a short rounded tail. The plumage of the male is velvet black with metallic blue iridescent spangling on the crown and breast, and silky white lower-back patch that travels most of the length down the tail. The margin of the tail is black, sometimes this tip has the same iridescence as other parts of the body. The female is similar to the male, except less glossy, and immature birds are duller than the adults and may have buffy rumps and backs. The irises of this species are dark, and the legs and bill are blackish. The bill is heavy and slightly hooked at the end. The legs are long and the feet strong. 
Size
12 cm
Nest Placement
Cavity
Feeding Habits
Taveuni Silktail primarily feeds on small arthropods and worms, often foraging alone or in small groups active around dawn. It gleans food from mossy trunks, foliage, and leaf litter within the lower canopy and substage, rarely in open areas. Unique for probing ground and flycatching insects, taveuni Silktail may be confiding yet elusive.
Habitat
The habitat of taveuni Silktail primarily comprises mature wet rainforests and adjacent forest pockets. These birds are also found in areas of logged forest and plantations, provided these locales are in close proximity to intact forests. Their preferred environments are characterized by rich, dense vegetation that affords both food resources and protection.
Dite type
Insectivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
It can be quite elusive and difficult to see, but may also be confiding and approachable. It is usually very active at dawn, and is encountered either singly or in small flocks. The diet consists mainly of insects, worms and arthropods.
Distribution Area
The Taveuni silktail is endemic to forests of Taveuni in Fiji. It occurs widely. It occurs in mature wet rainforests, as well as forest patches, and is also found in human-modified habitats such as logged forests and in plantations near patches of natural forest.
Species Status
The Taveuni silktail is a restricted range species. Forest clearance for mahogany plantations and general forest clearance within its range have led to the species being listed as vulnerable in 1994, however this was downgraded to near threatened in 2006. While its habitat is being lost, it is not yet severely fragmented. The species occurs within the Ravilevu Nature Reserve and the Bouma National Heritage Park.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Fantails Genus
Silktail Species
Taveuni Silktail 
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