About Lalage maculosa (Peale, 1848)
The Polynesian triller, scientifically known as Lalage maculosa, is a passerine bird that belongs to the triller genus Lalage in the cuckoo-shrike family Campephagidae. This species has numerous subspecies distributed across the islands of the south-west Pacific. It measures 15 to 16 cm in length. Its plumage varies by geographic location: some populations have striking contrasting black and white coloration, while others show more grey or brown tones. It is a noisy bird, with a nasal, rasping call, and its song is short and high-pitched. Its breeding range covers Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and the Santa Cruz Islands. It can live in a wide variety of habitats, including man-made habitats such as plantations and gardens. It feeds on insects including caterpillars, and also consumes fruit. It builds a cup-shaped nest, placed in the fork of a tree branch. It lays one or two greenish eggs marked with brown blotches.
