The South Moluccan cicadabird is a passerine bird in the family Campephagidae found on the islands of Buru, Ambon, and Seram in the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The species was formerly considered conspecific with the common cicadabird, now renamed the Sahul cicadabird.
Region
Maluku Islands (South Moluccas)
Typical Environment
Occurs on Ambon, Seram, and Buru in the South Moluccas of eastern Indonesia. It occupies primary lowland and hill rainforest as well as forest edges and selectively logged or secondary woodlands. The species forages mostly in the midstory to canopy, occasionally descending along edges and clearings. It can also be found in wooded plantations and along riverine corridors with tall trees.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for its insect-like, buzzing calls, this cicadabird spends much of its time high in the forest canopy. It was split from the broader “common” (now Sahul) cicadabird complex based on vocal and plumage differences. Despite being island-restricted, it tolerates some secondary habitats and forest edges.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short, direct flights with rapid wingbeats; strong canopy flier
Social Behavior
Typically encountered singly or in pairs within defended territories, especially during the breeding season. Often joins mixed-species flocks while foraging through canopy layers. Nest is a small, neat cup placed on an open branch or fork; both sexes likely participate in incubation and chick-rearing.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls include dry, buzzing trills and raspy phrases reminiscent of cicadas, interspersed with short whistles. Vocalizations carry well through the canopy and are often the first sign of the bird’s presence.
Plumage
Males are sleek and largely slate-gray with darker head and mantle, clean paler gray underparts, and a slightly glossy sheen; females are browner-gray with faint streaking or mottling below. Both sexes show a neat, compact cuckooshrike build with a longish tail and smooth, unbarred upperparts. The bill is slender with a subtly hooked tip.
Diet
Primarily consumes large insects such as cicadas, caterpillars, beetles, and other arthropods. It gleans prey from leaves and branches and will sally out to snatch flying insects. Occasional small fruits may be taken opportunistically but form a minor part of the diet.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mostly in the midstory and canopy of mature and secondary forests. Also uses forest edges, tall roadside trees, and wooded plantations where prey is abundant.
