Fun Morningbird Facts For Kids

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is a species of songbird of the family Pachycephalidae. The species of bird was previously known to be a part of the family Colluricincla but in 2013, it was transferred to the family Pachycephalidae. Although this bird known for its calls and songs in the world is called by the scientific name Pachycephala tenebrosa, some authorities have also put the species in the genus Pitohui and the monotypic genus Malacolestes. Common names of this species include the brown pitohui, morning pitohui, Palau pitohui, Palau morningbird, and morning whistler.

The morningbird looks are complemented by the brown-olive body with a darker hood in males. The bird is of a dull, gray-brown coloration with buff-brown belly, vent, and edges of wings. The bird is quite similar to the dusky white-eye bird.

The voice and calls of these birds are a mixture of chirps and whistles. This song is often heard before dawn. You can easily notice them in and around the ground feeding on insects, berries, and fruits. They are not seen feeding on trees.

Although the range of distribution is a little small for these birds, the open areas are filled with these birds and their songs are often heard throughout the range. The population of these birds is currently not decreasing and these birds are not facing any major threats as of now. This means that no conservation measures are required currently for the morningbird. The IUCN has categorized the bird species as Least Concern at the moment.

For more relatable content, check out these umbrellabird facts and ovenbird facts.

What type of animal is a morningbird?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is a songbird species endemic to Palau. The birds in the genus Pachycephala are called typical whistlers for their ability to recite a song using whistles and chirps.

What class of animal does a morningbird belong to?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) falls under the class of Aves in the kingdom of Animalia.

How many morningbirds are there in the world?

The population of these birds found in the world is not known. It is a resident bird endemic to Palau and the areas of occurrence have a range of 888 sq mi (2,300 sq km). Although the range is small, the population is not decreasing at a rapid pace.

Where does a morningbird live?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is endemic to Palau. In Palau, these birds are common in the islands of Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu, Ngabad, and Garakayo. You can easily spot the birds in these areas feeding out in the open on the ground. Also, the morningbird song and calls are often heard throughout the site and make for easy identification of these beautiful birds.

What is a morningbird's habitat?

The morningbird habitat includes forest understory in deep primary forest areas. These birds are easily seen in the open sites of deep primary tropical moist lowland forest. They will be found mostly on the grounds and not on trees.

Who do morningbirds live with?

No information is available on the company of these birds from Palau.

How long does a morningbird live?

The lifespan is not known for these whistler birds.

How do they reproduce?

The morningbird egg clutch size is not known. Information on the breeding of these birds is not known, however, it will be similar to other whistlers. Related species called olive whistlers lay two or three buff eggs with brown or purple spots on them. The eggs are laid in cup-shaped nests made of grass, twigs, and spider webs. During the breeding season, both sexes are known to incubate the eggs for 15 days. As no nest has been found of the morningbird, any other information on the chicks is unavailable. As the birds are non-migratory, they are found in the same site during the breeding season and the non-mating season.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is categorized as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Although the birds have a small range, the population is still in a good state and does not fit the criteria for vulnerability. There is a decrease in numbers but the trend is slow. The species is more common in the smaller islands of the range.

What do morningbirds look like?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is a small whistler with a dull, gray-brown body. The bird has a buff-brown belly and vent. There is also buff-brown coloration on the edges of the feathers of the wings of this species. The eyes are a black-brown color and they have short wings. The bill is colored gray-brown and is thick and straight. The tail has a slightly notched tip and is of medium length. The legs of this species are of medium length and the feet are a black-gray coloration. It's a small and drab passerine bird with a darker hood and chest in males. Females are duller.

This species is related to the dusky white-eye, but the morningbird is bigger with a thicker bill. The Micronesian starling is, however, brighter and bigger than this whistler species with a dark eye. The Micronesian starling has yellow eyes and glossy black overall.

* Please note that this is an image of an olive whistler, a species in the same genus Pachycephala as the morningbird. If you have an image of a morningbird, please let us know at [email protected].

How cute are they?

The small size of the bird makes it quite cute. In addition to that, the ability of the bird to make a song from whistles and chirps is quite melodious.

How do they communicate?

The voice of this species is quite loud and can be heard throughout a large range. The song is a mixture of staccato chirps, whistles, and rasps. This is similar to other whistler species. The call is harsh and raspy.

How big is a morningbird?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) has a length of up to 7 in (17.7 cm). These birds are similarly sized to mockingbirds. Mockingbirds have a range of length between 8-12 in (20.3-30.4).

The hooded pitohui is a member of the genus Pitohui in the family Oriolidae. This species is found in the rainforests of the islands of New Guinea and Yapen and has a range of length between 8.7–9.1 in (22 -23.1 cm).

How fast can a morningbird fly?

The morningbird flight speed is not known, however tflight is known to be strong and undulating. The wings are rounded and have a wingspan of 8-8.5 in (20.3-21.5 cm).

How much does a morningbird weigh?

The weight of the morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is 0.046-0.061 lb (20.8-27.6 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

The morningbird male and morningbird female are not given different names. They are known by the many different common names given to this species.

What would you call a baby morningbird?

A morningbird baby is called a chick or juvenile. The name chick is a common name used for most species of birds in the world.

What do they eat?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is known to feed mostly on insects. However, the morningbird diet also consists of snails, fruits, berries, and seeds. The birds feed by picking food items off leaves, branches, and twigs with the help of their bills.

Similar-sized mockingbirds have predators like some species of hawks, eastern screech owls, scrub jays, and great horned owls. Their eggs are eaten by squirrels, snakes, blue jays, and crows. The morningbird should have similar kinds of predators with respect to the size, however, no proper information on predators is available.

Are they dangerous?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is not considered dangerous to humans.

Would they make a good pet?

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) thrives in the wildlife and is not usually considered a pet.

Did you know...

The morningbird (Pachycephala tenebrosa) is a non-migratory species.

This is an endemic species of Palau. For those who do not know where Palau is, the country gained independence in 1994 and has been working in support of the American government since then. They have established diplomatic relations with the American government after independence which makes the American nation responsible for the defense of Palau for 50 years!

Morningbirds are not endangered.

How did the morningbird get its name?

The birds are known for the loud morning song heard all over the habitat. This is the reason for naming them as morningbirds.

What is special about morningbirds?

The energetic chirps and whistles made by the birds make them quite special as they turn these into quite melodious tunes.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these giant cowbird facts and ani bird facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird coloring pages.