A Manual of Philippine Birds

by Richard C. McGregor

Adult female.—Differs from the male in lacking the ochraceous of crown and the maroon of shoulders and back, the entire upper parts being green. Three specimens measure: Wing, 185 to 189; tail, 118 to 125; culmen, 19 to 19.5; tarsus, 24 to 27; middle toe with claw, 35.5 to 37.5.

This species is closely related to Sphenocercus formosæ and specimens of the two species should be compared. It is not uncommon in Calayan and Camiguin. We were first led to search for it by hearing its weird, prolonged cry which is remarkably like that of a child in pain. Having located the tree in which one of these birds was resting it was difficult to see the bird as its yellowish green under parts were in perfect harmony with the color of the leafy branches.

Genus OSMOTRERON Bonaparte, 1854.

Length, 280 to 305 mm.; colors largely yellow or olive-green; primaries black; secondaries and coverts with conspicuous yellow borders; tail nearly square, moderate in length; under tail-coverts very long, equaling or slightly exceeding rectrices; bill short and moderately stout; feathers covering proximal tarsal joint.

Species.

• a¹. Tail green above.
  • b¹. Smaller; green of neck and breast lighter and more tinged with yellow. axillaris (p. [27])
  • b². Larger; green of neck and breast darker everetti (p. [28])
• a². Tail bluish slate above with a subterminal black bar vernans (p. [28])

13. OSMOTRERON AXILLARIS (Bonaparte).

PHILIPPINE GREEN PIGEON.

• Treron axillaris Bonaparte, Compt. Rend. (1854), 39, 875.
• Osmotreron axillaris Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1893), 21, 48, pl. 4; Sharpe, Hand-List (1899), 1, 54; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 9.

Pú-nay, in general use.