The Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Solega A Linguistic Perspective

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Table 4.5 Common, visually striking or otherwise perceptually salient bird species occurring in
BRT, that do not have Solega names

English name Scientifi c name

Perceptually salient

features

Possible perceptual

reasons for lack of name

Blue-bearded

Bee-eater*

Nyctyornis

athertonii#

Large, widespread,

distinctive call

Banded Bay

Cuckoo*

Cacomantis

sonneratii

Distinctive call

Grey-bellied

Cuckoo*

Cacomantis

passerinus

Distinctive call

Blue-faced

Malkoha*

Phaenicophaeus

viridirostris

Large Silent

Ashy

Woodswallow

Artamus fuscus# Common and often

seen perched in small

groups on dead trees

Does not make nests out

of mud, like other swifts

and swallows

Yellow-footed

Green pigeon

Treron phoenicoptera Common, seen in

fl ocks

Fairy Bluebird Irena puella# Medium-sized,

distinctive call

Gold-fronted

Leafbird

Chloropsis aurifrons Common, loud caller Camoufl aged by its

green plumage

Bay-backed

Shrike

Lanius vittatus Medium-sized,

prominent markings

Found only in scrub

forests

Eurasian Golden

Oriole

Oriolus oriolus Large and bright

yellow, prominent

calls

Black-naped

Oriole

Oriolus chinensis Large and bright

yellow, prominent

calls

Uncommon (a winter

visitor)

Black-hooded

Oriole

Oriolus xanthornus Large and bright

yellow, prominent

calls; very common

Black-headed

Cuckooshrike

Coracina

melanoptera

Medium-sized Found only in scrub

forests

Bar-winged

Flycatcher Shrike

Hemipus picatus# Distinctive markings Small

Black-naped

Monarch

Hypothymis azurea# Bright blue, very

common

Small

Tickell’s Blue

Flycatcher

Cyornis tickelliae Distinctive

colouration, common

Small

Grey-headed

Canary Flycatcher

Culicicapa

ceylonensis#

Bright yellow,

common

Small

Nilgiri Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudatus Blue Restricted to high-

altitude forests

Common Iora Aegithina tiphia# Bright colours,

prominent calls

Small

(continued)

4.4 The Role of Perceptual Salience