Orange-crowned Wren
Other common names: Rufous Wren-warbler, Orangecrowned/Rufous Fairy-wren
Taxonomy: Clytomyias insignis Sharpe, 1879, Tjobonda, Arfak Mountains, Vogelkop, New Guinea.
Nominate race has crown, face, ear- coverts and nape orange- rufous, upperparts olive- brown, upperwing brown, tail light rufous; throat, breast and upper belly creamy white, thighs rufous, lower belly to undertail- coverts pale ochre- grey; iris dark brown; bill broad, black; legs pinkbrown. Sexes alike.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has crown, face, ear- coverts and nape orange- rufous, upperparts olive- brown, upperwing brown, tail light rufous; throat, breast and upper belly creamy white, thighs rufous, lower belly to undertail- coverts pale ochre- grey; iris dark brown; bill broad, black; legs pinkbrown.
Sexes alike. Immature is duller and darker than adult. Race oorki is darker below than nominate, male ochre- tinged buff and female creamy buff.
VOICE: Song a brief, high- pitched, chattering reel, Contact call sharp, sibilant chirps, similar to those of most Malurus species but more frequent; alarm “chip”, like that of Malarus.
14-16 cm; 10-14 g
Taxonomy: Clytomyias insignis Sharpe, 1879, Tjobonda, Arfak Mountains, Vogelkop, New Guinea. Although morphological and protein evidence supports this species inclusion within present family, they do not clarify its affinities. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- insignis Sharpe, 1879 - Arfak Mts, in NW New Guinea (Vogelkop).
- oorti Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1907 - C cordillera of New Guinea.
Mountain forest, at 2000- 3000 m.
Insectivorous. Observed in groups of 6- 8 individuals, including more than two adults, ussualy in thick cover in subcanopy; gleans from underside of leaves, working over dense foliage regularly and quickly. Rarely flies, but moves rapidly through thick vagatation. Does not join mixed- species flocks.