Puff-backed Honeyeater
Other common names: Large-tufted Honeyeater, Puff-backed/Large-tufted Meliphaga
Taxonomy: Ptilotis aruensis Sharpe, 1884, Aru Islands.
Molecular evidence suggests genus consists of two clades; present species forms group with M. lewinii and M. notata. Population in SE New Guinea genetically distinct, and may constitute a separate species; taxon as yet undescribed. Detailed analysis of geographical variation currently in progress, to determine affinities, status and distribution of component forms; E limits of nominate race and W limits of SE form not currently known. Two subspecies currently recognized.
Large, rather thickset honeyeater with dense tuft of stiff feathers on rump. Nominate race dark olive-brown to greyish-olive above, crown deeper olive than upperparts, blackish subterminal zone on rump feathers (can appear as indistinct dusky blotching in field); blackish-olive fores, feathers around eye and diffuse streak behind eye, large lemon-yellowish ear-patch (mostly yellow ear-coverts); rich yellow or orange-yellow gape-line merging with distinct pale yellow rictal streak, which often extends to meet pale ear-patch.
Not Threatened
Large, rather thickset honeyeater with dense tuft of stiff feathers on rump. Nominate race dark olive-brown to grayish-olive above, crown deeper olive than upperparts, blackish subterminal zone on rump feathers (can appear as indistinct dusky blotching in field); blackish-olive forehead, feathers around eye and diffuse streak behind eye, large lemon-yellowish ear-patch (mostly yellow ear-coverts); rich yellow or orange-yellow gape-line merging with distinct pale yellow rictal streak, which often extends to meet pale ear-patch; upperwing-coverts and alula dark brown with olive fringes, remiges dark brown with yellow-olive outer edges and pale yellowish inner edges; tail feathers dark brown with olive outer edges; mostly grey bellow pale olive-yellowish tinge on chin to breast, merging into paler grey with yellowish wash on lower belly, and often with brown wash across upper breast; underwing-coverts buff-yellow; iris brown to dark brow or grey-average slightly larger than female. Juvenile undescribed. Race sharpei has much more elongated ear-patch and tends to be brighter greenish-olive above than nominate, some variation, birds from Batanta darker grayish-olive above than those from mainland, birds from Trans-Fly region have ear-patch more rounded than nominate and not connecting with rictal streak.
16.5-18.5 cm; two males 27 g and 29 g and three females 23-27 g (nominate), male 22-30.5 g and female 21-31 g (sharpei)
Taxonomy: Ptilotis aruensis Sharpe, 1884, Aru Islands.
Molecular evidence suggests genus consists of two clades; present species forms group with M. lewinii and M. notata. Population in SE New Guinea genetically distinct, and may constitute a separate species; taxon as yet undescribed. Detailed analysis of geographical variation currently in progress, to determine affinities, status and distribution of component forms; E limits of nominate race and W limits of SE form not currently known. Two subspecies currently recognized.
(source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- sharpei (Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1903) - West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Batanta, Misool), NW & N mainland New Guinea E, including Yapen I and nearby Keboi I (in Geelvink Bay), to at least Kumusi R, and D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago (including Goodenough I and Fergusson I) and Trobriand Is (including Kiriwani).
- aruensis (Sharpe, 1884) - Aru Is, and SW & S New Guinea (E to about Karema and Hall* Sound).
Variety of forest habitats, including primary rainforest and low plains forest, also disturbed habitats such as forest edge, secondary forest and tall or old regrowth; possibly also gardens. Mainly lowlands and foothills, from sea-level to c. 1250 m, locally to 1400 m (e.g. Epe Vally); specimen record at 1580 m in Wahgi Valley. On Baranta, recorded to 450 m.
Diet includes fruit, seeds (probably ingested with fruit), and arthropods (mainly insects); probably also nectar, and known to visit inflorescences of Poikilospermum and Syzygium. Mainly un understory, lower middle story and substages of forest. Forages mainly by gleaning. Typically shy, and usually singly or in twos (probably pairs); occasionally associated with mixed-species flocks. Once caught together with both M. gracilis and M. analoga in sane mist-net in Varirata National Park.
Recorded in most months: eggs mid-Aug and Oct and nestlings mid-Oct, nests or breeding females late Jul and Aug, Oct-Jan, Jan-Apr (egg ready to be laid) and May, Nest a near cup made of dead leaves (including bamboo), grass and grass-like stems, and fine plant fibres or flakes of bark, woven with spider web and plant fibres, thickly lined with fine grass-like stems, fibres or rootlets, sometimes untidily covered on outside with dead liaves, one had external diameter 4.5 cm, depth 4 cm; suspended by rim or edges 0.3-1.2 m above ground in horizontal fork or branches or shrub or sapling. Clutch 1-2 eggs; incubation by female only, young fed by both sexes; no information on duration of incubation and nestling periods.