Nominate race has head grey, upperparts dark reddish- brown; upperwing and tail fuscous; throat grey, underparts ferruginous; iris reddish- brown; bill black; legs grey. Sexes alike. Immature is similar to adult. Races differ mainly in plumage colour and pattern, in following list head and throat grey (as nominate) in first ten races, black in next five, and brown in final four; brunneicaudus has upperparts and underparts not so richly coloured as nominate; senex is similar but underparts slightly paler; carolinae is very like nominate, but head darker grey, upperparts dark brown, rump and tail darker, underparts paler; decipiens has wings and tail blacker, head much darker in male, only slightly so in female; dohertyi is similar to previous, but wings and tail black, body darker and richer, male head black, female blackish; adiensis is also similar, but head and breast darker, lower breast and below slightly lighter orange- brown; rubiensis is again similar, but male head and tail somewhat paler, female slightly paler than male; stramineipectus similar to previous but head ashy, underparts yellowish- white; cerviniventris has crown and side of head paler and greyer than back, upperparts greyish- brown, wings and tail darker, more brownish, throat greyish- brown, underparts ferruginous, pallidus is like previous but paler, particularly on underparts; uropygialis upper back, lower breast and belly rich red- brown, remainder of plumage black; tibialis is similar to last, but deeper red- brown above and below; nigripectus male has back chestnut, belly ferruginous, remainder of plumage black, female similar but breast also ferruginous; aruensis is similar to previous, but belly deeper- coloured, more chestnut, breast chestnut mixed with black, female head and throat dusky (not black); meridionalis has upperparts rusty chestnut, belly and undertail- coverts rufous- buff, female head and throat grey- brown to dark brown, wings and tail brown; brunneiceps has head and throat brown, otherwise like previous, bill black; brunneivertex nas head and throat brown, but underparts bright ferruginous and side and top of head same or slightly paler, remainder of upperparts, tail and outer edges of remiges light rufous- brown, bill horn- coloured; jobiensis is similar to last, but much deeper and richer cinnamon- rufous; meyeri is also similar but underparts paler, more ferruginous brown, head slightly paler, throat darker and more grey- brown, underparts paler.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has head grey, upperparts dark reddish- brown; upperwing and tail fuscous; throat grey, underparts ferruginous; iris reddish- brown; bill black; legs grey. Sexes alike. Immature is similar to adult. Races differ mainly in plumage colour and pattern, in following list head and throat grey (as nominate) in first ten races, black in next five, and brown in final four; brunneicaudus has upperparts and underparts not so richly coloured as nominate; senex is similar but underparts slightly paler; carolinae is very like nominate, but head darker grey, upperparts dark brown, rump and tail darker, underparts paler; decipiens has wings and tail blacker, head much darker in male, only slightly so in female; dohertyi is similar to previous, but wings and tail black, body darker and richer, male head black, female blackish; adiensis is also similar, but head and breast darker, lower breast and below slightly lighter orange- brown; rubiensis is again similar, but male head and tail somewhat paler, female slightly paler than male; stramineipectus similar to previous but head ashy, underparts yellowish- white; cerviniventris has crown and side of head paler and greyer than back, upperparts greyish- brown, wings and tail darker, more brownish, throat greyish- brown, underparts ferruginous, pallidus is like previous but paler, particularly on underparts; uropygialis upper back, lower breast and belly rich red- brown, remainder of plumage black; tibialis is similar to last, but deeper red- brown above and below; nigripectus male has back chestnut, belly ferruginous, remainder of plumage black, female similar but breast also ferruginous; aruensis is similar to previous, but belly deeper- coloured, more chestnut, breast chestnut mixed with black, female head and throat dusky (not black); meridionalis has upperparts rusty chestnut, belly and undertail- coverts rufous- buff, female head and throat grey- brown to dark brown, wings and tail brown; brunneiceps has head and throat brown, otherwise like previous, bill black; brunneivertex nas head and throat brown, but underparts bright ferruginous and side and top of head same or slightly paler, remainder of upperparts, tail and outer edges of remiges light rufous- brown, bill horn- coloured; jobiensis is similar to last, but much deeper and richer cinnamon- rufous; meyeri is also similar but underparts paler, more ferruginous brown, head slightly paler, throat darker and more grey- brown, underparts paler.
23- 25.5 cm; 75- 83 g
Taxonomy: Lanius kirhocephalus Lesson and Garnot, 1827, Dorey, Vogelkop, New Guinea. Considerable geographical variation, with many named races and areas of intergradation between adjacent forms; races fall into several groups based mainly on colour of head, throat and breast, but complicated by sexual dimorphism in some populations and much individual variation. Proposed race salvadorii (from W coast of Geelvink Bay) represents an intergrade population. Twenty subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * cerviniventris (G. R. Gray, 1862) - N West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Gemien). * pallidus van Oort, 1907 - Batanta I and Sagewin I. * uropygialis ( G. R. Gray, 1862) - S West Papuan Is (Salawati, Misool). * tibialis (Sharpe, 1877) - NW New Guinea (W half of Vogelkop). * kirhocephalus (Lesson & Garnot, 1827) - NE coast of Vogelkop (S to Momi). * dohertyi Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1903 - NW New Guinea (Wandammen District and adjacent islands). * rubiensis (A. B. Meyer, 1884) - NW New Guinea (head of Geelvink Bay). * brunneivertex Rothschild, 1931 - SE coast of Geelvink Bay. * jobiensis (A. B. Meyer, 1874) - islands in NE Geelvink Bay (Yapen I, Kurudu I). * meyeri Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1903 - N coast of New Guinea from R Mamberano E to R Tami. * senex Stresemann, 1922 - upper Sepik Valley (N New Guinea). * brunneicaudus (A. B. Meyer, 1891) - NE New Guinea from lower R Sepik E to upper R Ramu. * decipiens ( Salvadori, 1878) - Onin Peninsula, in SW New Guinea. * adiensis Mees, 1964 - Adi I (off S coast of Bomberai Peninsula). * stramineipectus van Oort, 1907 - Triton Bay district of SW New Guinea. * carolinae Junge, 1952 - Etna Bay. * aruensis (Sharpe, 1877) - Aru Is. * nigripectus van Oort, 1909 - S New Guinea from R Mimika E to upper R Eilanden. * brunneiceps ( D’Albertis & Salvadori, 1879) - S New Guinea from R Fly E to Gulf of Papua. * meridionalis (Sharpe, 1888) - SE New Guinea E from Chads Bay and Yule I district.
Forest edges, tall secondary growth, disturbed forest, primary rainforest, swamp- forest, gardens; lowlands to 1100 m, locally to 1500 m.
Insects and fruit. Ranges from understorey to canopy; often hides in dense vegetation. Joins mixed- species foraging flocks.
Nestling in late Jun or early Jul. No other information.