26-29 cm, male 59-73 g, and female 51-56 g, male 70-80 g and female 55-67 g. Nominate race has top and side of head black-brown, merging into light brownish grey and faintly mottled dark brown on hindneck and side of neck, with short white supercilium bordering large pale blue orbital patch, latter broad behind eye and tapering to a point that joins affine line of white feathers over rear ear-coverts, lower ear coverts tinged grey and merge into brownish-grey side of neck, brown white malar stripe of elongated feathers from base of bill and broadering on side of upper throat small white gape wattle, chin and upper throat black-brown, merging into brownish-grey or pale grey with brownish mottling on lower throat, mantle, back and scapulars black-brown, heavily scaled or mottled grey, merging into dark brown on rump and uppertail-coverts, upperwing and tail black-brown, yellow-olive tips and outer edges on greater coverts, upperwing and tail black brown, yellow-olive tips and outer edges on greater coverts, broad yellow-olive outer edges on all except two remiges, outer 5-6 primaries also narrowly tipped yellow –brown, broad yellow-olive outer edges and R, underbody pale grey, mottled dark brown and finely streaked on breast and belly, merging to broader white barring or mottling on lower belly and vent, which also tinged rufous-brown, and to rufous-brown on undertail-coverts, undertail dark brown, underwing dark brown, slightly paler base of remiges, iris brown to dark red-brown, bill black to dark grayish-black, sometimes dark-grey lower mandible, legs dark grey to dull blue-grey, varying mottled with brown or brownish-grey, soles yellow. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female. Juvenile is like adult but upperbody darker, blackish-grey, with much reduced mottling and scalig throughout and a rufous tinge on belly. Races differ mainly in size and colour.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has top and side of head black-brown, merging into light brownish grey and faintly mottled dark brown on hindneck and side of neck, with short white supercilium bordering large pale blue orbital patch, latter broad behind eye and tapering to a point that joins affine line of white feathers over rear ear-coverts, lower ear coverts tinged grey and merge into brownish-grey side of neck, brown white malar stripe of elongated feathers from base of bill and broadering on side of upper throat small white gape wattle, chin and upper throat black-brown, merging into brownish-grey or pale grey with brownish mottling on lower throat, mantle, back and scapulars black-brown, heavily scaled or mottled grey, merging into dark brown on rump and uppertail-coverts, upperwing and tail black-brown, yellow-olive tips and outer edges on greter coverts, upperwing and tail black brown, yellow-olive tips and outer edges on greter coverts, broad yello-olive outer edges on all except two remiges, outer 5-6 primaries also narrowly tipped yellow –brown, broad yellow-olive outer edges and R, underbody pale grey, mottled dark brown and finely streaked on breast and belly, merging to broader white barring or mottling on lower belly and vent, which also tinged rufous-brown, and to rufous-brown on undertail-coverts, undertail dark brown, underwing dark brown, slightly paler baese of remiges, iris brown to dark red-brown, bill black to dark grayish-black, sometimes dark-grey lower mandible, legs dark grey to dull blue-grey, varying mottled with brown or brownish-grey, soles yellow. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female.
26-29 cm, male 59-73 g, and female 51-56 g, male 70-80 g and female 55-67 g.
Study of relationships within genus needed. Forms a superspecies with M. leucostephes, M. rufocrissalis and M. foersteri; all four, along with M. ochromelas and M. torquatus, comprise a group of relatively large species that differ from others in genus in size, morphology, plumage and voice. Sometimes treated as conspecific with M. leucostephes and with M. rufocrissalis. Co-occurs with last-mentioned species on Mt Koimjim (in Schrader Mts), but the two appear to exclude each other altitudinally; the two hybridize freely, however, where they come into contact; Herzog Mts, much of Eastern Highlands, Mt Goliath (in E Star Mts) and N slopes of Snow Mts may once have supported both species, but hybrid populations now found extensively through these areas (although populations of N slopes of Snow Mts are almost pure individuals of present species, with only a few M. rufocrissalis characteristics). Race brassi and nominate race may represent different species, as they occupy same geographical range but are separated altitudinally and appear not to intergrade; further study needed. Races joiceyi and kinneari intergrade in W Nassau Mts (Wissel Lakes area). Proposed races stresemanni (type from Dawong, in Herzog Mts) and griseirostris (type from Mt Goliath, in E Oranje Mts/W Star Mts) represent hybrids. Five subspecies recognized.
(source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- rufocrissalis (Reichenow, 1915) - Central Range of New Guinea, from E Star Mts and Hindenburg Range E to Bismarck Range, Mt Hagen and Kubor Mts. thomasi Diamond, 1969 - S slopes of Eastern Highlands from at least Okapa to Mt Karimui and in Morobe Province (in Aseki area).
Primary upper montane ofrest to high mountain forests, forest edge, secondary growt and disturbed habitats, such as scattere trees in cattle pastures, patche of shrubs in cleared areas an remnant forest, at high altitudes, recorded in thickets of shrubs in subalpine grassland. Mainly above 1600m, but recorded as low as 1400m, and ranging up to tree line in places.
Not described
Diet nclude arthropods, mainly insect, including large ants and beetles, also nectar, fruit, also nectar and probably pollen. Foraging mainly in upper levels of trees, including emergents, and especially in flowering and fruiting trees, ocassionalyat ground level, and seen to forage at cluster of flowering, which birds visit mainly in mornings, usually descendingcautiously and probing flowers. Usually seen singly.
Apparently predominantly late wet season and dry season, nest-building early Apr, late Jun and late Jul, “breeding birds” May and Aug-Oct, nestlings Apr-May and dependent fledglings early May and late Jun. Nest a deep cup of moss and twigs, densly lined with soft brownish material from base of tree-fern fronds.