Male nominate race is dark brown above, including upperwing and tail, with rufous wash on uppertail-coverts; chin and throat white, straw-coloured, pinkish orange or orange-brown; bill brown, legs grey-brown. Female is similar to male or duller. Juvenile resembles adult, but underparts van be reddish-brown or grey-brown, iris dark brown or grey-brown. Races vary markedly in colour and pattern, with two broad groups, those with grey underparts and those without: deficiens resembles nominate but deeper brown above, uppertail-coverts less rufous, underparts greyish, lacks slaty breastband; peninsularis is like previous, but more white on breast; ripleyi is like last, but greyish-toned, less rufou-brown, above; sanfordi is slightly larger, rich brown to olive-brown above, dull rufous-brown below (more like C. murina bud duller); bastille is like last, but upperparts dull dark olive, underparts slightly paler, with less contrast between light throat and darker breast and belly.
Not Threatened
Male nominate race is dark brown above, including upperwing and tail, with rufous wash on uppertail-coverts; chin and throat white, straw-coloured, pinkish orange or orange-brown; bill brown, legs grey-brown. Female is similar to male or duller. Juvenile resembles adult, but underparts van be reddish-brown or grey-brown, iris dark brown or grey-brown. Races vary markedly in colour and pattern, with two broad groups, those with grey underparts and those without: deficiens resembles nominate but deeper brown above, uppertail-coverts less rufous, underparts greyish, lacks slaty breastband; peninsularis is like previous, but more white on breast; ripleyi is like last, but greyish-toned, less rufou-brown, above; sanfordi is slightly larger, rich brown to olive-brown above, dull rufous-brown below (more like C. murina bud duller); bastille is like last, but upperparts dull dark olive, underparts slightly paler, with less contrast between light throat and darker breast and belly.
12 cm
Taxonomy: Gerygone robusta De Vis, 1898, Wharton Range, south-eastern New Guinea. Races form two groups, sanfordi and bastille brown below and the other four having grey underparts; whether groups differ vocally, however, is not known. Proposed race pratti (Mt Dayman, extreme SE New Guinea) normally merged with nominate. Six subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * ripleyi Mayr & Meyer de Schauensee, 1939 - Vogelkop (Tamrau Mts), in NW New Guinea. * peninsularis E. J. O. Hartert, 1930 - Arfak Mts, in Vogelkop (NW New Guinea). * sanfordi E. J. O. Hartert, 1930 - W New Guinea from Wandammen area, and Weyland Mts and Snow Mts, E to Jayawijaya Mts, Victor Emanuel Mts and Hindenburg Mts. * deficiens E. J. O. Hartert, 1930 - N New Guinea (Cyclops Mts). * bastille Diamond, 1969 - N New Guinea (Bewani Mts, Torricelli Mts). * robusta (De Vis, 1898) - E & SE New Guinea from Huon Peninsula (Saruwaged Mts), Sepik Mts and Herzog Mts E to Owen Stanley Range.
Mountain forest, at c. 1250 – 3680 m; inhabits dense shrubby understorey of moss forest, occurring also in coarse kunai grass (Imperata) along forest edge, and in overgrown treefall areas. Becomes commoner at higher elevations, e.g. at 1645 m on Mt Karimui, but tails off as vegetation becomes dwarfed nearer tree-line. Replaced at lower elevations by C. murina. Narrow zone of overlap with both latter and C. nigrorufa in a few areas; ecological-separation mechanism unknown, but presumably through nich selection, with present species between mainly terrestrial C. murina and higher-foraging C. nigrorufa.
Insectivorous; no details of dietary items. Usually seen singly or in pairs, or in groups of three or four individuals, probably family parties. forages on ground and substage; creeps quietly through vegetation, easily overlooked unless calling. Often skulking but sometimes quite approachable, heard far more often than seen. Hops on ground and through shrubs, gleaning food items; will feed on narrow shady tracks adjacent to thick cover.
Few data. Netlings reported in Dec and Aug. Domed nest similar to that of Sericornis, lined with feathers; sites include under tree roots, in fork of small tree, under small cliff and in a landslip area. No other informations.