A relatively large, long-billed montane scrubwren with noticeably rusty tinge on face. Nominate and facial area buffy rufous; upperparts dark brownish-olive, upperwing and tail browner, edges of wing and tail feathers tinged rufous; dull buffy olive below, rufous tinge on chin and upper throat; iris red-brown or orange-brown; bill black or rownish-black; legs variable, pale flesh to dark brown. Differs from S. papiensis mainly in more rufous, less greenish, plumage tones and lack of subterminal tailband. From S. perspicillatus and S. arfakianus by noticeably larger size. Sexes alike. Juvenile undescribed. Races distinguished by minor size and colour differences: cantanns has rufous of face extending onto breast, greyer buff belly, rufous undertail-coverts, upperparts somewhat darker than in nominate; stresemanni has tail darker and less rufous than others, is distinctively yellowish-olive below, breast heavily washed or mottled with rufous or pale brown, flanks darker; oorti browner on head, tail and wings, more olive on back, buffy rufous on chin and sides of head, yellowish-olive underparts, more olive on flanks, rufous undertail-coverts; monticola similar to previous, bur larger and with paler underparts.
Not Threatened
A relatively large, long-billed montane scrubwren with noticeably rusty tinge on face. Nominate and facial area buffy rufous; upperparts dark brownish-olive, upperwing and tail browner, edges of wing and tail feathers tinged rufous; dull buffy olive below, rufous tinge on chin and upper throat; iris red-brown or orange-brown; bill black or rownish-black; legs variable, pale flesh to dark brown. Differs from S. papiensis mainly in more rufous, less greenish, plumage tones and lack of subterminal tailband. From S. perspicillatus and S. arfakianus by noticeably larger size. Sexes alike. Juvenile undescribed. Races distinguished by minor size and colour differences: cantanns has rufous of face extending onto breast, greyer buff belly, rufous undertail-coverts, upperparts somewhat darker than in nominate; stresemanni has tail darker and less rufous than others, is distinctively yellowish-olive below, breast heavily washed or mottled with rufous or pale brown, flanks darker; oorti browner on head, tail and wings, more olive on back, buffy rufous on chin and sides of head, yellowish-olive underparts, more olive on flanks, rufous undertail-coverts; monticola similar to previous, bur larger and with paler underparts.
11.5 – 13.5 cm
Taxonomy: Sericornis arfakiana nouhuysi van Oort, 1909, Hellwig Mountains, Oranje Range, New Guinea. Part of a species group that also includes S. virgatus, S. beccarii and S. magnirostra. Race adelberti is intermediate between present species and S. virgatus, and sometimes placed with latter. Race stresemanni intergrades with oorti. Six subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * cantans Mayr, 1930 - NW New Guinea (mountains of Vogelkop). * nouhuysi van Oort, 1909 - W New Guinea (Weyland Mts, Nassau Range, Snow Mts). * stresemanni Mayr, 1930 - Central Highlands of E New Guinea (Hindenburg Range E to Schrader Range and Wahgi valley). * adelberti T. K. Pratt, 1982 - NE New Guinea (Adelbert Mts). * oorti Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1913 - mountains of Huon Peninsula and Herzog Mts, in E New Guinea. * monticola Mayr & Rand, 1936 - SE New Guinea (Wharton Range, Owen Stanley Range).
Montane forest and adjacent secondary growth at 1400 – 3500 m, occasionally as low as 1200 m and up to 3750m; in SE (race monticola) apparently mostly above 3000m.
Arthropods; sometimes takes seeds, but no details recorded. Generally seen in small parties of four or five individuals in lower stages of forest, ranging at times to middle storey. Pokes about on mossy branches and trunks, also on vines and epiphytes; behaviour rather like that of an Australasian treecreeper (Climacteris) or a Blue-capped Ifrit (Ifrita kowaldi), but occupies lower levels. leans for items. Is perhaps a less active feeder than its sympatric smaller congeners, which often utilize smaller branches at higher levels in vegetation.
Recorded Apr-Dec; seems to breed in both wet and dry seasons. Nest a bulky dome with side entrance near top, made of dry pandanus (Pandanus) leaves and rootlets with covering of coarse moss-like liverwort, ferns and decomposed fibres, lined with fine fibres and feathers, built in lower leaves of pandanus or in moss clump suspended from tree limb. Clutch 2 eggs, whitish, washed pale purplish-brown, with obscure dark, markings capping large end and a few pale brown marks elsewhere; no information on incubation and nestling periods.