Male nominate race has forehead and crown grey, feathers broadly edged olive, forehead with whitish spots, remainder of crown with pale shaft sreaks; lores white, side of head dull rufous, feathers tipped black; hindneck brownish- olive, feathers with pale shaft streaks often enlarging into small spots near tip; upperparts brownish- olive, upper back with a few obscure spots; flight- feathers brownish- grey, edged brownish- olive, upperwing- coverts brownish- olive, greater coverts edged brown and submarginally black; tail brownish- grey, rectrices faintly washed olive; chin dull rufous, feathers tipped black, breast and flanks dull yellowish- white, each feather edged or barred dusky, undertail- coverts rufous; iris brown; bill black; legs slaty blue. Female has markings on top of head more pronounced, forehead and hindneck with more and wider whitish streaks, remiges and greater coverts with brighter rufous edges, lower back streaked with rusty outlined with black, head and chin much brighter rufous, underparts lighter with more distinct dark markings. Immaturate is like female. Race novus is darker than nominate above and below in both sexes, respectively, with markings reduced or absent, and rufous of head paler, male with edgings of remiges more olive; obscurus male is much plainer and duller, forehead and crown grey with feather edges indistinct, side of head dusky olive- grey and faintly mottled, back unmarked dark brownish- olive, greater coverts edged grey, throat grey with black feather edges, breast and belly greyish- olive, female like previous but underparts paler without buff tinge.
Not Threatened
Male nominate race has forehead and crown grey, feathers broadly edged olive, forehead with whitish spots, remainder of crown with pale shaft sreaks; lores white, side of head dull rufous, feathers tipped black; hindneck brownish- olive, feathers with pale shaft streaks often enlarging into small spots near tip; upperparts brownish- olive, upper back with a few obscure spots; flight- feathers brownish- grey, edged brownish- olive, upperwing- coverts brownish- olive, greater coverts edged brown and submarginally black; tail brownish- grey, rectrices faintly washed olive; chin dull rufous, feathers tipped black, breast and flanks dull yellowish- white, each feather edged or barred dusky, undertail- coverts rufous; iris brown; bill black; legs slaty blue. Female has markings on top of head more pronounced, forehead and hindneck with more and wider whitish streaks, remiges and greater coverts with brighter rufous edges, lower back streaked with rusty outlined with black, head and chin much brighter rufous, underparts lighter with more distinct dark markings. Immaturate is like female. Race novus is darker than nominate above and below in both sexes, respectively, with markings reduced or absent, and rufous of head paler, male with edgings of remiges more olive; obscurus male is much plainer and duller, forehead and crown grey with feather edges indistinct, side of head dusky olive- grey and faintly mottled, back unmarked dark brownish- olive, greater coverts edged grey, throat grey with black feather edges, breast and belly greyish- olive, female like previous but underparts paler without buff tinge.
15- 16,5 cm; 24- 29 g
Taxonomy: Pachycephala leucostigma Salvadori, 1876, Arfak Mountains, New Guinea. Often placed in genus Pachycephala. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * leucostigma (Salvadori, 1876) - Vogelkop (Tamrau Mts, Arfak Mts), in NW New Guinea. * novus Rand, 1940 - Weyland Mts and Nassau Range (R Utakwa), in W New Guinea. * obscurus Rand, 1940 - mountains of C & SE New Guinea (E from R Idenburg and, on S slope, from Mt Goliath) and of Huon Peninsula.
Lower montane forest, occasionally secondary growth; 820- 2550 m, mainly above 1500 m, occasionally to 2900m.
Little information. Berries (to at least 9 mm in diameter), sometimes insects. Found usually in lower and middle storeys, sometimes in canopy.