Rhipidura atra

General description: 

Male nominate race is all black, except for small underwing-coverts, iris dark brown, bill black, lower mandible orange to pinkish-orange, legs black. Female is very different, upperparts rufous, crown darker, R dark brown with rufous ending, two central pairs of tail feather entirely black, remaining R rufous, underparts rich rusty orange. Immature male is like adult female. Vulpes is similar to nominate in male, but female is brighter rufous.

Conservation status: 

Not Threatened

Diagnostic description: 

Male nominate race is all black, except for small underwing-coverts, iris dark brown, bill black, lower mandible orange to pinkish-orange, legs black. Female is very different, upperparts rufous, crown darker, R dark brown with rufous ending, two central pairs of tail feather entirely black, remaining R rufous, underparts rich rusty orange. Immature male is like adult female. Vulpes is similar to nominate in male, but female is brighter rufous.

Size: 

16.5 cm, 11-12 g

Phylogeny: 

Taxonomy: Rhipidura atra Salvadori, 1876, Hatam and Mori, Arfak Mountains, New Guinea. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)

Distribution: 

Subspecies and Distribution:

    * atra Salvadori, 1876 - mountains of New Guinea (except Cyclops Mts), and Waigeo I. * vulpes Mayr, 1931 - Cyclops Mts (NC New Guinea).
Habitat: 

Prefer dense undergrowth in forest and dense regrowth at forest edge, mainly 1000-2150 m, locally 700-3200 m. At higher elevations replaced by R. Brachyrhancha, although often with wide margin of overlap.

Migration: 

Resident.

Trophic strategy: 

Insect, including beetles and caterpillars. Forage mainly in lower storey and undergrowth. Prey captured by flycaching 75, gleaning 25. Occasionally joins mixed feeding flocks with other insectivorous species.

Reproduction: 

Nov-May, in late dry season. Nest a small cup of fine plant fragments, lined with fine thread-like fibre, bound with spider web, thin tail on underside. Placed near ground in horizontal fork of thin twig. Clutch 1 egg, cram, with purple-grey and olive-brown speckles and brothes forming broad zone near larger end, 18x13.8 mm, no info on fledging period. Resident. Not globally threatened.

Taxonomic name: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith