Adults: forehead and forecrown black, shading into blackish brown on nape; back dark earth-brown with a chestnut tinge; lower rump and upper tail-coverts pale yellow; central tail feathers broadly, others narrowly edged yellow; face, sides of neck, chin and upper throat black; breast whitish, faintly mottled with reddish brown and bordered posterior by a black band which continues down the flanks as ŕ stripe of blotched black and white; abdomen white; thighs and under tail-coverts black; iris dark; bill grey; feet grey-brown.
Not Threatened
Adults: forehead and forecrown black, shading into blackish brown on nape; back dark earth-brown with a chestnut tinge; lower rump and upper tail-coverts pale yellow; central tail feathers broadly, others narrowly edged yellow; face, sides of neck, chin and upper throat black; breast whitish, faintly mottled with reddish brown and bordered posterior by a black band which continues down the flanks as ŕ stripe of blotched black and white; abdomen white; thighs and under tail-coverts black; iris dark; bill grey; feet grey-brown.
Taxonomy: Munia monticola De Vis, 1897, Mount Scratchley, Owen Stanley Range, New Guinea. Name myolae is a junior synonym of present species name. Sometimes considered conspecific with L. montana, but its relationships may be with another member of genus. Monotypic. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:
- Wharton and Owen Stanley Ranges (E to Myola grasslands), in SE New Guinea.
High mountains of south-eastern New Guinea. In the alpine grasslands and among rocks up to near the top of the highest peaks, this alpine finch was common.
Their diet mainly consists of grass seeds and weeds, but they also have a fondness for insects.