Colourization Adult: O.a. arfaki: both adults mainly green in colour; red forecrown; purple lores and cheeks; from lores to area below eyes are two rows of white streaks; orange/red abdomen and lower flanks; yellow on sides of undertail coverts; red underwing coverts to sides of breast; underwing stripe yellow; green tail tipped with rose/red. Bill black. Eye dark brown. O.a. major: larger in size than arfaki; tail has scarlet tips. O.a. grandis: as in major, but with green on abdomen to lower flanks. Colourization Juvenile: O.a arfaki: frontal band red in males, orange frontal band narrower in females; green crown; dull green cheeks, with dull mauve wash; white steaks beneath eye faint. O.a. major: as in adults. O.a. grandis: as in adults. Call: Calls are described as soft, twittering notes sounding like the jangle of small coins; also repetitious, abrupt notes.
Not Threatened.
Colourization Adult: O.a. arfaki: both adults mainly green in colour; red forecrown; purple lores and cheeks; from lores to area below eyes are two rows of white streaks; orange/red abdomen and lower flanks; yellow on sides of undertail coverts; red underwing coverts to sides of breast; underwing stripe yellow; green tail tipped with rose/red. Bill black. Eye dark brown. O.a. major: larger in size than arfaki; tail has scarlet tips. O.a. grandis: as in major, but with green on abdomen to lower flanks. Colourization Juvenile: O.a arfaki: frontal band red in males, orange frontal band narrower in females; green crown; dull green cheeks, with dull mauve wash; white steaks beneath eye faint. O.a. major: as in adults. O.a. grandis: as in adults. Call: Calls are described as soft, twittering notes sounding like the jangle of small coins; also repetitious, abrupt notes.
15 cm. 16-23 g
Taxonomy:
- Trichoglossus (Charmosyna) Arfaki A. B. Meyer, 1874, Arfak Mountains, 3500 feet (c. 1060 m), New Guinea. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * arfaki (A. B. Meyer, 1874) - Vogelkop (W Irian Jaya). * major Ogilvie-Grant, 1914 - Snow Mts (C Irian Jaya). * grandis Ogilvie-Grant, 1895 - C mountain ridge of Papua New Guinea.
Found from 2000-3750m in montane moss forest.
Diet includes nectar, flowers, fruits and berries
August. Most often seen in pairs or small flocks which are quite conspicuous. Forages in the canopy and mid-storey on flowers of epiphytes and often in the company of other blossom-feeders.