Campochaera sloetii
A small cuckoo-shrike with small bill; striking plumage, dominated by golden-yellow, unique in family. Male nonminate race has crown grey; base of forehead, lores and ear-coverts to throat and upper breast black, glossed greenish, black area separated from crown and hindneck by white band; upperparts predominantly golden-yellow, slightly more olive on scapulars, brighter from lower back to uppertail-coverts; upperwing-coverts black, glossed greenish, medians narrowly tipped white, greaters broadly edged white; primary coverts and remiges black, tertials edged white; restrices black, tipped white, white broadest on outermost; underparts bright golden-yellow, axillaries and underwing-coverts white; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Female is less brilliant yellow than male, has mantle olive-tingled, black on head and breast replaced by grey, but feathers around eye black, grey of crown washed yellow. Juvenile undescribed; immarute like female, but grey of head replaced by yellow, with grey patch only on upper breast. Race flaviceps differs from nominate in having crown more greenish, and overall coloration slightly more olive-yellow.
A small cuckoo-shrike with small bill; striking plumage, dominated by golden-yellow, unique in family. Male nonminate race has crown grey; base of forehead, lores and ear-coverts to throat and upper breast black, glossed greenish, black area separated from crown and hindneck by white band; upperparts predominantly golden-yellow, slightly more olive on scapulars, brighter from lower back to uppertail-coverts; upperwing-coverts black, glossed greenish, medians narrowly tipped white, greaters broadly edged white; primary coverts and remiges black, tertials edged white; restrices black, tipped white, white broadest on outermost; underparts bright golden-yellow, axillaries and underwing-coverts white; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Female is less brilliant yellow than male, has mantle olive-tingled, black on head and breast replaced by grey, but feathers around eye black, grey of crown washed yellow. Juvenile undescribed; immarute like female, but grey of head replaced by yellow, with grey patch only on upper breast. Race flaviceps differs from nominate in having crown more greenish, and overall coloration slightly more olive-yellow.
20 cm; 36 – 46 g
Taxonomy: Campephaga sloetii Schlegel, 1866, Seleh, south-west cape of the Vogelkop, New Guinea. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * sloetii (Schlegel, 1866) - Arfak Mts (foothills) and N New Guinea lowlands (E to Wewak area). * flaviceps Salvadori, 1880 - S New Guinea lowlands from R Mimika E to Moroka, and foothills of Owen Stanley Range.
Primary forest and forest edge; mainly in hill forest, locally also in lowlands near hills. Occurs locally up to 1100 m.
Eats mostly fruit; insects also recorded. Occurs in pairs or small parties in upper canopy and outer foliage. forages actively and noisily; obtains food by gleaning and by “flycatcher-gleaning”.
No information. Thought to breed during rainy season. Nov-Mar.