Peneothello cyanus
Nominate race has head and body blue- grey, side of face somewhat darker, underparts slighter paler; wing and tail blackish; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Sexes alike. Juvenile has body feathers and wing- covrerts slate with buff shaft streaks and large rusty- brown tips; immature retains juvenile wing- coverts. Race atricapilla is darker than nominate, with crown blacker; subcyanea has crown lighter. Voice: Song 12 musical whistles starting on same pitch, then progressively rising and accelerating. Calls include loud, unmusical 3- note phrase repeated without pause several times and preceded by 1- 2 other notes, also loud rapid series of “teeder- teeder- teeder- teeder- teeder”, first note of each pair higher in pitch than second.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has head and body blue- grey, side of face somewhat darker, underparts slighter paler; wing and tail blackish; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Sexes alike. Juvenile has body feathers and wing- covrerts slate with buff shaft streaks and large rusty- brown tips; immature retains juvenile wing- coverts. Race atricapilla is darker than nominate, with crown blacker; subcyanea has crown lighter. Voice: Song 12 musical whistles starting on same pitch, then progressively rising and accelerating. Calls include loud, unmusical 3- note phrase repeated without pause several times and preceded by 1- 2 other notes, also loud rapid series of “teeder- teeder- teeder- teeder- teeder”, first note of each pair higher in pitch than second.
14- 15 cm; 24- 30 g
Taxonomy: Myiolestes ? cyanus Salvadori, 1874, Arfak Mountains, New Guinea. Forms a species pair with P. cryptoleuca. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * cyanus (Salvadori, 1874) - Vogelkop (Arfak Mts), in NW New Guinea. * atricapilla (E. J. O. Hartert & Paludan, 1934) - C & N New Guinea mountains E to Hindenburg Range. * c. subcyanea (c. subcyanea De Vis, 1897) - mountains of E & SE New Guinea, including Adelbert Mts and Huon Peninsula.
Forest and adjoining secondary growth at c. 900- 2750 m, mainly 1500- 2500 m; upper level that at which heavy moss cover appears. Where co- occurs with P. cryptoleuca, the two have mutually exclusive altitudinal ranges, present species occupying lower levels; transition at 1415 m (Gauttier Mts) to 2400 m (Weyland Mts).
Insects, including ants (Hymenoptera), weevils and other small beetles (Coleoptera) and thyonnid wasps. Frequents substage and ground, occasionally ascending to 5 m. food items obtained by sally- striking (c. 75% of observation) and gleaning (c. 25%) in undergrowth (c. 60%) and on ground (c. 35%).
Season on Mt Missim (SE of range) reported as Nov- Dec; elsewhere, nests with egg or young in late Sept, mid- Oct and late Dec to early Jan, adult feeding young in mid- Mar and fledgling in early Apr, nests in late Apr, and males with enlarged gonads in Jun and Aug- Sept, records suggesting that season extends from late dry season to late wet season, at least. Nest a deep bulky cup made from fine rootlets, covered on outside with thick layer of green moss, lined with dried fern fronds; placed up to 6 m from ground in upright fork of slender sapling or low bush, or in fork of sapling branch, usually in open situation. Clutch 1 egg possibly 2 on occasion, light olive to olive- green, sometimes with reddish tinge or with olive- brown markings (often forming zone around larger end), size 20,5 x 17- 19 mm; no information on incubation and nestling periods.