Peneoenanthe pulverulenta
Nominate race has lores black, ear- coverts dark smoky grey; crown to rump dark smoky grey, uppertail- coverts black; upperwing brownish- black, small diffuse white spot near bases of inner primaries and secondaries (not visible on folded wing, forming inconspicious stripe in flight); tail black- brown, all except central rectrices with white bases ( about basal half white on outer four pairs); chin, cheek and throat white, breast to flanks with greyish wash, belly and undertail- coverts white; iris dark brown; bill black; legs black or dark grey. Sexes alike. Juvenile has head and upperparts dark brown with pale shaft streaks, upperwing- coverts tipped dark buff, underparts off- white with brown feather tips, bill horn- brown; immature similar to adult, but has pale edges on wing- coverts and secondaries. Race leucura has head and neck much lighter and greyer than nominate, not contrasting with back, breast strongly washed grey; cinereiceps is similar to previous, but upperparts browner; alligator has crown, neck and ear- coverts much blacker, contrasting with upperparts, pale grey wash on breas.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has lores black, ear- coverts dark smoky grey; crown to rump dark smoky grey, uppertail- coverts black; upperwing brownish- black, small diffuse white spot near bases of inner primaries and secondaries (not visible on folded wing, forming inconspicious stripe in flight); tail black- brown, all except central rectrices with white bases ( about basal half white on outer four pairs); chin, cheek and throat white, breast to flanks with greyish wash, belly and undertail- coverts white; iris dark brown; bill black; legs black or dark grey. Sexes alike. Juvenile has head and upperparts dark brown with pale shaft streaks, upperwing- coverts tipped dark buff, underparts off- white with brown feather tips, bill horn- brown; immature similar to adult, but has pale edges on wing- coverts and secondaries. Race leucura has head and neck much lighter and greyer than nominate, not contrasting with back, breast strongly washed grey; cinereiceps is similar to previous, but upperparts browner; alligator has crown, neck and ear- coverts much blacker, contrasting with upperparts, pale grey wash on breas.
14- 15 cm; 18- 24 g
Taxonomy: Myiolestes pulverulentus Bonaparte, 1850, Utanata River, southern New Guinea. Has been placed in genus Poecilodryas, and more recently in Eopsaltria; retention in its own monotypic genus probably preferable, as closest relationships of this species to others in subfamily Eopsaltriinae uncertain. Four subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * pulverulenta (Bonaparte, 1850) - coastal districts and middle R Sepik and middle R Fly, in New Guinea. * leucura (Gould, 1869) - Aru Is, and N Australia (coastal N Queensland). * alligator (Mathews, 1912) - coast of Northern Territory, in N Australia. * cinereiceps ( E. J. O. Hartert, 1905) - coastal NW & NE Western Australia.
Coastal and near- coastal mangroves; in New Guinea, also enters subcoastal paperbark (Melaleuca) swamps and riverside reedbeds mixed with shrubs farther inland. Only at or near sea- level.
Insects, crustaceans and other small invertebrates. Frequents middle storey and understorey. Feeds mainly on the ground, pouncing on prey from an elevated perch.
In New Guinea, eggs in late Sept and young in mid- Feb, late May and mid- Jul, indicating breeding during both wet and dry seasons; breeds mainly Sept- Feb in Australia; one or several broods per season. Nest built by female, a compact cup of bark and dry vegetation, bound with spider web, decorated externally with vertically hanging bark strips, lined with rootlets, grass and other fine vegetation, external diameter 6,4- 7,6 cm, height 3,5- 7,1cm, internal diameter 5,3- 5,8 cm, depth 2- 2,8 cm; placed 1- 4,5 m up in fork in mangrove or against trunk at base of branch. Clutch 2 eggs, occasionally 3, olive- green or light yellowish- green, with dull reddish- brown markings around larger end, average size 20,1 x 15,6 mm; female incubates eggs, both sexes feed and care for young, no information on duration of incubation and nestling periods.