Pachycephalopsis poliosoma
Nominate race is dark grey above, area from gape to ear- coverts sooty grey, uppertaip- coverts slightly darker than back; upperwing and tail sooty grey; chin and throat mottled white, side of throat whiter and unmarked, underparts medium grey; iris pale grey or buffy; bill black; legs pinkish- grey to slate- blue. Sexes alike. Juvenile has upperparts dark olive- brown, lores very dark blackish- brown, chin white, throat, breast and flanks brown, white belly feathers tipped brown (mottled), undertail- coverts tan- coloured; immature differs from adult in having top of head, wings and tail much browner, tinged chestnut, and some feathers on breast and abdomen faintly mottled brownish. Race albigularis ahs chin and upper throat white, wing and tail greyish- black, belly little paler than breast; approximans is similar to previous, but white on throat reduced; balim has crown and breast tinged brown, uppertail- coverts and tail more brownish, white on throat more reduced, belly more whitish, undertail- coverts buff; idenburgi is like last, but crown and head side blacker, white on throat further reduced, remiges and rectrices edged darker brown; hunsteini has chin white with buff wash, throat grey, breast and belly darker, crown blacker, undertail- coverts buff; hypopolia is similar to last, but slightly smaller and paler.
Not Threatened
Nominate race is dark grey above, area from gape to ear- coverts sooty grey, uppertaip- coverts slightly darker than back; upperwing and tail sooty grey; chin and throat mottled white, side of throat whiter and unmarked, underparts medium grey; iris pale grey or buffy; bill black; legs pinkish- grey to slate- blue. Sexes alike. Juvenile has upperparts dark olive- brown, lores very dark blackish- brown, chin white, throat, breast and flanks brown, white belly feathers tipped brown (mottled), undertail- coverts tan- coloured; immature differs from adult in having top of head, wings and tail much browner, tinged chestnut, and some feathers on breast and abdomen faintly mottled brownish. Race albigularis ahs chin and upper throat white, wing and tail greyish- black, belly little paler than breast; approximans is similar to previous, but white on throat reduced; balim has crown and breast tinged brown, uppertail- coverts and tail more brownish, white on throat more reduced, belly more whitish, undertail- coverts buff; idenburgi is like last, but crown and head side blacker, white on throat further reduced, remiges and rectrices edged darker brown; hunsteini has chin white with buff wash, throat grey, breast and belly darker, crown blacker, undertail- coverts buff; hypopolia is similar to last, but slightly smaller and paler.
15- 16.5 cm; 35- 42 g
Taxonomy: Pachycephalopsis poliosoma Sharpe, 1882, Astrolabe Mountains, south-east New Guinea. Affinities of genus uncertain; has in the past been associated with whistler genus Pachycephala, and sometimes merged with it. Placement within current subfamily somewhat tentative; further research required. Subspecific identity of population in Torricelli Mts uncertain. Seven subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * albigularis (Rothschild, 1931) - W & C New Guinea (Weyland Mts, Victor Emanuel Mts). * approximans (Ogilvie-Grant, 1911) - S slopes of Snow Mts, in WC New Guinea. * idenburgi Rand, 1940 - N slopes of C New Guinea mountains. * balim Rand, 1940 - valleys of R Bele and R Balim (WC New Guinea). * hunsteini (Neumann, 1922) - mountains on upper R Sepik (EC New Guinea). * hypopolia Salvadori, 1899 - mountains of Huon Peninsula (NE New Guinea). * poliosoma Sharpe, 1882 - mountains of SE New Guinea.
Hill forest and lower montane forest, mostly at 400- 1700 m, generally above 700m; to 2200 m in Snow Mts. In WC & C range, where sympatric with P. hattamensis, usually replaced by that species above 975 m.
Insects; circumstantial evidence of larger prey (such as eggs or nestlings) also taken. Frequents low substage, at or below 2,5 m from ground. Most prey captured by gleaning from or making sally- strikes to undergrowth vegetation or ground.
Males with enlarged testes in Aug, newly hatched chick in mid- Aug and juvenile in early Nov, indicative of breeding during middle to late dry season, at least. Nest a cup of rootlets and green moss; one was placed 1,3 m from ground in sapling. Clutch 1 egg, buff- white, densely and evenly blotched brown and light purplish- grey, more purplish- grey markings forming cap at larger end, size 27,3 x 19,4 mm.