Melidectes fuscus
26-29 cm, male 74-84 g and two females 61-69 g (nominate). Male 72-96 g and female 56-72 g. Nominate race has forehead white, rest of head and neck dusty black brosn, merging into brownish-grey on hindneck, side of neck and lower throat, with large area of light green to pale greenish-yellow or pale yellow bares kin around eye, bordered by small superciliary tuft of bright yellow, and with small yellowstreak at rear edge of ear-coverts, long pale yellow to pale greenish-white gape wattle extending across malar area to side of upper throat, bordered belowe by narrow and wispy whitish submoustachial stripe, small orange-red wattle behind gape wattle on side of lower throat, upperparts dark brown, slightly darker upperwing and tail, wing broad yellow to olive edges on greater coverts and all except outer remiges, rectrices also broadly edged yellow-olive, underbody grey-brown, mottled or roughly barred wit off-white to light brownish-grey, undertail coverts rich chestnut-brown, undertail dark-olive-brown, slightly paler on coverts and paler across bases of remiges, iris dark brown to blackish-brown, bill pale steely blue or pale blue-grey, legs steely blue-grey to very pale blue, soles yello. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female. Juvenile undescribed. Race thomasi is like nominate, except for black forehead.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has forehead white, rest of head and neck dusty black breast, merging into brownish-grey on hind-neck, side of neck and lower throat, with large area of light green to pale greenish-yellow or pale yellow bares kin around eye, bordered by small superciliary tuft of bright yellow, and with small yellow streak at rear edge of ear-coverts, long pale yellow to pale greenish-white gape wattle extending across malar area to side of upper throat, bordered below by narrow and wispy whitish submoustachial stripe, small orange-red wattle behind gape wattle on side of lower throat, upperparts dark brown, slightly darker upperwing and tail, wing broad yellow to olive edges on greater coverts and all except outer remiges, rectrices also broadly edged yellow-olive, under body grey-brown, mottled or roughly barred wit off-white to light brownish-grey, undertail coverts rich chestnut-brown, undertail dark-olive-brown, slightly paler on coverts and paler across bases of remiges, iris dark brown to blackish-brown, bill pale steely blue or pale blue-grey, legs steely blue-grey to very pale blue, soles yello. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female. Juvenile undescribed.
26-29 cm, male 74-84 g and two females 61-69 g (nominate). Male 72-96 g and female 56-72 g.
Study of relationships within genus needed. Forms a superspecies with M. leucostephes, M. belfordi and M. foersteri; all four, along with M. ochromelas and M. torquatus, comprise a group of relatively large species that differ from others in genus in size, morphology, plumage and voice. Sometimes treated as conspecific with M. belfordi, and on Mt Koimjim (in Schrader Mts) the two co-occur but appear to exclude each other altitudinally; they hybridize freely, however, where they come into contact; Herzog Mts, much of Eastern Highlands, Mt Goliath (in E Star Mts) and N slopes of Snow Mts may once have supported both species, but hybrid populations now found extensively through these areas (although populations of N slopes of Snow Mts are almost pure M. belfordi). Has been suggested that race thomasi is of hybrid origin on basis of its black forehead; this race was originally described under name gilliardi, but that name invalid, as preoccupied. Precise geographical limits of each race complicated by extensive hybridization with M. belfordi. Two subspecies recognized.
(source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- rufocrissalis (Reichenow, 1915) - Central Range of New Guinea, from E Star Mts and Hindenburg Range E to Bismarck Range, Mt Hagen and Kubor Mts. thomasi Diamond, 1969 - S slopes of Eastern Highlands from at least Okapa to Mt Karimui and in Morobe Province (in Aseki area).
Lower and mandible montane forest, forest edge and secondary growth, also gardens. Abundant in clumps of tree in grasslands and in trees bordering streams throught grasslands. Mainly 1400-2450 m, occasionally down to 1100m, 1280-2420 m on S slopes.
Not described - supposed to migrate altitudinally
Diet includes insect, nectar and fruit. Usually in middle and upper storeys, often foraging high in canopy, commonly seen in flowering or fruiting trees. Noisy and conspicuous with rather deliberate actions. Usually seen singly, sometimes in twos. Mutual chases it treetops.
Nestlings recorded early Oct, fledglings mid-Jul and early Feb, and unspecified breeding in Apr. Nest a woven open basket of fine grass and fern stems.