Cnemophilus macgregorii
Upper ridge of culmen broadly flat towards skull, gape wide, tail graduated, Male nominate race has forehead, upper ear-coverts and entire upperparts brilliant silky flame-yellow with iridescent white highlights, duller on back, and cinnamon on upperwing and uppertail; small erectile (usually concealed) sagittal crest of 4-6 sickle-shaped feathers dark buff with golden iridescent gloss; lores, lower ear-coverts, tiny narrow line above centre of eye, and entire underpans brownish-black with coppery-bronze dull sheen; variable cinnamon feathers on thighs and flanks; iris dark brown to bluish-grey; bill dark brownish-black, mouth pinkish; legs purplish-brown to brown-black. Female is very different from male, fairly uniform brown-olive, underparts slightly paler and buffier, especially on belly and undertail-coverts, with iris dark brown-grey to dark bluish-grey, bill brownish-black, legs dark brownish to brownish-black, mouth pale green, also slightly smaller. Juvenile is briefly grey: immature male like adult female but with paler bill, legs and iris brownish to brown-grey; subadult male varies, from like adult female with few feathers of adult male plumage to like adult male with few feathers.of female-like plumage remaining, also tail longer than adult male. Race sanguineus differs from nominate in having slightly longer wing and shorter tail, adult male with considerably richer and reddish dorsal plumage, and underpans with less copper-red sheen.
Not Threatened
Upper ridge of culmen broadly flat towards skull, gape wide, tail graduated, Male nominate race has forehead, upper ear-coverts and entire upperparts brilliant silky flame-yellow with iridescent white highlights, duller on back, and cinnamon on upperwing and uppertail; small erectile (usually concealed) sagittal crest of 4-6 sickle-shaped feathers dark buff with golden iridescent gloss; lores, lower ear-coverts, tiny narrow line above centre of eye, and entire underpans brownish-black with coppery-bronze dull sheen; variable cinnamon feathers on thighs and flanks; iris dark brown to bluish-grey; bill dark brownish-black, mouth pinkish; legs purplish-brown to brown-black. Female is very different from male, fairly uniform brown-olive, underparts slightly paler and buffier, especially on belly and undertail-coverts, with iris dark brown-grey to dark bluish-grey, bill brownish-black, legs dark brownish to brownish-black, mouth pale green, also slightly smaller. Juvenile is briefly grey: immature male like adult female but with paler bill, legs and iris brownish to brown-grey; subadult male varies, from like adult female with few feathers of adult male plumage to like adult male with few feathers.of female-like plumage remaining, also tail longer than adult male. Race sanguineus differs from nominate in having slightly longer wing and shorter tail, adult male with considerably richer and reddish dorsal plumage, and underpans with less copper-red sheen.
24 cm; male 90-120 g, female 79-125 g
Taxonomy: Cnemophilus macgregorii De Vis, 1890, Mount Knutsford, Owen Stanley Range, New Guinea. This genus and Loboparadisea sometimes united in a separate family, Cnemophilidae. Sympatric with C. loriae at c. 2600 m on Mt Hagen and 2200-2650 m in Ambua Range, but hybridization unrecorded. Birds from Kubor Mts (E New Guinea) described as additional race, kuboriensis, synonymized with sanguineus. Geographical extent of nominate race uncertain, possibly wider than is listed below. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * sanguineus Iredale, 1948 - mountains of E New Guinea (Mt Giluwe and Mt Hagen region E to at least Bismarck Mts and Kubor Range). * macgregorii De Vis, 1890 - SE New Guinea (E at least from Ekuti Divide, E of Watut/Tauri gap).
Upper montane and subalpine forest and forest edge, including secondary growth, disturbed vegetation and shrubbery; 2100-3650 m. mainly 2600-3500 m.
Only fruits recorded, mostly simple drupes or berries plucked and swallowed whole, without manipulation by bill or feet. Nestling fed exclusively with fruits (odd tiny shelled mollusc incidental). Fruits taken mainly from middle and lower strata of dense forest edges or second growth. Usually forages alone, but several males (up to nine) and female-plumaged individuals may gather in fruiting plants together with other frugivorous species, including other members of present family.
Season Aug-Jan in EC highlands; display season undefined, but birds with enlarged gonads in Jun-Nov on Mt Hagen. courting well established in Jun, full sperm production Jul-Sept, and mating before mid-Nov, Polygynous: presumed solitary, promiscuous male attends traditional adver-tisemenl-singing perches; female builds and attends nest alone. Male appeared to patrol possible territory c. 200 lit in diameter, but territoriality unconfirmed. Nest globular with horizontally ovate entrance hole, externally consisting of green mosses and green fern fronds (which blend with adjacent vegetation) placed on foundation of woody sticks, interior lined exclusively with green-yellow epiphytic orchid stems, and egg-chamber with finer ones; built c. 2-4 m above ground atop decayed mossy tree stump, on side of mossy tree trunk, or within branches of tree and associated vegetation. Clutch probably 1 egg; incubation period more than 19 days; nestling period more, than 30 days.