Pachycephala hyperythra
Forehead, lores and crown are dark slaty grey, feathers below orbit blackish, ear- coverts dusky brown; upperparts warm olive- brown, upperwing dusky, outer edges of remiges more yellowish- olive, wing coverts warm olive- brown; tail olive- brown, rectrices edged yellowish- olive on outer on outer webs; chin, throat and maler region white, underparts light rufous; iris dark brown; bill black; legs pink to pinkish- grey or flesh- brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile is largely rufous on body, with remiges and wing- coverts edged rufous; immature similar to adult but retains juvenile remiges and coverts. Race sepikiana has upperparts more olive, white throat patch larger, breast and belly brighter; reichenowi is similar to previous, but back darker and browner, underparts duller; salvadorii is like nominate, but back browner, underparts paler and duller.
Not Threatened
Forehead, lores and crown are dark slaty grey, feathers below orbit blackish, ear- coverts dusky brown; upperparts warm olive- brown, upperwing dusky, outer edges of remiges more yellowish- olive, wing coverts warm olive- brown; tail olive- brown, rectrices edged yellowish- olive on outer on outer webs; chin, throat and maler region white, underparts light rufous; iris dark brown; bill black; legs pink to pinkish- grey or flesh- brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile is largely rufous on body, with remiges and wing- coverts edged rufous; immature similar to adult but retains juvenile remiges and coverts. Race sepikiana has upperparts more olive, white throat patch larger, breast and belly brighter; reichenowi is similar to previous, but back darker and browner, underparts duller; salvadorii is like nominate, but back browner, underparts paler and duller.
15 cm; 25- 29 g.
Taxonomy: Pachycephala hyperythra Salvadori, 1876, Arfak Mountains, New Guinea. Possibly close to P. olivacea, P. rufogularis and P. inornata. Racial identity of population in EC New Guinea (headwaters of R Fly) uncertain; possibly an E extension of nominate, with which tentatively included. Four subspecies currently recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * hyperythra Salvadori, 1876 - mountains of NW & W New Guinea (Vogelkop, Onin Peninsula, Wandammen Mts, Weyland Mts); also EC New Guinea (headwaters of R Fly, including upper R Palmer and Ok Tedi areas). * sepikiana Stresemann, 1921 - Sepik Mts, mountains S of R Mamberano and North Coastal Range, in N New Guinea. * reichenowi Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1911 - Huon Peninsula (Saruwaged Mts), in NE New Guinea. * salvadorii Rothschild, 1897 - mountains of SE New Guinea (E from L Kutubu and Mt Bosavi).
Forest, mainly at 400- 1200 m, occasionally in lowlands (foothills); locally to 1400 m. Replaced, with considerable overlap, by P. simplex in lowlands and by P. soror at higher elevations.
Insects. Prey captured by gleaning in undergrowth (c. 30%) and lower storey (c. 70%), mainly on the trunk and branches in inner two- thirds of trees.
Nests with eggs in Nov. Nest a large cup, made mainly from small- leaved ferns, with some tendrils and moss, lined with pieces of leaves and rootlets. Clutch 2 eggs, purplish- buff to pinkish- buff, with grey and brown blotches and spots forming broad wreath near larger end, 22,3- 24,2 x 16,9- 17,9 mm. No other information. NoT.