Rhipidura rufidorsa
Crown and nape grey, side of head buffy to greyish, upperparts rufous, remiges greyish-brown, edged with rufous, wing-coverts rufous, tail greyish, becaming rufous towards base, restrices tipped white, narrowly on central pair, broadly on others, throat whitish, upperparts motted grey and buff, belly and undertail –coverts buffy white, flanks buffier, iris darka brow, bill brown to pinkish-brown, darker above, paler below, legs brown to grey. Sexes alike, juvenile is like adult, but tail shorter. Kumusi is brighter, Kubuna is duller and paler.
Not Threatened
Crown and nape grey, side of head buffy to greyish, upperparts rufous, remiges greyish-brown, edged with rufous, wing-coverts rufous, tail greyish, becaming rufous towards base, restrices tipped white, narrowly on central pair, broadly on others, throat whitish, upperparts motted grey and buff, belly and undertail –coverts buffy white, flanks buffier, iris darka brow, bill brown to pinkish-brown, darker above, paler below, legs brown to grey. Sexes alike, juvenile is like adult, but tail shorter. Kumusi is brighter, Kubuna is duller and paler.
13-14 cm, 9-10 g
Taxonomy: Rhipidura rufidorsa A. B. Meyer, 1874, Passim, Rubi, Geelvink Bay, and Yapen Island, western New Guinea. Forms a superspecies with R. dahli, R. matthiae and R. malaitae, as part of a larger species group that also includes R. teysmanni, R. superflua, R. dedemi. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * rufidorsa A. B. Meyer, 1874 - New Guinea E to Astrolabe Bay and, in S, to R Fly. * r. kumusi r. kumusi Mathews, 1928 - N coast of SE New Guinea (R Kumusi E to Collingwood Bay). * kubuna Rand, 1938 - S coast of SE New Guinea (R Angabunga E to R Yeimauri area).
Rainforest, monsoon forest, nerby tall sedentary growth and swamp-forest, powlands to 650m, locally to 850 m. Mainly in interior of forest, sometimes on edge.
Sedentary. 3 years at same locality.
Insect. Forages from near ground levet to canopy, but mostly in lower to middle levels. Flycatching (1-80), and gleaning (mostly). Foraging substrate were leaf-litter 12, leaves 74, branches 10, trunk 4.May join mixed-species flocks of small insectivores.
Nest with eggs in Jul, recently fledged young in early Oct, fledglings in late Aug, birds in breedeing conditions May-Aug. Courtship behave. – one individual hovered over the other. Nest a small cup with tail hanging from underside. Placed 0.4-0.9 m from ground. Eggs 2, pinkish white, with sprase reddish-brown spots mainly at large end. Sedentary. 3 years at same locality.
Generally very common to fairy common in lowlands, less on hils.