Peneothello sigillata
Nominate race has haed, body and tail velvety black; remiges brownish- black, tertials white with black tips (forming patch), median and lesser upperwing- coverts black; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Sexes similar. Juvenile is dark brown, paler on underparts, with pale buff, olive- brown or rufous shaft streaks on body feathers and upperwing- coverts; immature retains some juvenile wing- coverts. Race saruwagedi is smaller than nominate, with black tips of tertials more extensive; hagenensis lacks black tips on tertials; quadrimaculata also lacks black tertial tips, and has white patch on each side of breast. Voice: Song described as a slow trill of piping notes, sometimes rising and sometimes falling gradually in pitch. Calls include rapid high- pitched descending trill, sharp alarm note, and thin metallic notes given during chases.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has haed, body and tail velvety black; remiges brownish- black, tertials white with black tips (forming patch), median and lesser upperwing- coverts black; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Sexes similar. Juvenile is dark brown, paler on underparts, with pale buff, olive- brown or rufous shaft streaks on body feathers and upperwing- coverts; immature retains some juvenile wing- coverts. Race saruwagedi is smaller than nominate, with black tips of tertials more extensive; hagenensis lacks black tips on tertials; quadrimaculata also lacks black tertial tips, and has white patch on each side of breast. Voice: Song described as a slow trill of piping notes, sometimes rising and sometimes falling gradually in pitch. Calls include rapid high- pitched descending trill, sharp alarm note, and thin metallic notes given during chases.
14- 15 cm; 21- 28 g
Taxonomy: Poecilodryas ? sigillata De Vis, 1890, Mount Victoria, south-east New Guinea. Four subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * quadrimaculata ( van Oort, 1910) - Nassau Mts and Oranje Mts, in WC New Guinea. * hagenensis Mayr & Gilliard, 1952 - C New Guinea mountains (from Mt Antares E to Mt Hagen). * sigillata ( De Vis, 1890) - C ranges in E & SE New Guinea (E from Schrader Mts, Bismarck Range and Kubor Range). * saruwagedi ( Mayr, 1931) - mountains of Huon Peninsula, in NE New Guinea.
Moss forest and adjacent shrubbery at 2400- 3900 m, extending down to 2150 m in places. Replaced at lower elevations by P. cyanus.
Insects; occasionally fruit and seeds. Frequently substage of forest. Forages by sally- striking (c. 80% of observed attacks) and gleaning (c. 20%) in undergrowth (c. 40%) and on ground (c. 60%).
Nest with chicks in late Sept, nest with egg and chick in late Oct, adult at empty nest in mid- Oct and dependent fledgling in late Jan, indicating breeding during late dry season to beginning of wet season, at least. Nest a large bulky structure of loose green moss and rootlets, lined with dried filmy fern and thin stems, placed in fork. Clutch 1 egg, possibly sometimes 2, light olive, sparsely marked all over with brown and dark brown, and with cap of brown on large end; no information on incubation and nestling periods.