Drymodes superciliaris
Nominate race has lores and spot behind eye white, vertical black stripe from above front of eye to side of lower throat, buff ear- coverts grading into hindneck ; forehead and upperparts to lower back cinnamon- brown, rump and uppertail- coverts bright rufous; upperwing blackish- brown, greater and median wing- coverts broadly edged white (forming two white bars on folded wing), outer primaries edged white distally (forming whitish patch), alula edged white, tertials broadly edged buff; tail bright rufous- brown, outer four feather pairs broadly tipped white, amount of white increasing outwards; chin and throat white, underparts light buff, side of belly and flanks washed rufous; iris dark brown; bill black; legs pink. Sexes similar. Juvenile is poorly known, reportedly duller and more rufous, with spotting on upperparts, rufous edges of wing- coverts; immature similar to adult, but retaining juvenile wing- coverts. Race brevirostris has upperparts tinged cinnamon; nigriceps has upperparts much darker and duller brown, male with brownish- black crown; beccarii is like previous, but upperparts slightly paler, crown slightly darker.
Not Threatened
Nominate race has lores and spot behind eye white, vertical black stripe from above front of eye to side of lower throat, buff ear- coverts grading into hindneck ; forehead and upperparts to lower back cinnamon- brown, rump and uppertail- coverts bright rufous; upperwing blackish- brown, greater and median wing- coverts broadly edged white (forming two white bars on folded wing), outer primaries edged white distally (forming whitish patch), alula edged white, tertials broadly edged buff; tail bright rufous- brown, outer four feather pairs broadly tipped white, amount of white increasing outwards; chin and throat white, underparts light buff, side of belly and flanks washed rufous; iris dark brown; bill black; legs pink. Sexes similar. Juvenile is poorly known, reportedly duller and more rufous, with spotting on upperparts, rufous edges of wing- coverts; immature similar to adult, but retaining juvenile wing- coverts. Race brevirostris has upperparts tinged cinnamon; nigriceps has upperparts much darker and duller brown, male with brownish- black crown; beccarii is like previous, but upperparts slightly paler, crown slightly darker.
21- 22 cm; 42- 46 g
Taxonomy: Drymodes superciliaris Gould, 1850, Cape York, Queensland, Australia. Genus conventionally placed in thrush family (Turdidae) on basis of largely terrestrial lifestyle, upright posture and associated morphology, but subsequently shown to have different syringeal structure; studies of DNA-DNA hybridization indicate that it belongs with present family. Formerly accepted race colcloughi, known from only two specimens collected in 1910, supposedly from R Roper, in Northern Territory (Australia), now thought to have been based on specimens of mistaken provenance. Four subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * beccarii (Salvadori, 1876) - W New Guinea (Arfak Mts, Wandammen Mts). * nigriceps Rand, 1940 - N New Guinea E to Telefomin area, C North Coastal Range (Torricelli Mts) and Adelbert Mts. * brevirostris (De Vis, 1897) - S & SE New Guinea and Aru Is. * superciliaris Gould, 1850 - N Australia (N Cape York Peninsula, in N Queensland).
Rainforest, monsoon forest, and vine thickets; often in fairly open understorey with dense layer of litter bur limited undergrowth, also at forest edge; less frquently in dense undergrowth. In Australia found in lowland areas; in New Guinea, in lowlands into hills up to c. 1450 m.
Invertebrates, including insects and small gastropods. Forages on ground generally in dense cover, using bill to turn over fallen leaves and debris.
Following details based on Australian data; no information from New Guinea. Season Nov to late Jan. Nest, built by female, an open bowl- shaped structure with thick walls, of sticks and twigs, lined lined with dead leaves, rootlets, tendrils and other fine plant fibres, external diameter 22,9 cm, height 7,6- 11,4 cm, internal diameter 7,6 cm, depth 8,9 cm; placed in saucer- shaped depression in ground, usually at base of tree, shrub or fallen log. Clutch 2 eggs, pale grey, thickly spotted and blotched with blue- grey an dred- brown, 22- 25,4 x 17,8 mm; incubation by female of by both sexes; no information on duration of incubation and nestling periods. Greatest recorded longevity 5 years 11 months.