Alternative name: Leaden Streaked Honeyeater
- Ptiloprora plumbea
Identification
14-15 cm
- Leaden grey head, neck and upperbody
- Fine blackish-brown streaking on top of head, hindneck and side of neck, more diffuse blackish-brown streaking on mantle, back and scapulars, and fine pale grey to white speckling on side of head, chin and throat
- Grey-brown upperwing and uppertail, browner than upperparts
- Fine olive to olive-grey outer edges and tips on wing-coverts and remiges
- More uniform leaden grey underbody with fine and sparse speckling and olive-brown wash on belly
- Brownish undertail
- Black to grey-black bill
- granti is darker, more slate-grey and has darker streakings on upperwing
Sexes similar, male larger than female. Juvenile undescribed.
Distribution
Endemic to the highlands and mountains of New Guinea.
A generally rare restricted-range species but can be locally common.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies recognized:
- P. p. granti in the central Highlands of New Guinea
- P. p. plumbea in the mountains of southeast New Guinea and Herzog Mountains
Habitat
Found in mid-montane primary forest, secondary growth and forest edge. Also in gardens in Ok Tedi area.
Occurs from 1000 to 2100 m, possibly higher.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on arthropods and nectar from flowers.
Forages in all forest levels, mostly in lower and middle stages. Gleans prey from foliage and twigs. An inconspicuous but not shy species, forages actively. Usually seen singly.
Breeding
No information available.
Movements
This is a sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved March 2015)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Leaden Honeyeater. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Leaden_Honeyeater
