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Difference between revisions of "Puff-backed Honeyeater" - BirdForum Opus

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:*South and southwest New Guinea, east to Karema and Hall Sound and Aru Islands
 
:*South and southwest New Guinea, east to Karema and Hall Sound and Aru Islands
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.
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Primary rainforest, low plains forest, disturbed habitats e.g. forest edge, secondary forest and tall or old regrowth, maybe gardens. Usually found in lowlands and foothills, from sea-level to about 1250 m, locally to 1400 m (e.g. Epe Valley), one recorded at 1580 m in Wahgi Valley. Recorded up to 450 m on Batanta.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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==References==
 
==References==
 
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#Avibase
 
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#Avibase

Revision as of 07:22, 17 November 2015


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Alternative Names: Large-tufted Honeyeater, Large-tufted Meliphaga, Puff backed Honeyeater, (not to be confused with Glycichaera fallax), Puff-backed Meliphaga

Photo by Mehd Halaouate
Taja, West Papua, Indonesia
September 2006
Meliphaga aruensis

Identification

16.5–18.5 cm, 6.5-7.3 inches, male 27-30 g, female 23-27 g

  • Large, stocky honeyeater with thick bunch of rigid feathers on rump.
  • Dark green-brown to grey-green upperparts
  • Crown more intense green than upperparts
  • Black subterminal area on rump feathers
  • Greenish-black lores
  • Greenish-black feathers surrounding eye and diffuse eye stripe behind eye
  • Brown to dark brown or grey brown iris
  • Large lemon ear patch
  • Deep yellow or orange yellow gape merging with obvious lemon rictal streak, which frequently reaches pale ear patch
  • Dark brown upperwing coverts and alula with dark green fringes
  • Dark brown remiges with yellow green outer edges and lemon inner edges
  • Yellow brown underwing coverts
  • Dark brown retrices with dark green outer edges
  • Mainly grey underparts, pale green-yellow hue on chin to breast, blending into paler grey with yellow wash on lower belly, frequently has brown wash across upper breast
  • Grey-black to black beak
  • Grey or brownish-grey legs
  • Sexes alike, male on average slightly larger

Distribution

Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Taxonomy

There are 2 Subspecies recognised:[1]

  • M. a. sharpei: Male 22–30.5 g,female 21–31 g, stretched ear patch, bright green upperparts, Batanta birds are darker grey-green above than mainland birds, Trans-Fly region birds have a rounder ear patch that doesn't connect with rictal streak
  • West Papuan Islands of Waigeo, Batanta and Misool, northwest and northern mainland New Guinea east, including Yapen Island and Keboi Island, to at least Kumusi River, D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago, including Goodenough Island and Fergusson Island and Trobriand Island, including Kiriwani
  • M. a. aruensis:
  • South and southwest New Guinea, east to Karema and Hall Sound and Aru Islands

Habitat

Primary rainforest, low plains forest, disturbed habitats e.g. forest edge, secondary forest and tall or old regrowth, maybe gardens. Usually found in lowlands and foothills, from sea-level to about 1250 m, locally to 1400 m (e.g. Epe Valley), one recorded at 1580 m in Wahgi Valley. Recorded up to 450 m on Batanta.

Behaviour

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2015)

Recommended Citation

External Links

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