Alternative names: Red-backed Honeyeater; Green-eyed Honeyeater; Guise's Honeyeater; Brown-backed Streaked Honeyeater
- Ptiloprora guisei
Identification
16-18 cm.
- Black top of head and hindneck with olive to olive-grey streaking, merging to rufous-brown mottling on lower hindneck and lower side of neck
- Blackish side of head with grey streaking and wash, most prominent on supercilium and around eye (open-faced expression)
- Black to black-brown upperbody, mottled with rufous-brown
- Blackish-brown upperwing and uppertail
- Light grey chin and throat, diffusely mottled dusky
- Pale grey to greyish-white breast and belly with bold blackish streaking, merging to rufous-blackish with rufous-brown streaking on sides
- Belly washed rufous-brown or yellowish and only faintly streaked
- Black bill
Sexes similar but females are smaller. Juveniles are duller and more diffusely and weaker streaked.
Distribution
Endemic to the mountains of New Guinea.
A common to abundant restricted-range species.
Taxonomy
Two or three subspecies recognized:
- P. g. umbrosa in northern New Guinea (Sepik Mountains)
- P. g. guisei in Herzog Mountains and Mountains of southeast New Guinea
- P. g. acrophila on summit of Mount Menawa (Bewani Mountains) in northern New Guinea
Only Clements places acrophila in this species. Gill and Donsker regard acrophila as subspecies of Mayr's Honeyeater.
Often treated conspecific with Mayr's Honeyeater and with Black-backed Honeyeater and Rufous-sided Honeyeater.
Habitat
Montane primary forest, especially in moss forest.
Occurs from 1340m up to 2900m. Where Black-backed Honeyeater isn't occuring also found higher up to 3500m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects. Takes also fruits, seeds and nectar. Forages usually in shrub layer and middle storey of forest but also seen in canopy. Often hangs upside-down. An active, inquisitive and conspicuous species, usually seen singly or in pairs.
Breeding
Not much known. Nestlings recorded in early February, juveniles early May. Two described nests were found 1.25 to 2m above in a sapling. Lays apparently 1 egg.
Movements
Presumably a resident, some local movements possible.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2008. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 13: Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553453
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Rufous-backed Honeyeater. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 31 May 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Rufous-backed_Honeyeater
