Alternative names: Grey-winged Longbill; Slaty-headed Longbill; Grey-winged Bowbill; Grey-winged False-sunbird
- Toxorhamphus poliopterus
Identification
12.5cm. A small bird with a long, dark, strongly decurved bill.
- Dark bluish-grey head and nape
- Dark olive-green upperparts
- Dark grey upperwing and tail
- Slaty grey chin and upper throat
- Prominent citrine-yellow spot on lower throat
- Pale yellowish-olive underparts
Females are similar but paler. Immatures undescribed.
Similar species
Note the dark head, the grey wings and the citrine-yellow spot on throat in contrast to Yellow-bellied Longbill. Also superficially similar to female of Olive-backed Sunbird.
Distribution
Endemic to New Guinea.
Fairly common to common but elusive.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies recorded:
- T. p. maximus in the mountains of western and central New Guinea
- T. p. poliopterus in the mountains of eastern and south-east New Guinea
Forms a species pair with Yellow-bellied Longbill.
Habitat
Primary forest in hills and lower mountains. Also in secondary growth, edges of gardens and forest edge. Occurs mainly from 500-2000m, above Yellow-bellied Longbill.
Behaviour
Diet poorly known, recorded to feed on arthropods and nectar.
An active and wary bird, shy and hart to see.
Usually seen singly foraging in understorey and middle levels.
Breeding season varies with local conditions. The nest is a distinctive neat cup made of fine greenish vegetation and fibres. It's placed in a crotch of a sapling or on a slender branch. One egg recorded.
A resident species.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- 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) Slaty-chinned Longbill. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Slaty-chinned_Longbill
