Black-throated Honeyeater Caligavis subfrenata Scientific name definitions

20·5–22 cm; male 29–36 g and female 25–29 g (melanolaema), male 32–37 g and female 26–28 g (salvadorii). Nominate race has forehead grey, top of head and neck olive-tinged grey-brown, diffusely streaked or mottled darker; lores and rest of head and neck blackish-grey, with distinctive facial ­pattern of prominent swollen yellow gape narrowly joining (beneath eye) broad crescent-shaped patch of bare golden-yellow to dull yellow skin that curves up behind eye, this patch bordered below by black, white and golden-yellow streak arising beneath eye and curving up in short tuft behind ear-coverts to side of neck; large irregular white to off-white patch on side of neck, and diffuse off-white to yellowish patch or fine streaking on side of lower throat; upperparts olive-brown, yellow-olive wash on outer webs of upperwing-coverts, dull yellow-olive outer edges of remiges (olive panel on folded wing), dull yellow-olive outer edges of rectrices; underbody paler and browner than upperparts, merging to paler olive-brown with off-white mottling in centre of belly, and with diffuse darker mottling throughout; undertail and underwing grey-brown, buff underwing-coverts and bases of remiges; iris grey to dark brown, black eyering; bill black; legs bright to dull yellow or olive-yellow. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female. Juvenile is not properly known, very like adult but slightly warmer brown (and less olive) above and below. Races vary mainly in tone of plumage, nominate palest: melanolaema is somewhat darker than nominate, top of head and neck dark olive-brown, lores and rest of head and neck (except for yellow parts) black; salvadorii is generally darker than previous, upperparts dark grey-olive, chin and throat blackish, underbody dark brownish-olive to greyish-olive (less brown-toned); utakwensis is similar to last but more olive-toned above and below, forehead and upperparts olive and underparts greenish-olive, with less blackish chin and throat.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Primary montane forest (mainly middle to upper montane forest), including moss forest, forest edge, secondary growth and subalpine shrubland; at Dokfuma, in subalpine herb field with dense mat of ferns, small stands of tree-ferns and shrubs, and bordered by open Dacrycarpus woodland and some stands of mossy upper montane forest in sheltered areas. Occurs to tree-line; typically from 1350 m to 3700 m, more commonly above 2000 m, but as low as 1070 m in Huon Peninsula, and specimen collected at 1460 m in Victor Emanuel Mts; 1450 m in SE New Guinea.

No information; probably sedentary.

Diet includes nectar, small arthropods (insects) and fruit. Forages mainly in canopy, but will descend to substage up to c. 3 m above ground and, rarely, to understorey; once seen on ground. Takes nectar from flowering trees (including Xanthomyrtus papuanis); insects mainly gleaned from outer foliage and twigs of canopy, also from branches and trunks of trees, and occasionally taken in air by sallying. One seen to hop clumsily up trunk of tree, probing bark and slipping occasionally, before flying to base of another tree and repeating ascent. Active, aggressive and conspicuous. Usually singly; sometimes associates in flowering trees with other species, including Melidectes rufocrissalis, with which it interacts aggressively, and Myzomela rosenbergii.

Adults feeding fledglings in mid-Nov in Star Mts; adults carrying nesting material and females with enlarged gonads Apr, Jun–Sept and in early wet season, and single breeding birds Oct and Nov. No further information.

Not globally threatened. No estimates of global abundance; considered generally common above 2000 m.