Leaden Honeyeater Ptiloprora plumbea Scientific name definitions

14–15 cm; two males 13·5g and 14 g, one female 12·5 g (nominate), one male 16·5 g (granti). Nominate race has head, neck and upperbody leaden grey, fine blackish-brown streaking on top of head, hindneck and side of neck, merging to dense fine pale grey to off-white speckling on side of head and chin and throat, and to broader and more diffuse blackish-brown streaking on mantle, back and scapulars (sometimes appearing as mottling); upperwing and uppertail grey-brown, browner than upperparts, wing-coverts and remiges with fine olive to olive-grey outer edges and tips (boldest on tertials and secondaries and basal edges of central primaries); underbody almost uniformly leaden grey, with fine and sparse white speckling across breast and olive-brown wash on belly; undertail brownish, underwing pale buff-grey with dark brownish-grey trailing edge and tip; iris typically light grey to silvery grey, in some (possibly immature) brown; bill black to grey-black; legs pale slate-blue or blue-grey. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female. Juvenile and immature apparently undescribed. Race granti is like nominate but slightly darker, slate-grey, with darker streaking on upperparts, and longer wing.

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Mountains of New Guinea from Nassau Mts E, patchily, to Herzog Mts and Owen Stanley Range.

Mid-montane primary forest, forest edge and secondary growth; recorded also in gardens in Ok Tedi area. From 1000 m to 2100 m, possibly to 2400 m.

Sedentary.

Arthropods and nectar from flowers. Forages from canopy level almost to ground, frequently in lower and middle stages (3–15 m above ground). Arthropods gleaned from foliage, twigs and petioles; nectar taken from flowers, including understorey flowers, e.g. ginger (Zingiberaceae). Not shy, but inconspicuous; active, continually flitting about when foraging in openings in forest. Usually seen singly, and often adopts posture with tail cocked; often flicks tail upwards.

Calls include whistled and somewhat breathy “wshee wshee wshee…”; and weak “teu teu” or “tswee” notes repeated about every 3 seconds.

No information.

Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Central Papuan Mountains EBA. Generally rare, and absent from much of Central and Eastern Highlands; can be fairly common to common locally, e.g. common in forest interior at Suria (Central Province, in SE New Guinea).