Papuan Thornbill Acanthiza murina Scientific name definitions

9–10 cm. Small, pale-eyed drab thornbill. Head and upperparts are brownish-olive, forehead indistinctly mottled lighter (feathers having dark tips and pale bases); cheek and side of throat mottled light (salt-and-pepper effect), often quite dark-looking lores and ear-coverts; remiges edged pale, with darker centres of tertials; tail with broad blackish subterminal band and pale greyish to whitish tip; dingy pale greyish below, sometimes with buffy wash on underparts; iris whitish to yellowish; bill black or dark brown, pale base of lower mandible; legs variably black, dark brown or light brown, sometimes with yellow on soles. Sexes alike. Juvenile undescribed.

Mountains of New Guinea from Snow Mts E to Owen Stanley Range.

High-altitude montane forest and forest edge, rarely as low as c. 1930 m, and commonest above 2500 m and to timber-line; one of the passerines living at highest elevation in New Guinea.

Resident.

Primarily insectivorous; will visit flowering trees, but uncertain whether for insects or to exploit nectar. Seeds, fruit and flowers found in gizzard. Active feeder in flocks of 3–10 individuals, or in parties of five or six; sometimes seen in presumed pairs. Flocks may occupy adjacent trees and call constantly while foraging, often associating with Sericornis nouhuysi or Sericornis papuensis. Feeds from canopy down to c. 4–5 m, and seen neither on ground nor in shrub layer; rather like A. katherina in habits. Gleans from foliage and small twigs, sometimes on larger branches, moving systematically from one tree to the next.

Song a series of pairs of notes, first higher-pitched than second. Squeaky, slightly raspy but sweet note “see tee to to”, given constantly during foraging and interspersed with harsher scolds and rattles; can sound a bit like a fledgling bird with a “teeyuuk teeyuuk teeyuuk” or “teut-teut” series.

Largely unknown. Nest domed, with side entrance, located in forest tree; two young in Oct were fed by three adults, which suggests that co-operative breeding strategy may sometimes be used. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Central Papuan Mountains EBA. Fairly common but local species of high altitudes. The remote and inaccessible habitat should ensure its security from major habitat loss.