Obscure Honeyeater Caligavis obscura Scientific name definitions

18·5–19 cm; male 24–31g, female 24–27 g, mean of 20 unsexed 26·5 g (nominate). Nominate race has forehead and forecrown dusky grey, merging to olive-grey on hindcrown to hindneck, and to blackish on upper lores, supercilium and upper side of neck behind eye; face distinctively marked with varyingly off-white to yellow gape and triangular patch on lores, which meets narrow yellowish partial orbital ring under eye, this broadening behind eye (forming small yellow patch at upper rear quadrant of eye, narrowly separated from orbital ring below eye by small patch of pale bare skin); pale yellow to yellow patch or tuft on upper ear-coverts extending forwards to meet orbital ring beneath eye, and bordered behind by large white patch on side of neck; dark grey stripe across malar area and lower ear-coverts, narrowly and incompletely separated from dark grey side of lower throat by yellow line curving up towards ear-coverts from yellow chin and upper throat; upperparts olive-brown to brownish-olive, diffusely mottled darker brown on mantle, back and scapulars; yellow-green edges of rectrices and remiges (slightly contrasting panel on folded wing), sometimes an indistinct and broken buff bar across outer median secondary coverts, at least in fresh plumage; underbody paler than upperparts, greyish-olive, with olive-brown tinge across lower breast merging to off-white in centre of belly, and diffuse dark mottling throughout; undertail and underwing dark grey-brown, buff underwing-coverts; iris dark grey-brown to brown, black eyering; bill black; legs light blue-grey to grey, light brown rear of tarsus. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female. Juvenile is very like adult, but top of head olive-brown to brownish-olive, as upperparts, which also lack darker mottling, and rump and uppertail-coverts warmer brown, may also lack pale bar across upperwing-coverts. Race viridifrons differs from nominate in having olive-brown to brownish-olive forehead and crown, concolorous with upperparts.

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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 forest (rainforest), mainly hill forest, less often in secondary growth and disturbed habitats such as gardens. At Lakekamu, recorded only in primary forest, and not in edge or non-forest habitat. Mainly in hills between 200 m and 1100 m, occasionally as high as 1400 m; locally in lowlands (to 100 m) bordering hills.

Resident at Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area; possibly vagrant near Brown R. Occurrence in lowlands adjacent to hills indicates some local movements.

Diet includes nectar, small arthropods (insects) and fruit (including of Ficus). Forages mainly in lower and middle stages of forest, particularly understorey, but will search in crowns of large flowering trees; at Karimui and Soliabeda (Eastern Highlands), noted foraging strictly in lower branches and middle storey. Seen to visit inflorescences of canopy epiphytes Schefflera and of Poikilospermum. Unobtrusive, rather sluggish and often quiet. Usually singly or in twos (probably pairs). Associates with other species in flowering or fruiting plants; in Eastern Highlands, recorded with up to eleven other meliphagid species, and at Karimui was one of a group of five honeyeaters that occurred together in most fruiting and flowering trees.

Often quiet. Song ebullient, of 2 notes (second lower than first) followed by 4 rapid and higher-pitched “cheep” notes on descending scale, which are repeated 2–3 times (somewhat like song of C. subfrenata); other calls include bubbling series of “chearp” syllables, rising and falling in pitch, and a soft “ssit” repeated at intervals of 3–4 seconds during foraging. Call, or song, also described as loud, distinctive, descending set of “chip” notes in series of descending sets, each of lower pitch than preceding set.

Two active nests known, one in SW (Mimika R) at end Aug and the other in E (Crater Mt) in mid-Oct; seven specimens from Eastern Highlands had non-enlarged gonads in Jul–Aug. Nest cup-shaped, though one tilted and with rim built up on higher side and forming partial dome (covering almost one-quarter of cup), other made of moss and small dry twigs and lined with finer material, suspended by rim from horizontal fork only 15 cm above ground in small shrub. Two clutches each of 2 eggs. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Generally uncommon, but can be locally common or abundant (e.g. Crater Mt, Eloa Valley, and in SW of range). Best detected by vocalizations, but often quiet, e.g. no vocalizations heard from this species in long-term study in Eastern Highlands. Local sex ratios vary and unbalanced in Eastern Highlands.