Macgregor's Honeyeater Macgregoria pulchra Scientific name definitions

Male 40 cm, 242–357 g; female 35–40 cm, 190–230 g. Large black honeyeater with yellow wattle covering most of side of head ; short erectile feathers of forehead and lores dense, soft and silky, and body covered with thick layer of down beneath contour feathers (assumed to be insulation for high altitudes). Nominate race is mainly ­velvety jet-black to sooty black, slightly duller on remiges, and with orange-ochre edges of primaries (conspicuous panel on folded wing); faint brownish tinge on belly, vent and undertail-coverts, brownish-black undertail and underwing-coverts, latter contrasting slightly with black remiges; large, conspicuous fleshy orange-yellow wattle in hemicircle around eye, broken at front and with small notch in upper edge (colour of wattle may change; what was thought to be same bird had wattle brilliant orange on one day and duller yellow-orange on next day); iris reddish-brown to red; bill glossy black; legs blue-grey. Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female and with wattle slightly larger. Juvenile is duller and browner than adult, with iris dark brown (not reddish). Race <em>carolinae</em> has smaller wing and tail than nominate, but weighs significantly more.

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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.

Subalpine woodland and forest, including patches within alpine grassland, dominated by two gymnosperms, the podocarp Dacrycarpus compactus (an important foodplant) and Libocedrus papuanus; in at least one site, Dacrycarpus was the single dominant tree species forming canopy. Distribution apparently limited by distribution of Dacrycarpus. Occupies both forest interior and ecotones between forest and grassland or other habitats; recorded also in subalpine shrubland and forest at edge of Carstensz Meadow. From 2700 m to 4000 m, most commonly 3200–3500 m.

Possibly largely sedentary, but considered also partial or local nomad or migrant. Movements (and breeding) tied to unpredictable fruiting of main foodplant, and species can be absent from areas when fruit not available; left one site during long period when Dacrycarpus compactus not fruiting, and has been absent from area around L Omha (SE New Guinea) for periods of as long as one year.

Appears highly specialized, but not well known. Primarily frugivorous; almost certainly takes arthropods, and possibly forages at flowers. Preferred food fleshy resin-rich fruit (7–8 mm in diameter) of Dacrycarpus compactus, which periodically superabundant, but fruiting of this species unpredictable and not always annual (fruiting cycle appears to be very long, with periods of more than a year with no ripe fruit in local populations of the plant); when Dacrycarpus unavailable, range of other fruits taken include Eurya brassii, Cladomyza acrosclera, Styphelia suaveolens, Coprosma divergens, Astelia alpina, Rapanea (including R. involucrata), Symplocos cochinchinensis. Reported not to take Dacrycarpus compactus fruits when available, but it is suggested that this was because the fruit was unripe (once they appear, fruits take about a year to ripen). Forages mainly in canopy, but also at all levels of forest, including on ground, and on small prostrate or cushioning shrubs, in low shrubs and in subcanopy trees; observed to forage among moss and other epiphytes and in foliage. Suggested as probably using open-bill probing (“Zirkeln”), inserting closed bill into a substrate such as moss or soft wood, then opening bill to allow better access to food. Confiding and conspicuous; more wary when on ground. Active, but described also as somewhat sluggish; seen to hop actively about perches while flicking tail and wings; can remain in small area for several hours at a time. Most often in twos (probably pairs), also recorded singly, in threes (possibly adults and offspring) or fours, or in small parties. At Dokfuma (Star Mts), one pair thought to have range c. 1 km long and several hundred metres wide, and may have been territorial, once chasing a third individual from area; in other studies, however, no intraspecific territorial behaviour observed, despite fact that birds appeared to occupy discrete areas. Seen to chase a parrot (Psittacidae) from a food tree.

Vocalizes often; sexes maintain contact while foraging by countercalling, apparently having sex-specific calls. Commonest vocalization a rapidly repeated, high-pitched double “jeet” whistle  , used as contact and alarm (strange “nyeh nyeh nyeh” possibly this call); a “pseer” note often given as greeting when one bird returns to roost or perch where other waiting, call repeated many times (associated with wing-flicking and tail-cocking); also a “schweet schweet” call at rate of more than 1 call/second. Other calls include low sharp “click” or double “click”, repeated several times; low plaintive “quee”; soft sharp “chick-chick-chick-chick” or “chick-chick, chick-chick” during aerial chases; weak “psheer”, repeated 2–5 times; and quiet “cheu”, repeated several times. Quiet nasal, slurred “chiff” heard from pair-members together. When a pair was disturbed, larger bird (probable male) uttered loud “krahh!” and smaller one (probable female) a “jeet” note; when two individuals were uttering “schweet” notes, a third bird, separated from then, called with “fwooiip”. Wingbeat noise conspicuous whirring, whining or rustling or low loud hollow sound; during glides, outstretched wings (widely spread tips of primaries) make continuous “zing-g-g-g” sound, though glides can also be silent.

Breeding apparently about Jul to Feb, with eggs possibly mid-Jul to mid-Aug; cycle seems mostly tied to unpredictable fruiting of main foodplant (Dacrycarpus compactus), but breeding recorded also when virtually no such fruit available. Appears to maintain permanent pair-bond, partners remaining together all year. Only three nests described, each an open, bulky cup, exterior mainly of moss, plant stems, lichens, and few sticks, lined with slender stems and small leaves (lining thick at top of walls, thinner at base), cup of one also contained many leaves and phyllodes, for two nests external diameter 24 cm and c. 31·5 cm, depth 19 cm (both), internal diameter 13 cm and 13·5 cm, depth 9 cm (both); placed high in tree, two nests 11 m and 15 m above ground, one in multiple upright forks in emergent tree in moss forest, other supported in upright small branches growing from small lateral branch; once rebuilt within 50 m of old nest, and suggested that may build at or near sites used in previous years. Single known clutch, of 1 egg; incubation of egg and brooding of young apparently by female only, brooding evidently ceased when nestling 11–12 days old; at one nest both sexes fed chick, though male did more, at least during brooding period; no information on duration of incubation and nestling periods, but chick development appears slow (nestling has well-developed wattle like that of adults). Remains of one found in stomach of Eastern Marsh-harrier (Circus spilonotus).

VULNERABLE. CITES II. Restrictedrange species: present in Central Papuan Mountains EBA. Common above 3000 m in Star Mts, where Ketengban people protect it for cultural reasons; rare on Mt Albert Edward (in Wharton Ranges), where only one record since 1933. May be in slow but ongoing decline. Patterns of movements, combined with dependence for food and possible breeding on unpredictable fruiting of Dacrycarpus compactus, may mean that populations fluctuate periodically and dramatically. Occupied range estimated at less than 1000 km², even though overall distribution extends from W Papua E to SE New Guinea; occurs in patchy and geographically restricted habitat, probably with little or no interchange between isolated populations. Absent from large areas of apparently suitable habitat in Central Highlands, suggesting past extirpation in these areas, possibly in part through hunting pressure. Hunted as game in parts of range, particularly as it is large, confiding and conspicuous (and site-faithful), and therefore easy to kill; threat from hunting is exacerbated by the species’ small fragmented population. Hunters visiting upper fringes of montane forest to hunt wallabies (Macropodinae) in alpine grasslands build a hide beneath favoured fruiting tree (usually Dacrycarpus compactus) and kill one to several honeyeaters as they come to roost or forage. Although much of its range is remote and inaccessible to hunters, new roads are creating access to its habitats; subalpine habitats are also under threat from global warming. Protected by law throughout range.