Alternative names: Northern Logrunner, New Guinean Logrunner, New Guinea Logrunner
- Orthonyx novaeguineae
Identification
18.5cm (7¼ in).
The upperside is cryptically patterned with brown, grey, and black, head is grey on the side, and the chin, throat and breast are in the male pure white, reddish-orange in the female. The remiges are very short, rounded and much incurved, showing a bird of weak flight. The rectrices are very broad, the shafts stiff, and towards the tip without barbs.
Similar species
Very similar to Australian Logrunner but no range overlap.
Distribution
Endemic to New Guinea.
Generally rare, most common in the northwest (Vogelkop).
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three subspecies recognized[2]:
- O. n. novaeguineae in northwest New Guinea
- O. n. dorsalis in west-central New Guinea
- O. n. victorianus in east New Guinea
A population in east-central New Guinea may represent a fourth subspecies. Genetic analysis suggest that dorsalis and victorianus should maybe treated as separate species from the nominate.
This species was also treated as subspecies of Logrunner Orthonyx temminckii, now called Australian Logrunner.
Habitat
Upper montane forest, mainly at 1980 - 2840m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects and other invertebrates.
Forages on the floor. Behaviour only poorly known.
Breeding
Nests found in March and late November. The nest is a small rounded dome with a side entrance. It's made of moss, root fibres and plant stems and placed on the ground. Lays 1 egg.
Movements
Most probably a resident species.
References
- J. A. Norman, L. Christidis, L. Joseph, B. Slikas & D. Alpers (2002) Unravelling a biogeographical knot: origin of the 'leapfrog' distribution pattern of Australo-Papuan sooty owls (Strigiformes) and logrunners (Passeriformes). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B. Biological Sciences. 269, 2127-2133. (Full text available online)
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Papuan Logrunner. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Papuan_Logrunner
