Alternative names: Green-crowned Longbill; Canary Longbill; New Guinea Longbill; Canary Bowbill; Canary False-sunbird
- Toxorhamphus novaeguineae
Identification
12.5cm. A small bird with a long dark strongly decurved bill.
- Olive-green upperparts
- Narrow whitish terminal margins on outer tail feathers (best seen during flight)
- Citrine-yellow throat and underparts, washed olive on breast
- Narrow whitish eyering
Sexes similar, females slightly smaller and shorter billed. Immatures undescribed.
Similar species
Less dark-looking and more olive (not grey) head and wings than Slaty-chinned Longbill. Also superficially similar to female Olive-backed Sunbird.
Distribution
New Guinea and adjacent islands.
A common but elusive species.
Taxonomy
Forms super species pair with Slaty-chinned Longbill.
Subspecies
Two subspecies recognized:
- T. n. novaeguineae on West Papuan Islands, Yapen Island and North to West mainland New Guinea
- T. n. flaviventris on Aru Islands and southern mainland New Guinea
Habitat
Found in lowland forest, monsoon forest and hill forest. Also in secondary growth. Occurs from lowlands up to 500m, up to 1200m in central Highlands.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects and nectar.
Forages actively in middle levels and understorey.
Usually seen singly or in pairs. Sometimes in mixed-species flocks with Frilled Monarch, Wallace's Fairywren, Yellow-bellied Gerygone and sometimes Black Berrypecker.
Breeding
No information about breeding.
Movements
A resident species but some local movements may occur.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2008. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 13: Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553453
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Yellow-bellied Longbill. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-bellied_Longbill
