Alternative names: Red-naped Whistler; Rufous-naped Whistler
- Aleadryas rufinucha
Identification
16.5 - 18cm.
- Rufous nape patch
- Head and hindneck grey, white forehead in niveifrons
- Dull yellowish-olive upperparts
- Olive-brown tail
- Dull white centre of chin
- Yellow throat
- Diffuse white centre of breast and belly
- Olive sides of breast and flanks
- Black bill
Sexes alike. Juveniles are reddish-chestnut.
Distribution
Endemic to New Guinea.
Not uncommon.
Taxonomy
Four subspecies recognized:
- A. r. rufinucha in Vogelkop, northwest New Guinea
- A. r. niveifrons in the mountains of west, central and north New Guinea
- A. r. lochmia on Huon Peninsula
- A. r. gamblei in the mountains of southeast New Guinea
Often placed in genus Pachycephala.
A new study shows that this species is related to Crested Bellbird and Piping Bellbird and it is therefore now placed in a separate family with these two species (Oreoicidae).
Habitat
Mountain forest and secondary growth, mainly at 1400 - 2600m.
Behaviour
Feeds on insects, worms and fruit.
Fairly shy and infrequently seen. Forages on ground , in undergrowth and lower storey. Creeps along branches and up vertical trunks.
Breeding recorded in June, October and December. The nest is a deep bulky cup made of moss, fernse and other material. It's placed in a vertical fork, usually quite low. Lays 1 egg.
Resident species.
References
- 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. (2025) Rufous-naped Bellbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 15 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rufous-naped_Bellbird
