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Home , Archboldia, Arses (bird), Carterornis, Chalcopsitta, Crateroscelis, Drymodes

PAPUA HIGHLIGHTS SEPTEMBER 12–25, 2019

Raggiana of Paradise

LEADER: DION HOBCROFT LIST COMPILED BY: DION HOBCROFT

VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM HIGHLIGHTS SEPTEMBER 12–25, 2019

By Dion Hobcroft

The extraordinary male King of Saxony Bird of Paradise has occipital plumes more than twice as long as the bird itself. They can independently twirl the plumes.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 After our successful pre-trip to , we returned to Port Moresby. With everything going to plan with the new inbound participants, there was time to organize an afternoon trip to the village of Lea Lea on the coast south of Port Moresby. We made stops at mangrove mudflats, small freshwater ponds, patches of tropical Eucalyptus woodland and, finally, right on the coast in a patch of coconuts and scrubby village vegetation. The mudflats produced Australian - billed Terns for crabs; the ponds turned up a lovely Buff-banded Rail; and the enormous Blue-winged was a big hit with participants. Despite stiff winds we quickly had good views of our two major targets on the coast—the localized Silver-eared and Varied Honeyeater. Villagers were selling fish, betel nut, and fruit and vegetables. It was a public holiday—Independence Day—and many people were dressed up and the mood festive.

This male Raggiana Bird of Paradise was wonderfully tame this year in Varirata National Park.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 The day in Varirata National Park, one of my favorite birding locations on the planet, is a big day of the tour. So we were up early and, as we neared the park gate, we flushed both a Large-tailed Nightjar and an Agile Wallaby. The picnic ground was a hive of activity with fruiting figs attracting Yellow-eyed and Boyer’s -shrikes and Orange-bellied and Pink-spotted fruit-doves, while Brahminy Kites were attending a . Best of all was a stunning Purple-tailed Imperial- Pigeon we scoped at length. As the weekend public holiday continued, I was keen to get to the Raggiana Bird of Paradise lekking site before it either was disturbed or became too windy. Luckily it all worked to plan, and one male Raggiana Bird of Paradise in particular was incredibly tame and obliging. We watched it caroling away and spent quality time taking in this fascinating spectacle.

The spectacular Brown-headed Paradise- is quiet and inconspicuous in the hill of south- east PNG.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Shortly afterwards we found a responsive Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher and then a superb Barred Owlet-nightjar with its whiskered face studying us from its tree hollow hide-out. As we walked along a trail, we found almost constant bird activity—something quite rare in PNG. We had fantastic views of Rufous- bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, a male Growling Riflebird, a couple of Crinkle-collared Manucodes, a pair of Papuan King-, and then we hit some mixed flocks with Hooded and Rusty pitohuis, Puff-backed , Tawny- breasted Honeyeater, Spot-winged and Frilled monarchs, Chestnut-bellied , Black Berrypecker, Spectacled Longbill, Yellow-bellied Gerygone, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Gray Whistler, and Little Shrike-thrush (despecta ).

Painted Turtle is a rarely seen freshwater found in southern New Guinea and Cape York.

After lunch we returned briefly to the forest, adding Beautiful Fruit-Dove and Green-backed Honeyeater to our haul. The Eucalyptus forest allowed us to add some tropical woodland including a beautiful pair of Leaden Flycatchers and, best of all, the scarce White-bellied Whistler. A surprise was a big female

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 of the black-backed race ernesti . It is a rare bird in New Guinea. We returned to Pacific Adventist University for the participants who had not had the chance to visit this excellent birding site we had visited on the pre-tour. We recorded many of the same species including all the hoped for targets and added a lovely Painted Turtle as a bonus. It was huge day, and we listed 115 species for the day!

An on-time flight and a slightly later breakfast allowed everyone to recharge their batteries. We had arrived in Kiunga, close to the border of . After lunch and settling in, we drove to Kilometre 17 and prepared to do battle with the tropical lowland jungle birds that are decidedly elusive. After a patient, somewhat frustrating wait, we eventually found a male Greater Bird of Paradise we could scope. As it preened and fussed about, calling loudly intermittently, we could see the whole bird through the . Papuan Babbler and Southern Variable made appearances but were not for hanging around. The forest edge was quite lively, and in quick succession we scoped a perched Black-capped Lory, pair of Yellow-faced , a pair of Pinon Imperial-Pigeons, and a female Pacific .

A morning at the Hill on the Boystown Road is a good way to start any day, and we were lucky with overcast conditions and a light shower keeping the avian activity sustained until 10am. This time, Greater Bird of Paradise perched out openly in a leafless tree on one occasion, and another flew beautifully right past us on another occasion. We had a good time with parrots, scoping Double- eyed Fig-, Orange-breasted Fig-Parrot, the tiny Yellow-capped Pygmy- Parrot, and numerous Red-cheeked Parrots.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

Beautiful Orange-breasted Fig-Parrots raid a fruiting fig in Kiunga. This is the Dusky-cheeked population.

A coloring-up male also perched out well and was even heard uttering its rasping call—a rare event for me. Also very handy was a great view of a Trumpet Manucode that has been getting more difficult as the years go by. A short stroll down the road brought in a stunning pair of Emperor Fairy-wrens, a male for some, a scoped Dwarf Fruit-Dove and, best of all, a great scope view of the decidedly enigmatic Long-billed Cuckoo—a cracking male! We were back in the forest in the afternoon, and it proved to be a frustrating session in Kilometre 17 where shy Painted Quail-thrush, Papuan Dwarf-Kingfisher, and King Bird of Paradise were all seen briefly, poorly, or not at all depending upon your luck. I decided to change locations and that worked well. In a recent logging coup we enjoyed in quick succession a great view of a perched male Dwarf Koel, Gray Crows, a pair of Yellow-eyed , an Obscure Honeyeater, feeding Pygmy Longbills, and fantastic views of feeding Yellow-streaked and Black-capped lories. Magnificent Riflebird was wolf-whistling clearly but did not break cover.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 7 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

Always a welcome find: a perched Gray-headed Goshawk in Kiunga.

Our day of exploring upstream along the Fly, Elevara, and Ketu Rivers had arrived. The river level was very low, and I feared it would be a mud fest, but luckily most of the mud had been exposed for a long time and was baked hard by the sun, so it was not as bad as I had feared. We had one of the major highlights of the trip quite quickly when a female Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise arrived at the male’s display stump. He went into full display mode and brushed his wires across the female’s face as we had it all lined up in the scope—an amazing scene and a good bit of luck! Plenty of great birds were sighted including fabulous perched views of Collared Imperial-Pigeon, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Golden , Gray-headed Goshawk, Long-tailed Honey-buzzard, Golden Monarch, Orange-breasted Fig- Parrot, Large Fig-Parrot (here the Yellow-naped population), Azure and a rarity in a , Black Bittern, Shining Monarch, Common Paradise-Kingfisher, , and a whole lot more flying over including several spectacular Great Cuckoo-Doves. It was, however, the incredible Sclater’s Crowned Pigeon

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 8 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 that really wowed everyone, and we had terrific fortune with three sightings of four birds at close range.

A final morning, and it was all about the King Bird of Paradise that had proved to be very difficult to find in his vine tangle kingdom, as the dry conditions or lack of interest by females had him in a half-hearted mode. We wandered back in to his display area, and this time we had luck with the male allowing himself to be scoped for a few minutes, giving everyone the chance to catch up with this gem- like elf. I breathed a sigh of relief! George arrived in the PAC-750, and we were whisked up over the central ranges to 13,000 feet and safely descended into Mount Hagen. Wilson and Sambe were there to transfer us to Kumul Lodge, and an hour later we were having lunch, watching the feeder table and being entertained by extraordinary Ribbon-tailed Astrapias in display mode—shuffling about and bouncing off the perches in a sight I had never witnessed. New birds came at a great rate of knots: Brehm’s Tiger-Parrot, Brown Sicklebill, ebullient Belford’s , and emotionally transformative Smoky . A glowing orange male Crested , Rufous-naped Bellbird, White-winged Robin, Black-breasted Boatbill, Blue-capped Ifrita, Eastern Crested Berrypecker, Regent Whistler, and a fine Mountain Firetail all added color and diversity.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 9 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

A rare event to see the shy Black-cheeked Robin feeding out in the open with a Bronze Ground-Dove!

Murmur Pass was our first full morning site in the highlands, and it proved to be an absolute cracker! The birds were on fire, and we scoped two great skulkers— both Bronze Ground-Dove and Black-capped Robin—out in the open, had Modest Tiger-Parrot feeding over our heads, and scored great scope views of King-of- Saxony Bird of Paradise with its bizarre occipital plumes and the extraordinary male Brown Sicklebill with his machine-gun call and meter-long tail. A male Wattled Ploughbill showed up, and a male Mottled Berryhunter sang well, but only a lucky few saw it perched, otherwise it belted over. A constant procession of new birds materialized including Plum-faced Lorikeet, Loria’s Satinbird, Papuan Scrubwren, Fan-tailed Monarch, Papuan Flycatcher, Dimorphic and Black , Black-bellied Cicadabird, Black-throated Honeyeater, Rufous-backed Honeyeater, and Red-collared . A Speckled Dasyure, a carnivorous marsupial, gave

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 10 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 some great views, feeding unconcernedly but sneakily in the open forest edge. The afternoon was focused on a few skulkers, and we achieved good looks at both Lesser and Mountain Mouse-Warbler. At dark, a late-staying leader achieved a trip highlight, finding a superb Masked Ringtail on the forest edge near his room—something he had never seen here on more than ten visits of nocturnal perambulations!

We had good luck with tiger-parrots in the mountains, seeing three species including the elusive Madarasz’s at Rondon Ridge.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 11 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 It was time to visit Kama Village in the lower valley below Kumul—our chance to see Lesser Bird of Paradise. It proved to be an exercise in frustration, as the male called constantly but remained totally concealed. At the last gasp, as we were leaving, I found the male tucked into an Avocado tree from the main road! A scope worked well. It had been quite good birding before we lucked onto the Lesser BOP with great looks at Yellow-breasted Bowerbird, Elfin Myzomela, Mountain Meliphaga, White-shouldered Fairywren, and Hooded Munia.

Mammals in New Guinea are cryptic and nocturnal, generally rarely encountered due to hunting pressure in the areas we can access, so the leader was delighted to find this Masked Ringtail at Kumul.

Lower down again on the Lai River we quickly located the pied Torrent Flycatcher, scored a major bonus with a stunning male Magnificent Bird of Paradise that was wolfing figs from a profusely fruiting tree, enjoyed the rather drab and

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 12 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 uncommon Marbled Honeyeater, and found a spectacular dragon lizard with a golden gular throat flap. After a good break we explored back down the cloud forest trail into Max’s orchid garden. It was fairly quiet, although of note was a calling Archbold’s Bowerbird—a rare montane endemic where sightings have all but evaporated in recent years. Another rarity was a good sighting of two Metallic Pigeons in flight, only my second ever encounter in PNG where it seems inexplicably scarce. At dusk we had good flight views of the poorly known, largely silent Archbold’s Nightjar—a species I had not encountered for several years.

A work in progress is the identity of this spectacular dragon lizard at Lai River. Interestingly Wilson, who is a tough guy, was terrified of it! It is interesting how the fear of lizards runs deep in Melanesia.

We had one final morning in the Kumul area and descended again to the Valley to a location for the male Blue Bird of Paradise. It worked perfectly, as the male arrived at our viewing site upon arrival. It disappeared for a while before

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 13 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 returning for more lengthy views. Brown Quail showed well in a sweet potato garden, and we had another great stroke of luck finding two pairs of Torrent-larks displaying on the rocks of a stream as we returned uphill. It was time to leave Kumul where they had done a great job of looking after us. Transferring back to Mount Hagen, we moved along to Rondon Ridge. Here we spent the afternoon on the forest edge in a location planted with multiple fruiting trees and mistletoes. Here we had great scope views of the male Greater Lophorina (Superb Bird of Paradise) with his outrageous chest shield and neck cape of glittering iridescent blue. Stephanie’s Astrapias chugged down Schefflera fruit, a female Blue Bird of Paradise showed well, and the elusive Madarasz’s Tiger-Parrot was scoped nibbling on mistletoe. Other new birds included Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove, Yellow- billed Lorikeet, Fan-tailed Berrypecker, Buff-faced Scrubwren, and Island - Warbler.

This photo of Blue Bird of Paradise was taken a few years ago, but we enjoyed similar views this year at Tonga Valley near Kumul.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 14 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

We had great views of the shy and scarce Orange-crowned Fairy-wren, a mid montane specialist of scrambling bamboo.

The next day we had a walk uphill to the “Clearing”—a site that offers consistently good montane forest birding. On the way up we scored a few quick goals with Stout-billed Cuckoo-shrike, Sclater’s Whistler, and the shy Black Pitohui. We found more Wattled Ploughbills, Regent Whistler, Blue-capped Ifrita, Black Fantail, and Modest Tiger-Parrots. The clearing did not disappoint; as soon as we arrived, a male King of Saxony Bird of Paradise appeared overhead for repeated great encounters. Flowering trees attracted feeding Orange-billed, Yellow-billed, and the stunning for lengthy perched views: not the typical flash pass

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 15 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 in flight. Orange-crowned Fairy-wrens gave repeat excellent views in the scrambling bamboo: they would not leave us alone. A Rufescent Imperial-Pigeon was well handy, and another great bird was a superb male that repeatedly approached us at eye level, pumping its tail and drooping its wings. We admired the extraordinary bower of Macgregor’s Bowerbird that remained, until the following day, largely unseen—not unusual, as they are typically shy.

The maypole bower of Macgregor’s Bowerbird is an extraordinary structure to come across in the forest interior.

Our trip was drawing to a close, but we could still squeeze in a final morning of birding, walking the lower forest trails at Rondon Ridge with Joseph. It proved to be another good session, and we were still squeezing new birds out of the forest. Black-throated Robin showed well after a patient battle; several Macgregor’s performed superbly at a fruiting tree; and we had great views of Brown-backed Whistler, Yellowish-streaked Honeyeater, Little Shrike-thrush

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 16 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 (here presumably of the subspecies tappenbecki split as Sepik Shrike-thrush by IOC), and amazing looks at Slaty-chinned Longbill and a Blue-faced Parrotfinch for some. Our afternoon scheduled flight at Mount Hagen coincided with an epic thunderstorm with torrential rain. It looked like our plane might not make it, so we were relieved when an hour late, at dusk, it made it down, and we turned around quite quickly. Everything else went to plan, and we toasted our success in Papua New Guinea, land of the unexpected and of truly great birds.

With special thanks to Leonard, Edmund, Archie, Wilson, and Joseph, and the many service providers, like the wonderful ladies in the Kiunga kitchen, Lyn at Kumul, and Sandie and Agi in Rondon, who helped make our trip so good. The people in PNG are wonderfully friendly, and while the birding can be definitely challenging, it is a place all interested in natural history should visit if they can. Thanks again for traveling with me.

BIRDS

Plumed Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni)

Wandering Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata)

Radjah Shelduck (Tadorna radjah)

Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)

Gray Teal (Anas gibberifrons)

Black-billed Brush-Turkey (Talegalla fuscirostris) Heard only

Brown Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 17 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) Introduced

Metallic Pigeon (Columba vitiensis)

Amboyna (Slender-billed) Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia amboinensis)

Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia nigrirostris)

Great Cuckoo-Dove (Reinwardtoena reinwardtii)

Stephan’s Dove (Chalcophaps stephani)

[Western] Bronze Ground-Dove (Alopecoenas beccarii)

Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida)

Sclater’s Crowned-Pigeon (Goura sclaterii)

Wompoo Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus) Heard only

Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus)

Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus aurantiifrons)

Superb Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus superbus)

Beautiful Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus pulchellus)

Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus iozonus)

Dwarf Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus nanus)

Purple-tailed Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula rufigaster)

Rufescent Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula chalconota)

Pinon’s Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula pinon)

Collared Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula mullerii)

Zoe’s Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula zoeae)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 18 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Torresian Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula spilorrhoa)

Papuan Mountain Pigeon (Gymnophaps albertisii)

Greater Black Coucal (Centropus menbeki)

Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) Heard only

Dwarf Koel (Microdynamis parva)

Pacific Koel (Eudynamys cyanocephalus)

Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae)

Long-billed Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx megarhynchus)

Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx ruficollis)

Little Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus)

Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo (Cacomantis castaneiventris) Heard only

Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis)

Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus)

Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis)

Archbold’s Nightjar (Eurostopodus archboldi)

Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus)

Feline Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles insignis) Heard only

Barred Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles bennettii)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 19 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

Papuan Spinetailed Swift (Mearnsia novaeguineae)

Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta)

Mountain Swiftlet (Aerodramus hirundinaceus)

Uniform Swiftlet (Aerodramus vanikorensis)

Moustached Treeswift (Hemiprocne mystacea)

Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)

Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)

Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus)

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)

Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

[Australian] Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon [nilotica] macrotarsa)

Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos)

Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 20 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis)

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Pied Heron (Egretta picata)

Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis coromandus)

Striated Heron (Butorides striatus)

Rufous Night-Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)

Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis moluccus)

Long-tailed Honey-buzzard (Henicopernis longicauda)

Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata)

New Guinea Pied Harrier (Circus [spilonotus] spilothorax)

Variable Goshawk (Accipiter hiogaster)

Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus)

Grey-headed Goshawk (Accipiter poliocephalus)

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 21 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

Papuan Boobook (Ninox theomacha) Heard only

Blyth’s (Aceros plicatus)

Common Kingfisher ( atthis)

Azure Kingfisher ( azureus)

Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus)

Papuan Dwarf-Kingfisher (Ceyx solitarius) Heard only

Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii)

Rufous-bellied Kookaburra (Dacelo gaudichaud)

Sacred Kingfisher ( sanctus)

Hook-billed Kingfisher (Melidora macrorrhina) Heard only

Yellow-billed Kingfisher ( torotoro)

Mountain Kingfisher (Syma megarhyncha) Heard only

Common Paradise-Kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea)

Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher (Tanysiptera danae)

Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus)

Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 22 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus ernesti)

Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus)

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)

Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot (Micropsitta keiensis)

Papuan King-parrot ( chloropterus)

Eclectus Parrot ( roratus)

Red-cheeked Parrot ( geoffroyi)

Brehm’s Tiger-Parrot (Psittacella brehmii)

Modest Tiger-Parrot (Psittacella modesta)

Madarasz’s Tiger-Parrot (Psittacella madaraszi)

Yellow-billed Lorikeet ( musschenbroekii)

Orange-billed Lorikeet (Neopsittacus pullicauda)

Orange-breasted Fig-Parrot (Cyclopsitta gulielmitertii)

Double-eyed Fig-Parrot (Cyclopsitta diophthalma)

Large [Yellow-naped] Fig-Parrot (Psittaculirostris desmarestii godmani)

Plum-faced Lorikeet (Oreopsittacus arfaki)

Red-flanked Lorikeet ( placentis)

Papuan [Stella’s] Lorikeet (Charmosyna papou stellae)

Greater Streaked Lory ( scintillata)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 23 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Black-capped Lory (Lorius lory)

Coconut [Rainbow] Lorikeet ( haematodus)

Blue-breasted (Erythropitta erythrogaster) Heard only

Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida) Heard only

Black-eared Catbird ( melanotis) Heard only

Archbold’s Bowerbird ( papuensis) Heard only

Macgregor’s Bowerbird ( macgregoriae)

Flame Bowerbird ( aureus)

Yellow-breasted Bowerbird ( lauterbachi)

Fawn-breasted Bowerbird (Chlamydera cerviniventris)

Orange-crowned Fairywren (Clytomyias insignis)

Emperor Fairywren ( cyanocephalus)

White-shouldered Fairywren (Malurus alboscapulatus)

Plain Honeyeater (Pycnopygius ixoides)

Marbled Honeyeater (Pycnopygius cinereus)

Puff-backed Meliphaga (Meliphaga aruensis)

Mountain Meliphaga (Meliphaga orientalis)

Mimic Meliphaga (Meliphaga analoga)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 24 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Black-throated Honeyeater ( subfrenatus)

Obscure Honeyeater (Lichenostomus obscurus)

Ornate Melidectes (Melidectes torquatus)

Belford’s Melidectes (Melidectes belfordi)

Yellow-browed Melidectes (Melidectes rufocrissalis)

Rufous-banded Honeyeater (Conopophila albogularis)

Smoky Honeyeater ( fumigatus)

Long-billed Honeyeater (Melilestes megarhynchus)

Elfin Myzomela (Myzomela adolphinae)

Red-collared Myzomela (Myzomela rosenbergii)

Green-backed Honeyeater (Glycichaera fallax)

Varied Honeyeater ( versicolor)

Yellowish-streaked Honeyeater ( meekiana)

Rufous-backed Honeyeater (Ptiloprora guisei)

Grey-streaked Honeyeater (Ptiloprora perstriata)

Silver-eared Honeyeater ( alboauricularis)

White-throated Honeyeater ( albogularis)

Tawny-breasted Honeyeater ( flaviventer)

Meyer’s (Philemon meyeri)

Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 25 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Rusty Mouse-Warbler (Crateroscelis murina) Heard only

Mountain Mouse-Warbler (Crateroscelis robusta)

Large Scrubwren (Sericornis nouhuysi)

Buff-faced Scrubwren (Sericornis perspiccilatus)

Papuan Scrubwren (Sericornis papuensis)

Gray Thornbill (Acanthiza cinerea)

Green-backed Gerygone (Gerygone chloronota) Heard only

Yellow-bellied Gerygone (Gerygone chrysogaster)

Large-billed Gerygone (Gerygone magnirostris) Heard only

Brown-breasted Gerygone (Gerygone ruficollis) Heard only

Papuan (Rufous) Babbler (Pomatostomus isidorei)

Loria’s Satinbird ( loriae)

Crested Satinbird (Cnemophilus macgregorii)

Black Berrypecker (Melanocharis nigra)

Fan-tailed Berrypecker (Melanocharis versteri)

Yellow-bellied Longbill (Toxorhamphus novaeguineae)

Slaty-chinned Longbill (Toxorhamphus poliopterus)

Spectacled [Dwarf] Longbill ( iliolophus)

Pygmy Longbill (Oedistoma pygmaeum)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 26 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

Tit Berrypecker (Oreocharis arfaki)

[Eastern] Crested Berrypecker (Paramythia montium)

Painted Quail-thrush (Cinclosoma ajax) Poor views

Blue Jewel-Babbler (Ptilorrhoa caerulescens) Heard only

Black-breasted Boatbill (Machaerirhynchus nigripectus)

Great Woodswallow (Artamus maximus)

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)

Lowland Peltops (Peltops blainvilli)

Black-backed Butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis)

Hooded Butcherbird (Cracticus cassicus)

Stout-billed Cuckoo-shrike ( caeruleogrisea)

Barred Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina lineata)

Boyer’s Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina boyeri)

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae)

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina papuensis)

Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 27 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Black-bellied Cicadabird (Edolisoma montanum)

Common Cicadabird (Edolisoma tenuirostre)

Grey-headed Cicadabird (Edolisoma schisticeps)

Black Cicadabird (Coracina melas)

Wattled Ploughbill (Eulacestoma nigropectus)

Rusty Pitohui (Pseudorectes ferrugineus)

White-bellied Pitohui (Pseudorectes incertus) Heard only

Little Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha)

Black Pitohui (Melanorectes nigrescens)

Regent Whistler (Pachycephala schlegelii)

Sclater’s Whistler (Pachycephala soror)

Brown-backed Whistler (Pachycephala modesta)

Grey Whistler (Pachycephala simplex)

White-bellied Whistler (Pachycephala leucogastra)

Mottled Berryhunter (Rhagologus leucostigma)

Rufous-naped Bellbird (Aleadryas rufinucha)

Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 28 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

Hooded Pitohui (Pitohui dichrous)

[Southern] Variable Pitohui (Pitohui kirhocephalus)

Brown Oriole (Oriolus szalayi)

Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti)

Spangled (Dicrurus bracteatus)

Black Fantail (Rhipidura atra)

White-bellied Thicket-Fantail (Rhipidura leucothorax) Heard only

Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)

Rufous-backed Fantail (Rhipidura rufidorsa) Heard only

Dimorphic Fantail (Rhipidura brachyrhyncha)

Friendly Fantail (Rhipidura albolimbata)

Chestnut-backed Fantail (Rhipidura hyperythra)

Blue-capped Ifrita (Ifrita kowaldi)

Golden Monarch ( chrysomela)

Fan-tailed Monarch ( axillaris)

Spot-winged Monarch (Symposiachrus guttula)

Frilled Monarch ( telescopthalmus)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 29 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Torrent-lark ( bruijni)

Leaden Flycatcher ( rubecula)

Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto)

Grey Crow (Corvus tristis)

Torresian Crow (Corvus orru)

Trumpet Manucode (Phonygammus keraudrenii)

Crinkle-collared Manucode (Manucodia chalybatus)

Glossy-mantled Manucode (Manucodia ater)

King of Saxony Bird of Paradise (Pteridophora alberti)

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucos)

Greater Lophorina (Lophorina superba)

Growling Riflebird ( intercedens)

Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus) Heard only

Black Sicklebill (Epimachus fastuosus) Heard only

Brown Sicklebill (Epimachus meyerii)

Stephanie’s Astrapia (Astrapia stephaniae)

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia (Astrapia mayeri)

King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius)

Magnificent Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus magnificus)

Blue Bird of Paradise (Paradisea rudolphi)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 30 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Raggiana Bird of Paradise (Paradisea raggiana)

Greater Bird of Paradise (Paradisea apoda)

Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisea minor)

Lesser Melampitta (Melampitta lugubris)

Lesser Ground-Robin ( incerta) Heard only

Torrent Flycatcher (Monachella muelleriana)

Lemon-bellied Flycatcher ( flavigaster)

Olive Flyrobin (Microeca flavovirescens)

Papuan [Canary] Flycatcher (Microeca papuana)

Garnet Robin (Eugerygone rubra)

Black-sided Robin ( hypoleucos) Heard only

Black-throated Robin (Poecilodryas albonotata)

White-winged Robin ( sigillata)

Blue-grey Robin (Peneothello cyanus) Heard only

Ashy [Black-cheeked] Robin ( albispecularis)

Papuan Scrub-Robin ( beccarii) Heard only

Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica)

Island Leaf-Warbler (Phylloscopus poliocephalus)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 31 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019

New Guinea Grassbird (Megalurus [timoriensis] macrurus) Poor views

Black-crowned White-eye (Zosterops atrifrons)

Green-fronted White-eye (Zosterops minor)

Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)

Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus)

Metallic (Aplonis metallica)

Yellow-eyed Starling (Aplonis mystacea)

Singing Starling (Aplonis cantoroides)

Yellow-faced Myna ( dumontii)

Golden Myna (Mino anais)

Red-capped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum geelvinkianum)

Black Sunbird (Leptocoma sericea)

Australasian (Anthus novaeseelandiae)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 32 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019 Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) Introduced

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Introduced

Mountain Firetail (Oreostruthus fuliginosus)

Blue-faced Parrotfinch (Erythrura trichroa)

Hooded Munia (Lonchura spectabilis)

Grey-headed Munia (Lonchura caniceps)

MAMMALS

Speckled Dasyure (Neophascogale lorentzii)

Mountain Cuscus (Phalanger carmelitae)

Masked Ringtail (Pseudochirulus larvatus)

Agile Wallaby (Macropus agilis)

Great Flying-fox (Pteropus neohibernicus)

REPTILES

Painted Turtle (Emydura subglobosa)

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 33 Papua New Guinea Highlights, 2019