The white-winged robin (''Peneothello sigillata'') is a species of
bird in the family
Petroicidae
The bird family Petroicidae includes 51 species in 19 genera. All are endemic to Australasia: New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and numerous Pacific Islands as far east as Samoa. For want of an accurate common name, the family is often called th ...
.
Distribution and habitat
The white-winged robin is found in
New Guinea. Its natural
habitat is subtropical or tropical moist
montane forests. It is found in the highlands of New Guinea at elevations of and is replaced by the
slaty robin at lower elevations.
Description
Measuring , the adult white-winged robin has black plumage, with largely white wings. The male and female are identical. The bill and feet are black, and the eyes are dark brown. Juveniles have a variable streaked brown plumage.
[
]
Behaviour
Within the forest the robin is found in pairs or small troops of several birds in the understory or on the ground. It is insectivorous, but does also eat some seeds.[ The somewhat bulky cup-shaped nest is constructed in a tree fork.][
]
Taxonomy
Described by English naturalist, Charles Walter De Vis, in 1890, the white-winged robin is a member of the Australasian robin family Petroicidae
The bird family Petroicidae includes 51 species in 19 genera. All are endemic to Australasia: New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and numerous Pacific Islands as far east as Samoa. For want of an accurate common name, the family is often called th ...
.[* ] Sibley and Ahlquist's DNA-DNA hybridisation studies placed this group in a Corvida parvorder comprising many tropical and Australian passerines, including pardalotes, fairy-wrens, honeyeaters, and crows.
Subspecies
Within the species, three subspecies are recognised—the nominate subspecies, which is found on the main mountain range along New Guinea from the Bismarck Range eastwards, subspecies ''hagenensis'' from Mount Hagen west into Irian Jaya, and subspecies ''saruwagedi'' of the Huon Peninsula.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:robin, white-winged
white-winged robin
The white-winged robin (''Peneothello sigillata'') is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae.
Distribution and habitat
The white-winged robin is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It ...
white-winged robin
The white-winged robin (''Peneothello sigillata'') is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae.
Distribution and habitat
The white-winged robin is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It ...
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot