Timeliopsis griseigula
The Tawny Straightbill (Timeliopsis griseigula) is a fascinating yet often overlooked member of the honeyeater family (Meliphagidae), endemic to the diverse rainforests of New Guinea. Measuring approximately 13-14 cm in length and weighing 13-18 grams, its plumage is subtly beautiful, characterized by dull tawny-olive upperparts and pale greyish underparts, particularly on the throat, which gives it its specific epithet 'griseigula' (grey-throated). A distinctive feature is its relatively sho...
Found primarily in lower to mid-montane rainforests, including dense secondary growth and forest edges, typically at elevations between 600 and 1,700 meters above sea level.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of arthropods such as beetles, spiders, and caterpillars, gleaned from foliage and bark, but will also consume nectar from flowering plants when available.
The Tawny Straightbill is a diurnal and rather inconspicuous bird, often observed foraging solitarily or in pairs within the understory and mid-canopy layers of the forest. Its primary foraging strategy involves actively gleaning insects and spiders from foliage, bark, and mosses, often probing i...
The Tawny Straightbill is endemic to the vast island of New Guinea, where it maintains a widespread and resident distribution across both the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua, and the independent nation of Papua New Guinea. It is found consistently throughout the central mountain rang...
Least Concern
- The scientific name *griseigula* is derived from Latin, meaning 'grey-throated', a direct reference to a key identification feature. - It is one of only two species in the genus *Timeliopsis*, the other being the Mountain Straightbill (*T. fulvigula*), both endemic to New Guinea. - Despite belo...