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Species
Machaerirhynchus flaviventer Gould, 1851
Nomenclature
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Family: MachaerirhynchidaeGenus: Machaerirhynchus
SUMMARY
Small aberrant flycatcher with distinctive plumage; unusually broad flat bill with distinct keel on upper mandible is shaped like an upturned rowing boat; tail appears rather long and remarkably narrow when cocked. Male nominate has glossy black head and dark olive upperparts, clear yellow supercilium; upperwing black, white wingbars formed by tips of greater and median upperwing-coverts, remiges with pale edgings (yellow on secondaries, white on tertials); tail black, outer feathers with narrow whitish edgings (showing as white outer tips); chin and upper throat white, lower throat and underparts rich yellow; iris dark brown; bill black; legs grey. Female is similar to male but much duller, black areas replaced by mottled dull olive-green, much paler yellow underparts with greyish barring or chevrons on breast and greyish mottling on flanks. Juvenile is very like a duller female, differing in wholly olive (not white) chin and upper throat, bolder greyish barring on breast; immature doubtfully distinguishable from adult. Races vary mostly in fairly minor details of plumage, though all four New Guinea races have black mask much reduced, and restricted to loral area: secundus differs from nominate in slightly longer tail, blacker above, brighter yellow below, broader white tips in wing, female lacks barring below; albifrons has more yellow on forehead, and white on underparts restricted to chin; xanthogenys has prominent yellow lower forehead and supercilium, and yellow cheek and ear-coverts; albigula and novus have supercilium white, not yellow, albigula being yellower (less orange) below than novus, and with more white on throat.