Goldenface (Pachycare flavogriseum) [XC557713]
by Iain Woxvold from Usage headwaters, West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea (song)
Goldenface (Pachycare flavogriseum) [XC557715]
by Scott Connop from Usage headwaters, West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea (song)
Subspecies
Affinities uncertain. Bright yellow underparts and strong voice suggest possible relationship with the whistlers, but other plumage characters, and behaviour, indicate less of a connection; alliance with Australasian robins (Petroicidae) suggested by some authors; nest, however, is unlike those of other members of present family or those of petroicids. Closest relatives perhaps in the family Acanthizidae, some members of which have nest architecture similar to that of present species. Further research is required. Racial identification of museum specimens possibly confounded by post-mortem fading of underpart colour; subspecies subpallidum and subaurantium grade into each other in Sepik Mts.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
flavogriseum (Meyer, 1874) - Vogelkop (Arfak Mts, Tamrau Mts) and Wandammen Mts, in western New Guinea.
subaurantium Rothschild & Hartert, 1911 - Central New Guinea in Weyland Mts, southern slopes of Nassau Mts, Oranje Mts and Victor Emanuel Mts eastern probably to Mt Karimui.
randi Gilliard, 1961 - R Idenburg, in northern New Guinea.
subpallidum Hartert, 1930 - New Guinea eastern and south-eastern from Torricelli Mts, Sepik Mts, Huon Peninsula (Saruwaged Mts), Herzog Mts and, in south, eastern Highlands Province (probably from Okasa).
lecroyae Beehler & Prawiradilaga, 2010 - Northern New Guinea (Bewani and Torricelli Mountains).