Birds of Mount Scratchley summit and environs: 3520 metres ASL in south eastern New Guinea

Abstract

Listed are 22 species of birds seen during a June 1984 visit to the summit of Mt. Scratchley, 3520 m in the Wharton Range of the central cordillera in south-eastern New Guinea. MacGregor's Bird of Paradise Macgregoria pulchra was not uncommon and specimens of a new food tree for this species were collected and subsequently identified as Rapanea involucrata. An active nest of the Island Thrush Turdus
poliocephalus was found. Of exceptional interest was the sight record of the Logrunner Orthonyx temminckii at 3450 m the highest known record for this species on the island of New Guinea and the first known sighting by an ornithologist for many decades.