Slaty robin

Blue-grey robin
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Petroicidae
Genus:	Peneothello
Species:	P. cyanus
Binomial name
Peneothello cyanus (Salvadori, 1874)
Synonyms
Myiolestes cyanus Salvadori, 1874 Poecilodryas cyana (Salvadori, 1874) Poecilodryas cyanea ( lapsus ) Poecilodryas cyanopsis Sharpe, 1901 Poecilodryas cyanus salvadorii Rothschild & Hartert, 1900 (non Madarász, 1900: preoccupied) Poecilodryas subcyanea de Vis, 1897 Peneothello cyanus

The slaty robin (Melanodryas cyanus), also known as the blue-grey robin, is a species of bird in the Australasian robin family Petroicidae. It is endemic to the New Guinea Highlands and sparsely in the island's northern areas. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Taxonomy

The slaty robin was formally described in 1874 as Myiolestes ? cyanus by the Italian zoologist Tommaso Salvadori based on a specimen that had been collected by Luigi D'Albertis at Hatam in the Arfak Mountains or northwest New Guinea. ^{[2] [3]} The specific epithet is from Ancient Greek κυανος/kuanos meaning "dark-blue". ^[4] The slaty robin was formerly placed in the genus Peneothella, ^{[3] [5]} but in 2025 Peneothello was merged into a more broadly defined Melanodryas . This change was based on the results of a 2011 molecular genetic study of the Australasian robins by Les Christidis and coworkers. ^{[6] [7]}

Three subspecies are recognised: ^[7]

• M. c. cyanus (Salvadori, AT, 1874) – mountains of Bird's Head Peninsula (western New Guinea)
• M. c. atricapilla (Hartert, EJO & Paludan, KJ, 1934) – mountains of central and northern New Guinea eastward to Hindenburg Range, including Wandammen, Foja, Cyclops, and Bewani–Torricelli mountains
• M. c. subcyanea (De Vis, CW, 1897) – montane central highlands, northeastern (including Adelbert Mountains and Huon Peninsula), and southeastern New Guinea

Description

Measuring 14 to 15 cm (5.5 to 5.9 in), the slaty robin has fairly uniform blue-grey plumage, which is slightly lighter underneath and slightly darker on the cheeks and face. The tail and flight feathers are grey-black. The bill and feet are black, and the eyes are dark brown. ^[8]

Distribution and habitat

The slaty robin is found in the highlands of New Guinea from altitudes of 900 to 2,750 m (2,950 to 9,020 ft). Within the rainforest it is found in pairs in the understory or on the ground. It is insectivorous, and hunts by gleaning. It eats ants, beetles, and thyonnid wasps. ^[8]

Behaviour

The nest is a deep cup made of rootlets and lined with moss, and is generally placed in a tree fork around 6 m (20 ft) above the ground. One or two pale-greenish or olive eggs, splotched with olive or brown, are laid, and measure 23.5 mm x 17–19 mm. ^[8]

References

1. BirdLife International (2017). "Peneothello cyanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017 e.T22704896A118833283. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22704896A118833283.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. Salvadori, Tommaso (1874). "Altre nuove specie di uccelli raccolte nella Nuova Guinea et di Gorman raccolte dal Signor L. M. d'Albertis". Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale di Genova (in Italian and Latin). 6: 81-88 [84].
3. Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1986). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 11. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 579.
4. Jobling, James A. "cyanus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
5. Dickinson, E.C.; Christidis, L., eds. (2014). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2: Passerines (4th ed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. p. 260. ISBN   978-0-9568611-2-2.
6. Christidis, L.; Irestedt, M.; Rowe, D.; Boles, W.E.; Norman, J.A. (2011). "Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA phylogenies reveal a complex evolutionary history in the Australasian robins (Passeriformes: Petroicidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 61 (3): 726–738. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2011.08.014.
7. AviList Core Team (2025). "AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025". doi: 10.2173/avilist.v2025 . Retrieved 14 November 2025.
8. Coates, Brian J. (1990). The Birds of Papua New Guinea. Vol. II. Queensland: Dove Publications. p. 199. ISBN   978-0-9590257-1-2. OCLC   153651608.