Using camera traps, birders photographed a previously unknown species of jewel babbler in the forest karsts of the Southern Fold Mountains in Papua New Guinea.
Camera trap images of the holotype and two paratypes Ptilorrhea urrissiafilmed over a 3-month sampling period in a high-density 0.5-ha array: a holotype (ac, labeled “h” in a) and one paratype (a and d, labeled “p” in a), presumed adult female and female-plumaged juvenile, respectively, were photographed together on 1 January 2020; The images shown are part of a series of 20 photographs taken over a period of 87 s; A putative adult male paratype (e) was photographed at less than 40 m on 8 March 2020. Image credit: Woxvold etc.., two: 10.1111/ibi.70016.
The newly identified species belongs to Ptilorrheasmall genus of birds in the family Zinclosomata.
Commonly known as jewel chatterers, these birds are endemic to New Guinea.
“The Jewel Chatterers are a group of terrestrial insectivorous passerines endemic to New Guinea and several satellite islands that connect land bridges,” said Australian Museum Research Institute ornithologist Ian Voxvold and colleagues.
“Plump and short-winged, they have a black mask, a white throat or cheek patch, and soft plumage, which in most species has a blue and/or chestnut pattern.”
“They are vocal but shy birds of the forest depths, more often heard than seen.”
“There are currently four known species, three of which occupy most of New Guinea but vary in height: the blue jewel babbler (Ptilorrhoa ceruleuscens) in the lowlands a chestnut-haired talker (Ptilorrhea castanonota) on the hills and lower mountains, and the spotted jewel talker (Ptylorroa leucosticta) in a mountain forest.”
“The fourth species, the brown-headed jewel talker (Ptilorroa geislerorum), occurs in two widely separated areas – in the hills and lowlands of north-eastern Papua New Guinea and in a recently discovered population (presumably of this species) far to the west on Yapen Island.”
In 2017, Dr Voxvold and his colleague Leo Legra from Lihir Gold Limited organized a two-year camera trap survey of land birds and mammals on the Yagifu Ridge (uri [mount] Urrissia in the local language Fasu), a forested limestone anticline located at the southeastern end of the Agogo Range in the Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.
In their collection of images, they noticed the distinctive, undescribed shape of a jewelry talker.
“Over a period of more than 1,800 survey days, 10 images of the bird were acquired in three sequences (trigger 'events') captured on two cameras that were separated by approximately 600m and an open access road,” they said.
“In November 2018, we spent 8 days setting nets and searching for the bird without reward.”
“Camera trap monitoring was repeated in 2019, 2021 and 2024.”
“A total of 94 photographs (22 episodes) and seven 30-second videos (four episodes) were captured using 11 cameras covering an area of 16 hectares, involving at least three to six birds.”
A study of museum exhibits and field photographic materials confirmed that the birds photographed by the authors differ from all other known birds. Ptilorrhea forms.
“Based on these results, we propose that the birds photographed at Yagifu Ridge represent a new species, which we call: the hooded chatterer (Ptilorrhea urrissia),” they said.
Ptilorrhea urrissia They appear to be permanent residents of the Yagifu Ridge, and the birds were photographed in each of 10 consecutive months (June-March) over a period of 7 years.
The total number of new species discovered during the sampling period probably did not exceed 10 birds.
“Jewel chatterers are typically observed as solitary birds, in pairs, or in small family groups of three to four,” the researchers said.
“The available evidence points to a similar pattern of social organization in Ptilorrhea urrissia: Duets were regularly photographed together, and most records (all but three sequences of a single male) were collected over an area of 7 hectares and potentially include a sedentary pair plus one offspring on each of two breeding events.”
“We speculate that the Yagifu Range may be home to a highly fragmented population inhabiting isolated low mountains that do not support Ptylorroa leucosticta hills,” they added.
“Potentially suitable sites may be limited to the area between the Bosavi and Karimui mountains in southern Papua New Guinea.”
Not a single song could be clearly attributed to any Ptilorrhea except Ptilorrhea castanonota was heard by the crew at Yagifu Ridge.
The new species is apparently less loud than Ptilorrhoa ceruleuscens And Ptilorrhea castanonota and in behavior closer to Ptylorroa leucosticta in this regard.
“Jewel lovers on the Yagifu Ridge face many threats,” the scientists say.
“At least three marsupials have been confirmed to be native predators: the New Guinea quoll (Dasyurus albopunktatus), three-band dasyura Woolley (Myoictis leukurian) and one or more Murexia species – plus several birds of prey, including the Papuan eagle (Harpiopsis novaeguineae), gray goshawk (Tachyspisa poliocephala) and great sooty owl (These tenibricos), each of which takes prey from the ground and can eat adult birds or their young.”
“Alien predators pose an additional and potentially serious threat, especially to ground-nesting species such as the Jewel Babblers.”
“Domestic cats (Cat) were caught on camera at Yagifu Ridge three times in 2021 and 2024.”
“Dogs (Family dog) are also regularly found on the site, either in the company of hunters, or as free-moving individuals and small flocks.”
“Finally, climate change poses a serious threat to tropical montane birds, especially birds with low dispersal ability that do not have access to higher altitudes such as Ptilorrhea urrissia on the Yagifu ridge.”
A paper the discovery was published on November 26, 2025 in the journal Ibis.
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Ian A. Voxvold etc.. A new species of jewelery chatterer (Cinclosomatidae: Ptilorrhea) from the Southern Fold Mountains of Papua New Guinea. Ibispublished online November 26, 2025; doi: 10.1111/ibi.70016
