The lesser ground robin is a species of bird in the family Petroicidae. It is found in New Guinea.
Region
New Guinea Highlands
Typical Environment
Found in lower to mid-montane evergreen rainforests across the Central Cordillera of New Guinea. It favors mossy understory with dense leaf litter, tangled roots, and fallen logs. The species uses forest edges and sheltered gullies but is most typical of interior, intact forest. It is largely terrestrial, moving between patches of cover on the forest floor.
Altitude Range
800–2500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The lesser ground robin is a shy, ground-dwelling Australasian robin of New Guinea’s montane forests. It spends much of its time hopping along the leaf litter, flicking its tail as it searches for small invertebrates. Its plain, earthy plumage provides excellent camouflage in mossy undergrowth. It is often detected by its thin, high whistles rather than by sight.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, foraging quietly on the forest floor. Nests are typically cup-shaped and placed low, often in dense vegetation or on banks. Pairs defend small territories and maintain contact with soft calls.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of thin, high-pitched whistles and soft, metallic notes delivered from low perches. Calls are simple but carry through dense understory, aiding contact in dim habitats.
Plumage
Plain brown-olive upperparts with paler grayish-buff underparts and a whitish throat; subtle, smooth-textured plumage suited for camouflage.
Diet
Primarily small arthropods such as beetles, ants, caterpillars, spiders, and other leaf-litter invertebrates. It probes and flicks leaves to expose prey and gleans from logs and roots. Occasionally takes small worms and other soft-bodied prey. Fruit is rarely, if ever, taken.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on the shaded forest floor where leaf litter and moss provide cover and foraging substrate. Often works along fallen trunks, root tangles, and streamside banks. Prefers quiet, undisturbed understory with dense ground cover.
