Smoky Robin (Peneothello cryptoleuca)
About the Smoky Robin
The smoky robin (Melanodryas cryptoleuca) is a species of bird in the Australasian robin family Petroicidae endemic to West Papua, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The smoky robin was formally described in 1930 as Poecilodryas cryptoleucus by the German ornithologist Ernst Hartert based on specimens collected near Lehuma and Ditschi in the Arfak Mountains of northwest New Guinea. The specific epithet combines the Ancient Greek κρυπτος/kruptos meaning "hidden" with λευκος/leukos meaning "white". The smoky robin was formerly placed in the genus Peneothella, 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.
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We only publish recordings we may use commercially, because this site is supported by ads. xeno-canto lists 12 recordings for this species: 8 CC BY-NC-SA · 4 CC BY-NC-ND. None of them permits commercial use, so there is no player here — the page is kept as a profile so the bird is not missing from the guide.
As soon as someone uploads a freely licensed recording, we mirror it and the player appears here.
Listed as recorded in Indonesia in the xeno-canto catalogue.