A rare, medium-sized honeyeater of foothill forest in northern New Guinea. Fairly uniform, brown plumage with a white ear spot and light mottling below. Forages singly for insects and doesn’t really visit flowering trees. The only other similar species with a white ear spot is Scrub honeyeater which is found more in scrub than forest and is green with an orange gape. Call, an upslurred “weep” is diagnostic.