The Bird on this picture shows most of the classic features from a Belford's Melidectes: black bill, lack of white on the forehead as well as lack of the red wattle. But the colour of the bare skin around the eye, is yellowish and not blue, as in Belford's (see other pictures). As there are documented hybrids between Belford's Melidectes and Yellow-browed melidectes, this is probably a hybrid between these two species.
Belford's Melidectes, is the omnipresent bird in the Baliem Valley. It is quite big for a honeyeater, has a conspicious behaviour, often occurs in small parties, it is very noisy, and is found within a broad altitudinal range. We saw these birds at the lower altitudes of about 2000 metres above sea-level, mostly in the forest interior or at the forest edge. On the higher altitudes around the lake (above 3300 metres), the birds occur in alpine dwarf shrub and dwarf forest. The birds generally feed on athropods, as well as on fruit or nectar.