Description
The Goldenface is a small whistler, around 13 cm in length and weighing 14–19 g. The plumage of the species is striking; the nominate subspecies has a slate grey back, tail, wing, cap and back of the neck and bright yellow face, throat, breast and belly. From the crown to the shoulder the face is bordered with a black line, and the terital feathers of the wing are tipped with black and white. The eye and bill is black and the legs are pink. There is a small amount of sexual dimorphism, with the female resembling the male closely except in having a dusky patch on the face. Immature birds of either sexes resemble the female. The three other subspecies resemble the nominate subspecies with minor differences. The subspecies P. f. subaurantium has darker upperparts and a slight orange tint. P. f. randi has much oranger underparts and face, and P. f. subpallidiumm has much paler upperparts and the most yellow undersides. The identification of Goldenface study skins held in museum collections is complicated by the tendency of the plumage colours used to identify the subspecies fading after death.
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