- Dicaeum cruentatum
Identification
Size from 7-9 cm (2¾-3½ in)
Male
Tricoloured, brillant scarlet from forehead to rump, black from sides of face down neck and wings to tail, bright red rump, pale whitish-grey below from throat down centre of breast and abdomen.
Female olive-grey with dark tail, bright red rump, pale whitish-grey below.
Distribution
The Himalayas and southern China through South-East Asia to Sumatra and Borneo.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Photo © by Jason Bugay Reyes
Lok Kawi Botanical Park, Sabah, Borneo, September 2009
Seven subspecies are recognized [1]:
- D. c. cruentatum:
- D. c. ignitum:
- D. c. sumatranum:
- Sumatra and satellite islands
- D. c. batuense:
- Mentawi Archipelago (off Sumatra)
- D. c. simalurense:
- Simeulue Island (off western Sumatra)
- D. c. niasense:
- Nias Island (off western Sumatra)
- D. c. nigrimentum:
- Borneo and Karimata Island
Habitat
Humid lowland in tropical and subtropical areas. Frequents the canopy of primary forests, feeding in clusters of fruiting mistletoes. At the forest edges frequently feeds on fruiting Melastoma shrubs; and in gardens especially fruiting Muntingia trees.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet consists mostly of fruit, which includes berries, figs and mistletoe.
Vocalisation
Voice a frequent metallic tick often in flight.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2018)
- BF member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Scarlet-backed_Flowerpecker
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
