Monday 4 March 2019

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Dicaeum (a supposed bird mentioned by Aelianus) cruentatum ("blood-stained")
Adult male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (subspecies D. c. ignitum) at Bishan Park, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Dicaeum cruentatum ignitum
Weight: 7-8g  /  Length: 9cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Scarlet-backed flowerpecker is a small bird with striking black white and red plumage in the males.  The females are a lot less notable, with an drab olive-grey type coloration with mere streaks of the bright scarlet.  My views of this bird were distant and brief, but judging from my own views and those of other pictures online, they seem to have a talent for going for fruits that are far larger than they look like they should be able to carry!

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Dicaeidae
Genus: Dicaeum
SUBSPECIES: D. c. cruentatum, D. c. ignitum, D. c. sumatranum, D. c. batuense, D. c. simalurense, D. c. niasense, D. c. nigrimentum

 - Sighting Locations -
SINGAPORE - A fairly common resident
 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Seen at  Bishan Park and Sungei Buloh

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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