Sumba Flowerpecker
Dicaeum wilhelminae
Small and stout forest-dweller that hops and buzzes about in the canopy like a large, active insect. Note male’s iridescent dark blue back, bright red chest, and black line extending down the white belly. As with many other flowerpeckers, the female is considerably duller, with a red rump patch being the only patch of bright color on her otherwise gray-brown plumage. Endemic to Sumba, where found in wooded habitats throughout the island. Gives a short, descending series of whistles, as well as piercing high-pitched notes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Dicaeum wilhelminae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Dicaeidae
- Genus
- Dicaeum
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Tahiti Swiftlet
Aerodramus leucophaeus
A medium-sized swiftlet with a relatively long forked tail. Mostly brown with very slightly paler brown underparts and a more golden-brown rump. Most common over rocky riverine valleys and humid forests. Similar to Atiu Swiftlet but is less contrastingly patterned, overall more uniformly brown, with a paler rump and a proportionally longer tail. Also extremely similar to Marquesan Swiftlet, but appears paler-faced and lacks a pale collar. Call is an insect-like buzzing and trilling.
Gray-and-buff Woodpecker
Hemicircus concretus
Small stout woodpecker with an oversized crested head and black-and-white scaling on the back. Males have a brilliant red front to the crest that females lack. Agile and active, frequently foraging in the upper canopy or on exposed snags. Crawls along trunks, sometimes descending headfirst like a nuthatch. Found in lowland and hill forests. Gives high-pitched squeaks, descending “peer” notes, and rattles.
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Cossypha natalensis
A medium-sized, vibrantly colored robin-chat with tail, underparts, throat, and face all pumpkin orange, emphasizing the beady dark eye. The back and wings are steel-blue, except for the dark central tail feathers. Pairs are secretive in thickets, forest patches, and dense woodland, where they typically forage on the ground. The species is often first detected by its plaintive trembling “creee-craww” contact call and other typical fluty robin-chat vocalizations, including many imitations of other species.
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