Ashy Flowerpecker
Dicaeum vulneratum
A tiny, plump, short-tailed gray songbird. Male distinctive: uniform gray except for diagnostic prominent red breast patch and red rump. Female lacks chest patch, but still shows diagnostic red rump. Juvenile is gray, lacking any red. Found singly or in pairs in forest, forest edge, and plantations, usually at upper levels of trees, in lowlands and foothills. Confined to a limited range in the south Moluccas. Calls include a high-pitched, disyllabic “tsee-oo,” a simpler, abbreviated “tsew,” a harsher “bzit” and “bzeet,” and a “si-si-si-si-si-si-si” song that varies in number of notes.
Identification
Ashy flowerpeckers range between 8 and 8.5 cm in length. The species is dimorphic - both adult males and females have primarily brown upperparts and gray underparts with black legs and bill and a red patch on the rump (this patch is yellowish-green in juveniles), but males have a red patch on the breast, while females have a white throat and breast. Apart from rump color, juveniles are similar to females in coloration.<p>The ashy flowerpecker's thin, high-pitched song varies throughout its range. On Ambon, it consists of three trisyllabic notes, while on Seram, it consists of three disyllabic notes.
Taxonomy
The ashy flowerpecker is closely related to several other species in the genus Dicaeum, forming a species complex with the crimson-crowned flowerpecker, the Buru flowerpecker, the olive-crowned flowerpecker, the Halmahera flowerpecker, the red-banded flowerpecker, and the midget flowerpecker. <p>Despite being found on several islands, the species is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Dicaeum vulneratum
- Authority
- Wallace, 1863
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Dicaeidae
- Genus
- Dicaeum
Range and habitat
The ashy flowerpecker is found on the island of Seram, as well as the surrounding islands of Saparua, Boano, Ambon, and the islands of the Gorong archipelago. Within that range, it favors both forests and more degraded woody areas like gardens and farm edges. It can be found anywhere between sea level and 2100 meters in elevation but is most common between 300 and 600 meters.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Ashy flowerpeckers build globular nests out of plant fibers and leaves.<p>Ashy flowerpeckers feed primarily on nectar, but might also consume mistletoe pollen and fruit. They forage both in the forest canopy and at lower levels, joining mixed-species flocks in addition to foraging individually.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Papuan Dwarf-Kingfisher
Ceyx solitarius
A tiny kingfisher of lowland and foothill forest interior. Deep, cobalt blue head and wings with eye-catching paler blue patch on the back and pale orange belly. White throat and ear patch, with pale buff spot behind the bill. Flies overhead like a blue, speeding bullet. Devilishly difficult to see. Similar to Azure Kingfisher, but Papuan Dwarf-Kingfisher is smaller, lacks the blue on the sides of the chest and isn’t associated with water. Voice, high-pitched “cheep!” calls.
Black Francolin
Francolinus francolinus
Strikingly patterned male is unmistakable with his jet-black face and breast, white cheek patch, dark rust-brown collar, and bright white spots. Brownish female has a small orange nape patch, pale throat, and dense black-and-white markings all over the body; compare with larger Gray Francolin. Occurs in dry grasslands, agricultural land, and weedy fields. Shier than other francolins; more often heard than seen. Usually solitary or in pairs. Male call is a peculiar, metallic-sounding “keek, keek, kek-ke-kek.” Native to Asia, from Turkey east to far eastern India and northern Myanmar; introduced to Hawaii.
Brown-chested Alethe
Chamaetylas poliocephala
An easily overlooked, locally common bird found in the understory and on the ground in forests, especially in hilly terrain and near water, from the lowlands up to middle elevations. The reddish-brown back and tail are noticeable when the bird flies away in the undergrowth, but also look for the bright white eye-stripe, the gray face and crown stripe, and the bright white undersides. Distinguished from the Fire-crested Alethe by its distinctive bright white eye-line and bright pink legs. Mainly silent, but will sometimes give a short whistled “wheep!” or harsh “djar” chatter notes.
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