Flame-crowned flowerpecker
| Flame-crowned flowerpecker | |
|---|---|
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| A male Flame-crowned Flowerpecker | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Dicaeidae |
| Genus: | Dicaeum |
| Species: | D. kampalili
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| Binomial name | |
| Dicaeum kampalili Manuel & Gilliard, 1953
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The flame-crowned flowerpecker (Dicaeum kampalili) is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to Mindanao in the Philippines. The yellow-crowned flowerpecker (Dicaeum anthonyi), which is endemic to Luzon, was formerly considered conspecific.[2]
Description and taxonomy
[edit]EBird describes the bird as "A tiny bird of mossy montane forest and edge. Male has glossy black upperparts and pale underparts, whiter on the throat. Races differ. Mindanao birds are orange-red under the base of the tail and on the crown. Similar to Bicolored flowerpecker, but male Flame-crowned has a bright crown patch and female has a yellowish belly. Voice includes a high-pitched descending whistle and a sharp “tsik!”[3]
Exhibits sexual dimorphism in which males have the eponymous flame orange crown and vent while females are much more dull and have uniform olive color and does not the black upperparts[4]
This species was formerly conspecific with the Yellow-crowned flowerpecker but is now recognized as distinct species. It differs mostly in the males with its orange crown, gray throat, grayish white belly and scarlet undertail and smaller size.
Subspecies
[edit]Two subspecies are recognized:
- D. k. kampalili – Found on Mindanao except Western area
- D. k. masawan – Found on West Mindanao; yellow tinge on breast and flanks and the abdomen is yellowish white
Ecology and behavior
[edit]Feeds on small fruits, the nectar of mistletoes and flowers.Found singly, in pairs or mixed species flocks with other flowerpeckers and small birds. Often observed near fruiting and flowering trees. Nest is undescribed. Juveniles have been seen from April to October.[5]
Habitat and conservation status
[edit]
It inhabits tropic moist montane forest at mossy forest above 1,300 meters above sea level.[4]
IUCN has assessed this bird as least-concern with its population being estimated as 10,000 to 19,999 mature individuals. While not considered threatened, it is still thought to be declining. Forest loss is a threat especially in its lower altitude limits which are more prone to legal and illegal logging, mining and conversion into farmland.
It is recommended to investigate potential threats and quantify more precisely the population size of the species. Protect areas of suitable habitat and safeguard against deforestation.
References
[edit]- ^ BirdLife International (2017). "Dicaeum kampalili". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "Species Updates – IOC World Bird List". www.worldbirdnames.org. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
- ^ "Flame-crowned Flowerpecker". Ebird.
- ^ a b Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife International Field Guides. pp. 342–343.
- ^ Cheke, Robert; del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Mann, Clive; Bonan, Arnau; Kirwan, Guy M.; Rasmussen, Pamela C. (2023). "Flame-crowned Flowerpecker (Dicaeum kampalili), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.flcflo3.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
