Ashy flowerpecker
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Dicaeum vulneratum

The ashy flowerpecker (Dicaeum vulneratum ) is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to Indonesia where it occurs on Seram, Ambon and nearby islands in the Banda Arc. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Appearance

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.

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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.

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Distribution

Geography

Continents
Countries
Biogeographical realms

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.

Diet and Nutrition

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.

Mating Habits

Ashy flowerpeckers build globular nests out of plant fibers and leaves.

Population

Population number

The ashy flowerpecker is a common species within its very limited range and is not considered threatened.

References

1. Ashy flowerpecker Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashy_flowerpecker
2. Ashy flowerpecker on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22717540/131976361

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