Flowerpeckers: Dicaeidae

Physical characteristics: Fire-breasted flowerpeckers have a black crown (top part of the head); black upperparts with dark brown cheeks, a scarlet breast, and buff belly and throat. They are about 3.5 inches (8.9 centimeters) long, and weigh between 0.14 and 0.28 ounces (4 and 8 grams).

Geographic range: Fire-breasted flowerpeckers range throughout most of Southeast Asia including Mindanao, Negros, and Samar (within the Philippines), Sumatra (within Indonesia), Cambodia, northeast and southeast Thailand, Taiwan, Kashmir, northeast India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, northern Myanmar, northern Indochina, southern China, and southeast Tibet.

Habitat: These birds live in mountainous forests, oak woodlands, and cultivated lands. They also live near rhododendrons (an ornamental evergreen shrub of the heath family).

Fire-breasted flowerpeckers are very active birds, and join other birds within their species and other bird species during the nonbreeding season. (Illustration by Bruce Worden. Reproduced by permission.)

Diet: Nectar, fruits, mistletoe berries, insects, and spiders are eaten by fire-breasted flowerpeckers.

Behavior and reproduction: Fire-breasted flowerpeckers are very active birds, especially around treetops. They join other birds within their species and other bird species during the nonbreeding season.

Fire-breasted flowerpeckers and people: People and fire-breasted flowerpeckers have no especially significant relationship.

Conservation status: Fire-breasted flowerpeckers are not threatened. ∎