Myzomela cineracea
The Ashy Myzomela (Myzomela cineracea) is a diminutive and distinctive member of the honeyeater family (Meliphagidae), measuring a mere 10-11 cm in length. Unlike many of its often brightly colored congeners in the genus Myzomela, this species sports a rather subdued, yet elegant, plumage dominated by ashy-grey upperparts, fading to a paler grey on its underparts. A key identifying feature for this small bird is the contrasting, vivid red patch adorning its chin and upper throat, which can va...
Found primarily in tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, forest edges, and secondary growth, often favoring areas with abundant flowering plants. It typically occurs at elevations from sea level up to around 1,000 meters.
Feeds predominantly on nectar, obtained from a variety of flowering plants, using its specialized brush-tipped tongue. It supplements its diet with small insects and spiders, which are gleaned from foliage or caught on the wing.
The Ashy Myzomela is a highly active, diurnal species, constantly on the move as it forages. Its foraging strategy primarily involves acrobatic hovering and darting movements to extract nectar from flowers, often resembling a tiny hummingbird as it flits between blossoms. It also gleans small ins...
The Ashy Myzomela is endemic to the island of New Guinea and the adjacent Aru Islands, situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Its distribution spans both the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua, as well as the independent nation of Papua New Guinea. There are two recognized subspeci...
Least Concern
- Despite its common name, the 'Ashy' Myzomela often has a surprisingly bright, contrasting red chin patch, making it less 'ashy' than one might expect. - It is one of the few honeyeater species that frequently hovers in front of flowers to feed, a behavior more commonly associated with hummingbi...