Diglossa baritula
The Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer (Diglossa baritula) is a charming and distinctive passerine belonging to the tanager family (Thraupidae), found in the highlands of Mexico and Central America. Measuring approximately 12-14 cm (4.7-5.5 inches) in length and weighing around 10-15 grams, this small bird is characterized by its dusky-gray to blackish upperparts and rich, rufous-cinnamon underparts, giving it its evocative common name. A key field mark is its unique, upturned, hooked bill with a...
Primarily inhabits humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, forest edges, clearings, and secondary growth from 1,200 to 3,500 meters (4,000-11,500 feet), often near flowering shrubs and trees.
Primarily nectar, obtained by piercing the base of flowers (nectar robbing), supplemented by small insects gleaned from vegetation.
Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercers are diurnal, often observed singly or in pairs, but may join mixed-species flocks, particularly outside the breeding season. Their foraging strategy is highly specialized: they pierce the base of tubular flowers with their unique bill to access nectar, bypassing th...
The Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer is a resident species distributed throughout the highlands of Mexico and northern Central America. Its main range extends across the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Oaxaca, and Chiapas in southern Mexico. Southward, it is found in the highlands of Guatemala, El Sal...
Least Concern
- The 'flowerpiercer' bill is one of the most remarkable avian adaptations, allowing it to access nectar from tubular flowers that other birds (like hummingbirds) might not be able to reach, or from which it wishes to avoid pollen transfer. - Its genus name, Diglossa, translates to 'double tongue...