Dasycrotapha speciosa
The Flame-templed Babbler (Dasycrotapha speciosa) is a strikingly beautiful and enigmatic songbird, immediately recognizable by its vivid, flame-orange temporal patches, set against a glossy black crown and contrasting white supercilium. This small, plump babbler measures approximately 14-16 cm in length, weighing around 18-24 grams, with an olive-brown upperparts, yellow throat, and buffy-white underparts, making it a distinctive jewel of the Philippine avifauna. Its unique head pattern serv...
Found exclusively in primary and secondary montane broadleaf forests, typically favoring dense undergrowth and forest edges at elevations ranging from 500 to 1,500 meters above sea level.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates such as beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars, gleaned from foliage, bark, and moss.
The Flame-templed Babbler is diurnal, typically active from dawn to dusk, foraging quietly within the dense understory and mid-story vegetation. These babblers are generally social, often observed in small family groups of 3-5 individuals, and frequently participate in mixed-species foraging floc...
The Flame-templed Babbler is endemic to the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, with its primary distribution concentrated on the islands of Negros and Panay. On Negros, it is found in the central and southern mountain ranges, while on Panay, populations occur in the central and western mo...
Vulnerable
- The Flame-templed Babbler's vibrant orange temple patches are unique among babblers in the Philippines, making it unmistakable. - It is one of only two species in the genus Dasycrotapha, with its closest relative being the Mindanao Babbler. - Despite its striking appearance, its shy and skulkin...