Sphecotheres viridis
The Green Figbird, *Sphecotheres viridis*, is a strikingly colorful passerine endemic to the islands of Timor and Rote. Males are unmistakable with their vibrant olive-green upperparts, bright yellow belly, a glossy black cap, and a prominent, bare red patch of skin around the eye. Females are duller, exhibiting olive-green plumage with pale, streaked underparts and a less vivid, greyish eye-ring, showcasing marked sexual dimorphism. Measuring approximately 22-29 cm in length and weighing 70-...
Found in lowland monsoon forests, open woodlands, savanna, cultivated areas, and gardens, typically at low to moderate elevations.
Primarily frugivorous, with a strong preference for figs and other soft fruits and berries, supplemented by some insects like spiders and caterpillars.
Green Figbirds are diurnal and highly social, often foraging in small flocks, which can swell to larger, noisy congregations outside the breeding season, especially around fruiting trees. They are agile canopy foragers, gleaning fruits directly from branches. During the breeding season, usually c...
The Green Figbird (*Sphecotheres viridis*) is endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands, specifically confined to Timor and the smaller island of Rote. This species is found year-round throughout its limited range, as it does not undertake significant seasonal migrations. On Timor, it is present in bot...
Least Concern
- Despite its English common name, *Sphecotheres viridis* is now more accurately referred to as the Timor Figbird, having been split from the Australasian Figbird complex. - The genus name *Sphecotheres* remarkably means 'wasp hunter' in Greek, a puzzling etymology for a bird that is predominantl...