Dicaeum geelvinkianum
The Red-capped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum geelvinkianum) is a diminutive and strikingly colored passerine, a jewel of the New Guinean forests. Measuring approximately 8-9 cm (3.1-3.5 inches) in length and weighing a mere 6-7 grams, this plump, short-tailed bird is easily identified by its vibrant plumage. Males exhibit a glossy blue-black on their upperparts, contrasting sharply with a white throat and breast, a brilliant scarlet patch from the vent to the undertail-coverts, and, most notably, a v...
Primarily inhabits primary and secondary forests, forest edges, gardens, and cultivated areas. Found from lowlands up to lower montane regions, typically to 1,800 meters elevation, occasionally higher.
Feeds predominantly on mistletoe berries, which form a significant portion of its diet, along with other small fruits, nectar, and small insects or spiders. Forages by gleaning from foliage and hovering to access food sources.
Red-capped Flowerpeckers are diurnal, highly active, and often observed foraging singly or in pairs, occasionally joining mixed-species flocks. Their foraging strategy primarily involves gleaning and hovering to access mistletoe berries and other small fruits, also supplementing their diet with n...
The Red-capped Flowerpecker is endemic to the island of New Guinea and its immediate satellite islands, exhibiting a resident, non-migratory distribution. Its range spans across both the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua, and the independent nation of Papua New Guinea. Specific island ...
Least Concern
- The Red-capped Flowerpecker possesses a unique digestive tract specifically adapted to process the sticky, nutrient-rich mistletoe berries, allowing seeds to pass quickly and remain viable. - It is a crucial 'keystone species' for mistletoe dispersal, playing an essential role in the plant's li...