Red-collared Myzomela

Myzomela rosenbergii

The Red-collared Myzomela (*Myzomela rosenbergii*) is a small, striking honeyeater endemic to the high-altitude montane forests of New Guinea. Measuring a diminutive 11-12 cm in length and weighing just 8-12 grams, males are predominantly glossy black with an unmistakable, vivid scarlet-red collar encircling the nape and extending onto the breast. This bright red contrasts sharply with pristine white undertail coverts, making for a distinctive field mark. Females are similar but duller, with ...

Habitat

Found exclusively in high-elevation montane and subalpine forests, forest edges, and shrubbery, typically between 1,800 and 3,500 meters.

Diet

Primarily feeds on nectar from a variety of montane flowering plants, supplemented by small insects gleaned from foliage or caught in flight.

Behavior

The Red-collared Myzomela is a highly active, diurnal species, constantly on the move through the forest canopy and understory. It employs an agile foraging strategy, flitting rapidly among flowering plants, often hovering expertly like a hummingbird to extract nectar from deep blossoms. Small in...

Range

The Red-collared Myzomela is endemic to the vast central mountain ranges of New Guinea, spanning both the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua, and the country of Papua New Guinea. Its distribution covers significant highland areas such as the Snow Mountains, Star Mountains, Owen Stanley ...

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Fun Facts

- This species is one of the highest-altitude honeyeaters in New Guinea, thriving in cool montane environments. - It possesses the remarkable ability to hover in front of flowers, much like a hummingbird, to access nectar. - Its vivid scarlet-red collar is an unmistakable and prominent field mark...

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