Dicaeum wilhelminae
The Sumba Flowerpecker (Dicaeum wilhelminae) is a charmingly small passerine bird, a jewel endemic to the unique ecosystem of Sumba Island in Indonesia. Measuring a mere 8-9 cm in length and weighing around 7-8 grams, it boasts subtle yet elegant plumage: predominantly olive-green upperparts that blend seamlessly with the forest canopy, contrasting with a greyish-white throat and breast. A pale, often faint, yellowish wash graces its lower belly and vent, providing a key field mark for discer...
This species primarily inhabits various forest types, including primary and secondary growth, forest edges, and cultivated areas with scattered trees, from sea level up to elevations of approximately 1,000 meters.
Primarily frugivorous, its diet consists of small berries (especially mistletoe berries) and nectar, supplemented with small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage.
The Sumba Flowerpecker is a diurnal and highly active arboreal bird, typically foraging singly or in pairs, though occasionally joining mixed-species flocks in the canopy and sub-canopy layers. Its foraging strategy involves rapid movements through foliage, gleaning small fruits, especially mistl...
The Sumba Flowerpecker is strictly endemic to Sumba Island, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands within Indonesia. Its distribution spans across the entirety of Sumba, inhabiting suitable forest and woodland habitats from coastal lowlands to the higher interior elevations of approximately 1,000 meters...
Least Concern
- Endemic to a single island, Sumba, making it a unique and irreplaceable part of its ecosystem. - Despite its small size, it plays a crucial ecological role as a primary disperser of mistletoe seeds. - Its name, *wilhelminae*, likely honors Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, reflecting histori...