Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum Scientific name definitions

7–9 cm; male 5·5–8 g, one female 6 g. Male nominate race has crown to back and rump deep red , side of head black, upperwing and tail glossy blue-black; sides of throat and upper breast black, flanks grey, centre of throat, breast and belly pale buff, white pectoral tufts; iris brown; bill and legs black or blackish-green. Female is olive-brown to grey-brown above (with orange tinge on back), except for scarlet uppertail-coverts, black tail, dark brown wing; throat greyish-white, rest of buff underparts pale buff to whitish, sometimes with slight olive wash, sides and flanks usually greyer, narrow white central stripe. Juvenile is similar to female, but more buffish below, lacks red on rump (which may have orange tinge), and has orange bill with paler base. Race ignitum is very like nominate, but male slightly darker on flanks, in morph “pryeri” (less than 25% of population) male has black of throat sides extending to centre and onto breast; sumatranum is smaller than nominate, male has lighter red upperparts, black forehead, duller wings, greenish gloss on scapulars, smoky-grey throat (centre paler), side of neck, side of breast and flanks; batuense male differs from previous in having centre of chin, throat and breast buffy white (as nominate, but area not so broad), and sides of head, neck and body slightly darker, female differs from nominate in having narrower white central line on underparts; niasense male is similar to last, but wing-coverts purplish-blue (rather than greenish-blue), throat darker grey, buff central area of underside reaching only to upper chest, female as sumatranum but back brighter, more yellowish-green, and bill stouter; simalurense is larger than batuense, male differs further in being darker, more scarlet, above, with deeper blue gloss on wing-coverts; nigrimentum male is quite variable, has black throat and upper breast (morph “pryeri”, less than 25% of population in NE Sabah) and much black on flanks, or may have creamy or buffy line of variable thickness through throat, and sometimes also breast, with variable amount of scarlet on breast, and some have chin and upper throat black, buffy white centre of lower throat and breast (morph “hosii”).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Variety of forest types, including mangroves, heath forest and alluvial forest, regenerating forest, forest edge, coastal scrub, secondary growth, open scrub, orchards, plantations and other cultivation, and gardens; generally below 1000 m, but to 1200 m in China and 2135 m in Nepal.

Probably makes seasonal altitudinal movements in higher parts of range.

Fruits, including berries of Mutingia calabura and Melastoma malabathricum, figs (Ficus) and mistletoes (Loranthaceae), green seeds, nectar; also insects and spiders (Araneae). Forages at all heights. Hawks flying insects by sallying from perch and hovering. Occurs in pairs and family parties.

Call “chip-chip”, sometimes repeated; also a loud, staccato, clicking “tchik-tchik-tchik”, high-pitched “chizee”, thin metallic “tizz” and “tsi”; also much twittering, squeaks and shrill notes. Song a rising and falling “see-sip-see-sip-see-sip”, a repeated “see-bit see-bit see-bit”, a shrill, ringing “chipi-chipi-chipi dzee-dzee-dzee”, or “zeekit-zeekit-zeekit-zeekit-zee”; another song described as short, high, buzzy rattles made up of rapidly delivered call notes.

Mar–Aug (chiefly May and Jun) in Nepal and India, Feb–Apr in Myanmar, Jan–Apr and Jul in Thailand, Jan–Jun in Peninsular Malaysia, Nov–Jan, Apr and May (also enlarged testes in Mar and Jun) in N Borneo (Sabah), and Jun–Aug in SE China (Hong Kong); nest-building Nov and Dec in Sumatra, mid-Dec, Feb, Jun and early Aug in Malay Peninsula; adult with noisy juvenile in Feb, in Cambodia; in Singapore, begging juvenile in Oct, and nest-building and nestlings in Nov. Nest a very small oval or pear-shaped purse, 90 × 60 mm, entrance near top, with or without porch, consisting of vegetable down bound together with grass, rootlets and spider webs, lined with downy fibre, decorated externally with spider webs and bark fragments, suspended from terminal twig 2–15 m (usually 6–9 m) above ground. Clutch 2–4 eggs, unglossed greyish-white, unmarked or faintly and sparsely flecked brownish; incubation by both sexes, period 10–11 days; both also provision nestlings and tend fledglings; no information on duration of nestling period.

Not globally threatened. Rare in Nepal and Bhutan; locally common, or common to very common, in NE India (especially in Calcutta area and Assam), Bangladesh, plains and hills of Myanmar, Thailand, lowland Malay Peninsula, and in Sumatra and Borneo; generally rather uncommon in China. Occurs in numerous protected areas, e.g. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, in India, Khao Pra Bang Wildlife Sanctuary, in Thailand, and Cat Tien National Park, in Vietnam.