Family Flowerpeckers (Dicaeidae)

Least Concern

Red-capped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum geelvinkianum)

figure, drawing, illustration of Red-capped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum geelvinkianum)

Taxonomy

French: Dicée de Geelvink German: Rotkappen-Mistelfresser Spanish: Picaflores capirrojo
Taxonomy:

Dicaeum geelvinkianum

A. B. Meyer

, 1874,

Yapen Island, Geelvink Bay, New Guinea

.

Could perhaps be treated as conspecific with D. pectorale and/or D. nitidum#R. Forms setekwa and centrale synonymized with diversum by some authors#R; rubrigulare possibly an intergrade population. Other proposed races include simillimum (described from Hollandia, on N New Guinea coast), included in diversum; jobiense (Yapen I), merged into nominate; and pulchrium (Astrolabe Mts, in SE), merged with rubrocoronatum. Eleven subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution
  • D. g. maforense Salvadori, 1876 – Numfor I (Geelvink Bay), in NW New Guinea.
  • D. g. misoriense Salvadori, 1876 – Biak I (Geelvink Bay).
  • D. g. geelvinkianum A. B. Meyer, 1874 – Yapen I and Kurudu I (Geelvink Bay).
  • D. g. diversum Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1903 – N New Guinea (Mamberamo R to Humboldt Bay).
  • D. g. obscurifrons Junge, 1952 – WC New Guinea (NE of Etna Bay E to Wissel Lakes).
  • D. g. setekwa Rand, 1941 – SW New Guinea (S slopes of Snow Mts E to Noord R).
  • D. g. centrale Rand, 1941 – WC New Guinea (Baliem R Valley in Nassau Mts and Oranje Mts).
  • D. g. rubrigulare D’Albertis & Salvadori, 1879 – S New Guinea (Palmer Junction to mouth of Fly R).
  • D. g. albopunctatum D’Albertis & Salvadori, 1879 – lowlands of SC New Guinea (Merauke and Dagul R E to Daru I and Orioma R).
  • D. g. rubrocoronatum Sharpe, 1876 – NE & SE New Guinea (W to upper Sepik R and Purari R, including Karkar I and Manam I and Huon Peninsula).
  • D. g. violaceum Mayr, 1936 – D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago (Fergusson, Goodenough, Dobu, Normanby), off SE New Guinea.

    • Descriptive notes

    9 cm; 5·3–7·5 g. Male nominate race has bright red crown, rump and uppertail-coverts, rest of upperparts very dark greenish, upperwing and tail dark brown... read more

    Voice

    Single buzzing note, a downslurred “bszzrt”.  

    Habitat

    Forest canopy and edge, particularly around flowering and fruiting trees, also secondary growth,... read more

    Food and feeding

    Fruits, and possibly nectar and pollen, of mistletoes (Loranthaceae), and probably of other plants; large seeds also taken; also spiders (... read more

    Breeding

    Laying recorded in Mar, Nov and Dec. Nest pear-shaped, c. 100 mm long and 45 mm across, with side entrance 17 mm wide near top, made from... read more

    Movements

    Few data; mainly resident. Recorded several times from islands of Saibai and Boigu, in N Torres... read more

    Status and conservation

    Not globally threatened. Common at lower altitudes in much of New Guinea. Possibly a small resident population on Saibai I, in N Torres Strait; adult female with recently... read more

    Recommended citation

    Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2017). Red-capped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum geelvinkianum). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/60142 on 14 July 2017).