Family Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae)
Least Concern
Banda Myzomela (Myzomela boiei)
Taxonomy
French: Myzomèle de Banda German: Inselhonigfresser Spanish: Mielero de las Banda
Taxonomy:
Nectarinia (Myzomela) Boiei
S. Müller
, 1843,Banda Islands, Moluccas
.
Subspecies and Distribution
M. b. boiei
(S. Müller, 1843) – Banda Is, in S Moluccas.
M. b. annabellae
P. L. Sclater, 1883 – Babar and Tanimbar Is (Yamdena, Selaru), in extreme E Lesser Sundas.
Descriptive notes
9–11·5 cm. Male nominate race is distinctive and striking, with head, neck, upper breast and mantle to uppertail-coverts scarlet-red, forming broad stripe down... read more
Voice
Undescribed.
Habitat
Mainly primary closed forest and tall secondary forest, secondary woodland, lightly wooded farmland... read more
Food and feeding
Seen singly, in twos (probably pairs) and, occasionally, in small flocks. No other information.
Breeding
In Banda Is, nests with eggs and with nestlings recorded in Sept, and recently fledged young late Apr. No other information.
Movements
Possibly locally nomadic.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Banda Sea Islands EBA. Very poorly known. Described as moderately common in Tanimbar Is.
See M. chloroptera. The two subspecies are separated by 350 km of open sea; their treatment as conspecific may require investigation#R. Two subspecies recognized.