Fiery Minivet Pericrocotus igneus Scientific name definitions

15–16·5 cm; 14–16 g. Nominate male has head , mantle and scapulars glossy black, back to uppertail-coverts rich orange-red; wings glossy black, outer webs of secondary coverts broadly edged orange-red, wingpanel formed by orange-red on outer webs of P6-P1 and yellow on inner webs of P9-P1; central two rectrices black, others orange-red; underparts rich orange-red, underwing-coverts yellow; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Distinguished from very similar P. flammeus, P. ethologus and P. brevirostris by smaller size, more orange (less red) coloration, and smaller wing patch. Female has forehead, lores and eyelids orange, face, ear-coverts, crown, nape and upperparts to back lead-grey, rump and uppertail-coverts as in male, with narrow olive band between back and rump, upperwing grey, wingpanel paler orange and less extensive than on male, underparts yellow; differs from e.g. P. flammeus in combination of yellow underparts, orange-red rump and outer tail and orange-yellow wingpanel. Juvenile has head, upperparts and upperwings sooty brown with fine yellowish feather fringes, uppertail-coverts orange, primary coverts and remiges sooty black, tertials tipped yellow, wingpanel yellow to pale orange, throat and underparts off-white, faintly barred ash-brown; immature similar to adult female. Race trophis differs from nominate essentially in larger size.

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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.

Eats small arthropods, including ants (Formicidae) and small beetles (Coleoptera). Forages in canopy, gleaning from foliage; visits fig trees (Ficus), apparently to feed on insects attracted to ripening fruit. Often occurs in groups.

Rising “swee-eet” call  .