Pygmy flowerpecker

The pygmy flowerpecker (Dicaeum pygmaeum) is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

Pygmy flowerpecker
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Dicaeidae
Genus:	Dicaeum
Species:	D. pygmaeum
Binomial name
Dicaeum pygmaeum (Kittlitz, 1833)

Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest.

Description and taxonomy

EBird describes the bird as "A tiny bird of forest and edge from the lowlands to middle elevations in the mountains. Has a fairly long, thin, slightly curved bill, gray sides, whitish coloring from the throat to the belly, and yellowish on the rump, under the base of the tail, and on the edges to the wing feathers. Males have slightly glossy blackish upperparts, whereas females have an olive back and a grayish head. Similar to Scarlet-collared, Black-belted, and Red-keeled Flowerpeckers, but lacks any red on the underparts. Voice includes a typical flowerpecker “tuk!” given regularly, sometimes mixed with a high-pitched piping “tsii!”^[2]

Subspecies

Five subspecies are recognized:

• D. p.pygmaeum — Found on Luzon (except Northwest), Corregidor, Lubang, Polillo Is, Mindoro, Marinduque, Maestre de Campo, Semirara, Sibay, Boracay, Romblon, Sibuyan, Ticao, Masbate, Samar, Gigantes, Calagnaan, Sicogon, Guimaras, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Leyte
• D. p. davao — Found on Camiguin Sur and Mindanao
• D. p. palawanorum — Found on Calauit, Culion, Palawan and Balabac
• D. p.salomonseni — Found on Northwest Luzon
• D. p.fugaense — Found on Calayan and Fuga^[3]

Habitat and conservation status

Its natural habitats at tropical moist lowland primary forest and secondary forest up to 2,000 meters above sea level but mostly seen below 1,000 meters above sea level.

The IUCN Red List has assessed this bird as least-concern species as it is common throughout its range and is found throughout the entire Philippines. Its population is still said to be decreasing due to deforestation in the Philippines due to land conversion, illegal logging and mining. ^[4]

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Dicaeum pygmaeum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22717531A94537956. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22717531A94537956.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
2. "Pygmy Flowerpecker - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
3. Cheke, Robert; Mann, Clive (2020). "Pygmy Flowerpecker (Dicaeum pygmaeum), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.pygflo1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
4. IUCN (2016-10-01). Dicaeum pygmaeum: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22717531A94537956 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t22717531a94537956.en.