Olive-crowned flowerpecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olive-crowned flowerpecker |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Dicaeidae |
| Genus: | Dicaeum |
| Species: |
D. pectorale
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| Binomial name | |
| Dicaeum pectorale Müller, 1843
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The olive-crowned flowerpecker (Dicaeum pectorale) is a tiny bird that belongs to the flowerpecker family, called Dicaeidae. You can find this bird in the far western parts of New Guinea and on islands nearby.
This little bird is quite small. Male olive-crowned flowerpeckers have olive-green feathers on their backs and heads. Their bellies are grey-green, and they have a white throat. The most striking feature is a bright scarlet (red) patch on their chest. Females look similar to males but do not have this red chest patch. These birds mainly eat fruit, but they also enjoy snacking on spiders.
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What is the Olive-crowned Flowerpecker?
The olive-crowned flowerpecker is one of 41 different species in a group of birds called Dicaeum. Sometimes, scientists think it might be the same species as a few other flowerpeckers, like the red-capped flowerpecker or the Halmahera flowerpecker.
A scientist named Saloman Müller first described this bird in 1843. The first part of its scientific name, Dicaeum, comes from a Greek word that might refer to a type of beetle. The second part, pectorale, comes from a Latin word meaning "of the breast," which makes sense because of the male's bright chest patch!
Types of Olive-crowned Flowerpeckers
There are two known types, or subspecies, of the olive-crowned flowerpecker:
- D. p. pectorale – This is the original type, found in northwestern New Guinea and on islands like Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool.
- D. p. ignotus – This type lives on Gebe Island. It has more olive-colored feathers on its back and slightly larger wings and beak than the other type.
How to Identify an Olive-crowned Flowerpecker
The olive-crowned flowerpecker is a very small bird, only about 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) long. It weighs about 7 to 7.8 grams, which is less than a quarter of an ounce!
Male birds have olive-green feathers on their upper bodies and heads. Their rumps (the area above their tail) are yellowish. Their underparts are grey-green, with a yellowish-white area in the middle of their belly and under their tail. They have a white throat and a large, bright scarlet patch on their chest.
Female birds look a lot like the males, but they do not have the scarlet chest patch. Their belly and undertail feathers are also more yellow. Young birds look similar to females but have more olive-colored feathers on their underparts.
These birds make different sounds. They have a short, buzzing call that sounds like an insect. They also make a single, high-pitched note that goes upwards, and a long, drawn-out "chew" sound that they repeat.
Where Do Olive-crowned Flowerpeckers Live?
You can find the olive-crowned flowerpecker in the lowlands of western New Guinea and on nearby islands. They live in the tops of forest trees, usually up to about 1,500 meters (about 4,900 feet) high. Sometimes, they can be found even higher, up to 2,350 meters (about 7,700 feet). These birds are common in some areas and less common in others.
What Do Olive-crowned Flowerpeckers Eat?
Like other flowerpeckers, the olive-crowned flowerpecker mostly eats fruit. They especially love figs and the berries from mistletoe plants. Besides fruit, they also add spiders to their diet. They usually look for food high up in the trees, either alone or in pairs.
 | Selma Burke |
 | Pauline Powell Burns |
 | Frederick J. Brown |
 | Robert Blackburn |
