Orange minivet facts for kids
The orange minivet (Pericrocotus flammeus) is a super colorful bird. It belongs to the cuckooshrike family. You can find this bright bird in India and Sri Lanka, especially along the Western Ghats mountains and the west coast.
This bird loves to live in different kinds of forests. It enjoys cool, temperate forests, and also warm, moist forests in tropical mountains or lowlands. The orange minivet lives in these areas all year round. It mainly eats insects. Often, you'll see it hunting for food with other types of birds in what are called mixed-species bird flocks. Sometimes, it hunts in small groups of just its own kind.
Quick facts for kids Orange minivet |
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| Male in South India | |
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| Female in Sri Lanka | |
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What's in a Name?
The name Pericrocotus comes from ancient Greek words. Peri means 'very' and krokotus means 'saffron-colored'. This describes the bird's bright look! The species name flammeus comes from Latin. It means 'fiery' or 'flame-colored'. This also fits its amazing orange and red colors.
This bird used to be called the scarlet minivet. But scientists decided to split the scarlet minivet into two different species. So, our bird became the orange minivet. The other one kept the name scarlet minivet (Pericrocotus speciosus). Scientists are still studying these birds. They want to learn more about all the similar species in South and Southeast Asia.
What Does it Look Like?
The orange minivet is about 17 to 22 centimeters (around 7 to 9 inches) long. It weighs about 19 to 24.5 grams. That's about as much as a few quarters!
Males are very bright. They have glossy black heads, chins, throats, and upper backs. Their lower back, rump, and tail feathers are orange-red. Their bellies are also a bright orange-red. This makes them really stand out! You can tell them apart from other similar birds. Look for small red marks near the tips of their wing feathers.
Females look different. They have a yellow forehead and an ashy-grey lower back. Where the male is red, the female is yellow. They also have a yellow chin and are mostly bright yellow underneath.
Young birds look a lot like the females. But there can be some small differences in their colors.
How Do They Live?
Orange minivets are social birds. You will usually see them in small groups. They often fly and search for food together high up in the forest trees. Minivets are known for their bouncy flights over the treetops.
These birds mostly eat insects. They like to perch on a branch and look around. When they spot an insect, they fly out to catch it. They might even hover near a plant to pick an insect off a leaf. This way of hunting is called "sally-gleaning."
Orange minivets often join "mixed-hunting parties." These are groups of different kinds of birds that hunt together in the forest canopy. This helps them find more food.
Their call is a soft, sweeping whistle. It sounds like multiple "weep-sweep" notes. You can often hear them calling while they are flying or when they are sitting still.
