Bird Guide

Mistletoebird vs Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum)

Mistletoebird

Dicaeum hirundinaceum

Tiny9 gForest

The mistletoebird is small, 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in) long and 7.5–11 g (0.26–0.39 oz) weight. The male is glossy blue-black above, with a red chest and a slight red under-tail, and a black centre stripe running down its white belly. The female is dark grey above, with a white throat, light grey underparts, and just a touch of pinkish-red under the tail. The eyes, bill, and legs are black; the bill is just over a centimetre long, slender, slightly down-curved and sharply pointed. Immature birds are similar to the female, but have an orange-pink bill instead of black.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Cameron Davidson · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Duncan McCaskill · CC BY 3.0
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum)

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

Dicaeum cruentatum

Tiny6 gForest

Measuring 9 cm (3.5 in) and weighing 7 to 8 grams (0.25 to 0.28 oz), the scarlet-backed flowerpecker is a small bird with a short tail. It exhibits sexual dimorphism. The male has a navy blue face, wings and tail, with a broad bright red stripe from its crown to its upper tail coverts. The female is predominantly olive green with a black tail and scarlet upper tail coverts and rump. Both sexes have creamy white underparts, black eyes and legs, and a dark grey arched bill. The juvenile has plumage similar to the female but has an orange bill and lacks the bright red rump.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: sucker69420 · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Mistletoebird and Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker.