Flowerpeckers

Flowerpeckers belong to the family Dicaeidae and consist of two genera, Prionochilus and Dicaeum, including approximately 50 species. They are small, stout birds found in tropical southern Asia and Australasia, ranging from short, plump 10-cm pygmy flowerpeckers to longer 18-cm mottled flowerpeckers. Despite limited structural variation, many flowerpeckers exhibit colorful plumage, especially in males. These birds possess adaptations for a varied diet that includes nectar, with their tubular tongues, as well as berries, spiders, and insects. Special emphasis is placed on their relationship with mistletoe berries, which they efficiently consume and disperse. Flowerpeckers may form monogamous breeding pairs and tend to nest in purse-like structures, but their reproductive habits vary and are not well-documented. Despite being generally resilient to human activity, some species face threats due to habitat loss. The majority are not considered threatened, but there are a few near threatened and vulnerable species, with the Cebu flowerpecker being critically endangered. Information about the recently sighted 'Spectacled Flowerpecker' in Borneo remains elusive, and further studies could suggest changes in the classification of this family.