Male nominate race has crown and upperparts olive, yellowish on rump; side of head greyer, throat white; large scarlet patch on breast, yellowish or whitish centre of abdomen and undertail-coverts, rest of underparts grey; iris brown; bill and legs dark brown or black. Female differs from male in having no red on breast, centre of abdomen and undertail-coverts yellowish. Juvenile is similar to adult female, but more olive, less grey, below. Race ignotum is more olive above than nominate, paler, less yellowish, on centre of belly and undertail-coverts, and has slightly larger wing and bill.
Not Threatened
Male nominate race has crown and upperparts olive, yellowish on rump; side of head greyer, throat white; large scarlet patch on breast, yellowish or whitish centre of abdomen and undertail-coverts, rest of underparts grey; iris brown; bill and legs dark brown or black. Female differs from male in having no red on breast, centre of abdomen and undertail-coverts yellowish. Juvenile is similar to adult female, but more olive, less grey, below. Race ignotum is more olive above than nominate, paler, less yellowish, on centre of belly and undertail-coverts, and has slightly larger wing and bill.
9 cm; 7-7.8 g
Taxonomy: Dicaeum pectorale S. Müller, 1843, Lobo, Triton Bay, New Guinea. Forms a superspecies with D. nehrkorni, D. erythrothorax, D. vulneratum, D. geelvinkianum, D. nitidum, D. eximium and D. aeneum. Could perhaps be considered conspecific with D. geelvinkianum and/or D. nitidum. Race ignotum, although geographically situated between nominate race and D. erythrothorax, is not intermediate in plumage, suggesting that treatment of latter and present species as two distinct species is appropriate. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * ignotum Mees, 1964 - Gebe I, between Halmahera and NW New Guinea. * pectorale S. Müller, 1843 - West Papuan Is (Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, Misool) and NW New Guinea (E to neck of Vogelkop).
Occurs in forest canopy, and in secondary growth; sea-level to 1500 m, rarely to 2350 m.
Unprotected fruits, including figs and presumably those of mistletoes; also spiders. Forages in canopy, singly or on pairs.
No information