Small bird with entirely scarlet plumage, with exception of dark undertail and wing coverts. Male nominate race appears almost entirely bright, glossy crimson, brighest on rump and uppertail-coverts, duller on back, uppertail dark brown with strong crimson suffusion, crimson edges of rectrices, upperwing dark brown, coverts with broad crimson tips and fringes, tertials with strong crimson suffusion, remaining remiges with crimson outer edges, undertail brown, underwing light grey0brown, coverts paler and mottled off-white, some idndividuals have faint crimson-brown mottling above and below, but not certain whether this an immature character or the result of wear, iris rufous-brown to blackish-brown, bill lack to brownish black, gape yellos, legs dusly grey to balkish-brown. Female is smaller than male, drab brown to olive-brown, slightly paler and greyer belowe, especially in middle of belly and vent, with diffuse red wash of forehead. Juvenile is very similar to female, but wing shorte and gape swollen, immature male like adult male like adult female, but red washmore extensive.
Least Concern
Small bird with entirely scarlet plumage, with exception of dark undertail and wing coverts. Male nominate race appears almost entirely bright, glossy crimson, brighest on rump and uppertail-coverts, duller on back, uppertail dark brown with strong crimson suffusion, crimson edges of rectrices, upperwing dark brown, coverts with broad crimson tips and fringes, tertials with strong crimson suffusion, remaining remiges with crimson outer edges, undertail brown, underwing light grey0brown, coverts paler and mottled off-white, some idndividuals have faint crimson-brown mottling above and below, but not certain whether this an immature character or the result of wear, iris rufous-brown to blackish-brown, bill lack to brownish black, gape yellos, legs dusly grey to balkish-brown. Female is smaller than male, drab brown to olive-brown, slightly paler and greyer belowe, especially in middle of belly and vent, with diffuse red wash of forehead. Juvenile is very similar to female, but wing shorte and gape swollen, immature male like adult male like adult female, but red washmore extensive.
11-13 cm, female average 7–9 g, male average 8.6 g
Taxonomy: Myzomela cruentata A. B. Meyer, 1874, Arfak Mountains, north-west New Guinea. Races fall into two groups: “nominate group” (with coccinea) of New Guinea and New Britain, and “erythrina group” (remaining four races) of New Ireland and satellite islands. Six subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * cruentata A. B. Meyer, 1874 - New Guinea, including Yapen I (in Geelvink Bay). * coccinea E. P. Ramsay, 1877 - New Britain and Duke of York Is, in Bismarck Archipelago. * lavongai Salomonsen, 1966 - New Hanover. * erythrina E. P. Ramsay, 1877 - New Ireland. * vinacea Salomonsen, 1966 - Djaul I, off NW New Ireland. * cantans Mayr, 1955 - Tabar I (in Tabar Group), off NE New Ireland.
Rainforest and forest edge and tall secondary growth, recorded also in savanna eucalyptus, comon in gardens, plantations and secondary forest. In NG mainly in hills between 750m and 1600 m, but wisits foothils and occasionally adjacent lowlands.
Feed on flowers in tall forest trees as well as in sago. Insects captured in the air and by probing into moss on high tree branches. Typically forage in the forest canopy.
Poorly known. Breeding birds in Feb-Apr.