Scarlet minivet

Pericrocotus flammeus

Photo by Abhishek Das (Oriental Bird Images)

Common name:
scarlet minivet (en); minivete-escarlate (pt); grand minivet (fr); minivete rojo (es); scharlachmennigvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Campephagidae


Range:
This species if found in southern Asia, from India and Nepal, through Bangladesh and Myanmar and into southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines.


Size:
These birds are 20-22 cm long and weigh 20-30 g.


Habitat:
Scarlet minivets are mostly found in rainforests, both in lowlands and mountainous areas. they are also found in swamp forests and in rural gardens.


Diet:
They mostly feed on insects, which they glean from the foliage high up in the canopy. These birds are often found in mixed-species foraging flocks.


Breeding:
The scarlet minivet in monogamous. They breed in February-September and the nest is a large, shallow cup, woven with small twigs and held together with spider webs. The nest is placed high up in the forest canopy. There the female lays 2-4 pale-green eggs with darker spot, which she incubates alone while the male brings food. the chicks are raised by both parents. Although there is no information on the length of incubation and fledging periods, similar species incubate the eggs for 14-18 days and fledge chicks in 2-3 weeks.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as widespread and common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.