Orange-bellied Flowerpecker - BirdForum Opus

Male, nominate subspecies
Photo © by SeeToh
Rifle Range Link, Singapore, November 2014

Dicaeum trigonostigma

Identification

Female, nominate subspecies
Photo © by Avian Seeker
Singapore

8.5 cm/3 ¼ in
5-9 gm/1/4 – 1/3 oz

Male

• Dark shade of blue with some degree of sheen head, neck, upper mantle, wings and tail

• Shades of orange on back and underside

• Brownish Iris

• Dark shaded bill

• Darker legs

Female

• Gray, Lighter Green, to Brown shades on upper parts

• Yellowish shades on throat

• Shades of yellowish orange on stomach

Juvenile

• Similar to female

• Shades of green on throat, breast, and stomach area

• Yellowish bill that may have a darker tip

Distribution

Juvenile
Photo © by Karim Madoya
Tg Aru KBU, Malaysia, 23 June 2006

Asia:

Pakistan

South Asia:

Bangladesh

Indochina:

Myanmar

Southeast Asia:

Thailand

Philippines

Malaysia

Singapore

Brunei

Island of Borneo

Indonesia

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Male, Subspecies dayakanum
Photo © by Dave Irving
Sepilok, Sabah, Borneo, February 2013

Male, Subspecies rubropygium
Photo © by nothinghill
Thailand, October 2017

There are 18 subspecies^[1]:

• D. t. rubropygium: Southern Bangladesh to southern Myanmar and peninsular Thailand
  
• D. t. trigonostigma: Malay Peninsula to Singapore, Sumatra and satellite islands
  
• D. t. melanostigma: Malaya, Sumatra, Bangka and Belitung islands
  
• D. t. antioproctum: Simeulue Island (off Sumatra)
  
• D. t. megastoma: Great Natuna Island (North Natuna Islands)
  
• D. t. flaviclunis: Krakatoa Island, Java and Bali
  
• D. t. dayakanum: Borneo and adjacent offshore northern islands
  
• D. t. xanthopygium: North Philippines (Luzon, Marinduque, Mindoro and Polillo)
  
• D. t. intermedium: North Philippines (Romblon)
  
• D. t. cnecolaemum: North Philippines (Tablas)
  
• D. t. sibuyanicum: North Philippines (Sibuyan)
  
• D. t. dorsale: Central Philippines (Masbate, Panay and Negros)
  
• D. t. besti: South [Philippines]] (Siquijor)
  
• D. t. cinereigulare: Philippines (Mindanao, Samar, Leyte, Calicoan, Biliran and Bohol)
  
• D. t. pallidius: Central Philippines (Cebu)
  
• D. t. isidroi: South Philippines (Camiguin Sur)
  
• D. t. assimile: Sulu Archipelago (Tawitawi, Jolo and Siasi)
  
• D. t. sibutuense: Sulu Archipelago (Sibutu, Omapoy and Sipangkot)
  

Habitat

Found in a variety of forests and vegetative growth and cultivated and less established areas at elevations of 0 to 1800 meters/5900 feet above sea level in most places. However, in the Philippines, expect to find them below 1500 meters/4900 feet.

Behaviour

Diet

Their diet can include a variety of plants and flowers, seeds, small insects, and spiders.

Their search for their dietary needs helps pollinate the Durian/ Durio tree in Borneo.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Lepage D. (2021) [Avibase - https://avibase.ca/3E81AAE0 ]. Retrieved 21 July 2021
3. Cheke, R. and C. Mann (2020). Orange-bellied Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.orbflo1.01

1. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 14 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Orange-bellied_Flowerpecker

External Links

Search the Gallery using the scientific name:

Search for photos of Orange-bellied Flowerpecker in the gallery

Search the Gallery using the common name:

Search for photos of Orange-bellied Flowerpecker in the gallery

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.