Alternative name: Scaled Flowerpecker
- Diglossa duidae
Identification
14cm. A blackish flowerpiercer with an upturned bill strongly hooked at the tip of upper mandible.
- Slaty black upperparts, head darker
- Small inconspicuous paler shoulder patch
- Hint of a pale wingbar
- Dusky flight-feathers and tail with narrow slate-grey fringes
- Slate grey throat and chest, becoming paler on lower underparts, scaled appearance on underparts
- Black bill
- hitchcocki glossier above and more spotted and scaled
- georgebarrowcloughi slightly larger, blacker with slight bluish gloss above, more scaled and spotted below
Sexes similar. Juveniles have a blackish crown, dull dusky grey upperparts, well-defined pale wingbars and white spotted medium grey underparts.
Distribution
Found in southern Venezuela and adjacent Brazil.
A poorly known restricted-range species, probably common in its small range.
Taxonomy
Three subspecies recognized:
- D. d. hitchcocki in Cerro Sipapo, Cerro Guanay and Cerro Yavi (N Amazonas), in southern Venezuela
- D. d. duidae in isolated tepuis in Amazonas (including Cerro Parú, Cerro Huachamacari, Mount Duida and Cerro Marahuaca) and southwest Bolívar (Meseta de Jaua and Cerro Sarisariñama), in southern Venezuela
- D. d.georgebarrowcloughi in Cerro de la Neblina, on southern Venezuela–Brazil border
Habitat
Little information. Probably humid forest on rocky slopes and tops of tepuis.
Recorded at 1400m up to 2600m, lower in Cerro Sipapo.
Behaviour
No information on diet. Presumably feeds on nectar and insects like Greater Flowerpiercer.
No information about breeding.
Presumably a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2011. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 16: Tanagers to New World Blackbirds. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553781
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Scaled Flowerpiercer. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Scaled_Flowerpiercer
