Orange Minivet

Overview

The orange minivet (Pericrocotus flammeus) is a brightly colored bird in the cuckooshrike family, Campephagidae. It is a species resident in southern India and Sri Lanka that feeds primarily on insects while foraging in mixed-species bird flocks or in small single-species groups.

Identification

• Males are bright orange and black, with a glossy black head, chin, throat, and mantle, while females are largely yellow with a grey upperside.
• The species measures about 17–22 cm in length and weighs 19–24.5 g.
• It can be distinguished from other Pericrocotus species by isolated red markings near the tips of the tertials and inner secondaries.
• The call consists of sweeping whistles composed of multiple "weep-sweep" notes, often heard when the bird is in flight or stationary.

Habitat

The orange minivet is found all along the Western Ghats and the west coast of India and Sri Lanka. Its natural habitats include temperate forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Diet

Primarily insectivorous, this species forages in tree tops by perching and scanning the surroundings. It catches prey through sally-gleaning, making a flight and hovering at plant surfaces to pick insects, often within mixed-hunting parties.

Did you know?

The genus name derives from Ancient Greek meaning 'very' and 'saffron-coloured', while the species name flammeus comes from Latin meaning 'fiery' or 'flame-coloured'.