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Greater Flowerpiercer
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Greater Flowerpiercer
Diglossa major
The greater flowerpiercer (Diglossa major) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in the tepuis of western Guyana, eastern Venezuela, and far northern Brazil. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland.
From the article Greater flowerpiercer on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
The greater flowerpiercer grows to a length of about 16.5 cm (6.5 in) and is larger than any other species in the genus. The adult has a black mask but is otherwise a bluish-slate colour, with a silvery moustachial streak and silvery streaks on the crown and mantle. It has a chestnut crissum (the area around the cloaca). It is unlikely to be confused with related species because no other members of the genus share its range.
Range & habitat
The greater flowerpiercer occurs around the tepuis (flat-topped mountains) that are found in the southeastern part of Venezuela and the adjoining areas of northern Brazil and western Guyana. Its altitudinal range is from 1,300 to 2,800 m (4,300 to 9,200 ft), but it is most common above 1,800 m (5,900 ft). It typically occurs in clearings and edges of montane forest, in shrubland, and in stunted woodland.
Wikipedia: “Distribution and habitat”
What it does
This bird usually forages alone or in pairs, but sometimes joins small mixed species groups. It feeds on insects as well as nectar, which it extracts by probing and piercing flowers. The nest is constructed of grasses and fine twigs and is cup-shaped. It is built among rocks, often under an overhang.
Wikipedia: “Ecology”
Listen
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Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
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In the stacks
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Every page naming Diglossa major in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 9831.