Orange-tufted spiderhunter

Orange-tufted spiderhunter
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Nectariniidae
Genus:	Arachnothera
Species:	A. flammifera
Binomial name
Arachnothera flammifera Tweeddale, 1878

The orange-tufted spiderhunter (Arachnothera flammifera) is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on Mindanao and Eastern Visayas. It was originally considered a subspecies of the little spiderhunter.

This species was Peter Kaestner's 10,000th species of bird seen. [2]

Description and taxonomy

An Orange-tufted spiderhunter displaying its tufts

EBird describes the bird as "A fairly small bird of lowland and foothill forest understory and edge with a very long curved bill. Has a preference for banana plants. Olive-green above, whitish to pale gray from the throat to the upper belly, and yellow on the lower belly and under the base of the tail. Note the small orange tufts on the sides. Voice includes a repeated “sweet-sweet-sweet!” or dry “tyup!”[3]

This species was formerly conspecific with the Little spiderhunter and Pale spiderhunter. This species is differentiated by its pale gray throat and belly, its eponymous flame orange tufts and its higher pitched song.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:

• A.f. flammifera – Found on Mindanao (and its surrounding small islands) Bohol, Leyte. Bohol. Biliran and Samar
• A.f. randi –Found on Basilan; has a longer bill

Ecology and behavior

This species' diet has not yet been comprehensively studied but it is assumed to have a similar diet as the formerly conspecifc Little spiderhunter which feeds on nectar, insects and spiders.Has been known to show nectar robbing. Typically forages alone or in pairs in the lower levels of vegetation.

Not much is known about its breeding habits but birds collected in breeding condition with enlarged gonads collected in April and May.[4][5]

Habitat and conservation status

It is found in tropical moist lowland forestup to 1,000 meters above sea level.

IUCN has assessed this bird as least-concern species. This species is generally uncommon but apparently shows a tolerance for degraded habitat and plantations.

Occurs in a few protected areas like Pasonanca Natural Park, Mount Apo and Mount Kitanglad on Mindanao, Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape in Bohol and Samar Island Natural Park but actual protection and enforcement from illegal logging and hunting are lax[6]

References

• Moyle, R.G., S.S. Taylor, C.H. Oliveros, H.C. Lim, C.L. Haines, M.A. Rahman, and F.H. Sheldon. 2011. Diversification of an endemic Southeast Asian genus: phylogenetic relationships of the spiderhunters (Nectariniidae: Arachnothera). Auk 128: 777–788.

1. BirdLife International (2018). "Arachnothera flammifera". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T103778923A132044412. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T103778923A132044412.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
2. "With an Orange-Tufted Spiderhunter, Birder Breaks Record for Sighting". The New York Times.
3. "Orange-tufted Spiderhunter - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
4. del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Orange-tufted Spiderhunter (Arachnothera flammifera), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.ortspi1.01. ISSN 2771-3105.
5. Cheke, Robert; Mann, Clive; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Little Spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.litspi1.01. ISSN 2771-3105.
6. IUCN (2018-08-09). Arachnothera flammifera: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T103778923A132044412 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2018-2.rlts.t103778923a132044412.en.