Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus flammeus)

The Scarlet Minivet, Pericrocotus flammeus is a small passerine bird.

They are common resident breeding birds in forests and other well-wooded habitats including gardens, especially in hilly country. While the male is scarlet to orange with black upper parts, the females are usually yellow with greyish olive upper parts. 

The Scarlet Minivet is 20-22 cm long with a strong dark beak and long wings. The male has black upperparts and head, and scarlet underparts, tail edges, rump and wing patches.

This minivet catches insects in trees by flycatching or while perched. It flushes insects out of foliage by beating its wings hard.

The shape and colour of the wing patches and the shade or orange in the male varies across populations. The female is grey above, with yellow underparts (including the face), tail edges, rump and wing patches.

Scarlet Minivet will form small flocks. Its song is a pleasant whistling

This bird nests high up in the treetops. The nest is a cup-like structure woven with small twigs and spiders' webs to increase the strength of the nest. 

                                                    
                                                                                                                                                          Loc FH Msia April 2 2011