Submission No 356: Red-capped Flowerpecker Dicaeum geelvinkianum; Saibai Island, Torres Strait, QLD. 26th August 2002 (Unpublished). Submitted by: Mike Carter.

Verdict: Accepted

As with submission No. 355 this case relates to the sighting of a male Red-capped Flowerpecker at the same location on Saibai Island as the first Australian sighting in July 1996 (BARC Submission No.273) The bird was seen well by visiting group of birdwatchers for about a minute as it perched high on a dead twig.

The description clearly identifies the bird as a Red-capped (Papuan) Flowerpecker. There are no similar species in the region. The male Mistletoebird D. hirundinaceum has no red on the crown, is blacker above and on the head, and has a black stripe down a white belly. As stated by the author the extensive area of red on the breast extending to the chin, indicates that, this bird was most likely of the race albopunctatum, which is resident in the southern Trans-Fly region (Coates 1990).
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Members voted unanimously in favour of acceptance. Determining once again that separation to subspecific status was not possible. This case is the 3rd confirmed record for Australia of a species that may prove to be resident in small numbers on Saibai Island.

References and Bibliography:

· Beehler, B.M et al. 1986. Birds of New Guinea, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.
· Cheke, R.A. Mann, C. and Allen, R. 2001. Sunbirds: a guide to sunbirds, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters and sugarbirds of the world, Yale University Press, London.
· Coates, B.J.1990. The Birds of Papua New Guinea, Vol. 2, Passerines, Dove, Alderley, Queensland.
· Palliser, T. 2002. 'Rare Birds in 2001'. Wingspan, 12: (3) 18-21.
· Salomonsen, F. 1960. 'Notes on Flowerpeckers (Aves, Dicaeidae). 3. The Species Group Dicaeum concolor and the Superspecies Dicaeum erythrothorax'. American Museum Novitates No.2016: 1-36.

Tony Palliser
Chairman Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)