Photo: Keith Lightbody / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mistletoebird
Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 9 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) is a member of the Dicaeidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Dicaeidae Flowerpeckers
- Genus Dicaeum
- Species hirundinaceum
Where it lives
Aru Is. (southwest of New Guinea) and Australia (except Tasmania)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Dicaeidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mistletoebird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Mistletoebird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) is a member of the Dicaeidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea) and Australia (except Tasmania).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9 g, with a wing length of about 6 cm and a tail of around 3.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 6.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mistletoebird?
The Mistletoebird is a very small bird that weighs around 9 g.
Where does the Mistletoebird live?
The Mistletoebird is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea) and Australia (except Tasmania), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Mistletoebird belong to?
The Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) belongs to the Dicaeidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mistletoebird eat?
The Mistletoebird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Mistletoebird migrate?
The Mistletoebird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Mistletoebird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Mistletoebird make?
1 real field recording of the Mistletoebird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Mistletoebird's range?
The Mistletoebird has a mapped global range of about 6.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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