Wildlifeof Malaysia
Scarlet Minivet
Crows, Drongos, Orioles & Shrikes
Photo: Gerard Chartier (iNaturalist) · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Pericrocotus speciosus
Also known as: Pericrocotus flammeus speciosus, Turdus speciosus
AviList (2026) treats this bird as a subspecies, Pericrocotus flammeus speciosus, of the Scarlet Minivet (Pericrocotus flammeus). IOC lists it as a separate species.
Basic stats
Diet
Insects, gleaned high in the forest canopy
Habitat
Forests and well-wooded habitats including gardens, especially in hilly country
Range
Tropical southern Asia from north-east India to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines
Size
20–22cm
The scarlet minivet is a small cuckooshrike, 20 to 22 cm long with a strong dark beak and long wings, found in tropical southern Asia from north-east India to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is a common resident breeder in forests and well-wooded habitats including gardens, especially in hilly country. Males of most subspecies have black upperparts and head and scarlet to orange underparts, tail edges, rump and wing patches, while females are usually yellow with greyish-olive upperparts (Wikipedia, general species account).
Several former subspecies have been raised to species, including the orange minivet (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Scarlet Minivet eat?
- Insects, gleaned high in the forest canopy
- What habitat does the Scarlet Minivet live in?
- Forests and well-wooded habitats including gardens, especially in hilly country
- Where is the Scarlet Minivet found?
- Tropical southern Asia from north-east India to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines
- How big is the Scarlet Minivet?
- 20–22cm