Sunbirds and spiderhunters make up the family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from the Old World, usually with downward-curved bills. Many are brightly coloured, often with iridescent feathers, particularly in the males. Many species also have especially long tail feathers. Their range extends through most of Africa to the Middle East, South Asia, South-east Asia and southern China, to Indonesia, New Guinea and northern Australia. Species diversity is highest in equatorial regions.
The beautiful sunbird, formerly placed in the genus Nectarinia, is a sunbird. It is native to tropical Africa, its range extending from Senegal and Guinea in the west to Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya in the east.
The garden sunbird, previously known as the olive-backed sunbird, is a species of passerine bird in the family Nectariniidae that is found in the Philippines except on the Palawan island group. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with seven other species: the ornate sunbird, Palawan sunbird, Sahul sunbird, Tukangbesi sunbird, Flores Sea sunbird, South Moluccan sunbird and the Mamberamo sunbird.
The spiderhunters are birds of the genus Arachnothera, part of the sunbird family Nectariniidae. The genus contains thirteen species found in the forests of south and southeastern Asia. They are large representatives of the sunbird family, with drab plumage and long strongly curved bills. They feed on both nectar and a range of small arthropods.
The purple-rumped sunbird is a sunbird endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. Like other sunbirds, they are small in size, feeding mainly on nectar but sometimes take insects, particularly when feeding young. They can hover for short durations but usually perch to lap nectar from flowers. They build a hanging pouch nest made up of cobwebs, lichens and plant material. Males are contrastingly coloured but females are olive above and yellow to buff below. Males are easily distinguished from the purple sunbird by the light coloured underside while females can be told apart from males by their whitish throats.
The Seychelles sunbird is a small passerine from the sunbird family. It is named after the French explorer Jean-Jacques Dussumier. It is native to the Seychelles, where it is known as kolibri in Seychellois Creole. This bird is placed in the genus Cinnyris by some authorities and in Nectarinia by others. Although this bird has a limited range, it is described as common and has a stable population, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, also called Stuhlmann's sunbird or the Rwanda double-collared sunbird, is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in the Ruwenzori range of mountains in south central Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the greater double-collared sunbird. Some authors consider this bird to be part of a species complex with Cinnyris afer, where it joins Ludwig's double-collared sunbird and Prigogine's double-collared sunbird. As with other closely related species, each inhabiting different locations, there are subtle similarities and differences between the local populations, and their taxonomic treatment depends on the views of the taxonomist.
The Apo sunbird is a species of bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.
The brown-throated sunbird, also known as the plain-throated sunbird, is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in a wide range of semi-open habitats in south-east Asia, ranging from Myanmar to the Lesser Sundas and west Philippines. The grey-throated sunbird found in the remaining part of the Philippines is often considered a subspecies of the brown-throated sunbird, but the two differ consistently in measurements and plumage, and there is no evidence of intergradation between them.
Whitehead's spiderhunter is a species of spiderhunter in the sunbird and spiderhunter family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to Borneo, where it is found in the mountain ranges in the north-central part of the island. It inhabits hill dipterocarp forest, primary and secondary montane forest, and forest edge at elevations of 930–3,000 m (3,050–9,840 ft). A large and distinctive spiderhunter, the species is mostly brown with profuse whitish streaking all over the body and bright yellow vents and uppertail coverts. Both sexes are similar in appearance, but males are larger, with a length of 16.5–18 cm (6.5–7.1 in) compared to a length of 15.5–16.5 cm (6.1–6.5 in) for females. The juvenile plumage is unknown.
The little spiderhunter is a species of long-billed nectar-feeding bird in the family Nectariniidae found in the moist forests of South and Southeast Asia. Unlike typical sunbirds, males and females are very similar in plumage. They are usually seen in ones or twos and frequently make a tzeck call. They are most often found near flowering plants where they obtain nectar.
The amethyst sunbird, also called the black sunbird, is a species of passerine bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is native to the Afrotropics, mostly south of the equator. They are commonly found in well-watered habitats, and undertake seasonal movements to visit flowering woodlands. The demise of some woodlands have impacted their numbers locally, but their range has also expanded along with the spread of wooded gardens.
The black sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in eastern Indonesia and New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest.
The olive-bellied sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is widely spread across African tropical rainforest.
The eastern double-collared sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in upland areas of Kenya and northern Tanzania.
The tiny sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is sparsely distributed across the African tropical rainforest.
Moreau's sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to Kilolo District of Morogoro Region in Tanzania where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being "near-threatened".
Neergaard's sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Mozambique and South Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest near the coast, where it is threatened by habitat loss. It is named after Paul Neergaard, a Danish recruiting officer for the Wenela agency, who was stationed in southern Mozambique.
The golden-winged sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. Three subspecies are recognised. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Ludwig's double-collared sunbird or the montane double-collared sunbird, is a small passerine bird which breeds in forested mountains above 1,800 m (5,900 ft) in western Angola as well as the Nyika Plateau of northern Malawi and northeastern Zambia. This bird is sometimes considered to be con-specific with the greater double-collared sunbird. It is sometimes placed in the genus Nectarinia.
