| Lovely sunbird | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| in Palawan | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Nectariniidae |
| Genus: | Aethopyga |
| Species: | A. shelleyi |
| Binomial name | |
| Aethopyga shelleyi Sharpe, 1876 | |
The lovely sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) is a bird species in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and tropical moist montane forests.
Ebird describes it as "A tiny bird of wooded areas from the lowlands to the mountains of Palawan and neighboring islands. Has a fairly long, curved bill, a whitish belly, and olive wings. Male has a pointed green tail, a bright red back, sides, and head, a purple crown and moustache stripe, and a yellow chest with fine red streaking. Male is unmistakable. The drab female is similar to other female sunbirds, but is the only one with a combination of very small size, pale underparts, and olive wings. Voice is a repeated up-and-down “chip-chap! chip-chap! chip-chap!” [2]
It was formerly conspecific with the Handsome sunbird but is differentiated by the red streaking on its breast versus the latter's plain yellow breast. This species is monotypic.
Not much is known about its diet but it is pressumed to have the typical flowerpecker diet of small fruits, insects, nectar especially from mistletoes. Typically seen singly, pairs, small groups and joins mixed species flocks. Breeding has been recorded on February but otherwise breeding is unrecorded. [3]
Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest, montane forest , second growth and plantations up to 2,000 meters above sea level.
The IUCN has classified the species as being of Least Concern as it has a large range and it is common throughout with the population believed to be stable as it is able to tolerate even degraded habitat. However, deforestation in Palawan continues due to slash and burn farming, mining, illegal logging and land conversion.
The whole of Palawan was designated as a Biosphere Reserve; however, protection and enforcement of laws has been difficult and these threats still continue. It occurs in just one protected area in Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. [4]
The Philippine swiftlet is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
The handsome sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
The Apo sunbird is a species of bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.It is found in tropical moist montane forests above 1,500 meters above sea level.
The flaming sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the northern Philippines found on the islands of Luzon and Catanduanes. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It was formerly conspecific with the Maroon-naped sunbird.
Lina's sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae It is endemic to mountains in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is one of the most striking sunbirds in the country with the male having an iridescent blue color and an orange spot on its yellow breast. It is named after Dioscoro S. Rabor's wife, Lina who would assist Dioscoro on expeditions. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest above 1000m. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Javan sunbird or scarlet sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to Java and Bali, Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The grey-hooded sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only in the moist montane forests of Mindanao. It is one of the three montane Mindanao endemic sunbirds along with the Lina's sunbird and the Apo sunbird.
The metallic-winged sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
The striped flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest. It is part of the Thick-billed flowerpecker species complex and was formerly conspecific with it.
The buzzing flowerpecker or white-bellied flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and or tropical moist montane forest.
The Philippine fairy-bluebird is a species of bird in the family Irenidae. It is endemic to the Philippines being found in the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Samar and Bohol.
The green-backed whistler or olive-backed whistler, is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest.
The Palawan flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only in the Palawan island group. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest.
The stripe-breasted rhabdornis, also known as the stripe-breasted creeper or plain-headed creeper, is a species of bird currently placed in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is endemic to the Philippines on the islands of Mindanao, Leyte, Samar and Biliran. It is typically found in tropical montane and submontane forest but has been found as low as 230 masl in Leyte. It is part of a species complex that includes the Visayan rhabdornis and the Grand rhabdornis which were formerly subspecies of this bird.
The sulphur-billed nuthatch is a species of bird in the family Sittidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest. It is commonly found in mixed flocks along with Blue-headed fantails, sunbirds, flowerpeckers and other small forest birds.
The rusty-crowned babbler is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is native to the southern Philippines on the islands of Mindanao and Dinagat Islands and Basilan. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest.
The grey-throated sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in a wide range of semi-open wooded habitats in the northern and eastern part of the Philippines. It 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.
The maroon-naped sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the islands of Negros Island, Panay and Guimaras. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.
The Tboli sunbird is a subspecies of bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only in the mountains of south Mindanao. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest starting from 800 meters above sea level. This subspecies is recognized as a distinct species by The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World.
The Palawan fairy-bluebird is a species of bird in the family Irenidae. It is endemic to the island of Palawan in the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and it is declining due to habitat destruction and deforestation.
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