Olive-bellied sunbird

Last updated

Olive-bellied sunbird
001 Olive-bellied Sunbird starting to fly at Kibale National Park Photo by Giles Laurent.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Nectariniidae
Genus: Cinnyris
Species:
C. chloropygius
Binomial name
Cinnyris chloropygius
(Jardine, 1842)
Synonyms
  • Cinnyris chloropygia
  • Nectarinia chloropygia

The olive-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris chloropygius) is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is widely spread across the African tropical rainforest.

Contents

Description

Olive-bellied sunbird (male) in flight 003 Olive-bellied Sunbird in flight at Kibale forest National Park Photo by Giles Laurent.jpg
Olive-bellied sunbird (male) in flight
Olive-bellied sunbird (female) in Uganda 075 Olive-bellied sunbird (female) at Kibale National Park Photo by Giles Laurent.jpg
Olive-bellied sunbird (female) in Uganda

The olive-bellied sunbird is a small species, and very similar to the tiny sunbird (Cinnyris minullus) in appearance. The adult male has a metallic green head, back and throat, dark brown wings, a metallic blue rump and a black tail with a purplish-blue sheen. It has a narrow blue breast band above a wider scarlet breast patch, lemon-yellow pectoral tufts and an olive belly. It differs from the slightly smaller tiny sunbird in having a larger beak and no blue bars among the red breast plumage. The adult female has an olive-brown head and upper parts, dark brown wings and dark brown tail. The underparts are olive washed with yellow, and are yellower and less streaked than the tiny sunbird. [2]

Ecology

The olive-bellied sunbird moves about singly or in pairs, or sometimes in groups of about six birds. It forages in the lower parts of the canopy, feeding on caterpillars, beetles, spiders, nectar, flowers and seeds. The male is territorial and will drive away members of its species as well as tiny sunbirds. The nest is a straggly affair formed from grasses, strips of bark and leaves, and lined with fine material. Incubation is done entirely by the female. [2]

Status

The olive-bellied sunbird is a common species with a very wide range, and the population trend is thought to be steady. No particular threats have been identified and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful sunbird</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garden sunbird</span> Species of bird

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. It is a small, brightly coloured bird with olive-green plumage on the wings and back with a bright yellow chest. It has a long downward-curved bill it uses for taking nectar and capturing insects. It is primarily nectarivorous, but will take insects and spiders, particularly when feeding chicks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple sunbird</span> Species of bird

The purple sunbird is a small bird in the sunbird family found mainly in South and Southeast Asia but extending west into parts of the Arabian peninsula. Like other sunbirds they feed mainly on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. They have a fast and direct flight and can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird but often perch at the base of flowers. The males can appear all black in harsh sunlight but the purple iridescence is visible on closer observation or under good light conditions. Females are olive above and yellowish below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimson sunbird</span> Species of bird

The crimson sunbird is a species of bird in the sunbird family which feed largely on nectar. They may also take insects, especially when feeding their young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed. It is the unofficial national bird of Singapore, as declared by the Nature Society Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern double-collared sunbird</span> Species of bird

The southern double-collared sunbird or lesser double-collared sunbird is a small passerine bird which breeds in southern Africa. It is mainly resident, but partially migratory in the north-east of its range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rwenzori double-collared sunbird</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Souimanga sunbird</span> Species of bird

The souimanga sunbird is a small passerine bird of the sunbird family, Nectariniidae. It is native to the islands of the western Indian Ocean where it occurs on Madagascar, the Aldabra Group and the Glorioso Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bates's sunbird</span> Species of bird

Bates's sunbird is a species of sunbird in the family Nectariniidae which occurs in Western African forests and Central African rainforests, and locally in other types of forest in Central Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apricot-breasted sunbird</span> Species of bird

The apricot-breasted sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the island of Sumba in Indonesia, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Although it is quite common, very little is known about its biology, with virtually nothing known about its breeding or diet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humblot's sunbird</span> Species of bird

Humblot's sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the islands of Grand Comoro and Mohéli in the Comoros.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarlet-tufted sunbird</span> Species of bird

The scarlet-tufted sunbird is a species of bird in the Nectarinia of the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. It is also known as the red-tufted sunbird and the scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern double-collared sunbird</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiny sunbird</span> Species of bird

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-bellied sunbird</span> Species of bird

The black-bellied sunbird(Cinnyris nectarinioides) is a small sunbird located primarily in Africa. Two subspecies are recognized: the Cinnyris nectarinioides erlangeri, which is smaller and found in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya; and the Cinnyris nectarinioides nectarinioides, which is larger and found in Kenya and Tanzania. This bird inhabits savannah, wetlands, and terrestrial freshwater areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neergaard's sunbird</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern double-collared sunbird</span> Species of bird

The northern double-collared sunbird, is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regal sunbird</span> Species of bird

The regal sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is native to the Albertine Rift montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ludwig's double-collared sunbird</span> Species of bird

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.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Cinnyris chloropygius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22717919A94557353. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22717919A94557353.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Mann, Clive F.; Cheke, Robert A. (2010). Sunbirds: A Guide to the Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers, Spiderhunters and Sugarbirds of the World. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 259–260. ISBN   978-1-4081-3568-6.