Tiny Sunbird
Cinnyris minullus
The smallest member of a group of frustratingly similar double-collared sunbirds that co-occur in African forests. Often encountered near forest edges and in forest clearings, and sometimes even in villages and gardens. Males have an olive belly, a bright red chest band with a blue and purple upper border, yellow underwing tufts, and an iridescent green throat, head, and upperparts. Females are generally olive all over with a slight eye-line and darker olive streaking on the undersides. Appears short-billed, and from a distance almost straight-billed. Extremely similar to Olive-bellied Sunbird and Northern Double-collared Sunbird, with which this species co-occurs. Look for Tiny Sunbird’s short, nearly straight bill and the small red breast band on the males. Gives sharp “tsew!” calls and, in its song, multiple notes at different pitches in rapid succession.
Identification
The tiny sunbird is the smallest species in the genus. 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 band, lemon-yellow pectoral tufts and a dark olive belly. The adult female has an olive-brown head and upper parts, dark brown wings and dark brown tail. There is an olive-yellow supercilium over the eye, the throat is grey and the underparts are olive washed with yellow. The eyes in both sexes are dark brown and the beak and legs are black. The juvenile resembles the female.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Cinnyris minullus
- Authority
- Reichenow, 1899
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Genus
- Cinnyris
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The tiny sunbird is found in primary and secondary forests, forest edges, clearings and among scattered trees in savanna country and around villages. It forages in the canopy singly or in pairs, and sometimes joins small, mixed species flocks. It feeds on nectar, insects and spiders.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Epthianura tricolor
Brightly colored, terrestrial songbird of arid inland Australia. Breeding male has crimson crown and belly, gray back, black mask, white throat, pale eye, and blackish wings with narrow pale wingbars. Nonbreeding male more muted, with only hints of crimson. Female similar to nonbreeding male but paler around the face. Usually seen in small groups hopping along the ground in open areas.
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A pale powder-blue-and-white seabird with a faint grayish dark “M” across the upperwings. Note the dark blue “thumb mark” collar, the blue eye-stripe, the white eyebrow, the white throat, and the grayish cap. Restricted to two known breeding islands, Saint Paul in the South Indian Ocean, and Gough in the South Atlantic. Almost identical to Antarctic Prion, but bulkier and more heavy-chested, with a slightly wider bill. All but inseparable from Salvin’s Prion, with which it shares the breeding island of Gough, and with which it was once considered one species; MacGillivray’s is incrementally broader-billed, but birds seen at sea may not be identifiable.
Tenggara Whistler
Pachycephala calliope
Medium-sized songbird, endemic to the Lesser Sundas and far eastern Java. Throughout much of range, the typical Golden-type Whistler: brightly-colored males have a striking black-and-white head and flashy yellow collar, breast, and belly, while considerably duller females are brownish overall with paler underparts, whitish throat, and yellow vent. Like other Pacycephala whistlers, a forest species, often seen gleaning insects from the foliage, or heard giving its loud, vibrant, rising song. Also gives a rising “weet” call.
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