Brown-throated Sunbird
Anthreptes malacensis
This medium-sized and relatively short-billed sunbird is common throughout much of its range in open forest, forest edge, and urban areas. Look for male’s brown face, reddish throat, and blue-green crown and back. Female is plainer: note yellow underparts, gray-brown head, and faint “spectacles.” Compare with rarer Red-throated Sunbird. Sings from an exposed perch, giving a high, somewhat sparrow-like “sweet-sweet!” Calls include high “tseep” and “sweep.”
Identification
The brown-throated sunbird is a relatively large, heavy sunbird with a thick bill. Measuring some 14 centimetres (5.5 in) in length, it has a mass of 7.4–13.5 g (0.26–0.48 oz), with males averaging slightly larger than females.<p>Like most sunbirds, the male brown-throated sunbird is more colourful than the female. The male has iridescent green and purple upperparts with chestnut on the wing-coverts and scapulars; it is primarily yellow below. The female is olive-green above and yellowish below.
Taxonomy
The following subspecies are recognised:
- Scientific name
- Anthreptes malacensis
- Authority
- (Scopoli, 1786)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Genus
- Anthreptes
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The brown-throated sunbird primarily feeds on nectar, but it will also take small fruits and berries. Juveniles are fed with insects.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Sooty Thrush
Turdus nigrescens
Very dark montane thrush. Robin-sized, all black with white eye and yellow eyering, bill, and legs. Female browner than male. No similar species in limited range. Found singly or in pairs at high elevations, usually above 2200m. Usually in the open, sometimes conspicuously hopping around on the ground but also at the forest edge.
Banded Yellow Robin
Eopsaltria placens
A medium-sized, localized bird of foothill forest. Orange legs, gray head and wings, olive back and chest band, bright yellow belly and incomplete collar from the lower throat around to the sides of the neck. Perches low down, motionlessly scanning the forest floor. Distinctive, but somewhat similar to Green-backed and White-faced Robins which both have white on the face. Song, a series of whistled notes “pwip! pyuu-pyuu-pyuu-pyuu-pyuu”. The first note rising followed by a gap, the followed by identical notes.
Spectacled Prickletail
Siptornis striaticollis
Small, brown bird of Andean cloud forest. Quite rare and apparently absent from many areas of seemingly appropriate forest. It has faint, pale streaking on the breast, a partial eye-ring, and a short white stripe behind the eye. Similar to Streaked Xenops, but bill is not upturned and lacks “whisker” stripes. Creeps along branches in middle levels of the forest, and often follows mixed-species flocks. Song is a quick series of high-pitched “tick” notes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.