Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity
Neodrepanis hypoxantha
Tiny, round, short-tailed yellow-bellied bird with a thin curved bill. Males are blue on the back and have bright bare skin around the eye in breeding plumage. Rare Madagascar endemic that is found very locally in eastern and northern rainforest at middle and high elevations. Usually in the canopy of stunted forest along ridgelines. Hyperactive nectar feeder that constantly flits from flower to flower. Call is a series of quiet and very high-pitched “tip” notes. Similar to Common Sunbird-Asity, but has brighter yellow underparts and a smaller, less curved bill. Smaller than Souimanga Sunbird, with a thinner bill and shorter tail.
Identification
The plumage of male yellow-bellied sunbird-asities is very bright, with clean yellow undersides and dark black upper sides with an iridescent blue sheen; the females are duller. The eye is surrounded by a bright blue wattle which derives its colour, like the rest of the asities, from bundles of collagen. The bill is long and decurved, as it is adapted for nectar feeding.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Neodrepanis hypoxantha
- Authority
- Salomonsen, 1933
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Philepittidae
- Genus
- Neodrepanis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
This species is endemic to montane forest above 1600 m on the island of Madagascar. Yellow-bellied sunbird-asities are active nectar feeders. They will aggressively defend a nectar source from rivals of the same species as well as from sunbirds.<p>The yellow-bellied sunbird-asity is listed as vulnerable by BirdLife International and the IUCN. It was once considered to be an endangered species, and even possibly extinct; however, this was due to a lack of ornithological surveys in its high-altitude range. Subsequent research has found it to be more abundant than previously suspected, although it is still considered threatened due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Somali Crow
Corvus edithae
An entirely black crow with a fairly thick, raven-like bill. Found in a variety of dry country habitats, including savanna, thornscrub, desert, towns, and cultivated areas. Often in small flocks. Similar to Fan-tailed Raven, but has a different shape, especially in flight, with a much longer tail. Very similar to Brown-necked Raven, but smaller, and there is little overlap in range. Typical birds look very different from Pied Crow, but these two species sometimes hybridize, producing birds with white blotching on the back and underparts. The calls are typical rough cawing notes.
Pink-breasted Flowerpecker
Dicaeum keiense
Tiny, compact bird, a typical flowerpecker with a short bill and very short tail. Endemic to the Tanimbar and Kai islands. Adult male glossy blue-black above, with a red chest and patchily pinkish-red underparts. Female gray above and pale below, with red rump and undertail coverts. Juvenile plain, with orange bill base and undertail coverts. Inhabits forest and forest edge habitats. Gives a high-pitched “tsee’ip”, a metallic trill, thin “tsip” notes, and short buzzy notes.
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