Sunbird
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Nectariniidae )
This article is about the sunbird family of birds. There are separate articles about the Pontiac Sunbird car and Mozilla Sunbird calendar program.
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding 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 most of the time.
Although they are completely unrelated, the sunbirds find counterparts in the hummingbirds of the Americas and the honeyeaters of Australia. The resemblances are due to convergent evolution due to the similar nectar-feeding lifestyle.
The sunbirds are tropical species, with representatives from Africa to Australasia ; however, the greatest variety of species is in Africa where the group probably arose. Most species are sedentary or short-distance seasonal migrants .
Like the hummingbirds, they are strongly sexually dimorphic, with the males usually brilliantly plumaged in metallic colours. Sunbirds have long thin down-curved bills and brush tipped tubular tongues, both adaptations to their nectar feeding. Up to three eggs are laid in a purse-shaped suspended nest.
Family: Nectariniidae
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird , Chalcoparia singalensis
Scarlet-tufted Sunbird , Deleornis fraseri
Grey-headed Sunbird , Deleornis axillaris
Plain-backed Sunbird , Anthreptes reichenowi
Anchieta's Sunbird , Anthreptes anchietae
Plain Sunbird , Anthreptes simplex
Plain-throated Sunbird , Anthreptes malacensis
Red-throated Sunbird , Anthreptes rhodolaema
Mouse-brown Sunbird , Anthreptes gabonicus
Western Violet-backed Sunbird , Anthreptes longuemarei
Kenya Violet-backed Sunbird , Anthreptes orientalis
Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird , Anthreptes neglectus
Violet-tailed Sunbird , Anthreptes aurantium
Little Green Sunbird , Anthreptes seimundi
Green Sunbird , Anthreptes rectirostris
Banded Sunbird , Anthreptes rubritorques
Collared Sunbird , Hedydipna collaris
Pygmy Sunbird , Hedydipna platura
Nile Valley Sunbird , Hedydipna metallica
Amani Sunbird , Hedydipna pallidigaster
Purple-naped Sunbird , Hypogramma hypogrammicum
Reichenbach's Sunbird , Anabathmis reichenbachii
Principe Sunbird , Anabathmis hartlaubii
Newton's Sunbird , Anabathmis newtonii
Sao Tome Sunbird , Dreptes thomensis
Orange-breasted Sunbird , Anthobaphes violacea
Green-headed Sunbird , Cyanomitra verticalis
Blue-throated Brown Sunbird , Cyanomitra cyanolaema
Blue-headed Sunbird , Cyanomitra alinae
Cameroon Sunbird , Cyanomitra oritis
Bannerman's Sunbird , Cyanomitra bannermani
Eastern Olive Sunbird , Cyanomitra olivacea
Western Olive Sunbird , Cyanomitra obscura
Mouse-colored Sunbird , Cyanomitra veroxii
Buff-throated Sunbird , Chalcomitra adelberti
Carmelite Sunbird , Chalcomitra fuliginosa
Green-throated Sunbird , Chalcomitra rubescens
Amethyst Sunbird , Chalcomitra amethystina
Scarlet-chested Sunbird , Chalcomitra senegalensis
Hunter's Sunbird , Chalcomitra hunteri
Socotra Sunbird , Chalcomitra balfouri
Purple-rumped Sunbird , Leptocoma zeylonica
Crimson-backed Sunbird , Leptocoma minima
Copper-throated Sunbird , Leptocoma calcostetha
Purple-throated Sunbird , Leptocoma sperata
Black Sunbird , Leptocoma sericea
Bocage's Sunbird , Nectarinia bocagii
Purple-breasted Sunbird , Nectarinia purpureiventris
Tacazze Sunbird , Nectarinia tacazze
Bronze Sunbird , Nectarinia kilimensis
Golden-winged Sunbird , Nectarinia reichenowi
Red-tufted Sunbird , Nectarinia johnstoni
Malachite Sunbird , Nectarinia famosa
Olive-bellied Sunbird , Cinnyris chloropygius
Tiny Sunbird , Cinnyris minullus
Miombo Sunbird , Cinnyris manoensis
Southern Double-collared Sunbird , Cinnyris chalybeus
Neergaard's Sunbird , Cinnyris neergaardi
Stuhlmann's Sunbird , Cinnyris stuhlmanni
Prigogine's Sunbird , Cinnyris prigoginei
Montane Double-collared Sunbird , Cinnyris ludovicensis
Northern Double-collared Sunbird , Cinnyris preussi
Greater Double-collared Sunbird , Cinnyris afer
Regal Sunbird , Cinnyris regius
Rockefeller's Sunbird , Cinnyris rockefelleri
Eastern Double-collared Sunbird , Cinnyris mediocris
Moreau's Sunbird , Cinnyris moreaui
Beautiful Sunbird , Cinnyris pulchellus
Loveridge's Sunbird , Cinnyris loveridgei
Mariqua Sunbird , Cinnyris mariquensis
Shelley's Sunbird , Cinnyris shelleyi
Congo Sunbird , Cinnyris congensis
Red-chested Sunbird , Cinnyris erythrocerca
Black-bellied Sunbird , Cinnyris nectarinioides
Purple-banded Sunbird , Cinnyris bifasciatus
Tsavo Sunbird , Cinnyris tsavoensis
Violet-breasted Sunbird , Cinnyris chalcomelas
Pemba Sunbird , Cinnyris pembae
Orange-tufted Sunbird , Cinnyris bouvieri
Palestine Sunbird , Cinnyris oseus
Shining Sunbird , Cinnyris habessinicus
Splendid Sunbird , Cinnyris coccinigaster
Johanna's Sunbird , Cinnyris johannae
Superb Sunbird , Cinnyris superbus
Rufous-winged Sunbird , Cinnyris rufipennis
Oustalet's Sunbird , Cinnyris oustaleti
White-breasted Sunbird , Cinnyris talatala
Variable Sunbird , Cinnyris venustus
Dusky Sunbird , Cinnyris fuscus
Ursula's Sunbird , Cinnyris ursulae
Bates' Sunbird , Cinnyris batesi
Copper Sunbird , Cinnyris cupreus
Purple Sunbird , Cinnyris asiaticus
Olive-backed Sunbird , Cinnyris jugularis
Apricot-breasted Sunbird , Cinnyris buettikoferi
Flame-breasted Sunbird , Cinnyris solaris
Souimanga Sunbird , Cinnyris sovimanga
Seychelles Sunbird , Cinnyris dussumieri
Madagascar Sunbird , Cinnyris notatus
Humblot's Sunbird , Cinnyris humbloti
Anjouan Sunbird , Cinnyris comorensis
Mayotte Sunbird , Cinnyris coquerellii
Long-billed Sunbird , Cinnyris lotenius
Gray-hooded Sunbird , Aethopyga primigenius
Mount Apo Sunbird , Aethopyga boltoni
Lina's Sunbird , Aethopyga linaraborae
Flaming Sunbird , Aethopyga flagrans
Metallic-winged Sunbird , Aethopyga pulcherrima
Elegant Sunbird , Aethopyga duyvenbodei
Lovely Sunbird , Aethopyga shelleyi
Gould's Sunbird , Aethopyga gouldiae
White-flanked Sunbird , Aethopyga eximia
Green-tailed Sunbird , Aethopyga nipalensis
Fork-tailed Sunbird , Aethopyga christinae
Black-throated Sunbird , Aethopyga saturata
Western Crimson Sunbird , Aethopyga vigorsii
Crimson Sunbird , Aethopyga siparaja
Scarlet Sunbird , Aethopyga mystacalis
Temminck's Sunbird , Aethopyga temminckii
Fire-tailed Sunbird , Aethopyga ignicauda
Thick-billed Spiderhunter , Arachnothera crassirostris
Spectacled Spiderhunter , Arachnothera flavigaster
Long-billed Spiderhunter , Arachnothera robusta
Little Spiderhunter , Arachnothera longirostra
Yellow-eared Spiderhunter , Arachnothera chrysogenys
Naked-faced Spiderhunter , Arachnothera clarae
Gray-breasted Spiderhunter , Arachnothera modesta
Streaky-breasted Spiderhunter , Arachnothera affinis
Streaked Spiderhunter , Arachnothera magna
Whitehead's Spiderhunter , Arachnothera juliae
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