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Difference between revisions of "Nile Valley Sunbird" - BirdForum Opus

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(range description, reference updated)
(Picture of juvenile. Imp sizes. GSearch amended to allow for both scientific names. References updated)
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''Anthreptes metallicus''  
 
''Anthreptes metallicus''  
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
−
The '''male''' in breeding session is 15 cm long, 5 cm for the fork shape tail, and has a metallic dark green head with dark green and blue-violet back while the under part are yellow.<br />
 
−
The '''female''' is less attractive with a yellow-brown upper parts and less vibrant yellow belly. Both have decurved bill known for nectar feeding birds.<br />
 
−
Outside the breeding season (October to February) the male take the eclipsed morph as it losses its color and long tail and starts to resemble the female but with some black patches on the neck, which the females don’t have.
 
 
[[Image:Nile_Valley_Sunbird.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Male in eclipse plumage<br />Photo by {{user|Ingo|Ingo}}<br />Crocodile Island, Luxor, [[Egypt]]]]
 
[[Image:Nile_Valley_Sunbird.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Male in eclipse plumage<br />Photo by {{user|Ingo|Ingo}}<br />Crocodile Island, Luxor, [[Egypt]]]]
 +
Male 17 cm(6¾ in), female 9 cm (3½ in)<br />
 +
*Decurved bill
 +
'''Male''' breeding: 5 cm tail
 +
*Fork shape tail
 +
*Metallic dark green head with dark green
 +
*Blue-violet back
 +
*Yellow underparts<br />
 +
Non-breeding
 +
*Loses long tail
 +
*Plumage similar to female, but has some black patches (lacking in female)
 +
'''Female'''
 +
*Yellow-brown upper parts
 +
*Less vibrant yellow belly<br />
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
 
Breeds from [[Egypt]] (primarily the Nile Valley) to [[Sudan]], northeastern [[South Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], northern [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], northwestern [[Somalia]], southwestern [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], and southwestern [[Oman]]; nonbreeding visitor to northern [[Egypt]] (Cairo) and northern eastern [[Somalia]].
 
Breeds from [[Egypt]] (primarily the Nile Valley) to [[Sudan]], northeastern [[South Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], northern [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], northwestern [[Somalia]], southwestern [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], and southwestern [[Oman]]; nonbreeding visitor to northern [[Egypt]] (Cairo) and northern eastern [[Somalia]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 +
[[Image:NVS104a.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|ammadoux|ammadoux}}<br />Jeddah, [[Saudi Arabia]], June 2010]]
 
This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
 
This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
  
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==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
A familiar bird in the gardens  of Jeddah and Taif, Khmis mushayt and Abha western Saudi Arabia.
 
A familiar bird in the gardens  of Jeddah and Taif, Khmis mushayt and Abha western Saudi Arabia.
−
In Dry acacia scrubs in wadies and plane of eastern cost of the red sea and at juniper woodlands at the high altitude (2500m) mountens of Asir and Yemen.
+
In dry acacia scrubs in wadies and plane of eastern cost of the red sea and at juniper woodlands at the high altitude (2500m) mountens of Asir and Yemen.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
 
Feeds on nectar and arthropods.
 
Feeds on nectar and arthropods.
−
[[Image:NVS104a.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo by {{user|ammadoux|ammadoux}}<br />Jeddah, [[Saudi Arabia]], June 2010]]
 
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
 +
[[Image:20180223 144.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|WorldInFocus|WorldInFocus}}<br />Taif, [[Saudi Arabia]], February 2018]]
 
Starting from December both the male and female start to announce there presence with calls far from Twitter, but rather similar to little kittens calls. They keep on sending these calls which tend to get higher during the day as the sun gets higher in the sky, until the male complete its change to the breeding plumage, which is usually on the beginning of March, but this differs on each individual, some may reach this plumage earlier (two weeks)
 
Starting from December both the male and female start to announce there presence with calls far from Twitter, but rather similar to little kittens calls. They keep on sending these calls which tend to get higher during the day as the sun gets higher in the sky, until the male complete its change to the breeding plumage, which is usually on the beginning of March, but this differs on each individual, some may reach this plumage earlier (two weeks)
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Feb 2018)
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
−
{{GSearch|Hedydipna+metallica Use "Hedydipna metallica" to }}
+
{{GSearch|Sunbird+metallic}}
−
{{GSearch|Anthreptes+metallicus Use "Anthreptes metallicus" to }}
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
{{Video|Nile_Valley_Sunbird}}
 
{{Video|Nile_Valley_Sunbird}}
  
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Hedydipna]] [[Category:Videos]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Hedydipna]] [[Category:Videos]]

Revision as of 23:09, 23 February 2018

Male in breeding plumage
Photo by ammadoux
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 2010
Hedydipna metallica

Anthreptes metallicus

Identification

Male in eclipse plumage
Photo by Ingo
Crocodile Island, Luxor, Egypt

Male 17 cm(6¾ in), female 9 cm (3½ in)

  • Decurved bill

Male breeding: 5 cm tail

  • Fork shape tail
  • Metallic dark green head with dark green
  • Blue-violet back
  • Yellow underparts

Non-breeding

  • Loses long tail
  • Plumage similar to female, but has some black patches (lacking in female)

Female

  • Yellow-brown upper parts
  • Less vibrant yellow belly

Distribution

Breeds from Egypt (primarily the Nile Valley) to Sudan, northeastern South Sudan, Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, Djibouti, northwestern Somalia, southwestern Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and southwestern Oman; nonbreeding visitor to northern Egypt (Cairo) and northern eastern Somalia.

Taxonomy

Female
Photo by ammadoux
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 2010

This is a monotypic species[1].

This is one of the four Sunbirds that have recently been moved to the genus Hedydipna from the genus Anthreptes.

Habitat

A familiar bird in the gardens of Jeddah and Taif, Khmis mushayt and Abha western Saudi Arabia. In dry acacia scrubs in wadies and plane of eastern cost of the red sea and at juniper woodlands at the high altitude (2500m) mountens of Asir and Yemen.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on nectar and arthropods.

Vocalisation

Juvenile
Photo by WorldInFocus
Taif, Saudi Arabia, February 2018

Starting from December both the male and female start to announce there presence with calls far from Twitter, but rather similar to little kittens calls. They keep on sending these calls which tend to get higher during the day as the sun gets higher in the sky, until the male complete its change to the breeding plumage, which is usually on the beginning of March, but this differs on each individual, some may reach this plumage earlier (two weeks)

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Feb 2018)

Recommended Citation

External Links


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