Bronzy Sunbird - BirdForum Opus

Alternative name: Bronze Sunbird

Photo by Tom Tarrant
Bwindi National Park, Uganda

Nectarinia kilimensis

Identification

22 cm (8¾ in)

• Iridescent bronze head and back
• Coppery elsewhere
• Dark elongated central tail feathers

Distribution

Female
Photo by amesta
Lake Natron, Tanzania, June 2016

Africa
Western Africa: DRC, Angola
Eastern Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Zimbabwe

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Nectarinia kilimensis has three subspecies^[1]:

• N. k. gadowi:

• Highlands of central Angola

• N. k. kilimensis:

• Highlands of eastern Zaire to Uganda, western Kenya and northern Tanzania

• N. k. arturi:

• Highlands of southern Tanzania to Malawi, north-eastern Zambia and eastern Zimbabwe

Habitat

Sub-montane forest edges and large wooded gardens. Usually found above 1500 metres.

Behaviour

The diet includes nectar and insects.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Avibase
3. Kenya Birds
4. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Bronzy Sunbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 1 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bronzy_Sunbird

External Links

Search for photos of Bronzy Sunbird in the gallery