- Cinnyris habessinicus
Nectarinia habessinica
Identification
13 cm (5 in)
- Purple forecrown
- Remainder of head and upperparts iridescent green
Distribution
Africa and the Middle East:
Eastern Africa: found in Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda
Middle East: Arabian Peninsula; Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman
Taxonomy
This is one of the many Sunbirds that have recently been moved to the genus Cinnyris from the genus Nectarinia.
Subspecies
There are 5 subspecies[1]:
- C. h. habessinicus:
- C. h. alter:
- North Somalia to Ethiopia
- C. h. turkanae:
- Southeastern South Sudan, southern Ethiopia, southwestern Somalia, northeastern Uganda, and northern Kenya
- C. h. kinneari:
- West Saudi Arabia (Asir to Hejaz)
- C. h. hellmayri:
- Saudi Arabia and Yemen
Habitat
Areas under cultivation, including gardens. Rocky hillsides. Dry river beds, especially with flowering plants and dry thornbush.
Behaviour
Diet
Nectar, fruit of the Toothbrush tree (Salvadora persica), insects and spiders.
References
- 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/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2017)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Shining Sunbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Shining_Sunbird
