Dusky Sunbird

Cinnyris fuscus

Dry woodland and scrub. Above and breast black with coppery iridescence; belly white.

Sunbirds

Near Endemic

Description

Uncommon, localised resident. Male differs from [Bronzy Sunbird] in much smaller size and lack of elongated central tail-feathers. Female differs in clear, pale yellow underparts except for some speckling on the throat and upper breast. Has a harsh ‘chit-chat’ call and a high-pitched ‘cher, cher, cher…’ alarm note, plus a soft warbling song. Pairs occur in a variety of habitats including woodland fringes, montane forest fringes, the edges of marshlands and suburbia. Sometimes roosts in large groups.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Small, insectivorous and nectar-drinking birds with decurved bills adapted to flower-probing. Males have iridescent plumage and yellow, orange or red tufts on the sides of the breast (pectoral tufts) that are displayed in excitement. Some males undergo an annual eclipse when they adopt drab, non-breeding plumage resembling the normal plumage of the female. Immatures are like females, often with a dark throat. Their flight is swift and erratic, males spending much time chasing females and other males. They gather in numbers when favoured nectar-rich plants are in blossom.