Shining Sunbird

The Abyssinian sunbird (Cinnyris habessinicus), formerly the shining sunbird, is a species of passerine bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae. The Arabian sunbird was formerly treated as a subspecies.

Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognised:

C. h. habessinicus (Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1828) – northeast Sudan, Eritrea and north, central Ethiopia

C. h. alter Neumann, 1906 – east Ethiopia and north Somalia

C. h. turkanae Van Someren, 1920 – southeast Sudan, south Ethiopia, south Somalia, north Kenya and northeast Uganda

Two additional former subspecies, C. h. hellmaryi and C. h. kinneari, have now been split as a separate species, the Arabian sunbird C. hellmaryi.

Description

The Abyssinian sunbird is highly dimorphic and has three distinct plumages, juvenile, immature and adult. Adult males in breeding plumage have brilliant metallic green upperparts and throat, a violet or blue crown, a bright red band across the breast with a narrow line of metallic blue, and blue-black wings and tail. The females are brownish-buff, paler below. These small sunbirds mainly feed on nectar and small insects.

Distribution and habitat

It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

This species prefers rocky or sandy areas and dry river beds with Acacia and Ziziphus trees.