Nile Valley Sunbird
Hedydipna metallica
Avilumen editorial team ·
The Nile Valley sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen.
The Nile Valley sunbird (Hedydipna metallica) is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen.
In February, the male Nile Valley sunbird assumes his nuptial plumage which he displays in flamboyant fashion. In winter both sexes look alike, tiny, only 9 to 10 cm long, pale grey above and washed-out yellow below, with a long, slender and slightly down-curved bill.
By February the male is transformed into a glossy green extrovert with a brilliant sulfur-yellow belly and long tail streamers that add about an extra five centimetres to his length.
Once transformed, he will be puffing up and parading his newfound finery and courting his duller mate. The display includes a hovering, accompanied by body rocking and wing-whirring.
Text adapted from Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Genus
- Hedydipna
- Conservation status
- Least concern
Listen to its call
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Illustration gallery
6 illustrations of Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird) in different styles, true to its real plumage. Shown watermarked; the art pack includes the high-resolution originals, ready to print.
Watercolor 
Vintage plate 
Ink 
Oil 
Realistic 
Colored pencil
Illustrations based on the photograph by Mohamed Sabry Photographer (CC BY-SA 4.0), from Wikimedia Commons.
Digital editions
HD Digital Art Pack — Nile Valley Sunbird
Digital download: 6 high-resolution illustrations of the Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica), print-ready. This is a digital file; no animal or physical item is included.
AI Avatar — Nile Valley Sunbird
Generate an avatar fusing your face with the Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica). Delivered digitally in 8K, watermark-free. Digital product; no animals are sold or brokered.
Instant download. No live birds are sold.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird) endangered?
- The IUCN Red List places Hedydipna metallica, commonly known as the Nile Valley Sunbird, in the «Least concern» category. «Least concern» means it is not currently threatened.
- Where does Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird) live?
- Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird) is found in Africa, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
- What family does Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird) belong to?
- Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird) belongs to the family Nectariniidae, in the order Passeriformes.
- What colour is Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird)?
- The plumage of Hedydipna metallica (Nile Valley Sunbird) combines these colours: Grey and Green.
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