Northern double-collared sunbird

The northern double-collared sunbird, or golden-winged sunbird, (Cinnyris reichenowi), is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.[3]

Northern double-collared sunbird
Male
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Nectariniidae
Genus: Cinnyris
Species:
C. reichenowi
Binomial name
Cinnyris reichenowi
Sharpe, 1891
Synonyms[2]

Nectarinia preussi
Nectarinia reichenowi
Cinnyris preussi

Description

The northern double-collared sunbird is a medium-sized species. The adult male's head and back is a metallic green that has a steely-blue sheen in some lights. The rump is greyish-brown, the uppertail coverts metallic purple and the tail black, glossed blue. The main flight feathers are dark brown. There is a narrow purple collar beneath the metallic green throat, above a scarlet breast and pale brown belly. There are pale yellow pectoral tufts that are not always visible. The eye is black or dark brown, and the beak and legs are black. The adult female is more drab with upper parts dark olive green and a dark brown tail. The underparts are greyish-olive, the belly being tinged with yellow. The juvenile is similar to the adult female.[3]

Ecology

The northern double-collared sunbird is often found in small mixed-species flocks and often associates with the black-capped speirops (Zosterops lugubris) and the oriole finch (Linurgus olivaceus). It tends to perch in the mid-storeys of trees, looking from side to side. It feeds on nectar, insects and their larvae, and spiders. The male is territorial and sings vigorously. It is aggressive throughout the year and attacks con-specific males, sometimes resulting in mid-air fights which may continue on the ground. It also does battle with the Cameroon sunbird (Cyanomitra oritis) and the olive-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris chloropygia).[3]

Status

The northern double-collared sunbird is a common species with a very wide range, and the population trend is thought to be steady. No particular threats have been identified and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Nectarinia reichenowi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. "Cinnyris reichenowi". Avibase.
  3. Mann, Clive F.; Cheke, Robert A. (2010). Sunbirds: A Guide to the Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers, Spiderhunters and Sugarbirds of the World. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 271–272. ISBN 978-1-4081-3568-6.
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