- Cinnyris ornatus
Identification
10–11·4 cm (4-4½ in).
- Plain olive back
- Yellow belly
- White tail edges flared out in flight
- Male flashes an iridescent blue throat
- Female has a yellow throat and eyebrow.
Distribution
Asia from south-eastern China, south through south-east Asia (excluding north-eastern Burma), Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Sumatra, including surrounding islands, Borneo, Java, and Lesser Sunda Islands.
Taxonomy
A recent split from Olive-backed Sunbird. Formerly in the genus Nectarinia.
Subspecies
Clements recognises the following subspecies [1]
- C. o. andamanicus: Andaman Islands (Bay of Bengal)
- C. o. klossi (blanfordi): Northern Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal)
- C. o. proselius: Car Nicobar Island (Bay of Bengal)
- C. 0. flammaxillaris: Burma to Thailand, Cambodia and northern Malay Peninsula (south to Penang)
- C. o. ornatus: Southern Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Lesser Sundas and adjacemt islands
- C. o. rhizophorae: Southern China (southern Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan) and northern Vietnam
- C. o. polyclystus: Enggano Island (off western Sumatra)
Habitat
Forest edges, parks, and gardens.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Female, subspecies flammaxillaris
Photo © by mastok noeryanto
Langkawi, Malaysia
Subspecies flammaxillaris
Photo © by John W Clarkson
Penang, Malaysia, February 2017
Behaviour
Diet
Their main diet consists of small insects, spiders, nectar and fruit.
They feed singly, in pairs and in small groups.
Breeding
The flask-shaped nest, with an overhanging porch at the entrance, and a trail of hanging material at the bottom end is built only by the female. The 1-3 greenish-blue eggs are incubated for 11-16 days. Both parents care for the young which fledge after a further two weeks.
References
- Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2023. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2023. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Cheke, R., C. Mann, G. M. Kirwan, and D. A. Christie (2023). Ornate Sunbird (Cinnyris ornatus), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (B. K. Keeney and S. M. Billerman, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.olbsun4.01.1
- Dutson, G. (2011) Birds of Melanesia, Christopher Helm, London.
- BF Member observations
- Eaton, JA, B van Balen, NW Brickle, FE Rheindt 2021. Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago (Greater Sundas and Wallacea), Second Edition. Lynx Editions. ISBN978-84-16728-44-2
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Ornate Sunbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 October 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Ornate_Sunbird
External Links
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