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Difference between revisions of "Olive Sunbird" - BirdForum Opus

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;Cyanomitra olivacea
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[[Category:Cyanomitra]]
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;[[:Category:Cyanomitra|Cyanomitra]] olivacea
 
''Nectarinia olivacea''  
 
''Nectarinia olivacea''  
 
[[Image:Olive_Sunbird.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Photo by rudydbn]]
 
[[Image:Olive_Sunbird.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Photo by rudydbn]]
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Sub-Saharan Africa.
 
Sub-Saharan Africa.
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
This is one of the seven Sunbirds that have recently been moved into the genus ''Cyanomitra'' from the genus ''Nectarinia''.  
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This is one of the seven Sunbirds that have recently been moved into the genus ''Cyanomitra'' from the genus ''Nectarinia''. <br />
 
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Formerly split in Western and Eastern Olive Sunbird by Clements.
In 1993 it was suggested that this species be split (into Eastern Olive Sunbird and Western Olive Sunbird) based on the presence or absence of yellow pectoral tufts in females. However, a genetic study (Bowie ''et al''., 2004 cited by Percy Fitzpatrick Institute, 2006) has shown that most of the genetic variation in this species is concentrated in East Africa, with birds from South Africa being similar to those from as far away as Congo, Cameroon and Ghana. The study also provides very little evidence for the 13 or so subspecies proposed by various authors.
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====Subspecies====
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There are 11 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
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*''C. o. guineensis'':
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:*[[Senegal]] to [[Togo]]
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*''C. o. cephaelis'':
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:*[[Benin]] to northern [[Angola]] and the Congo Basin
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*''C. o. obscura'':
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:*Principe Island and Bioko Island (Gulf of Guinea)
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*''C. o. ragazzii'':
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:*Southern [[South Sudan]] and southwestern [[Ethiopia]] to [[Uganda]], western [[Kenya]], western [[Tanzania]], eastern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], and northern [[Zambia]]
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*''C. o. changamwensis'':
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:*Southern [[Somalia]] and coastal [[Kenya]] to northeast [[Tanzania]]; Mafia Island
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*''C. o. neglecta'':
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:*Central [[Kenya]] to northeastern [[Tanzania]]
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*''C. o. granti'':
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:*Zanzibar and Pemba Island
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*''C. o. alfredi'':
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:*Southern [[Tanzania]] to [[Malawi]], southeast [[Zambia]] and northern [[Mozambique]]
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*''C. o. sclateri'':
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:*Eastern [[Zimbabwe]] and west central [[Mozambique]]
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*''C. o. olivacina'':
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:*Northeastern [[South Africa]] (northeastern KwaZulu-Natal) and southern [[Mozambique]]
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*''C. o. olivacea'':
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:*Eastern [[South Africa]] (southern KwaZulu-Natal to Eastern Cape) and [[eSwatini]]
  
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Bowie, R.C.K., Fjeldsa, J., Hackett, S.J. & Crowe, T.M. 2004. Molecular evolution in space and through time: mtDNA phylogeography of the Olive Sunbird (''Nectarinia olivacea''/''obscura'') throughout continental Africa. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 33, 56-74.
 
Bowie, R.C.K., Fjeldsa, J., Hackett, S.J. & Crowe, T.M. 2004. Molecular evolution in space and through time: mtDNA phylogeography of the Olive Sunbird (''Nectarinia olivacea''/''obscura'') throughout continental Africa. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 33, 56-74.
  
Percy Fitzpatrick Institute. 2006. Death of a species: Why there is only one species of Olive Sunbird. ''Africa Birds and Birding'' Vol. 11, No. 1, p26. (Avilable at http://www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za/pdf/fitzfm06.pdf).
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Percy Fitzpatrick Institute. 2006. Death of a species: Why there is only one species of Olive Sunbird. ''Africa Birds and Birding'' Vol. 11, No. 1, p26.
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Sunbird+olivacea}}
 
{{GSearch|Sunbird+olivacea}}
*[http://birdquest.net/afbid/search.php?keyword=olive+sunbird View more images of this species on the African Bird Image Database.]
 
 
[[Category:Birds]]
 
[[Category:Birds]]

Latest revision as of 11:03, 14 November 2021

Cyanomitra olivacea

Nectarinia olivacea

Photo by rudydbn

Identification

Length 13-16 cm, mass 11-12 g. The males are larger than the females, but otherwise the sexes are similar. They are olive green above, with the face darker than the crown and back. The tail is dark greyish brown, and the wings are dark olive green and dark greyish brown. The breast and belly are yellowish green and pectoral tufts (present in all males and the females of some populations) are yellow. The bill, legs and feet are black, and the eyes dark brown.

Males may call from the same perch for extended periods with loud piping notes.

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa.

Taxonomy

This is one of the seven Sunbirds that have recently been moved into the genus Cyanomitra from the genus Nectarinia.
Formerly split in Western and Eastern Olive Sunbird by Clements.

Subspecies

There are 11 subspecies[1]:

  • C. o. guineensis:
  • C. o. cephaelis:
  • C. o. obscura:
  • Principe Island and Bioko Island (Gulf of Guinea)
  • C. o. ragazzii:
  • C. o. changamwensis:
  • C. o. neglecta:
  • C. o. granti:
  • Zanzibar and Pemba Island
  • C. o. alfredi:
  • C. o. sclateri:
  • C. o. olivacina:
  • C. o. olivacea:

Habitat

Forest, dense woodland, plantations, gardens.

Behaviour

These birds generally keeps to cover and are often found by following their calls, rather than by sight. They are usually solitary, but may be seen in loose groups at rich food sources. Food includes nectar, insects and spiders.

References

Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 0620340533

Bowie, R.C.K., Fjeldsa, J., Hackett, S.J. & Crowe, T.M. 2004. Molecular evolution in space and through time: mtDNA phylogeography of the Olive Sunbird (Nectarinia olivacea/obscura) throughout continental Africa. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 33, 56-74.

Percy Fitzpatrick Institute. 2006. Death of a species: Why there is only one species of Olive Sunbird. Africa Birds and Birding Vol. 11, No. 1, p26.

External Links

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