Humblot's sunbird
| Humblot's sunbird | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Nectariniidae |
| Genus: | Cinnyris |
| Species: | C. humbloti |
| Binomial name | |
| Cinnyris humbloti Milne-Edwards and Oustalet, 1885 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Nectarinia humbloti | |
The Humblot's sunbird (Cinnyris humbloti) is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is endemic to the islands of Grand Comoro and Mohéli in the Comoros.
Description
The adult male Humblot's sunbird has green upperparts with a dark or gold gloss. In the nominate subspecies the throatand upper breast are glossy green with a red lower breast, in the subspecies from Mohéli the upperparts are duller and the throat and upper breast are glossed with purple. It has yellow pectoral tufts and the lower breast and belly are yellowish green. The adult female is olive green above, greyer on the head with a brighter rump and greyer underparts woth dark spots and streaks, has a white tip to the tail and and pectoral tufts.[2] They are 11 cm in length and the male weights 5.5–7g, the female 5.5–8g.[3]
Voice
The song of Humblot's sunbird consists of a series of series of chipping notes, which are mixed up. Alarm and contact calls are a harsh scolding “tssk, tssk”.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Humblot's sunbird is endemic to Grand Comoro and Moheli in the Comoros.[1] It is found in forest, gardens and scrub from sea level to 790m above sea level.[2]
Habits
Humblot's sunbird feeds by gleaning and hover gleaning insects from the leaf tips of the fronds of the coconut palm. It is know to sip nectar from Cocos nucifera, Cusonia spp, Eucalyptus and Impatiens spp. The nest is made of fine grass, covered with moss and lined with milkweed strands and attached to with moss to a branch. Laying is in August and September.[2]
Subspecies
There are two subspecies:[3]
- Cinnyris humbloti humbloti A. Milne-Edwards & Oustalet, 1885: Grand Comoro, in Comoro Is.
- Cinnyris humbloti mohelicus Stresemann & Grote, 1926: Mohéli
Etymology
The scientific name commemorates the French naturalist Léon Humblot.[4]
References
- 1 2 "Nectarinia humbloti". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
- 1 2 3 Robert A. Cheke; Clive F. Mann; Richard Allen (2001). Sunbirds. Pica Press. pp. 328–329. ISBN 1-873403-80-1.
- 1 2 3 "Humblot's Sunbird (Cinnyris humbloti)". HBW Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
- ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.