Chalcomitra adelberti
The Buff-throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra adelberti) is a dazzling jewel of the West and Central African forests, renowned for its striking sexual dimorphism and vibrant plumage. Males measure approximately 12-13 cm in length and weigh 8-12 grams, displaying an iridescent metallic green on the crown, mantle, and back, which shimmers to purplish or bronze in varying light. Their most distinctive field mark is the rich, contrasting buff to orange-buff throat and upper breast, sharply delineated fr...
This sunbird primarily inhabits moist lowland forests, forest edges, secondary growth, and cultivated areas like plantations and gardens, typically at elevations below 1200-1500 meters.
Their primary diet consists of nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants, supplemented by small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage or caught in flight.
Buff-throated Sunbirds are diurnal and generally solitary or found in pairs, though they may join mixed-species foraging flocks. Males are highly territorial, actively defending prime feeding grounds with vibrant displays and persistent song. Foraging involves acrobatic hovering at flowers to ext...
The Buff-throated Sunbird is endemic to West and Central Africa, inhabiting a broad band across the equatorial region. Its breeding range extends from Sierra Leone and Guinea eastward through Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. Further east, it occurs in Cameroon, Equatorial Gu...
Least Concern
- The male's buff-colored throat is a unique and prominent feature among African sunbirds, making it easily identifiable. - Despite its name, the buff color on its throat can vary from a pale buff to a deep orange-buff, sometimes with a faint red wash. - Like hummingbirds, Buff-throated Sunbirds ...