Cinnyris cupreus
The Copper Sunbird (Cinnyris cupreus) is a strikingly beautiful passerine bird belonging to the family Nectariniidae, renowned for its brilliant, metallic plumage. Males are particularly arresting, featuring an iridescent copper or bronze body, often appearing fiery red or golden in direct sunlight, contrasted with a glossy purple-violet head and a dark, non-iridescent belly. Females, by contrast, are much plainer, sporting an olive-green upperparts and a dull yellowish underparts, lacking th...
Found in a variety of open wooded habitats, including savanna, forest edges, clearings, secondary growth, and gardens, typically at low to mid-elevations.
Primarily feeds on nectar extracted from a wide variety of flowers, supplemented by small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage or caught in the air.
Copper Sunbirds are diurnal and highly active, spending their days foraging for nectar and insects. Males are often seen perched prominently, delivering their energetic songs, and engaging in aerial displays to attract mates. They exhibit territorial behavior, with males defending rich flower pat...
The Copper Sunbird boasts a widespread distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, extending from Senegal and Gambia in the west, eastward through the Sahel and Savannah belts to Ethiopia and western Kenya. Its range continues southwards through Central Africa, encompassing countries like the Democra...
Least Concern
- The male Copper Sunbird's dazzling plumage is structural color, meaning it's created by the microscopic structure of the feathers scattering light, not by pigments. - They possess a long, tubular tongue that can be extended far beyond the bill to access nectar deep within flowers. - Despite the...