Aethopyga ignicauda
The Fire-tailed Sunbird, *Aethopyga ignicauda*, is an exquisitely vibrant passerine celebrated for its fiery plumage and distinct calls, captivating birders across its montane range. Males are truly spectacular, sporting an iridescent green crown and mantle, a crimson-red rump, and a strikingly elongated, flame-orange to scarlet-red tail that can reach up to 10 cm, contrasting with a deep yellow belly. They typically measure around 15-20 cm in total length, including the tail. Females, by com...
Primarily found in subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, often preferring broadleaf or mixed evergreen and deciduous woodlands. It inhabits elevations typically between 1,000 to 3,500 meters, descending to lower altitudes during winter months.
The primary diet consists of nectar, supplemented significantly by small insects and spiders, obtained through specialized bill probing, gleaning, and occasional aerial hawking.
Fire-tailed Sunbirds are active, diurnal birds, often observed singly, in pairs, or occasionally joining mixed-species foraging flocks. Their foraging strategy primarily involves acrobatically probing flowers for nectar with their long, decurved bills, frequently hovering like hummingbirds or per...
The Fire-tailed Sunbird is distributed across the Himalayan region and parts of Southeast Asia, with its breeding range extending from northern India (Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh) through Nepal and Bhutan, into southern China (Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi), northern Myanmar, northern Laos,...
Least Concern
- The male Fire-tailed Sunbird's elongated tail feathers can account for almost half of its total body length, making it one of the most disproportionately tailed sunbirds. - Like hummingbirds, Fire-tailed Sunbirds can hover efficiently in front of flowers to extract nectar, a fascinating example...