Cinnyris loveridgei
The Loveridge's Sunbird (Cinnyris loveridgei) is a striking, small passerine, measuring approximately 11-12 cm in length and weighing around 7-10 grams. Males are exceptionally vibrant, boasting an iridescent metallic green head, upperparts, and throat, transitioning to a broad purplish-blue breast band, followed by a vivid scarlet-red band, and a yellow belly often tinged with orange. Their wings and tail are blackish, complemented by a long, decurved black bill. Females, in stark contrast, ...
Found exclusively in montane evergreen forests, particularly at forest edges and clearings with abundant flowering plants, typically between 1300 to 2400 meters in elevation.
Primarily nectar from various flowering plants, supplemented by small insects and spiders, which are caught through gleaning or short aerial forays.
Loveridge's Sunbirds are diurnal and highly active, spending their days foraging energetically. They primarily seek nectar by probing deep into flowers, often employing a rapid hovering technique akin to hummingbirds, or perching on floral structures. Small insects and spiders are also gleaned fr...
The Loveridge's Sunbird is strictly endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, where it is a resident species, exhibiting no significant migratory movements. Its distribution is highly fragmented, restricted to several isolated mountain blocks including the Uluguru, Udzungwa, Nguru, Ukagur...
Vulnerable
- Loveridge's Sunbird is named after Arthur Loveridge, a British herpetologist who first collected the species, not an ornithologist. - It is a true 'sky island' endemic, found only in isolated montane forests in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. - Like hummingbirds, sunbirds can hover in fr...