Anabathmis newtonii
The Newton's Sunbird (Anabathmis newtonii) is a striking member of the Nectariniidae family, characterized by its vibrant, iridescent plumage in males. Typically measuring 12-14 cm in length and weighing between 8-12 grams, males boast a shimmering emerald-green head, back, and throat, transitioning to a deep violet-blue breast band and a bright yellow belly. Their most distinctive field mark is this brilliant metallic green combined with the contrasting yellow underparts and a notably long, ...
This sunbird primarily inhabits tropical lowland evergreen forests and coastal thickets, often extending into mature secondary growth and forest edges up to 800 meters elevation.
Primarily nectivorous, feeding on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, but also supplements its diet with small insects and spiders, typically gleaned from foliage or caught in flight.
Newton's Sunbirds are active and restless diurnal foragers, typically solitary or in pairs. Their foraging strategy involves swift, hovering flight to probe flowers for nectar with their specialized bills, often accompanied by gleaning small insects and spiders from foliage. During the breeding s...
The Newton's Sunbird is an extreme island endemic, exclusively found within the small Newtonia Archipelago, a group of volcanic islands situated in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa. Its range is highly restricted, encompassing only a few forested islands within the archipelago, wit...
Vulnerable
- The Newton's Sunbird possesses an exceptionally long, tubular tongue, fringed with bristles, perfectly adapted for drawing nectar from deep floral corollas. - Its iridescent plumage is not due to pigments, but rather microscopic structural properties of the feathers that reflect specific wavele...