Cinnyris pembae
The Pemba Sunbird (Cinnyris pembae) is a captivating jewel endemic to Pemba Island, Tanzania, renowned for its striking sexual dimorphism. Males boast a resplendent iridescent metallic green head, throat, and mantle, contrasted by a narrow, vibrant red breast band and a bright yellow belly, often with an olive-green sheen on the back. They typically measure around 10-11 cm in length with a slender, distinctly decurved black bill perfectly adapted for nectar feeding. Females, in contrast, exhi...
This species primarily inhabits a variety of semi-open and wooded environments across Pemba Island, including forest edges, coastal scrub, plantations, and gardens, from sea level up to the island's modest highest elevations.
The Pemba Sunbird's diet consists predominantly of flower nectar, which it obtains using its specialized brush-tipped tongue, supplemented by a significant intake of small insects and spiders gleaned from vegetation.
Pemba Sunbirds are highly diurnal, exhibiting continuous activity throughout the day, often foraging alone or in pairs. Their foraging strategy primarily involves acrobatic hovering and precise probing of flowers for nectar with their long, decurved bills, complemented by gleaning insects and spi...
The Pemba Sunbird is strictly endemic to Pemba Island, which is part of the Zanzibar Archipelago off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. It is a resident species, occupying its entire range year-round without undertaking significant migrations. Its distribution covers all suitable habitats acro...
Least Concern
- The Pemba Sunbird is a true island endemic, found nowhere else in the world except Pemba Island, Tanzania. - Its long, decurved bill is perfectly adapted for probing deep into tubular flowers to extract nectar, making it an important pollinator in its ecosystem. - Despite its small size, the ma...