Cinnyris stuhlmanni
The Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris stuhlmanni) is a vibrant and charismatic passerine endemic to the high-altitude montane regions of East Africa's Albertine Rift. Measuring approximately 11-13 cm in length, the male boasts a resplendent iridescent plumage, featuring a metallic green crown, mantle, and throat, often appearing bluish in certain light, complemented by a brilliant red breast band bordered below by a narrow iridescent blue-violet stripe - the distinctive "double-colla...
This sunbird is a specialist of high-altitude montane forests, bamboo zones, and ericaceous scrub, typically found between 1,800 and 4,500 meters above sea level, preferring dense vegetation near flowering plants.
Primarily feeds on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, using its long, curved bill and brush-tipped tongue, and also supplements its diet with small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark.
The Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird is primarily diurnal, actively foraging for nectar and insects throughout the day and roosting secretively within dense foliage at night. Foraging involves acrobatic hovering and darting amongst flowers to extract nectar with its long, decurved bill and tubula...
The Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird is a resident species primarily found in the montane regions of the Albertine Rift Valley in East-Central Africa. Its core breeding and year-round range encompasses the Rwenzori Mountains (straddling Uganda and DR Congo), the Virunga Mountains (shared by DR Co...
Least Concern
- The male's iridescent plumage is not due to pigments, but rather structural colors that refract light, causing its appearance to shift with viewing angle and light conditions. - It is one of the highest-dwelling sunbird species, regularly found at elevations up to 4,500 meters (nearly 15,000 fe...