Nectarinia johnstoni
The Scarlet-tufted Sunbird, *Nectarinia johnstoni*, is a spectacular high-altitude specialist renowned for the male's dazzling scarlet plumage, truly a gem of East Africa's montane zones. Males average 14-16 cm in length, including their elongated central tail feathers which can add several centimeters, and weigh 12-18 grams, while females are slightly smaller and weigh less. Their most striking feature is the male's brilliant scarlet body, contrasted with a metallic green throat, black wings...
This sunbird is exclusively found in high-altitude ericaceous moorland, bamboo zones, and montane forests, typically above 2,500 meters and up to 4,500 meters.
Primarily feeds on nectar from specialized montane flowering plants, especially giant *Lobelia* and *Erica* species; supplements its diet with small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage.
Scarlet-tufted Sunbirds are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging for nectar and insects among the montane vegetation, often seen alone or in pairs. Their foraging technique frequently involves hovering in front of flowers, particularly the giant *Lobelia* and *Erica* species, to extract...
The Scarlet-tufted Sunbird is a resident species, endemic to the high-altitude montane regions of East Africa, exhibiting little to no true migration beyond local altitudinal movements. Its primary range spans across the Albertine Rift mountains and other isolated massifs in Uganda, Rwanda, Burun...
Least Concern
- Named after Sir Harry Johnston, a British explorer and administrator who collected the type specimen. - It is one of the highest-altitude sunbirds in Africa, regularly occurring above 3,000 meters. - Its exceptionally long, decurved bill is a perfect evolutionary match for the deep corollas of ...