Black-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris nectarinioides)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Black-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris nectarinioides Richmond, 1897

4.8 gWeight

The black-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris nectarinioides) is a small sunbird located primarily in Africa.

Busiest months: April and November · Most records: Kenya, Ethiopia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Black-bellied Sunbird has been recorded at 20 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Samburu NRKenya149 records
  2. Buffalo Springs NRKenya135 records
  3. Buffalo Springs NR – Samburu Simba LodgeKenya96 records
More places
  1. Meru NPKenya64 records
  2. Buffalo Springs NR / Samburu NRKenya53 records
  3. Tsavo West NP – Kilaguni LodgeKenya49 records
  4. Shaba NRKenya48 records
  5. Tsavo West NPKenya46 records
  6. Sagala Lodge/Ndara RanchKenya29 records
  7. Tsavo East NP – Southern SectionKenya26 records

Countries and regions with the most records

KenyaEthiopia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris nectarinioides) is a small sunbird located primarily in Africa. Two subspecies are recognized: the Cinnyris nectarinioides erlangeri, which is smaller and found in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya; and the Cinnyris nectarinioides nectarinioides, which is larger and found in Kenya and Tanzania. This bird inhabits savannah, wetlands, and terrestrial freshwater areas.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-bellied Sunbird?

The Black-bellied Sunbird weighs around 4.8 g.

Where does the Black-bellied Sunbird live?

Its breeding range: Africa: eastern. It is most often recorded in Kenya and Ethiopia.

When is the best time to see the Black-bellied Sunbird?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April and November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-bellied Sunbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-bellied Sunbird as Least Concern.

What does the Black-bellied Sunbird eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Black-bellied Sunbird in?

It belongs to the family Sunbirds (Nectariniidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
4.8 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
52 mm
Tail
51 mm
Bill
18 mm
Tarsus
15 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: eastern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Sunbirds Nectariniidae
Genus
Cinnyris

Other birds in the genus Cinnyris

Olive-bellied SunbirdOlive-bellied SunbirdCinnyris chloropygiusTiny SunbirdTiny SunbirdCinnyris minullusEastern Miombo SunbirdEastern Miombo SunbirdCinnyris manoensisWestern Miombo SunbirdWestern Miombo SunbirdCinnyris gertrudisSouthern Double-collared SunbirdSouthern Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris chalybeusNeergaard's SunbirdNeergaard's SunbirdCinnyris neergaardiRwenzori Double-collared SunbirdRwenzori Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris stuhlmanniWhyte's Double-collared SunbirdWhyte's Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris whyteiPrigogine's Double-collared SunbirdPrigogine's Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris prigogineiLudwig's Double-collared SunbirdLudwig's Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris ludovicensisNorthern Double-collared SunbirdNorthern Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris reichenowiGreater Double-collared SunbirdGreater Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris afer
Black-bellied Sunbird

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by markus lilje. ↗

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