Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Lovely Sunbird

Aethopyga shelleyi Sharpe, 1876

4 gWeight

The lovely sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) is a bird species in the family Nectariniidae.

Busiest months: March · Most records: Philippines

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Lovely Sunbird has been recorded at 9 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Irawan Eco Park, Puerto PrincesaPhilippines233 records
  2. Napsan, Puerto Princesa CityPhilippines174 records
  3. Zigzag Road, Puerto PrincesaPhilippines120 records
More places
  1. Iwahig Prison & Penal Farm – Balsahan River Trail, Puerto PrincesaPhilippines76 records
  2. Sabang, Puerto PrincesaPhilippines76 records
  3. Sabang – Cockatoo Viewpoint, Puerto PrincesaPhilippines73 records
  4. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National ParkPhilippines69 records
  5. Iwahig Prison & Penal FarmPhilippines39 records
  6. Iwahig Prison & Penal Farm – Ricefields, Puerto PrincesaPhilippines12 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Philippines

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 lovely sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) is a bird species in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

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

Questions

How big is the Lovely Sunbird?

The Lovely Sunbird weighs around 4 g.

Where does the Lovely Sunbird live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: Palawan group (southwestern Philippines). It is most often recorded in Philippines.

When is the best time to see the Lovely Sunbird?

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

Is the Lovely Sunbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Lovely Sunbird as Least Concern.

What does the Lovely Sunbird eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Lovely Sunbird in?

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

At a glance

Weight
4 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
46 mm
Tail
38 mm
Bill
16 mm
Tarsus
13 mm

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

Range

Oriental: Palawan group (southwestern Philippines)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Sunbirds Nectariniidae
Genus
Aethopyga

Other birds in the genus Aethopyga

Grey-hooded SunbirdGrey-hooded SunbirdAethopyga primigeniaApo SunbirdApo SunbirdAethopyga boltoniTboli SunbirdTboli SunbirdAethopyga tiboliiLina's SunbirdLina's SunbirdAethopyga linaraboraeFlaming SunbirdFlaming SunbirdAethopyga flagransMaroon-naped SunbirdMaroon-naped SunbirdAethopyga guimarasensisMetallic-winged SunbirdMetallic-winged SunbirdAethopyga pulcherrimaElegant SunbirdElegant SunbirdAethopyga duyvenbodeiHandsome SunbirdHandsome SunbirdAethopyga bellaMrs. Gould's SunbirdMrs. Gould's SunbirdAethopyga gouldiaeGreen-tailed SunbirdGreen-tailed SunbirdAethopyga nipalensisWhite-flanked SunbirdWhite-flanked SunbirdAethopyga eximia
Lovely Sunbird

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

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