Ruby-cheeked Sunbird (Chalcoparia singalensis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Ruby-cheeked Sunbird

Chalcoparia singalensis (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

≈11 cmLength8.2 gWeight

The ruby-cheeked sunbird (Chalcoparia singalensis) is a species of sunbird in the family Nectariniidae.

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Malaysia, Thailand, India

Least Concern

How to identify

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Malaysia, Thailand, India

Ruby-cheeked Sunbird has been recorded at 286 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 14 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sepilok – Rainforest Discovery CenterMalaysia1,332 records
  2. Kaeng Krachan NPThailand510 records
  3. Danum Valley Borneo Rainforest LodgeMalaysia503 records
More places
  1. Gunung Panti Recreational Forest – Panti Bird Sanctuary and North AreaMalaysia429 records
  2. Cat Tien NPVietnam410 records
  3. Garbhanga Reserve ForestIndia401 records
  4. Kaeng Krachan NP – Ban Krang CampgroundsThailand400 records
  5. Taman Alam Kuala SelangorMalaysia373 records
  6. Kaeng Krachan NP – km 9 vicinityThailand298 records
  7. Kaeng Krachan NP – stream crossings 1–3Thailand264 records

Countries and regions with the most records

MalaysiaThailandIndiaCambodiaVietnamBangladeshIndonesiaChina

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

Questions

How big is the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird?

The Ruby-cheeked Sunbird is about ≈11 cm long and weighs around 8.2 g.

Where does the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: Nepal to southern China, Java and Borneo. It is most often recorded in Malaysia, Thailand and India.

When is the best time to see the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird?

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

Is the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird as Least Concern.

What does the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird in?

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

At a glance

Length
≈11 cm
Weight
8.2 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
52 mm
Tail
43 mm
Bill
15 mm
Tarsus
16 mm

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

Range

Oriental: Nepal to southern China, Java and Borneo

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 1
  • Chalcoparia singalensis assamensis e Himalayas and Bangladesh to s China, n Thailand and n Myanmar

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Sunbirds Nectariniidae
Genus
Chalcoparia

More from the family Sunbirds

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Ruby-cheeked Sunbird

Download illustration

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

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