Tsavo Sunbird (Cinnyris tsavoensis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Tsavo Sunbird

Cinnyris tsavoensis Van Someren, 1922

9.5–10 cmLength6.8 gWeight

The Tsavo sunbird (Cinnyris tsavoensis) is a small passerine bird of Kenya and Tanzania.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Kenya

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

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

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sagala Lodge/Ndara RanchKenya99 records
  2. Tsavo West NPKenya84 records
  3. Tsavo East NP – Southern SectionKenya36 records
More places
  1. Tsavo East NPKenya35 records
  2. Tsavo West NP – Kilaguni LodgeKenya33 records
  3. Tsavo West NP – Ngulia LodgeKenya23 records
  4. Mandegee FarmKenya5 records
  5. Buffalo Springs NRKenya2 records
  6. Samburu NRKenya1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Kenya

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 Tsavo sunbird (Cinnyris tsavoensis) is a small passerine bird of Kenya and Tanzania. It is sometimes lumped with the purple-banded sunbird.

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

Questions

How big is the Tsavo Sunbird?

The Tsavo Sunbird is about 9.5–10 cm long and weighs around 6.8 g.

Where does the Tsavo Sunbird live?

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

When is the best time to see the Tsavo Sunbird?

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

Is the Tsavo Sunbird endangered?

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

What does the Tsavo Sunbird eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Tsavo Sunbird in?

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

At a glance

Length
9.5–10 cm
Weight
6.8 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
52 mm
Tail
42 mm
Bill
17 mm
Tarsus
14 mm

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

Range

Africa: eastern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania

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
Tsavo Sunbird

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

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