Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pygmy Sunbird
Hedydipna platura
Pygmy Sunbird (Hedydipna platura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pygmy Sunbird (Hedydipna platura) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 6.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Nectariniidae Sunbirds
- Genus Hedydipna
- Species platura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.7 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pygmy Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Pygmy Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pygmy Sunbird (Hedydipna platura) is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Mauritania to Guinea Bissau and e to Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.7 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 7.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pygmy Sunbird?
The Pygmy Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 6.7 g.
Where does the Pygmy Sunbird live?
The Pygmy Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF Mauritania to Guinea Bissau and e to Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Pygmy Sunbird belong to?
The Pygmy Sunbird (Hedydipna platura) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Pygmy Sunbird eat?
The Pygmy Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Pygmy Sunbird migrate?
The Pygmy Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pygmy Sunbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pygmy Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Pygmy Sunbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pygmy Sunbird's range?
The Pygmy Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 4.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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