Skip to main content

Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Blue-throated Brown Sunbird

Cyanomitra cyanolaema

Blue-throated Brown Sunbird (Cyanomitra cyanolaema) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists
See what's near you right now

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird (Cyanomitra cyanolaema) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 16.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Nectariniidae Sunbirds
  4. Genus Cyanomitra
  5. Species cyanolaema

Where it lives

Western, central

Quick facts

Weight
16.8 g
Diet
Omnivores
Family
Nectariniidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird (Cyanomitra cyanolaema) is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.8 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 5.2 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 3.1 million km².

Songs & calls

Blue-throated Brown Sunbird — Call

Recorded by julien Birard Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Blue-throated Brown Sunbird?

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird is a small bird that weighs around 16.8 g.

Where does the Blue-throated Brown Sunbird live?

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Blue-throated Brown Sunbird belong to?

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird (Cyanomitra cyanolaema) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Blue-throated Brown Sunbird eat?

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Blue-throated Brown Sunbird migrate?

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Blue-throated Brown 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 Blue-throated Brown Sunbird make?

1 real field recording of the Blue-throated Brown 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 Blue-throated Brown Sunbird's range?

The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 3.1 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Nectariniidae

More in Songbirds

Guides for this bird

Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds

How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.

4 min read

Back to top