Photo: Matt Muir / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Green-throated Sunbird
Chalcomitra rubescens
Green-throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra rubescens) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Green-throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra rubescens) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 10.3 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 Chalcomitra
- Species rubescens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.3 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Green-throated 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 Green-throated Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Green-throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra rubescens) belongs to the Nectariniidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, sw.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Green-throated Sunbird?
The Green-throated Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 10.3 g.
Where does the Green-throated Sunbird live?
The Green-throated Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, sw, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Green-throated Sunbird belong to?
The Green-throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra rubescens) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Green-throated Sunbird eat?
The Green-throated Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Green-throated Sunbird migrate?
The Green-throated Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Green-throated 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 Green-throated Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Green-throated Sunbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Green-throated Sunbird's range?
The Green-throated Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 2.9 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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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.