Photo: Bob / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Beautiful Sunbird
Cinnyris pulchellus
Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus) — 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 Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 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 Cinnyris
- Species pulchellus
Where it lives
Mauritania to Sierra Leone and east to Eritrea, western Ethiopia and northwestern Kenya
Quick facts
- Weight
- 7 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Beautiful Sunbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Beautiful Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus) is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Mauritania to Sierra Leone and e to Eritrea, w Ethiopia and nw Kenya.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 7 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 6.5 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 5.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Beautiful Sunbird?
The Beautiful Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 7 g.
Where does the Beautiful Sunbird live?
The Beautiful Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF Mauritania to Sierra Leone and e to Eritrea, w Ethiopia and nw Kenya, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Beautiful Sunbird belong to?
The Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Beautiful Sunbird eat?
The Beautiful Sunbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Beautiful Sunbird migrate?
The Beautiful Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Beautiful 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 Beautiful Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Beautiful 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 Beautiful Sunbird's range?
The Beautiful Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 5.4 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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