Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Hunter’s Sunbird
Chalcomitra hunteri
Hunter's Sunbird (Chalcomitra hunteri) — 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 Hunter’s Sunbird (Chalcomitra hunteri) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.8 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 hunteri
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.8 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Hunter’s Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Hunter’s Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Hunter’s Sunbird (Chalcomitra hunteri) is a member of the Nectariniidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Ethiopia and Somalia to ne Tanzania.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.8 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 4.5 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 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Hunter’s Sunbird?
The Hunter’s Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 11.8 g.
Where does the Hunter’s Sunbird live?
The Hunter’s Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF Ethiopia and Somalia to ne Tanzania, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Hunter’s Sunbird belong to?
The Hunter’s Sunbird (Chalcomitra hunteri) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Hunter’s Sunbird eat?
The Hunter’s Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Hunter’s Sunbird migrate?
The Hunter’s Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Hunter’s 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 Hunter’s Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Hunter’s 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 Hunter’s Sunbird's range?
The Hunter’s Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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
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.