Skip to main content

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

Least Concern

Johanna’s Sunbird

Cinnyris johannae

Johanna's Sunbird (Cinnyris johannae) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.

The Johanna’s Sunbird (Cinnyris johannae) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 13 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 Cinnyris
  5. Species johannae

Where it lives

Western, central

Quick facts

Weight
13 g
Diet
Omnivores
Family
Nectariniidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Johanna’s Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

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

Migration

The Johanna’s Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Johanna’s Sunbird (Cinnyris johannae) belongs to the Nectariniidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 cm and a tail of around 4 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 1.6 million km².

Songs & calls

Johanna’s Sunbird — Call

Recorded by Peter Boesman Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Johanna’s Sunbird?

The Johanna’s Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 13 g.

Where does the Johanna’s Sunbird live?

The Johanna’s Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Johanna’s Sunbird belong to?

The Johanna’s Sunbird (Cinnyris johannae) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Johanna’s Sunbird eat?

The Johanna’s Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Johanna’s Sunbird migrate?

The Johanna’s Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Johanna’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 Johanna’s Sunbird make?

1 real field recording of the Johanna’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 Johanna’s Sunbird's range?

The Johanna’s Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 1.6 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