Skip to main content

Photo: Henrik Grønvold / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Neergaard’s Sunbird

Cinnyris neergaardi

Neergaard's Sunbird (Cinnyris neergaardi) — 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 Neergaard’s Sunbird (Cinnyris neergaardi) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 6.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Nectariniidae Sunbirds
  4. Genus Cinnyris
  5. Species neergaardi

Where it lives

Southeastern Mozambique to Swaziland and eastern South Africa

Quick facts

Weight
6.1 g
Diet
Omnivores
Family
Nectariniidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

The Neergaard’s Sunbird (Cinnyris neergaardi) is a member of the Nectariniidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF se Mozambique to Swaziland and e South Africa.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.1 g, with a wing length of about 5.1 cm and a tail of around 3.5 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 139,000 km².

Songs & calls

Neergaard’s Sunbird — Song

Recorded by Maarten Sluijter Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Neergaard’s Sunbird?

The Neergaard’s Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 6.1 g.

Where does the Neergaard’s Sunbird live?

The Neergaard’s Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF se Mozambique to Swaziland and e South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Neergaard’s Sunbird belong to?

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

What does the Neergaard’s Sunbird eat?

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

Does the Neergaard’s Sunbird migrate?

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

Is the Neergaard’s Sunbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Neergaard’s Sunbird make?

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

The Neergaard’s Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 139,000 km².

Conservation

Near Threatened

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