Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple-banded Sunbird
Cinnyris bifasciatus
Purple-banded Sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purple-banded Sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciatus) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 7.2 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 bifasciatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 7.2 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple-banded 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 Purple-banded Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple-banded Sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciatus) belongs to the Nectariniidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF wc, e, se.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 7.2 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 3.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple-banded Sunbird?
The Purple-banded Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 7.2 g.
Where does the Purple-banded Sunbird live?
The Purple-banded Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF wc, e, se, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Purple-banded Sunbird belong to?
The Purple-banded Sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciatus) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purple-banded Sunbird eat?
The Purple-banded Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Purple-banded Sunbird migrate?
The Purple-banded Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple-banded 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 Purple-banded Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Purple-banded 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 Purple-banded Sunbird's range?
The Purple-banded Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 1.9 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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