Photo: Tisha Mukherjee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple Sunbird
Cinnyris asiaticus
Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 8.1 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 asiaticus
Where it lives
Eastern Arabian Pen. to southeastern Asia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8.1 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple 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 Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) belongs to the Nectariniidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR e Arabian Pen. to se Asia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8.1 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 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 5.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple Sunbird?
The Purple Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 8.1 g.
Where does the Purple Sunbird live?
The Purple Sunbird is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR e Arabian Pen. to se Asia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Purple Sunbird belong to?
The Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purple Sunbird eat?
The Purple Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Purple Sunbird migrate?
The Purple Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple 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 Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Purple 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 Sunbird's range?
The Purple Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 5.8 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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