Palawan sunbird

Palawan sunbird
Male Palawan sunbird above, male flaming sunbird below
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Nectariniidae
Genus:	Cinnyris
Species:	C. aurora
Binomial name
Cinnyris aurora (Tweeddale, 1878)

The Palawan sunbird (Cinnyris aurora) is a species of bird in the sunbird family

The Palawan sunbird is 10–11.4 cm (3.9–4.5 in) in length. The male weighs 6.7–11.9 g (0.24–0.42 oz), the female 6–10 g (0.21–0.35 oz). The species is sexual dimorphic. The male is olive above, the remiges are black with green edging and the black tail has a white tip. The throat, side of neck, throat and breast are blue-black iridescent. The breast has a broad bright orange band. The rest of the underparts are yellow. The iris is dark brown, the bill and legs are black. The female lacks the iridescent throat. It is greenish-olive above and has a yellow supercilium.^[5][6]

Distribution and habitat

The Palawan sunbird is found on the islands of the Palawan group in the Philippines.^[6] It occupies various habitats including the forest edge and open scrub.^[5]

Behaviour and ecology

Breeding

The elongated hanging nest is 30–60 cm (12–24 in) in length and has a hooded side entrance. It is usually placed between 0.5 and 1.5 m (1 ft 8 in and 4 ft 11 in) above the ground but can occasionally be as high as 10 m (33 ft). It is constructed by the female using grass, bark, moss, lichens, leaf fragments, vegetable fibres and spider webs. The clutch of 1–3 eggs is incubated by the female. The eggs hatch after 11–16 days and the young are then fed by both parents. The chicks fledge after 13–16 days. Normally several broods are raised each year.^[5]

Feeding

It forages either singly or in small groups. The diet consists of small insects, spiders, nectar and small fruits.^[5]

References