Eastern double-collared sunbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eastern double-collared sunbird |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Cinnyris
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| Species: |
mediocris
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The eastern double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris mediocris) is a small, colorful bird. It belongs to the Nectariniidae family, also known as the sunbirds. These birds are famous for their bright feathers and long, curved beaks. You can find the eastern double-collared sunbird in the high, hilly areas of Kenya and northern Tanzania.
What Does It Look Like?
The eastern double-collared sunbird is a small bird. The adult male is very striking. Its upper body is a shiny, metallic green. Its wings and tail are dark. It has a bright red band across its chest. Its belly is a dull olive color. The male's beak is strongly curved. This shape helps it sip nectar from flowers.
The adult female looks different from the male. Her upper body is olive-colored. Her wings are brown. Her underparts are a yellowish-green.
Where Does It Live?
The eastern double-collared sunbird lives in the mountains of Kenya and northern Tanzania. It prefers places that are high up. You can find it in forests, grassy hills, heathland, and bamboo thickets. These birds live at heights between 600 and 1,500 meters (about 2,000 to 5,000 feet) above sea level. After the breeding season, they sometimes fly down to lower areas.
What Does It Eat?
Eastern double-collared sunbirds usually feed alone or in pairs. Sometimes, they join small groups of different bird species. These groups are often led by the white-headed wood hoopoe (Phoeniculus bollei).
Their main food is nectar, which they get from flowers. But they also eat insects, spiders, and small snails. They catch flying ants in the air. They also pick small bugs off the backs of leaves. They are very acrobatic when they search for nectar. They can hang upside down to reach flowers!
Is It Safe?
The eastern double-collared sunbird is quite common in the areas where it lives. Its numbers seem to be stable. Experts have not found any major threats to this bird. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says its conservation status is "least concern". This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
