Lina's sunbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lina's sunbird |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Aethopyga
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| Species: |
linaraborae
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The Lina's sunbird (Aethopyga linaraborae) is a beautiful small bird. It belongs to the Nectariniidae family, also known as sunbirds. This special bird lives only in the mountains of Mindanao island in the Philippines. This means it is an endemic species.
Male Lina's sunbirds are very striking. They have shiny, iridescent blue feathers. They also have a bright orange spot on their yellow chest. The bird is named after Lina Rabor, the wife of a famous scientist named Dioscoro S. Rabor. Lina's sunbirds prefer to live in tropical moist montane forests. These are forests found high up in the mountains, usually above 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet). Sadly, their homes are shrinking due to habitat loss.
What Does Lina's Sunbird Look Like?
The Lina's sunbird is a small bird. It has a long, curved beak, which helps it drink nectar from flowers. Its back is olive green. It also has a bluish tail with white tips. A special orange mark is found in the middle of its chest.
Male Lina's sunbirds are very colorful. Their head, cheeks, and wings are an iridescent blue. This means they shimmer with different colors in the light. They also have green shoulders and a green rump. Their belly is yellow, and they have a small orange patch near their shoulder.
Female Lina's sunbirds look a bit different. They have faint stripes on their belly. Their head is gray, and their wings are a golden-olive color.
This bird looks a bit like the Metallic-winged sunbird. However, the male Lina's sunbird has blue wings. The female Lina's sunbird has a gray head.
Sounds and Calls
Lina's sunbirds make several interesting sounds. They have a high-pitched, jumbled song. They also make a series of sharp "chik!" notes. Sometimes, you can hear a high-pitched whistle that goes upwards in sound.
Where Lina's Sunbird Lives and Its Status
Lina's sunbirds live in montane mossy forests. These forests are found at high elevations, from about 970 meters (3,180 feet) to over 2,000 meters (6,560 feet).
The IUCN has listed this bird as near threatened. This means it could become endangered in the future if its habitat continues to shrink. Even though it lives in a small area, it is quite common in those specific places.
A lot of its mountain home is still safe. This is because these mountains are rugged and hard to reach. However, the Lina's sunbird still faces threats. Its habitat is being lost due to deforestation, which is when forests are cut down. Mining also harms its home. Land conversion (changing forest land for other uses) and slash-and-burn farming also cause problems. These activities are not as widespread as in lowland forests, but they still affect the bird. For example, Mt. Tagubud in New Bataan has lost many trees. This is a place where many birdwatchers go to see the Lina's sunbird.
