Cameroon sunbird
species of bird
The Cameroon sunbird (Cyanomitra oritis) is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is native to montane forests of Cameroon, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea, including the island of Bioko. It inhabits high-altitude forests and feeds primarily on nectar and insects. The species shows marked sexual dimorphism, with males displaying a metallic blue breast and duller females, and is known to make seasonal altitudinal movements. The species is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), although its population trend is decreasing due to habitat loss.
Behavior-Call/Vocalization, Breeding, Migration
The vocalization of the Cameroon sunbird consists of a 'sequence of rapid, well spaced whistles described as "tiu tiu tiwu tiwu tiu tiu.'" Breeding has been recorded that eggs are laid from March-April and then from November-December. They build pear-shaped nests that are made from grass, moss, rootlets lined with fibre, silk-cotton, and dry grass. Cameroon sunbirds are considered non-migratory but make altitude movements. On Mount Cameroon, individuals have been observed descending to lower elevations between June and September.
Sexual Dimorphism and Age-Based Differences
Males have an upper breast metallic steel-blue with violet reflections, with their hindneck and the rest of their body being olive-green.
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This entry incorporates text from “Cameroon sunbird” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.