Black Sunbird

Appearance

It is a small songbird with a long down-curved bill and iridescent body. The black sunbird has a lifespan of approximately 3.6 years. The coloring of the birds differentiate between male and female. The male black sunbird is midnight black in color with an iridescent blue-purple stripe across the upper chest. There is a crown of lustrous green on the head, while the wings and tail are glossed blue. In many regions, the throat area is iridescent reddish-purple; however, moving northward it shifts towards a bluish sparkle. The female black sunbird has a completely different color complex than her male counterpart. Her coloration across the chest and body is dusted greenish-yellow. The wings are smothered brown as well as the head. In northern areas, the color of the female black sunbird is “nondescript,” with a charcoal colored head, with an olive-green upper-body and yellow underbody. The juvenile black sunbird resembles the female sunbird with more of a distinct yellow throat.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest. The black sunbird prefers a variety of forest types, especially at the forest edge. They are common in coconut plantations and other cultivations, such as shrubs and gardens.

Reproduction

The black sunbird was recorded laying in August and September in Sulawesi, March and May-January on islands of Papua New Guinea.

Food

These birds forage for various arthropods, as well as fruit and nectar from flowers and trees. They often forage alone, in pairs or family groups, and occasionally they’re found in larger flocks; rarely do they join mixed-species flocks. They’re very active throughout their forage. The birds obtain most of their food from gleaning, and hover-gleaning as they catch their food from out the air.