Olive-backed sunbird

Nectarinia jugularis

Photo by Lee Kee Yap (Wikipedia)

Common name:

olive-backed sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-dorso-verde (pt); souïmanga à dos vert (fr); suimanga dorsioliva (es); grünrücken-nektarvogel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Nectarinidae

Range:

They are found in south-east Asia an Australia, from southern China, through the Philippines and Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia, and into Indonesia and north-east Australia.

Size:

These birds are 12 cm long and have a wingspan of 14-17 cm. They weigh 7-8 g.

Habitat:

The olive-backed sunbird was originally found in mangroves, but it as adapted to human changes to the habitat being found in secondary open woodlands, orchards, coconut plantations and even inside human settlements.

Diet:

Their diet includes both nectar and invertebrates. They obtain nectar from a number o flowering plants, namely Erythrina, coconut, Eugenia grandis and E. jambos, Macaranga rubiginosa, Morinda umbellata, Adinandra dumosa, and various cultivated exotics including papaya, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Callistemon sp., Russelia sp., Canna indica and the bean Vigna sinensis. As or invertebrates, they mostly hunt spiders, large Orthoptera ans caterpillars.

Breeding:

The olive-backed sunbird breeds in December-July. The female builds the nest alone, a pear-shaped chamber, with a small entrance hole, built of grass-stems and other fibrous materials, with narrow strips of palm leaflet and miscellaneous inclusions such as flower petals and papery seeds. The female lays 1-3 pale green eggs with brown blotches, which are incubated for 11 days. Both parents feed and brood the chicks until fledging, which takes place 15-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.