Ruby-cheeked Sunbird

Overview

The Ruby-cheeked Sunbird is a small, compact sunbird of Southeast Asian lowland and hill forests, ranging from the Indian subcontinent's northeast through Indochina to the Greater Sundas. It is placed in its own genus, distinct from typical Cinnyris sunbirds, and shows a distinctive small ruby-red patch on the cheek that gives it its name.

• Family: sunbirds (Nectariniidae)
• Diet: nectar and small insects
• Range: Southeast Asia, from northeastern India through Indochina and the Sundas

Feather Identification

• Upperparts: feathers are bronze-green with a metallic sheen across the crown, back, and wings.
• Cheek patch: a small, bright ruby-red to crimson patch on the ear coverts is diagnostic for the species.
• Underparts: throat and breast are orange, grading to yellow on the belly.
• Overall shape: shorter, straighter bill than many sunbirds, with a more compact, less elongated body profile.
• Vs. similar species: the ruby cheek patch combined with bronze-green upperparts and orange-yellow underparts is unique among Southeast Asian sunbirds.

Plumage Notes

Males show the full bronze-green and ruby-cheeked pattern with orange-yellow underparts year-round. Females are duller, with olive-green upperparts and paler yellow underparts, and typically lack or show a much-reduced ruby cheek patch. Juveniles resemble females until they molt into adult plumage.

Habitat & Range

This species inhabits forest edges, secondary growth, and clearings in lowland and hill forest across Southeast Asia, from northeastern India through Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, and the Greater Sunda Islands. It is largely resident within its range.

Behavior

Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds feed on nectar from flowering shrubs and trees, supplemented with small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage. They build small hanging nests woven from plant fibers. Calls are high, thin, and often given as they move actively through the mid-story in pairs or small groups.