Where does the Olive-backed Sunbird live?
Cinnyris jugularis
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Open the appThe Olive-backed Sunbird lives in specific habitats and regions. Knowing where, and when, to look improves your chances of a successful sighting.
Biomes
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, mangroves, shrublands, gardens, and urban areas.
Geographic range
Southeast Asia, including India (northeastern), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and northeastern Australia.
Preferred environments
Highly adaptable, preferring areas with abundant flowering plants, including coastal scrub, forest edges, plantations, parks, and residential gardens. They are often found in disturbed habitats.
Elevation range
Sea level up to 1,800 meters, occasionally higher.
Where to look
Gardens and Parks
Common in urban and suburban gardens, parks, and cultivated areas with flowering plants.
Forest Edges and Open Woodlands
Found along the edges of forests, in secondary growth, and open woodlands.
Mangroves and Coastal Areas
Present in coastal scrub and mangrove forests, especially where flowering plants are abundant.
Field tips
- Look for flowering plants. Focus your search on areas with a variety of blooming flowers, as nectar is their primary food source. Hibiscus, bougainvillea, and banana flowers are often favored.
- Listen for calls. Their high-pitched calls and songs are often the first indication of their presence, even before you see them.
- Observe active feeding. They are very active feeders. Watch for small birds darting between flowers or hovering briefly to feed.
- Check under eaves and sheltered spots. During breeding season, look for their distinctive hanging nests in sheltered locations around human habitation.
Migration
Resident throughout its range, with no significant migratory movements. Local movements may occur in response to flowering seasons or food availability.
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