Palestine sunbird
| Palestine sunbird | |
|---|---|
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| Male Palestine sunbird in Kiryat Ono, Israel | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Nectariniidae |
| Genus: | Cinnyris |
| Species: | C. osea |
| Binomial name | |
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Cinnyris osea (Bonaparte, 1856) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Cinnyris oseus |
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Cinnyris oseus
Nectarinia osea
The Palestine sunbird or northern orange-tufted sunbird (Cinnyris osea) is a small passerine bird of the sunbird family which is found in parts of the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also known as orange-tufted sunbird, a name which is also used for the similar orange-tufted sunbird (Cinnyris bouvieri), found further south in Africa.
The Palestine sunbird is 8 to 12 cm long with a wingspan of 14 to 16 cm. Males have an average weight of 7.6 g and females weigh around 6.8 g. The bill is fairly long, black and curves downwards. The plumage of breeding males is mostly dark but appears glossy blue or green in the light. There are orange tufts at the sides of the breast which are hard to see except at close range. Females and juveniles are grey-brown above with pale underparts. Non-breeding males are similar but may retain some dark feathers.
It has a high, fast, jingling song and various calls including a harsh alarm call.
It occurs in areas with high temperatures and dry climate from sea-level up to an altitude of 3200 m. It inhabits dry woodland, scrub, wadis, savannas, orchards and gardens. It is common in towns in some areas, and is a familiar sight in Tel Aviv.
The Middle Eastern subspecies C. o. oseus breeds from Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan in the north, down through western Saudi Arabia to Yemen and Oman in the south. In recent decades it has colonized the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Some birds reach Lebanon and Syria in winter and it has bred in Lebanon. It has been suggested as a possible national bird of Palestine in the future. On 5 April 2016 the Ministry of Environmental Affairs (Palestine) had adopted 'Sawsan Gilboa' (Iris haynei) as the national plant of the State of Palestine, to go with the Olive tree (as the national tree), Sunbird (national bird) and the 5th of March to be the national day for the Palestinian environment.
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Wikipedia