Olive-backed Sunbird female

Olive-backed Sunbird male

The Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis is the most common sunbird in urban areas around Borneo.  It is also found in the mangroves and plantations while its altitude range goes up to 1,500m.  While seemingly the closest relative we have to the hummingbirds, sunbirds here can only hover momentarily, more often perching while feeding. Their nests can often be seen hanging from telephone wires and eaves of buildings while nestings on low plants are not uncommon.

This beautiful sunbird Aethopyga temminckii is generally considered as a bird of the hills and mountains of Borneo. On occasions I have also seen it in the lowland forest (300m) of Tabin Wildlife Reserve. The male bird announces itself with a continual cheet cheet usually from the tree canopy. Its red tail distinguishes itself from the closely similar Javan Sunbird A. mystacalis (endemic to Java) which has a purple tail.