The Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum is one of the more common sunbirds in Borneo.  It feeds on small insects and is also partial to pollen of various flowers in the lowland forest. It utters a loud tsip while moving from blossom to blossom, with an occasional series of notes.  It is easy to miss the metallic purple band on its nape (absent in females) if you are looking up at the bird.

Female sunbirds typically resemble each other closely while the metallic sheen of the males makes them easy to identify.  The Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex takes a bit more practice.  The male bird only has metallic purple on the forehead to show while the female seems equally drab and lacking the purple forehead.  Further examination of the female will reveal that while the rest of her plumage remains a drab olive-green, she has a greyish throat to distinguish herself from the other female sunbird species.

Plain Sunbird female

Plain Sunbird male

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.