Congo Sunbird Cinnyris congensis Scientific name definitions

Male 19 cm, 15·5–19 g; female 11 cm, 15·5–16·5 g. Male is metallic green above, bluer on uppertail-coverts; greater upperwing-coverts black with purple-blue reflection, median and lesser coverts metallic green, remiges black; graduated tail dull black, edged metallic blue-green, narrow elongated central pair of rectrices protrude 46–75 mm; lores black, chin to upper breast metallic green above narrow strip of metallic blue, merging with broad scarlet band (24 mm deep, 15 mm wide) on lower breast; otherwise dull black below, apart from green tips on some flank feathers and undertail-coverts; axillaries and underwing-coverts black; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Female is dark brown-olive above, with narrow pale line running from above eye to behind eye; tail black-brown with faint green sheen (especially on edges) and brownish feather tips increasing in size towards outer tail, outermost pair with brownish-white distal half of outer web, tail graduated, central pair of rectrices 3–4 mm longer than the adjacent pair and c. 10 mm longer than outermost pair, upperwing olive-brown; chin grey, upper throat with dark mottling and lower throat rather more heavily mottled, separated from olive face by long pale malar line from base of lower mandible down side of neck, otherwise pale yellow below, brighter in middle of belly, with breast and flanks mottled and streaked, undertail-coverts yellow-white, underwing grey-brown; bill brownish-black, legs black. Juvenile undescribed.

Congo and DRCongo (forested banks of R Congo, lower R Ubangi and R Lefini).

Forested riverine areas.

No data.

Takes small spiders (Araneae), and probably insects and nectar. Visits flowers of Caesalpinia regia.

No information available.

Male seen next to nest suspended from bush 2 m above river and birds in breeding condition in Jul–Dec. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Locally common to rare. Common along banks of R Congo. In DRCongo, fairly common on upper R Congo up to Isengi (at mouth of R Lomami) and on lower Ubangi (S from Impfondo, at least) and lower R Momboyo. Rare and local in PRCongo part of range, where occurs along R Ubangi and R Léfini.