Ornate Sunbird Cinnyris ornatus Scientific name definitions

Ornate Sunbird has long been considered part of the former Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) complex (e.g., 1 Dickinson, E. C., and L. Christidis, Editors (2014). The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Fourth Edition. Volume 2. Aves Press, Eastbourne, UK. Close , 2 Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood (2022). The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close , 3 Gill F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen, Editors (2022). IOC World Bird List (v12.1). Close ). However, this complex, which involves at least 21 taxa, is widespread and spans Wallace's Line, ranging from China to northeastern Australia, and is extremely variable in plumage, suggesting that multiple taxa are likely involved (4 del Hoyo, J., and N. J. Collar (2016). Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close , 5 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2016). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close , 6 Eaton, J. A., and F. E. Rheindt (2017). New avifaunal records from the Flores Sea islands, Indonesia, including a novel Phylloscopus leaf warbler. BirdingASIA 28:97–106. Close , 7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ). For example, Eaton et al. (5 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2016). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ) and Eaton and Rheindt (6 Eaton, J. A., and F. E. Rheindt (2017). New avifaunal records from the Flores Sea islands, Indonesia, including a novel Phylloscopus leaf warbler. BirdingASIA 28:97–106. Close ) began recognizing the "Sahul Sunbird (Cinnyris clementiae)," which included taxa from Sulawesi, the Sahul Shelf (clementiae), Australia (frenatus), and the Solomon Islands (flavigastra), as well as the "Ornate Sunbird (Cinnyris ornatus)" for birds from the Sunda Shelf, while Cinnyris jugularis was restricted to the Philippines (8 Lohman, D.J., Ingram, K.K., Prawiradilaga, D.M., Winker, K., Sheldon, F.H., Moyle, R.G., Ng, P.K.L., Ong, P.S., Wang, L.K., Braile, T.M., Astuti, D. and Meier, R. (2010). Cryptic genetic diversity in ‘‘widespread” Southeast Asian bird species suggests that Philippine avian endemism is gravely underestimated. Biol. Conserv. 143(8): 1885–1890. Close , 9 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2021). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close , 7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ). No comprehensive study that includes all taxa in the complex has yet been complete, but the work of Ó Marcaigh et al. (7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ), which included molecular, morphological, and bioacoustic analyses, found support for recognition of at least four separate species in the complex, including Tukangbesi Sunbird (Cinnyris infrenatus) and Garden Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). While a comprehensive taxonomic study is still needed to fully resolve species limits in this complex, based on genetic, morphological, and bioacoustic analyses (8 Lohman, D.J., Ingram, K.K., Prawiradilaga, D.M., Winker, K., Sheldon, F.H., Moyle, R.G., Ng, P.K.L., Ong, P.S., Wang, L.K., Braile, T.M., Astuti, D. and Meier, R. (2010). Cryptic genetic diversity in ‘‘widespread” Southeast Asian bird species suggests that Philippine avian endemism is gravely underestimated. Biol. Conserv. 143(8): 1885–1890. Close , 4 del Hoyo, J., and N. J. Collar (2016). Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close , 7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ), as well as additional strong morphological differences among other taxa that have not been included in studies that are equivalent to those that have been studied, we recognize 8 species in the Olive-backed Sunbird complex. Within the complex, Ornate Sunbird is restricted to Borneo (5 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2016). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close , 7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ). In studies of genetic divergence among some of the taxa of this complex (8 Lohman, D.J., Ingram, K.K., Prawiradilaga, D.M., Winker, K., Sheldon, F.H., Moyle, R.G., Ng, P.K.L., Ong, P.S., Wang, L.K., Braile, T.M., Astuti, D. and Meier, R. (2010). Cryptic genetic diversity in ‘‘widespread” Southeast Asian bird species suggests that Philippine avian endemism is gravely underestimated. Biol. Conserv. 143(8): 1885–1890. Close ), Ornate Sunbird was found to be deeply divergent from all other groups sampled, with divergence in mitochondrial DNA ranging from 5.7% between Ornate Sunbird and Sahul Sunbird (Cinnyris frenatus), to 7.7% between Ornate Sunbird and Palawan Sunbird (Cinnyris aurora) (7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ).

Ornate Sunbird has not been included in a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study that samples broadly across either the Olive-backed Sunbird complex or Nectariniidae. It is likely closely related to other members of the former Olive-backed Sunbird complex. In one study, Ornate Sunbird was found to be part of a clade that included Palawan Sunbird (Cinnyris aurora), Tukangbesi Sunbird (Cinnyris infrenatus), Sahul Sunbird (Cinnyris frenatus), and Garden Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) (7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ), though not all taxa that were part of Olive-backed Sunbird complex have been included in phylogenetic studies (see 8 Lohman, D.J., Ingram, K.K., Prawiradilaga, D.M., Winker, K., Sheldon, F.H., Moyle, R.G., Ng, P.K.L., Ong, P.S., Wang, L.K., Braile, T.M., Astuti, D. and Meier, R. (2010). Cryptic genetic diversity in ‘‘widespread” Southeast Asian bird species suggests that Philippine avian endemism is gravely underestimated. Biol. Conserv. 143(8): 1885–1890. Close , 7 Ó Marcaigh, F., D. J. Kelly, D. P. O'Connell, K. Analuddin, A. Karya, J. McCloughan, E. Tolan, N. Lawless, and N. M. Marples (2023). Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198:72-92 Close ), so relationships among all members of the group are still unclear and require further study.

Andaman Islands, Northern Nicobar Islands, probably west to southeastern Bangladesh, southern China, Mainland Southeast Asia (not north), Sumatra and most satellites (including Enggano Island), Borneo, Java, Bali, and Lesser Sundas (except Sumba, Timor, and some small islands), probably also Timur Laut (Tanimbar Islands).

Extralimital Records

Recent sight records (presumably of subspecies flammaxillaris) from southeastern Bangladesh almost certainly valid, but corroboration required.

The below is derived from information attributed to the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). The present species is presumably similar.

Various forest types, including mangroves, at forest edge, in open country, scrub, coastal vegetation, agricultural land, plantations, parks and gardens; found in urban areas, as well as in rural ones. Generally in lowlands, but to 1700 m.

Resident, with short local movements.

The below is derived from information attributed to the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). The present species is presumably similar.

Microhabitat for Foraging

Generally feeds at low levels.

Food Capture and Consumption

Hover-gleans for insects, and takes spiders while hovering in front of webs; takes nectar from flowers. Forages singly, in pairs and in small groups; joins mixed-species flocks.

The below is derived from information attributed to the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). The present species is presumably similar.

Major Food Items

Insects , usually small ones, and spiders (Araneae), also nectar and small fruits; spiders, insects and small butterflies reported among food brought to young (21 Pande, S. and Sant, N. (2008). Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis nesting from electric wires in Great Nicobar Island. Indian Birds 4(3): 116–117. Close ). Known food plants include Bauhinia sp., Carica papaya, Cocos nucifera, Dendrophthoe pentandra, Dysoxylum gaudichaudianum (fruits), Erythrina sp., E. indica, Ficus sp., Firmiania colorata, Hemerocallis sp., Hibiscus spp., unidentified mistletoes (Loranthaceae), Morinda spp., Moringa oleifera and Russelia juncea.

Vocal Array

Song of subspecies ornatus described as unmusical and nasal with a buzzy introductory note, given at rate of four notes/second.

Other vocalizations attributed to the former Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) that are likely similar in the present species include a loud rising “tweet," a long loud “tsip” sometimes mixed with higher-pitched rapid twitters, a thin “sweet-sweet," a “twe-ez;” also a thin, nasal, upslurred, occasionally wavering “sweei," and repeated “chip” note. Incessantly repeated “pease” given eight times on descending scale by courting male; long wheezy “ja-zyew, ja-zyew” series. Flight call is a short “chup-chup-chup," or “trik trik trik” similar to call of flowerpecker (Dicaeidae); persistent “sweep” by female. Loud, piercing, upslurred “wéést” (flammaxillaris; Myanmar), said to be richer and more strident than similar calls of Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) and Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata). Loud, sharp “tsip, tsip…," irregular or in long series (Great Nicobar), and wheezy, insistent “jha-zyéw, jha-zyéw…” (Katchal, in central Nicobars).

Degree of Sociality

Observed singly, in pairs, and in small groups; joins mixed-species flocks.

The below is derived from information attributed to the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). The present species is presumably similar.

Types of Predators

Nest predators include monitor lizards (Varanus) and possibly rats (Rattus) and ground squirrels (Sciuridae).

Breeds in all months except October and December (mostly January–August) on Borneo and Java. Laying recorded in January–August and October on Andamans, and January and March on Nicobars, in January–March, June–September, and November in Myanmar, May in southern China (22 Jiang, A., Jiang, D., Goodale, E., Wen, Y. and Zhou, F. (2016). Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis assisting Crested Bunting Melophus lathami at the nest: substantiated evidence for interspecific feeding, Guangxi, south-west China. Forktail 32: 93–96. Close ), January–May, July–September and November–December in Thailand, and calculated as December–July (nestbuilding seen January–May and July) in Malay Peninsula, March–July (peak April–May) in Lesser Sundas (Flores). The former Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) was noted to be frequently multi-brooded, which presumably applies to the present species.

The below is derived from information attributed to the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). The present species is presumably similar.

Construction Process

Nest is built entirely by the female.

Structure and Composition

Nest is a pendulous oval purse with a hooded side entrance, usually with dangling “beard," constructed from grass, cotton, bark, cocoons, moss, lichens, leaf fragments, vegetable fibers and spider webs, lined with bark or feathers.

Dimensions

Nest is ~22–60 cm long.

If not attributed to subspecies, the below is derived from information attributed to the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). The present species is presumably similar.

Size

15–18 mm × 10.7–12 mm (andamicus), 14.8–17 mm × 10.7–12.1 mm (proselius), 14.4–16.2 mm × 10.5–12.2 mm (flammaxillaris), 13.6–19 mm × 10.4–12.2 mm (ornatus) (23 Mees, G. F. (2006). The avifauna of Flores (Lesser Sunda Islands). Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden 80(3):1–261. Close ), .

Color and Surface Texture

Matte or faintly glossed, very variable, gray-green or pale gray-white to pale brown, mottled with brown overall or at broad end, or speckled black.

Clutch Size

1–3 eggs.

The below is derived from information attributed to the Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). The present species is presumably similar.

Parental Behavior

Incubation by female.

Incubation Period

11–16 days.

Nestling period 13–16 days.

Chicks tended by both parents, but on Nicobars female fed young three times as frequently as male (21 Pande, S. and Sant, N. (2008). Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis nesting from electric wires in Great Nicobar Island. Indian Birds 4(3): 116–117. Close ).

Although clutch size on Borneo is normally two eggs, usually only one chick fledges.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Generally common throughout its range. Occurs in numerous protected areas. No significant threats identified, and population appears to be reasonably stable.

Ornate Sunbirds (presumably, by location) are depicted on panels of the Lalitavistara Relief of Borobudur Temple, Java, which date back to the 8th or 9th century. It is thought that the Ornate Sunbird's search for nectar represents the Buddhist journey for enlightenment and learning (24 Ashari, H. , Rusdianto, R. and I. Maryanto (2021). Birds Iconography in the Lalitavistara Relief of Borobudur Temple: A Study from Biological and Cultural Perspective. Tropical Natural History 21, 3 (Dec. 2021), 380–409. Close ).