Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis Scientific name definitions

Male 14–15 cm, 5·5–8 g; female 10 cm, 5·4–6·5 g. Long-tailed sunbird with rather long, heavy-based curved bill. Male nominate race has crown, nape, uppertail-coverts and graduated tail metallic green to blue-green, tail white-tipped (visible from below) and with elongated central feathers; side of neck and upper back crimson-brown or maroon, upperwing and middle of back olive-green, lower back yellow, rump bright yellow; cheek blackish glossed purple or violet, throat metallic green, underparts bright yellow, streaked scarlet on breast; iris dark brown or reddish-brown; bill and legs black or dark brown, underside of toes paler. Female is olive-green, greyer on head, slightly yellowish below; feathers of graduated tail except central pair (and sometimes adjacent pair) variably tipped white, sometimes almost no white tipping at all; bare parts as male. Juvenile is similar to female, but has greener crown, is yellower below, has less graduated tail with less obvious pale tips; young male is washed orange on breast, later developing green nape, maroon scapulars and elongated tail feathers. Race horsfieldi has shorter bill than nominate, male has back and side of neck olive-yellow, with trace of maroon along margin of metallic green of hindneck, almost no scarlet on breast; <em>koelzi</em> has longer bill than nominate, male has smaller yellow patch on lower back and rump, female has olive crown and nape and a hint of yellow on rump; victoriae male differs from previous in having little or no maroon on back, female has brighter yellow rump; karenensis male differs from last in lack of scarlet on underparts, female has grey head to upper breast and yellowish rest of underparts; <em>angkanensis</em> male has lower breast and upper belly scarlet; australis is similar to koelzi but smaller, male has little or no yellow on rump, and much less scarlet below; ezrai male has no crimson or maroon on dorsal surface, and no yellow on lower back or rump, side of neck brick-red with slight yellow tinge, underparts yellow with no scarlet; blanci male differs from last in having breast and undertail-coverts flammulated with orange-red.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Various forest types, including primary forests (such as submontane and montane), woodland, scrub-jungle, among rhododendrons (Rhododendron), around flowering trees, in secondary growth, orchards and gardens; 300–3665 m, lower in winter.

Seasonal altitudinal movements.

Food thought to be small arthropods and nectar . Forages singly and in small, loose groups; often in canopy, but also at lower levels.

Song “tchiss tchiss-iss-iss-iss”, beginning high, then a low note, followed by a rising one, and finally by high notes; also described as a lively “swit’it’it’it’it’it’it’it…” twitter mixed with sharp, high “swi”, “tis” and “tsi” notes, and as a dry metallic trill. Calls include sharp “dzit” or “reet”, “twit-zig-zig”, a frequently repeated “tee-tzree-tzweeeet”, and series of hard, staccato “stip” notes.

Laying in Apr–Jun in India and Nepal, and inThailand nest-building in Feb (in N) and birds with enlarged gonads in Apr. Nest an untidy oval purse, 14 × 7 cm, entrance (without porch) near top or half-way up, with diameter 25 mm, made from vegetable down and green moss, decorated with caterpillar frass and bits of bark, suspended 1·5–2 m above ground from end of twig. Clutch 2 or 3 eggs, mottled dark brown, with few or no spots; no information on incubation and nestling periods. Nests parasitized by Asian Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus).

Not globally threatened. Uncommon in NW & NC India but common in NE; widespread and common in Nepal; common in Bhutan; locally common in Myanmar above 1800 m; locally common in restricted range in peninsular Thailand. Recent sight record (perhaps race victoriae) in Bangladesh. Race ezrai known from just a few specimens, but range thought possibly to extend to extreme SE corner of Cambodia. Occurs in Doi Inthanon National Park , in Thailand, and in several other protected areas.