The Seychelles Sunbirds (Nectarinia dussumieri) are sunbirds found in the Seychelles central archipelago where these sunbirds are known as kolibris in the Creole language, potentially resulting in confusion with the American hummingbirds, as they are also called kolibri in numerous countries.
Larger groups of them can typically be encountered at favored feeding sites and during male courtship displays.
Alternate (Global) Names
Chinese: ?????? … Czech: Strdimil seychelský … Danish: Seychellersolfugl … Dutch: Seychellenhoningzuiger, Seychellen-honingzuiger … Finnish: Seychellienmedestäjä … French: Souimanga des Seychelles … German: Seychellen Nektarvogel, Seychellennektarvogel … Italian: Nettarinia delle Seychelles … Japanese: seasherutaiyouchou, se-sherutaiyouchou … Japanese: ????????????, ???????????? … Norwegian: Seychellsolfugl … Polish: nektarnik zóltoplamy, nektarnik ?ó?toplamy, Nektarnik ?ó?toplany … Slovak: nektárovka seychelská … Spanish: Nectarina de las Seychelles, Suimanga de Seychelles … Swedish: Seychellsolfågel
Distribution
Seychelles Sunbirds occur naturally on most of the larger granitic islands of the Seychelles Bank, where they have adapted well to human made environment changes.
They inhabit forests, mangroves, scrubs and gardens from sea level to altitudes of 900 m.
Description
The Seychelle Sunbird measures up to 11 or 12 cm in length (including the tail). The long slender bill is down-curved. The legs are black.
The plumage is mostly dull grey.
The male can be identified by an iridescent violet-green patch on his throat and yellow tufts under his wings.
Calls / Vocalizations
The male’s song is described as high pitched, noisy and harsh.
Diet
Seychelles Sunbirds mostly feed on nectar and small insects. While foraging for food, these sunbirds are very active, flying from their feeding flowers (such as hibiscus) to feed on nectar and catching insects in flight or picking them from leaves.
They move from one perch to the next as they search for nectar or in pursuit of insects. They retrieve nectar from flowers by either probing deep into the flowers with the specially adapted bills and tongues; if the flower is too deep, they will instead pierce the flowers at the base.
Reproduction
Even though they may breed throughout the year, most breeding activities have been noted in September and October.
They usually only produce one egg that they lay in a pear-shaped nest. Like the nests of hummingbirds, the Seychelles Sunbird’s nest is built out of grass and moss, and bound with spiderwebs.
The nest is usually suspended at the end of a twig.
