Black-bellied Sunbird
Cinnyris nectarinioides
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyNectariniidae (Sunbirds and Spiderhunters)
- GenusCinnyris (Cinnyris Sunbirds)
- SpeciesCinnyris nectarinioides (Black-bellied Sunbird)
The black-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris nectarinioides) is a small sunbird located primarily in Africa. Two subspecies are recognized: the Cinnyris nectarinioides erlangeri, which is smaller and found in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya; and the Cinnyris nectarinioides nectarinioides, which is larger and found in Kenya and Tanzania. This bird inhabits savannah, wetlands, and terrestrial freshwater areas. This species has an average size of 13cm for males and 10 cm for females with both weights typically ranging from 4 to 6 grams. The black-bellied sunbird feeds on nectar, insects and spiders, the latter having gained it the nickname "spiderhunter". They forage in the higher levels of trees and perch in order to feed. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-bellied Sunbird sighting in Samburu National Reserve, based on 151 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve
Mariqua Sunbird
Cinnyris mariquensis
Shining Sunbird
Cinnyris habessinicus
Variable Sunbird
Cinnyris venustus
Kenya Violet-backed Sunbird
Anthreptes orientalis
Hunter's Sunbird
Chalcomitra hunteri
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Chalcomitra senegalensis
Amethyst Sunbird
Chalcomitra amethystina
Bronze Sunbird
Nectarinia kilimensis
Superb Starling
Lamprotornis superbus
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser mahali
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
Dinemellia dinemelli
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Mkomazi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-bellied Sunbird in Samburu National Reserve?
About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Black-bellied Sunbird sighting in Samburu National Reserve, based on 151 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-bellied Sunbird in Samburu National Reserve?
June has the highest sighting rate for Black-bellied Sunbird in Samburu National Reserve in our monthly data.