The Rwenzori double-collared sunbird (''Cinnyris stuhlmanni''), also called Stuhlmann's sunbird or the Rwanda double-collared sunbird, is a species of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

in the family

Nectariniidae Sunbirds and spiderhunters make up the family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from the Old World, usually with downward-curved bills. Many are brightly coloured, often with iridescent feathers, particularly i ...

. It is found in the Ruwenzori range of mountains in south central Africa. Its natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

is subtropical or tropical dry

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

. It is sometimes considered to be a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of the

greater double-collared sunbird The greater double-collared sunbird (''Cinnyris afer'') (formerly placed in the genus ''Nectarinia''), is a small bird in the sunbird family. Distribution and habitat The sunbird breeds in southern South Africa. It is mainly resident, but part ...

(''Cinnyris afer''). Some authors consider this bird to be part of a species complex with ''Cinnyris afer'', where it joins

Ludwig's double-collared sunbird Ludwig's double-collared sunbird (''Cinnyris ludovicensis'') or the montane double-collared sunbird, is a small passerine bird which breeds in forested mountains above in western Angola as well as the Nyika Plateau of northern Malawi and northe ...

(''Cinnyris ludovicensis'') and

Prigogine's double-collared sunbird Prigogine's sunbird or Prigogine's double-collared sunbird (''Cinnyris prigoginei'') is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. Taxonomy It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the greater double-collared sunbird (''Cinnyris afer'' ...

(''Cinnyris prigoginei''). As with other closely related species, each inhabiting different locations, there are subtle similarities and differences between the local populations, and their

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

treatment depends on the views of the taxonomist.

Description

The sunbird is a large-sized species. The adult male has a glossy, metallic green head, throat upper breast and back with no bronzy tinge. The upper-tail coverts are metallic blue and the tail black glossed with blue. The throat and upper breast are metallic green, the lower breast scarlet and the rest of the underparts are dark olive. When displaying, yellow feather tufts are visible on the shoulders. As with other sunbirds the bill is long and decurved. The eye is dark brown while the beak, legs and feet are black. The adult female has dark greyish-brown upper parts and a blackish-brown tail. The chin and supercilium are greyish-buff and the underparts brownish-grey, with the central part of the lower breast and belly being yellowish.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7383597 Rwenzori double-collared sunbird Birds of Central Africa Rwenzori double-collared sunbird