Black Sunbird vs Copper-throated Sunbird

Black Sunbird

Leptocoma aspasia

Tiny8 gForest

It is a small songbird with a long down-curved bill and iridescent body. The black sunbird has a lifespan of approximately 3.6 years. The coloring of the birds differentiate between male and female. The male black sunbird is midnight black in color with an iridescent blue-purple stripe across the upper chest. There is a crown of lustrous green on the head, while the wings and tail are glossed blue. In many regions, the throat area is iridescent reddish-purple; however, moving northward it shifts towards a bluish sparkle (Moluccas and Kai Islands).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Bruno Geisler · Public domain

Copper-throated Sunbird

Leptocoma calcostetha

Tiny8 gWoodland

Copper-throated sunbirds are small sized birds ranging from 12.2–13 cm. A mature individual's wingspan averages 57.5mm, while their tails average 45.5mm. Adult males are predominantly black birds with contrasting shimmering green on their heads, shoulders, upper back and rump; as well as a copper colored throat with an outer ring of shimmering purplish-blue that extends down to the chest. They possess black legs and black eyes with no eye ring. Voice: Their songs are a melodious trill of fluctuating notes, sounding almost squeaky, broken up by brief pauses and a single sharp squeak. Their calls are squee- sound, that subtly decreases in pitch. No documentation could be found on copper-throated sunbirds' utilization of their vocalizations.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Rainer Breitling · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black Sunbird and Copper-throated Sunbird.