Shelley's Sunbird

Cinnyris shelleyi

Spiderhunters and Sunbirds · Passeriformes · Legendary

The Shelley's Sunbird (Cinnyris shelleyi) is a legendary spiderhunters and sunbird found in 7 countries, weighing about 9 g. Shelley's sunbird is a species of bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae.

Least ConcernLegendaryEats omnivoreshrublanddome nest9 g

About the Shelley's Sunbird

Shelley's sunbird is a species of bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The species is named after George Ernest Shelley, an English ornithologist and nephew of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it lives

Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa.

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, May, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in September. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

What does a Shelley's Sunbird look like?
Shelley's sunbird is a species of bird in the sunbird family Nectariniidae.
How big is a Shelley's Sunbird?
The Shelley's Sunbird is a tiny sized bird weighing about 9 g.
Where can you see a Shelley's Sunbird?
The Shelley's Sunbird occurs in 7 countries, including Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia and Mozambique.
What birds look similar to a Shelley's Sunbird?
The Shelley's Sunbird is most easily confused with the Forest Double-collared Sunbird, the Ludwig's Double-collared Sunbird and the Pemba Sunbird.
Is the Shelley's Sunbird endangered?
The Shelley's Sunbird is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Shelley's Sunbird for real

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