Nile Valley Sunbird
Hedydipna metallica
- Family
- Spiderhunters and Sunbirds (Nectariniidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The Nile Valley sunbird (Hedydipna metallica) is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen.
In February, the male Nile Valley sunbird assumes his nuptial plumage which he displays in flamboyant fashion. In winter both sexes look alike, tiny, only 9 to 10 cm long, pale grey above and washed-out yellow below, with a long, slender and slightly down-curved bill.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds Egypt (primarily the Nile Valley) to Sudan, northeastern South Sudan, Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, Djibouti, northwestern Somalia, southwestern Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and southwestern Oman; nonbreeding visitor to northern Egypt (Cairo) and northern eastern Somalia.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Nile Valley sunbird
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
