New Record! Rare Fork-tailed Sunbird Discovered in Nanyue

The fork-tailed sunbird is very beautiful, with rich bird colors and melodious chirps.

The male adult has green feathers on its crown and nape, with a metallic sheen that changes to blue-purple depending on the angle, creating a dazzling and colorful effect.

Red Net Hengyang, March 27th report.(Correspondent Wen Lan, Kuang Dayong, reporter Shi Shan) Recently, staff of the Nanyue Hengshan National Nature Reserve Administration discovered the rare fork-tailed sunbird while conducting routine animal monitoring and patrol work. This discovery is a new record for the Nanyue area and adds a new member to the reserve’s bird list.

The fork-tailed sunbird is very beautiful, with rich bird colors and melodious chirps. The male adult has green feathers on its crown and nape, with a metallic sheen that changes to blue-purple depending on the angle, creating a dazzling and colorful effect. It has a slender and downward-curved beak, feeding on nectar from flowers with a curved tube-like tongue, resembling a ‘month fairy’ with wings, bridging and laying lines to transmit pollen to flowers such as forest mountain cherry blossoms and tea flowers, and is hailed as ‘the Eastern hummingbird’.

The photo shows a male fork-tailed sunbird, about 11 cm long, often hopping on branches. A grey-eyed finches also appeared in the shot, with the two birds performing together, creating a lively scene in the valley.