LC
Superb Sunbird Cinnyris superbus



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Cinnyris superbus (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously placed in the genus Nectarinia and listed as N. superba following Dowsett & Forbes-Watson (1993); Sibley & Monroe (1990, 1993).

 

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency medium
Land-mass type Average mass 17 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 8,090,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend decreasing - suspected -
Generation length 3.6 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be uncommon to common (Fry and Keith 2004).

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Angola extant native yes
Benin extant native yes
Burkina Faso extant native yes
Cameroon extant native yes
Central African Republic extant native yes
Congo extant native yes
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the extant native yes
Côte d'Ivoire extant native yes
Equatorial Guinea extant native yes
Gabon extant native yes
Ghana extant native yes
Guinea extant native yes
Guinea-Bissau extant uncertain yes
Kenya extant native yes
Liberia extant native yes
Mali extant native yes
Nigeria extant native yes
Sierra Leone extant native yes
Tanzania extant native yes
Togo extant native yes
Uganda extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Angola Camabatela
Angola Chongoroi
Angola Gabela
Angola Luachimo River (Chitato)
Angola Maiombe
Cameroon Bakossi mountains
Cameroon Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary
Cameroon Boumba - Bek
Cameroon Campo Ma'an complex
Cameroon Dja Faunal Reserve
Cameroon Korup National Park
Cameroon Lobéké National Park
Cameroon Mbam Minkom - Kala
Cameroon Mont Nlonako
Cameroon Mount Cameroon and Mokoko-Onge
Cameroon Mount Kupe
Cameroon Mount Rata and Rumpi Hills Forest Reserve
Cameroon Nki
Cameroon Santchou Faunal Reserve
Cameroon Yabassi
Central African Republic Bangui
Central African Republic Dzanga-Ndoki National Park
Central African Republic Ngotto
Central African Republic Zémongo Faunal Reserve
Congo Conkouati National Park
Congo Dimonika Biosphere Reserve
Congo Lower Kouilou basin
Congo Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park complex
Congo Odzala National Park complex
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Itombwe Mountains
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Lomako - Yekokora
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Luki Forest Reserve
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Maiko National Park
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Ngiri
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Okapi Faunal Reserve
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Salonga National Park
Côte d'Ivoire Gueoule and Glo Mountain Forest Reserves
Côte d'Ivoire Marahoue National Park
Côte d'Ivoire Mopri Forest Reserve
Côte d'Ivoire Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
Côte d'Ivoire Parc National de Taï et Réserve de faune du N'Zo
Côte d'Ivoire Peko Mountain National Park
Côte d'Ivoire Yapo and Mambo Forest Reserves
Equatorial Guinea Monte Alen National Park
Gabon Gamba Protected Areas Complex
Gabon Ipassa Strict Nature Reserve
Gabon Léconi grasslands
Gabon Lopé Faunal Reserve
Gabon Minkébé Forest Reserve
Gabon Ogooué delta and Mandji island
Ghana Ankasa Resource Reserve - Nini-Sushien National Park
Ghana Atewa Range Forest Reserve
Ghana Bia National Park and Resource Reserve
Ghana Boin Tano Forest Reserve
Ghana Bosomtwe Range Forest Reserve
Ghana Kakum National Park - Assin Attandaso Resource Reserve
Ghana Kalakpa Resource Reserve
Ghana Kyabobo National Park
Ghana Nsuensa-Ayiola-Bediako Forest Reserves
Ghana Tano-Ehuro Forest Reserve
Guinea Diécké
Guinea Massif du Ziama
Liberia Cestos - Senkwen
Liberia Grebo
Liberia Lake Piso (Cape Mount)
Liberia Nimba mountains
Liberia Wologizi mountains
Liberia Wonegizi mountains
Liberia Zwedru
Nigeria Cross River National Park (Oban Division)
Nigeria IITA Forest Reserve, Ibadan
Nigeria Kagoro - Nindam Forest Reserves and vicinity
Nigeria Okomu National Park
Nigeria Omo Forest Reserve
Sierra Leone Gola Forests
Sierra Leone Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
Tanzania Minziro Forest Reserve
Uganda Budongo Forest Reserve
Uganda Bugoma Central Forest Reserve
Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Uganda Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve
Uganda Kibale National Park
Uganda Mabira Forest Reserve
Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake George
Uganda Sango Bay area
Uganda Semliki National Park

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Plantations suitable resident
Artificial/Terrestrial Rural Gardens suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level suitable resident
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland major resident
Savanna Dry suitable resident
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) major resident
Altitude   Occasional altitudinal limits  

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Superb Sunbird Cinnyris superbus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/superb-sunbird-cinnyris-superbus on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.