Fire-tailed Sunbird
Aethopyga ignicauda
火尾太阳鸟
Introduction
The Fire-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga ignicauda) is a sunbird species of the high Himalayas and adjoining mountain ranges. It inhabits remote conifer forests at high elevations. Males display scarlet, orange, and iridescent plumage with elongated tail streamers. The species is active, moving between flowering plants while feeding, and frequently hovers while foraging.
Description
Males measure approximately 15 centimeters in length, which includes their remarkable long tail streamers that extend well beyond the tail feathers. Females are considerably smaller, measuring roughly two-thirds of the male's total length at about 10 centimeters. The species exhibits the typical sunbird form with a slender, slightly curved bill adapted for nectar feeding. Males in breeding plumage display the fiery orange and scarlet tones that inspired both the common and scientific names. The long tail is the most distinctive feature, setting this species apart from other sunbirds in the region.
Distribution & Habitat
This species inhabits the northern Indian subcontinent with a primary range along the Himalayan foothills. It occurs across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Tibet. The preferred habitat consists of temperate coniferous forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. These birds are specialists of high elevations, occurring up to 4,000 meters in suitable forest habitat. During the cold winter months, they descend to lower valley elevations where conditions are milder.
Behavior & Ecology
The diet consists primarily of nectar and insects, with the species playing an important role in pollination of mountain flowering plants. Foraging involves hovering at flowers while feeding, a behavior characteristic of sunbirds. Both parents participate in feeding the young, indicating a shared parental investment typical of the family. The species is likely resident in its range with only altitudinal movements seasonally.
Culture
No specific cultural information was provided in the available sources.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Genus
- Aethopyga
- eBird Code
- fitsun1
Subspecies (2)
-
Aethopyga ignicauda flavescens
southwestern Myanmar (Chin Hills)
-
Aethopyga ignicauda ignicauda
Himalayas (Garhwal to southwestern China and northern Myanmar)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.