Souimanga Sunbird
Cinnyris sovimanga
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyNectariniidae (Sunbirds and Spiderhunters)
- GenusCinnyris (Cinnyris Sunbirds)
- SpeciesCinnyris sovimanga (Souimanga Sunbird)
About the Souimanga Sunbird
The souimanga sunbird (Cinnyris sovimanga) is a small passerine bird of the sunbird family, Nectariniidae. It is native to the islands of the western Indian Ocean where it occurs on Madagascar, the Aldabra Group and the Glorioso Islands.
The souimanga sunbird was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the tree-creepers in the genus Certhia and coined the binomial name Certhia sovimanga. The specific epithet sovimanga comes from a French name for the bird, Souï-manga. Gmelin based his account on "Le grimpereau violet de Madagascar" that had been described and illustrated in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson and Le Soui-Manga that had been described in 1778 by the Comte de Buffon. The souimanga sunbird is now placed in the large genus Cinnyris that was introduced in 1816 by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier.
Five subspecies are recognised: C. s. sovimanga (Gmelin, JF, 1788) – Iles Glorieuses (northwest of Madagascar) and Madagascar (except south) C. s. apolis Hartert, EJO, 1920 – south Madagascar C. s. aldabrensis Ridgway... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Souimanga Sunbird in Ankarafantsika National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Ankarafantsika National Park
Madagascar Sunbird
Cinnyris notatus
Crested Drongo
Dicrurus forficatus
Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher
Terpsiphone mutata
Madagascar Bulbul
Hypsipetes madagascariensis
Madagascar Magpie-Robin
Copsychus albospecularis
Common Newtonia
Newtonia brunneicauda
Long-billed Bernieria
Bernieria madagascariensis
Rufous Vanga
Schetba rufa
Common Jery
Neomixis tenella
Sickle-billed Vanga
Falculea palliata
Schlegel's Asity
Philepitta schlegeli
Van Dam's Vanga
Xenopirostris damii
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Ranomafana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 3 | Berenty Reserve | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Souimanga Sunbird in Ankarafantsika National Park?
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Souimanga Sunbird sighting in Ankarafantsika National Park, based on 544 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Souimanga Sunbird in Ankarafantsika National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Souimanga Sunbird in Ankarafantsika National Park in our monthly data.