Purple-banded Sunbird
Purple-banded SunbirdPurple-banded SunbirdPurple-banded SunbirdPurple-banded Sunbird

Purple-banded Sunbird

Cinnyris bifasciatus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Masai Mara National Reserve
56 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
1,931 Verified sightings across all 30 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Purple-banded Sunbird

The purple-banded sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciatus) is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The Tsavo sunbird, sometimes lumped with the purple-banded, is here considered a separate species. Purple-banded sunbird - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

Mariqua Sunbird
LC

Mariqua Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinnyris mariquensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Variable Sunbird
LC

Variable Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinnyris venustus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Beautiful Sunbird
LC

Beautiful Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinnyris pulchellus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
LC

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Collared Sunbird
LC

Collared Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hedydipna collaris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Bronze Sunbird
LC

Bronze Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nectarinia kilimensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Amethyst Sunbird
LC

Amethyst Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chalcomitra amethystina

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Green-headed Sunbird
LC

Green-headed Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyanomitra verticalis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Malachite Sunbird
LC

Malachite Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nectarinia famosa

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Golden-winged Sunbird
LC

Golden-winged Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Drepanorhynchus reichenowi

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Rüppell's Glossy-starling
LC

Rüppell's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis purpuroptera

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~40%
2 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~40%
3 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
4 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
5 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
6 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
7 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
8 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
9 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
10 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
11 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
12 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
13 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
14 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
15 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
16 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
17 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
18 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
19 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
20 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
21 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
22 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
23 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
24 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
25 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
26 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
27 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
28 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
29 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
30 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Purple-banded Sunbird in Masai Mara National Reserve?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Purple-banded Sunbird sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 56 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Purple-banded Sunbird in Masai Mara National Reserve?

December has the highest sighting rate for Purple-banded Sunbird in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

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