Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyNectariniidae (Sunbirds and Spiderhunters)
GenusChalcomitra (African Dark Sunbirds)
SpeciesChalcomitra senegalensis (Scarlet-chested Sunbird)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Samburu National Reserve

2 Verified sightings at Samburu National Reserve From 2019 to 2026

8,710 Verified sightings across all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Scarlet-chested Sunbird

The scarlet-chested sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis) is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, and from South Sudan to South Africa. It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The scarlet-chested sunbird is similar to Hunter's sunbird in appearance, with adult males having a characteristic red–scarlet coloured breast and an iridescent green patch on top of its head. The female is dark brown with no supercilium. It inhabits woodland and gardens, at elevations of up to 2,400 metres (7,900 ft). The bird is around 13–15 centimetres (5.1–5.9 in) in length, with males having a weight of 7.5–17.2 grams (0.26–0.61 oz) and females weighing 6.8–15.3 grams (0.24–0.54 oz).

In 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve

Chalcomitra hunteri

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Chalcomitra amethystina

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Anthreptes orientalis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Cinnyris nectarinioides

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cinnyris mariquensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cinnyris habessinicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cinnyris venustus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Nectarinia kilimensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lamprotornis superbus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Plocepasser mahali

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Dinemellia dinemelli

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~50%
2	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~40%
3	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~40%
4	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~30%
5	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~30%
6	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~30%
7	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	~30%
8	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
9	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~30%
10	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~30%
11	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~30%
12	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
13	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
14	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
15	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
16	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
17	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
18	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~20%
19	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
20	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
21	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
22	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
23	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
24	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
25	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
26	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
27	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
28	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
29	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	~10%
30	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
31	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
32	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~10%
33	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
34	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
35	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
36	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
37	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
38	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~10%
39	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
40	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
41	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
42	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
43	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
44	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
45	Semuliki National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
46	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
47	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
48	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
49	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
50	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data

← Back to Samburu National Reserve

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

About the Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Recent sightings of Scarlet-chested Sunbird in Samburu National Reserve

Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve

Hunter's Sunbird

Amethyst Sunbird

Kenya Violet-backed Sunbird

Black-bellied Sunbird

Mariqua Sunbird

Shining Sunbird

Variable Sunbird

Bronze Sunbird

Superb Starling

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

Fork-tailed Drongo

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found