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Garden Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) Alternate name(s): "Olive-backed Sunbird", "Yellow-bellied Sunbird", "Yellow-breasted Sunbird" Aboriginal name(s): "tirridirri" Size: 10-12 cm Body mass: 8-10 g

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Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Garden Sunbirds are very small nectar-eating birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Garden Sunbirds have, as their most prominent feature, a metallic-blue "bib" (or "gorget") down their throat and the width of their breast. The belly, flanks, vent and undertail coverts are bright-yellow. The frons, crown and back are all citrine-olive. The flight feathers have dark-grey leading edges, while the uppertail is dark-grey. They have narrow bright-yellow eyebrows. Female Garden Sunbirds do not have the metallic-blue "gorget". Their entire front, from throat to undertail coverts, is bright-yellow. The eyes of both sexes have dark-brown irises. The long, slightly down-curved bill is dark-grey. The legs and feet are grey. Juvenile Garden Sunbirds resemble females.

Taxonomy, classification See Garden Sunbird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Garden Sunbird is available HERE . Garden Sunbirds are found throughout the tropics of south-eastern Asia, from Myanmar, southern China and Vietnam, via Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Timor Leste to the Solomon Islands and, via the islands along Torres Strait to tropical near-coastal north-eastern Australia. In Australia only Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", are present. They are found only along the North-East coast of Australia, from the tropic of Capricorn at Yeppoon, QLD, to the tip of Cape York peninsula and also on the western coastline of the peninsula, as far South as about Kowanyama, QLD. Garden Sunbirds are usually found in mangroves and around the edges of rainforest. They adapt very well to the presence of humans and are also found in urban parks and gardens.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "frenatus" R. Russell reports finding Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", at Mount Molloy, QLD, in May 2009 and in September 2010. A male Garden Sunbird, race "frenatus", was spotted by us in Byfield NP, QLD, in July 2009, which is right on the southern edge of the species' range. L. Tonnochy reports spotting a Garden Sunbird, race "frenatus", 20 km West of Townsville in October 2011 and again in May 2012. B. Hensen spotted Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", in and around Cairns, QLD, in June/July 2013. M. Mearns reports spotting Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", near Cooktown, QLD, in October 2008. M. Eaton reports finding Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", in the Town of 1770, QLD, in September 2017, and at Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, in November 2018. A. Lee reports seeing Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", regularly at East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, where they were found nesting in the 2019 and 2020 breeding seasons. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports that Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", are commonly found along the Daintree River, QLD, where they also breed annually. C. Linfoot reports spotting Garden Sunbirds, race "frenatus", occasionally at Hervey Range, near Townsville, QLD.

Photos

Race "frenatus"

ADULT

PAIR

Pair of Garden Sunbirds squabbling with the competition in the mirror (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Near Cooktown, QLD, October 2008]

Pair of Garden Sunbirds at their nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lakefield NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

MALE

Frontal view of a male Garden Sunbird looking sideways; note the glossy blue "bib" with its black fringe, which is not always clearly shown in field guides (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2013]

Frontal view of a male Garden Sunbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, May 2009]

Frontal view of a preening male Garden Sunbird exposing its light-grey underwing
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, May 2009]

Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a male Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, November 2018]

Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a male Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, November 2018]

Lateral view of a male Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Lateral view of a male Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2013]

Lateral view of onto the upperparts of a male Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lakefield NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral/ventral of a male Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, September 2010]

Near-dorsal view of a male Garden Sunbird turning sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, May 2012]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Frontal view of a female Garden Sunbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cairns, QLD, June 2013]

Near-frontal view of a female Garden Sunbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Near-lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a female Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Garden Sunbird; note the orange gape
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, April 2019]

Dorsal view of a fledgling Garden Sunbird (photo courtesy of A. Lee)
[East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, November 2020]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Oct - Feb

Eggs: 2 - 3

Incubation period: 15 days

Fledging age: ca. 15 days

The period listed above is the core breeding period; given the right conditions, Garden Sunbirds can breed at any time of the year.

Nest building: Female

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Domed hanging bottle

Material: Bark strips, grass, rootlets, webs, paperbark flakes, spiders' cocoons

Height above ground: 1 - 2(?) m

Close-up frontal view of a female Garden Sunbird in its nest (photo courtesy of C. Linfoot)
[Hervey Range, near Townsville, QLD, September 2025]

Near-frontal view of a female Garden Sunbird in its nest (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, January 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird in its nest (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, January 2023]

Lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird at the entrance of its nest (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, April 2019]

Lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird at the entrance of its nest (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, April 2019]

Lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird adding material to camouflage its nest
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, July 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird hanging on to the base of its nest
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree, QLD, August 2023]

Pair of Garden Sunbirds at their nest; the male may be taking an interest, but usually does not help with nest construction and incubation (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lakefield NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Male Garden Sunbird at its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lakefield NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Garden Sunbird nest in its natural surroundings (photo courtesy of A. Lee)
[East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, December 2019]

Having been built low above a creek, later this Garden Sunbird nest required a rescue by a friendly helper
(photo courtesy of A. Lee)
[East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, December 2019]

Female Garden Sunbird carrying material to its nest (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, January 2019]

Lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird carrying material to camouflage its nest
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, July 2019]

Female Garden Sunbird bringing material to line its nest (photo courtesy of A. Lee)
[East Russell, near Cairns, QLD, December 2019]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size:17 x 12 mm

Colour: Greyish, with copious mid-brown specks

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Close-up lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird hovering near its nest
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree, QLD, August 2023]

Close-up frontal view of a female Garden Sunbird "flying without wings"
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree, QLD, August 2023]

Female Garden Sunbird harvesting material from a spider's web (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cape York, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Male Garden Sunbird hanging off a plant in a stance typical of sunbirds (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Town of 1770, QLD, September 2017]

Food, Diet

To the best of our knowledge Garden Sunbirds feed exclusively on nectar. They profit from the creation of urban gardens and parks with flowering plants.

Near-frontal view of a male Garden Sunbird feeding on nectar from mistletoe in a grevillea
[Byfield NP, QLD, July 2009]

Lateral view of a male Garden Sunbird visiting a grevillea (photo courtesy of C. Linfoot)
[Hervey Range, near Townsville, QLD, August 2022]

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Garden Sunbird visiting a flower
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree, QLD, January 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird feeding on nectar
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree, QLD, January 2023]

Close-up near-lateral/lateral views of a male and a female Garden Sunbird visiting the same flower
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree, QLD, January 2023]

Lateral view of a female Garden Sunbird feeding on nectar (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, June 2013]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

yelbsun_al_20201208.m4a	frenatus (N QLD)	Contact calls (female)	© AL
yelbsun_al_20201128.m4a	frenatus (N QLD)	Contact calls (female)	© AL
yelbsun_al_20201128_2.m4a	frenatus (N QLD)	Annoyed call (female)	© AL
yelbsun_al_20201208_2.m4a	frenatus (N QLD)	Begging calls? (fledgling)	© AL

More Garden Sunbird sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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