Mrs. Gould's sunbird is a sunbird species native to forests and shrublands from the southern foothills of the Himalayas to Southeast Asia.
Region
Himalayas and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs from the southern foothills and mid-to-high elevations of the Himalayas through northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, and into Yunnan (China), northern Myanmar, northern Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. It favors montane broadleaf and mixed forests, especially along forest edges, clearings, and shrubby slopes rich in flowering plants. Rhododendron, oak, and pine-rhododendron mosaics are typical breeding habitats. Outside the breeding season it often descends into lower hill forests, secondary growth, and gardens. It adapts well to disturbed habitats if nectar sources are abundant.
Altitude Range
800–3600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named in honor of Elizabeth Gould, this dazzling sunbird is a key pollinator of rhododendrons and other montane flowers. Males sport elongated tail streamers and vivid colors during the breeding season. It makes seasonal altitudinal movements, breeding high in the Himalayas and descending to lower elevations in winter. The species is widespread and generally common where suitable flowering shrubs are present.
Mrs. Gould's sunbird (Aethopyga gouldiae) clicked at Mandala, Arunachal Pradesh
Mrs. Gould's-Sunbird male and female together.
Elizabeth Gould's 1831 illustration of her namesake bird
Temperament
active and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with frequent hovering
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs during the breeding season, becoming more gregarious around rich nectar sources. The nest is a small, pendant, oval structure of moss, fibers, and spider silk, suspended from a branch or shrub. Pairs are monogamous during the season; both adults feed the chicks. It may join mixed-species flocks in nonbreeding periods.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Delivers a high, tinkling series of thin notes interspersed with sharp tseep calls. Males often sing from exposed perches near flowering shrubs, with a bright, metallic quality to the song.
Plumage
Male is striking with glossy crimson upperparts, a golden-yellow rump, iridescent bluish-violet throat, and very long central tail streamers; wings and tail are dark with a metallic sheen. Female is olive-brown above with yellowish underparts and a shorter tail, lacking the male’s vivid iridescence. Both sexes have a slender, decurved bill adapted for nectar feeding.
Diet
Primarily nectar from rhododendrons, bottlebrush, cherry blossoms, and other tubular or brushy flowers. Also takes small insects, spiders, and other arthropods, especially when feeding nestlings. It acts as an effective pollinator, often dusted with pollen as it probes flowers. Will sip from cultivated ornamentals and garden blooms when available.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along forest edges, flowering shrublands, and montane gardens where blooms are concentrated. Often forages at mid-canopy to canopy level but readily drops to shrubs and roadside plantings. Hovers to take nectar but frequently perches to feed as well.
