The Nile Valley sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen.
Region
Northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula
Typical Environment
Occurs along the Nile Valley and in arid to semi-arid regions of Egypt, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and across the Red Sea into Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman. It favors riverine thickets, acacia scrub, wadis, gardens, and cultivated areas with flowering shrubs. The species adapts well to human settlements where suitable nectar plants are present. It is generally sedentary with local movements following blooms. In harsher deserts it concentrates around oases and irrigated zones.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small sunbird thrives around riverine vegetation, oases, and gardens along the Nile and across the Arabian Peninsula. Males show striking iridescence that changes with the light, while females are much plainer for camouflage at the nest. It primarily takes nectar but supplements its diet with tiny insects, especially when feeding young. Although it can hover briefly like a hummingbird, it typically perches to feed.
Male, Saudi Arabia
Temperament
active and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief hovering
Social Behavior
Often seen singly or in pairs, sometimes in loose groups at rich flowering sources. Males defend nectar resources and display by chasing rivals and singing from exposed perches. The nest is a small, pendant, purse-like structure of plant fibers and spider silk, with a side entrance. Both sexes may attend the nest, though female undertakes much of the construction.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A high, thin twittering series interspersed with sharp tinks and sibilant notes. Calls are fast and metallic, often delivered from a conspicuous perch near flowering shrubs.
