Nectariniidae is a family of passerine birds in the superfamily Passeroidea, comprising the sunbirds and spiderhunters. Members of Nectariniidae are also known as nectariniids. Their range extends from the Afrotropics north to the Levant and southern Arabian Peninsula, and east through South and Southeast Asia up to New Guinea and northern Australia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, from arid savannah to tropical rainforests, and can be found from sea level to an altitude of 4,900 m (16,100 ft). Sunbirds are generally small birds with long, thin, down-curved bills and brightly coloured, iridescent plumages. They display marked sexual dimorphism, and males are much more visually striking than females, who are usually dull green, brown, or grey. The spiderhunters (Arachnothera) are larger than other sunbirds and show less sexual dimorphism. The primary threat facing sunbirds is habitat loss and degradation caused by deforestation due to agriculture. Most species of sunbird are considered to be of Least Concern by the IUCN, although three species, the Amani sunbird, Loveridge's sunbird, and the elegant sunbird, are Endangered, and several others are considered Near Threatened or Vulnerable. The exact delineation of sunbird species is somewhat contested and varies from authority to authority: the International Ornithologists' Union (IOU) recognizes 146 species of sunbirds in 16 genera, while other authorities recognise 143–147 species. The largest genera are Cinnyris and Aethopyga, with 53 and 23 species, respectively. Recent phylogenetic studies indicate that several widespread species such as the olive-backed and black sunbirds may represent complexes of multiple cryptic species. Several undescribed species of sunbird may also exist in Sierra Leone, Djibouti, and Tanzania.
Conventions Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the sunbird's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IOC World Bird List for that species unless otherwise noted. Population estimates are of the number of mature individuals and are taken from the IUCN Red List. This list follows the taxonomic treatment (designation and order of species) and nomenclature (scientific and common names) of version 13.2 of the IOC World Bird List. Where the taxonomy proposed by the IOC World Bird List conflicts with the taxonomy followed by the IUCN or the 2023 edition of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, the disagreement is noted next to the species's common name (for nomenclatural disagreements) or scientific name (for taxonomic disagreements).
Classification The International Ornithologists' Union (IOU) recognizes 146 species of sunbirds in 16 genera; other authorities recognise 143–147 species. This list does not include hybrid species, extinct prehistoric species, or putative species not yet accepted by the IOU.
Genus Chalcoparia: one species Genus Deleornis: two species Genus Anthreptes: fifteen species Genus Hedydipna: four species Genus Anabathmis: three species Genus Dreptes: one species Genus Anthobaphes: one species Genus Cyanomitra: seven species Genus Chalcomitra: seven species Genus Nectarinia: six species Genus Drepanorhynchus: one species Genus Cinnyris: fifty-three species Genus Aethopyga: twenty-two species Genus Kurochkinegramma: one species Genus Arachnothera: thirteen species
Nectariniids
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