Scientific Name: Aethopyga siparaja
Malay Name: Kelicap Merah Biasa
Chinese Name: 黄腰太阳鸟
Range: Found from Indian subcontinent to southern China and Southeast Asia
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: seheriae, labecula, owstoni, tonkinensis, mangini, insularis, cara, trangensis, siparaja, nicobarica, heliogona, natunae, flavostriata, beccarii.
Local Subspecies: siparaja
Size: 11-13.5 cm
Identification: Male has red head, mantle and upper breast, iridescent dark blue crown and tail, dark malar streak and greyish belly. Female is the dullest sunbird in Singapore with dull olive-coloured upperparts and slightly yellower-tinged underparts.
Similar looking species: Brown-throated Sunbird, Van Hasselt's Sunbird, Copper-throated Sunbird, Ornate Sunbird, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Habitat: Forest, forest edge, mangroves, secondary growth, gardens and parks.
Behaviour/Ecology:
Local Status: Uncommon resident
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)
Location: Any suitable patch of habitat like Central Catchment Forest, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Dairy Farm Nature Park, Singapore Botanic Gardens and Sungei Buloh.
- Local extinctions of Singapore birds (Science)
- A Year at Jelutong Tower (Birders' Stories)
- Top 10 most observed birds in Singapore and the region (Science)
- Bird Calls of Singapore (Birders' Stories)
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Crimson Sunbird)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Aethopyga siparaja. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103804411A94566535.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Crimson Sunbird. Retrieved on June 16, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/crimson-sunbird.