Scientific Name: Chalcoparia singalensis
Malay Name: Kelicap Pipi Merah
Chinese Name: 紫颊直嘴太阳鸟
Range: Found from the Indian subcontinent to southern China and Southeast Asia (except the Philippines)
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: assamensis, koratensis, internota, interposita, singalensis, sumatrana, panopsia, pallida, borneana, bantenensis, phoenicotis.
Local Subspecies: singalensis
Size: 11 cm
Identification: Male resembles Brown-throated Sunbird with iridescent dark green upperparts but has iridescent copper-red ear-coverts, pale orange-rufous throat and upper-breast. Female can be distinguished from other sunbirds by its greenish-olive upperparts, pale orange-rufous throat and upper-breast and yellow belly.
Similar looking species: Brown-throated Sunbird
Habitat: Forest and mangroves.
Behaviour/Ecology: Frequents the canopy and middle storey.
Local Status: Rare resident
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)
- Bird List Revision for June 2017 (Revisions)
- A Student’s Big Year (Blog)
- Singapore’s first wild White-crowned Hornbill (Science)
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Ruby-cheeked Sunbird)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Chalcoparia singalensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22717626A94542835.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Vol. 1). Academic Press, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). Ruby-cheeked Sunbird. Retrieved on May 31, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/ruby-cheeked-sunbird.