Ruby-cheeked Sunbird

This species is defined as a Review Species. Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page.

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: Very rare non-breeding visitor

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Featured reports: Apr 2022, May 2022, Jun 2022

Past accepted records in our database:

Male Ruby-cheeked Sunbird from Panti. Photo credits: Con Foley.
Female Ruby-cheeked Sunbird from Panti. Photo credits: Daniel Koh aka Hiker
Female Ruby-cheeked Sunbird from Panti. Photo credits: Alan Ng.
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Photo credit: Francis Yap
External Links:
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.