Vertebrate Zoology

A Dictionary of Zoology A Dictionary of Zoology Further reading

Nectariniidae

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | | Copyright

Nectariniidae (sunbirds, spider-hunters; class Aves, order Passeriformes) A family of small birds, most of which have a long, narrow, pointed, decurved bill, which is partly serrated. (Anthreptes, a genus of small sunbirds which are less specialized than most members of the family, have relatively shorter and straighter bills.) They have short legs, short, rounded wings, and a short to long, square, rounded, or graduated tail. Sunbirds have bright, metallic-coloured plumage, and are the Old World equivalent of humming-birds (e.g. the 75 species of Nectarinia, the males of which have bright, metallic blue, green, red, and purple plumage, although that of the females and some non-breeding males is dull). Spiderhunters are mainly brown. They inhabit forests, clearings, and bush, and feed on insects, spiders, nectar, and fruit. Their nests are built suspended from branches or leaves; some are sewn on to the under-sides of leaves. There are five genera, with about 117 species, many of them kept as cage birds, found in Africa, Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Nectariniidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Nectariniidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Nectariniidae.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Nectariniidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Nectariniidae.html

Learn more about citation styles

sunbirds

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | | Copyright

sunbirds See NECTARINIIDAE.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

MICHAEL ALLABY. "sunbirds." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "sunbirds." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-sunbirds.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "sunbirds." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-sunbirds.html

Learn more about citation styles