Cinnyris coccinigastrus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The splendid sunbird (Cinnyris coccinigastrus) is a sunbird. The sunbirds are a group of very small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also feed on insects, especially when feeding young.
Their flight is fast and direct on short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed most of the time. The splendid sunbird breeds in west and central tropical Africa. One or two eggs are laid in an oval suspended nest in a tree. It is a seasonal migrant within its range.
Splendid sunbirds are 15 cm long, and have medium-long thin down-curved bills and brush-tipped tubular tongues, both adaptations to their nectar feeding. The adult male is mainly glossy purple, with a dark green back and wing bar, and a crimson breast patch. The female is greenish-brown above and yellowish below.
This species is a common breeder in wet savannah and woodland with oil palms, Elaeis guineensis. The latter provide sap from the incisions made in the trunk to collect the liquid to make palm wine.
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakum National Park | 🇬🇭 Ghana | |
| 2 | Mole National Park | 🇬🇭 Ghana |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Houston Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | London Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Splendid Sunbird sighting in Kakum National Park on a given day, based on 58 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 147th most-seen of the 250 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Splendid Sunbird in Kakum National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, the lowest month. Those are among Kakum National Park's wettest months, with about 220 mm of rain a month against 35 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Splendid Sunbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Splendid Sunbird sightings, Kakum National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Mole National Park (Ghana, about 10%).
Same genus: Cinnyris
The closest relatives of the Splendid Sunbird that you can see in Kakum National Park (genus Cinnyris, Cinnyris Sunbirds) are Superb Sunbird (about 30%), Olive-bellied Sunbird (about 30%) and Johanna's Sunbird (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Splendid Sunbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Kakum National Park (58 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
