Copper-throated Sunbird

Copper-throated Sunbird

Leptocoma calcostetha

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

In 3 days <5%

12 Verified sightings at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026
268 In all 4 parks
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Copper-throated Sunbird

The copper-throated sunbird (Leptocoma calcostetha) is a small passerine within the Nectariniidae family. They sustain themselves by consuming nectar as well as small invertebrates. As a member of the Nectariniidae family, they possess downward curved beaks and have pectoral tufts of yellow feathers. They are found in south-eastern Asia, predominantly in coastal regions.

The copper-throated sunbirds are within the Nectariniidae family, a grouping of sunbirds and spiderhunters. These birds are known for their nectarivorous diets, downward-curved beaks and colorful plumage. The copper-throated sunbird is within the small genus Leptocoma, which contains only 6 extant species. Leptocoma originates from the ancient Greek words leptos which means delicate or refined; and komē which means hair. In addition, the species name calcostetha originates from the words khalkos which means bronze; and stēthos which means breast. Sunbird species can be found in Africa, Asia and Australia. The current consensus is that sunbirds originated and speciated within Asia, and then spread to other continents over time.

Copper-throated sunbirds are small sized birds ranging from... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:14

Philippines · 2026

© Kelle Moreau · XC1161841 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song0:46

Singapore · 2024

© Ding Li Yong · XC946416 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Uncertain0:25

Malaysia · 2023

© Lim Ying Hien · XC795367 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Tanjung Puting National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
2 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
3 Bako National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
4 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Ho Chi Minh City 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
2 Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
3 Singapore 🇸🇬 Singapore
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Copper-throated Sunbird in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Copper-throated Sunbird sighting in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 196th most-seen of the 231 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Copper-throated Sunbird in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Copper-throated Sunbird in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Copper-throated Sunbird?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Copper-throated 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.

Is Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary the best place to see a Copper-throated Sunbird?

4th of 4

Of the 4 parks where we can rate Copper-throated Sunbird sightings, Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Tanjung Puting National Park (Indonesia, about 10%), Sepilok (Malaysia, about 10%) and Bako National Park (Malaysia, about 10%).

Where does the Copper-throated Sunbird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Copper-throated Sunbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (12 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.

← Back to Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary