The male olive-backed sunbird of Southeast Asia and Australia is a small beauty with a colorful feature tucked beneath its wings. His metallic blue and yellow plumage is augmented by a sudden burst of apricot when it comes time to find a mate.
Meanwhile, the female olive-backed sunbird is less colorful than her male counterpart, who pulls out all the stops during mating season. The small songbird also has a bright yellow belly, attractive iridescent blue feathers on his upper chest and throat, and olive-colored back and wing feathers, but the splash of apricot feathers beneath his wings is truly his secret weapon — only displayed when the male tries to attract the female.
The birds usually mate from April to August in the Northern Hemisphere, and August to January in the Southern Hemisphere.
The male returns once the chicks are hatched and shares feeding duties with his mate for 16 days until the fledglings fly from the nest.
These birds have an extensive habitat range, including Southern China, Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Northeast Australia. Although they were initially linked to mangrove swamps, they have now become acclimatized to human spaces. It is not uncommon to see Olive-backed sunbirds in woods, orchards, and coconut plantations bordering towns and villages.
Their population is believed to be stable and their special apricot-colored wings may delight bird lovers for generations to come.
