Sunbirds (Nectariniidae)

Nile Valley Sunbird (Anthodiaeta metallica) - HBW 13, p. 254

French: Souimanga du Nil German: Erznektarvogel Spanish: Suimanga del Nilo
Other common names: Eastern Pygmy/Northern Pygmy Sunbird, Bronzed Pygmy Sunbird, Metallic Sunbird

Taxonomy: Nectarinia metallica M. H. C. Lichtenstein, 1823, Dongola, Sudan.
Genus formerly subsumed in Anthreptes; recently, this species and its three congeners were placed in a genus Hedydipna, but this name invalid, current genus name having priority. Forms a superspecies with A. platura, and formerly treated as conspecific. Birds from NW Ethiopia (Melissai, on Adiabo Plains) with apparently short wing described as race adiabonensis, but considered inadequately differentiated from those elsewhere in species' range. Monotypic.

Distribution: Egypt (R Nile and CE coast), Sudan, Eritrea, W, N & E Ethiopia, Djibouti and S Arabia (Saudi Arabia S of Jeddah, Yemen, SW Oman). Non-breeding visitor to E Ethiopia and N Somalia.