---
title: "Malachite Sunbird"
description: "Nectarinia famosa — Birds. The malachite sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) is a small nectarivorous bird found from the highlands of Ethiopia southwards to South Africa."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/malachite-sunbird
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Malachite Sunbird

> Nectarinia famosa — Birds. The malachite sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) is a small nectarivorous bird found from the highlands of Ethiopia southwards to South Africa.

- Scientific name: *Nectarinia famosa*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: unknown
- iNaturalist observations: 4930
- Wikidata: [Q1300638](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1300638)
- iNaturalist taxon: [13300](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13300)

## Names

- en: Malachite Sunbird
- de: Malachitnektarvogel
- es: Pájaro sol malaquita
- fr: Souimanga malachite
- nl: Emeraldhoningzuiger
- pt: Beija-flor-de-malaquite
- pl: Nektarnik malachitowy

## Countries with the most observations

ZA (4642), KE (35), TZ (30), ZW (20), LS (13), MW (8), SZ (5), ET (4)

## Summary

The malachite sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) is a small nectarivorous bird found from the highlands of Ethiopia southwards to South Africa. They pollinate many flowering plants, particularly those with long corolla tubes, in the Fynbos.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachite_sunbird

## Photo

![Malachite Sunbird](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/malachite-sunbird/medium.jpg)

Photo: bdhimes · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/325855545

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/malachite-sunbird?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).