---
title: "Variable Sunbird"
description: "Cinnyris venustus — Birds. The variable sunbird or yellow-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris venustus), formerly Nectarinia venusta, is a sunbird."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/variable-sunbird
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Variable Sunbird

> Cinnyris venustus — Birds. The variable sunbird or yellow-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris venustus), formerly Nectarinia venusta, is a sunbird.

- Scientific name: *Cinnyris venustus*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: `forest` (Forest), `savanna` (Savanna)
- iNaturalist observations: 2948
- Wikidata: [Q2209523](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2209523)
- iNaturalist taxon: [145188](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/145188)

## Names

- en: Variable Sunbird
- de: Ziernektarvogel
- es: Suimanga Variable
- fr: Souimanga à ventre jaune
- nl: Ornaathoningzuiger
- pt: Beija-flor-de-barriga-amarela
- pl: Nektarnik fioletowy

## Countries with the most observations

KE (554), TZ (497), RW (191), ZW (189), ET (152), UG (140), ZM (130), GM (123), MW (90), GN (45), NG (44), SN (43)

## Summary

The variable sunbird or yellow-bellied sunbird (Cinnyris venustus), formerly Nectarinia venusta, is a sunbird. The sunbirds are a group of small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed most of the time.
The variable sunbird is a fairly common resident breeder in equatorial Africa. Two eggs are laid in a suspended nest in a tree. This species is found in open woodland and cultivation.
Variable sunbirds…

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

## Photo

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

Photo: Erwin Sieben · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202951059

## Machine access

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