Malagasy Sunbird Cinnyris notatus Scientific name definitions

Three subspecies of the Malagasy Sunbird are recognized on Madagascar, Grand Comoro, and Mohéli, which differ to some extent in size, apparently in their vocalizations (particularly male song, although sample sizes are very small), and especially male plumage, particularly in the color of the breast plate region. These differences led the authors of one recent global checklist to present arguments in favor of treating all three as separate species, although this proposal has yet to garner much favor among other authorities, especially as they are each others’ closest relatives in DNA, to the exclusion of other sunbirds in the Malagasy region. The adult male is dark above, glossed green, blue, and purple, with a glossy green chin to breast, a violet band on the lower breast, and the rest of the underparts blackish; in contrast the female has olive-brown upperparts, with a black tail edged and tipped off-white, a narrow whitish supercilium, and a grayish throat and breast rather heavily streaked dark. The male is not definitely known to possess a non-breeding (eclipse) plumage, despite some speculation to the contrary. All three populations of Malagasy Sunbird are widely distributed and generally common within their respective island distributions, and can be found in most wooded habitats, including those dominated by non-native vegetation, although it is generally uncommon and patchy in the driest areas of southern Madagascar, and is apparently only present seasonally in the spiny forest biome.