Habitat
Secondary lowland dipterocarp, peatswamp, keranga forest, mangroves, rural gardens, plantations. Favours open and disturbed habitats. From sea-level - 500m, occasionally to 950 m.
Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis) [XC734869]
by Stephan Risch from Singapore Gardens by the Bay, Singapore (begging call)
Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis) [XC784603]
by Joshua Chong from Petchaburi, Kaeng Krachan, Kum Nang Phaya Resort and environment, Thailand (song)
Nest
Composed of plant fibers and grasses bound together with cobweb, suspended from a branch.
Eggs (Guide)
2; pale pink with purplish-black lines and blotches.
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Grey-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes griseigularis) and often treated as conspecific, but the two exhibit constant differences in plumage and measurements, and no indication of hybridization or introgression. Close also to Red-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes rhodolaemus). Subspecies form two groups: "chlorigaster group" (incorporating also heliolusius and wiglesworthi), males of which have head and back iridescent dark green and underparts generally olive-green, and "nominate group" (all other subspecies), males having head to rump iridescent violet and underparts bright yellow. Geographical variation otherwise not well marked; subspecies anambae, erixanthus and bornensis possibly better merged with nominate, in which paraguae and mjobergi were formerly included; heliolusius has in the past been synonymized with chlorigaster. In addition, population on Lombok (western Lesser Sundas) of uncertain racial affiliation, belongs either with nominate subspecies or with convergens. Further study is required.
Birds from Marinduque and Camiguin Sur (central and southern Philippines) reported to represent two further subspecies, but to date no descriptions formally published. Other proposed subspecies are, off western Sumatra, pelloptilus (from Simeulue I), pollostus (Mt Lembu, on Nias I) and nesaeus (Pagai Is), all included in nominate, as also are javanicus (Java) and baweanus (Bawean I, north of Java); basilanicus (Basilan, in southern Philippines), included in heliolusius; sanghiranus (Sangihe I, north of Sulawesi), merged with heliocalus; and nesophilus (Mantehage, off north-eastern Sulawesi) and citrinus (described from Wawo, in south-eastern Sulawesi), both synonymized with celebensis.
The following 18 subspecies are recognised:
malacensis (Scopoli, 1786) - South-western and southern Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia and nearby islands, Sumatra and satellites, most of Borneo (Sarawak and Kalimantan), Karimata I (off south-western Borneo), Java (including Madura) and Bali.
anambae Oberholser, 1917 - Anamba Is (east of Peninsular Malaysia).
rubrigena Rensch, 1931 - Sumba (in south-western Lesser Sundas).
birgitae Salomonsen, 1953 - Northern and central Luzon (including Palaui, off northern coast) and Catanduanes, possibly also Polillo Is and Mindoro, in northern Philippines. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Grey-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes griseigularis).
griseigularis (Tweeddale, 1878) - Samar, Leyte, Dinagat, Sakuijok, Siargao, Bucas Grande and north-eastern Mindanao (Mt Hilong-Hilong south to Mt Mayo), possibly also Bohol, in south-eastern Philippines. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Grey-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes griseigularis).
Similar Species
Red-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes rhodolaemus) which has a more reddish throat and sides of head, a maroon band across the upper back, more reddish wings, and greener underparts, the famle also has a narrower yellow eye-ring and less yellow underparts.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet