About Cinnyris dussumieri (Hartlaub, 1861)
This species reaches a body length of 11 to 12 centimetres, with overall dull grey plumage. Males have an iridescent violet-green sheen on their head and throat, brown underparts, and yellow or orange tufts under the wings that are most visible during flight. They have a long, slender, downcurved bill and black legs. Females are overall duller in appearance, with pale grey underparts, and they do not have the yellow pectoral tufts that males possess. The male's song is high-pitched, noisy, and harsh, interspersed with various rasping calls; females also sing. This bird, the Seychelles sunbird, can be found on most of the larger granitic islands of the Seychelles Bank. It is one of the endemic landbird species of the Seychelles that has adapted best to human-caused changes to the environment. Its habitats include forests, gardens, scrub, and mangroves, and it occurs from sea level up to an altitude of 900 m (2,953 ft). This species breeds throughout the entire year, with the peak breeding season falling in September and October. Females lay a single egg per clutch in a pear-shaped nest. The nest is constructed from grass and moss, bound together with spider silk. Nests are typically hung from the end of a twig, which helps protect them from cats and rats.
