Mrs Goulds sunbird male, Bhutan

The Mrs. Gould’s sunbird (Aethopyga gouldiae) is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. Male 14–15 cm, 6·5–8 g; female 10 cm, 6·1 g. Relatively short-billed sunbird, male long-tailed. Male nominate race has metallic violet crown. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Found in Various forest types, including oak forest, ridgetop forest and conifers, scrub. The Irish ornithologist Nicholas Vigors named the bird after Elizabeth Gould, a British artist and the wife of the naturalist John Gould.

Diet is Nectar, spiders (Araneae) and insects. Forages at all levels, typically among lower branches and undergrowth; often at mistletoes. Resident; Seasonal altitudinal movements in higher parts of range; some post-breeding movement in NE India. Not globally threatened. Not globally threatened. Generally uncommon in India, but locally common in East; widespread but uncommon in Nepal; frequent in Bhutan; not uncommon in Myanmar.