Palestine sunbird
| Palestine sunbird | |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Female, both C. o. osea Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Nectariniidae |
| Genus: | Cinnyris |
| Species: | C. osea |
| Binomial name | |
| Cinnyris osea Bonaparte, 1856 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cinnyris oseus | |
The Palestine sunbird (Cinnyris osea) is a small passerine bird of the sunbird family, Nectariniidae. Found in parts of the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, it is also known as the northern orange-tufted sunbird. However, the name "orange-tufted sunbird" refers to another species, found further south in Africa. In 2015, the Palestinian Authority adopted the species as a national bird, after losing in Israel's national bird public vote in 2008 in favor of the Hoopoe. The specific name osea is derived from Ancient Greek ὁσια (hosia, "holy").