Cinnyris

The genus Cinnyris was introduced by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1816.{{ cite book | last=Cuvier | first=Georges | author-link=Georges Cuvier | year=1816 | title=Le Règne animal distribué d'après son organisation : pour servir de base a l'histoire naturelle des animaux et d'introduction a l'anatomie comparée | volume=1 | language=French | place=Paris | publisher=Déterville | page=411 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1844921 }} The type species was designated as "Certhia splendida Shaw" by George Robert Gray in 1855.{{ cite book | last=Gray | first=George Robert | author-link=George Robert Gray | year=1855 | title=Catalogue of the Genera and Subgenera of Birds Contained in the British Museum | location=London | publisher=British Museum | page=19 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/17136639 }} This taxon is a junior synonym of Certhia coccinigaster described by John Latham in 1801. This is now the splendid sunbird.{{ cite book | editor-last=Paynter | editor-first=Raymond A. Jr | year=1986 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=12 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | location=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=223 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14482340 }}{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=February 2025 | title=Dippers, leafbirds, flowerpeckers, sunbirds | work=IOC World Bird List Version 15.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/bow/dippers/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=12 March 2025 }}{{ cite book | editor-last1=Dickinson | editor-first1=E.C. | editor1-link=Edward C. Dickinson | editor-last2=Christidis | editor-first2=L. | editor2-link=Leslie Christidis | year=2014 | title=The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World | volume=2: Passerines | edition=4th | place=Eastbourne, UK | publisher=Aves Press | isbn=978-0-9568611-2-2 | page=273 }} The name Cinnyris is from the Ancient Greek κιννυρις (kinnyris), an unknown small bird mentioned by Hesychius of Alexandria.{{cite web | last=Jobling | first=J.A. | year=2018 | title= Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology | editor1-last=del Hoyo | editor1-first=J. | editor2-last=Elliott | editor2-first=A. | editor3-last=Sargatal | editor3-first=J. | editor4-last=Christie | editor4-first=D.A. | editor5-last=de Juana | editor5-first=E. | work=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive | publisher=Lynx Edicions | url=https://www.hbw.com/dictionary/definition/cinnyris | accessdate=8 May 2018 }}

It is suspected that the genus is polyphyletic and the positions of many are unresolved:{{Cite journal|last1=Warren|first1=Ben H|last2=Bermingham|first2=Eldredge|last3=Bowie|first3=Rauri CK|last4=Prys-Jones|first4=Robert P|last5=Thébaud|first5=Christophe| year=2003|title=Molecular phylogeography reveals island colonization history and diversification of western Indian Ocean sunbirds (Nectarinia: Nectariniidae)|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=29|issue=1|pages=67–85|doi=10.1016/s1055-7903(03)00063-0|pmid=12967608|bibcode=2003MolPE..29...67W }}{{Cite journal|last1=Bowie|first1=Rauri C. K.|last2=Fjeldså|first2=Jon|last3=Hackett|first3=Shannon J.|last4=Crowe|first4=Timothy M.|last5=Fleischer|first5=R. C.|year=2004|title=Systematics and biogeography of double-collared sunbirds from the eastern arc mountains, tanzania|journal=The Auk|volume=121|issue=3|pages=660–681|doi=10.1642/0004-8038(2004)121[0660:sabods]2.0.co;2|s2cid=86592887 }}

The genus contains 63 species:

{{Reflist}}

• Barlow, Wacher and Disley, Birds of The Gambia {{ISBN|1-873403-32-1}}
• Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, Birds of India {{ISBN|0-691-04910-6}}
• Robson, Craig A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand {{ISBN|1-84330-921-1}}
• {{cite book | last1 = Sinclair | first1 = Ian | last2 = Hockey |first2 = Phil |last3 = Tarboton | first3= Warwick | year = 2002 | title = SASOL Birds of Southern Africa | publisher = Struik | isbn = 978-1-86872-721-6}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q867433}}

Category:Taxa named by Georges Cuvier

Category:Bird genera

Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa