#Solaris and Songbird

[traumawhomst]

Solaris and Songbird

A snippet of a full version of this earlier post I made

(450 words)

Fae King and (GN) Child Reader

The Summer King was not always the most kind Fae, he could scarcely afford it. In his world kindness was weakness waiting to be paid back in kind. So when he heard a young voice pierce his quiet peace, he decided to use the as a lesson about his forest. It would an easy task, appear and play with them a bit, maybe turn them to a songbird since they seemed to love their voice. A punishment to neglectful parents about teaching your child to walk around the forest alone as if they owned it.

He had admit that the child did have a rather sweet voice for a human, and he thought of doing something more than just a simple songbird, maybe one that could also speak and mimic sounds. It would be amusing if nothing else.

The child was bent over in the dirt, singing some old folk song, hair loosely pulled back dirty and sweaty. Who knows when they last had a bath, the King scoffed internally. It only strengthened his resolve to turn them to a songbird. At least he knew how to care for his things.

He stepped into the forest clearing, the air around them both growing thick and wild, a smell of hot summer grass hung like a cloud. The King watched with a smile as the figure froze in place, smart child, to know when they were outmatched, no grand heroics or disrespect would save them now. The child lifted their face, and the King was oddly pleased, it was cleaner than their hair and he could that the child had spent most of their life facing towards the sun. Their eyes looked the same as a fawn caught in the sight line of a wolf, but their mouth was turned into a hesitant smile.

The smile caught him off guard, and before he could think too much on it, the child open their mouth and spoke

“Hello,” they said, their voice soft with a slight tremor but a distinct note of hope, “what’s your name?”

With those simple four words, the King knew that this was to be his third child. A neglected songbird, but with a quick wit and curiosity that spoke of greater things than their tiny village. He wanted to scoop them up, and tell of all the great things they would see and do. But this was not his first time bringing a child of his own. So he smiled as he knelt to be closer to the eye level with the child.

“You, songbird, may call me, Solaris, may I know what you to call you songbird?”

When the child’s face brightened, any hesitation or second doubts were gone, this child was his and he couldn’t wait to bring them home.

[nellarw95]

Happy Birthday Viola 🥳🎂🎈🎁🎉

August 11,1965

Buon Compleanno 🥳🎂🎈🎁🎉

11 Agosto 1965

[bunnies-and-blues]

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱|| intro, rules, masterlist .ᐟ

⸝⸝ who am i ? im solari ! this blog is actually a sideblog, a place to put all my slam-dunk related content ! i'll mainly be just dumping all my thoughts about the anime here, and i'm always up for asks ! have fun perusing ! ^^

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱|| rules .ᐟ

slam dunk related asks only, please!

i will take asks five at a time ! once I've received five asks, my askbox will be closed until i've gotten through my current asks .

strictly no nsfw . romantic and displays of affection scenarios is alright, but anything beyond that i will refuse to write .

i also won't write anything along the lines of pedophilia, abuse, traumatic deaths, or any form of bigotry or hate!

please be patient ! i'm only a student with not much free time, so it might take me awhile to get through all the requests, but i'll try my best! ♡

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱|| masterlist .ᐟ

⸝⸝ fanfictions . .

a different kind of training - mitsui spends an afternoon being tutored by you, and he learns about math (and how he sees you) in the process.

⸝⸝ headcanons . .

study sessions - kogure, fukuda, sakuragi

megane-kun - kogure ; general headcanons

megane-kun2 - kogure; general headcanons

songbird - sendoh, rukawa; singer!reader, romantic headcanons

a date with sannoh's ace - sawakita + you; romantic headcanons

my muse - mitsui, ryota, sendo, maki ; artist!reader, romantic headcanons (can be a bit platonic too if you squint !)

kiss & make up - mitsui, kogure, rukawa, + you; romantic headcanons

lovestruck - ryota + you; romantic headcanons

⸝⸝ brain dumps . .

none yet ; work in progress !

[rickrosset]

Older Movies I watched in 2024 in the order I watched them:

For the second year in a row, I'm going to watch 400 films in a year. To be clear, I watched a lot of short films but I also worked a lot more this year than I did last year. This will not happen again next year, as I want to read more and I have big life events coming up and work.

I'll drop my best of 2024 list on 12/31/24.

1/2/24 - Paprika (2006)

1/2/24 - Face/Off (1997)

1/3/24 - The Great Sinner (1949)

1/3/24 - Illegal (1955)

1/5/24 - The Body Snatcher (1945)

1/6/24 - Priscilla (2023)

1/6/24 - Talk to Me (2022)

1/7/24 - The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

1/8/24 - Too Late for Tears (1949)

1/8/24 - The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959 - short film)

1/8/24 - The Song of Styrene (1958 - short film)

1/8/24 - In a Lonely Place (1950)

1/9/24 - The One (2001)

1/10/24 - The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (1945)

1/10/24 - Nightmare Alley (1947)

1/10/24 - Noon Wine (1966)

1/11/24 - Pericles on 31st Street (1962)

1/11/24 - The Lady Is My Wife (1967)

1/12/24 - Black Bus Stop (2019 - short film)

1/12/24 - The Tax Collector (2020)

1/13/24 - Sabotage (2014)

1/14/24 - The Blues Brothers (1980)

1/15/24 - Fastest Man in the State (2017 - short film)

1/16/24 - The Killing Floor (1984)

1/16/24 - Fear of a Black Hat (1993)

1/16/24 - How Can I Ever Be Late (2017 - short film)

1/17/24 - Hoodlum (1997)

1/17/24 - Posse (1993)

1/18/24 - Fruitvale Station (2013)

1/18/24 - Higher Learning (1995)

1/18/24 - Feathers (2018 - short film)

1/18/24 - Between the World and Me (2020)

1/19/24 - Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer (2023)

1/19/24 - The Old Guard (2020)

1/19/24 - Oldboy (2013)

1/20/24 - Several Friends (1969 - short film)

1/21/24 - Quiet as Kept - (2007 - short film)

1/21/24 - When It Rains - (1995 - short film)

1/22/24 - Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store (2014)

1/25/24 - Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs (2023)

1/25/24 - Lift You Up (2014 - short film)

1/26/24 - La Strada (1954)

1/26/24 - Glorious (2008 - short film)

1/26/24 - Silent Running (2008)

1/26/24 - Thunderball (1965)

1/28/24 - Scratch (2001)

1/28/24 - Torn Curtain (1966)

1/29/24 - Winter’s Bone (2010)

1/29/24 - Rollerball (1975)

1/31/24 - Freejack (1992)

2/1/24 - Tommaso (2019)

2/1/24 - Pasolini (2014)

2/2/24 - Talking with the Vampires (2018 - short film)

2/4/24 - Society of the Snow (2023)

2/10/24 - Mary Last Seen (2010 - short film)

2/10/24 - Lifeboat (1944)

2/11/24 - I Married a Witch (1942)

2/13/24 - Other People (2018 - short film)

2/17/24 - The Upturned Glass (1947)

2/17/24 - Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (2023)

2/23/24 - Saboteur (1942)

2/25/24 - Hold the Dark (2018)

2/29/34 - John’s Gone (2010 - short film)

3/3/24 - Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

3/4/24 - A Night on Bald Mountain (1933)

3/7/24 - Date with Dizzy (1958 - short film)

3/9/24 - Panic in Year Zero! (1962)

3/10/24 - Flamin’ Hot (2023)

3/11/24 - Murder, My Sweet (1944)

3/16/24 - Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (2019)

3/17/24 - Million Dollar Baby (2004)

3/18/24 - Spook Sport (1940 - short film)

3/18/24 - Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

3/18/24 - Happy Anniversary (1962 - short film)

3/24/24 - High Plains Drifter (1973)

3/27/24 - Brute Force (1947)

3/30/24 - The Founder (2016)

3/30/24 - Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)

4/1/24 - Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Rich (2022)

4/5/24 - Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980 - short film)

4/6/24 - Zeroes and Ones (2021)

4/7/24 - The Heart of the World (2000 - short film)

4/7/24 - Pizza Vittorio (2017)

4/7/24 - The Wild One (1953)

4/7/24 - Pier Paolo Pasolini - Agnes Varda - New York - 1967 (2022)

4/8/24 - The Musicians (1960 - short film)

4/10/24 - Siberia (2020)

4/11/24 - The Projectionist (2019)

4/13/24 - Don’t Look Now (1973)

4/14/24 - Solaris (1972)

4/17/24 - Skyscraper (1959 - short film)

4/18/24 - Godard 1980 (1980 - short film)

4/20/24 - Deal of the Century (1983)

4/20/24 - It’s a Wonderful Binge (2022)

4/21/24 - The People vs. Paul Crump (1962)

4/21/24 - The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)

4/21/24 - The Guardian (1990)

4/25/24 - The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968)

4/27/24 - Judex (1963)

4/27/24 - Conversation with Fritz Lang (1975)

4/28/24 - The Mummy (1999)

5/4/24 - 8th Continent (2017 - short film)

5/5/24 - 12 Angry Men (1997)

5/5/24 - The Brink’s Job (1978)

5/10/24 - On the Border (2018 - short film)

5/10/24 - All These Creatures (2018 - short film)

5/12/24 - Black Legion (1937)

5/18/24 - Goon (2011)

5/19/24 - Set It Off (1996)

5/19/24 - Assassin’s Creed - Syndicate (2015 - short film)

5/19/24 - Sacrilege (2017 - short film)

5/20/24 - Brazil (1985)

5/26/24 - Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)

5/28/24 - Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

5/28/24 - Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

5/28/24 - Damnation Alley (1977)

6/1/24 - Practice (2018 - short film)

6/1/24 - The Black Balloon (2011 - short film)

6/3/24 - Let ‘em Have It (1935)

6/3/24 - Run Lola Run (1998)

6/4/24 - Horse Feathers (1932)

6/4/24 - Heart of Glass (1976)

6/5/24 - Another Thin Man (1939)

6/7/24 - The Roadie (2012 - short film)

6/7/24 - Following (1998)

6/10/24 - The 39 Steps (1935)

6/10/24 - The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)

6/10/24 - Four Falls of Buffalo (2015)

6/11/24 - A Boy and His Dog (1975)

6/11/24 - The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)

6/12/24 - The Emperor Jones (1933)

6/12/24 - Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

6/12/24 - Turbo Kid (2015)

6/12/24 - A Scanner Darkly (2006)

6/13/24 - A Christmas Dream (1945)

6/13/24 - Similarities Between Length and Speed (1937 - short film)

6/13/24 - Voyage to the Sky (1937 - short film)

6/13/24 - The Struggle for Survival (1937 - short film)

6/13/24 - The Return of Bulldog Drummond (1937)

6/13/24 - The Sea Horse (1935 - short film)

6/13/24 - No Escape (1994)

6/14/24 - Akira (1988)

6/14/24 - The Protege (2021)

6/15/24 - Memory (2022)

6/16/24 - Rough Riders (1997)

6/17/24 - Flight of the Intruder (1991)

6/17/24 - The Journey (2019 - short film)

6/17/24 - Behold (2017 - short film)

6/17/24 - Melvin Purvis G-Man (1974)

6/18/24 - The Hunt for Red October (1990)

6/19/24 - One Crazy Summer (1986)

6/20/24 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

6/20/24 - Repo Man (1984)

6/21/24 - Die Hard 2 (1990)

6/22/24 - The Trouble with Harry (1955)

6/23/24 - The Wind and the Lion (1975)

6/27/24 - Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016)

6/28/24 - X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

6/28/24 - Old Ironsides (1926)

6/28/24 - Silent Night (2023)

6/29/24 - Windtalkers (2002)

6/30/24 - Air Force One (1997)

7/1/24 - Phase IV (1974)

7/2/24 - A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

7/4/24 - Because Men in Silk Shirts on Lagos Nights (2019 - short film)

7/5/24 - Big Wednesday (1978)

7/7/24 - Southern Comfort (1981)

7/7/24 - Red Heat (1988)

7/8/24 - 1941 (1979)

7/9/24 - Surrogates (2009)

7/9/24 - Doomsday (2008)

7/10/24 - Equilibrium (2002)

7/10/24 - School of Rock (2003)

7/11/24 - Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (2023)

7/12/24 - The Age of Innocence (1993)

7/12/24 - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince (1978)

7/12/24 - The Big Shave (1967 - short film)

7/12/24 - Bad (1987 - short film)

7/13/24 - Italianamerican (1974)

7/14/24 - Milllennium Actress (2001)

7/14/24 - The Audition (2015)

7/14/24 - Martin Scorsese’s Quarantine Short Film (2020)

7/15/24 - Personality Crisis: One Night Only (2022)

7/16/24 - Shine a Light on (2008)

7/17/24 - Shit Saturday (1988 - short film)

7/17/24 - Targets (1968)

7/18/24 - The Devil’s Own (1997)

7/18/24 - Hustling (1975)

7/18/24 - Green Book (2018)

7/19/24 - Boxcar Bertha (1972)

7/19/24 - George HarrisonL Living in the Material World (2011)

7/20/24 - Street Scenes (1970)

7/21/24 - The Neighborhood (2001 - short film)

7/21/24 - Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019)

7/22/24 - Kwaiden (1964)

7/23/24 - Trespass (1992)

7/24/24 - Crossroads (1986)

7/24/24 - Undisputed (2002)

7/24/24 - Clueless (1995)

7/27/24 - The Outsiders (1983)

7/29/24 - Safe House (2012)

7/29/24 - My Scientology Movie (2015)

7/30/24 - Le Cercle Rouge (1970)

7/30/24 - Spider-Man 3 (2007)

7/31/24 - Something’s Gotta Give (2003)

8/1/24 - Niagara (1953)

8/3/24 - James Baldwin: From Another Planet (1973 - short film)

8/4/24 - Baldwin’s Nigger (1968)

8/9/24 - Murder Mystery (2019)

8/10/24 - The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

8/10/24 - La Ricotta (1963 - short film)

8/11/24 - Two Shores (2023 - short film)

8/11/24 - Gone Before Your Eyes (2023)

8/12/24 - Rio Bravo (1959)

8/13/24 - It’s Always Something (2021 - short film)

8/13/24 - 2046 (2004)

8/13/24 - Fox Film (2020 - short film)

8/13/24 - Home Away from Home (1993 - short film)

8/15/24 - Desert Fury (1947)

8/19/24 - Chopper (2000)

8/19/24 - Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

8/20/24 - Army of Shadows (1969)

8/20/24 - Star Trek (2009)

8/21/24 - Leave Her to Heaven (1945)

8/21/24 - O’Say Can You See 1 (2011 - short film)

8/21/24 - O’Say Can You See 2 (2011 - short film)

8/22/24 - Le Doulas (1962)

8/23/24 - Stay (2005)

8/23/24 - Death of the Sound Man (2017 - short film)

8/24/24 - Fight Club (1999)

8/25/24 - Cop (1988)

8/25/24 - The Deep End (2001)

8/26/24 - Pale Rider (1985)

8/28/24 - Deja Vu (2006)

8/28/24 - Spy Game (2001)

8/28/24 - Agent Orange (2004 - short film)

8/29/24 - Beat the Devil (2002 - short film)

8/29/24 - Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

8/30/24 - Revenge (1990)

9/2/24 - Philadelphia (1993)

9/3/24 - Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains (2007)

9/4/24 - Caged Heat (1974)

9/4/24 - Haiti: Dreams of Democracy (1988)

9/5/24 - Rachel Getting Married (2008)

9/5/24 - The Beaning (2017 - short film)

9/6/24 - Stop Making Sense (1984)

9/8/24 - FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

9/10/24 - South to Black Power (2023)

9/10/24 - Traffic Stop (2017 - short film)

9/11/24 - Bad Boys (1983)

9/11/24 - State of Grace (1990)

9/11/24 - The Awful Truth (1937)

9/13/24 - X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

9/16/24 - The Fourth Dimension (1936 - short film)

9/16/24 - Osaka Elegy (1936)

9/18/24 - The Train (1964)

9/20/24 - The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)

9/23/24 - Caesar Chavez (2014)

9/24/24 - The Taking (2021)

9/24/24 - Absence of Malice (1981)

9/25/24 - …And Justice for All (1979)

9/25/24 - Blood and Wine (1996)

9/27/24 - The Fate of the Furious (2017)

9/30/24 - Eyewitness (1981)

9/30/24 - Independent’s Day (1998)

10/1/24 - Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris (1970 - short film)

10/1/24 - Rabid (1977)

10/5/24 - The Entity (1982)

10/6/24 - Christine (1983)

10/7/24 - Nacho Libre (2006)

10/8/24 - Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

10/8/24 - The Exorcist III (1990)

10/8/24 - Like (2016 - short film)

10/8/24 - Ikwe (2009 - short film)

10/8/24 - Dog (2001 - short film)

10/11/24 - Bad Press (2023)

10/11/24 - Lifeforce (1985)

10/11/24 - Marseille (1935 - short film)

10/11/24 - Fun Sunday (1935 - short film)

10/14/24 - Scary Movie 3 (2003)

10/14/24 - The Ghost Goes West (1935)

10/14/24 - Godzilla Minus One (2023)

10/15/24 - True Stories (1986)

10/16/24 - Black Sunday (1960)

10/18/24 - The Rite (1969)

10/18/24 - The Collector (2009)

10/20/24 - The Orphanage (2007)

10/22/24 - Green Room (2015)

10/25/24 - Practical Magic (1998)

10/27/24 - The Wicked Lady (1983)

10/29/24 - Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

10/30/24 - Beemus, It’ll End in Tears (2016 - short film)

11/1/24 - California Split (1974)

11/1/24 - Jack Reacher (2012)

11/2/24 - The Faculty (1998)

11/5/24 - Slap Shot (1997)

11/5/24 - Mamma Mia! (2008)

11/5/24 - Timecrimes (2007)

11/8/24 - The Face Behind the Mask (1941)

11/9/24 - Local Hero (1983)

11/13/24 - The Man I Love (1946)

11/23/24 - The Big Clock (1948)

11/23/24 - The Lost City (2022)

11/24/24 - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

11/24/24 - Gladiator (2000)

11/25/24 - Dance in the Sun (1953 - short film)

11/25/24 - A Moment in Love (1956 - short film)

11/26/24 - Bridges-Go-Round 2 (1958 - short film)

11/29/24 - Social Butterfly (2013 - short film)

11/30/24 - Despicable Me (2010)

11/30/24 - The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

12/1/24 - Jackass: The Movie (2002)

12/4/24 - Murder by Contract (1958)

12/10/24 - The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)

12/10/24 - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

12/14/24 - Vision Quest (1985)

12/15/24 - A Man Apart (2003)

12/15/24 - Strangers on a Train (1951)

12/16/24 - A Boring Afternoon (1965)

12/20/24 - Storefront Hitchcock (1998 - short film)

12/20/24 - Would You Look at Her (2017 - short film)

12/22/24 - Crazy Mama (1975)

12/23/24 - True Crime (1999)

12/24/24 - 3 Godfathers (1948)

12/25/24 - Home Alone (1990)

12/25/24 - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

12/29/24 - Background to Danger (1943)

[c-dreamwastaken]

Obligatory Introduction Post ♡

(^ has never posted on tumblr before and has no idea what I'm doing <3)

We're the Solar System, we go by Solaris collectively. Any pronouns are fine! We're bodily 19. We have ADHD (diagnosed) and possibly autism??

Our simply plural is: SolarisFae

This is a sideblog for all of our c!Dream Introjects, the minecraft hyperfixation hit hard boys sjshJS

Main fronters

(not. all of them but the main dreams yk yk)

---

Sprig! - 18, He/They/Berry, Pokémon trainer au (Pokemon Violet specifically sjwbs) talk to me about pokemon talk to me about pokemon ta--

Signoff: 🍡🧭

(Idk if I really Count as a main fronter but I'm typing the post so uhm special privileges ♡)

Valerian - 24ish?, He/They, based on the convict caretaker au sjsbs, main person to take care of our little brother, big caretaker man.real

Signoff: 🦉

Swift - 19, They/He/Potion/Luck, manhunt dream! (this man does Not like talking about cc!dream don't talk about cc! dream with them)

Signoff: ☄️🗡️

Opheodrys - 22ish, He/Hiss/Pup, another caretaker brand person we have. so many caretakers in this house👍

Signoff: 🐍🖌️

Claytonia - 18ish (we're so good at. age can you tell), They/Sky/He/Moss, Zelda au dream (woagh hero of time is that you) comes up everytime we play zelda but is also just here a lot in General as a protector

Signoff: 🗡🎭

Certi - 20, They/He/Chirp, Songbird dream, mostly a soother (chirps wants to hold every quackitys hand ever /teasing)

Signoff: 🪶🗒

Lupin - 22, He/They/Lamb, protectory And caretakery love lamb for this, the real mvp

Signoff: 🪓

Haven't ever really! posted before I hope this works as an intro??? we're trying our best :)

-🍡🧭

[crowdvscritic]

round up // JUNE 21

In June, I met King Kong, discovered new fashion icons, and flashed back to teenage angst. Enough to pique your interest? Let’s hope so, ‘cuz we’re jumping right in...

June Crowd-Pleasers

1. HGTV Binge: Celebrity IOU (2020-) + House Hunters: Comedians on Couches (2020-)

I checked out at least five new HGTV shows this month, but apparently famous people are what really do it for me. On Celebrity IOU, the Property Brothers help celebs with even more charisma than them (like Brad Pitt, Melissa McCarthy, and Property Sister Zooey Deschanel) to transform the home of someone they love. On Comedians on Couches, funny people like John Mulaney make jokes about the over-the-top personalities and demands we watch on House Hunters. HGTV is my comfort food TV because every problem resolves in 60 minutes or less, and these shows add new twists to the tried-and-true home makeover formula.

2. Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)

For months I’ve been trying to describe the bright, bombastic clothing I’ve been looking for as we come out of a pajama-clad pandemic—now I know to call it Romy and Michele! Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino star as BFFs with lewks and dance moves you won’t find anywhere else. While their one-of-a-kind outlook is why we love them, they second guess their worth as they prep for their 10-year high school reunion. Kudrow and Sorvino are hilarious, and Romy and Michele are my new fashion icons. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10

3. A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (2020)

If we didn’t need a Hunger Games prequel—and we definitely didn’t—why couldn’t I put this 500-plus-page novel down? A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set during the 10th Hunger Games and follows Katniss Everdeen’s nemesis, President Snow, as a teenager. He hasn’t become the arch villain Donald Sutherland plays to delicious effect in the movies, but Collins develops a character we can connect while still showing whom he will become. She also knows how to keep you hooked—her end-of-chapter cliffhangers are legendary in my mind—and her innovative plotting explores the overlap between marketing and politics, the difference between vengeance and justice, and how we dehumanize others to help ourselves. If you loved the original trilogy and movies as much as I did, be sure to read her latest—as far as I’m concerned, Collins can write a novel about every Hunger Games she wants.

4. Mr. Deeds (2002)

If you prefer your Adam Sandler in the sweeter variety, Mr. Deeds is your guy. He flips from pizza parlor owner to billionaire overnight, but he has no interest in the the rich-and-famous lifestyle. Winona Ryder is the tabloid journalist trying to get the scoop on him, Peter Gallagher is the corporate suit trying to profit from him, and John Turturro is the eccentric butler waiting on him. Not a plot twist: This hilarious cast makes the most of the simple premise. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7/10

5. SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo (2021)

You couldn’t pay me any amount of money to be a teenager again, and Olivia Rodrigo has the wisdom and angst to capture why. Much has been gossip-ed about the inspiration for the breakup songs that make the bulk of her first record, and while they’re killer tracks reminiscent of early Taylor Swift, I also recommend her non-romance tracks like “jealousy, jealousy” and “brutal,” which feels like a spiritual successor to John Mayer’s “No Such Thing.”

6. Oxford Blues (1984)

Speaking of teenage angst, Kyla and I watched a forgotten Brat Pack feature as our latest pop culture reference on Gilmore Girls. Rob Lowe is chasing his dream girl, and her name is Lady Victoria Wingate (Amanda Pays). He moves from Vegas to Oxford, joins the rowing team, and hangs with Ally Sheedy—I’ll bet you can already guess where this is going. We say it’s a hidden gem even if the plot doesn’t really make sense. You can listen to our full episode to see if you want to check it out for yourself. Crowd: 7/10 // Critic: 4.5/10

7. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021)

It’s been a minute since I’ve watched a movie this dumb starring this many overqualified people. Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, and Salma Hayek re-team for a sequel to the 2017 action comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and now they’ve roped in Antonio Banderas and Morgan Freeman. I admit it’s also been a minute since I’ve watched a movie so profane—as they say in A Christmas Story, Jackson and Hayek work in profanities the way other artists might work in oils or clay. But this bad movie knows it’s a bad movie, which I’d argue makes it a good movie in its own bad way. Banderas is hamming it up, Freeman gets to play against type, and that Reynolds sarcasm is firing on all cylinders. I’m a little embarrassed to say I had a good time in this movie, but maybe like this movie, I should just embrace who I am. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 6/10

8. Movie of the Night

Ever feel like it takes longer to pick a movie than to watch it? Then it’s time to try Movie of the Night. Option 1: Filter down by genre, era, language, runtime, and which streaming platforms you subscribe to. Option 2: Search by actor or keyword. Either way, you’ll discover plenty of titles you didn’t even know you had access to that are probably right up your alley.

9. F9: The Fast Saga (2021)

This movie has everything: John Cena! Helen Mirren! Charlize with another bad haircut! A guy who comes back from the dead! A long-lost brother! Flashbacks! Electromagnets! Rocket cars! Armored cars! Cars on fire! Cars in space! Cars on ropes! Cardi B? Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 6.5/10

June Critic Picks

1. Double Feature – Best Picture Winners From Actor-Directors About Broken Men Turned Macho Men: Unforgiven (1992) + Braveheart (1995)

Yep, these two Best Picture winners from the ’90 have a lot in common. Along with All About Eve (keep reading for more on that film), I knocked out three more films in my Best Picture Project this month. And since this pair was so thematically in sync, I wrote joint Crowd and Critic reviews for them.

2. New York!

I finally made it to New York City! I had planned a trip last March—obviously, that didn’t happen—and while the city hasn’t opened fully, I did make it to plenty of tourist-y spots and museums on my bucket list like the Metropolitan Museum of Art (those Impressionists!), Central Park (where I relived moments from Elf, Enchanted, and Ransom), the 9/11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, the Ellis Island Museum of Immigration, and the Empire State Building (where I met King Kong!). Yes, this is also an unoriginal recommendation, but I’m throwing in my two bits that New York City is worth the trip.

3. Kiss of Death (1947)

Film Admissions have returned at ZekeFilm, and this month we focused on classic film noir. I checked out the crime thriller Kiss of Death, which is part family drama and part crime thriller. You can check out more about the film noir flicks our writers watched for the first time at ZekeFilm. Crowd 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

4. In the Heights (2021)

My review of the new adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s other Broadway hit for ZekeFilm is part analysis of the state of the movie musicals and part shameless praise for this very good one. It’s the kind of film I hate to write about because it’s so darn good I know I’m not doing it justice, but you can read my review anyway. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 10/10

5. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Robert Wise’s entry in the 1950s sci-fi canon is one of the best I’ve watched so far. We wouldn’t have modern greats like Arrival without it, and it even reminds me a bit of Jurassic Park with its focus on how different people react to ethical anomalies. If you have a penchant for sci-fi more about weird stuff happening than aliens and mythology, this is for you. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

6. New Trailer Round Up

Cinema, baby! Trailers are dropping left and right, including ones for some potential awards season contenders.

Jungle Cruise (July 30) – Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson on a Disney theme park ride!

Respect (Aug. 13) – Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson!

The Protégé (Aug. 20) – Samuel L. Jackson as another hitman!

Reminiscence (Aug. 20) – Rebecca Ferguson and Hugh Jackman re-team for something that looks really confusing!

The Eyes of Tammy Faye (Sept. 17) – Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield in a true crime-y biopic!

Dear Evan Hansen (Sept. 24) – The Broadway hit with an all-star cast!

Last Night in Soho (Oct. 22) – Will I try a horror movie for the sake of Edgar Wright?

tick, tick…BOOM! (TBD) – Lin-Manuel Miranda directs Andrew Garfield!

The Harder They Fall (TBD) – Revisionist Western with Regina King, Jonathan Majors, LaKeith Stanfield, and more!

7. Solaris (1972)

Let’s get back to sci-fi where weird stuff happens. Let’s just say there’s some weird stuff going on at the Solaris space station in this Russian classic, and it makes our characters (and us) think about the nature of humanity and how science can’t explain everything. File this with 2001: A Space Odyssey under I Didn’t Totally Understand It But I Think I Liked It?

Also in June…

Kyla and I also covered All About Eve on SO IT’S A SHOW, and I covered it as part of my Best Picture Project with Crowd and Critic reviews. Spoiler alert: We’re both big fans. (I had watched it before this month, which is the only reason it’s not in this Round Up!)

While the pandemic isn’t behind us yet, I’m back at the office several days of the week, which means I’ve completed tracking every movie watched while sheltering in place on Letterboxd. My pandemic viewing capped at 966 unique titles—sigh, just shy of 1000—and I’d like to wrap up this Round Up by commemorating some of the best, weirdest, and most specific ways I tied my watching together thematically in these 14 months:

MAR 26, 2020: Family-focused rom-coms in which the female romantic interest switches her affection between brothers (Dan in Real Life, While You Were Sleeping)

APR 2: Movies with a twist ending, Daniel Craig speaking in a Southern accent, and a song about a Virginia (Knives Out, Logan Lucky)

MAY 6: A promising high school dancer loses a parent and considers giving up her dream, but her love interest from a different socioeconomic background shows up just before the final dance routine so she can achieve it (Step Up, Save the Last Dance)

JUNE 1: An unassuming businessman from NYC has to travel many places to clear his name (North by Northwest, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty)

JULY 2: ‘00s comedies about adults who vicariously live out their dreams through children (School of Rock, Kicking and Screaming)

JULY 16: Early '00s comedies in which a young woman underestimated because of her interests and blonde hair overcomes the naysayers, achieves her goal in a different way than she expected, and chooses the not-as-popular guy who believed in her over a selfish ex (Bring It On, Legally Blonde)

AUG 6: Musicals in which three sailors on leave fall in love and get caught in shenanigans that cause law enforcement to chase them, and they try to evade them by pretending to be part of a musical performance (On the Town, Hit the Deck)

AUG 7: Late ‘90s/early ‘00s high school rom-coms featuring a combination of unpopular kids dating popular kids, crazy parties, costumes, and deception about why they’re at Prom (Never Been Kissed, She’s All That, Can’t Hardly Wait, Drive Me Crazy, Get Over It!)

AUG 10: These historical boats are a-sinkin'! (Dunkirk, Titanic)

AUG 11: Early '00s action about West Coast law enforcement with an appearance by Ashley Scott (Walking Tall, S.W.A.T.)

AUG 26: Comedies in which the main character discovers something he doesn’t believe in is actually real and becomes less selfish as a result (Galaxy Quest, Bruce Almighty)

AUG 31: A good guy gets caught in a government conspiracy to protect American interests on foreign soil (Shooter, Clear and Present Danger)

SEPT 1: Rom-coms feat. Queen Latifah, Common, and a character dating a New Jersey Nets player (Brown Sugar, Just Wright)

SEPT 18: ‘80 comedies in which the female American lead gets romantically involved with a European man through unusual circumstances (Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Private Benjamin, A Fish Called Wanda)

OCT 3: Spooky Season - Misunderstood, not-totally-human children edition (Village of the Damned, Edward Scissorhands)

OCT 7: 2013 Romeo and Juliet interpretations (Romeo & Juliet, Warm Bodies)

DEC 4: ‘10s movies in which teens almost die because of an online game (Ready Player One, Nerve)

DEC 15: Early '90s movies in which young men on their way to the big city run into trouble with the law after trying to pass a slow truck on the highway and get stuck in a small Southern town because of a trial including an actor also in Home Alone (Doc Hollywood, My Cousin Vinny)

JAN 27, 2021: Comedies with Leslie Mann is contemplating her romantic future (The Other Woman, 17 Again, The Cable Guy)

JAN 28: Rom-coms in which the blonde female lead meets her true love away from home (When in Rome, New in Town, Sleepless in Seattle)

FEB 1: Comedies with redheads having a tough time in high school (Mean Girls, Sixteen Candles, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen)

FEB 4: Romantic dramas in which a character asks if it’s possible to meet the one person right for you and miss it (Before We Go, Ever After)

FEB 6: Title mentions the male sex (The Man Who Would Be King, Three Men and a Baby)

FEB 24: Starring Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, and Topher Grace (Interstellar, Ocean’s Eleven)

FEB 25: Post-apocalyptic YA adaptations in which our teen heroine tries to keep her promise to return to her younger brother and takes refuge in the wilderness from alien invaders hosting themselves in humans (The Host, The 5th Wave)

MAR 1: 2002 teen comedies in which somebody tries to ruin someone else’s life (Slap Her… She’s French, Big Fat Liar)

MAR 3-5, 9-10: The 1980s, chronologically (Caddyshack, Arthur, E.T., Flashdance, Splash, The Breakfast Club, Stand by Me, The Lost Boys, The Great Outdoors, Turner & Hooch)

APR 12: Netflix originals about people in one city getting superpowers (Thunder Force, Project Power)

APR 13: 2010 action rom-coms in which a blonde falls for a guy she meets on a trip but he turns out to be secret killer of some kind (Knight and Day, Killers)

APR 27: ‘10s action thrillers set in Nevada hotel/casinos (Wild Card, Bad Times at the El Royale)

MAY 14: Late '80s teen comedies in which our main character gets into a lot of hijinks in one night (License to Drive, Adventures in Babysitting)

MAY 18: Rom-coms set mostly in NYC with a misbehavin’ dog (Isn’t It Romantic, The Awful Truth)

MAY 20: “Two” rom-coms (Two If by Sea, Two Can Play That Game)

MAY 25: 2018 Tiffany Haddish comedies featuring spontaneous dance battles between two different generations (Uncle Drew, Night School)

Photo credits: HGTV, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Olivia Rodrigo. New York my own. All others IMDb.com.

[diracsea]

Books I've finished in 2023

Nguồn gốc của ngoại tộc (Toni Morrison)

Ngày sanh của rắn (Phạm Công Thiện)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle (Shirley Jackson)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Suzanne Collins)

Khát (Vi Thùy Linh)

Thiên táng (Hân Nhiên)

Hảo nữ Trung Hoa (Hân Nhiên)

Xứ sở diệu kỳ tàn bạo và chốn tận cùng thế giới (Haruki Murakami)

Olivia (Dorothy Strachey)

Klara và Mặt Trời (Kazuo Ishiguro)

Sông (Nguyễn Ngọc Tư)

Mưa ở kiếp sau (Đoàn Minh Phượng)

Biển (John Banville)

Entropy in Bloom (Jeremy Robert Johnson)

Solaris (Stanislaw Lem)

A Lot Like Christmas (Connie Willis)

Thế giới thất lạc (Arthur Conan Doyle)

[the-black-bulls]

William Vangeance for the ask thing 👀 (this is @solaris-winery btw)

Oh hey there, let's see...

Sexuality Headcanon: pan and very open, he's comfortable with anything.

Gender Headcanon: nonbinary.

A ship I have with said character: Dorothy, I read a few stories about this ship and I think they would make a great couple.

A BROTP I have with said character: Yami, and of course Patri.

A NOTP I have with said character: Patri; people are free to ship them though.

A random headcanon: he's a pen pal with henry, they first started exchanging letters when one of henry's songbirds got hurt, william took care of the poor bird and they kept contact from then through their birds, but they still don't know each other names or faces.

General Opinion over said character: honestly, I'm not sure, I like his grey morality and complexity, but he's getting things too easy for someone in his position, I think I'm ambivalent to his character in general.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Cinnyris

Palestine Sunbird by محمد البدارين, CC BY 2.0 

Etymology: Of Cinyras, King of Cyprus (or an unknown small bird named by Hesychius of Alexandria)

First Described By: Cuvier, 1816

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Passerides, Core Passerides, Passerida, Nectariniidae 

Greater Double-Collared Sunbird by Derek Keats, CC BY-SA 2.0 

Referred Species: C. chloropygius (Olive-Bellied Sunbird), C. minullus (Tiny Sunbird), C. manoensis (Eastern Miombo Sunbird), C. gertrudis (Western Miombo Sunbird), C. chalybeus (Southern Double-Collared Sunbird), C. neergaardi (Neergaard’s Sunbird), C. stuhlmanni (Rwenzori Double-Collared Sunbird), C. whytei (Whyte’s Double-Collared Sunbird), C. prigoginei (Prigogine’s Double-Collared Sunbird), C. ludovicensis (Ludwig’s Double-Collared Sunbird), C. reichenowi (Northern Double-Collared Sunbird), C. afer (Greater Double-Collared Sunbird), C. regius (Regal Sunbird), C. rockefelleri (Rockefeller’s Sunbird), C. mediocris (Eastern Double-Collared Sunbird), C. usambaricus (Usambara Double-Collared Sunbird), C. fuelleborni (Forest Double-Collared Sunbird), C. moreaui (Moreau’s Sunbird), C. pulchellus (Beautiful Sunbird), C. loveridgei (Loveridge’s Sunbird), C. mariquensis (Marico Sunbird), C. shelleyi (Shelly’s sunbird), C. hofmanni (Hofmann’s Sunbird), C. congensis (Congo Sunbird), C. erythrocerca (Red-Chested Sunbird), C. nectarinioides (Black-Bellied Sunbird), C. bifasciatus (Purple-Banded Sunbird), C. tsavoensis (Tsavo Sunbird), C. chalcomelas (Violet-Breasted Sunbird), C. pembae (Pemba Sunbird), C. bouvieri (Orange-Tufted Sunbird), C. oseus (Palestine Sunbird), C. habessinicus (Shining Sunbird), C. coccingaser (Splendid Sunbird), C. johannae (Johanna’s Sunbird), C. superbus (Superb Sunbird), C. rufipennis (Rufous-Winged Sunbird), C. oustaleti (Oustalet’s Sunbird), C. talatala (White-Bellied Sunbird), C. venustus (Variable Sunbird), C. fuscus (Dusky Sunbird), C. ursulae (Ursula’s Sunbird), C. batesi (Bates’s Sunbird), C. cupreus (Copper Sunbird), C. asiaticus (Purple Sunbird), C. jugularis (Olive-Backed Sunbird), C. buettikoferi (Apricot-Breasted Sunbird), C. solaris (Flame-Breasted Sunbird), S. sovimanga (Souimanga Sunbird), S. abbotti (Abbott’s Sunbird), C. dussumieri (Seychelles Sunbird), S. notatus (Malagasy Green Sunbird), C. humbloti (Humblot’s Sunbird), C. comorensis (Anjouan sunbird), C. coquerellii (Mayotte Sunbird), C. lotenius (Loten’s Sunbird) 

Beautiful Double-Collared Sunbird by Dan Strickland, in the Public Domain

Status: Extant, Endangered - Least Concern

Time and Place: Within the last 10,000 years, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The double-collared sunbirds are known from a large range of Africa, Madagascar, the Middle East, Southern Asia, and the Pacific 

Physical Description: The Double-Collared Sunbirds are a group of small, very beautifully colored birds with distinctive body shapes - they are fairly squat, usually just short tails and long legs, and most importantly, long curved beaks. They also have very short wings, giving them the ability to fly fast and even hover. This makes them, on a superficial level, very similar in appearance to the very distantly related hummingbirds. Still, they aren’t quite as small as hummingbirds - ranging between 9 and 19 centimeters in length. In general they are very similar in color - with dark bodies and shiny patches of greens, purples, blues, and reds on their throats and chests. The females are usually duller, more of an olive green or light brown all over their bodies. The different species will modify this pattern, some with longer tails, others with more purple or green, or even blue patterns - making this genus a smorgasbord of variety. Many males will even switch back and forth between more dull plumage and iridescent feathers based on the season! They are given their name for a fringe of their feathers being brightly colored, giving them a double-collared appearance. 

Regal Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Diet: The Double-Collared Sunbirds primarily feed upon nectar, though many species will also eat insects when necessary. 

Marico Sunbird by Derek Keats, CC BY 2.0 

Behavior: Unlike hummingbirds, which entirely hover while feeding, the Double-Collared Sunbirds will hover to get into position, and then use their long perching feet to grab onto branches to anchor themselves during feeding. When not getting nectar out of flowers, they will forage in small groups on branches and reach around with their long beaks to grab insects. While foraging, they make very short song calls, with fast rising and falling notes, as well as warbles. They will also call to each other with more harsh chirps, which vary from species to species. Many will make “squibble” calls, a common motif found among sunbirds, which can draw out into a further trill at the end. 

Southern Double-Collared Sunbird by Mike Goulding, CC BY-SA 3.0 

Double-Collared Sunbirds will lay their eggs based on the flow of the wet season, so it varies wildly from species to species and from population to population. They are primarily monogamous, breeding with one partner each season or potentially over their whole lives. Nests are usually made of grass, bark, and leaves, lined with feathers and wool and more plants, usually nestled onto a branch of a bush or a palm. They lay between 1 and 3 eggs, which are usually ovular and fairly monochromatic in color. The females almost exclusively incubate the eggs, which can be parasitized by Cuckoos and Honeyguides. Both parents will feed the young. They probably stay in the nest for two more weeks, and can live for nearly a decade in the case of some species. Migration isn’t extensive amongst these Sunbirds, but it does occur occasionally, especially between elevations and in response to the movements of water and the seasons. 

Shining Sunbird by Tore, CC BY-SA 2.0 

Ecosystem: The Double-Collared Sunbirds are essentially found wherever there are flowers to feed from and insects to glean - various kinds of forests, gardens, savanna, coastal thickets, mangroves, mature forests, mountains, plateaus, Miombo Woodland, gardens, grassland, and more. They are fed upon by lizards, cats, mongooses, and many other predators in their habitats. 

By Alon Friedman, in the Public Domain 

Other: Only a few species of this genus are considered threatened with extinction at this time, mainly due to having very limited natural ranges. Beyond this, the Sunbirds are utterly fascinating due to being a clear example of convergent evolution - they are almost identical to Hummingbirds, but from the Perching/Songbird group, and thus extremely different. This is clear in the Double-Collared genus, where many varieties are brilliantly colored in ways very similar to the distantly related Hummingbirds.

Olive-Bellied Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0

Species Differences:

The Olive-Bellied Sunbird is distinct for literally being a rainbow of colors, with a green back, red chest, yellow underwing stripe, and blue upper chest stripe. They also have large bills than other similarly-colored varieties. These birds live in central Africa, and are more prone to feeding on insects than other members of the genus. 

Tiny Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Tiny Sunbird is very similar in appearance to the Olive-Bellied species, but with more blue undertones in the tail region. In addition, they are also significantly smaller. They do, however, have overlapping ranges. 

Eastern Miombo Sunbird by Paul van Giersbergen

Eastern Miombo sunbirds have similar blue stripes but no real yellowish patches, and more blackish backs than the previously discussed species. They also live on the easthern coast of Africa, rather than in the central portion of the continent. 

Western Miombo Sunbird by Jacques Erard

The Western Miombo Sunbird is essentially identical to the former species, but with a shorter bill. They are found in Tanzania across to Angola, also in the Miombo forests. 

Southern Double-Collared Sunbird By Lip Kee Yap, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Southern Double-Collared Sunbird has an especially distinctive red patch, which almost glows with color compared to its relatives. They live in South Africa, and will move up and down the valley based on the distribution of flower growth. These are especially fast birds of the species. 

Neergaard’s Sunbird by Markus Lilje

Neergaard’s Sunbird has a black rump in addition to back and wingtips, making it very visually distinctive; it also has a very short beak compared to other species. It has a very limited range and small population within South Africa and Mozambique, making it, sadly, near threatened with extinction. 

Rwenzori Double-Collared Sunbird by Auf

The Rwenzori Double-Collared Sunbird is especially limited in its range, found only in tropical dry forests in Central Africa. Surprisingly, it isn’t threatened with extinction. It has many distinctive blue patches on its wings, as well as around its neck, and is quite large for this genus of birds. 

Whyte’s Double-Collared Sunbird by Nik Borrow

Whyte’s Double-Collared Sunbird is a more dubious genus, possibly a part of the Montane Double-Collared Sunbird Genus. However, phylogenetic research does indicate it should be split out. It seems to be extensively threatened with habitat loss, and is more distinctively blue than other species.

Prigogine’s Double-Collared Sunbird is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is distinctive from other Sunbirds in living primarily in the highlands of said country. It is also nearly threatened with extinction due to its limited range. 

Ludwig's Double-Collared Sunbird by Dubi Shapiro

Ludwig’s, otherwise known as the Montane, Double-Collared Sunbird is present within a limited range in Angola, though it is also found in Malawi and Tanzania. This species looks similar to many of the others we’ve seen here, though with a lighter blue collar and a shorter beak. It is not threatened with extinction, and is found in many locations of high elevation. 

By Faresh, in the Public Domain 

The Greater Double-Collarred Sunbird matches the pattern of the previous species, though it is much more fecund than its relatives, able to produce multiple broods per season. They are found in South Africa, primarily in more open habitats, and thus they will move up and down the mountains based on the growth of the flowers. 

Northern Double-Collared Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 

Northern Double-Collared Sunbirds differ from the last few species in having a brown body rather than a grey-er one, though otherwise it is quite identical. It lives mainly in central Africa, in a fairly limited range, but despite this it is not threatened with extinction. They especially favor mountain forest. 

Regal Sunbird by Aviceda, CC BY-SA 3.0 

Regal Sunbirds finally break the pattern, with completely yellow rumps and red feathers on their tails. This makes them stand out even more than other sunbirds in this genus. Found in tropical forests and mountain forests in Central Africa, it has an extraordinarily large range.

Rockefeller’s Sunbird is like the Regal Sunbird in being more colored over its body, but it is red all over, rather than yellow. Found in a very limited range in the Congo, it is sadly vulnerable to extinction at this time and is heavily threatened by habitat loss. 

Eastern Double-Collared Sunbird by Nigel Voaden, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Eastern Double-Collared Sunbird returns to the pattern of the other sunbirds in terms of appearance, and differs mainly in the males taking a large part in the building of nests. They are common throughout Kenya, and prefers cooler weather.

Usambara Double-Collared Sunbird by M. P. Goodey 

The Usambara Double-Collared Sunbird has similar coloration to many of these, but with a somewhat longer bill, and blue undertones underneath the wings. They are near threned, despite being fairly common, due to only occurring in ten separate locations. As such, little is known about its specific behavior. 

Forest Double-Collared Sunbird by Roland Bischoff 

The Forest Double-Collared Sunbird is especially distinct because it isn’t as brilliantly colored - instead of being bright green, the males are more of a duller green all over their heads and shoulders. They have lower songs than other Sunbirds, and time their breeding for the availability of insects. 

Moreau's Sunbird by Nik Borrow 

Moreau’s Sunbird is similarly duller in color, though it makes a more high pitched sound than a lower pitched one. They are considered near-threatened due to restricted ranges across central Africa. 

Beautiful Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Beautiful Sunbird is one of the larger species in the genus and certainly earns its name, with brilliant green and blue coloration all over its back and wings, and a bright red patch on its chest. It is found in a wide variety of habitats just below the Saharan desert with high population levels and, as such, it isn’t considered endangered. 

Loveridge’s Sunbird by Nik Borrow

Loveridge’s Sunbird is another yellow-bodied variety, this time with a more brown back color; with a limited mountain range in Tanzania, it is considered endangered at this time. It is mostly threatened with habitat loss, as it mainly inhabits tropical mountain forests. 

Mariqua Sunbird by Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0 

The Marico or Mariqua Sunbirds are also especially green, much like the Beautiful Sunbird. It is black in other locations of its body to counter that extra green and blue - ness. They are more nomadic than other species, moving erratically over its range in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Uganda, periodically abandoning droughts as they show up. 

Shelley's Sunbird by Maans Booysen, CC BY-SA 4.0 

Shelley’s Sunbird is another especially green species, with blue undertones in the rump region. The females are somewhat distinctive too, with brown spotting and yellow stripes across the chest. They are found mainly across Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia, and aren’t considered threatened with extinction. Hoffman’s Sunbird is very similar, and often grouped into this species. 

Congo Sunbird by Mark Van Beirs

The Congo Sunbird is found in the Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is one of the most visually distinct members of the genus precisely because it has a very long tail instead of a very short tail. This also makes it one of the longest members of the genus. Color wise, it’s similar in being one of the greener varietes. 

Red-Chested Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0  

Red-Chested Sunbirds are especially distinct for having bright red chests, more so than other species, and a more blue-colored portion to their upper wings. They have longer-ish tails as well, and are found mainly in Tanzania, in savanna habitats. They are not considered threatened with extinction. 

Black Bellied Sunbird by ChriKo, CC BY-SA 3.0 

The Black-Bellied Sunbirds are very similar to their Red-Chested cousins, but with longer beaks and slightly longer tails; they are found in a larger range as well. 

Purple-Banded Sunbird by Alan Manson, CC By-SA 2.0 

Purple-Banded Sunbirds finally break some of the pattern by having bright purple chests instead of red chests, and no warm colors at all. They also have fairly long bills and short tails. They live over a huge range in central Africa, and aren’t threatened with extinction. 

Tsavo Sunbird by Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0 

Tsavo Sunbirds continue that pattern, though with a smaller purple patch on their chests. They also live in a large area, mainly favoring acacia trees. Not very much is known about this species. 

Violet-Breasted Sunbird by Nik Borrow 

Violet-Breasted Sunbirds differ from the past two in having a more curved bill and even shorter tail, but beyond that very little is known about this species of bird - they are common in Somalia and rarer in Kenya, and haven’t been documented extensively. 

Pemba Sunbird by Nigel Voaden, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Pemba Sunbird is more blueish green on the top than others, though it can also look green depending on the sunlight. They make interesting “tslink” calls, and aren’t considered endangered despite living mainly in a restricted range on islands. 

Orange-Tufted Sunbird by Ron Knight, CC By 2.0

Orange-Tufted Sunbirds are especially distinct for having purple tops of their heads right before their beaks. With red patches underneath the purple stripe, and blue tail feathers, they are quite beautiful to behold. Despite not being endangered, they are very uncommon and live in isolated patches in central Africa. 

Palestine Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 

The Palestine Sunbird is one of the most beautiful and well known species in the genus, found in the Western Asia area and brilliantly blueish-green all over its back and tail, with a purple stripe across its chest. Its bill is slightly curved, and it makes interesting “chwing-chwing-chwing” calls to each other. They wander across the Jordan and Oman, and will occasionally dip into Syria, and while fairly uncommon in most if its range it is especially common in the Israel-Palestine region. 

Shining Sunbird by عادل احمد الهلال, CC BY-SA 3.0 

Shining Sunbirds return to a more light colored green on their back, though it’s harder to tell in some lighting! Their chests return to a more red color, with females having especially pale underparts. They are found in Ethiopia and Somalia, sometimes extending down into Kenya. The Arabian Sunbird is usually added into this, and is found in the Arabian peninsula. 

Splendid Sunbird by Elizabeth Ellis, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Splendid Sunbird is another very distinct species of this genus with a bright purple head and purple feathers extending down their backs. They have red and purple patches alternating down their necks, and have extremely complicated chip-filled sounds. They are found primarily in Western Africa, especially along the Ivory Coast. 

Johanna’s Sunbird by Éric Roualet

Johanna’s Sunbird takes the red patch and extends it even further, turning most of the belly red and then the black rump feathers are red-tinted as well. They are common in Liberia, and are not particularly well known. 

Superb Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Superb Sunbird is fascinating for having a red belly and rump with black speckles along it. They also have a blue-green patch on the tops of their heads, and very long bills. The females are also bright yellow. They are found in low-mountain forests in Liberia and Uganda, and males are very precocious in their breeding, starting even before adult plumage comes in. 

Rufous-Winged Sunbird by Nik borrow 

The Rufous-Winged Sunbird is vulnerable to extinction due to threats from habitat loss in their mountain forests. They are fascinating to look at for having non-iridescent brown wings and brown chests, making them stand out amongst their relatives. Their heads are more blueish than greenish as well. 

Oustalet’s Sunbird by Lars Petersson

Oustalet’s Sunbird is a rarer species with a brilliantly white rump, found mainly in Angola - it is, unfortunately very poorly known. 

White-Bellied Sunbird by Lip Kee Yap, CC BY-SA 2.0

White-Bellied Sunbirds also have white bellies, like the Oustalet’s, but is much better known. In fact, it is documented as the prey of mongooses and cats, and is subjected to brood parasitism by cuckoos. It is thriving from the fragmentation of its habitat, leading to increases in population. 

Variable Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 

Variable Sunbirds are fascinating for having yellow rumps and bellies again, with brilliant patterns of blue and purple and green over their heads and chests. The differences in plumage across populations lead to its name! They will be both resident and migratory depending on location, and are found across Zimbabwe to Nigeria. 

Dusky Sunbird by Alan Manson, CC BY-SA 2.0 

Dusky Sunbirds aren’t very brilliant in color, with dullish green heads and necks and grey feathers elsewhere. They make more trilling calls and are found mainly in Southern Africa. They tend to move about based on the availability of flowering plants and droughts. 

Ursula’s Sunbird by Dubi Shapiro

Ursula’s Sunbird is not iridescent at all! The sexes are similar, with grey crowns and olive green bodies. They have slight orange patches underneath their wings. These birds still fill the same niche as other in this genus, and are found entirely within the Cameroon Mountains.

Bates’ Sunbird is also non-iridescent, with olive green feathers in both males and females. It is also found in Cameroon, primarily in primary forests, and isn’t considered threatened with extinction. It will supplement its diet with berries and fruits in addition to insects and spiders! 

Copper Sunbird by H. Mallison, CC BY-SA 3.0 

The Copper Sunbird breaks the mold entirely, with the males being red and purple and sometimes even yellow rather than green or blue at all. They migrate across Africa due to the movement of the rains, and are extremely common in most of their ranges. 

Purple Sunbird by J. M. Garg, CC BY-SA 3.0 

Purple Sunbirds were also named aptly, with blue-purple feathers over almost all of their bodies. The females look like a completely different bird entirely, with yellow rumps and chests and necks, and brown backs and wings. They are found across India and Pakistan, making them very far removed from the birds previously discussed in this article. 

Olive-Backed Sunbird by Lip Keep Yap, CC By-SA 2.0 

Olive-Backed Sunbirds are what their name suggest - olive on their backs! Any iridescence in the males is restricted to the fronts of the face and the upper necks. Their bellies and rumps are, by and large, yellow in color. They reed throughout the year and are found across Southeastern Asia, the Pacific, and even into Australia, greatly extending the range of this genus of birds. They are often preyed upon by monitor lizards. The Rand’s Sunbird is sometimes grouped in this genus - these birds differ in the males having black bellies and rumps. 

Apricot-Breasted Sunbird by Ron Knight, CC BY 2.0 

The Apricot-Breasted Sunbird is similar to the Olive-Backed but has slight reddish tints under the blue patch. They are not as well known but are known to forage high in the tree levels. They are only found on the island of Sumba. 

Flame-Breasted Sunbird by Pete Morris

Flame-Breasted Sunbirds continue on this theme of the last few, extending the orange coloration down to the rump area, giving them that distinctive “flame” appearance. Found on the island of timor, they are fairly poorly known birds.

Souimanga Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 

Souimanga Sunbirds go back to the more familiar theme, but with distinctive black patches under the red iridescent stripes. They make very warbling calls and the males are less involved in the breeding than in other species. This species is found entirely on the island of Madagascar. Abbott’s Sunbird is usually grouped into this species. 

Humblot’s Sunbird by Paul van Giersbergen

Humblot’s Sunbird is also fairly firey in color, with only reddish-purple iridescent feathers on their heads and necks. They especially enjoy insect larvae as an extra sources of food. They are found only on the Comoro Islands, giving them a very restricted range. 

Seychelles Sunbird by Alfonso Barrada 

The Seychelles Sunbird is very dull in color, grey almost all over, except for a small purple patch on the neck. They make a very squeaky call, distinct from other species in the genus. They’re also polygomous, mating with a variety of different partners in one breeding season, unlike the more monogamous other species. These birds are found in the Victorian islands. 

Malagasy Green Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC By-SA 2.0 

The Long-Billed Green Sunbird, or Malagasy Green Sunbird, is found in the Comoros Islands and Madagascar. It also returns to the more usual plumage of this genus, with a soft warbling song. They are found in a very wide variety of habitat and are indeed very common within Madagascar. The Grand Comoro Sunbird is also grouped into this species, and is in general darker. Sometimes, the Moheli Sunbird is also grouped into this genus. 

Anjouan Sunbird by Paul van Giersbergen 

The Anjouan Sunbird is only found on the Anjouan Islands, giving it yet another very restricted range. It follows similar color patterns to other species in this genus, and it is very common throughout the island on which it lives. 

Mayotte Sunbird by Dubi Shapiro 

The Mayotte Sunbird is another restricted-range species, found only on the island of Mayotte. It also looks similar to the other species in the genus, though it has a distinctive orange patch across its belly and a yellow rump. They also make particularly harsh noises. 

Loten's Sunbird by Arshad Ka, CC BY 3.0 

And finally, Loten’s Sunbird, found in India and Sri Lanka, is a brilliantly turquoise bird, with the blue coloration extending into the tail. It has a purple neck and red chest, and the females are dark brown with light yellow chests. Interestingly enough, they have extremely long bills, but they still eat a wide variety of foods other than nectar. They are quite common within their ranges, making very rapid ticking calls.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Anjouan Sunbird (Cinnyris comorensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Apricot-breasted Sunbird (Cinnyris buettikoferi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Bates's Sunbird (Cinnyris batesi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R., Mann, C. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Black-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris nectarinioides). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Congo Sunbird (Cinnyris congensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Copper Sunbird (Cinnyris cupreus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Dusky Sunbird (Cinnyris fuscus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R., Mann, C. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Eastern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris mediocris). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Flame-breasted Sunbird (Cinnyris solaris). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R., Mann, C. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Eastern Miombo Sunbird (Cinnyris manoensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Greater Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris afer). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Humblot's Sunbird (Cinnyris humbloti). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Johanna's Sunbird (Cinnyris johannae). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R., Mann, C. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Long-billed Sunbird (Cinnyris notatus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Loten's Sunbird (Cinnyris lotenius). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Loveridge's Sunbird (Cinnyris loveridgei). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Mariqua Sunbird (Cinnyris mariquensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Mayotte Sunbird (Cinnyris coquerellii). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Montane Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris ludovicensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Moreau's Sunbird (Cinnyris moreaui). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Neergaard's Sunbird (Cinnyris neergaardi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Northern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris reichenowi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R., Mann, C., Christie, D.A. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Olive-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris chloropygius). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Orange-tufted Sunbird (Cinnyris bouvieri). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Oustalet's Sunbird (Cinnyris oustaleti). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Palestine Sunbird (Cinnyris osea). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Pemba Sunbird (Cinnyris pembae). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Prigogine's Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris prigoginei). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Purple-banded Sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciatus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Red-chested Sunbird (Cinnyris erythrocercus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Regal Sunbird (Cinnyris regius). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Rockefeller's Sunbird (Cinnyris rockefelleri). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Rufous-winged Sunbird (Cinnyris rufipennis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris stuhlmanni). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Seychelles Sunbird (Cinnyris dussumieri). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Shelley's Sunbird (Cinnyris shelleyi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.  

Cheke, R., Mann, C. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Shining Sunbird (Cinnyris habessinicus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.  

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Souimanga Sunbird (Cinnyris sovimanga). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Splendid Sunbird (Cinnyris coccinigastrus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Superb Sunbird (Cinnyris superbus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Tiny Sunbird (Cinnyris minullus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.  

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Tsavo Sunbird (Cinnyris tsavoensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Ursula's Sunbird (Cinnyris ursulae). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Variable Sunbird (Cinnyris venustus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). Violet-breasted Sunbird (Cinnyris chalcomelas). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Cheke, R. & Mann, C. (2019). White-breasted Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Arabian Sunbird (Cinnyris hellmayri). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Forest Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris fuelleborni). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Gorgeous Sunbird (Cinnyris melanogastrus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Grand Comoro Sunbird (Cinnyris moebii). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Moheli Sunbird (Cinnyris voeltzkowi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Christie, D.A. (2019). Rand's Sunbird (Cinnyris idenburgi). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Usambara Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris usambaricus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Western Miombo Sunbird (Cinnyris gertrudis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

[knight-engale]

A list of new OCs that don't have ref sheets. More for my own benefit than anyone else's.

Kimiko Nashibara, age 20, Quirk: Songbird, female

Niseru Ukeuri, age 17, Quirk: Mimicry, female

Hoshiko Aozora, age ?? (at least 18), Quirk: Star Burst, female

???, age ???, Quirk: Solaris (?), male

[traumawhomst]

Solaris and Songbird

Part 2

Adoptive Yandere Fae King Dad & child reader

Solaris spent the entire rest of the day with Songbird, who was shyly pleased at the fact that even though they’d given him their name he preferred the nickname. They were out in the forest collecting what ever their parents sent them for. Mushrooms, berries, herbs, moss, sweet grass, acorns and seeds, anything in season, said the child. True to their word the bag that seemed half as big of them was filled with willow bark and dark colored mushrooms.

The child was happy to walk beside him answering any questions he wanted to ask.

“Are you always alone in the forest Songbird?” he asked.

The child shrugged, “I used to come with Gran, but when she died I started to go alone,” they said as if it was some small feat. “She taught me how to gather everything, and how to respect the forest, Ma and Da say I do it better than they ever could.”

“She sounds like a wise woman,” he said nodding. “And what do your parents do with what you collect?”

“Some of it we keep,” said the child brushing away a loose overgrown strand of hair, “some we sell to the apothecary, and some we sell to our neighbors.”

Solaris hands itched as he watched the child tried to wrestle it in a braid. He reached out before stopping and pointing to a nearby stump. “Darling, would you so greatly mind if I braid your hair?”

The child looked ashamed of their state, their eyes downcast before Solaris added, “I miss my dearest daughter who has hair just like yours, and it would be a comfort.” None of which was a lie.

The child thought a moment and nodded sitting down on the stump as directed.

With a quick spell the knots and grime were gone and in a few quick moments he had it in one neat braid. The child smiled running a hand over their now contained hair. “Thank-”

“Ah Songbird, be careful,” he put one finger under the child’s chin. “Never thank a fae darling, not even the ones you trust.”

The Songbird eyes widened as they took in the rule, before nodding. “Th-,” they stopped themselves this time. “That is a good thing to know,” they said instead, eyes filled with cautious optomism as they waited for Solaris’s judgement.

He then ran a hand over the child’s head, a final layer of magic to make it soft, “I’m glad to teach Songbird,” he smiled. “May I walk you home?”

🍃🍂🍃🍂🍃🍂🍃🍂🍃🍂

Heir Collan watched as his father burst into his own court, all of his subjects diving and scurrying out of his way. The mass of bodies streamed out of the doors, leaving the father and son alone in the room.

“Welcome home father,” said the Heir.

“I want whoever is in the Eastern Wing out, I want at least ten rooms cleared out, also send for that Selkie tailor, I want them to see a new wardrobe worth of designs. Oh, also the royal jewler, the,” he was snapping continuously trying to remember, “pixie, whomever. See him brought as well.”

“You can’t bribe Guin into to coming back early with clothes Father.”

“Oh, she won’t be visiting for clothes Collan, she’ll be visiting to meet your newest sibling.”

[arcanasimsxvi]

Tane Solaris for @katietiva Evanora: Bachelorette Challenge

“One thing I must say before you pick me. I am not royalty. I definitely am not a prince or a king of some sort. I am an assistant to my prince, yet I am old enough to make my own decisions. And that decision, is to wed.”

Meet Tane:

Tane Solaris is the servant to Prince Artemis Sagitaurus of the Silencia Kingdom. Of course, he was not on his knees, scrubbing floors but he served the king as a tactician in many battles. His strong knowledge of practical magic made him one of the leading warriors in his fleet. Born as a pure blood spell-caster, the reason to not having royal status was because his family were more dedicated as helpers instead of leaders. However, Tane was blessed with a leadership quality. He was used as a tactician in the kingdom’s well established army. Yet, after one of the major battles of his kingdom that left most of the army in peril and distress, he retired as a soldier and continued being the right hand man and strategist to the prince’s smaller militia. He also helps teach teens the uses of practical magic to survive.

When he is not teaching or assisting the kingdom, he is always with his trusty piano. He named her Violetta. His voice will make anyone tremble to their knees. He loves to sing his heart out and give his people hope with the gift of song. At the most extravagant of parties or when he is alone, the keys of the piano and voice of a songbird is always at his reach. 

The reason why he would like to meet Evanora is for the simple fact of love. He is a respectful man who doesn’t care about royalty or status but of the person at heart. He hopes that Evanora would do the same as well as her family. He is aware of etiquette, manners, and how to treat a lady. He is aware as well of royal duties of a king. He just hopes that honorable Lady Evanora gives him a chance.

Fun Facts:

Kingdom: Silencia

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Title: Sir, Lord

Traits: Good, Music Lover and Creative

Magic(s) Practiced: Practical

Likes: Singing with Violetta ( his piano) Cloud gazing Hanging out his best friend, Prince Artemis Reading books

Dislikes: Evil traits War Dishonesty and unfairness Eggs (don’t ask why. He just really hates eggs)

[oh-atlas]

i was tagged for this forever ago by @mollymaukerie​ and then i DIDNT do it, but i’m doing it now and will probs just use this template for reference for infodropping about characters in the future. just because i know you all have so many great ocs, i’m tagging @darlingicarus, @cityandking and @mollymaukerie back ;) (also beware i’m fixating on an old and COMPLICATED character of mine)

━━ character information • Rishta Aello-Argyros

&. basics ↳ name: ahiya zatura / cashia / rishta aello-argyros ↳ age: 29 ↳ race / ethnicity: winter eladrin / summer eladrin / unaligned.  ↳ gender: cis female ↳ pronouns: she/her ↳ sexuality: asexual lesbian ↳ special abilities: blood magic, linguistics, knifework, stealth, getting into situations she shouldn’t, communicating with gods

&. associations ↳ color(s): blue & white / black & red / red & white ↳ animal(s): songbird  ↳ themes / words: blood, books, restraints, choice, lack of identity, roses ↳ season: winter and summer &. background + family ↳ birthplace: solaris ↳ titles and jobs: noble / assassin & war weapon / runner for the mafia, diplomat ↳ family: baldran (father)†, vallana (mother)†, zinna (stepmother)†, thero (brother)†, daevan (brother)†, ferro (brother)†, inaxina (sister)†, sylrie (sister)†, adwynn (sister)† / daughter of the goddess emla / daughter of melodia agyros & valentha aello

&. personality + morals ↳ personality traits: impulsive, intelligent, sharp-witted, calculating, empathetic ↳ fears: losing her sense of identity once more ↳ liked traits in others: intelligence, honesty, honor ↳ disliked traits in others: manipulative, cruel, violent &. interest + favorites ↳ favourite foods: baked goods and tea ↳ favourite weather: overcast ↳ favourite animals: mostly cats; they’re quite ↳ hobbies / interests: baking, linguistics, reading, history. 

&. other relationships ↳ current romantic partner: Artemesia Vasilissa (Modern AU) ↳ closest friends: Lelenia

[felldragxn]

Part One Part Two

A: I have a feeling bad things are about to happen. A: Oh, and Grims got... heh. Dragged away. Sort of. We’ll see plenty of them... later~

A: One Lord Berkut teams up with young Pandora to take out their family’s sworn enemy and the bird laguz, but! It doesn’t exactly end well for either of them. Given how things worked out for Lord Berkut in the past, you’d think he’d learn to avoid these protagonist types... er. I mean. At least the other Berkut seems to-- wait, a mute dragon? ...seems familiar... Lord Berkut, the second, probably has not cared to learn sign language, however.

A: Ah, and the little bird continues her rampage~

....separately. Magpie and Lucina wouldn’t trust each other, and it’s doubtful Vevela would trust either of them. Especially this late in the game... 

From a certain lovely lady, more like...

Night Seven

A: Oh, dear... How unfortunate. A: What an embarrassing way for such a prideful human to perish.

A: Apart from his unfortunate demise, however, the night is rather calm, and filled with the song of a raging songbird...

Day Eight

The days passes uneventfully, each contestant on edge, waiting...

Night Eight

A: Troubling... Magpie is not only injured, but it seems after overpowering Lord Berkut and Pandora, Lucina and Vevela are at least on somewhat friendlier terms. Do they plan to take her on together, I wonder...

Magpie finds the water source, in the form of the frozen lake. However, Vevela happens to stumble upon her at the same time. Unfortunately, despite the care she takes in attempting to ambush the young vessel, the ice is thin and cracks open beneath her feet, causing her to fall in. She is not seen again...

Night Nine

Magpie was not unaware of the other’s demise so close to her, having caught wind of her presence when she fell in. She lingered to assure the other would not escape the water, only to hear Lucina calling to Vevela after some time. She is careful, lying in wait, until the opportunity strikes -

- to end the game in one fell blow.

A: She did it!!! ...Grima’s going to be angry, but she did it! And looking at the final scores, she went on quite the rampage... more kills than any of the other contestants. Ha! I’d expect nothing less.

A: Next up: Some formerly dead contestants, some being dragged in from other universes - a Fell Family reunion of sorts! Me not included. Figures.

((A/N: More to come, but thanks to everybody who joined up! I hope it was mildly entertaining, and the dash shenanigans at least were worth it xDD))

Magpie, Remi, and Amelina belong to @firexfled Solaris, Joker, and Roy belong to @thousxndpxths Pandora and Sara belong to @silxntwildfirx Naeva, Forneus, and Saias belong to @i-nsubordination Rebecca and Spartan belong to @pieman1112 Lucina and Celica belong to @fatedexaltlucina Vevela, Leena, and Pliskin belong to @flutteringfeathers The Berkuts and Lukas were suggested by my wonderful fiance~ ...and Iris, Re, and Asim all belong to me <3

[mrblakemurphy]

RT @CommunityFlare: 🤯Trustline have been busy behind the scenes! "Today’s update features Solaris, a Flare-XRPL cross-chain bridge. Solaris is trustless, meaning that you can send and receive native tokens from one chain to the other without a second party." #Songbird @FlareNetworks https://t.co/6rz2CU7AxB

RT @CommunityFlare: 🤯Trustline have been busy behind the scenes! "Today’s update features Solaris, a Flare-XRPL cross-chain bridge. Solaris is trustless, meaning that you can send and receive native tokens from one chain to the other without a second party." #Songbird @FlareNetworks https://t.co/6rz2CU7AxB

— BlakeMurphy.crypto (@BlakeMurphy) Sep 23, 2021

from Twitter https://twitter.com/BlakeMurphy

[promptprophet]

Solaris was the "leader" but I guess she could have been described as more of a star/Galaxy based kind wolf??

She wasn't the main one, my moon girl ended up becoming the aniceint leader but she's op no matter how much. There were a lot, but Solaris was the first I made???

I don't have a base yet but I guess I'll he drawing g her with Songbird here in soon, may take a day or two with work but I'm gonna

draw a wolf with fur that is made out of the sky