White-belied sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Photo by Aivar Mikko (Trek Nature)

Common name:
white-belied sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-barriga-branca (pt); souïmanga à ventre blanc (fr); suimanga de pecho blanco (es); weißbauch-nektarvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae

Range:
This species is found in southern Africa, from southern Angola, Zambia and southern Tanzania, south to north-eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 11 cm long and weigh 7,5 g.

Habitat:
The white-belied sunbird is mostly found in dry savannas, especially Acacia, bushwillow Combretum, Zambezi teak Baikiaea plurijuga and mixed miombo Brachystegia woodlands. They are also found in rural gardens and within urban areas.

Diet:
They feed on the nectar of a wide range of flowering plants, which is sometimes supplemented with insects, such as aphids, ants, grasshoppers and moths, and spiders.

Breeding:
White-belied sunbirds breed in June-March, with a peak in September-December. The female builds the nest alone, an untidy oval-shaped structure made of dry material such as grass and leaves, bound together with spider web. The nest is decorated with bits of leaves and bark, and lined with plant down, feathers and wool. It is attached to the branches of a thorny plant. The female lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 13-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14-15 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status -  LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. In fact, it seems to have benefited from the fragmentation and disturbance of miombo woodlands.

Elegant sunbird

Aethopyga duycenbodei

Photo by Mark Thibault (Oriental Bird Images)

Common name:
elegant sunbird (en); beija-flor-elegante (pt); souimanga des Sangi (fr); suimanga elegante (es); Sangihenektarvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae

Range:
At present, the elegant sunbird in endemic to the Indonesian island of Sangihe, located north of Sulawesi, but there are historical records of this species on the nearby island of Siau.

Size:
These birds are 12 cm long.

Habitat:
The elegant sunbird is found in primary rainforests, forests edges, and in adjacent moist scrublands and plantations. They are present at altitudes of 75-1.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on the nectar of various plants, including coconuts, but will also take small invertebrates, sometimes being seen collecting insects caught in spider webs.

Breeding:
Elegant sunbirds probably have two mating season, one starting in May and another in November. The clutch size is 2 eggs which are incubated for 14-17 days, but there is no information regarding the length of the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - EN (Endangered)
This species has a restricted breeding range and a global population estimated at just 13.000-29.000 individuals. Despite its tolerance to secondary habitats, this species is suspected to be declining at a moderate rate, mostly due to agricultural intensification and continued agricultural encroachment of the last few primary forest, especially at lower altitudes. There are some plans to protect some of the remaining areas of forest in Sangihe, which could help halt further population declines in this species.

Miombo double-collared sunbird

Cinnyris manoensis

Photo by Warwick Tarboton (Warwick Tarboton)

Common name:
miombo double-collared sunbird (en); beija-flor-do-miombo (pt); souïmanga du miombo (fr); suimanga del miombo (es); miombonektarvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae

Range:
This African species is patchily distributed between Angola, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and northern Mozambique.

Size:
These birds are 13 cm long  and weigh around 9 g.

Habitat:
The miombo double-collared sunbird is mostly found in miombo Brachystegia sp. woodlands, but also occupies mountain habitats such as Leucospermum, Erica and Protea scrublands, well wooded gardens and Acacia savannas. They are mostly found at altitudes of 1.000-1.400 m.

Diet:
They feed on the nectar of a wide range of plants, such as mistletoes, Tecoma capensis, Leonotis sp., Gladiolus dalenii, Holmskioldia sp., Aloe sp., Kniphofia sp., Bauhinia variegata and Callistemon viminalis. They also take some insects and spiders.

Breeding:
Miombo double-collared sunbirds breed all year round. The nest is built solely by the female, consisting of a thick-walled oval-shaped structure made of forbs, shredded bark, dry leaves and fine grass, bound together with spider webs. It is typically suspended from a tree branch or occasionally beneath a house porch or building overhang. The female lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are mainly fed by the female, fledging 13-15 days after hatching. They become fully independent 1 week later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is  is described as local and uncommon in Tanzania, locally common in Angola, common in Zimbabwe and uncommon in Zambia. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Collared sunbird

Anthreptes collaris

Photo by Sergi Aris (Flickr)

Common name:
collared sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-colar (pt); souimanga à collier (fr); suimanga acollarado (es); waldnektarvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola, northern Botswana, and through Mozambique down to eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 9-10 cm long and weigh 7 g.

Habitat:
The collared sunbird is mostly found in mountain, coastal and lowland evergreen forests, in swamp forests, and also in thorny savannas, scrublands and gardens near forest edges. They can also be found in plantations and near fresh water wetlands.

Diet:
They mainly feed on the nectar of a wide range of plants, and also take some fruits and invertebrates such as termites, ant pupae, spiders and snails.

Breeding:
Collared sunbirds breed all year round. The female builds the nest alone, an untidy oval-shaped structure with a side entrance, made of dry grass, rootlets, twigs, tendrils and leaves bound together with spider webs. The nest is lined with plant fibres, horse hair, rootlets and feathers and is typically strung from the outer foliage of a sapling, scrub or creeper, often near a wasp nest. The female lays 1-4 eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are mainly fed by the female and fledge 13-17 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 3-4 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be common to abundant throughout this range. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Scarlet-chested sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Photo by Mike Pope (World-Birds)

Common name:
scarlet-chested sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-peito-escarlate (pt); souïmanga à poitrine rouge (fr); suimanga pechiescarlata (es); rotbrust-glanzköpfchen (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from southern Mauritania and Guinea to Ethiopia and south to northern Namibia and north-eastern South Africa. The scarlet-chested sunbird is absent from the Congo river basin and from the coastal regions around the Gulf of Guinea.

Size:
These birds are 13-15 cm long and have a wingspan of 25-30 cm. They weigh 10-14 g.

Habitat:
The scarlet-chested sunbird is mostly found in dry savannas and scrublands, but also in dry grasslands, orchards and rural gardens, arable land and urban parks and gardens.

Diet:
They feed on the nectar of various flowers, namely Erythrina, Leonotis, Loranthus, Aloe, Tithonia, Schotia, Kniphofia, Crotalaria, Callistemon, Canna, Tapinanthus, Bombax, Phragmanthera and Albizia, but show some preference for large red blooms. They also eat spiders and insects such as grubs, ants, termite alates, caterpillars, crickets, leafhoppers, beetles and flies.

Breeding:
Scarlet-chested sunbirds can breed all year round, varying between different parts of their range. they are monogamous solitary nesters and the female builds the nest alone. The nest is a suspended oval or pear-shaped structure, made of grasses, dead leaves, plant down and spider webs, decorated with seeds, leaves, strings, feathers and even pieces of paper. it is suspended from the tip of a branch, 2-10 m above the ground. There the female lays 1-3 cream, greenish or pinkish eggs with darker markings, which she incubates alone for 13-15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-20 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as abundant and widespread in savanna woodlands. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Mariqua sunbird

Nectarinia maquiquensis

Photo by Guillaume Emaresi (Flickr)

Common name:

Mariqua sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-Marico (pt); souïmanga de Mariqua (fr); suimanga del Marico (es); bindennektarvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae


Range:
This species occupies two separate areas in sub-Saharan Africa. One population occurs from Eritrea to Tanzania while the other extends from Angola and south-western Zambia to northern South Africa.


Size:
This species is 10-12 cm long and weighs 11-12 g.


Habitat:
Mariqua sunbirds are mostly found in dry Acacia savannas, in rivers, streams and riparian woodlands, scrub dominated wetlands and swamp forests. They can also be found in suburban gardens.


Diet:
They feed on nectar of a wide range of plants, namely Acacia, Aloe, Bauhinia, Cadaba, Crotalaria, Erythrina, Geranium, Kigelia, Kniphofia, Leonotis, Loranthus, Peltophorum, Callistemoni, Grevillea and Jacaranda. They also glean arthropods from foliage, namely flies, moths, caterpillars, wasps, termites and spiders.


Breeding:
Mariqua sunbirds breed in July-February. the female builds the nest alone, consisting of a compact, pear-shaped structure made of dry grass and spider web, and camouflaged with bark, lumps of resin, small flowers, plant seeds, caterpillar faeces and seed capsules. It is placed in dense foliage, 2-8 m above the ground. There she lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 13-15 days. The chicks are fed by the female until fledging, but receive food from both parents for a few weeks after fledging.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common to locally abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Souimanga sunbird

Cinnyris sovimanga

(Photo from Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
souimanga sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-Madagáscar (pt); souimanga malgache (fr); suimanga malgache (es); Malegassennektarvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae


Range:
This species is found in Madagascar, and in the nearby archipelagos of Aldabra and Glorioso.


Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and have a wingspan of 13-14 cm.


Habitat:
The souimanga sunbird is found in tropical and sub-tropical forests, mangroves and scrublands, but also in gardens, parks and degraded patches of former forest. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.300 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat the nectar of various flowers, but will also hunt small insects and spiders.


Breeding:
Souimanga sunbirds breed in August-March. The female builds the nest, a dome-shaped structure made of grass stems, coconut fibre and leaves. It has a side entrance and is usually suspended from a branch 1-2 m above the ground. The female lays 2 whitish eggs with reddish mottles, which she incubates alone for 13-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 16-18 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, it is described as abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Greater double-collared sunbird

Cinnyris afer

Photo by Elaine van Dyk (Red Bubble)

Common name:
greater double-collared sunbird (en); beija-flor-de-banda-larga (pt); souïmanga à plastron rouge (fr); suimanga bicollar mayor (es); großer doppelband-nektarvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Nectariniidae


Range:
These birds are endemic to South Africa and Swaziland, occurring in a band from the Limpopo Province, through Mpumalanga and Swaziland, and into KwaZulu-Natal and down the coast to the Western and Eastern Cape.


Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh 9-11 g.


Habitat:
They are generally found along the edges of mountain, coastal and dune forests, but also in fynbos, coastal scrubland, Acacia savanna, gardens and parks.


Diet:
These birds mainly feed on the nectar of various flowers, including Aloe, Cotyledon, Erica, Protea, Tecoma capensis, Gasteria, Hibiscus, Salvia, Plumbago, Canna, Pyrostegia venusta and cultivated pineapples. They also eat fruits and fruit juices, and some small arthropods.


Breeding:
Greater double-collared sunbirds can breed all year round, but with a peak in July-November. They are monogamous and the female builds the nest alone, an oval-shaped structure built of a variety of materials, such as dry grass, bark shreds, wool, cottony material, feathers, fur, leaves, lichen, rootlets, twiglets and string bound together with spider web. It is typically placed 2-6 metres above ground in a tree with dense foliage. The female lays 1-2 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-16 days, but only become fully independent 10 days later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species as a large breeding range and is described as locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.