Takalani: Learn more about Sugarbirds and Sunbirds

A slender sunbird, the male with a bright orange breast. Size 12cm (female) 15cm (male) - much smaller than a sparrow, slender, males have quite a long tail. Afrikaans: Oranjeborssuikerbekkie As with other sunbirds the bill is long and decurved, that of the male being longer than that of the female. The bill, legs and feet are black. The eye is dark brown. The head, throat and mantle of the male are bright metallic green. The rest of the upper parts are olive green. The upper breast is metallic violet and the lower breast is bright orange, fading to paler orange and yellow on the belly. The tail is long and blackish, with elongated central tail feathers, which extend some way, belong the other feathers. The female has olive-greenish grey upper parts and olive yellowish underparts, paler on the belly. The wings and tail is blackish. This species is restricted to the Cape Fynbos biome, and is usually found in fynbos where Proteas or Ericas are in flower. The Orange-breasted Sunbird subsists on flower nectar, insects and spiders. The call is a twangy, weak ssharaynk or sskrang, often repeated several times. The Orange-breasted Sunbird breeds from February to November (Mainly in May - August) The nest is an oval of rootlets, fine leafy twigs and grass, bound together with spider webs and lined with brown protea fluff. It has a side top entrance, but does not have a covered porch.

Feeding Habits ...

This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten .
The bird also drinks nectar from flowers high up in the tree canopy.

Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...

The Orange-breasted Sunbird is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 1 to 2 eggs and they are coloured white.
The nest is built high up in the tree canopy and is protected from predators by branches and the dense green foligae.
This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests.
The bird is an urban dweller as well, being at home in parks, gardens and in old vacated buildings.

Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...

This bird is usually seen in small family groups or in large flocks.