Alternative name: Longtailed Sugarbird
- Promerops cafer
Identification
Male - 34-44cm (13½-17¼ in), very long tail feathers
Female 25-29cm (9¾-11½ in), paler breast, shorter tail
- Grey-brown plumage
- Yellow under tail
- White chin with distinctive brown stripe, white line above
- Long sharp bill
- Long, brush-tipped tongue
Similar Species
Gurney's Sugarbird is smaller with shorter tail and conspicuous russet breast and crown. No overlap in range.
Distribution
South Africa: found only in the mountains of Cape Province.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
It is one of two species in the family Promeropidae. The Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneye is also endemic to southern Africa.
Habitat
Low mountains scrub, fynbos and flowering protea stands. Botanic gardens.
Behaviour
They show a strong preference for Fynbos habitat with many flowering Proteaceae particularly the King Protea (Protea cynaroides) which has the largest flowers in the genus. Coevolution has led to an interdependence with the Sugarbird being the primary pollinator for this flower. Sugarbirds are also important pollinators for other Proteaceae such as Leucospermum and Mimetes.
Diet
The diet consists almost entirely of nectar from a variety of protea flowers, with the addition of some spiders and insects.
Breeding
The cup nest is made from twigs, grass roots and pine needles, lined with protea down. The breeding season is timed to coincide with the emergence of protea flowers.
Vocalizations
Complex song includes chips and whistles recalling European Starling. Also hummingbird-like harsh, grating noises.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- de Swardt, D. (2018). Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer). 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. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/60258 on 22 June 2018).
- Sinclair, I., Hockey, P.A.R., and Arlott, N. (2005). The Larger Illustrated Guide to Birds of Southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town. ISBN 978-1775840992
- South Africa Wildlife.
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Cape Sugarbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Cape_Sugarbird
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
