Orange-breasted Sunbird - BirdForum Opus

Anthobaphes violacea

Nectarinia violacea

Photo © by Mybs
Helderberg Nature Reserve, near Cape Town, South Africa, 22 June 2005

Identification

14.5–16.5 cm. Head metallic green with brown upperparts, orange breast, blue band across the base of the throat.

Distribution

South Africa

Taxonomy

Recent molecular studies have suggested that this species is basal among the African Sunbirds and it has been placed in the monotypic genus Anthobaphes (previously Nectarinia).

Habitat

Heathlands, parks and gardens.

Behaviour

Diet

Its diet includes nectar, insects and spiders.

Breeding

The female builds a ball-shaped nest from rootlets, leaves, twigs, grass, and cobwebs, which is placed in a bush. 1-2 white eggs with brown markings are laid and incubated for 2 weeks. Both sexes feed young but the female does two-thirds of the work. After fledging, the parents tend the young for three weeks.

References

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Orange-breasted Sunbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 November 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Orange-breasted_Sunbird

External Links

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