by BRUCE MUNRO
THE Southern double collared sunbird is distributed from Zoutpansberg, down the eastern escarpment and KZN Midlands, the broad coastal belt of the Eastern and Western Cape and Namaqualand.
The sunbird’s voice is a very high pitched jumble of swirling, sizzling and tinkling notes rising and falling in pitch and tempo for three to five seconds.
LISTEN:
Locally common, their habitat is evergreen forests and bush, plantations and gardens.
These sunbirds are found solitary or in pairs. They forage in forest canopies or lower down in bush. The flight is quick and erratic, with the bird often hovering to catch insects in the air.
Apart from insects and spiders, they love the nectar of indigenous flowers and the juice of overripe figs.
WATCH:
https://youtu.be/zPA2FR-egJ4
Breeding season is from April to December.
The nest is built from grass and twigs suspended from a branch or built into shrubs. Two to three cream-coloured eggs are laid. Incubation is about 13 days and nestlings remain for 15 to 19 days and are dependant on their parents for 27 days.
The bird’s Zulu name is iNcuncu and in Afrikaans, it is known as klein-rooibandsuikerbekkie.
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