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Birds of Wildcliff Nature Reserve
Dedicated to
plant and wildlife conservation in South Africa's Cape Floral Kingdom
 Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer)
Description. Large,
long-tailed bird. Male has a very long, brown tail (1.5 times
body length or more), streaked belly and flanks, indistinct brown
breast band and yellow vent. Strong, slightly decurved bill is
black; pale cream-colored forecrown shades to brown on head and nape;
pronounced dark malar stripe. Female and immature have shorter tails,
yellow vent, less streaking and less of a breast band. Can be
confused with Gurney’s Sugarbird (Promerops
gurneyi) which does not occur at Wildcliff.. At right,
an adult male.
Call. A tinny rattling song that
includes starling-like chirps and whistles. Sometimes gives
harsh, metallic grating sounds that can be likened to the squeaking of
a rusty gate hinge. Call is most often a loud tinny ‘tcheenk; but
can vary greatly.
Habitat. Fynbos
and macchia; found in stands of flowering proteas at all altitudes,
even found in commercial protea nurseries. Endemic to South
Africa.
Behavior. A
variable migrant that may disperse long or short distances from nesting
sites post-breeding. Usually gregarious in small flocks of a
dozen or more birds that contain both males and females. Post-breeding
movements largely dictated by location of availability of
flowering proteas, ericas, and other nectar giving plants. The
difference in the structure of the flowers requires slightly different
foraging techniques.
Diet. As
implied by the sugarbird’s name, the Cape Sugarbird feeds largely on
nectar. The multitude of protea species found in fynbos and
macchia provide the bulk of the bird’s diet. Will also feed on Mimetes,
Erica and Leucospermum species. Insects and spiders are also necessary
portion of overall diet, providing the required protein not found in
plant nectar.
Predators.
Domestic and feral cats, rodents and snakes will eat eggs, native
feline species. Other birds such as hawks and falcons. Road
kill Cape Sugarbirds have been documented as well.
Reproduction.Breeding
can occur anytime from the end of February to the beginning of
September with the bulk of breeding activity from the middle of April
to the end of May. The breeding season tends to coincide with the
flowering of proteas. Double brooding is
common. An open cup nest, with an invariably untidy
perimeter, is constructed using dry twigs (mostly heath), dried grass,
rootlets, bracken, and pine needles and is lined with protea
down. Only the female builds the nest. Also, only the
female incubates the 1-2 egg clutch, with the majority of nests having
2 eggs. Incubation lasts on average 17 days and the nestling
period is variable from 17-21 days. Both sexes feed young after
hatching. Fledglings will remain with parents for approximately 3
weeks.
On Wildcliff. Seen
in the montane fynbos.
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Female
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Links & References
- Wildcliff
Bird
List
- Birding
Resources Page
- The Sunbirds of
Southern Africa, also the sugarbirds, the white-eyes and the Spotted
Creeper; by CJ. Skead. Publ: Cape Town, Amsterdam, S.A. Bird Book Fund,
1967.
- Sinclair, Ian, and
Peter Ryan. The Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Princeton, NJ:
Princeton University Press, 2003.
- Sinclair, Ian, Phil
Hockey and Warwick Tarboton. Birds of Southern Africa. 3rd ed.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2002.
- Skead, C.J. The
Sunbirds of Southern Africa. Cape Town, S.A.: A.A. Balkema, 1967.
Thanks to Conan Guard
for this page.
Based on sightings in
the immediate area, as many as 160
bird species may be seen at Wildcliff. If
you are interested in conducting an ornithological survey or study at
Wildcliff, please complete the Application Form on the research page.
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