Southern Double-collared Sunbird or Lesser Double-collared Sunbird – Cinnyris chalybeus – Endemic – Breeding males have a metallic green head, back, throat and upper chest. Narrow red breast-band, pale greyish belly and blue rump. When displaying, yellow feather tufts can be seen on the shoulders. Females are brownish grey and the juvenile resembles the female.

It mainly feeds on nectar, supplemented with athropods, gleaning prey from vegetation and spider webs and hawking insects aerially.

It is common in gardens, fynbos, forests and coastal scrub and breeds from April to December. The nest is built solely by the female in about 25-30 days and the closed oval nest is constructed from grass, lichen and other plant material, bound together with spider webs. It has a side entrance which sometimes has a porch, and is lined with wool, plant down and feathers. It lays 1to 3 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for between 13 to 16 days. The chicks are fed by both adults, leaving the nest after about 15-19 days, after which they continue to roost in the nest for about a week. The parents feed them until they are about 42-46 days old, at which point the young become fully independent.

A common resident.

This beautiful sunbird can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours / Safaris : -

Aves Eastern Cape Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves Western Cape Birding Tour / Safari.

Aves West Coast Birding Tour / Safari.