Malachite Sunbird

Malachite Sunbird, male

The Malachite Sunbird ( Nectarinia famosa ) is a belonging to the family of nectar birds. It comes in the two subspecies Nectarinia famosa famosa ( Linnaeus, 1766 ) and Nectarinia famosa cupreonitens ( Shelley, 1876) before.

Features

The males grow to a length 25 cm, including the long tail. The plumage is emerald green, otherwise the males are olive-brown similar to females, but have green, shining wings coverts and tail feathers. The female is about 15 cm long and has a brown-gray breast and a pale yellow underside. The short tail is blackish. Males and females have a slightly lighter eye stripe. The eyes are dark brown, while legs and beak are black. The beak is long and curved downward. The young birds are similar to colored females.

Distribution and habitat

Nectarinia famosa famosa occurs in Lesotho, many parts of South Africa and Swaziland, as well as in a small area on the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique, while Nectarinia famosa cupreonitens lives in a strip of Ethiopia to the north of Mozambique.

He is a bar bird who prefers open country and gardens, especially where aloes and proteas occur. It can be found at altitudes up to 2800 meters above sea level.

On the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources of the malachite sunbird with least concern ( not endangered ) substance.

Behavior

The Malachite Sunbird feeds mainly on nectar, but also of small insects, and occasionally small lizards. He can suck the nectar like a hummingbird in Schwirrflug.

The teardrop-shaped nest is usually suspended and is built in about one to two meters in a bush. The nest consists of a dunkelgefleckten to four eggs which are incubated for 12 to 14 days from the females, while the males feed worried. The chicks remain 13 to 17 days in the nest. Outside the breeding season form malachite sunbirds flocks of up to 1000 individuals.