Glen Publisher_Dainfern In Focus_Issue 0717

BIRD OF THE MONTH
by André Marx
White-bellied Sunbird
Cinnyris talatala
In June and July many of the aloes in Dainfern are in full flower and this is the time that nectar-feeding
birds are in their element. One such bird is our most common sunbird species, the White-bellied Sunbird.
This is one of the easier to identify sunbirds with the
male showing a white belly and iridescent green
throat and back, a feature not evident in any of the
other local sunbird species. Because of the strong
sexual dimorphism shown with sunbird species – as
is evident in the photographs with this article - the
female is and more difficult to identify and is quite
drab compared to the male.
This is a species of light wooded areas and gardens
and parks. It has benefited a great deal from the
planting of trees and nectar producing plants in
suburban areas and is undoubtedly more common
in the greater Gauteng area than in historical times
when there were fewer trees and flowering plants.
It is mostly seen singly, or in pairs when breeding.
Sunbirds cannot exist only on nectar and insects
form an important part of the diet, with bees, ants,
wasps, spiders and even locusts being caught and
consumed or are gleaned from foliage. Nectar is
taken from flowers in the canopy of trees, or from
aloes and plants such as redhot pokers (kniphofia)
that flower at certain times of the year, although
this is mostly in autumn and early winter.
This is a monogamous species, pairing up with one
mate for most of its life. It lays from 1-3 white eggs in
a cleverly constructed and cryptic-looking hanging
nest, positioned in the tree canopy and protected
from predators by dense foliage. Spider web is used
to bind together the leaves and grass used to make
up the nest and incubation is done solely by the
female although both parents feed the chicks.
The White-bellied Sunbird is a fairly common species
that cannot be described as being threatened in any
manner in the region. It is a superb bird to see on
the estate as it dashes around in search of flowering
plants. As long as the banks of aloes and other
flowering plants on the estate that produce nectar
continue to be cultivated we should continue to see
this cheerful bird amongst us.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: SPCA Germiston Branch is in dire straits and will close if they do not
receive donations. Account details: EFT to SPCA Germiston and Bedfordview,
FNB Eastgate Branch (Code 257705), Account no 623 039 13843, Ref: Web.
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