Cinnyris talatala
An inhabitant of open woodlands, riparian thickets, bushveld and suburban gardens, the tiny (6-9g) White-bellied Sunbird feeds mainly on nectar from a variety of flowers, although insects and other invertebrates also makes up a sizable portion of its diet.
White-bellied Sunbirds breed throughout the year, with a peak in spring and summer. The nest is built by the female, of dry plant material bound together by spider web, often in a very thorny plant or near a wasp nest. The female is also singly responsible for incubating the clutch of 1-3 eggs for about two weeks, but both parents feed the chicks until they fledge after another two weeks.
In South Africa, White-bellied Sunbirds occur in Kwazulu-Natal, the Free State, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces. It is also found in Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and with an abundant, stable population is regarded as being of least concern by the IUCN.
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird female
White-bellied Sunbird (male) on a Wild Mango blossom
As you can see from this gallery, Joubert and I have great fun photographing the White-bellied Sunbirds visiting the Cape Honeysuckle and other flowering shrubs in our small garden.
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female feeding on Cape Honeysuckle nectar in our garden
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird Juvenile Male
White-bellied Sunbird Juvenile Male
White-bellied Sunbird Juvenile Male
White-bellied Sunbird Juvenile Male
White-bellied Sunbird Juvenile Male
White-bellied Sunbird Juvenile Male
White-bellied Sunbird Juvenile Male feeding on Cape Honeysuckle nectar in our garden
White-bellied Sunbird Female feeding on Cape Honeysuckle nectar in our garden
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female
Young White-bellied Sunbird male
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird male
White-bellied Sunbird male
White-bellied Sunbird Female
White-bellied Sunbird Female feeding on Cape Honeysuckle nectar in our garden
Young White-bellied Sunbird male
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird feeding on Cape Honeysuckle nectar in our garden
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird Male
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird feeding on Cape Honeysuckle nectar in our garden
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird male
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Hi there, I hope someone will be able to help. We have one of these little male birds that comes home every evening at 19:00 and sleeps on the chandelier on our front porch all night long.
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You’re very lucky to have such an attractive visitor, Lara.
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I have a white-bellied Sunbird couple who are making a nest on my washing line in my courtyard! It is right outside my kitchen window so I have a ‘birds-eye view’ of their comings and goings. Do you have any pictures of their finished nest, and if their entrance faces in a particular direction…East etc. Can I feed them with sugar water?
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How wonderfully lucky you are to have them choose your property for their nest, Dawn! Unfortunately I have never seen a white-bellied sunbird nest and if you want to would appreciate if you could post a picture here together with your comment of their completed nest?
As for feeding them you might find this link useful: https://takalani.co.za/nectar-recipe-and-feeder-care/
Kind regards
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I would love having a visitor like this in my garden, I like your gallery.
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Thanks a lot, P.J.B. We love attracting birds to our garden, makes it feel a little less like the city…
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Those are some wonderful pictures of this bird!
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Thank you very much, Siobhan!
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Pragtige foto’s,Dries!Dis juis so moeilik om die knapies af te neem,want hulle sit mos nooit stil nie…welgedaan!
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Baie dankie, Dina! Ja, ek en Joubert het groot pret om hulle dop te hou!
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I don’t think I’ve seen this subird before. We only get the tiny, shiny, blue-green ones in our area. They love the nectar of the hibiscus that I have a forest of in my garden. Fantastic photos.
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You must have so much fun with the sunbirds in your garden, Kim!?
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Great picture of the beautiful bird. 🙂 Is it related to the hummingbirds?
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Not at all related, John, but a great example of how evolution has resulted in similar adaptations to a similar lifestyle!
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What a pretty and pleasant looking little bird! Reminds me also of a hummingbird.
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And so lively – Always flitting about and chirping away!
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Your sunbird reminds me of a hummingbird, especially with its iridescent patches and wings spread.
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Although they’re not related at all, Annette, it is interesting to see how sunbirds and hummingbirds have adapted similarly to their food source!
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What a delicate little bird!
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I think they’re a lot tougher than they look, having seen them chase of birds much bigger than themselves!
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Yay for the little ones!
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I like best the shot displaying the beauty of the wings. 🙂
janet
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Thanks, Janet!
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What a lovely bird! I honestly didn’t know there was a real bird called a Sunbird. I sounds like something from a fairy story.
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We have several species of sunbird – this is one of the more drab varieties!
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