Cinnyris chalybeus
The Southern Double-collared Sunbird occurs only in South Africa (all provinces excluding Gauteng, the Free State and North West) and marginally into Swaziland and southern Namibia. They inhabit coastal and arid scrublands, fynbos, woodland, plantations and temperate forests and are usually seen singly, in pairs or family groups. They feed on nectar, fruit and small invertebrates. Adults are about 12cm long and weigh approximately 8g.
The peak breeding season for the Southern Double-collared Sunbird stretches from mid-winter to spring, though there are records from the rest of the year as well. Their nests are oval-shaped balls of grass, other soft plant materials and spiderweb built by the female without any assistance from the male. Clutches contain 1-3 eggs and are also incubated solely by the female over a 2-week period, but both parents feed the chicks which leave the nest by the time they are 3 weeks old. The youngsters become independent about a month after leaving the nest.
The IUCN regards the Southern Double-collared Sunbird as being of least concern.
DeWetsWild 
We have a pair nesting in a bamboo light shade on our deck in Morgan Bay. Thank you gor sharing this information. Now we know what to expect.
Marlene
Enjoy watching the family grow, Marlene!
What a beautiful little bird!
Beautiful! ❤️
Agree entirely, Irene!
Dries, hier is sommer ‘n hele familie van hulle hier in my tuin. Hulle kuier in die leonurus leonotis boom (wilde dagga) en is ook lief vir die Salvia lanceolata met die bruinerige blomme.
Dit is wonderlik Aletta – ook omdat ons onlangs 2 wildedaggas aangeplant het in ons tuintjie!
Dis ongelooflik om hulle dop te hou in daardie boom!
Ek sal regtig bly wees as ons nog n paar suikerbekkies hier kry – die witpenssuikerbekkies is baie lief vir die “cape honeysuckles” in ons tuin
Dit sal goed wees. Ons het ook die malachite sunbird (jangroentjie) hier by ons.
Mens gaan sukkel om mooier as hulle te kry!
Dis waar, maar so moeilik om hulle af te neem. Altyd aan die beweeg😄
Getrou aan hul aard. Jy sal maar hard met hulle moet praat om bietjie te bedaar!
I always enjoy your avian images. I admire your patience in capturing them. I’ve tried and know how hard it is!
Thanks, John! It is therapy to me, so different from my office job…
Gorgeous! They look very hummingbird-ish.
Excellent examples of convergent evolution, Kathy – same function, same form, though the sunbirds and hummingbirds are not related in any way.
So pretty, Dries. 😍
They really are! Thanks for visiting, Sylvia!
We have a resident pair of Greater Double-collared Sunbirds in our garden.
Lucky you, Anne! Such busy, beautiful birds they are.
The iridescence in the feathers is really beautiful.
Exceptional when you see them in full sunlight, P J B, though they so seldomly sit still when that’s the case.
Dis ‘n pragtige voëltjie! Die arme wyfies is darem te vaal.Dis baie moeilik om suikerbekkies af te neem, want hulle sit nooi stil nie. Jy het dit goed reggekry, Dries!
Baie dankie, Dina!
(Ek het nie getel hoeveel fotos van hulle flops was wat ek maar delete het nie…)
Dit is beslis n jammerte dat die wyfies so vaal is, ook omdat amper al die soorte s’n so vaal is en die uitkenning maar moeilik maak as hulle nie saam met n mannetjie gesien word nie.
Very beautiful bird.😊 Incredibly so small it is, 8 grams!
Amazing that all the vital organs can fit into a body that small, isn’t it John!
Hope you are well?
A little beauty!
Indeed they are, Lois.
awsome photography
Very kind of you, thank you. So long as the photos convey a sense of the wildlife we portray I am very happy.
Very colorful bird! 🙂
Especially the males, the poor females have very little to show off.