"Tiny Beauty", Southern Double-collared Sunbird Is A Star Of The Forest (8 Photos)

Where the Americas have hummingbirds, the Old World has sunbirds; brightly coloured jewels that flash in the light. The males often wear showy colours which makes identification straightforward while females tend towards the dull and difficult (my non-birding, proof-reading wife has just suggested that I change that last sentence, but you know what I mean).

Breeding: They breed on forest edges and sometimes in gardens. The nest is an untidy oval that is usually 2m to 3m above the ground and is securely built into the foliage. It has a well-developed hood of fine grass that projects over the entrance and loose nesting material often hangs from the bottom. The laying months are typically July to November with a clutch size of two. The nests are frequently parasitized by Klaas's Cuckoo. The incubation period is 15 to 16 days by the female only. Nestling/fledging period is 15 or 16 days.