The Cape sugarbird is a grey-brown bird that is easily recognisable by a spot of yellow under its tail and the very long tail feathers present in males. The male is 34–44 cm long, and the shorter-tailed, shorter-billed, and paler breasted female 25–29 cm long. Another characteristic of the Cape sugarbird is the sound it makes when it flies. The main flight feathers are arranged in such a way that when the bird beats its wings, a frrt-frrt sound is made with the intention of attracting females.[4]
Distribution and status
The Cape sugarbird is distributed throughout most of the fire driven ecosystem of the Fynbos in South Africa, the dominant vegetation type of the Cape Floral Region where there are flowering proteas and ericas. It is most common in areas that have not burnt recently, and almost absent from recently burnt areas.[5] It is also found in gardens in summer when most proteas are not in flower, but urban birds are associated with greater stress measures.[6] With a large population and extensive range,[5] the Cape sugarbird is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1]
Behaviour
Food and feeding
The Cape sugarbird is a specialist nectar feeder when it comes to feeding off Proteaceae. Its long, sharp beak is used to reach the nectar of a variety of species of protea with its long brush-tipped tongue. The staple diet of this sugarbird is nectar; however, it will also eat spiders and insects. The characteristic strong winds in the Cape may make feeding off protea heads difficult, but the Cape sugarbird has adapted to this with the development of sharp claws. If they become hungry they could resort to eating their own kind. [4]
Breeding
The breeding season for the Cape sugarbird is winter when food supplies are ample.[4] Breeding males set up territories in mature stands of Protea bushes, where they perform vocal displays.[7]
Gallery
Cape sugarbird
Female in South Africa
Male drinking nectar from a Protea cynaroides in South Africa
References
^ abBirdLife International (2016). "Promerops cafer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22717447A94532363. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22717447A94532363.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Note: the name "cafer" is Modern Latin for Caffer, an adjective meaning South African, or of South Africa (Caffraria). Aasheesh Pittie. "A dictionary of scientific bird names originating from the Indian region". Retrieved 11 September 2015.
^Wright D.R, Lee A.T.K. 2017. Bird -friendly Habitat Management Guidelines for the endemic birds of the Fynbos Biome. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa.
^ abLee, A.T.K, Altwegg, R. & Barnard, P. 2017. Estimating conservation metrics from atlas data: the case of southern African endemic birds. Bird Conservation International.
^Mackay, B., Lee, A.T.K., Barnard, P., Møller, A. P., & Brown, M. 2017. Urbanization, climate and ecological stress indicators in an endemic nectarivore, the Cape Sugarbird. Journal of Ornithology, 1-12.
^Lee, A.T.K. & Barnard, P; Hockey, P. 2015. Population metrics for fynbos birds, South Africa: densities, and detection and capture rates from a Mediterranean-type ecosystem. Ostrich. 86(1-2). 179-186.
External links
Compilers Stuart Butchart; Jonathan Ekstrom (2008). "Cape Sugarbird - BirdLife Species Factsheet". Evaluators: Jeremy Bird, Stuart Butchart. BirdLife International. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
Cape sugarbird - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
Cape sugarbird in Bloemfontein, SA
January 31, 2023
cape, sugarbird, promerops, cafer, eight, bird, species, endemic, fynbos, biome, western, cape, eastern, cape, provinces, south, africa, male, south, africaconservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, classificationkingdom, animaliaphylum, chordatacla. The Cape sugarbird Promerops cafer 2 is one of the eight bird species endemic to the Fynbos biome of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa 3 Cape sugarbirdMale in South AfricaConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily PromeropidaeGenus PromeropsSpecies P caferBinomial namePromerops cafer Linnaeus 1758 SynonymsMerops cafer Linnaeus 1758 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and status 3 Behaviour 3 1 Food and feeding 3 2 Breeding 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksDescription EditThe Cape sugarbird is a grey brown bird that is easily recognisable by a spot of yellow under its tail and the very long tail feathers present in males The male is 34 44 cm long and the shorter tailed shorter billed and paler breasted female 25 29 cm long Another characteristic of the Cape sugarbird is the sound it makes when it flies The main flight feathers are arranged in such a way that when the bird beats its wings a frrt frrt sound is made with the intention of attracting females 4 Distribution and status EditThe Cape sugarbird is distributed throughout most of the fire driven ecosystem of the Fynbos in South Africa the dominant vegetation type of the Cape Floral Region where there are flowering proteas and ericas It is most common in areas that have not burnt recently and almost absent from recently burnt areas 5 It is also found in gardens in summer when most proteas are not in flower but urban birds are associated with greater stress measures 6 With a large population and extensive range 5 the Cape sugarbird is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1 Behaviour EditFood and feeding Edit The Cape sugarbird is a specialist nectar feeder when it comes to feeding off Proteaceae Its long sharp beak is used to reach the nectar of a variety of species of protea with its long brush tipped tongue The staple diet of this sugarbird is nectar however it will also eat spiders and insects The characteristic strong winds in the Cape may make feeding off protea heads difficult but the Cape sugarbird has adapted to this with the development of sharp claws If they become hungry they could resort to eating their own kind 4 Breeding Edit The breeding season for the Cape sugarbird is winter when food supplies are ample 4 Breeding males set up territories in mature stands of Protea bushes where they perform vocal displays 7 Gallery Edit Cape sugarbird Female in South Africa Male drinking nectar from a Protea cynaroides in South AfricaReferences Edit a b BirdLife International 2016 Promerops cafer IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22717447A94532363 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22717447A94532363 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Note the name cafer is Modern Latin for Caffer an adjective meaning South African or of South Africa Caffraria Aasheesh Pittie A dictionary of scientific bird names originating from the Indian region Retrieved 11 September 2015 Wright D R Lee A T K 2017 Bird friendly Habitat Management Guidelines for the endemic birds of the Fynbos Biome Johannesburg South Africa BirdLife South Africa a b c Ian Sinclair Phil Hockey amp Warwick R Tarboton 2002 SASOL Birds of Southern Africa Struik Publishers ISBN 1 86872 721 1 a b Lee A T K Altwegg R amp Barnard P 2017 Estimating conservation metrics from atlas data the case of southern African endemic birds Bird Conservation International Mackay B Lee A T K Barnard P Moller A P amp Brown M 2017 Urbanization climate and ecological stress indicators in an endemic nectarivore the Cape Sugarbird Journal of Ornithology 1 12 Lee A T K amp Barnard P Hockey P 2015 Population metrics for fynbos birds South Africa densities and detection and capture rates from a Mediterranean type ecosystem Ostrich 86 1 2 179 186 External links EditCompilers Stuart Butchart Jonathan Ekstrom 2008 Cape Sugarbird BirdLife Species Factsheet Evaluators Jeremy Bird Stuart Butchart BirdLife International Retrieved June 6 2009 Cape sugarbird Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Cape sugarbird in Bloemfontein SA Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cape sugarbird amp oldid 1125296156, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
