From Opus

Photo by Mybs
Helderberg Nature Reserve, South Africa, Jan 2005

Alternative name: Longtailed Sugarbird

Promerops cafer

[edit] Identification

Male - 34-44cm, very long tail feathers
Female 25-29cm, paler breast, shorter tail

• Grey-brown plumage
• Yellow under tail
• White chin with distinctive brown stripe, white line above
• Long sharp bill
• Long, brush-tipped tongue

[edit] Distribution

South Africa: found only in the mountains of Cape Province.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

[edit] Habitat

Low mountains scrub, fynbos and flowering protea stands. Botanic gardens.

Female
Photo by jtwood
South Africa, November 2006

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet includes mainly nectar, with some spiders and insects.

[edit] Breeding

The cup nest is made from twigs, grass roots and pine needles, lined with protea down.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. South Africa Wildlife
3. BF Member observations

• List of references

[edit] External Links