- Promerops gurneyi
Identification
Length 23-29 cm (9-11½ in); tail 10-17 cm, mass 32-38 g, males larger than females, with longer tails.
- Crown and breast russet
- Back and malar stripe brown, back streaked
- Cheek and throat white
- Belly white streaked dusky
- Vent and undertail coverts yellow.
Distribution
 |
Eastern South Africa, western eSwatini and highlands of eastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique. |
| Legend • P. g. ardens; year-round |
Taxonomy
One of two species in the family Promeropidae. The Cape Sugarbird Promerops cafer is also endemic to southern Africa.
Subspecies
Two subspecies2:
- P. g. ardens: breast brighter than nominate race, lower back greener, and cheeks darker.
- Eastern Zimbabwe to west-central Mozambique north of Limpopo River
- P. g. gurneyi:
- Northern and eastern South Africa (Limpopo south along the Drakensberg escarpment to Eastern Cape)
Habitat
Montane scrub with Protea, Aloe and Strelitzia species. Frequents Protea farms.
Behaviour
Solitary or in pairs, with groups at rich food sources. Aggressive, especially to others of the same species, and to Malachite Sunbirds.
Diet
Feeds on nectar (especially that of Protea species), arthropods, and some pollen.
Movements
Moves locally up to 37 km in response to flowering of food plants.
References
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Gurney's Sugarbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Gurney%27s_Sugarbird
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
