Not easy to get this little guy, as they sit for only seconds.
But on this occasion, he decided to pose for me. The last picture in this post was a great achievement.
It is a Southern Double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus), and he is the best singer of the sunbird species over here. Very fast and as I said, they do not sit for long.
The southern double-collared sunbird or lesser double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus) is a small passerine bird which breeds in southern Africa. It is mainly resident, but partially migratory in the north-east of its range.
The southern double-collared sunbird is usually seen singly or in small groups. Its flight is fast and direct on short wings. It lives mainly on nectar from flowers, but takes some fruit, and, especially when feeding young, insects and spiders. It can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perches to feed most of the time.
If you look carefully at his beak here below, you will see a piece of his strawlike tongue sticking out.
They suck the nectar out at the base of the flowers.
His lunch time was over, and he returned to his work as a parking attendant. :) Only joking, as he was not finished yet.
Then he flew to a Paradise flower, and of course I followed him.
This below was my first time to get a pair of sunbirds sucking nectar together.
His wife at the left of the photo, joined in the action.
So, what can I say? I was so happy to get the last picture, as normally the sunbirds feed apart, but this was a combination of note, and it lasted for about 3 seconds, before they split apart again. You can see that they were on different flowers, but thankfully the flowers were close together.
So yeah, I am a happy man, and I am sure that you will agree that it was a great shot.
We love nature, and I am addicted to all of the sudden and beautiful appearances of nature's residents. To walk around with a loaded camera is the ultimate gift after a day's successful outing.
I hope you have enjoyed the pictures and the story.
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.
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