Cinnyris chalcomelas
The Violet-breasted Sunbird (Cinnyris chalcomelas) is a resplendent jewel of Eastern Africa, instantly recognizable by the male's dazzling plumage. Measuring approximately 10-12 cm (4-4.7 inches) in length and weighing a mere 5-10 grams, the male boasts a brilliant, iridescent violet-blue breast that shimmers with purple and blue hues, contrasting with glossy green upperparts and a dark, often purplish-black belly. A slender, decurved bill is perfectly adapted for nectar feeding. Females, in ...
Found primarily in a variety of tropical and subtropical habitats, including woodlands, savannas, coastal scrub, gardens, and cultivated areas, typically at elevations from sea level up to 2000 meters.
Primarily nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants, supplemented by small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage or caught in flight.
Highly active and diurnal, the Violet-breasted Sunbird spends its days flitting rapidly between flowers. It forages primarily for nectar, hovering like a hummingbird or perching to probe deep into blooms with its specialized bill, often gleaning small insects and spiders from foliage to supplemen...
The Violet-breasted Sunbird is endemic to Eastern Africa, with a resident, non-migratory distribution extending from southern Somalia and coastal Kenya south through Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, reaching into the northeastern parts of South Africa. It primarily occupies coastal low...
Least Concern
- Its dazzling iridescence is structural, caused by microscopic feather barbules that diffract light, not by pigments. - Like hummingbirds, they can hover proficiently in front of flowers to access nectar. - Males are highly territorial and will fiercely defend prime feeding areas. - Their long, ...