About Cinnyris chalybeus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Identification: The southern double-collared sunbird measures 12 cm in total length. The adult male has glossy, metallic green plumage covering its head, throat, upper breast, and back. It features a bright red band stretching across its chest, which is separated from the green upper breast by a narrow metallic blue band. The rest of its underparts are whitish, and yellow feather tufts on the shoulders become visible when the male is displaying. Like other sunbird species, it has a long, decurved bill. The bill, legs, and feet are black, and the eye is dark brown. The male can be told apart from the similar greater double-collared sunbird by its smaller overall size, narrower red chest band, and shorter bill. The female southern double-collared sunbird has brown upperparts and yellowish-grey underparts. Juvenile plumage matches that of the adult female. Compared to other female sunbirds, the female southern double-collared sunbird is greyer on the underparts than the female orange-breasted sunbird, and darker on the underparts than the female dusky sunbird. Habitat: This sunbird is common in gardens, fynbos, forests, and coastal scrub. The southern double-collared sunbird breeds between April and December, with timing varying by region. It builds a closed, oval-shaped nest from grass, lichen, and other plant material, bound together with spider webs. The nest has a side entrance that sometimes features a small porch, and it is lined with wool, plant down, and feathers.
