White-Bellied Sunbird
Cinnyris talatala
Also known as: White-Breasted Sunbird
About This Species
A small sunbird of savanna, woodland edge and gardens across southern Africa, feeding on nectar from flowering aloes, acacias and garden shrubs, supplemented with small insects. Males display an iridescent green head and back with a narrow blue-black breast band, flashing brightly in direct sun, while females are duller olive-grey. Flowering aloes in the cooler months are especially reliable, drawing birds in to feed at close range for extended periods.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Sunbirds at flowering shrubs will often tolerate a still observer at close range, so there is usually no need to approach further than a few metres.
- Wildlife protection legislation is set at the national level across the many southern African countries in its range, so check local rules before visiting protected habitat.
- Avoid disturbing nests, which are small hanging structures easily damaged by handling nearby vegetation.
LCAvesPasseriformesNectariniidae
Seasonal Activity
171,424 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
Photo
(c) Callum Evans, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Callum Evans
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.