Gurney's Sugarbird
Promerops gurneyi
The Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi) is a rare sugarbird found in 4 countries, weighing about 35 g. Gurney's sugarbird is a medium-sized passerine endemic to the mid- and high-altitude grassland velds in southern Africa.
About the Gurney's Sugarbird
Gurney's sugarbird is a medium-sized passerine endemic to the mid- and high-altitude grassland velds in southern Africa. It belongs to the family Promeropidae, which contains one genus, Promerops, and two species. Gurney's sugarbird feeds on nectar from Protea bushes as well as on small insects. This bird is characterized by its long, graduated tail and decurved beak.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Gurney's sugarbird has a long, decurved bill characteristic of nectarivores. It has a chestnut-coloured forehead, along with a faint white eyestripe and white mustachial stripe. A white throat stands out against the russet breast. This species of sugarbird has a dark grey back, and a conspicuous bright yellow rump makes this bird easy to spot. The tail is long and graduated, ranging from 11 to 19.3 cm in length. This species measures between 23 and 29 cm in total, and body mass ranges from 30 to 46.5 g in males and 23 to 43 g in females. Voice: The song for this species consists of three or four ascending notes, with the final note repeated several times. A "song-spell", songs repeated for an extended period of time, can last up to four minutes. Multiple song-spells strung together and separated by short pauses are called full song periods, and these can last for 20 minutes.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Gurney's Sugarbird can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Gurney's Sugarbird?
- Gurney's sugarbird has a long, decurved bill characteristic of nectarivores. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Gurney's Sugarbird?
- The Gurney's Sugarbird is a small sized bird weighing about 35 g.
- Where can you see a Gurney's Sugarbird?
- The Gurney's Sugarbird occurs in 4 countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini.
- What birds look similar to a Gurney's Sugarbird?
- The Gurney's Sugarbird is most easily confused with the Cape Sugarbird.
- Is the Gurney's Sugarbird endangered?
- The Gurney's Sugarbird is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Gurney's Sugarbird for real
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