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Gurney's Sugarbird

Promerops gurneyi

Near Threatened · IUCN Red List

NTNear ThreatenedNectarShrublandCup nestSmall · 35 g
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 1
Photo: nmoorhatch · CC BY 4.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 2
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 3
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 4
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dkeats/ · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 5
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 6
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 7
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 8
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 9
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Gurney's Sugarbird (Promerops gurneyi), photo 10
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0

ID tip

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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Gurney's Sugarbird

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Gurney's Sugarbird

Regular range

The map shades 4 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

South Africa Zimbabwe Lesotho Eswatini

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.

Easily confused with

Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer) Cape SugarbirdPromerops caferThe Cape sugarbird is a grey-brown bird that is easily recognisable by a spot of yellow under its tail and the very long tail feathers present in males.

Side by side: Cape Sugarbird vs Gurney's Sugarbird

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