Gurney's Sugarbird
A species of Sugarbirds Scientific name : Promerops gurneyi Genus : Sugarbirds
Gurney's Sugarbird, A species of Sugarbirds
Botanical name: Promerops gurneyi
Genus: Sugarbirds
Content
Description General Info
Description
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. Females are smaller than males, with shorter bills and tail feathers. Males also have triangular-shaped bulge on the sixth primary feather, used in mating displays. Immature individuals are duller than adults and have a greenish tinge to both their breast and yellow rump. Further, their secondary feathers are edged with a brownish colour. The two subspecies of Gurney's surgarbird have minor differences in their appearance. P. g. gurneyi individuals fit the above description. Meanwhile, P. g. ardens individuals tend to be darker, with a greener rump and a richer chestnut breast than their counterpart subspecies. Gurney's sugarbirds moult their flight feathers (primary and secondary feathers) during the breeding season. Tail feathers, however, moult throughout the year continuously. This is because the long feathers are easily damaged and must be replaced quickly due to their important role in mating displays. 
Size
29 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Gurney's Sugarbird primarily consume nectar, specializing in sugarbushes and Aloes. They exhibit adapted bills for siphoning nectar and forage within territories. In addition to nectar, gurney's Sugarbird catch insects like wasps and beetles, mainly feeding these to chicks during breeding.
Habitat
The habitat of gurney's Sugarbird is characterized by montane shrublands where protea species, specifically Protea roupelliae, are abundant. Gurney's Sugarbird is associated with areas where these proteas dominate, often in mixed veld with Protea caffra, but is not found in lower-altitude regions dominated solely by P. caffra. Additionally, gurney's Sugarbird is resident in protea plantations and visits aloe plants in gardens, though not for breeding purposes. Their favored environments are typically drier, western-facing slopes with a variety of flowering shrubs, including Protea, Strelitzia, and Erythrina.
Dite type
Nectivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Sugarbirds Genus
Sugarbirds Species
Gurney's Sugarbird 
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