Bocage's sunbird

Bocage's sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is present in the Bié Plateau (Angola) and southern DRC.

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Distribution

Region

South-central Africa

Typical Environment

Occurs primarily on the Angolan highlands, especially the Bié Plateau, and extends into southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (e.g., Katanga/Lualaba region). It frequents miombo (Brachystegia) and other broad-leaved woodland mosaics, wooded savanna, gallery forest edges, and secondary growth. It also visits riparian thickets and flowering shrubs in disturbed areas and villages. Local movements follow flowering cycles, so abundance can vary seasonally at a site.

Altitude Range

900–1900 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size10–12 cm

Wing Span15–18 cm

Male Weight0.008 kg

Female Weight0.007 kg

Life Expectancy5 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Bocage's sunbird is a small nectar specialist of upland woodlands on the Bié Plateau of Angola and adjacent southern DRC. Like other sunbirds, it uses a brush-tipped tongue to lap nectar and also takes small insects, especially when feeding young. It often tracks flowering trees and shrubs and can appear locally common where blooms are abundant.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

active and territorial

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with frequent hovering at flowers

Social Behavior

Usually seen singly or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks in flowering trees. Pairs defend nectar-rich patches during the breeding season. The nest is a suspended, purse-like structure built from plant fibers and spider webs, with the female doing most of the construction.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A thin, high-pitched series of twitters and sips interspersed with sharper tchit notes. Calls are rapid and metallic, often given while foraging among blossoms.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Bohemian waxwing

The Bohemian waxwing is a starling-sized passerine bird that breeds in the northern forests of the Palearctic and North America. It has mainly buff-grey plumage, black face markings and a pointed crest. Its wings are patterned with white and bright yellow, and some of the wing feathers have red tips, the resemblance of which to sealing wax gives these birds their common name. The two or three subspecies show only minor differences in appearance. Females are similar to males, although young birds are less well-marked and have few or no waxy wingtips. Although the Bohemian waxwing's range overlaps those of the cedar and Japanese waxwings, it is easily distinguished from them by size and plumage differences.

Böhm's flycatcher

Böhm's flycatcher is a species of passerine bird in the Old world flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Myopornis. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa from Angola to Tanzania, Malawi and south Zambia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is named after German zoologist Richard Böhm.