The eastern double-collared sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is found in upland areas of Kenya and northern Tanzania.
Region
East African Highlands
Typical Environment
Occurs in upland and montane regions of central Kenya (including Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range) and extends south to northern Tanzania (such as Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro). It favors montane forest edges, bamboo zones, ericaceous heath, and high-altitude shrublands. The species also uses clearings, plantations, and highland gardens with abundant flowering plants. It often moves locally along altitudinal gradients following blooms, but remains within the highland zone.
Altitude Range
1400–3200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
This small sunbird is a highland specialist of Kenya and northern Tanzania, where it frequents flowering shrubs and heaths. Males have a striking red breast band bordered by a narrow metallic blue band, which gives the species its 'double-collared' name. It is an important pollinator of montane plants and will readily visit garden flowers in suitable altitude zones.
Male specimen at Nairobi National Museum
Temperament
active and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with frequent hovering
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, with males defending rich flowering patches. During breeding, pairs build a suspended, purse-shaped nest from plant fibers and spider webs in dense vegetation. They may join loose mixed-species foraging groups outside the breeding season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a rapid, high-pitched series of twitters and trills delivered from a prominent perch. Calls include sharp 'tsip' and buzzier notes during foraging and territorial chases.
Plumage
Male is iridescent green on head and upperparts with a narrow metallic blue band above a bright red breast band; underparts grayish to whitish below the band. Female is olive-brown above with grayish underparts and lacks the vivid bands. Both sexes have a slender, decurved bill and slightly forked tail.
Diet
Primarily consumes nectar from a variety of montane flowers, probing deeply with its decurved bill. It also takes small arthropods such as insects and spiders, gleaned from foliage or caught on short sallies. By visiting tubular and brushy flowers, it serves as an effective pollinator of highland plants like aloes, Leonotis, and ericaceous shrubs.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in flowering shrubs, forest edges, heaths, and gardens at high elevations. Often selects nectar-rich native plants but readily uses introduced ornamentals around human settlements.
