|
About the size of the Purple-rumed Sunbird, which
it somewhat resembles at a distance; the male is at once distinguished, however, by its
pure-white throat and dark bluish-grey back, while both sexes have the beak short and
stout-very different from the Sunbird's.
|
|
It lives either solitary, in pairs, or in little family parties,
and is not easy to meet with because it keeps mainly to the tops
of tall trees, either in forests or on its outskirts. However,
it is very fond of the nectar of the red cotton tree and when
these trees are in flower-about Christmas time in its range-it
may be found fairly easily.
The breeding
season is from January to August. The nest is often built in a Hora tree. It is a hanging
pocket of felted plant down, with the entrance at the top, just below the supporting twig.
The two eggs are dull white, irregularly spotted with purplish red. They measure about
16×12 mm. |
