To put it simply he is stunning with a fiery-orange belly, an iridescent purple breast band and a green head.

Meet the Orange-breasted Sunbird:

“Orange-breasted sunbird på Le쫞ndron strobilinum” by Ragnhild & Neil Crawford is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. (cropped)

Description: The orange-breasted sunbird (Anthobaphes violacea) feature long, curved bills, with the males possessing slightly longer bills than the females. Their bills, legs, and feet are all black, while their eyes exhibit a dark brown hue. Males exhibit bright metallic green on their head, throat, and mantle, transitioning to metallic violet on the upper breast and bright orange on the lower breast, fading into paler shades of orange and yellow on the belly. Their elongated central tail feathers extend beyond the others and are blackish.

“Orange-breasted Sunbird 2013 03 05 13 13 51 3145” by Alandmanson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

In contrast, females display olive-greenish grey upperparts and olive-yellowish underparts, with a paler belly.

The wings and tail of both sexes are blackish, and juveniles resemble females.

“Orange-breasted Sunbird – Anthobaphes violacea (49087814793)” by Gregory ‘Slobirdr’ Smith is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

This is a species of small, predominantly nectar-feeding bird that is endemic to the fynbos shrubland biome of southwestern South Africa. It is the only member of the genus Anthobaphes, in the family Nectariniidae (the sunbirds and spiderhunters), though it is sometimes placed in the genus Nectarinia.

“Orange-breasted Sunbird 2013 03 05 12 12 59 2901” by Alandmanson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Their diet primarily consists of flower nectar, predominantly from ericas and proteas, although they may also feed on nectar from other flowering plants. In addition to nectar, they include small insects and spiders in their diet, often capturing them in flight.

“Sunbird” by Aries Tottle is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Breeding for the orange-breasted sunbird takes place from February to November, with nests primarily built by the female. The nests are oval in shape, constructed from rootlets, fine leafy twigs, grass, spider webs, and lined with brown protea fluff. The typical clutch size consists of two eggs, and the female is responsible for incubation, which lasts around 14.5 days. Both parents participate in feeding the young, primarily providing them with insect and spider prey.

“Sunbird” by Aries Tottle is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Regarding conservation status, the orange-breasted sunbird is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, it may face challenges from urbanization, habitat conversion to agriculture, and fynbos fires, which could impact its population in the future.

“Orange-breasted Sunbird, Anthobaphes violacea” by Derek Keats is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Listen to this bird in the video below: