Cape Sugarbird
Promerops cafer
LCLeast Concern Endemic to South Africa
- Family
- Sugarbirds (Promeropidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The Cape sugarbird (Promerops cafer) is one of the eight bird species endemic to the Fynbos biome of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Nectar and insects.
How to identify it
- Very long tail (especially males) and a long curved bill
- Yellow undertail and rufous breast
- Feeds on protea flowers in fynbos
Voice
Scratchy metallic song.
Where to see it
- Kirstenbosch and the Cape Peninsula
Similar species
- Gurney's Sugarbird
- shorter tail and rufous crown; eastern South Africa
Range and habitat
South Africa (mountains of Cape Province).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Cape sugarbird
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
