Furthest sunbird movement
Christie Craig(2015-06-24)
In general sunbirds are known to move little, most recaptures are from the same site that they were ringed at. However sometimes sunbirds are found a fair distance from where they were ringed, one such bird is a Scarlet-chested Sunbird
(Nectarinia senegalensis). It was ringed (see
record) at Chirawanoo Farm in Zimbabwe and then was found dead two years later at Chegato, Zimbabwe some 360km away. When looking at other records for this particular species, 76% of recaptures are at the site where it was ringed and the average movement for these birds is 10.82km. This makes this particular individual quite unusual. The
Scarlet-chested Sunbird is widespread in Africa but occurs mainly in the eastern region of South Africa, with some individuals in the Northern Cape. These birds rely on nectar sources to sustain them but will also feed on arthropods from time to time. It is likely that sunbird movements are driven primarily by nectar availability.
