Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Sugarbird
Promerops cafer
Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer) is a member of the Promeropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 34.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Promeropidae Sugarbirds
- Genus Promerops
- Species cafer
Quick facts
- Weight
- 34.7 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Promeropidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Sugarbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Cape Sugarbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer) is a species of bird in the Promeropidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 34.7 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 28.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 115,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Sugarbird?
The Cape Sugarbird is a small bird that weighs around 34.7 g.
Where does the Cape Sugarbird live?
The Cape Sugarbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Cape Sugarbird belong to?
The Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer) belongs to the Promeropidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape Sugarbird eat?
The Cape Sugarbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Cape Sugarbird migrate?
The Cape Sugarbird is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Cape Sugarbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Cape Sugarbird make?
1 real field recording of the Cape Sugarbird — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cape Sugarbird's range?
The Cape Sugarbird has a mapped global range of about 115,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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