Scientific name:
Nectariniidae

Natural spread:
Africa, Asia, Australia

apart from unites Tangaren and finches, that only eat nectar occasionally, all nectar-eating birds are very specialized regarding its food. The Kolibris (Trochiliformes) of the new world as well like the honey-gluttons (Meliphagidae), the clothes-birds (Drepanididae), who have Loris (Trichoglossinae) and the nectar-birds here to be treated of the old world, independently of each other to the reception of nectar of high-specialized adaptations develops. Apart from the Loris, the beak always is long. The tongue is altered to a tubular organ, that is very well movable, in general. So also the tongue of the nectar-birds came in at the side and forms a long, fine tube.

Nutrition A blooming tree lures the nectar-eating birds. they don't become aware at the blooms through the scent but through the color. Only the Kolibris can "buzz" on the place; most other birds sit down beside the blooms. Beside the nectar, also many insects are consumed, who were also lured by the blooms. So, the protein-demand is met, that the nectar very energy-rich through the high sugar-content otherwise doesn't offer.

The birds play a similarly important role through its special diet with the bloom-dusting like the insects; only few plants are however exclusive dependent on it.

Spread The spread of the nectar-birds (approximately 8 types as well up to 110 types) is limited (Africa, South-Asia, Malay area, Melanesien and Australia) on the tropics of the old world. Most types live in Africa.

Shape The males of the well delimited family of small birds (9-30 cm of length) with its slim, bent beaks carry a metallic shiny plumage with the majority of the types while the females are colored insignificantly; with some types, the male wears a simply colored silence-dress outside the incubation. The birds are quite sincerely, its flight is inconstant and fast.

Plumage Z is in the incubation. B. colored the male Malachit-Nektarvogel (Nectarinia famosa) from east and central-Africa shining emerald; during it, the yellow tufts are perform courtship display at the sides especially clear. With its extended tail-feathers, the male (opposite the female with 12,5 cm) gains a length of 22,5 cm. The bird is then pale colored brown-gray in the silence-dress and simply differs externally only in the longer tail of the female and the squabs. Even more extremely, the tail-feathers are with a similar type, that Lobelien-Nektarvogel (Nectarinia johnstoni) extends (females 15 cm, males 30 cm of length); here, both sexes carry shining-red feather-tufts in the incubation at the sides incidentally.

Reproduction The nectar-birds build real bags from stalks, leaves, webs, feathers and plant-fibers, that hang at a branch-top. These bag-nests are as far as on a narrow hole closed universally and offer protection against most enemies; nevertheless, they often are up additional hung near a wasp-nest.

In the nest-construction, both partners take part one pair, that joined together for the incubation, at the feeding of the boys as well. The Bebrütung of the two eggs takes over the female alone, however.