Malachite sunbird in non-breeding plumageCaption: Male Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) in non-breeding colors perching on Aloe flower, Currys Post, KZN Midlands, South Africa

Camera: Canon EOS 50D; Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM; Focal Length: 400mm; Shutter speed: 1/320; Aperture: f/5.6; ISO: 400.
Malachite sunbird in eclipse plumage
The male malachite sunbird is usually depicted in its unmistakable breeding plumage — overall bright, metallic green colors with bright yellow pectoral tufts.

I’ve been watching a pair of malachite sunbirds flitting around the aloes flowering in my neighbors’ garden. Up to now the male remains in “eclipse” plumage — that comparatively dull, seasonal stage found in birds that do exhibit a distinct breeding plumage.

I’m hoping that before too long it’ll appear in its full, bright green finery while the aloes are still flowering so that I can get some shots of it with red or orange aloe blooms as a backdrop (right).

While waiting with camera on tripod for the sunbirds to co-operate, I took some shots of this strelitzia flower (below) as one seldom finds such near-perfect specimens of strelitzias (also known as crane flower or bird of paradise flower).
Strelitzia or crane flower

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+Scotch Macaskill

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