Orange-breasted Sunbird

Anthobaphes violacea (Linnaeus, 1766)

Nectariniidae — Sunbirds

Orange-breasted Sunbird, Anthobaphes violacea, is a passerine of the fynbos shrublands of South Africa, where it breeds in the Western Cape. It is the only species in Anthobaphes and is tied to ericas and proteas. The male has bright green on the head and throat, with violet on the upper breast and orange below, while the female is much duller and olive-toned. The bill is long and curved, and the bill, legs and feet are black. It nests from February to November, mainly in May to August, and feeds on nectar, with insects and spiders also taken.

Order
Passeriformes
Family
Nectariniidae — Sunbirds
Breeding range
Africa: South Africa
Orange-breasted Sunbird
© Der Berzerker from Washington, DC, USA · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

8 tours in South Africa

Western Cape Highlights Birding with Lawson's Safaris
Western Cape Highlights Birding with Lawson's Safaris
South Africa / Cape Town Group tour 10 days

Discover Western Cape birds over 10 days, combining Cape Peninsula fynbos, penguin colonies, West Coast wetlands and the Overberg with food ...

From ZAR 55,890 Next: Oct 13, 2026
Western Cape Birding Day Trips
Western Cape Birding Day Trips
South Africa / Cape Town Group tour 1 day

Custom private and small-group birding day trips around Cape Town, the Western Cape, fynbos, wetlands, coast and nearby reserves....

3-Day Cape Town Birding Tour
3-Day Cape Town Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 3 days

Spend three days linking Cape Town fynbos, False Bay, endemic-rich mountain slopes, penguin coast and the Cape Peninsula....

10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 10 days

A private or small-group Western Cape birding itinerary from Cape Town through the Cape Peninsula, West Coast, Tankwa Karoo, Agulhas Plain, ...

Private Cape Peninsula Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private Cape Peninsula Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 1 day

A flexible private day from Cape Town combining Kirstenbosch, peninsula wetlands and an African Penguin colony, with Cape endemics and coast...

From ZAR 7,000
Private Cape Mountains and Fynbos Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private Cape Mountains and Fynbos Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 1 day

A private full-day route from Cape Town to Rooi Els, Betty's Bay and the fynbos coast, focused on Cape endemics, African Penguins and wetlan...

From ZAR 7,000
Private 3-Day Agulhas Plains Birding Trip with Birding Ecotours
Private 3-Day Agulhas Plains Birding Trip with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 3 days

A private three-day journey from Cape Town across mountain fynbos and the Overberg to De Hoop, built around cranes, bustards, larks and regi...

From ZAR 17,920
Private Garden Route Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private Garden Route Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Plettenberg Bay Private tour 1 day

A private day from Plettenberg Bay shaped around Garden Route forests, fynbos, wetlands and estuaries, with local targets selected for the s...

From ZAR 7,000