yellow-breasted sunbird nest

Description:

An old nest of the yellow-breasted sunbird (olive-backed sunbird). Originally from mangrove habitat, the Olive-backed sunbird has adapted well to humans, and is now common even in fairly densely populated areas, even forming their nests in human dwellings.The birds mate between the months of April and August. Both the male and the female assist in building the nest which is flask-shaped, with an overhanging porch at the entrance, and a trail of hanging material at the bottom end. After building the nest, the birds abandon the nest for about a week before the female returns to lay one or two greenish-blue eggs. The eggs take a further week to hatch. The female may leave the nest for short periods during the day during incubation. After the chicks have hatched, both male and female assist in the care of the young, which leave the nest about two or three weeks later.

Habitat:

Suspended from a powerline in a semi-urban environment of houses, yards and gardens near a disturbed patch of remnant lowland forest.

Notes:

More information and a spotting of the species that made this nest can be found here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/114... A photo of a sunbird at its nest can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldwide_w...