Richard Du Toit / Malachite sunbird {Nectarinia famosa} male feeding from flowers, South Western Cape, South Africa

Murray Cooper / Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus) male on flower, South Africa

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Shining sunbird (Nectarinia habessinica) male feeding on nectar, Oman, March

Kerstin Hinze / Greater Double collared sunbird (Nectarinia afra), male feeding from Natal Bottle Brush (Greyia sutherlandii) Hidden Valley, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, October

Kerstin Hinze / Greater Double collared sunbird (Nectarinia afra), female feeding from Natal Bottle Brush (Greyia sutherlandii) Hidden Valley, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, October

Kerstin Hinze / Greater Double collared sunbird (Nectarinia afra), female feeding from Natal Bottle Brush (Greyia sutherlandii) Hidden Valley, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, October

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Shining Sunbird (Cinnyris habessinicus) male, Hawf Protected Area, Yemen

Martin Willis / Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) male feeding on nectar, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Martin Willis / Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) female building nest, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Brent Stephenson / Female Souimanga Sunbird (Cinnyris / Nectarinia souimanga) perched. Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles.

Tui De Roy / Variable Sunbird (Nectarinia venusta) feeding on nectar, Borana Ranch, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Tacazze Sunbird (Nectarinia tacazze), Nanyuki, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Nectarinia senegalensis), Borana Ranch, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Nectarinia senegalensis) feeding on nectar, Borana Ranch, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Nectarinia senegalensis), Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Nectarinia senegalensis), Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Mariqua Sunbird (Nectarinia mariquensis) male feeding on nectar, Sosian Ranch, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Mariqua Sunbird (Nectarinia mariquensis) male, Borana Ranch, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Mariqua Sunbird (Nectarinia mariquensis) female, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Mariqua Sunbird (Nectarinia mariquensis) male during rainstorm, Lewa Wildlife Conservation Area, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Mariqua Sunbird (Nectarinia mariquensis) male calling, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Mariqua Sunbird (Nectarinia mariquensis) male, Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Bronze Sunbird (Nectarinia kilimensis) calling, Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Bronze Sunbird (Nectarinia kilimensis) feeding on nectar, Mpala Research Centre, Kenya

Chien Lee / Long-billed Sunbird (Nectarinia lotenia) female, Lindulla, Sri Lanka

Chien Lee / Long-billed Sunbird (Nectarinia lotenia) male, Lindulla, Sri Lanka

Chien Lee / Long-billed Sunbird (Nectarinia lotenia) male, Lindulla, Sri Lanka

Rod Williams / Copper-throated Sunbird (Nectarina / Leptocoma calcostetha) male perched on branch, South East Asia, Captive.

Anup Shah / Scarlet-chested sunbird (Chalcomitra / Nectarinia senegalensis) female feeding on flower nectar, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March.

Anup Shah / Scarlet-chested sunbird (Chalcomitra / Nectarinia senegalensis) male feeding on flower nectar, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March.

Anup Shah / Scarlet-chested sunbird (Chalcomitra / Nectarinia senegalensis) male feeding on flower nectar, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March.

Anup Shah / Marico sunbird (Cinnyris / Nectarinia mariquensis) juvenile male feeding on nectar of flowers, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March.

Anup Shah / Scarlet-chested sunbird (Chalcomitra / Nectarinia senegalensis) male feeding on nectar from flowers, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March.

Richard Du Toit / Greater Double-collared Sunbird (Nectarinia afra) male on flower, Itala Game Reserve, South Africa

Tui De Roy / Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) male feeding on Protea (Protea sp) flower, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) female on Protea (Protea sp) flower, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) male on Protea (Protea sp) flower, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) male on Protea (Protea sp) flower, Kenya

Tui De Roy / Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) male on Protea (Protea sp) flower, Kenya

Rod Williams / Male Copper-throated sunbird (Leptocoma / Nectarinia calcostetha) perched, captive, from South East Asia

Patricio Robles Gil / Tacazze sunbird (Nectarinia tacazze) female on flowering bush, Simien Mountains NP, Ethiopia

Patricio Robles Gil / Tacazze sunbird (Nectarinia tacazze) male perched amongst lichen, Simien Mountains NP, Ethiopia

Patricio Robles Gil / Tacazze sunbird (Nectarinia tacazze) perched, backlit, Simien Mountains NP, Ethiopia

Patricio Robles Gil / Tacazze sunbird (Nectarinia tacazze) flying to bush, Simien Mountains NP, Ethiopia

Patricio Robles Gil / Tacazze sunbird (Nectarinia tacazze) feeding on Giant lobelia plant, Simien Mountains NP, Ethiopia

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Palestine sunbird {Nectarinia osea} male perched, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Palestine sunbird {Nectarinia osea} male feeding from flowers, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Purple sunbird {Nectarinia asiatica} on flower, Muscat, Oman

Konrad Wothe / Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) female, India

Richard Du Toit / Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) male perching on protea flowers, Helderberg Nature Reserve, South Africa

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Loten's sunbird {Nectarinia lotenia} male on branch, Tamil Nadu, India

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Purple rumped sunbird {Nectarinia zeylonica} male at nest, Tamil Nadu, India

Anup Shah / Sunbird {Nectarinia sp} feeding onnectar from Red hot poker flowers {Kniphofia sp} Serengeti NP, Tanzania

Richard Du Toit / Greater Double-collared Sunbird (Nectarinia afra) feeding, Gauteng, South Africa

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Socotra sunbird {Nectarinia balfouri}, feeding on {Trichocalyx obovatus} flower, Wadi Ayhaft, Socotra Island, Yemen

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Socotra sunbird {Nectarinia balfouri}, in {Trichocalyx obovatus} tree, Wadi Ayhaft, Socotra Island, Yemen

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Socotra sunbird {Nectarinia balfouri}, feeding on {Trichocalyx obovatus} flower, Wadi Ayhaft, Socotra Island, Yemen

Hermann Brehm / Mariqua sunbird er {Nectarinia mariquensis} on flow, Tarangire NP, Tanzania

JIM CLARE / Red tufted malachite sunbird {Nectarinia johnstoni} on Giant lobelia flower, Tanzania.

Elio Della Ferrera / Purple sunbird feeding on nectar from flower {Nectarinia asiatica} Thar Desert, India

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Yellow tufted malachite sunbird {Nectarinia famosa} female, Bontebok NP, S Africa

Andrew Parkinson / Greater double collared sunbird male {Nectarinia afra} Addo elephant NP, South Africa

Peter Blackwell / Scarlet tufted malachite sunbird {Nectarina johnstoni} on Lobelia, Mt Kenya,

John Cancalosi / Orange breasted sunbird on Protea flower {Nectarinia violacea} South Africa

Richard Du Toit / Yellow tufted malachite sunbird {Nectarinia famosa} female. Tswalu Kalahari reserve S Africa

Bernard Castelein / Purple sunbird (Nectarinia asiatica) male, drinking from tap. Keoladeo Ghana NP, Bharatpur, India

John Cancalosi / Yellow tufted malachite sunbird female {Nectarinia famosa} feeds on {Kniphofia linearifolia} South Africa

John Cancalosi / Yellow tufted malachite sunbird male {Nectarinia famosa} feeds on {Aloe broomii} South Africa - eclipse male

John Cancalosi / Yellow tufted malachite sunbird male {Nectarinia famosa} on Aloe flower {Aloe broomii} South Africa

Bernard Castelein / Purple sunbird (Nectarinia asiatica) female drinking from water tap. Keoladeo Ghana NP, Bharatpur, India

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Shining Sunbird (Cinnyris habessinicus) female, Hawf Protected Area, Yemen

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Shining Sunbird (Cinnyris habessinicus) female, Hawf Protected Area, Yemen

Martin Willis / Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) male perched on flower, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Martin Willis / Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) female flying with nest building material, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Peter Blackwell / Scarlet tufted malachite sunbird {Nectarina j johnstoni} Mt Kenya Kenya

Keith Scholey / Red tufted malachite sunbird {Nectarina johnstoni} on Giant lobelia flower. Mt Kenya Kenya