scarlet chested sunbird | watercolour

The scarlet-chested sunbird and the Aloe arborescens make the perfect pairing of colour and energy in this artwork. The male sunbird, with his velvety black body and fiery red chest, clings to the tall aloe spike, drawn to its abundance of nectar. Aloes are winter bloomers across much of Africa, and their tubular flowers offer exactly what sunbirds are built for — long, curved bills and brush-tipped tongues designed to reach deep into each bloom. As the bird feeds, pollen dusts his face and throat, turning him into an important pollinator for these iconic African plants. The artwork captures that moment of stillness and focus — the sunbird balancing lightly on the aloe’s stem while its brilliant flowers flare upward like flames. It’s a vivid celebration of one of Africa’s most striking nectar feeders and the hardy plant that sustains it.