BIRD SPECIES

Purple Sunbird

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cinnyris asiaticus

The Purple Sunbird is a small sunbird that has a relatively short bill, a dark and short square ended tail with distinctive sexual dimorphism. It has a down-curved bill with brush-tipped tubular tongues that aid in nectar feeding.

It measures less than 10 centimeters long.

Breeding males are metallic blue and purple overall with maroon feathers on the breast.

Non-breeding males of are primarily olive-brown with blackish upperparts and yellow underparts with blue-black band running down the throat and chest.

Females are olive above and yellow below. They have a pale supercilium beyond the eye and a darkish eye stripe. Throat and breast are yellow, becoming pale towards the vent.

Outer tail feathers are tipped in white both in the males and females.

CALL: They are very vociferous and will call and will join to mob owls or other predators. Other call notes include a "chwit" or "chwing!" notes.

SONG: A rapid rattle followed by ringing, metallic notes.

Feed mainly on nectar but also take fruits and insects.

Found in thin forest and garden land, including those in dense urban areas.

Distributed widely from West Asia through the Indian subcontinent and into Southeast Asia.

The nest is built almost entirely by the female. It is a pouch made of cobwebs, thin strips of vegetation, lichens and bark. The entrance hole on the side is often shaded by an overhanging projection.

It is usually suspended from a low branch, often of thorny plants but are sometimes built close to human habitations, attached to wires or other man-made objects and even indoors in an unused toilet.

The female usually lays 2 eggs. She incubates the eggs alone which hatch after 15 - 17 days.

SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org
https://ebird.org