Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) complete detail

Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) complete detail. Description of Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus). Classification of Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus). Identification of Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus). Habit and habitat of Purple sunbird. They inhabit thin forests, but are also found in gardens and even in dense urban areas, where they are usually observed near flowering shrubs and trees.

Purple Sunbird has a relatively short bill, a dark and short square ended tail with distinctive sexual dimorphism. They feed on Flower nectar, insects, spiders etc. Female is brown or olive brown from above and pale dull yellow below. There is a pale super cilium beyond the eye. There is a darkish eye stripe. The throat and breast are yellow becoming pale towards the vent. They feed on Flower nectar, insects, spiders etc. They have a fast and direct flight and can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird but often perch at the base of flowers………..

The breeding season is from February to June. The nest is typical of the sunbirds—an oblong pouch of soft grasses, rubbish and cobwebs draped with pieces of bark and woody refuse, with a pouched lateral entrance near the top. Purple sunbirds are quite noisy. The call of Purple Sunbird is Chewit-cheewit-cheewit and sometime Sharp wich-wich…………

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Classification

Common Name – Purple Sunbird

Local Name – Chumka or Then-kudi

Other Name – Shakarkhora

Zoological Name – Cinnyris asiaticus

Kingdom – Animalia

Phylum – Chordata

Class – Aves

Order – Passeriformes

Family – Nectariniidae

Genus – Cinnyris

Conservational Status – Schedule – IV, according to wildlife (Protection) act, 1972 and classified as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Distinctive Identification

Size between 9 cm. to 12 cm. Purple Sunbird has a relatively short bill, a dark and short square ended tail with distinctive sexual dimorphism. The male is glossy metallic purplish black on the upper parts with the wings appearing dark brown.  The males appear all black except in some lighting when the purple iridescence becomes visible.

Breeding male is metallic dark blue and purple that looks like black. Breeding males will sometimes show their yellow pectoral tufts in displays. There is a patch of bright blue on the shoulder of breeding males.

Non breeding male looks like female but have dark wings and a broad black strip that runs down to middle of the chest.

Female is brown or olive brown from above and pale dull yellow below. There is a pale super cilium beyond the eye. There is a darkish eye stripe. The throat and breast are yellow becoming pale towards the vent.

Distribution

Purple Sunbirds are mostly resident and are distributed from sub-Saharan tropical Africa, the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula through the Indian sub-continent and into Southeast Asia.

They are found mainly on the plains but going up to 2500 m in southern India and up to 1800 m in the Himalayas. They are also found in thin forest, Gardens, groves, cultivated lands, scrub country side, forest, semi forests or light deciduous forests.

Habit and habitat

The Purple Sunbird is a common and familiar species all over its range. It affects gardens, groves, cultivated and scrub country as well as light deciduous forest.

They inhabit thin forests, but are also found in gardens and even in dense urban areas, where they are usually observed near flowering shrubs and trees.

They feed on Flower nectar, insects, spiders etc. They have a fast and direct flight and can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird but often perch at the base of flowers.

Purple sunbirds are quite noisy. The call of Purple Sunbird is Chewit-cheewit-cheewit and sometime Sharp wich-wich.

The breeding season is from February to June. During these months, the female purple sunbird constructs a hanging oval or pear-shaped nest.

The nest is typical of the sunbirds—an oblong pouch of soft grasses, rubbish and cobwebs draped with pieces of bark and woody refuse, with a pouched lateral entrance near the top.

Click here to view State wise list of Indian state animals (symbols) – updated

The male performs a courtship display, which involves raising his head, fanning his tail and fluttering with partly open wings to expose his pectoral tufts while singing to the female.

Eggs 2-3, Grayish or greenish in color with white marks and shades of brown and grey. The eggs are incubated by female and hatch after 14 to 18 days. Only the female builds and incubates, but the male assists in tending the young.