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The purple sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) is a small bird in the sunbird family found mainly in South and Southeast Asia but extending west into parts of the Arabian peninsula. Like other sunbirds they feed mainly on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. 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 males can appear all black in harsh sunlight but the purple iridescence is visible on closer observation or under good light conditions. Females are olive above and yellowish below.
Scientific Name : Cinnyris Asiaticus
Family : Nectariniidae
Order : Passerine
Class : Aves
Type : Sunbirds And Spiderhunters
Conservation Status : Least concern (LC)
Size : 9 - 12 cm
Compare Size : Sparrow -
Wingspan : NA
Weight : 4 - 5 g
Migratory : Resident
Sex Alike : No
Nesting Season : March - May
Other Names :
Hindi : शकर खोरा, बैंगनी शक्करखोरा
Marathi : जांभळा शिंजीर, जांभळा सूर्यपक्षी, चुमका, फुलचुखी
Habitat:
Gardens, Grooves, Forest, Shrubs and Trees
Breeding:
Eggs - 2 or 3, Greyish or greenish white marked with various shades of brown and grey.
Feeding:
Insects, Spiders, Nectar
| Male | |
|---|---|
| Bill | down-curved bills and relatively short |
| Tail | dark and short square ended |
| Upperparts | in breediing plumage glossy metallic bluish to purplish black; In non-breeding plumage olive brown |
| Breast | in breediing plumage bluish-purplish black; In non-breeding plumage yellow may show a central black streak |
| Throat | in breediing plumage bluish-purplish black with a maroon band; In non-breeding plumage yellow may show a central black streak |
| Belly | In non-breeding plumage yellow becoming pale towards the vent |
| Vent | pale yellow |
| Note : The males can appear all black in harsh sunlight but the purple iridescence is visible on closer observation or under good light conditions |
|
| Female | |
|---|---|
| Bill | down-curved bills and relatively short |
| Upperparts | olive brown |
| Throat | yellow |
| Underparts | yellow becoming pale towards the vent |
| Male in eclipse plumage | |
|---|---|
| Note : Transition from breeding to non-breeding plumage goes though a eclipse plumage |
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| 12 Jan 2019 | Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| 23 Nov 2022 | Neral - Matheran Road, Raigad, Maharashtra |
| 31 Jan 2019 | Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan |
| 01 Feb 2019 | Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan |
| 10 May 2022 | Karjat - Murbad Road |
