Behaviour and ecology Purple sunbird

male in eclipse plumage




call of male purple sunbird

these birds vociferous , call , join mob owls or other predators. song rapid rattle followed ringing, metallic notes. other call notes include chwit or chwing! notes. primary breeding season before monsoons, april june in northern india , january june in sri lanka. while feeding flick wings. hover @ flowers , perch forage nectar. important pollinators of plant species such butea monosperma, acacia, woodfordia , dendrophthoe. steal nectar slitting flowers such hamelia patens @ base. known feed on small berries such of salvadora persica. have been known feed on cultivated grapes. insects caught flycatching.

in courtship displays male raises head, fans tail , flutters partly open wings expose pectoral tufts , sings before female. nest pouch made of cobwebs, thin strips of vegetation, lichens , bark. entrance hole on side shaded overhanging projection. nest built entirely female. nest material not woven , of held cobwebs. 5 ten days may taken in building of nest. inner cavity expanded bird openings wing , turning around on inside. in sri lanka , in southern india, builds nest modifying , lining cobweb structures formed colonial or social spiders, stegodyphus sarasinorum (eresidae). 2 eggs laid. nest suspended low branch, of thorny plants build close human habitations, attached wires or other man-made objects , indoors in unused toilet. female incubates eggs hatch after 15 17 days. males assist in feeding chicks although females involve greater extent, making more trips chicks older.

sunbirds have been known live 22 years in captivity.