Behaviour and ecology Purple-rumped sunbird

female @ nest. note faint supercilium.

they breed through year , may have 2 broods, during monsoons. nest made of fine plant fibres, cobwebs , studded on exterior lichens, bark pieces, flying seeds , other materials. nest constructed female alone although male may fly alongside her. nest lined soft fibres such fuzz covering seeds of calotropis. nest placed on end of branch , entrance faces bush. nests may built close buildings or under open porches. female stays in nest @ night couple of day before laying eggs. clutch consists of 2 eggs oval, pale greenish , white spots , streaks, becoming more dense @ broad end. sometimes, eggs may plain grey without markings well. when collecting cobwebs seen @ windows of homes, time when end tapping window, possibly @ own reflection. eggs laid in morning. eggs incubated both male , female. incubation period varies 14 16 days. chicks fledge in 17 days , continue fed male few days. helpers, females or possibly juveniles previous brood may assist parents in feeding young. old nests reused. cases of nests being parasitised grey-bellied cuckoo known. in 1 case cuckoo fed adult sunbird adult common tailorbird.

pollen brushed on head when nectar-feeding.

they pollinate flowers of many plant species such bruguiera, woodfordia, hamelia , sterculia. tend perch while foraging nectar , not hover as syntopic loten s sunbird. has been noted maintain special scratching posts, rid of pollen , nectar sticking head. when flowers deep probe, pierce base of flower , rob nectar, action termed nectar theft since flower s primary purpose of attracting pollinators foiled. visit open crop fields , take honeydew exuded leafhoppers.

sunbird may indulge in dew-bathing, or bathing sliding on drops of rain collected on large leaves.

like birds harbour specific protozoa species in blood. species haemoproteus raymundi has been described specimen goa identification , taxonomic placement of malaria-like protozoan disputed.