Leptocoma calcostetha
The Copper-throated Sunbird, *Leptocoma calcostetha*, is a vibrant and unmistakable passerine belonging to the Nectariniidae family, closely related to other sunbirds in its genus like the Purple-throated Sunbird. Males are a spectacular sight, featuring an iridescent, fiery copper-orange throat and breast patch that shimmers with purple and red hues depending on the light, contrasting sharply with a metallic green cap, purplish-blue mantle, and dark underparts. Measuring around 11-13 cm in l...
Primarily inhabiting coastal and lowland environments, the Copper-throated Sunbird thrives in mangrove forests, secondary growth, coastal scrub, coconut plantations, and gardens, almost exclusively found at sea level to low elevations.
Their diet primarily consists of nectar, supplemented by small insects and spiders, which they catch on the wing or glean from foliage.
Copper-throated Sunbirds are diurnal, highly active birds, frequently observed darting between flowers and foliage during daylight hours. They are quintessential nectarivores, often hovering like hummingbirds or perching to extract nectar from tubular flowers with their long tongues, and also gle...
The Copper-throated Sunbird is a resident species widely distributed across much of Southeast Asia. Its breeding range encompasses the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and various smaller surrounding islands, extending northwards into southern Myanmar and parts of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam...
Least Concern
- The Copper-throated Sunbird's iridescent throat feathers are structural, meaning their color is produced by microscopic structures that refract light, rather than pigments. - Like hummingbirds in the New World, sunbirds are Old World ecological equivalents, filling similar niches as specialized...