Leptocoma zeylonica
The Purple-rumped Sunbird, *Leptocoma zeylonica*, is a jewel-like passerine endemic to the Indian subcontinent, renowned for its dazzling iridescent plumage and hummingbird-like foraging behavior. Males are particularly striking, boasting a metallic green crown, coppery-maroon upperparts, a brilliant violet-blue rump, and a vibrant yellow belly separated by a dark central streak. Females, in contrast, are much more subdued with dull olive-brown upperparts and a pale yellowish-white underside,...
Primarily found in open woodlands, scrubland, gardens, plantations, and urban green spaces. It thrives in areas with abundant flowering plants, typically from sea level up to approximately 1500 meters in elevation.
Feeds predominantly on nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants, supplementing its diet with small insects and spiders. It uses its specialized bill and tongue to extract nectar and glean or catch arthropods.
This diurnal sunbird is exceptionally active, constantly flitting and hopping among branches or hovering gracefully in front of flowers to feed. Foraging involves probing deep into blossoms with its long, decurved bill and tubular tongue, but it also gleans small insects and spiders from foliage ...
The Purple-rumped Sunbird is a widespread resident breeder across much of the Indian subcontinent, with its primary distribution encompassing peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Its range extends eastward into parts of Bangladesh and some northeastern Indian states. This species is commonly found thr...
Least Concern
- The Purple-rumped Sunbird is often mistaken for a hummingbird due to its small size and hovering flight, but it belongs to a completely different family of birds (Nectariniidae) found only in the Old World. - Its long, decurved bill and tubular tongue are perfectly adapted for sipping nectar fr...