A flash of purple, a whirr of wings, a curved beak, which is slipped deep into a red hibiscus flower…makes such a pretty sight in your garden. That’s the purple-rumped sunbird, also known as Leptocoma zeylonica.
The sunbird is said to be a common resident breeder in southern India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Like other sunbirds, these birds are small in size, feeding mainly on nectar and insects when feeding their young.
According to the net, these hummingbird-sized birds are commonly observed feeding on bright-coloured flowers, dew-bathing, or bathing by sliding in drops of rain collected on large leaves. When breeding, the female is often seen collecting cobwebs, while the male flies besides her. The nest is constructed by the female alone out of fine plant fibres, cobwebs and is studded on the exterior with bark and seeds. Joseph Hoover says: “I admit that this dream image happened out of luck rather than talent. I was sitting on my couch early one morning and heard intermittent chirps from the garden. As I peeked out I saw the bird perched on a hibiscus plant and took three frames through the window grill! I was looking through the view-finder and the bird took flight. It turned out to be the best picture I have taken so far as an amateur photographer. I was waiting to capture this bird for a long time.”
These birds measure less than four inches in length. Their thin, down-curved bill and brush-tipped tubular tongue are well-adapted to sip nectar from flowers. Like hummingbirds, they too can hover in front of flowers when feeding for short bursts of time. According to a birding site, they also pierce flowers that are too deep to probe at the base, to reach the nectar.
Avid birder Chandrakantha Ursu says: “I often see them on hibiscus flowers and when the ‘Flame of the Forest’ turns red, sunbirds make their best out of the opportunity. It is surprising to see how the female bird feeds all the nestlings equally, in spite of the demand from the first one at the entrance of the nest.”
An interesting point to note is that a number of flowers, benefit from cross-pollination by these sunbirds as their heads become covered with pollen, when they feed. As they move from flower to flower, the pollen is deposited, which is then able to produce seeds and fruit. Some native plants rely on them for pollination and would not be able to exist without the help of these birds. Purple-rumped sunbirds may breed throughout the year, however, most breeding activities happen during the monsoons and they typically produce two broods a year.
