Crimson-backed Sunbird
Leptocoma minima
The Crimson-backed Sunbird (Leptocoma minima) is a uncommon spiderhunters and sunbird found only in India, weighing about 5 g. The crimson-backed sunbird or small sunbird is a sunbird endemic to the Western Ghats of India.
About the Crimson-backed Sunbird
The crimson-backed sunbird or small sunbird is a sunbird endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Like other sunbirds, they feed mainly on nectar although they take insects, especially to feed their young. They are tiny birds that are resident and are found in forests but are particularly attracted to gardens at the edge of the forest where people grow suitable flower-bearing plants. They usually perch while taking nectar.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Crimson-backed sunbirds are tiny, even by sunbird standards, and are only 8 cm long. They have medium-length thin down-curved bills and brush-tipped tubular tongues, both adaptations for nectar feeding. The adult male is velvety red on the mantle and wing coverts and there is a broad red breast band. The crown is shiny green and there are pink-violet patches on the throat and rump. The underside from the breast below is yellowish. There is a black edge to the bib that separates the yellow of the underside.
What the Crimson-backed Sunbird sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Crimson-backed Sunbird?
- Crimson-backed sunbirds are tiny, even by sunbird standards, and are only 8 cm long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Crimson-backed Sunbird?
- The Crimson-backed Sunbird is a tiny sized bird weighing about 5 g.
- Where can you see a Crimson-backed Sunbird?
- The Crimson-backed Sunbird is endemic to India, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What does a Crimson-backed Sunbird sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Crimson-backed Sunbird on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Crimson-backed Sunbird?
- The Crimson-backed Sunbird is most easily confused with the Copper-throated Sunbird, the Van Hasselt's Sunbird and the Purple-throated Sunbird.
- Is the Crimson-backed Sunbird endangered?
- The Crimson-backed Sunbird is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Crimson-backed Sunbird for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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