A Little Spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra) was photographed collecting nectar from a wild banana plant (Musa sp.) in Rengit, Johor, Malaysia by Adrian Lim recently.
So far, photographers have documented the spiderhunter drinking nectar from the cultivated banana plants… the Spectacled Spiderhunter (Arachnothera flavigaster) and Little Spiderhunter. This post shows one feeding from a wild banana plant.
Considering the name “spiderhunter”, has anyone photographed one catching a spider? Yes, the bird feeds on insects and other arthropods and the Little Spiderhunter had been reported to even take a spider from its web.
Images by Adrian Lim.
Reference:
Cheke, R. A., Mann, C. F. & Allen, R. (2001). Sunbirds: A guide to the sunbirds, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters and sugarbirds of the world. New Haven & London: Yale University Press.
This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.
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