A Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna) and a Little Spiderhunter (A. longirostra) were shown with their bills dusted with pollen in an earlier post. This was the result of the birds collecting nectar from flowers of the ornamental banana plant, Musa ornate and ginger plant respectively.
The current studies by Roger Moo a.k.a. cactus400D showcase the bill structure of the Streaked Spiderhunter that is so well adapted to the slender flowers of the banana. Note that the long bill, narrowing to a sharp point, fits perfectly into the slender banana flower, as the bird probes deeply for nectar (above).
Once out of the flower, the bill is dusted with whitish pollen (above left). The spiderhunter’s tongue, projecting out from the bill, is long and slender (above right).
Images by Roger Moo.
This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.
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