Feeding behaviour of sunbirds

An earlier post by Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS documented four species of sunbirds feeding on the seeds of common mahang (Macaranga bancana) LINK.

In this post an adult female Red-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes rhodolaemus) was photographed swallowing the seeds of Macaranga bancanawa (above left). Similarly, the adult male Ruby-cheeked Sunbird (Chalcoparia singalensis singalensis) can swallow the whole fruit (above right). Both species can also eat the seed piece meal.

A video of feeding images made as a composite showing a female Purple-naped Sunbird (Hypogramma hypogrammicum nuchale) working the seed down her bill like spiderhunters do before swallowing it is shown below.

The above were documented at the Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia on 29th November and 1st, 3rd and 5th December 2011.