Purple-Rumped Sunbird
Leptocoma zeylonica
About This Species
Look for this tiny, iridescent sunbird in gardens, scrubby forest edges and flowering trees across South Asia, where it is a familiar and confiding visitor to hibiscus and other nectar-rich blooms. Males show a glossy purple rump and throat that flashes in good light, and the species is vocal, giving sharp, high-pitched calls as it moves rapidly between flowers. It can be seen year-round, with activity most conspicuous in the cooler, drier parts of the day when flowering is at its peak.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- This is a common, adaptable species that tolerates close viewing from a few metres away in gardens and parks without noticeable disturbance.
- Wildlife protection for non-game native birds exists across its South Asian range, though enforcement and specific provisions differ between countries, so treat handling of birds or nests as inappropriate everywhere.
- Avoid disturbing nests, which are small hanging structures easily damaged or exposed to predators if investigated too closely.
LCAvesPasseriformesNectariniidae
Seasonal Activity
661,360 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Nectariniidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.