The Loten’s Sun Birds share species space with flower peckers. They are tiny little birds rarely growing beyond 15 cm in length, while their characteristic curved bill combined with bright shiny purple coloured feathers, short legs and circular wings, set them apart. The females are a bit dull in colour when compared to males.

A Loten's Sunbird!

Nectar is their main fodder, accompanied by fruits and the occasional insect. Their curved beaks are strategically designed to reach into the nectar banks of flowers, while their strong rounded wings help them hover around flowers like Humming Birds. They only vary from Humming Birds in that they cannot fly backwards.

They play a crucial part in the pollination of plants and are usually found in pairs or groups. Their nests are an engineering marvel; often pear shaped, and like the Weaver Bird’s nest lie suspended from twigs. The male and the female tend to the young and are extremely aggressive when it comes to protecting their chicks, often seen attacking larger birds that stray close to the nest.

The Loten’s Sun Bird is often confused with the Purple Sun Bird. However, the main differences between the two species are as follows: the Loten’s Sun Bird has a longer beak that is also less curved, while the Purple Sun Bird has a pronounced and well curved beak. The Loten’s Sun Bird is a much larger bird than the Purple Sun Bird.

Distinctly 'Attired'?

These little birds are found all over the resort at Orange County, Kabini.

Rajan Kanagasabai

An ardent Environmentalist and an avid wildlife Photographer, Rajan is a prominent member of leading Environmental, Wildlife and Photography organizations. His works have been featured on several travel magazines. A frequent visitor to Orange County, Kabini and Coorg, Rajan specializes in Wildlife and Bird Photography. Possessing over 23 years of experience working in the IT Industry, Rajan holds a senior management position at one of India's top IT companies. Rajan has reviewed a number of global resorts for several leading travel journals and blogs and is also a Destination Expert for the renowned Trip Advisor travel forum.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 10th, 2011 at 3:07 pm and is filed under Birds, Destinations, Nature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.