LOCAL NAMES

• දම් සූටික්කා, సూర్యపక్షి, சூரிய பறவை, সূর্য পাখি, સૂર્ય પક્ષી, सनबर्ड, സൂര്യപക്ഷി, सूर्यपक्षी, souimanga, Sonnenvogel, uccello solare, pájaro sol
• Chinese (SIM) 紫色花蜜鸟
• Czech strdimil fialový
• Danish Purpursolfugl
• Dutch Purperhoningzuiger
• English Purple Sunbird
• English (United States) Purple Sunbird
• French Souimanga asiatique
• French (French Guiana) Souimanga asiatique
• German Purpurnektarvogel
• Gujarati શક્કરખોરો
• Hebrew צופית סגולה
• Hindi बैंगनी शक्करखोरा
• Icelandic Purpurasóli
• Japanese ムラサキタイヨウチョウ
• Malayalam കറുപ്പൻ തേൻകിളി
• Marathi जांभळा शिंजीर
• Norwegian purpursolfugl
• Odia ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରୀକା ଫୁଲଛୁଈ
• Persian شهدخوار
• Polish nektarnik stalowy
• Russian Атласная нектарница
• Serbian Ljubičasta sunčica
• Slovak nektárovka ligotavá
• Spanish Suimanga Asiático
• Spanish (Spain) Suimanga asiático
• Swedish purpursolfågel
• Telugu ఊదా తేనె పిట్ట
• Thai นกกินปลีดำม่วง
• Turkish Mor Nektarkuşu
• Ukrainian Маріка пурпурова

DESCRIPTION

The purple sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) is a small bird in the sunbird family found mainly in South and Southeast Asia but extending west into parts of the Arabian peninsula. Like other sunbirds they feed mainly on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. They have a fast and direct flight and can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird but often perch at the base of flowers. The males can appear all black in harsh sunlight but the purple iridescence is visible on closer observation or under good light conditions. Females are olive above and yellowish below.