Little Spiderhunter

Little Spiderhunter

Scientific Name: Arachnothera longirostra

Malay Name: Kelicap-Jantung Kecil Biasa

Chinese Name: 长嘴捕蛛鸟

Range: Found from Indian subcontinent to southern China and Southeast Asia

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: longirostra, sordida, pallida, cinereicollis, zarhina, niasensis, prillwitzi, rothschildi, atita, buettikoferi.

Local Subspecies: cinereicollis

Size: 16-16.5 cm

Identification: Adult has slaty-grey head with broken whitish eyering and throat, dark moustachial stripe, yellow belly and dull olive upperparts. Juvenile resembles adult but has yellowish-olive tinged throat.

Similar looking species: Thick-billed Spiderhunter, Yellow-eared Spiderhunter

Habitat: Forest and forest edge.

Behaviour/Ecology: Frequents the lower storey and has a partiality for wild bananas and ginger.

Local Status: Uncommon resident

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Central Catchment Forest, Venus Loop, Lower Pierce Reservoir, Upper Pierce Reservoir, Upper Seletar Reservoir, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Dairy Farm Nature Park and Pulau Ubin.

Featured articles:

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Arachnothera longirostra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103778625A94567188.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

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