Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Chalcoparia singalensis
Family: Spiderhunters and Sunbirds · Status: Rare visitor · Size: 11 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
Occurs from the Indian subcontinent to southern China and Southeast Asia, excluding the Philippines.
Male has iridescent green-blue upperparts with copper ear-coverts and orange-rufous chin to upper-breast. Female has green-olive upperparts, yellow underparts, and orange-rufous throat. Male resembles Brown-throated Sunbird but throat is rufous instead of brown. Female distinguished from other sunbirds by pale orange-rufous throat and upper breast. Juvenile male Crimson Sunbird can look similar but typically has a diffuse rather than clear border to the rufous throat, and, if already developed, a black malar stripe.
Forest, forest edge, mangroves, and regenerating secondary growth; also plantations and gardens.
Forages mainly in the canopy and upper storey; probes flowers for nectar and often visits spider webs for insects.