Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Leptocoma brasiliana
Family: Spiderhunters and Sunbirds · Status: Uncommon resident · Size: 10 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
Occurs from northeastern India and Bangladesh through to the Greater Sundas.
Male has iridescent green crown, black face and mantle, purple throat, and dark red lower breast and belly. Female has brown upperparts and yellow underparts. Female separated from very similar Crimson Sunbird by duller olive-coloured upperparts and generally duller underparts. Female Ruby-cheeked Sunbird has orange-rufous throat, female Copper-throated Sunbird has grey head, female Ornate Sunbird has an obvious down-curved bill and extensive white outertail, female Brown-throated Sunbird is bigger with broken eye-ring.
Forests, forest edges, gardens, parks, and mangroves; also peat-swamp forest and secondary growth.
Forages singly, in pairs, or in small groups; usually at higher levels, hovering to take nectar or insects.