Van Hasselt’s Sunbird

Van Hasselt’s Sunbird

Scientific Name: Leptocoma brasiliana

Malay Name: Kelicap Belacan Biasa

Chinese Name: 蓝肩花蜜鸟

Range: Found from northeast India to Bangladesh, Southeast Asia and Greater Sundas

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: brasiliana, emmae, mecynorhyncha, eumecis, axantha.

Local Subspecies: brasiliana

Size: 10 cm

Identification: Male has distinctive iridescent green crown, purple throat and dark red lower breast and belly. Female can be separated from other sunbirds by combination of small size, dull olive-colored uppperparts, plain head and dull yellow underparts with olive-washed throat and upper breast.

Similar looking species: Brown-throated Sunbird, Copper-throated Sunbird, Ornate Sunbird, Crimson Sunbird, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird

Habitat: Forests, forest edges, gardens, parks and mangroves.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Uncommon resident

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Central Catchment Forest, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Dairy Farm Nature Park, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Lower Pierce Reservoir, Singapore Botanic Gardens and Pulau Ubin.

Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Male Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Male Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at Lower Peirce. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Male Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at Lower Peirce. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Female Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Van Hasselt's Sunbird)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Leptocoma brasiliana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103795247A104297009.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

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

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Van Hasselt's Sunbird. Retrieved on November 15, 2024 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/van-hasselts-sunbird.

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