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: Copper-throated 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.

Photos:

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

Male Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Female Van Hasselt’s Sunbird at jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap

External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
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 19 December 2021

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