Plain-throated Sunbird
Encyclopedia
The Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis), also known as the Plain-throated Sunbird, is a species of bird
in the Nectariniidae family. It is found in a wide range of semi-open habitats in south-east Asia, ranging from Myanmar
to the Lesser Sundas and west Philippines
. The Grey-throated Sunbird
found in the remaining part of the Philippines is often considered a subspecies
of the Brown-throated Sunbird, but the two differ consistently in measurements and plumage
, and there is no evidence of intergradation
between them.
with a thick bill
. Measuring some 14 centimetres (5.5 in) in length, it has a mass of 7.4–13.5 g (0.26–0.48 oz), with males averaging slightly larger than females.
Like most sunbirds, the male Brown-throated Sunbird is more colourful than the female. The male has iridescent green and purple upperparts with chestnut on the wing-coverts and scapulars; it is primarily yellow below. The female is olive-green above and yellowish below.
are fed with insects.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Nectariniidae family. It is found in a wide range of semi-open habitats in south-east Asia, ranging from Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
to the Lesser Sundas and west Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The Grey-throated Sunbird
Grey-throated Sunbird
The Grey-throated Sunbird is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is found in a wide range of semi-open wooded habitats in the northern and eastern part of the Philippines...
found in the remaining part of the Philippines is often considered a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Brown-throated Sunbird, but the two differ consistently in measurements and plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
, and there is no evidence of intergradation
Intergradation
In zoology, intergradation is the way in which two distinct subspecies are connected via areas where populations are found that have the characteristics of both...
between them.
Description
The Brown-throated Sunbird is a relatively large, heavy sunbirdSunbird
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are a family, Nectariniidae, of very small passerine birds. There are 132 species in 15 genera. The family is distributed throughout Africa, southern Asia and just reaches northern Australia. Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders,...
with a thick bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
. Measuring some 14 centimetres (5.5 in) in length, it has a mass of 7.4–13.5 g (0.26–0.48 oz), with males averaging slightly larger than females.
Like most sunbirds, the male Brown-throated Sunbird is more colourful than the female. The male has iridescent green and purple upperparts with chestnut on the wing-coverts and scapulars; it is primarily yellow below. The female is olive-green above and yellowish below.
Behaviour
The Brown-throated Sunbird primarily feeds on nectar, but it will also take small fruits and berries. JuvenilesJuvenile (organism)
A juvenile is an individual organism that has not yet reached its adult form, sexual maturity or size. Juveniles sometimes look very different from the adult form, particularly in terms of their colour...
are fed with insects.