Monsoon magic- Bathing Purple Sunbird (Female) on a Jarul (Lagerstroemia speciosa) Tree.

[J.M. Garg]

I am regularly seeing Purple Sunbirds & Purple-rumped Sunbirds soaking themselves in the Jarul leaves in the mornings (due to dew on the leaves). These slide down like a child on a 'Khisalni' (Slide). Rain adds to the water in the leaves, which they utilize to the fullest extent to soak their under-parts.

 

Purple sunbird :(Nectarinia asiatica), Resident subject to some seasonal movements, common, sharp monosyllabic 'wich, wich' as it flits among branches, breeding male sings 'cheewit-cheewit-cheewit' etc. from a perch, sunbirds eats largely flower nectar and sometimes hover in front of flowers, which help them in collecting nectar from corolla of flowers with the help of long de-curved bill and long tubular tongue extendable much beyond bill etc. Widespread in India.
 

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With regards,
J.M.Garg
"Enjoy every moment of your life"

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