IUCN RED LIST
Established in 1964, The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups, through criteria such as rate of decline, population size and area of geographic distribution as:
- Extinct (EX) – This species is no longer extant
- Extinct in the wild (EW) – Survives only in captivity, or through cultivation often outside native range
- Critically endangered (CR) – In an extremely critical state
- Endangered (EN) – Very high risk of extinction in the wild
- Vulnerable (VU) – At high risk of unnatural (human-caused) extinction
- Near Threatened (NT) – Close to being endangered in the near future
- Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant in the wild
- Data Deficient (DD) – Inadequate information to assess extinction risk
- Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been assessed
The male Purple Rumped Sunbird has a glossy metallic green crown, maroon upperparts, a dark purple rump and a shiny metallic blue throat and upper chest. His belly is yellow, with a narrow white band separating it from the darker breast. The female is olive-brown above, yellowish below and has a whitish throat. The male's colours shine beautifully in sunlight, while the female's plumage gives good camouflage among leaves.
The Purple Rumped Sunbird primarily feeds on nectar from flowering plants such as hibiscus, ixora and bottlebrush. It is an active and agile forager, often hovering briefly or perching on flowers while using its slender, curved bill and brush-tipped tongue to extract nectar. The bird darts quickly between blossoms in gardens, parks and forest edges. Along with nectar, it supplements its diet with small insects, spiders and caterpillars, especially during the breeding season when chicks need more protein. Its specialized bill and tongue help it feed efficiently without needing long, sustained hovering like hummingbirds.
The Purple Rumped Sunbird inhabits open forests, scrublands, plantations, gardens and urban areas. It thrives in warm tropical and subtropical environments prefers areas with flowering trees and shrub, avoiding dense forests and high-altitude zones above 2,000 m.
Nest: A hanging, purse-shaped nest is made of plant fibers, spider webs and other soft materials. It is suspended from thin branches or wires. The entrance is usually on the side and has a small hood or overhang for protection from rain and predators.
Clutch Size: 1 to 3 whitish or pale green eggs with brown markings. The female warms the eggs, while the male guards the nesting area. After hatching, both parents help feed and care for the chicks.
