Animalia Life

Leptocoma minima
SUBFAMILY
Nectariniinae
TAXONOMY
Cinnyris minima Sykes, 1832, Ghauts, Dukhun, India.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Souimanga menu; German: Dдumlingsnektarvogel; Spanish: Nectarina Chica.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
3.5–3.9 in (8.9–9.9 cm); 0.14–0.21 oz (4–6 g). Small bird with brown wings and tail, lime-green forehead to nape, metallic purple throat and rump, reddish back and breast, and black around eye.
DISTRIBUTION
Western India from north of Bombay to hills of southern Kerala. Possibly also occurs in Sri Lanka.
HABITAT
Forest, plantations, and gardens.
BEHAVIOR
While singing squeaky song 5 to 10 seconds long, male twists from side to side. Active, acrobatic when feeding, hovers in front of flowers and feeds from upside-down poses. Defends feeding territories against conspecifics and against flowerpeckers. Makes seasonal short-distance movements.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Takes nectar from mistletoes, Erythrina trees, and other flowers. Also feeds on insects and spiders.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Clutch of two white eggs with reddish spots laid in neat pouch nest made of fibers, moss, and cobwebs suspended from bush.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None apart from pollination roles.

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