Purple Sunbird (Nectarinia asiatica) | Order: Passeriforme | Family: Nectariniidae | Size:10 cm
Hindi: Phool Soongni | Bangla: Durga Tuntuni | Marathi: Jhambla Sinjiri, Chumka


Females are olive brown above with yellowish underside and a blackish tail. There is a pale supercilium beyond the eye. There is a darkish eye stripe. The throat and breast are yellow becoming pale towards the vent. The outer tail feathers are tipped in white both in the male and female. The male is glossy metallic purplish black on the upper parts with the wings appearing dark brown (The males appear all black except in some lighting when the purple iridescence becomes visible). The breeding male has the underparts also of the same purplish black and sometimes show their bright yellow and red pectoral tufts in displays, preening. There is a patch of bright blue on the shoulder of breeding males.The maroon shine on the feathers of the collar around the neck is visible mainly during the breeding seasons. Non breeding male looks like female but have dark wings and a central purple-black strip that runs down to middle of the chest, from throat to belly (Eclipsed form of male purple sunbird).
