Saturday, March 5, 2011

පැණි කුරුල්ලා[Pani kurulla]/Long-Billed Sunbird/Loten’s Sunbird (Nectarinia lotenia lotenia)


Long-Billed Sunbird is a very common bird of all climatic zones of the island while getting less common in higher hills.  Often found close to human settlements probably due to abundant of flowering plants, nectar of them it feeds on. Beside that it also feeds on several small insects, spiders and caterpillars. Breeding season is from February to May and the nest a hanging pear shaped structure with an entrance in the side in wet zone. And in dry zone it utilizes a larger communal nest of a certain spider by pressing a cavity into the side of it.