Purple-rumped Sunbird’s Nest Escapes Visibility

 Purple-rumped sunbird is a common bird in southern India. It was the beginning of the rainy season. On the hanging branch of a vine, growing on a high greenhouse in the garden, appears an unassuming, untidy nest of a purple-rumped sunbird. When you see it being built you may think that it is a nest. Slowly the nest grows bigger and solid. Even after completing, the nest looks like the leftovers of dried up leaves or seeds of a tree.

The nest is made up of fine plant fibres, cobwebs, bark pieces, tree seeds, threads, and other uncharacterised materials. Inside of the nest is lined with soft materials. Watching the bird build its nest, only the female works actively in making the nest. The male is around but does not do much work. The nest mostly hangs from a vine or small branch, the hatching bird enjoys a good swing.

The eggs are incubated by both the male and female. The incubation period varies from 14 to 16 days. The chicks move out of the nest in a couple of weeks, and continue to be fed by the male bird for a few days.

Sunbirds nest and hatching

Sunbird begins to build nest

Sunbird making nest

Sunbird hatching in the nest