Little Spiderhunter

Overview

The Little Spiderhunter is a member of the sunbird family found across South and Southeast Asia, from India through Indochina and the Greater Sundas. Unlike most sunbirds, it lacks iridescent plumage, instead showing plain olive-green upperparts and bright yellow underparts. Its extremely long, downcurved bill is adapted for probing large tubular flowers, especially bananas and gingers.

• Family: sunbirds (Nectariniidae)
• Diet: nectar and small insects and spiders
• Range: South and Southeast Asia

Feather Identification

• Upperparts: feathers are plain olive-green without iridescence, unlike most sunbirds.
• Underparts: breast and belly are bright yellow, providing strong contrast with the green back.
• Throat: the throat is typically whitish or pale, sometimes with fine dark streaking.
• Bill: the very long, strongly decurved bill (longer relative to body size than in true sunbirds) is a key identification feature alongside the plain plumage.
• Vs. similar species: the combination of plain, non-iridescent green-and-yellow plumage with an unusually long curved bill distinguishes it from sunbirds and from the larger Streaked Spiderhunter, which shows heavy streaking.

Plumage Notes

Both sexes look similar, with plain olive-green upperparts and yellow underparts year-round, showing little seasonal variation. Juveniles resemble adults but may show slightly duller coloration and a shorter bill until fully grown. Molt replaces feathers gradually without a dramatic seasonal plumage change.

Habitat & Range

This species occupies forest understory, secondary growth, banana plantations, and gardens across India, Southeast Asia, and the Greater Sunda Islands. It is generally resident, often closely associated with banana and ginger plants used as nectar sources.

Behavior

Little Spiderhunters feed on nectar from large tubular flowers such as bananas, and also glean small insects and spiders from foliage, using their long bill to reach into flowers or spider webs. Nests are cup- or cone-shaped structures often attached to the underside of large leaves, such as banana leaves. The call is a loud, sharp, repeated chip note.