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Aethopyga siparaj
One of the smallest birds found in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is also one of its brightest - the Crimson Sunbird.
The male adult weighs about 7.0 g (about the weight of a 50-cent coin), and from beak to tail measures between 115 to 117 mm (about the length of an iPhone). The plumage of the male consists of a striking crimson breast, maroon back and olive-coloured body. The female, in contrast, is not only smaller in size, but is also more dully-coloured in olive and yellow.
The Crimson Sunbird, like other sunbirds, feeds mainly on nectar. It uses its long, slender decurved bill and tongue to probe suitable flowers for nectar. Sunbird nests are usually globular or oval in shape, made up of grass, fibres and cobwebs, and usually suspended from the ends of twigs. Clutches of two eggs are typical.
In a poll held in 2002, the crimson sunbird was unofficially voted as Singapore's national bird.
Photos by Mendis Tan and Toh Yuet Hsin.
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