Photo: Shantanu Kuveskar / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Crimson-backed Sunbird
Leptocoma minima
Crimson-backed Sunbird (Leptocoma minima) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Crimson-backed Sunbird (Leptocoma minima) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 4.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Nectariniidae Sunbirds
- Genus Leptocoma
- Species minima
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.9 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Crimson-backed Sunbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Crimson-backed Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Crimson-backed Sunbird (Leptocoma minima) belongs to the Nectariniidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR sw India.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 4.9 g, with a wing length of about 4.4 cm and a tail of around 2.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 57,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Crimson-backed Sunbird?
The Crimson-backed Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 4.9 g.
Where does the Crimson-backed Sunbird live?
The Crimson-backed Sunbird is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR sw India, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Crimson-backed Sunbird belong to?
The Crimson-backed Sunbird (Leptocoma minima) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Crimson-backed Sunbird eat?
The Crimson-backed Sunbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Crimson-backed Sunbird migrate?
The Crimson-backed Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Crimson-backed Sunbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Crimson-backed Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Crimson-backed Sunbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Crimson-backed Sunbird's range?
The Crimson-backed Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 57,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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