Photo: Casey Clark Sumalinog / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple-throated Sunbird
Leptocoma sperata
Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 6.4 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 sperata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.4 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple-throated Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Purple-throated Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata) is a member of the Nectariniidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Philippines.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.4 g, with a wing length of about 4.8 cm and a tail of around 2.7 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 230,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple-throated Sunbird?
The Purple-throated Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 6.4 g.
Where does the Purple-throated Sunbird live?
The Purple-throated Sunbird is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Philippines, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Purple-throated Sunbird belong to?
The Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purple-throated Sunbird eat?
The Purple-throated Sunbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Purple-throated Sunbird migrate?
The Purple-throated Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple-throated 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 Purple-throated Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Purple-throated 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 Purple-throated Sunbird's range?
The Purple-throated Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 230,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Nectariniidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.