Rama Krishna Sangem
This cute Purple Sunbird is on #Sunday photography of BRS Rajya Sabha MP J Santosh Kumar. In fact,this tiny bird is seen in our country in dark green and thick brown or blue hues. The bird may be small but its voice is shrill and loud. Santosh has been taking pics of wildlife and nature every Sunday to spread awareness among the youth and students. His Green India Challenge (GIC), now running 6th year, is huge hit among all ages of people.
Bird of this week, Purple sunbird is commonly sighted in South Asia, particularly in south of India. But is seen in other parts o the tropical regions. This is an intelligent bird, that is very choosy about is food, nest and breeding. Cinnyris asiaticus, is its scientific classification name, loves nectar of flowers, but will also have insects on trees. Basically it is a tree top bird.
With a small bill and a short tail, this bird, this bird is social. They move in groups and prefer to spread their species in their habitats only. A birdwatcher from Hyderabad told Excel India that these birds are seen in KBR Park and Indira Park in Hyderabad morning hours. If you want to see them more or take photos, better go to a nearby mini-forest at Narsapur or Mulugu.
As of now, they are not endangered in India. But, there is a threat to their survival. As Purple sunbirds cannot travel long distances or strive hard for food, we need to save them. Growing plants with flowers is good way of feeding them. Some people keep in them in cages, but that may not be good. These birds live for over 20 years, if plenty of greenery is there. So, the best to love birds is to love greenery. That’s the message of MP Santosh!.
