Spiderhunter
Spiderhunters are a group of small birds belonging to the family Nectariniidae, which also includes sunbirds. These birds are primarily found in southern and eastern Asia and are known for their distinct hunting behavior, particularly their ability to capture spiders using their large, curved bills. Unlike their colorful sunbird relatives, spiderhunters exhibit more subdued plumage, with males typically lacking the metallic sheen that characterizes male sunbirds. Female spiderhunters are usually even duller, displaying olive-green, gray, and brown feathers with hints of yellow.
Spiderhunters inhabit a variety of environments, including forests, gardens, and moorlands, where they also consume nectar. Their nesting behavior differs from that of sunbirds; they build cup-shaped nests on branches rather than suspending them. Spiderhunters are generally monogamous during the breeding season and participate equally in incubation and caring for their young. The incubation period lasts about 14 to 15 days, after which the fledglings rely on their parents for an additional two to three weeks. These birds are known for their metallic calls and can be quite aggressive during mating season. Species of spiderhunters include the Little Spiderhunter and the Spectacled Spiderhunter, among others.
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Spiderhunter
Spiderhunters are birds in the same family as the small, brightly-colored sunbirds. They have large, strong, curved bills for hunting and seizing spiders. While the sunbirds occupy a wide range, the spiderhunters only live in southern and eastern Asia.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Nectariniidae
Genus: Arachnothera
Species: Various (see below)
Spiderhunters are a distinct group of sunbirds. Although they are in the same family as sunbirds and share some features, spiderhunter species are more-plainly-colored, males lacking the shiny, metallic colors of male sunbirds. Female spiderhunters are usually duller in color than males, with olive-green, gray, and brown plumage with tinges of yellow on their underparts and some streaks or spots. Spiderhunters are at least three inches (seven centimeters) long. The largest is the spectacled spiderhunter (Arachnothera flavigaster), which reaches 8 3/4 inches (22 centimeters) and weighs 1 1/3 to 1 3/4 ounces (38 to 49 grams). It is also the largest bird in the Sunbird family. Spiderhunters have shorter tails and longer beaks than other sunbirds.
The spiderhunter's diet is the source of their name. They have large, long, downward-curving bills they use to snatch up spiders. These birds hunt in foliage and along the ground of their forest, garden, moorland, rhododendron forest, or thorn-scrub habitats in Asia. They also drink nectar. Their nests are cup-shaped and may be decorated or held together by spider webs. Unlike other sunbirds, spiderhunters do not suspend their nests but build them on branches or another secure location.
Spiderhunters mate and nest at different times depending on rainfall and food availability. Some species breed year-round. A male and female spiderhunter mate only with each other during the breeding season. This is called monogamy. During the mating season, spiderhunters may be very pugnacious, meaning they fight and quarrel with other birds. Unlike other male sunbirds, the male spiderhunter takes turns with his mate incubating the eggs. The female lays two, sometimes three, white or blueish-white eggs with heavy, dark spots and streaks. After the 14- to 15-day incubation period, the young hatch. They receive food and protection from their parents for another two to three weeks, called nestling. They are then called fledglings, which means they can fly and leave the nest. Some male and female pairs nest more than once a year, repeating this process up to five times, one right after the other. Spiderhunters' calls are sharp and metallic or loud, high-pitched, fast, and tinkling.
Species include:
Little spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
Naked-faced spiderhunter Arachnothera clarae
Orange-tufted spiderhunter Arachnothera flammifera
Spectacled spiderhunter Arachnothera flavigaster
Streaked spiderhunter Arachnothera magna
Bibliography
Cheke, R., and C. Mann. "Spectacled Spiderhunter (Arachnothera Flavigaster)." Birds of the World, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2020, birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/spespi2/cur/introduction. Accessed 15 May 2024.
"Little Spiderhunter." Birds of Singapore, Bird Society of Singapore, singaporebirds.com/species/little-spiderhunter. Accessed 15 May 2024.
"Spectacled Spiderhunter." Avibase - The World Bird Database, avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=D33E142CE4530082. Accessed 15 May 2024.