Leptocoma
Leptocoma is a genus of sunbirds found from tropical South Asia to Papua New Guinea. Its members are sometimes included in Nectarinia.
Leptocoma | |
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Male purple-rumped sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Nectariniidae |
Genus: | Leptocoma Cabanis, 1850 |
Species | |
See text |
The sunbirds are a group of very small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed.
The genus was introduced by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis in 1850 with Van Hasselt's sunbird as the type species.[1] The name Leptocoma combines the Ancient Greek words leptos "delicate" or "fine" and komē "hair".[2]
Its six members are:[3]
- Purple-rumped sunbird, Leptocoma zeylonica
- Crimson-backed sunbird, Leptocoma minima
- Purple-throated sunbird, Leptocoma sperata
- Van Hasselt's sunbird, Leptocoma brasiliana
- Black sunbird, Leptocoma sericea
- Copper-throated sunbird, Leptocoma calcostetha
References
- Cabanis, Jean; Heine, Ferdinand (1850). Museum Heineanum : Verzeichniss der ornithologischen Sammlung des Oberamtmann Ferdinand Heine, auf Gut St. Burchard vor Halberstadt (in German and Latin). Volume 1. Halberstadt: R. Frantz. p. 104.
- Jobling, J.A. (2018). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2018). "Dippers, leafbirds, flowerpeckers, sunbirds". World Bird List Version 8.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
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