Little Spiderhunter
Arachnothera longirostra
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyNectariniidae (Sunbirds and Spiderhunters)
- GenusArachnothera (Typical Spiderhunters)
- SpeciesArachnothera longirostra (Little Spiderhunter)
About the Little Spiderhunter
The little spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra) is a species of long-billed nectar-feeding bird in the family Nectariniidae found in the moist forests of South and Southeast Asia. Unlike typical sunbirds, males and females are very similar in plumage. They are usually seen in ones or twos and frequently make a tzeck call. They are most often found near flowering plants where they obtain nectar.
The distinctive long beak set it apart from other sunbirds. The sexes are similar, except that the female has a paler base on the lower mandible. Male has all black beak. They are found near their favourite nectar bearing trees, often species of wild Musaceae or flowers in gardens. They have a buzzy zick-zick call that is made regularly when disturbed or when foraging. Additionally, the song is series of rapid chipping notes and these can go on for long periods.
The genus name Arachnothera means "spider hunter" and the species epithet refers to the long beak. About thirteen geographic races are recognized. The nominate race longirostra (Latham, 1790) is found in southwestern India, central and northeastern India, foothills of the Himalayas and into Thailand... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Sepilok
Yellow-eared Spiderhunter
Arachnothera chrysogenys
Thick-billed Spiderhunter
Arachnothera crassirostris
Spectacled Spiderhunter
Arachnothera flavigaster
Long-billed Spiderhunter
Arachnothera robusta
Bornean Spiderhunter
Arachnothera everetti
Brown-throated Sunbird
Anthreptes malacensis
Crimson Sunbird
Aethopyga siparaja
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Chalcoparia singalensis
Purple-naped Spiderhunter
Hypogramma hypogrammicum
Plain Sunbird
Anthreptes simplex
Red-throated Sunbird
Anthreptes rhodolaemus
Van Hasselt's Sunbird
Leptocoma brasiliana
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Little Spiderhunter in Sepilok?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Little Spiderhunter sighting in Sepilok, based on 775 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Little Spiderhunter in Sepilok?
October has the highest sighting rate for Little Spiderhunter in Sepilok in our monthly data.