Question

Which birds suck nectar from flowers?
(A)Red crested bulbul
(B)Sun bird
(C)Myna
(D)Parrot

Answer 1

Hint:These birds make up the family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines, with downward-curved bills. Many birds are brightly coloured, often with decent feathers, particularly in the male birds. Many species also have long tail feathers.

Complete answer:
Sunbirds are small perching birds, which feed largely on nectar from flowers, although they also take insects, especially when feeding the young ones. They belong to the family nectariniidae, which is spread over Africa, south Asia and other parts of north Australia.

There are 145 species in 16 genera. Most sunbirds feed on nectar, but actually they eat insects and spiders, especially when feeding their young one. The sunbirds have counterparts in two related groups: the humming birds of the Americas and the honeyeaters of Australia.

The resemblances are due to convergent evolution which brought about by a similar nectar-feeding lifestyle. Some sunbird species can take their nectar by hovering, like a hummingbird, but it usually perches to feed.

A sun bird possesses a long, thin and pointed beak. And this kind of beak helps the bird to suck the nectar of the flower.

Thus, the correct answer is option (B).

Note:Sunbirds live in tropical forests, wetland, savannas, and also scrubland in Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East, and northern Australia. They tend not to favour coasts or islands. And some species migrate seasonally, but only a short distance. Sunbirds tend to be talkative birds. And their songs consist of rattles and metallic-sounding notes.