Little Spiderhunter

Arachnothera longirostra

Species Index

13 January 2014

Possible regional races (polytypic)

Historical notes on Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra

Habits. Although in Darjeeling it is said to be found up to 6,000 feet or even higher, the Small Spider-Hunter is ordinarily a bird of lower levels than the Indian Streaked Spider-Hunter.

The latter is most common between 2,500 and 4,000 feet, the former between the plains and 2,000 feet. It also keeps more to evergreen-forests end, though it prefers the edges end more open places in these, I have seen it well inside them, both in the breeding and non-breeding season. It is a much more silent bird than the larger forms, though its notes are soft replicas of theirs and is uttered both on the wing and when at rest. Its flight is more direct end less dipping than that of most Spider-Hunters, but its display is similar to theirs. When "whirring" in front of the female the axillaries are displayed very prominently and are much more noticeable than at other times.