EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Little Spiderhunter on Night Roost

Little Spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra), Family Nectariniidae
Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, Indonesia

Explanation:  Out on a night stalk in southern Borneo, our local park guide spots this tiny bird on perch, all fluffed up to keep warm.  Here sits a Little Spiderhunter, a member of the well-named nectar-feeding family Nectariniidae.  Nectar?  But the genus name of this species, Arachnothera, means "spider hunter."

But this is indeed a nectar-feeder, and in so doing are good pollinators of bananas and other plant species.  

According to one source, local peoples of Sarawak deem it a good omen to encounter a Little Spiderhunter when out gathering camphor, waiting it for to give a call.  

We are spotlighting this bird on perch, but just briefly, to not
unduly disturb it.  The above photo was a second Little Spiderhunter
we encountered on night perch.

We are quite pleased to view this tiny bird, and left it in peace in its sleep cycle.