THE PTJRPLE-HEADED SUNBIED 
Atthopygia sip&raja siporaja iHorsf.) 
Description The male of this most wonderful Uttle bird 
cannot be confused with any other local species. 
The head, neck, back, upper-wing coverts, chin, throat and 
breast are crimson. The throat and breast are rather brig^hter 
than the upper parts and could almost be called verm ill ion. 
The' rump provides a dazzling- contrast to the red colour in 
that it is yellow and this n^am gives way to dark metallic blue 
on the up])er tail coverts and tath The wing's are dark brown 
and the abdomen slaty black. 
The female is mostly dull R-^een, slightly more yellowish 
on the underparts and in her dowdy dress forms a striking 
contrast to her gorgeous mate. 
The young males are at first very like the females in 
general appearance and present a curious appearance when 
assuming the adult plumage as the red feathers appear here 
and there among the green ones. 
The male measures about 4J to 4^ inches m length and has 
a wing of just over 2 inches. 
The irides, feet and beak are dark brown. 
Distrihution \ — ^This sunbird reaches its northern limit at 
about the latitude of Penang, but it is common throughout 
the Malay Peninsula : found also in Borneo, Sumatra and 
Ja%''a: allied sub-species are found to the northwards from 
China to India. 
Status in Singapore : — A common bird in most parts of the 
island, especially numerous in the woodlands at such places 
as Bukit Timah, the Changi jungle and also near Chinese 
market gardens. Very numerous on the outlying islands. It 
is also foimd in Singapore gardens, but never so numerously 
as the small yet low-breasted species next to be described. 
