Sometimes, I picked bird projects simply because of their "fun" names like Leaf-tossers and Flowerpeckers... Within the Nectariniidae (sunbird) family, there is a type of bird that have caught my attention simply because of that... Spiderhunters. I thought, "What an appropriate avenue to head back into the bird world after doing three sets of spiders!" (Songbird ReMix Spiderhunters should be out towards the end of June 2023). Spiderhunters are partially nectar drinkers, but when it comes to their protein needs, its spiders and their prey. Apart from eating the obvious (spiders), these birds will actually hover near webs and pick off the caught insects as well-- stealing them from the spiders! The genus contains thirteen species found in the forests of south and southeastern Asia. They are large representatives of the Sunbird family, with drab plumage and long, strongly curved bills. They feed on both nectar and a range of small arthropods. Spiderhunters also contribute to the ecological balance of their habitats by pollinating plants. In this Poser Superfly image, I used the most commonly seen of the the family, the "Little Spiderhunter", as well as the colorful European Black Widow. The Little Spiderhunter is endemic to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The male is pictured-- the female is about 10% smaller, has a whiter throat and the lacks orange colored wing tufts. It is an important pollinator for Durian fruit trees, wild banana/giant white bird of paradise plants and Banana/plantain plants.