Common Sunbird-Asity
Small bird with long decurved beak. Male has dull yellow underparts streaked with brown on the breast, blue caruncle around eye, blue brown upperparts. Female has dull underparts, with yellow on flanks and under tail, brown upperparts, light brown head. Birds mass ~6g.
Birds are nectarvorous. (Goodman 1996)
Males molt twice a year with a breeding plumage and a non-breeding plumage. (Prum 1997)
Goodman SM, Putnam MS, 1996, "The birds of the eastern slope of the Reserve Naturalle Intégrale d'Andringitra", Fieldiana: Zoology, new series No. 85
Langrand, Olivier; 1990: Guide to the Birds of Madagascar, Yale University Press
Prum RO, Razafindratsita VR; 1997 "Lek behavior and natural history of the Velvet Asity (Philepitta castenea: Eurylaimidae)", Wilson Bulletin, 109:(3) 371-392
Sinclair, I & Langrand, O.; 1998: Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands, Struik