Bird watchers and naturalists get excited, as a fork-tailed sunbird is spotted in the Baishanzu National Park. [Photo/WeChat account: wxlishui]

Fork-tailed sunbirds, also known as swallow-tailed sunbirds, have recently been spotted in the Baishanzu National Park in Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province.

The tiny birds, measuring 8 to 11 centimeters in length and weighing 4 to 7 grams, were seen hovering around blooming flowers and sipping nectar.

Male and female fork-tailed sunbirds have different colors. Males have metallic green head, neck and tail, with a chestnut patch on the throat. Females have olive upperparts and pale greenish-yellow undersides.

They have long, curved bills and tubular tongues that are adapted for nectar-feeding. They are also known as the 'Asian hummingbirds' for their resemblance to the American species.

Fork-tailed sunbirds mainly feed on plant nectar. [Photo/WeChat account: wxlishui]

Fork-tailed sunbirds prefer to live in low hills, among flowering trees, shrubs and other places. Their main food is plant nectar, but they also prey on flying insects, insects and spiders in bushes, as well as feast on seeds.

Fork-tailed sunbirds are listed as a national protected beneficial or economically and scientifically valuable terrestrial wildlife species in China, as well as being rated as key protected wildlife by Zhejiang province.

The Baishanzu National Park has a mild and humid climate, excellent forest vegetation and diverse seasonal changes. It has a high biodiversity index and is regarded as a paradise for birds.