Spiderhunters along with the Sunbirds are classified in the family Nectariniidae. As the name implies they often forage on flower nectar. This individual would disappear inside the large purple bracts of a banana (Musa) flower. Spiderhunters have longer bills than Sunbirds and use them to sip nectar from long tubular inflorescences. However they also are said to extract spiders from their webs.
Five subspecies are recognized based on subtle differences in shade and intensity of streaking. Birds at Kaeng Krachan are A. m. pagodarum, a very weakly defined subspecies probably best synonymized with A. m. musarum to the north. Pagodarum is said to be duller, greener and have less defined dorsal streaking.
Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LX5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA | hand-held (no adapter).