“I observed a pair of Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia horizoptera) caring for two fledged juveniles. As I have documented previously, brood division is the preferential post-fledging care. The adults were approximately 50 meters apart, each caring for one juvenile. The female with juvenile was too high for decent images.
“The male at a lower site was surprisingly feeding the young Pipturus argenteus fruit (Native or Australian Mulberry). I observed 2 such fruit feeding episodes. I have seen adult Common Ioras take the Australian Mulberry fairly often but had not expected them to feed it to the young.
“All my past observations have been of insect prey (grasshoppers, praying mantis, aphids, beetles, bees, caterpillars, worms, etc). Although, on one occasion in June 2014, I thought I observed a small berry offered. This young did not seem very excited with the fruit and took it reluctantly (not as excitedly as juveniles usually take prey); very much like human young with vegetables/broccoli.
“All the above images are feeding images and that below shows the juvenile alone.”
Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
3rd July 2018
Location: Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Outskirts of the city with secondary growth
