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Yellow-vented Bulbul fledgling drowned

on 12th July 2018

A pair of Yellow-vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus goiavier) built their nest in a pot of orchid that hangs over a pond (below).

Soon, two chicks appeared in the nest and both the adults took turns flying to the nest to feed the hungry chicks (below).

Then came the time for the chicks to fledge (below).

An adult would perch in view of the nest but looking away (below), unlike during feeding when it perches facing the nest, looking around surreptitiously before flying in to feed the nestlings. The adult was obviously encouraging the chick to take the first flight and leave the nest.

In my photo taken through the wet glass door, the parent bird returned to encourage the reluctant chick to fledge… and was facing the same way (below).

The older chick fledged successfully (below), leaving the younger chick in the nest.

Sad to say, the younger chick failed to fledge successfully. As the pond was below the nest, though a little to the side, if the fledgling had fallen straight down it would have landed on dry ground. But it must have flown just a little distance before plunging straight into the pond and drowned (below).

Moral of the story: don’t force your kids to attempt tasks beyond their ability… the chick was probably “forced” out of the nest by hunger when it wasn’t quite ready to fly

Dr Jean Ho
Singapore
7th July 2018

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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