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Coppersmith Barbet – leaf bathing

on 4th December 2018

Leaf bathing is usually done on a leaf large enough for the bird to roll over in order for the feathers to absorb the water droplets on the leaf surface LINK.

Video grab.

In the case of this Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala), its behaviour is unique as these are compound leaves, meaning that each leaf is made up of numerous small leaflets.

The barbet thus flies from leaf clumps to leaf clumps. At each leaf clump its body makes contact with the small leaflets in order “harvest” enough water droplets to get a good “bath” (see video below).

Lakshmi Ravishankar
Pune, India
4th September 2017

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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