“While visiting a private durian estate in Peninsula Malaysia, an accidental discovery was made of a tree termitarium over a branch stump cavity about twenty feet above ground in January 2012 (below left).
“From this cavity, I noticed movements. Suddenly, small birds no less than four of them were flying out singularly in short intervals. With wheezy sounding calls, they took swift flights and disappeared into a canopy of durian (Durio zibethinus) trees... Read More
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The Birds of Singapore – an online book
In May 1943, GC Madoc published “An Introduction to Malayan Birds.” He wrote his manuscript in Singapore’s Changi Prison where he was interned when the country fell into the...
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Videocam: A powerful tool for studying birds
1. Collecting birds: In the 19th century the equipment needed to study birds was the gun. Another skill necessary was a good stuffing technique in order to preserve the specimens....
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Documenting bird calls and songs
Many local birdwatchers are able to recognise the birds behind the songs. However, interest in most cases ends there except for a few who make basic recordings. Erik Mobrand...
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Should attempts be made to tame wild birds?
The first part of the series by aviculturist Lee Chiu San deals with whether birds can be tamed and whether they will remain tamed. The second part looks at whether it is...
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Postings your observations and images
Why should you post your observations and images? Southeast Asian birds are poorly studied in terms of behaviour and ecology. By posting your observations (and this include...
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Nature Society: The struggle for Singapore’s nature areas
The above paper has just been published. Nature in Singapore is a peer-reviewed, online journal that publishes articles on the flora and fauna (e.g., biology, botany, zoology,...
© Discovery: Nest cum Roost Site of Brown Barbets Part 2
“While visiting a private durian estate in Peninsula Malaysia, an accidental discovery was made of a tree termitarium over a branch stump cavity about twenty feet above ground in January 2012 (below left).
“From this cavity, I noticed movements. Suddenly, small birds no less than four of them were flying out singularly in short intervals. With wheezy sounding calls, they took swift flights and disappeared into a canopy of durian (Durio zibethinus) trees... Read More
Zebra Dove collects Pyrrosia piloselloides
On 4th April 2013, Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS was at the fish and vegetable farming area around the ex-mining pools in Tambun Interior, Perak, Malaysia when he noticed an Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata). It was an adult male. He had between his mandibles a short piece of the epiphytic Dragon’s Scale Fern (Pyrrosia piloselloides) to be used as nest material. Note the wiry stem covered with short roots and a single frond sticking out from near the bird’s head.
The female... Read More
Breeding of Masked Lapwing in Singapore
This is a follow-up on the earlier post on the Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) that is native to Australia, where juveniles were seen LINK. Masked Lapwings are also known as Spur-winged Plovers for their conspicuous yellow wing-spurs that they use mostly for attacking intruders to their nesting areas.
The debate then was whether the species was feral. Nature consultant Subaraj Rajathurai was interested to know whether there were observations of nests or chicks. Sighting of... Read More
GLOSSY SWIFTLET – NEST CONSTRUCTION
“On 9th March 2013, I was observing Glossy Swiftlets (Collocalia esculenta) flying in and out from under the overhanging roof of a bungalow at Fraser’s Hill, Peninsular Malaysia. Upon closer inspection, I discovered two greenish nests, spaced about half a metre apart. The one on the right had just been completed, with the resident swiftlet settled in very comfortably (above).
“On the other hand, the swiftlet on the left was still busy constructing. It would... Read More
Female Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker collects tiny bits of bark
For a few days in mid-March, a female Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum) visited my potted Surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora) that was placed in front of my bedroom window (below left). The visits came a few times in the morning and afternoon. Each visit was announced by her loud metallic tik-tik-tik that alerted me to her presence. The flowerpecker moved from branch to branch in rapid succession, picking up something small off the branches.
Each visit lasted... Read More
Nesting of White-rumped Munia
Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS has earlier posted accounts on the nesting of Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla) HERE, Scaly-breasted Munias (L. punctulata) HERE and White-rumped Munia (L. striata subsquamicollis) HERE.
The current post gives details of a “non-classical” type of nest of White-rumped Munia observed on 30th July 2011 at the edge of Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
The first two images above of a nest above were photographed in July... Read More
Common Tailorbird: 1. Nest building
“I recently posted a Common Tailorbird nesting episode from our garden LINK. Our resident pair’s juveniles had fledged on 13th June 2012. By early July we saw the adults again ‘carefree’ in our garden and one of the new brood independently feeding.
Day 1
“I happened to take leave on 4th July 2012 and in the afternoon was watching the adult female Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius maculicollis) foraging in the garden, when her behaviour changed. She seemed to... Read More
Nesting of Black-headed Munia
“I was enjoying a small flock of 7-8 Chestnut (Black-headed) Munia (Lonchura atricapilla). I watch when I get the opportunity at they are becoming uncommon and should be considered Near-threatened locally. The feeding activity turned to nest material collection and I managed to follow a pair to their nest.
“The above (left) image shows an overview of the nest. It was built 1.5 meters up from a muddy ditch in lalang grass (Imperata cylindrica). The background is a... Read More
Common Tailorbird’s Nest
[Common Tailorbird's nest]
“Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nests are constructed. Nests are built with leaves that are pierced and stitched together with spider’s web or plant fibre. The leaves are pulled together and stitched to form sort of a cradle where grass or other materials are placed within to construct the actual nest.
[Common Tailorbird]
“It was end 2012, when I stumbled upon a Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) in the... Read More
Nesting behaviour of the Long-tailed Shrike
Connie Khoo Siew Yoong started monitoring the nesting of the Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) in mid-2007 in a suburban area in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia (above). This area of overgrown grasses with scattered trees attracted other birds as well – Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis), White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus), etc. The area was regularly cleared, but once the vegetation regenerated, these birds always returned.
Around June-July, the shrikes would... Read More
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