Pigeons and doves, belonging to the family Columbidae, are either grainvorous or frugivorous, eating seeds or fruits respectively. This does not mean that these birds eat exclusively seeds and fruits. Many also eat invertebrates, especially insects, worms and snails.

However, unlike other plant-eating birds that initially feed their chicks on soft invertebrates like insects and spiders, pigeons and doves feed theirs on a sole diet of crop milk, also called pigeon’s milk, especially during the first few days after hatching. The above images show the parent bird feeding one chick (left) and at other times two chciks at the same time (right)

This crop milk is a highly nutritious surry of fluid-filled cells that slough from the lining of the crop. It is rich in fats and vitamins A and B. It is said to be richer in protein and fat than cow’s milk or even human’s milk for that matter. It consists of 12% protein. 6% fat and 1-2% minerals and amino acids, the remainder being water but no carbohydrates.

The young squab stimulates the production of crop milk by putting its bill into the buccal cavity of its parent (above), which in turn touches the sensitive sides of the nestling’s gape to make it open up (below). The adult bird then regurgitates this crop milk directly into the throat of the young.

You may ask why is it that these birds do not feed their young with the same food that the adults eat? The main diet of the adult is plant materials and these are not digestible to the young during the initial stages of their development. As the young develop, their diet includes an increasing proportion of plant materials until finally they are fed the same diet as the adult. The image below shows some solid being transferred to the chick.

As the chick gets ready to be fledged, they are fed more fruits and less crop milk. The chick below has a fruit, probably a local cherry (Muntingia calabura) in its bill.

The above images are by Chan Yoke Meng who documented the nesting ecology of the Pink-necked Green Pigeon together with Gloria Seow, a full account of which can be seen in Gloria’s blog.

On the morning of Christmas eve 2006, I work up late to hear the soft, gurgling coos of more than a dozen Pink-necked Green Pigeons (Treron vernans) perched along the midrib of the fronds of my two ceram palms (Rhopaloblaste ceramica) (above). These palms, among the tallest palms/trees around the area, are favourite perches for many species of birds, from Oriental Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) to Long-tailed Parakeets (Psittacula longicauda) and Javan Mynas ( Acridotheres javanicus).

The Pink-necked Green Pigeons are always around towards the end and early periods of the year, pairing up and making courtship sounds and behaviour. Some birds simply pair up and perch quietly most of the time (left). Others try to slowly edge close to an opposite sex, to be accepted or rejected. If rejected the targeted bird will fly off to another perch. Other birds perch alone, either because there are not enough partners to go around or they have yet to be matched.

On this morning the air was suddenly filled with the harsh cries of a pair of Tanimbar Corellas (Cacatua goffini) that flew in to join the pigeons (below). These corellas are larger than the pigeons and more aggressive, besides being more vocal. They were gamboling about the palms, landing on the leaflets of the fronds and chasing each other. In the process they were actively chasing off the pigeons by flying directly at one pigeon after another.

Invariable the pigeons would fly off the perch to land on another frond. This went on for some time, with the corellas shrieking loudly and flying around the palm crowns, chasing each other and frightening the pigeons. In due course most of the pigeons flew off to find a more peaceful tree elsewhere. After about five minutes the corellas flew off to anther tree leaving only a few pairs of the more tolerant pigeons alone.

This was the time when my starfruit tree (Averrhoa carambola) was fruiting and the corellas were raiding the green fruits, leaving numerous partially eaten fruits lying on the ground bleow.

Input and images by YC except Tanimbar Corella in flight by Chan Yoke Meng.

Cattail, also known as bulrush (Typha angustifolia) is an aquatic plant with 2 m long, narrow leaves that grow vertically up (left). The unisexual flowers are small and densely crowded along the end of an equally tall spike. The male flowers are crowded along the tip of the spike while the female flowers, appearing more compact, darker brown and distinctly cigar-like, are found below. The two types of flowers are separated by a short bare portion of the spike. The fruits are minute and covered with fluffy hairs that help them in wind dispersal.

Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers (Dicaeum cruentatum) regularly collect the hairy fruits when they ripen. These birds can be seen perching along the spike and carefully picking at the fluff. In the process they shake off more of the fruits than they collect. This no doubt helps in the natural dispersal of the fruits (below).

The fluff is used to line the inside of their pouch-like nests (below).Various sunbirds also use these fluff to line their nests.

According to our bird specialist, R. Subaraj, cattails make an excellent habitat for certain birds such as bitterns, reed-warblers and rails. They also provide a good hiding place for various waterbirds.

Images by YC except those of flowerpecker collecting fluff by Chan Yoke Meng.

At about 4.00 pm on 12th December 2006, K.C. Tsang sighted a small flock of the birds at the Punggol grasslands just before the rain. As can be seen in the above image, the birds were caught in the rain, and trying to dry themselves.

Sooty-headed Bulbuls (Pycnonotus aurigasteris) is native to Myanmar, South China and discontinuously through Southeast Asia to Java. The first sighting of this exotic species was reported in the early 1920s. The bird was recorded on and off, albeit rarely, throughout the remaining part of the century. A small feral population appears to have established in Tampines since 2003. Obviously the bird is breeding successfully.

According to our bird specialist R. Subaraj, “Sooty-headed Bulbuls (both gold-vented and red-vented forms) have occurred as escapees for many years now due to their popularity in the bird trade.

“In the 1970s, a feral population established itself and the species was listed on the Singapore checklist but that population apparently died out and the bulbul was subsequently removed from the list.

“There now appears to be a feral population in the Punggol-Serangoon area and a breeding record seems to have been obtained. As a result, it was been reinstated on to the Singapore checklist as a feral species in October.”

“On 1st Jan, New Year Day, I was alone birding at Lim Chu Kang as the usual birding kaki were either overseas or suffering from hang-over from the previous year’s indulgence.

“Just before 9.00 am, I caught sight of a raptor perched on a bare branch of an Albizia tree (Paraserianthes falcataria). Through the scope, the white tipped blackish crest was outstanding. I took a few shots but the bird had its back to me and the sun was not really favourable.

“Happy to have sighted the Jerdon Baza (Aviceda jerdoni), I took a loop trail hoping to get in front of it to have a better view but lost it. Shortly before 9.30 am I received a recall msg from home and had to turn back. On the way out, the raptor was back at the same perch. Perhaps another day.

“Viewing the not so sharp ID picture, there were doubts about the obvious shaded eye band of the bird - could it be a juvenile Rufous-bellied Eagle (Hieraaetus kienerii)? The best way was go find it again! “The following morning Jia Sheng was with me at Lim Chu Kang. Moments after arrival, we spotted the raptor but it flew off (mid-canopy flight) in the opposite direction. Happy it was around, we continued with our birding routine hoping it would return. Around 11 am we decided to leave. On the way out, the raptor flew in and landed on a tree just behind me. Out of the tree another raptor flew off. There were two of them! The raptor which flew off landed on the same bare branch as previous but this time there was no eye band but again, its back was facing us. After a few shots it flew off.

“Following the flight, we spotted both raptors in a cluster of Albizia trees. They were behaving like what I’ve observed of parents and fledged juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). The juvenile raptor was trying to get close to the adult but every time it did, the adult would fly off, though never too far away.

“Later with the help of some experienced birders and sharper pictures taken by Jia Sheng, there was consensus about the raptors as an adult and a sub-adult. However, there was no frontal picture of the adult raptor. Hopefully someone could ID the sub-species.”

Happy Birding,
Danny Lau & Lau Jia Sheng.

This extremely rare passage migrant was spotted around the same area in early December 2006, the third time seen locally (see 1, 2 and 3). The current sighting by Danny Lau and his son Jia Sheng, less than a month later, would make it the fourth.

Our bird specialist, R. Subaraj has this to say: “Actually, the Jerdon’s Baza was always considered a sendentary resident until the first one turned up as a roadkill a few years ago. As there are only 4 records (I have only seen 2 photographed records), it is too premature to determine the true status of this species. Thus, we should not say passage migrant as we are unable to confirm this yet. I would consider this bird a scarce visitor for now until we can formulate a better impression with more confirmed records.”

Input and images by Danny Lau and his son Jia Sheng.