“Oriental Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) (above), Tanimbar Corellas (Cacatua goffini) and Red-breasted Parakeets (Psittacula alexandri) making loud squawking and screeching sounds got me to abandon my figging at Turnhouse Road in Changi last week. “The birds all seemed to have a stake in the two Heritage trees (above); the parakeet flew in and then out. Eventually the corellas settled for the smaller cavity in the Gluta malayana while the bigger hornbills claimed the bigger hollow in the Shorea gibbosa tree. “The male hornbill waited outside while his female disappeared into the Shorea cavity (above, left). After a while he flew off and brought back a red fruit, possibly jumbu bol (Syzygium malaccense) which he fed to the female when she peered out from the tree-hole (above, right). It must be quite spacious in there because the male had to dip his head right into the hollow before she reappeared. They flew off after a while. An hour later they were back again for another short visit.

“I’m wondering if these activities in the hollow of the Shorea will harm the tree. Although there are only a few short branches high up there, clumps of fresh young leaves are growing at the ends. The Gluta seems to fare better with more foliage.

“Has the courtship ended? And then will the female be sealed in?”

Angie Ng
27th November 2006

Note: Oriental Pied Hornbills are getting common on mainland Singapore. There is an earlier account on the courtship behaviour of a pair at Changi, seen in October 2006.

Input and images by Angie Ng.

On 24th February 1990, Volker Konrad encountered and photographed a plover new to Singapore at Changi. He sent his observation, including a picture, to the Singapore Records Committee set up by the Bird Group of the Nature Society (Singapore). The committee identified the bird as a Long-billed Plover (Charadrius placidus). This was reported in the Singapore Avifauna 11(4) that appeared only seven years later.

Subsequently Konrad published his finding, based on the identification provided, in the Oriental Bird Club’s scientific journal, Forktail (2005).

In the December 2006 issue of the OBC’s bulletin, BirdingASIA, Paul J. Leader, a birder based in Hongkong, successfully challenged the identification of the bird. According to Leader, the bird seen in Singapore way back in 1990 was actually a Kentish Plover (C. alexandrnius), not a Long-billed.

Konrad, the birder who sighted the bird at Changi, has so far retracted his published record and according to Birding ASIA, “…the Singapore Records Committee (Nature Society Singapore) now agrees that this record concerns the Kentish Plover.”

Well and good. A mistake has been rectified. There were no ornithologists in the Singapore Records Committee then, only experienced recreational birders. Even if there were, the best of ornithologists do sometimes make mistakes in identification.

It may therefore be a good idea if in future, to avoid mistakes as much as possible, the photographs of rarities reported are sent for their opinions to leading ornithologists overseas who have long experience of birds in Asia.

According to our bird specialist, R. Subaraj, “To put everything in perspective, regardless of the status of local records, the only confirmed Malaysian record is of one at Tanjong Rhu, Pulau Langkawi, on 19th March 1968 (Wells, 1999).

“This far south, many vagrants occur in heavily moulted, winter or juvenile plumages and this emphasises the value of exercising great caution when considering such records. One must always seek advise from those with greater experience and knowledge of such birds!”

References
Konrad, V. (2005). First record of Long-billed Plover Charadris placidus in Singapore. Forktail 21:181-182.
Leader, P.J. (2006). Comments on the purported first record of Long-billed Plover for Singapore. BirdingASIA 6: 45-47.
Wells, D.R. (1999). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. I, Non-passerines. Academic Press, London.

There are several species of birds in Malaysia that are often seen flying in pairs. Some pair for life, some for several seasons and some just a single season only. The Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pyconontus goiavier) is just about the most frequently seen paired resident species in my area and this particular pair catches my eye for some particular reason (below). They became frequent visitors and nesters in my private garden balcony the last few years that we decided to name them Laurie and Laura. The birds took up residence besides a family of White-rumped Munias (Lonchura striata). Every hanging fern species that thrives in the balcony carries a nesting history. Some of the nests were made over from previous season. Last year, no nesting was observed. While the environment remained peaceful and conducive to raising their brood, Laurie and Laura did not bring in any nesting materials. I began wondering why and soon found out.

Since last September 2006, tinkling sounds, ‘tink.-tink-tink’ were heard coming from the driveway. Initially I passed then off to be a dribbling garden tap with droplets of water hitting a hollow tin can. It continued intermittently during the daytime and for several consecutive days until the sounds got into my nerves’ edge and I simply had to investigate.

A fascinating and entertaining observation of endearing avian showmanship followed. It was Laurie, the male Yellow-vented Bulbul who flew into the driveway and became fascinated with the winged mirror of my parked vehicle (above). He perched and stared so hard onto the shiny chromed mirror as though to say, ‘I wish, I wish… mm… Am I the most handsome guy in town?’ Laurie was not alone. He flew in with Laura but she decided to take to a more discreet and observation perch on the Christmas tree, about 15 feet away. Laurie with his broad and black loral stripe, stared into the mirror and saw another competitor, a look alike and furiously began pecking vigorously at the chromed mirror. He was pecking at a brown feathery bird - his own reflection! Over the period of weeks, Laurie became extremely obsessed with the winged mirror – his competitor. He continued relentlessly to impress Laura and showed off his skills of showmanship by roll flying around the mirror, performing balancing tricks, tap dancing and doing the flamenco, ballet and butterfly stance to just name a few (above). He was working and trying very hard to be the hero. Occasionally, Laurie would pause to await and listen for the approval of ‘Bravo! Bravo!’ coming from Laura’s chirping calls (above). Laurie would courteously give a bow showing his broad striped dark crown and threw a deep side glance at his ‘competitor’ as if to say, ‘Hey! This is my territory and that’s my gal, so clear off! Laurie did not fail to soil the mirror to get the message over and would end his performance by shining his yellow vent at my scope to ensure I did not miss out his bright rear plumage (above).

Is this a kind of challenging courtship display or is Laurie a weirdo with an obsession? I wonder if Laura is tired of seeing Laurie’s repeated performances. He was unperturbed by the family’s pet dog who had seen them all and more often than I had witnessed. She would just lie in the garage, her right ear cocked up and eyes rolled to the rhythm of Laurie’s performances just 8 feet away. At times, I could hear her sighed aloud as if to say, ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake not again, bird!’

My camera certainly did not give up that easily but provided additional silhouette shots through my spotting scope to look like an evening performance of a Yellow-vented Bulbul, romancing his beau with a repertoire of courtship tap dancing! I found out these birds disliked my ornamental Chinese bronzed bells with red tassels hung in the balcony garden, beginning of last year. I had them removed recently. Soon enough, they both flew in to prospect a new nesting site.

It was ‘Home Sweet Home….’

SUBMITTED BY: DAISY O’NEILL (Avian Writer), PENANG, MALAYSIA.
21st January 2007

Check out our earlier postings on how birds react when they see their reflections on a mirror: (1 and 2).

The starfruit tree (Averrhoa carambola) grows wild in Java and possibly in Borneo and the Philippines. However, there are people who believe that it originated from tropical America. Whatever its origin, the tree has been in cultivation for centuries and it has been grown in Singapore for a very long time.

This bushy, 15 metres tall tree is grown for its fruits that may be sweet or sour, depending on the cultivar (left). The tree flowers and fruits regularly throughout the year. The lilac flowers are small and borne in loose bunches (below). The fruit has five deep wings along its length and in cross-section appears star-shaped, thus the common name. It ripens golden yellow.

I have the tree growing in my garden for years now. The ripe fruits have always been attacked by fruit flies, falling on the ground to rot. It was some years ago that I noticed green, unripe fruits littering the ground below, always partley eaten.
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And then I noticed the visits of the noisy, white Tanimbar Corella (Cacatua goffini), an exotic species (below). These corella prefer the green, unripe fruits to the succulent ripe ones. They are wasteful eaters, pecking out pieces and leaving the many partly eaten fruits to rot below the tree.

It would appear that this corella has exploited a food niche that other species of birds have been avoiding. It has similarly taking to eating the green pong pong fruits (Cerbera odollam) that no animals had previously been eating (see 1 and 2).

The flowers of the starfruit tree attract ants, bees, moths and others (above), and these insects in turn attract birds. But I have so far failed to see many birds on this tree besides the corella. Except the smallish Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) that regularly visits the tree, quietly gleaning for insects. The bird in the photo below is a male in breeding plumage, with long central tail feather and blackish sides to the neck.

Now who says exotic plants do not attract wildlife?

If any birders have observed other birds visiting this tree, please leave your input here. Thanks.

Input and images by YC.

“It is perhaps by some freak chance that I actually chose to figure out where the incessant kaeeu kaeeu kaeeu sounds were coming from, and that I had the patience to wait quietly, hidden, till the creature appeared. After a minute or so, I noticed some movement on the roof of a nearby house. It was a Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus). Soon after, two myna nestlings appeared from the small cavity under the “wavy” roof tile (below). I moved in closer to get a better view, rather conspicuously I might add, and consequently startled the wary adult. It fluttered and stood on the roof, and then took off to a nearby grass patch, its eyes fixed on me. “It was only then I realize what I had discovered - it was a myna’s nest! Mynas, like many members of the Starling Family are hole-nesters. While some species may not be obligate hole-nesters, others often take advantage of such cavities, whether man-made or natural. This is reflected in the unmarked, blue eggs laid by Javan Mynas, which indicates the reduced need for camouflage for cavity nesters.

“This was a chance discovery, so I wasn’t blessed with the opportunity to clarify incubation periods. Neither would the eggs be openly viewable, in any case. According to the literature, Javan Mynas lay a clutch of 2–5 eggs at a time and incubate for 13–14 days in captivity. It is also probable that Javan Mynas, like many species of Asian sturnids, both sexes participate in incubating, though males contribute for only a portion of the day. This is unconfirmed and almost impossible to determine, as both sexes look identical and the nest is concealed. “Juveniles, unlike the adults, are paler and browner, and has a white iris (as compared to the lemon yellow iris of adults). The bird on the right (above) seems to be older and more active. My personal observation is that there appears to be many more juveniles during these few months. It is thus tempting for me to assume that breeding season is in the later part of the year. Would any ornithologist like to clarify or correct this? “As and after the juveniles fledge, they continue to be fed by the adults (above). Such food, which includes seeds, fruits or insects, is given whole and not regurgitated (at least at this stage). Pleas for food (kaeeu kaeeu kaeeu) are accompanied by the youngster’s half-flaps and wing “quivering”. This parent totally ignores the youngster.”

Lim Jun Ying
3rd January 2007

Input and images by Lim Jun Ying except bottom image by YC.