Tan Teo Seng brought me an abandoned bird nest from his fruit farm in Kota Tinggi, Johor recently. Measuring 300 x 130 mm, it is firmly lodged between the narrow forking twigs of a jambu (Syzygium sp.) plant that grew around the farm (above).

When examined closely, it was found to be made up of two components (below).

The nest itself is an oval structure, 80 x 60 mm, with a small round opening of 35 mm diameter near the top (above, below right). Overhanging the opening is a porch, not very prominent and slightly downward pointing.

The nest has a small oval chamber of 80 x 60 mm that is placed slightly higher, such that the upper roof is 60 mm thick while the base is 80 mm thick (below).

This oval nest sits smugly on a mass of leafy materials that fill up the narrowing end of the slender branches making up the fork (above left).

The external nest is made of mainly dried bamboo leaves, interspersed with slender grass stems and inflorescence branches, like Panicum sp. The porch is of mainly grass inflorescence branches.

Field ornithologist Wang Luan Keng identified it as a nest of a munia. I checked with Wells (2007) and the closest fit is that of White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata). However, Restall (1996) describes the entrance to the nest as “low down on one side…” versus “end entrance” in Wells as well as in the collected specimen. Both authors do not mention that the nest is made up of two components.

References:
1. Restall, R. (1996). Munias and mannikins. East Sussex: Pica Press.
2. Wells, D.R. (2007). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London.

KC Tsang was at Fraser’s Hill, Malaysia on 16th February 2008 when he encountered a Long-tailed Sibia (Heterophasia picaoides) picking up snails (mollusc) and eating them (below). The sibia is a lower and upper montane forest species, uncommon below 1,200 metres altitude. The very long tail and white wing patch of this bird makes it easy to recognise in the field. It is abundant around this hill station, tame and occurs in small flocks moving around the forst canopy, the prominent long tail dangling behind.

The bird is a generalist, eating flower buds, fruits like berries and figs, insects like cicadas and swarming termites and small frogs. It has also been observed harvesting nectar from various flowers like silk-cotton (Bombax ceiba), coral tree (Erythrina spp.) and cherries (Prunus spp.).

The snail, tiny and slender, occurs among rotting wood in the forest floor. The sibia is eating it as a food as well as a calcium supplement. Note that it swallows the snail narrow end first (above and below).

Various snail species have been recorded eaten by different birds like Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris), Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis) and Red-crowned Barbet (Megalaima rafflesii) [here]; Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) [here]; and Ruddy Kingfisher (Halcyon coromanda) [here].

Nesting birds need calcium for egg production and to feed the growing chicks

Reference:
Strange, M. (2004). Birds of Fraser’s Hill: An illustrated guide and checklist. Nature’s Niche, Singapore.

It is fascinating to watch the Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola speciosa) taking off in flight. From the ground it bends its legs to a crouch, then jumps up, to gain the initial impetus. As it jumps, its huge pair of wings unfolds and begins flapping (below). The downward strokes lift the bird into the air. Once airborne, the bird begins a continuous series of flapping to maintain its altitude.

When level flight is reached, it has its legs and feet fully extended backwards and neck drawn into an “S” position. It may flap some more to maintain its altitude for some distance before gliding, with wings fully extended.

The wings are typically broad and elliptical. Note the large primaries and secondaries that make up the major wing feathers (above). Note also the short, rounded tail. Unlike many raptors that need longer tails for maneuvering as they chase preys, herons do not need to maneuver about. A shorter tail allows the bird to take off quickly but it reduces its ability to make sharp turns.

The dramatic image above shows the powerful large wings in their down stroke, providing its initial lift.

Since this pond heron was recently sighted, photographers had a field day documenting its presence and flight (1, 2).

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In March 2008, Allan Teo sent in an image of an Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) manipulating a hairy caterpillar. The hornbill was observed rubbing the caterpillar against a tree branch to rid it of the hairs before swallowing it. Or is it to remove the stomach contents?

Allan also provided a file, showing the bird doing just that (left).

The hairs of such caterpillars can be irritating to predators, many of which simply leave them alone. However, some birds are capable of handling them and the hornbill is obviously one of them.

The Chestnut-bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus sumatranus) is reported not to be bothered by the hairs - they line the stomach to be eventually regurgitated as a pellet. Swiping the hairy caterpillar is not to remove the hairs but to empty the gut contents. Other birds squeezes out the stomach contents before swallowing the caterpillar.

A Storm’s Stork (Ciconia stormi) was sighted flying over Panti Forest Reserve, Johor, Malaysia on the morning of 14th April 2008 (above). It was flying south and of the many who witnessed the bird, only “flexi” of NaturePixel.org succeeded in getting an image that is posted here.

The sighting of the Storm’s Stork around Johor’s Panti Forest is not the first. Wells (1999) reports the sighting of two birds in 1995 by R. Subaraj.

This is a relatively large bird that is found around Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. In Malaysia, whether in Peninsular Malaysia or in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in the island of Borneo, it is either a rare resident or an irregular visitor.

According to Elliott (1992), the bird was sighted some time ago in Thailand but probably now extinct. Its status globally was listed as “indeterminate,” but most probably it is now endangered.

Most of the world’s Storm’s Stork are confined to Indonesia, with an estimated population of less than 300. It is generally found in undisturbed freshwater habitats, especially peat swamp forests. However, with the current rapid destruction of the country’s peat forests, it is fast becoming endangered. The bird is not well adapted to disturbed habitats.

There is limited information on the stork. It is generally known that it feeds on fish. However, what other food it eats is hardly known. Its breeding behaviour is similarly poorly known.

Image courtesy of “flexi” of NaturePixel.org.

References:
1. Elliott, A. (1992). Family Ciconiidae (Storks). Pp. 436-465 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 1. Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Editions.
2. Wells, D.R. (1999). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. I, Non-passerines. Academic Press, London.

This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.