Glossy Swiftlet steals nesting materials from Baya Weaver

Posted by BESG on 13 November 09, Friday
Contributed by Dato' Dr Amar-Singh HSS

On 9th May 2009 Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS was witness to a Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta cyanoptila) robbing nesting materials from the nest of the Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus) in Ipoh City, Perak, Malaysia.

“I was out to re-visit old locations in the city, with secondary jungle/scrub, that are being threatened by development. I was watching a Baya Weaver nesting colony with about 8-10 nests, mostly being built, with only one completed.

“I saw a peculiar behaviour of the Glossy. They would swoop down repeatedly to the completed (brown) nest. At first I thought, fancifully, that they might be using an abandoned nest for their own nesting.

“But as I watched, it became clear that they were, distastefully, stealing the Baya Weaver nesting materials (above). Of all the cheek! Especially as it already had young within. At times the nest was rocked from side to side as they pulled hard on the strands. I hope the youngsters inside were not traumatised.

“They were even doing it when the Baya Weavers came to feed their young. The entrance to the nest was frayed due to the stealing, making entry by the weavers a little difficult (left).

All images by Amar-Singh HSS (Dato, Dr)


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    Categories: Interspecific, Nesting

    4 Comments

    Comment by plasma

    Made Friday, 13 of November , 2009 at 2:48 pm

    Cool, awesome documentation.

    Pingback by Bird Ecology Study Group » Glossy Swiftlet steals nest materials from Baya Weaver II

    Made Thursday, 18 of March , 2010 at 12:01 am

    [...] May 2009 I reported a Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus infortunatus) nesting colony (8-10 nests) where Glossy Swiftlets [...]

    Pingback by glossy materials

    Made Monday, 5 of April , 2010 at 11:04 pm

    [...] materials Bird Ecology Study Group Glossy Swiftlet steals nesting …On 9th May 2009 Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS was witness to a Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta [...]

    Comment by Srinivasan S K

    Made Wednesday, 21 of April , 2010 at 11:37 am

    Well I have also come across White-breasted Munias stealing Baya Weaver nests from right under the nose of the weaver birds on the banks of the River Cauvery, Srirangapatna, Karnataka, India.
    Srinivasan S K

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