“Was at the BOH tea estate, 1600 m a.s.l. at Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands on 2nd September 2008 watching birds when saw this lovely male White-browed Shrike Babbler (Pteruthius flaviscapis cameranoi) (quite friendly). Got lots of shots, but not always in focus, as he was hoping about in the trees. It was only in retrospect when I checked shots that I saw I had captured a ‘hop’. Please note that he is ‘hopping’ backwards off the branch onto another branch (and not forwards onto the branch) (above).

“I remembere that I had a poorer shot of a female also leaping off near the peak of Gunung Brinchang, Cameron Highlands, 2,032 m on 31st March 2008.

“This bird is very localised and I have seen it and the male at this same site three out the past four visits.”

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Perak, Malaysia
2nd September 2008

“Recently, some Red-Breasted Parakeets (Psittacula alexandri) in a flock were encountered foraging on a medium-sized tree. For some reason, this yellow flame tree (Peltophorum pterocarpum) had shed most of its leaves. On closer examination, there were many what I believe to be “larva cases” of some sort of insects, seen dangling from the underside of the branches (left). Each “larva case” is about 10 to 15 mm long and cylindrical in shape and was attached to the barren branch by a short web-like thread.

“As a few of the parakeets moved lower, it became clear that they were after the larva cases. They were observed using their beaks to pick up the larva cases, holding them in the tip of their beaks before devouring them using their tongues (above).

“What were the parakeets consuming?”

Kwong Wai Chong
Singapore
9th January 2010

Note: Gan Cheong Weei, Chairman of the Butterfly Interest Group, thinks that the structure can be a cocoon of an insect. Cocoon is a silken protective covering, inside which the caterpillar of many moths and a few butterflies pupate. A few other groups of insects also spin cocoons. We need a close-up image showing details of the structure to be able to proceed further in identifying which insect is responsible for spinning the cocoon.

“Would like some opinion on this odd, but not uncommon, ‘feeding behaviour’ of the Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus). Initially I thought it was an uncommon activity but having captured it on camera a number of times, I am inclined to believe that it may be a common activity. The problem with observing it is that it occurs rather high up in tall trees.

“I was in the Ulu Kinta Forest Reserve in Perak at some secondary jungle at the edge of primary forest when I spotted a pair of Blue-crowned Hanging Parrots high up on a dead tree (no leaves, only moss on bark) ‘feeding’. As I had noticed this behaviour before I approached as close as they would allow. They would bite hard into the moss covering the tree and eventually work their way past the bark (above). True to form, much of the activity was upside down unless the branch was horizontal.

“Some spots were given more serious attention with lots of ‘digging’ with their strong beaks for up to 5 minutes. Much of the stuff dug was thrown away.

“I came as close as possible and since they tolerated me I sat near the fruit of the tree … Overall the male spent 20 minutes doing this, the female left earlier.

“An earlier sighting of the same activity at the Burmese Pool Trail (Secondary forest), Taiping, Perak on 30th December 2009 is shown on the left. Saw a female high on a horizontal branch of a live durian tree (Durio zibethinus) heavily mossed, also biting hard into the moss and bark.

“I have considered the following feeding possibilities: (1) looking for insects buried deep; (2) trying to reach the tree sap, but this tree was dead, and earlier tree was alive; (3) some medicinal value, some animal eat vegetable matter for medicinal value and birds may also know how to do the same, eg. neem fruit (Azadirachta indica); and (4) collecting material for nesting – but much was thrown away and did not see them fly away with any. Any suggestions?”

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Perak, Malaysia
30th January 2010

Note: According to Collar (1997), pygmy-parrots (Micropsitta spp.) glean trunks and branches of trees principally for lichens, “…shuffling along the tops of limbs and frequently bobbing the head around the side of a branch, picking up small objects from the bark surface or flaking off pieces of bark and consuming the items thus exposed.” Forshaw (1973) similarly reports pygmy-parrot feeding on lichens and fungus. So the Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot may well be foraging for lichens and/or fungus.

References:
1. Collar, N. J. 1997. Family Columbidae Psittacidae (parrots). In: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & J. Sargatal (eds.), Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 4. Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Editions, Barcelona. Pp. 280-477.
2. Forshaw, J. M. (1973). Parrots of the world. N.J.: T.F.H. Publications, Inc.

“The Tanimbar Corella (Cacatua goffini) has been previously documented eating the pong pong fruits, pods of the golden shower and starfruit seeds.

“On 16 Jan 2010, at Pasir Ris Park, a flock of Tanimbar Corellas was seen feasting on fallen sea almond (Terminalia catappa) fruits from the ground and seeds from the ripened pods of leucaena or petai jawa (Leucaena leucocephalia) a large shrub that is about 5 metres tall.

“The birds arrived in a flock, announcing their arrival with some loud screeching as they swooped down into the canopy of trees. Although Tanimbar Corellas have been seen in the area, there were usually two or three birds. A family of three Tanimbar Corellas was likely residing in the area. On this occasion, there were about ten birds, an unusually large flock.

“Initially, all the birds were in the trees foraging from branch to branch, sometimes screeching. After scrutinising the area, two birds swooped down onto the ground. Their crests were perked up as they walked on the ground, searching and picking up fruits of the sea almond from the ground with their claws (left). As the fruits looked weathered, they must have fallen from the trees and left lying on the ground for some time. Soon, the other birds were also seen swooping down. Similarly, they picked up fruits with their claws and were using their formidable beaks to crack them into halves to get at the seed inside.

“The sequence of images showed one of the birds using its strong hooked beaks with sharp ends cracking open a hard fruit (above left). Its tongue was then used to tuck the brightly-coloured seed into its mouth (above right). Nature is full of wonder: certain food is designed for only selected species with specialised tool (in this case the bird’s beak, which was shaped to crack nuts). Only these selected species, using their specialised tools could harvest such food. It is interesting and bewildering how the corellas could have knowledge about the edible seed that is hidden in the core and protected by the hard outer shell of the fruit.

“After a short feast of the sea almond fruits on the ground, the birds flew back en masse into the trees. Some birds were then seen clutching ripened pods from the petai jawa, which was growing wild nearby (above). Their claws and beaks were used to split the ripened pods before the seeds could be reached and eaten. To reach its choice pods, one of the birds was even seen clinging upside down as it reached for its chosen pod to feed on its seeds. Perhaps, the bird was showing off its capability of eating in this acrobatic stance.”

Kwong Wai Chong
Singapore
21st January 2010

Note: One of the many reasons why this exotic corella is successful in Singapore is that it has found its food niche. All the recorded fruits it relishes are generally not eaten by other birds.

The rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) is one of the better known fruits of the East. The trees are commonly grown in urban and rural areas for their fruits that are roundish and covered with thick, coarse hairs. Green during development, the fruits turn red with ripening. Rambutan has been in cultivation in the tropics for so long that its origin is not too clear. Trees fruit twice a year, usually during the dry months. Ripe fruits will invariably attract plenty of birds.

On 30th December 2009, Dato’ Dr Amar Singh HSS observed three spcecie of birds taking turn eating rambutans along the Burmese Pool Trail (Secondary forest) in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.

First came the Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus) (above left), hanging upside down to give it access to the fruit. It used its bill to break off small pieces of skin until a sufficiently large opening developed. Only then did it take bites of the flesh. Despite the small hole, the bird was able to work its way around the fruit and get flesh from all sides, leaving the empty fruit skin hanging.

Then a female Greater Green Leafbird (Chloropsis sonnerati zosterops) flew in (above right). The parrot flew off leaving the fruit half eaten. The leafbird proceeded to take over the fruit. This was observed twice, by two different leafbirds. But unlike the hanging parrot, the leafbirds had great difficulty gaining access to the flesh as the fruits were at the tip of thin branches. It required quite a bit of balancing and contortion to gain access. Obviously the leafbird was unable to create an opening to the fruit, having to depend on the hanging parrot to do so.

A Yellow-eared Spiderhunter (Arachnothera chrysogenys chrysogenys) flew into the tree and watched the Greater Green Leafbird feeding on the rambutan from a lower branch. The spiderhunter then jumped up and joined the leafbird on the same branch to subsequently displace the latter and taking over the rambutan. Like the Greater Green Leafbirds, the spiderhunter had difficulty gaining access to the flesh as the fruit was at the tip of a thin branch and its long bill did not help. It required quite a bit of contortion and adjusting of position to gain access (above left). Climbing on the fruit seemed the best option (above right).

“I have seldom seen spiderhunters for such long periods – usually a whiz by in the jungle. The only times have been when they were engrossed feeding. The Yellow-eared Spiderhunter was so intent on the rambutan fruit that I could come up to it very close without it being distressed,” adds Amar. “It kept watching me but allowed close access and photography. After taking my fill of picture we withdrew and it still continued addressing the fruit. Again this observation shows that birds may use the activity of another bird to gain access to a food source. I doubt that the Yellow-eared Spiderhunter could ever open a Rambutan fruit for itself.”

An earlier post by Marcus Ng reports the Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) swallowing the fruit whole. On the other hand Johnny Wee observed the bird picking the fruit and trying to break up the skin but invariably fails as the fruit slipped away.