Long-tailed Sibia (Heterophasia picaoides wrayi) is a resident of Peninsular Malaysia’s montane forests, becoming uncommon about 1,200m and below. A generalist, it eats animal prey, especially swarming termites and fruits like figs and berries.

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS was at 1,600m ASL at Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands on 27th January 2010 when he came across a pair of adults engrossed on feeding on the fruits of a plant.

According to Amar, “We reached them at the tail end of the feeding but still got five minutes of naked eye watching as we were on an elevated site and they were at eye level and relatively close. They used their beak to loosen the fruit and then the tongue to lick it in.

“Long-tailed Sibia are friendly birds and love to scamper up a tree like a squirrel, while foraging.”

Wells (2007), quoting GWH Davidson, describes the feeding thus: “Fruit is reached by clambering about acrobatically, including while hanging upside down, and occasionally by hover-snatching.”

Reference:
Wells, D.R., 2007. The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London. 800 pp.

The female trogon suddenly flew to perch on a clear branch, responding with a soft call. And just as suddenly, the first male flew to her, mounted her (above) and in a split second or so, completed the cloacal kiss (below).

The entire copulatory act took Adrian Lim a.k.a wmw998 by surprise. He was not ready to document the action and came away with these images, among others.

Images by Adrian Lim.

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

“On February 2010, an opportunistic survey of bird markets in Bali, Indonesia was conducted. Localities visited include Denpasar, Kuta, Seminyak and Ubud. Denpasar is the capital of Bali island and is basically an old market town dotted with many temples, street shops and beautiful houses.

“It also boasts a thriving bird market that has become a centre for wildlife trading on the island. Satria bird market serves as a one stop mega-mall for pets, pet supplies as well as game meat. The image on the left shows a row of shops selling pets and pet supplies. Bird keeping is a deeply entrenched tradition in the Indonesian culture. It was observed that shops in the bird market do not discriminate what they buy and sell. Species noted in trade at the market can be found in the Annex 1. Species sold were almost identical in most shops.

“Many bird species in Indonesia are protected. Most are confined to the various islands scattered along the archipelago. Yet they are still sighted in major bird markets throughout Indonesia. Species like the crested jay (above left), green magpie, Asian fairy bluebird, greater leafbird, straw-headed bulbul (above right), pin-tailed parrotfinch and tawny-breasted parrotfinch (above middle) are few of the non-Bali resident species traded at Satria bird market in Denpasar, Bali. When asked, the shop owners claimed the birds either arrived from Java or Sumatra, two of Indonesia’s main islands.

Some shops are rather well established within the market. The image above (left) shows a typical bird shop at the market with cages and perches for the birds. This shop has more than 15 species of birds offered for sale. Most notable in the picture above are the moustache parakeet, Asian pied starling, Java sparrow and peach-faced lovebird. The image above (right) shows a dealer offering a collared scops owl for sale. When the movie Harry Potter was first released in Indonesia, it was reported that demand for owl species had gone up (Chris Shepherd, pers.comm.to Haniman Boniran, 2004) The owls here are kept in paper bags with holes punctured through for ventilation. The reasons they are kept that way are to keep the nocturnal species calm and subsequently reduce the chances of stress related deaths. Furthermore, the dealer does not have a physical store. These are itinerant dealers who move around from one spot to another, peddling their goods. This particular dealer sells not only owls but also other species including long-tailed shrikes.

“Mammalian species like bats, civets and macaques tend to be sold as food. Adult flying foxes (above right-bottom = crimson flying-fox) and macaques are poor candidates for tame, loving pets. According to a TRAFFIC report in 2005, some of these animals are sold for medicinal purposes. They are either sold alive or, upon request, can be slaughtered on the spot (Nijman, 2005). The shop owner claimed that the macaques came from Sumatra. This shop essentially sells monkeys and flying foxes with a few water fowl species as well as helmeted guinea fowls and turkeys.

“Besides long-tailed macaques (above left; juveniles above right-top), tree shrews (below left), squirrels, civets (below right) as well as green iguanas are common non-avian species sold at Satria bird market. The flying fox, long-tailed macaque and the green iguana, a South American species, are listed on the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES. Not only are they protected internationally from trade exploitation, there are also domestic legislations prohibiting the poaching and trading of these species within Indonesia.

“In 1999 when India banned the commercial export of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) for use in medical research, Indonesia became one of the largest exporters of long-tailed macaques to medical facilities around the world. Mauritius, Solomon Islands and the Philippines followed suit.

“These two signage table out the law protecting local flora and fauna in Indonesia (above). They are located at the central square of the bird market visible to vendors. Unfortunately, wildlife protection is a still a challenge for many producer countries. Lack of man power, economic pressures and politicians’ will, rather than political will, are just some of the reasons illegal wildlife trading is rampant. Arguably, it provides income for the locals but when opportunistic trapping becomes commercialized, the authorities will need to contain it. Unmanaged tapping of resources of any kind for that matter, will result in premature depletion which will subsequently affect both species. Sustainable harvesting is very much recommended if wildlife is to be utilized as an economic commodity. However, given the vastness and complexities of the many domestic issues plaguing producer countries such as Indonesia, it seems inevitable that wildlife trade is the least of priorities on the country’s agenda. Despite this Indonesia has to be commended for her efforts in trying to curb further expansion of illegal wildlife trade. A decade ago, Bali mynahs, Siamangs, gibbons, orang-utans and various species of raptors were common sights in these bird markets across Bali. Today the situation is slightly better.”

Above: left, barbets (Megalaima spp. fledglings); middle,short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis); right, pin-tailed parrotfinch (Erythrura prasina)

Above: left, long-tailed shrike (Lanius schach); middle, black-naped fruit-dove (Ptilinopus melanospila); right, white-bellied hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris).

Annex 1.
1. Collared Scops owl (Otus bakkamoena lempiji)
2. Malayan flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus)
3. Pin-tailed parrotfinch (Erythrura prasina)
4. Tawny-breasted parrotfinch (Erythrura hyperytha)
5. Tree shrews (Tupaia glis)
6. Long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis)
7. Civet (Viverrid sp.)
8. Long-tailed shrike (Lanius schach)
9. Java sparrow ( Padda oryzivora)
10. Barbets (Megalaima spp.)
11. Asian pied starling (Sturnus contra) uncommon resident in Java and Bali according to Strange, 2001)
12. Green iguana ( Iguana iguana)
13. Short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis)
14. Black-naped fruit-dove (Ptilinopus melanospila)
15. Asian fairy bluebird (Irina puella)
16. Black-naped oriole (Oriolus chinensis)
17. Greater leafbird (Chloropsis sonnerati)
18. Moustached parakeet (Psittacula alexandri)
19. Hill mynah (Gracula religiosa)
20. Straw-headed Bulbul (Pycononotus zeylanicus)
21. Crested Jay (Platylophus galericulatus)
22. Asian glossy starling (Aplonis panayensis)
23. Oriental white-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)
24. Jungle fowl (Gallus spp.)
25. Water fowl (Anas spp. & Anser spp.)
26. Peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis rosiecollis)
27. Black-capped lory (Lorius lory)
28. Rainbow lory (Trichoglossus haematodus)
29. Orange-headed thrush (Zoothera citrina)
30. Munias ( Lonchura spp.)
31. Bulbuls ( Pycnonotus spp.)
32. Spotted-necked dove (Streptopelia chinensis)
33. Peaceful dove (Geopelia striata)
34. Common mynah (Acridotheres tristis)
35. Javan mynah (Acridotheres javanicus)
36. White bellied hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)
37. Canary (Serinus canaria)

Haniman Boniran
Singapore
9th March 2010

Images by Haniman Boniran.

References:
1. MacKinnon, J. (1988). Field Guide to the Birds of Java and Bali. Gadjah Mada University Press, Indonesia.
2. Nijman, Vincent (2005). In Full Swing: An Assessment of trade in Orang-utans and Gibbons on Java and Bali, Indonesia TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.
3. Nowak, Ronald.M. (1991). Walker’s Mammal of the World – 5th Eds Vol. 1 The John Hopkins University Press, London.
4. Strange, M. (2001). A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Indonesia Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong.

For the past many months the blog has been posting one observation after another by Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS, so much so that he is uncomfortable with hogging the limelight. Only when assured that his many observations need to be shared that he feels comfortable with his many postings. After all, observations not recorded and shared, cannot be taken as contributing to the advancement of our ornithological knowledge.

Amar, as he prefers to be addressed, resides in Ipoh, in the Malaysian state of Perak. His birding playground is the wild growth area of Keledang-Sayong, Tambun interior and Ulu Kinta Reserve around his hometown. He usually wanders around these areas alone during weekends, not simply looking at birds, but studying their habits at the same time. He carries a camera to document his observations, refusing to use flash in his photography as he strongly believes that this will cause his subjects distress. Currently he is also armed with a recorder, to record calls and songs. His weekend ‘spiritual’ outings prepare him for a hectic and demanding week ahead at the Ipoh General Hospital where he is Consultant Community Pediatrician and Head of the Pediatric Department.

I made contact with Amar in May 2009 when he enquired as to how he could contribute to the blog. And soon he sent in his first contribution, on the Raffles Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus). Since then his contributions have not stopped coming. And to date he has more than 100 contributions to his name, with 77 already posted and the rest on the waiting list.

Most birdwatchers return from trips with lists of species seen. Not Amar. He returns from each trip with one or more accounts of his encounters with his feathered friends… and always accompanied with images. He studies his birds regardless of whether they are rarities or ‘trash birds’ – a term birdwatchers use to refer to the common everyday species. I am always amazed at his uncanny ability to see through the plumage and bring back interesting bahavioural accounts.

Now what makes Amar tick? Apparently G. C. Madoc’s classic “An introduction to Malayan birds”. Written when the author was a prisoner-of-war at Singapore’s Changi prison during the Japanese occupation, the book has left a lasting impression on Amar. A birdwatcher for 35 years, Amar has successfully jettison the ‘listing’ habit that many birdwatchers are unable to shrug off. He admits to being a ‘twitcher’ once, although he prefers the label ‘ticker’ i.e. one who ticks off a checklist of birds as soon as a new species is sighted. But after ticking off his first 200 species within a rather short time, he found twitching very unfulfilling. So he moved off to getting to know more about his subjects.

Amar is a regular contributor to the database of the Oriental Bird Club, the Oriental Bird Images, since February 2006. So far, he has lodged more than a thousand images in this database.

Amar lives with wife Datin Dr Swee-Im Lim in Ipoh where they have a home with a small garden overgrown with mature trees and shrubs. He goes out of his way to encourage tropical mistletoes [1, 2, 3, 4 & 5] to grow on his plants, as these semi-parasitic plants attract sunbirds, flowerpeckes and more. So far, his garden has been visited by about 48 species of birds, of which 35 are frequent visitors.

“A Friendship with Birds: A Guide to the Identification and Appreciation of Common Birds in the Garden and Cities of Peninsular Malaysia” was published by Amar last year (right). It is aimed at newcomers to the birding scene. The book was reviewed in Malaysia’s New Straits Times and can be viewed HERE.
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Image of Dato’ Dr Amar Singh HSS and Datin Dr Swee-Im Lim (top) courtesy of Amar.

Reference:
Madoc, G. C. (1956). An introduction to Malayan birds. Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. (revised ed.) 234 pp.

Kennie Pan’s close-up study of the Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) provides an opportunity to examine the details of the hornbill’s head (above).

The black head has bluish-white facial markings – bare circumorbital (meaning around the eye) skin and bare throat patch. The eyes are dark red in the male and browner in the female (not too obvious in the image). A prominent feature is the long, sweeping eyelashes.

The pale yellow, down-curving bill has black markings, with the lower mandible having a black base. Although the large bill appears clumsy, it can be used with surprising dexterity, like delicately picking up a small fig, an insect or even a bird’s egg. At the same time it can be used as a pickaxe to knock off reasonably sized living creatures. The force of the mandibles can be strong indeed, to crush the skulls of small animals and seeds or to dig the ground to collect soil (left). The serrations along the edge of the mandibles allow for better grip of fruits or to grip the fruits to soften them before swallowing. The exceptionally length of the bill allows the hornbill to reach for food in areas that do not support the weight of its body.

At the top of the bill is a large casque, a structure unique to hornbills. It is a hollow structure, supported internally by bony ridges and rods, possibly with some opening to the mouth. This allows it to act as a resonating chamber, thus the loud nasal calls.

The casque here runs to slightly more than half the length of the bill. The male has a larger casque that tapers forward (above). In the female the casque is smaller and blunt at the tip (top). It similarly has black markings towards the front end.

The image on the right clearly shows the asymmetrical wing feathers - stiff feathers with a central shaft, a broad inner vane and a narrower outer vane. They form the predominant wind-catching part of the wing. Note that the dark feathers are white-tipped and free from wear and tear. Above the wing feathers are the rows of coverts, smaller feathers that overlap the flight feathers at their bases.

“My attention was first drawn to a Grey Heron descending in the middle of the sea after making a sharp turn. As it descended, it decelerated as if it was moving in slow motion. When it was about to reach the water surface, with its long neck stretched downwards, it plunged its long beak into the water. When its beak emerged out of the water, a huge catfish had been caught (below).

“It then ascended and flew to a shallow part of the sea where it prepared the fish; manipulating it in its mandibles and washing it in the water several times. At times, the fish slipped from its mandibles to be picked up soon after. About 15 minutes after the catch, the preparation seemed complete as the fish was positioned ‘head-first’ towards its throat.

“Suddenly, a second grey heron appeared and flew in (below left), landing less than ten metres away. By this time, the huge fish, which must be heavy, had been held in ‘head-first’ position, for about 1 minute 45 seconds - a pretty long time. The first heron must be tiring, and somehow, seemed not quite ready to swallow the fish.

“The first heron looked uneasy with the arrival of this second bird. It changed direction to move away from the second heron with the prey still being maintained in ‘head-first’ position. Apparently, it had wanted to finish off its huge prey. Unfortunately, probably due to its lack of experience or pressure exerted by the presence of the second bird, the fish slipped away from its grip and fell into the water (above middle).

“Immediately, the second heron grabbed this opportunity to fly in to challenge for the fish. In a defensive stance to deter the intruder, the first heron reacted by opening up its wings and erected the black plumes on its head (above right). Both birds leaped out of the water and were airborne in confrontation (below left). The soaring second heron’s higher position above the first heron, probably exhibited its superiority over its opponent (below middle). When they landed, the first heron turned away in retreat, defeated (below right). Neither vocalisation nor physical contact was observed during this brief confrontation.

“Victorious, the second heron picked up its prize from the sea. It then flew away with the huge fish firmly in its beak, leaving the vanquished to rue its loss and misfortune.”

Kwong Wai Chong
Singapore
25th February 2010

“In literature, Wells (2007) noted it as insectivorous (thought to take spiders but not confirmed), and also feeds on nectar at base of flowers.

“I have seen it feed on the flowers/fruit of the semi-parasitic mistletoe, on invertebrate/larvae and piercing the base of Hibiscus flowers for nectar. More often at the, Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve, I spotted it foraging in trees for insects – either spiders or pupae.

“Was fortunate to finally get photographic evidence of it robbing a spider’s nest of ?baby spiders.

“It is a consummate flier and can hover beautifully in the air while feeding off a spider web.

“The picture above shows the hovering sunbird while feeding (note the branch near feet is quite anterior and not touching bird) and an intent search for spiders (web hard to see but above and to the right of bird).”

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
9th February 2010