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Olive-backed Sunbird: Collecting nesting materials

on 1st February 2008

Fronting my house is a Golden Penda (Xanthostemon chrysanthus) tree that was replaced many months ago and the newly planted tree is supported by posts. The posts are being secured to the tree trunk with red nylon ropes. In an effort to ensure that the bark is not damaged, a piece of synthetic fabric was wrapped round the trunk.

The piece of fabric has since worn away by sun and rain, such that the fabric is fraying and the white fibres sticking out all over.

sunbirdob-nest-material-action.jpg

Of late, a female Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) has been seen around the tree fluttering about collecting the fibres, obviously for nesting materials (above). The moment it has a few fibres, it flies away, to return a few minutes later. It has been at the job for weeks now but I cannot say for certain whether it is the same bird or different birds.

The bird would fly to the tree, perch on the rope and vigorously peck at the fibres to dislodge them from the piece of fabric. It then flew off to add the few pieces of fibres to line its unfinished nest. Sometimes it would flutter around the piece of worn out fabric to collect a beak-full of choice fibres.

This is the beginning of the breeding season and time to start a family and the female sunbird is hard at work collecting nesting materials and constructing her nest, probably somewhere nearby.

YC Wee
Singapore
February 2008

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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