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Eurasian Tree Sparrow feeding fledglings

on 7th March 2008

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Where Dr Redzlan Abdul Rahman lives, in Raub, Pahang, Malaysia, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow ( Passer montanus) is one of the very common birds around. His 12 year old son, Muhammad Firdaus Redzlan, is so attracted to these sparrows that he regularly feeds them with rice grains. Is it a wonder then that these birds are always around their backyard? And this gave them the opportunity to document the adults feeding their fledglings. In the above images, the adult is shown on the left and the fledglings on the right.

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The adult birds would pick up the grains scattered by young Muhammad and fly to their begging fledglings. The former then carefully place the grains into the gaping mouth of one of the two fledglings while the other would wait patiently for its turn (left). Note the prominent yellow oral flanges that line the bill of the fledglings and the reddish interior of their gapes (top right). These no doubt help the adult birds to zoom in with the food.

These fledglings are all the time hungry and begging loudly to be fed.

Images by Dr Redzlan Abdul Rahman and his son, Muhammad Firdaus Redzlan.

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.

Other posts by YC Wee

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