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Chinese Pond Heron eats a skink

on 1st April 2009

“This is a short note to add to our knowledge of prey items for this species..

“On March 10th, while birding at Serangoon (Lorong Halus), Sham and I, along with two birders from India, the Laxmans, watched a Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus) foraging on a grass verge.

“Suddenly, it moved deliberately to a spot in the grass and made a stab at something. It was a Garden Supple Skink (Lygosoma bowringii). The skink could be seen wriggling in its bill and in a few seconds, the pond heron had totally swallowed it.”

Wells (1999) mentions that “…much prey must be terrestrial, but diet hardly known.”

Subaraj Rajathurai
Singapore 2009

Reference:
Wells, D.R., 1999. The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. I, Non-passerines. Academic Press, London. 648 pp.

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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