Calvin Chang a.k.a deswitch photographed a male Blue-winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) collecting nectar from the mistletoe, Macrosolen cochinchinensis from the Panti forest in neighbouring state of Johor in Malaysia.
An earlier post shows a Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus) collecting nectar and in the process helps in the pollination of this mistletoe.
The Blue-winged Leafbird is a generalist, feeding on arthropods, fruits and probably nectar. Here the bird is shown harvesting nectar from a tropical mistletoe plant.
Reference:
Wells, D. R. (2005). Family Chloropseidae (Leafbirds). Pp. 252-266 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. eds. Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 10. Cucuoo-shrikes to Thrushes. Lynx Editions, Barcelona.
This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.
Dr AN Start
Great photo but I think the mistletoe is Dendrophthoe pentandra. The same sp as in the pic on your site “Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker and Mistletoe” by Jason Cho. I’ve been studying this mistletoe and it’s avian visitors in SE~Asia for some time. Tony
Dr AN Start
on closer examination I think the original mistletoe identification was right – I was wrong. Sorry.
YC
Thanks for taking an interest in the mistletoe, Dr Start.
Bird Ecology Study Group Orange-bellied Leafbird – nectar feeding
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