Brown-throated Sunbird and Macarange heynei

Marcus Ng photographed a Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis) picking on the small, sticky, black seeds of the blue mahang (Macaranga heynei). This is a fast-growing tree of open areas. The male and female flowers develop in different trees.

The Brown-throated Sunbird favourite food is nectar from a wide range of flowers. It also takes fruits like mistletoe, seeds of Dillenia suffruticosa and insects and spiders.

Thanks to Angie Ng for identifying the plant and Prof Hugh Tan for confirming it.