Cream-vented Bulbul eating salam fruits

Lim Poh Bee recorded a Cream-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus simplex) eating fruits of Syzygium polyanthum or buah salam (above). This is a commonly planted tree along our roads, an excellent bird tree. When in fruits, you can find hordes of noisy birds attracted to the tree gorging on the sweetish, small fruits.

“It seems to have no problems in swallowing the fruit whole. The second image (above right) shows the bulge of the fruit in its lower jaw just as it is about to swallow,” said Poh Bee.