Long-tailed Sibia feeding on fruits

Long-tailed Sibia (Heterophasia picaoides wrayi) is a resident of Peninsular Malaysia’s montane forests, becoming uncommon about 1,200m and below. A generalist, it eats animal prey, especially swarming termites and fruits like figs and berries.

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS was at 1,600m ASL at Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands on 27th January 2010 when he came across a pair of adults engrossed on feeding on the fruits of a plant.

According to Amar, “We reached them at the tail end of the feeding but still got five minutes of naked eye watching as we were on an elevated site and they were at eye level and relatively close. They used their beak to loosen the fruit and then the tongue to lick it in.

“Long-tailed Sibia are friendly birds and love to scamper up a tree like a squirrel, while foraging.”

Wells (2007), quoting GWH Davidson, describes the feeding thus: “Fruit is reached by clambering about acrobatically, including while hanging upside down, and occasionally by hover-snatching.”

Reference:
Wells, D.R., 2007. The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London. 800 pp.