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Cattle Egrets foraging

on 6th January 2011

“We were driving back along the Kuching to Buntal Road (great place for waders) when we came across a flock of 10-11 Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis coromandus) foraging just by the roadside. These are migratory to this region with no confirmed breeding records locally yet (See: The Birds of Borneo by Smythies, 4th edition revised by Davidson and Birds of Borneo by Quentin Phillipps 2009).

“Most no longer had any breeding plumage with just the faint orange ‘beauty spot’ on the forehead (barely discernable in some photographs).

“They were doing well foraging … feeding on a green grasshopper (left) and a green cricket.

“They were in the heat of the day (2.30 pm) and it was a particularly hot day. We saw many of them fluttering the sides of their cheeks – I suspect to keep themselves cool. Not seen this before but we were very close, using the car as a hide. It is a very rapid fluttering and hard to capture on still images (below).

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS & Dr Chin Saw Sian
Kuching to Buntal Road, Sarawak, Malaysia
30th September 2010

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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