Search

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker eating fruit of Indian cherry

on 9th January 2011

Lena Chow’s video clip, a merged clip actually, stitched together and uploaded by KC Tsang to YouTube. The video, made on the 26th September 2010, shows a female and a male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum) doing what they do everyday…

The female flowerpecker attempted at picking a ripe Indian cherry (Muntingia calabura), succeeding only after a few attempts. The problem was that the fruit was wider than the bird’s gape. Once firmly between her mandibles, she proceeded to squash the fruit, directing the sweet pulp into her throat. This took nearly half a minute before the empty fruit shell was discarded.

The second part of the video shows a male flowerpecker pooing, excreting two large yellowish blobs of wastes. The second blob ended up on the twig where he was perching.

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.

Other posts by YC Wee

One Response

  1. Wow!! Thanks, Lena, you’ve captured the male SBFlowerpecker poo-ing 2 blobs of the gummy mistletoe seeds, Dendrophthoe pentandra!

Leave a Reply to Angie Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories
Archives

Overall visits (since 2005)

Live visitors
796
15201
Visitors Today
51788328
Total
Visitors

Clustrmaps (since 2016)