Search

Olive-backed Sunbird and Caesalpinia pulcherrima

on 11th February 2011

“In the past many months there has been a clash of sunbirds in my garden. The resident Brown-throated (Anthreptes malacensis malacensis) have been assailed by the Olive-backed (Cinnyris jugularis ornatus) which have finally made inroads after 10 years on the fringes of our garden. In addition there have been many other Brown-throated who have tried to displace the resident
pair.

“Fortunately the resident Brown-throated and the ‘new’ Olive-backed have made ‘peace’ and now coexist. Now we get to see Olive-backed juveniles in the comfort of our home.

“This juvenile Olive-backed is just transforming into a male. I was surprised that it chooses the Peacock Flower or Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) to feed on. No Sunbird in our garden has ever feed on this flower and I was not aware it had nectar. Not sure if it is really getting any nectar or it is ‘sham’ feeding i.e. trying out newly acquired skills. However it spent a long time visiting many flowers and allowed very close approach.

“I am sure that Caesalpinia pulcherrima has some nectar as insects and some butterflies do visit but not birds to my knowledge. More often sunbirds search it for spiders, but this was not the case here.

“This botanical web site states ‘The flower is probably pollinated by large moths or sunbirds.’ DG Mackean.

“Of course the Caesalpinia pulcherrima is used extensively by our resident Brown-throated Sunbirds to bath.”

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Canning Garden Home, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
18th December 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.

Other posts by YC Wee

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

Categories
Archives

Overall visits (since 2005)

Live visitors
697
14908
Visitors Today
51753909
Total
Visitors

Clustrmaps (since 2016)