“I visited Pasir Ris Park again on 7th March, Monday. I first spotted an Oriental Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhyncus) perching on a tree branch about 10 meters above ground (below left). After shooting a couple of pictures I then scanned the surrounding and found a female Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) sitting motionlessly and quietly on the ground at the bottom of the tree (left). It was not moving at all even though I walked to it within 10 feet to take a close up picture with flash gun.
“Another Oriental Honey-buzzard landed in the neighbouring tree. The junglefowl sat there for almost an hour till the buzzards left the trees. I followed the buzzards to the seaside. A junglefowl call was heard immediately after the buzzards left the trees.
“It seems the female Red Jungle fowl was trying to stay motionless under the shade of the tree to avoid being spotted by the two raptors.
“Surprisingly, a female Asian Keol (Eudynamys scolopacea) also landed next to the second buzzard without any flighting. A Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) landed on the branch just beneath the first Oriental Honey-buzzard without any incidence; it later moved to the branch beneath the female Asian Keol (above right). A male Asian Keol also joined the female later before the second buzzard left. It seems both the oriole and Asian Keol did not care about the presence of the buzzards. Why the junglefowl needs to hide?”
William Ip
Singapore
9th March 2011
3 Responses
Maybe the oriole and koels were able to see that the Oriental honey-buzzard posed no threat to them, while the junglefowl, being a terrestrial bird, was unable to look closely enough, and only knew that a (potentially dangerous) raptor was perched above and hence stayed still just in case.
The Black-naped Oriole breeding pairs are definitely daring enough to drive a raptor off!!! Koels a bit surprised….. I never knew that they werent quite aware of raptors.
I have seen Black-naped Orioles chasing crows away in my condo. Sometime later I found out that there was an Oriole nest around. When a Peregrine Falcon was hovering overhead the Javan Mynas would scream away. All the birds got warned of the imminent danger. I myself learnt from this too.
I suppose all these behaviours are governed by the built-in DNA and modified by individual experience and inexperience. Those unfortunate ones get eliminated from the ecosystem. Those who witness the incidence learnt from the experience.