Search

Coppersmith Barbet: Courtship feeding and mating

on 19th March 2011

The above video clip by Cheong Weng Chun was recorded at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park in Malaysia. It shows a pair of Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala) indulging in courtship feeding.

The male flew in with what looks like a couple of figs in his bill to join the female on a perch. Initially she moved away but he kept on approaching with wings flapping, offering the figs. The female then turned towards the male and took the first fig from his bill, turned her head away and swallowed it. He offered her the second fig, held further down the bill. She had trouble retrieving it but finally succeeded. The male next regurgitated some crushed fig and offered it to her before flying off. Satisfied with the feeding, she cleaned her bill against the perch and then preened her breast.

The second video clip shows the return of the male to claim his prize after the earlier courtship feeding. Flapping his wings as he moved on the branch towards her, he then flew behind her. And for the nest few seconds he was trying hard to make cloacal contact as he precariously mounted her. All this time he was vigorously flapping his wings to remain in balance. Did he succeed? He must have as he then rewarded her with regurgitated figs.

Cheong Weng Chun
Malaysia
March 2011

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
798
5072
Visitors Today
51617027
Total
Visitors

Clustrmaps (since 2016)