There were lots of activities around a young Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) at Singapore’s Kent Ridge Park on the morning of 21st August 2011 when Lena Chow was there. “Several bird species and a Plantain Squirrel were taking turns to visit the palm (some made return visits) to feed on the fruits at its base, and also foraging around the ground near the tree,” wrote Lena. “The birds included a female Laced Woodpecker (Picus vittatus), a Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier), an Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis) (below right), and several White-crested Laughingthrushes (below left).”
The video of a laughingthrush feeding on the fruits is shown at the top – try spot a 2nd laughingthrush which flew in about midway through the video, then foraged on the other side of the palm.
On the evening of 24th August, Lena was at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. There she documented a small flock of Long-tailed Parakeets (Psittacula longicauda) also feasting on the Oil Palm fruits at the Visitors Centre (above).
Lena Chow
Singapore
August 2011
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