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Blue-and-white Flycatcher and Macarange bancana fruits

on 3rd January 2012

“Had an opportunity to return to the fruiting Macaranga bancana (Common Mahang) and spent 2 plus hours there planted in one spot with my tripod.

“Saw many more species coming to feed on this fruit. Saw an adult male Blue-and-white Flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana) feeding throughout the 2 hours (intermittently returning) – cannot be sure it is the same bird all the way through. Saw many episodes of feeding but did not capture them on camera as it has this habit of fluttering to reach the fruit and seldom returns to the same perch (see Wells, 2007. The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 2 Passarines), plus shy and some episodes hidden by foliage.

“Wells (2007) on food/foraging: ‘…sallying for insects … several records of birds feeding in fruit-laden trees …. but with no confirmation of the actual taking of fruit, versus insects…’

“GWH Davison (The Birds of Borneo by B. E. Smythies, 4th edition, 1999) says: ‘To a remarkable extent – for a flycatcher – feeds on berries …’ He goes on to say that birds are noted to either take 100% fruit or 100% insects at any one time.

“There was no doubt that the primary food during the two hours of my observation was fruit. It competed with other birds and the Rufous-chested Flycatchers (Ficedula dumetoria) Mugimaki Flycatcher (Ficedula mugimaki) for fruit.

‘[The sub-species is] possibly C. c. cumatilis“.

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve
(Trail through dense primary forest near a rushing stream)
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
1st December 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.

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