Adult Pied Fantail feeding a juvenile Rusty-breasted Cuckoo

YC Wee
on 28th August 2012

Johnny Wee‘s documented an adult Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica) feeding a much larger juvenile Rusty-breasted Cuckoo (Cacomantis sepulcralis) at Singapore’s Lorong Halus Wetland on 24th August 2012.

The Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, a brood parasite, is an uncommon resident. It parasitised the nests of a wide range of species LINK, most of which are small birds.

Encountering an adult foster parent feeding a much large chick can be a comical sight. But to the foster parents this this is no joke The adults need to work much harder to obtain food for a much larger hungry cuckoo chick or juvenile than to feed their own brood.

Johnny Wee
Singapore
August 2012

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

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From looking at birds to studying birds: The story of the Bird Ecology Study Group. Part 1: Looking at Birds.

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  2. Pingback: Bird Ecology Study Group Ashy Tailorbird feeding a large Plaintive Cuckoo fledgling

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