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Black-naped Oriole Collects Nesting Material from Epipremnum pinnatum

on 17th March 2013

“I was reversing my car out of a parking lot this morning when I noticed a Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) flew into a Swiss Cheese Plant in front of me. I was not sure if it was Monstera deliciosa or another species in the same genus as the leaves did not have the usual holes from which the common name was derived.

Note: Angie Ng identified the plant as Epipremnum pinnatum or in Chinese known as Dragon’s Tail Plant “Loong Mei Chow”, a medicinal plant, native. Chong Hong noted that the leaves were regularly harvested, used to treat cancer.

“Orioles do not enjoy being observed. I therefor stopped and remained in the car to watch, with my camera on video mode shooting through the windscreen. Despite the bird not being in clear view most of the time, it was evident on subsequent review that it was collecting the long fibre material from leaf stalks and stems of the plant for its nest.

“Without the video record, I would have missed the minute details.”

Sun Chong Hong
Singapore
March 2013

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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