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Sunbirds love Saraca flowers

YC Wee
on 28th July 2013

“Was at one of several flowering Saraca (Saraca sp.) trees at various parts of the island this week. It was a hive of activity, with various sunbird species (Olive-backed, Purple-throated, Crimson) twittering, Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers clicking, Carpenter Bees buzzing away with other bees and wasps, and other small insects.

With insect prey abundant at the tree, dragonflies were also present – Yellow-barred Flutterers (Rhyothemis Phyllis) (above), Common Blue Skimmers, and Wandering Gliders were both zipping around and perched on the flowers while munching their prey. Draped around the tree at various places were parasitic Mistletoe, and this attracted several Painted Jezebels to survey their host plant LINK, adding to the Lemon Emigrants which came by for the Saraca nectar.

Above clip shows a juvenile Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) while below a male eclipse Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) is sipping nectar from the Saraca flowers.

Lena Chow
Singapore
13th July 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.

Other posts by YC Wee

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Any views and opinions expressed in the articles 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.

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