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Blue-and-white Flycatcher – 1st winter male

on 19th February 2014

“A single 1st winter male Blue-and-white Flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana) was hawking for insects as well as occasionally feeding on the fruiting Ficus benjamina. Would sally out to pluck a fruit and disappear into a bamboo ticket to feed. Fruit feeding is not well documented locally.

“Although I observed this activity, these days these seems to be a necessity to get image ‘proof’ which I missed a couple of times. One nice photographic documentation by Jonathan Cheah Weng Kwong (also looks like a ficus fruit) HERE.

“Wells (2007) [The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London. 800 pp.] on food/foraging says ‘…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 …’

“In 29th November 2011, I documented an adult male Blue-and-white Flycatcher feeding on the fruit of the Common Mahang (Macaranga bancana) LINK.

“Having now seen birds on two different occasions feeding on fruit I am certain that fruit is part of the diet of this migratory flycatcher.”

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Ipoh City, Perak, Malaysia
6-7th December 2013

Location: Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: A trail through mixed secondary & primary jungle of the forest reserve

Postscript: Comment added by Dr David Wells on 14th December 2013… “Good find; essential we keep all this information safe. My 1999/2007 comments, of course, referred exclusively to info. from the Peninsula. NB Your bird almost certainly ssp. cumatilis, not cyanomelana.

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

One Response

  1. Yes, looks like Zappey’s, as it’s azure blue on the upperparts and you can just see some blue feathering on the throat.

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