“The Bat Hawk (Macheiramphus alcinus) is known to roost in ‘lofty forest trees’ from the lowlands to the foothills (Lekagul & Round, 1991: 96). In late April 2014, I had the pleasure to view a family of Bat Hawks (two parents and one fledgling) perched upon a grand, emergent tree in a forested area in Sarawak, Borneo (above).
“At the fork of a main branch, the disused nest was still visible and largely intact (above).
“One morning, I had my eyes on one of the parents, as it was perched peacefully below the nest (above).
“Soon, the Bat Hawk began its routine of preening itself. As it did so with eyes closed, the white eyelids became clearly visible (above).
“Towards the end of its preening session, the Bat Hawk would give its wings a good, unhurried stretch (above, below).
“From such an encounter, I was reminded of the importance of preserving tall and mature trees, as they are often favourable roosts and nesting sites for raptors.”
Dr. Leong Tzi Ming
Singapore
9th May 2014
References:
Lekagul, B. & P. D. Round, 1991. A Guide to the Birds of Thailand. Saha Karn Bhaet Co. Ltd., Bangkok. 457 pp.
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