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Pink-necked Green-pigeon Feeds Immature With Crop Milk and Fruit

on 21st September 2014

“As I was walking in my condo at about 8.30 am on 10th September 2014, some movements high up in a Yellow Flame tree (Peltophorum pterocarpum) that has shed all its leaves attracted my attention. From the view finder of my camera, I could see that it was a pair of Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans) apparently engaging in courtship/mating behaviour. However, as it was a back view, I could not be sure of what they were actually doing – see video:

“I was fortunate that, as I looked around for a better angle, the pair turned and faced me. The action could now be seen clearly. It was a male Pink-necked Green Pigeon feeding its young that was already showing the colourful plumage of an adult male.

“The subsequent full screen review of the video clip on my large computer monitor yielded more details. The adult regurgitated crop milk together with either a solid green fig or a berry. The fruit was swallowed whole by the immature, perhaps with slight difficulty because of its size. Another quick feeding session involved only crop milk. From the movements of the adult, it can be seen that regurgitation takes time and great effort, but the young is, as always, impatient and keeps pestering the parent for more.

“The whole feeding episode lasted about 5 minutes from the time I noticed them.”

“An edited version of the video clip, played in slow motion at half speed, and dubbed with a sound track of the crows of the alpha male Red Junglefowl in my condo is shown below.”

Sun Chong Hong
Singapore
14th September 2014

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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