Search

Brown-throated Sunbird – female collecting caterpillars for young

on 23rd June 2015

“These images and observations are from our ‘magic’ kitchen window which allow good, close observations as the tinted glass and our wild garden combination brings many birds. When my wife calls me to the window, I have to grab my camera and rush over.

“This time it was to see the ‘odd’ behaviour of an adult female Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis malacensis). This sunbird is well known for feeding on nectar with some records of frugivory (I have posted a few). But animal prey apart from spiders is limited.

“We saw the female collecting a number of caterpillars and adeptly holding them in the beak to take to feed young.

“She was meticulous searching damaged leaves in our Powder Puff ‘forest’ (Calliandra emarginata) for these small caterpillars.”

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Location: Canning Garden Home, Ipoh City, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Urban environment
Date: 9th May 2015

Location: Canning Garden Home, Ipoh City, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Urban environment
9th May 2015

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

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories
Archives

Overall visits (since 2005)

Live visitors
562
7148
Visitors Today
52051235
Total
Visitors

Clustrmaps (since 2016)