Earlier I hung a bunch of Thousand Fingers Banana or Pisang Seribu (Musa acuminata x balbisiana cv. ‘Pisang Seribu’) in my garden. The ripening fruits attracted Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) and Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus). A few days later I found a juvenile Pink-necked Green-pigeon (Treron vernans) perching on the fallen bunch.
While a Javan Myna was feeding on the fruits, this juvenile green-pigeon simply stayed still. It allowed me to move very near for photography (above).
After a few hours it moved away but stood among the grass. Thinking it may be injured, I again approached it. Stretching my arms slowly, I managed to catch it without much resistance. It would not take water or mashed banana.
I left it on the tabletop as it looked listless. It rested for a while before rolling over to lie on its side (above). Its eyes were open with one or the other eyelids closing at intervals (below). At the same time it gaped regularly, exposing its tongue (below), as if gasping for air.
This went on for about ten minutes or so before seizure sets in. Eventually it died.
YC Wee
Singapore
1st June 2016
3 Responses
What do you think could be the cause of death in this case? The bird must probably have been ill already. Also, the beak looks a little deformed – is it?
The other day, it was drizzling, and I saw a sparrow on the grass near a footpath trying to fly, but hitting itself repeatedly against a wall whenever it took off (this was in an HDB estate). This went on a few times, and the sparrow kept shaking its head after banging the wall – it must have hurt. No idea what could have caused this.
Hopefully not bird flu!
Yes, hopefully! I notice we are having some strange weather patterns now. May is supposed to be the hottest month of the year, with the most sunshine, but instead the weather has been cool/humid, & it has been raining often. This kind of weather is more like December monsoon weather. Wonder if climate change is responsible, or whether just La Nina.