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Unusual Feeding of Red-whiskered Bulbul chicks

on 13th April 2017

“I observed an unusual feeding behavior of the Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) and the two chicks on 6th March 2017 when the chicks were about 9 days old. The adult bulbul caught a green insect (below).

BulbulRW-?feed [ThongChowNgian] 1

“What happened next was something I have never seen before. The obvious question was which chick would get to eat the big green insect. The feeding sequence was rather unusual, see composite images from steps 1 to 6 (below)

BulbulRW-?feed [ThongChowNgian] 2

“In step #1, the adult placed the green insect deep down the first chick’s throat. The adult then retrieved the green insect from the mouth of the first chick.

“In step #2, the adult placed the green insect deep down the second chick’s throat. After a few seconds, the adult then retrieved the green insect from the mouth of the second chick.

“In step #3, the adult repeated #1.

“In step #4, the adult repeated #2.

“In step #5, the adult raised its head while still holding on to the green insect in its mouth.

“In step #6, the adult swallowed the green insect. In the same picture, one of the chick was expecting to taste the green insect but looked disappointed.

“The adult bulbul flew off and came back with a round black fruit (below). It repeated the steps shown in the composite images.

BulbulRW-?feed [ThongChowNgian] 3

“Is there an explanation for this feeding behavior?”

Thong Chow Ngian
Singapore
21st March 2017

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. I have seen this behavior before when a pair of yellow vented bulbuls nested outside my kitchen window.
    The adult did the same thing.
    It had an insect that seemed quite large relative to the 2 babies’ gapes. It kept putting it first into one baby’s mouth and then the other without releasing the insect. After several times of doing this, one baby eventually swallowed it.
    I thought at that time that the insect was probably too big and the babies had trouble swallowing it. Just my conjecture.

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