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Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker: 2. Dangling nesting materials

on 26th January 2018

Earlier posts: 1. Introduction.

The first day (2nd January 2018) of nest building was when the female Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum) was interrupted when she was tying elongated plant materials around the axis of a compound leaf of the Belimbing tree (Averrhoa bilimbi) LINK.

Video grab: Female at nest site.
Video grab: Female at nest site.

The next morning (day two, 3rd January) I set up my video-cam to document the progress. The female flowerpecker was darting in and out of the site all the time. During the 90 minutes-long video recording, she made a total of 33 visits, bringing nesting materials with her and weaving them to the hanging mass. She spent between 5-20 seconds at the site and returned after 20 seconds to 3 minutes. On average, she made 22 visits per hour. She usually flew in, landed on a nearby leaf and paused to look around to see whether her arrival was noticed by anyone or any predator. She then flew to the nearby mass of dried hanging plant materials, weaved in her contribution and immediately flew off. At times, she flew direct to the hanging mass. A few times there were no apparent materials brought in or was the material too small to be apparent?

Video mGrab: Female with nesting material.
Video grab: Female with nesting material.

The male on the other hand made a single visit (below). He did not bring any nesting material but simply inspected the incomplete nest before flying off.

Video grab: Male checking on the progress.
Video grab: Male checking on the progress.

An edited video clip can be viewed below:

YC Wee
Singapore
7th January 2018

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

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