It was raining lightly in the afternoon and most birds disappeared from the scene. Then the rain lightened to a drizzle, then to a light drizzle. Suddenly a small group of Scaly-breasted Munias (Lonchura punctulata) flew in and started foraging on the short grass of my garden (above). They were picking on the seeds of the Siglap Grass (Zoysia matrella).
Usually the grass patches of a garden would be regularly mowed and this would leave the grass short and tidy. This would see to it that grass would not be fruiting, as the fruiting stalks would make the grassy patch untidy. As I usually leave the grass to grow wild, fruiting stalks develop and these attract birds.
When the rain stopped, a single Eurasian Tree-sparrow (Passer montanus) flew in and joined the munias picking on the seeds of the Siglap Grass as if they were part of the family (above). Maybe because the sparrow was about the same size as the munia, it blended in, without being chased away by the latter… unlike when a Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) arrived and scattered the munias away (see end of video).
YC Wee
Singapore
23rd September 2017