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Dollarbird pair on a TV antenna…

on 20th July 2018

For more than a few weeks I have been hearing a series of calls sounding like kej-kej-kej-kej-kej in rapid succession. The calls came in the early evenings and lasted minutes at a time. Then one evening I was alerted to a pair of birds perching on the top of a semi-bare Fern Tree (Schizolobium parahybum) some distance away. A few days later the calls were again heard. This time the pair was seen on the TV antenna of my front neighbour’s house (below).

I was able to photograph the birds and identified them as Dollarbirds (Eurystomus orientalis). Behind the house is a large patch of bare land with isolated old trees. The pair must be nesting in a cavity in one of these trees.

Dollarbirds love to perch on bare branches of high trees and the TV antenna at the top of the house served their purpose. One of them was responsible for the series of calls, possibly to defend their breeding territory. On and off one or sometimes both would fly off, to return soon after.

YC Wee
Singapore
15th July 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.

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