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Oriental Magpie-robin dealing with an earthworm

on 30th October 2018

Jeremiah Loei’s vido clip of an Oriental Magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) catching an earthworm was documented at Gardens by the Bay.

Video grab.

Earthworms are only safe from predators when they are deep inside their burrows. When among leaf litter, they are partially safe. However, foraging birds can easily seek them out by scratching among the decaying leaves. Once picked up by a bird, its only way of escaping is by wriggling.

Here, the wriggling of the otherwise defenseless earthworm requires the magpie-robin to bash it against the ground a few times before swallowing it.

Jeremiah Loei
Singapore
2nd October 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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