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Parakeets at Sian Tuan: 4. Red-breasted Parakeet feeding on Golden Penda fruits

on 15th December 2018

Parakeets at Sian Tuan: 1. The parakeets are flying in; 2. Gathering around coconut palms; 3. Activities on the roof.

I was directing my 300mm lens at the Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in the distant roof to video their activities. Suddenly a Red-breasted Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri) landed among the branches of a nearby Golden Penda (Xanthostemon chrysanthus) tree.

Video grab.

It started picking up individual fruits from a bunch with its foot (above).

Video grab.

The fruit was then brought to the bill (above)…

Video grab.

…to allow the hard shell to be cracked with its powerful mandibles so that the soft seeds can be released and eaten (above).

This was my first sighting of a parakeet eating these fruits and I had to act quickly before it flew off. The 300mm lens proved cumbersome as it brought the image of the parakeet extremely close in the viewfinder. I needed to desperately move back but there was no space behind me to do so. The video clip above is the result.

Once it flew off, another flew in but the second parakeet was somewhat hidden by the leaves, unlike the first which was more exposed.

YC Wee
Singapore
21st November 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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