The Malayan Teak (Vitex pinnata) or local name Leban is a native tree of South-East Asia. It is slow growing, can grow up to 25 metres tall and prefers good sunlight. It is an important bird food source; both for nectar and fruit. The fruit are 5–8 mm in diameter, black when ripe and very popular with bulbuls and other birds. Of note is that, when mature and having many trailers, epiphytes, mistletoes, wild orchids and creepers, it becomes an ideal tree in the forest for Yellow-eared Spiderhunter Arachnothera chrysogenys nests that are embedded high in the supporting vegetation.
Gold-whiskered Barbet
Birds observed feeding on the Vitex pinnata fruit:
Gold-whiskered Barbet Megalaima chrysopogon laeta
Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus plumosus
Buff-vented Bulbul Iole charlottae
Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex simplex
Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus
Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythropthalmus
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier gourdini
Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni finlaysoni
Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella malayensis
Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon
Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati zosterops
Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis moluccensis
Spectacled Spiderhunter Arachnothera flavigaster
Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
Stripe-throated Bulbul
Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr) – Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Location: Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Forest edge
Date: 17th August 2020
Equipment: Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone
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