Green-backed Flycatcher – defence posture

Post 1.

Observed a male Green-backed Flycatcher (Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina elisae) feeding on the fruit of the Macaranga bancana. It was intermittently making the sharp “tek tek” calls with a posture (see Post 2) suggesting ‘defence’ with the body arched, tail lifted and of under-tail coverts flashed. All this suggest maintenance or protection of winter feeding territories. Calls can be heard here: https://www.xeno-canto.org/513593.

Post 2.

I am also using this opportunity to update the list of birds that feed on the fruit of the Macaranga bancana (2 more added this season).

The Macaranga bancana fruits twice a year and attracts a large number of bird species. I have seen more than 30 species visit this tree. Birds will actively & competitively search for fruit from early in the morning (before 7am) until that days’ supply is exhausted by frantic feeding (usually by 9-10am):

Birds seen feeding on the fruit:

1. Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot Loriculus galgulus
2. Gold-whiskered Barbet Megalaima chrysopogon
3. Sooty Barbet Caloramphus hayii (Brown Barbet Calorhamphus fuliginosus hayii)
4. Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica
5. Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex
6. Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus
7. Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythropthalmus
8. Hairy-backed Bulbul Tricholestes criniger
9. Buff-vented Bulbul Iole charlottae
10. Scaly-Breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus squamatus
11. Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps
12. Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni
13. Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
14. Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki
15. Green-backed Flycatcher Ficedula elisae
16. Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
17. Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus
18. Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana
19. Everett’s White-eye Zosterops everetti
20. Green Iora Aegithina viridissima
21. Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis
22. Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
23. Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon
24. Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus percussus
25. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis
26. Red-throated Sunbird Anthreptes rhodolaemus
27. Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum
28. Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex
29. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis
30. Brown-throated (Plain-throated) Sunbird Anthreptes malacensis
31. Grey-breasted Spiderhunter Arachnothera modesta
32. Yellow-eared Spiderhunter Arachnothera chrysogenys
33. Spectacled Spiderhunter Arachnothera flavigaster
34. Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
35. One Thrush, ID unknown

Birds that have not been seen to feeding on the fruit but will use the fruit feeding event at the Macaranga bancana by birds as a “mixed foraging party like” event to stir up insects for them to feed on (similar behaviour seen at fruit ficus trees):

1. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis
2. Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
3. Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius

Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr) – Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Location: Kledang-Sayong Forest Reserve, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Habitat: Broken trail in primary jungle

Date: 27th December 2019

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