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Purple-naped Sunbird/Spiderhunter – Food for Juveniles

on 31st March 2022

Saw a number of birds feeding today, 31st March 2022, at a fruiting Macaranga bancana in a forest at the outskirts of Ipoh, Perak. A number of juveniles were fed this fruit including the Purple-naped Sunbird/Spiderhunter Kurochkinegramma hypogrammicum. I saw two juveniles present with the adults feeding them separately – i.e. male fed only one juvenile and female the other. The male would harvest a number of Macaranga bancana fruits and then regurgitate them to feed the juvenile. The juveniles used an extensive fluttering of wings to demand feeds. They also attempted to get fruit themselves but I did not see any success.

Birds seen feeding on the fruit Macaranga bancana today included the Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex, Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus, Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythropthalmus, Buff-vented Bulbul Iole charlottae, Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps, Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni, Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier, Green-backed Flycatcher Ficedula elisae, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia (new species), Hume’s White-eye Zosterops auriventer, Red-throated Sunbird Anthreptes rhodolaemus, Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex, Purple-naped Sunbird/Spiderhunter Kurochkinegramma hypogrammicum, other unidentified sunbirds.

List of birds seen feeding on the fruit Macaranga bancana over many years:

  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. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia
  17. Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
  18. Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus
  19. Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana
  20. Hume’s White-eye Zosterops auriventer
  21. Green Iora Aegithina viridissima
  22. Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis
  23. Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
  24. Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon
  25. Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus percussus
  26. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis
  27. Red-throated Sunbird Anthreptes rhodolaemus
  28. Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex
  29. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis
  30. Brown-throated (Plain-throated) Sunbird Anthreptes malacensis
  31. Purple-naped Sunbird/Spiderhunter Kurochkinegramma hypogrammicum
  32. Grey-breasted Spiderhunter Arachnothera modesta
  33. Yellow-eared Spiderhunter Arachnothera chrysogenys
  34. Spectacled Spiderhunter Arachnothera flavigaster
  35. Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
  36. One Thrush, ID unknown

 

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

 

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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