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Long-billed Spiderhunter – vocalisation

on 1st April 2022

The Long-billed Spiderhunter (Arachnothera robusta robusta) is a fairly vocal bird when feeding, when moving from tree to tree or at times calling out from a tall perch. I managed a number of recordings of calls. It is hard to say that any of these are ‘songs’ and most sound like territorial or contact calls. There were two main forms that I heard, both using the same vocalisation but in different ways.

  1. The first is a slower, intermittent single, short ‘chit’ or ‘chip’ note (at times 2 notes close together), repeated every 0.5 seconds (I counted 100 notes per minute) and can continue for long durations of a few minutes. A sonogram and waveform of a segment of calls is shown below.

A recording of this slow call type can be heard here: https://www.xeno-canto.org/606575

  1. The second is a faster ‘chit’ or ‘chip’ note that comes in rapid runs or bursts of 7-30 notes that is repeated frequently. I counted 300 notes per minute. This can also continue for long durations of a few minutes. I suspect this is territorial call type. A sonogram and waveform of a ‘burst’ is shown below.

A recording of this fast call type can be heard here: https://www.xeno-canto.org/606576

 

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

Location: Perak, Malaysia

Habitat: Secondary growth adjacent to limestone outcroppings

Date: 30th November 2020

Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone

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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