12 May 2022

Silver-eared Mesia  – food source

by | posted in: birds, Feeding-plants | 0

No visit to the Cameron Highlands is complete without watching the Silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris tahanensis). Food for such a common bird is not well documented. Wells 2007 says “no animal prey as yet identified” for this species locally. They are a common participant of mixed foraging party (bird wave) and often call out while in a mixed group. Much of the foraging I have seen them do is scrambling about in the undergrowth, searching the vegetation. Hence I suspect prey that is taken is not easily seen. I have observed more episodes of fruit feeding than animal prey. The above image shows a female feeding on pink-white fruit on a large tree (unidentified plant).

Previous food sources I have observed include:

  1. Taking orange-red berries off a bush (unidentified plant).
  2. Fledged juveniles was fed purple berries (unidentified plant); did not seen any animal prey fed to young.
  3. Unidentified orange berries (a favourite of many species, not a ficus)
  4. Feeding on a large green caterpillar.
  5. Feeding on worm/larvae.
  6. Insect prey, possibly a spider.

 

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

Location: 1,700m ASL, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia

Habitat: Primary montane forest

Date: 12th November 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

 

 

Follow 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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