New Food Item for Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis

I was watching a family of five Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds Chalcoparia singalensis on 3rd July 2023, at the Kledang-Saiong Forest Reserve, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, when I saw the adult male feeding on a new food item.

The adult was feeding on the Glochidion obscurum fruit. The Glochidion obscurum is a tree that can grow to 15 m tall. It has 0.1 cm long fruit which splits open when mature, revealing 12-14 ribbed capsules which contain seeds with red arils. The adult male stopped at a fruit that has a small opening and proceeded to open it further. The bird then fed on the red arils (see Image 1 and 2). The food item was not offered to the three juveniles that were largely self-feeding.

Image 1: Adult male Ruby-cheeked Sunbird feeding on arils of Glochidion obscurum fruit
Image 2: Close up feeding behaviour

Much of the feeding of this family unit was in classical Ruby-cheeked Sunbird style of looking for invertebrates / insects by exploring or opening closed leaves (see Image 3) as well as looking under foliage.

Image 3: Juvenile Ruby-cheeked Sunbird exploring dead, closed leaves for invertebrates and insects

In the past I have often observed Oriental Magpie-Robins Copsychus saularis (image 4) and Yellow-vented Bulbuls Pycnonotus goiavier (image 5) also feeding on the red arils of the Glochidion obscurum fruit. Oriental Magpie-Robins tend to feed on fallen arils.

Image 4: Oriental Magpie-Robin feeding on arils of Glochidion obscurum fruit
Image 5: Yellow-vented Bulbul feeding on aril of Glochidion obscurum fruit

It is interesting that none of these birds eat the outer fleshy fruit casing.

Reference:
Amar-Singh HSS. (2010) Feeding habits and behaviour of the Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis in Perak, Malaysia. BirdingASIA 14: 46–51

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Amar-Singh HSS

Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS, Cert Theology (Aust, Hons), MBBS (Mal), MRCP (UK), FRCP (Glasg), MSc Community Paediatrics (Ldn, dist), is a Consultant Paediatrician. He served the Malaysian civil service for more than 35 years, led regional Paediatric and Research departments, is an active child advocate and the recipient of a number of international awards. He has been a bird watcher for around 50 years, published two bird books, has a number of international bird publications, contributed to more than 20 international bird books/guides, and contributes to online bird image and audio databases. He is an active contributor to the Bird Ecology Study Group with a large number of detailed posts and write-ups on bird ecology. He is a life member of the Malaysian Nature Society, a member of the BCC-MNS Records Committee, a member of the Oriental Bird Club and supports eBird. He is interested in spending time getting to know bird behaviour and considers himself a bird-friend. Amar is based at Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

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