I saw two new bird species feeding on the fruit of a Macaranga gigantea (Giant Mahang) that was located at the fringe of primary forest. The Macaranga gigantea is a towering tree when fully grown at 15-20 meters with a spreading crown. The fruit of the Giant Mahang attracts many birds and mammals.
I saw a Buff-necked Woodpecker (Meiglyptes tukki) (no images) and a Pin-striped Tit-Babbler (Mixornis gularis) (see Image 1) feeding on the fruit this morning. This is the 4th woodpecker species I have seen feeding on this fruit. I was not surprised to see the Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, as I have seen frugivory by this babbler a number of times, including with other Macaranga species fruit.
There were many bulbul species, leafbirds, Emerald Doves, as well as White-bellied Erpornis, Grey-breasted & Spectacled Spiderhunters, Verditer Flycatchers, Hume’s White-eyes and a Red-throated Barbet (see collage of some birds in Image 2). This was my first day out with a long lens as I am recovering from hand surgery. Images are poor as I am using a smaller lens, the tree is huge and I am not able to use my right hand much.
An updated list of birds that I have personally observed feeding on the Macaranga gigantea fruit include:
1. Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica)
2. Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus)
3. Crimson-winged Woodpecker (Picus puniceus)
4. Banded Woodpecker (Picus miniaceus)
5. Checker-throated Woodpecker (Chrysophlegma mentale)
6. Buff-necked Woodpecker (Meiglyptes tukki)
7. Sooty Barbet (Caloramphus hayii)
8. Red-throated Barbet (Megalaima mystacophanos)
9. Gold-whiskered Barbet (Megalaima chrysopogon)
10. Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
11. Buff-vented Bulbul (Iole charlottae)
12. Cream-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus simplex simplex)
13. Olive-winged Bulbul (Pycnonotus plumosus)
14. Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus brunneus)
15. Spectacled Bulbul (Pycnonotus erythropthalmus)
16. Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)
17. Scaly-Breasted Bulbul (Pycnonotus squamatus)
18. Asian Fairy Bluebird (Irena puella malayensis)
19. Greater Green Leafbird (Chloropsis sonnerati)
20. Blue-winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis)
21. Green Iora (Aegithina viridissima)
22. White-bellied Erpornis (Erpornis zantholeuca)
23. Ashy Minivet (Pericrocotus divaricatus)
24. Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis)
25. Orange-headed Thrush (Zoothera citrina)
26. Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis)
27. Lesser Cuckooshrike (Lalage fimbriata)
28. Pin-striped Tit-Babbler (Mixornis gularis)
29. Mugimaki Flycatcher (Ficedula mugimaki)
30. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia)
31. Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica)
32. Green-backed Flycatcher (Narcissus Flycatcher, Ficedula narcissina elisae)
33. Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus)
34. Hume’s White-eye (Zosterops auriventer)
35. Grey-breasted Spiderhunter (Arachnothera modesta)
36. Spectacled Spiderhunter (Arachnothera flavigaster)
37. Yellow-eared Spiderhunter (Arachnothera chrysogenys)
38. Purple-naped Sunbird (Hypogramma hypogrammicum)
39. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird (Anthreptes singalensis interposita)
40. Plain Sunbird (Anthreptes simplex)
41. Orange-bellied Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma)
42. Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker (Prionochilus percussus)
43. Other unidentified Sunbirds & Flowerpeckers
44. Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus)
