“With advancing age I find that hearing the calls of some of these species with high pitched notes is difficult for me, the Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja siparaja) included. I had good observations of this male and was even able to do some videos of the bird preening and calling, using a wall as a support for the long lens (see video below).
“Wells (2007) notes that the song/calls are undescribed in the review area of his book (at the time of publication) but I am sure many local bird watchers have heard and recorded the song/calls since. A recording of some songs and calls of the bird I observed can be found HERE.
“The song is described by Cheke, Mann and Allen 2001, in their comprehensive account on Sunbirds, as a ‘chirping trill or a loud sharp trill, often uttered on the wing’. The sonogram of the song is shown below. It is a high frequency sound and the upper limit is above the audible range of hearing (> 20 000 Hz). I observed that the song often comprised three notes, repeated frequently (occasionally 2 notes).
“Another type of call made. Again a high frequency note, single and uttered infrequently, here while preening (below).
Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
21st June 2019
Location: Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Fringe of city
Reference:
1. Robert A Cheke, Clive F Mann, Richard Allen (2001). Sunbirds: A Guide to the Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers, Spiderhunters and Sugarbirds of the World. Helm Identification Guides
2. Wells, D.R. (2007). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 2 (Passarines). Christopher Helm, London.