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Crimson Sunbird – song and calls

on 25th July 2019
An adult male Crimson Sunbird moulting.

“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.

A male immature/subadult.

“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).

Sonogran of Crimson Sunbird song.

“Another type of call made. Again a high frequency note, single and uttered infrequently, here while preening (below).

Sonogram of another type of call by the Crimson Sunbird.

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.

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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