What do sunbirds eat?
Sunbirds are a group of small Old World passerine birds that feed mainly on nectar but also take insects and small fruits (left top). When feeding their young, insects are the main diet. Sunbirds are considered the jewels of the … Continued
Pigeons, doves and crop milk
Pigeons and doves, belonging to the family Columbidae, are either grainvorous or frugivorous, eating seeds or fruits respectively. This does not mean that these birds eat exclusively seeds and fruits. Many also eat invertebrates, especially insects, worms and snails. However, … Continued
Pink-necked Green Pigeons and Tanimbar Corellas
On the morning of Christmas eve 2006, I work up late to hear the soft, gurgling coos of more than a dozen Pink-necked Green Pigeons (Treron vernans) perched along the midrib of the fronds of my two ceram palms (Rhopaloblaste … Continued
Sighting of Sooty-headed Bulbul
At about 4.00 pm on 12th December 2006, K.C. Tsang sighted a small flock of the birds at the Punggol grasslands just before the rain. As can be seen in the above image, the birds were caught in the rain, … Continued
Jerdon’s Baza: Fourth sighting
“On 1st Jan, New Year Day, I was alone birding at Lim Chu Kang as the usual birding kaki were either overseas or suffering from hang-over from the previous year’s indulgence. “Just before 9.00 am, I caught sight of a … Continued
Oriental Pied Hornbill: Courtship at Changi
“Oriental Pied Hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) (above), Tanimbar Corellas (Cacatua goffini) and Red-breasted Parakeets (Psittacula alexandri) making loud squawking and screeching sounds got me to abandon my figging at Turnhouse Road in Changi last week. “The birds all seemed to have … Continued
Retraction of the first record of Long-billed Plover for Singapore
On 24th February 1990, Volker Konrad encountered and photographed a plover new to Singapore at Changi. He sent his observation, including a picture, to the Singapore Records Committee set up by the Bird Group of the Nature Society (Singapore). The … Continued
Romancing ‘Laura’ – the Yellow-vented Bulbul
There are several species of birds in Malaysia that are often seen flying in pairs. Some pair for life, some for several seasons and some just a single season only. The Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pyconontus goiavier) is just about the most … Continued
Starfruit tree
The starfruit tree (Averrhoa carambola) grows wild in Java and possibly in Borneo and the Philippines. However, there are people who believe that it originated from tropical America. Whatever its origin, the tree has been in cultivation for centuries and … Continued
