RCB.M7.May.17.2909
Red-crowned Barbet (Megalaima rafflesii)
In Singapore, the red-crowned barbet is an uncommon resident and is only observed in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) in mature secondary and primary forest, and because of its restricted range in Singapore, was listed as nationally rare in the 1st edition of the Singapore Red Data Book and nationally-near threatened (Wang & Hails, 2007). In the latest (2nd) edition of the Singapore Red Data Book, this species has not been of conservation concern, so unlisted. However, we feel that because it is solely restricted to the
BTNR and CCNR, and has almost disappeared altogether in Thailand owing to lack of a good forest habitat, it should
be conferred at least a status of nationally vulnerable. We
have observed the red-crowned barbet taking a variety of
foods including the usual fig syconia from a regularly fruiting Malayan banyan trees at the summit of Bukit Timah and the Upper Seletar Reservoir Park. Others included fruits from oil fruit (Elaeocarpus species), MacArthur’s palm (Ptychosperma macarthurii)), fishtail palm (Caryota mitis), turn-in-the-wind (Mallotus paniculatus), wild cinnamon (Cinnamomum iners), salam (Syzygium polyanthum) (Chan & Chan, 2006; Wee, 2006b)).
Insects are also eaten quite regularly with a mantis observed being brought back to the nest (Chan & Chan,2006) as well as moths and katydids caught in the foliage of trees. The red-crowned barbet has also been recorded feeding on arboreal snails (Amphidromus species) in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve forest (Wee,2006a). The blue-eared barbet, on the other hand, was formerly only found in small numbers from the BTNR and Pulau Ubin with young birds collected on Pulau Ubin (Wang & Hails, 2007). The brown barbet, like the blue-eared barbet, is also now extinct and was previously recorded from the Woodlands area and Pulau Ubin in small populations in freshwater swamp forest and swampy coastal forest.
Nesting records of the red-crowned barbet in Singapore are rare and was first recorded in 1979 at Peirce Reservoir (Wells, 1984). A more recent nesting was observed by a few people from the CCNR. On 12 May 2006, a red-crowned
barbet was spotted in the CCNR forest at Track 7 near the Upper Seletar Reservoir Park, picking fruits from a tree and
was tracked back to a hole in a dead tree trunk. Both the male and female were observed entering the nest with fruits in their beaks and exiting the nest with faecal waste material, indicating that the eggs have hatched and the chick(s) have
began to feed. Both adults were seen at the nest together only once, thereafter were observed taking turns entering the nest regularly with fruits (oil fruit, and salam) in their beaks, and exiting the nest with faecal waste in their beaks. The returning parents would perch on a nearby branch to survey the surroundings for a period of time), presumably to look out for predators before flying into the nest.
This same nest was also observed by Chan & Chan (2006), and Wee (2006b), who observed a variety of fruits being brought back to the nest including fruits of sendudok (Melastoma malabathricum), wild cinnamon, oil fruit, and salam which were carried back in twos or threes as well as the occasional insect which included a mantis. The larger fruits such as the fruits of oil fruit, which were too large for the chicks, were observed to be crushed and regurgitated for the young (Wee, 2006b). This routine was observed for a period of 16 days. On the 17th day, the chick began to pop its head out frequently and feeding was performed outside the nest entrance). On the 26th day after the start of the observations, a chick was observed to have fledged, and flew to a nearby branch), after which one of the parents continued to feed the chick until it finally flew off, and was never seen again. No definitive breeding records are available for both blue-eared barbet and brown barbet for Singapore, except for the fact that young birds were collected from Pulau Ubin, suggesting breeding there, without a single nest reported (Wang & Hails, 2007).
RCB.M7.May.17.2909
Red-crowned Barbet (Megalaima rafflesii)
In Singapore, the red-crowned barbet is an uncommon resident and is only observed in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) in mature secondary and primary forest, and because of its restricted range in Singapore, was listed as nationally rare in the 1st edition of the Singapore Red Data Book and nationally-near threatened (Wang & Hails, 2007). In the latest (2nd) edition of the Singapore Red Data Book, this species has not been of conservation concern, so unlisted. However, we feel that because it is solely restricted to the
BTNR and CCNR, and has almost disappeared altogether in Thailand owing to lack of a good forest habitat, it should
be conferred at least a status of nationally vulnerable. We
have observed the red-crowned barbet taking a variety of
foods including the usual fig syconia from a regularly fruiting Malayan banyan trees at the summit of Bukit Timah and the Upper Seletar Reservoir Park. Others included fruits from oil fruit (Elaeocarpus species), MacArthur’s palm (Ptychosperma macarthurii)), fishtail palm (Caryota mitis), turn-in-the-wind (Mallotus paniculatus), wild cinnamon (Cinnamomum iners), salam (Syzygium polyanthum) (Chan & Chan, 2006; Wee, 2006b)).
Insects are also eaten quite regularly with a mantis observed being brought back to the nest (Chan & Chan,2006) as well as moths and katydids caught in the foliage of trees. The red-crowned barbet has also been recorded feeding on arboreal snails (Amphidromus species) in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve forest (Wee,2006a). The blue-eared barbet, on the other hand, was formerly only found in small numbers from the BTNR and Pulau Ubin with young birds collected on Pulau Ubin (Wang & Hails, 2007). The brown barbet, like the blue-eared barbet, is also now extinct and was previously recorded from the Woodlands area and Pulau Ubin in small populations in freshwater swamp forest and swampy coastal forest.
Nesting records of the red-crowned barbet in Singapore are rare and was first recorded in 1979 at Peirce Reservoir (Wells, 1984). A more recent nesting was observed by a few people from the CCNR. On 12 May 2006, a red-crowned
barbet was spotted in the CCNR forest at Track 7 near the Upper Seletar Reservoir Park, picking fruits from a tree and
was tracked back to a hole in a dead tree trunk. Both the male and female were observed entering the nest with fruits in their beaks and exiting the nest with faecal waste material, indicating that the eggs have hatched and the chick(s) have
began to feed. Both adults were seen at the nest together only once, thereafter were observed taking turns entering the nest regularly with fruits (oil fruit, and salam) in their beaks, and exiting the nest with faecal waste in their beaks. The returning parents would perch on a nearby branch to survey the surroundings for a period of time), presumably to look out for predators before flying into the nest.
This same nest was also observed by Chan & Chan (2006), and Wee (2006b), who observed a variety of fruits being brought back to the nest including fruits of sendudok (Melastoma malabathricum), wild cinnamon, oil fruit, and salam which were carried back in twos or threes as well as the occasional insect which included a mantis. The larger fruits such as the fruits of oil fruit, which were too large for the chicks, were observed to be crushed and regurgitated for the young (Wee, 2006b). This routine was observed for a period of 16 days. On the 17th day, the chick began to pop its head out frequently and feeding was performed outside the nest entrance). On the 26th day after the start of the observations, a chick was observed to have fledged, and flew to a nearby branch), after which one of the parents continued to feed the chick until it finally flew off, and was never seen again. No definitive breeding records are available for both blue-eared barbet and brown barbet for Singapore, except for the fact that young birds were collected from Pulau Ubin, suggesting breeding there, without a single nest reported (Wang & Hails, 2007).