Coppersmith Barbet nesting observations, 16 April 2007 to 15 May 2007
by Tang Hung Bun

As I walked along Jalan Keli late afternoon on 16 April 2007, I saw a bird flying towards a dead palm tree. Its behaviour caught my attention and I walked nearer to take a closer look. Yes, it was a Coppersmith Barbet visiting its hole in the tree trunk!

During the following four weeks, I made regular visits to the nest and made the following observations, besides taking some photos and footage.

Observations:

1. The male bird is richer in colours, with a larger red patch across the breast.
2. Besides the nesting hole, there are several more holes in the same tree trunk and nearby (<1m away) tree trunks. Accoring to G.C. Madoc, these holes are built for roosting at night. But I did not make a night visit to see it for myself.
3. Feeding was first observed on 22nd April. Probably it started 1 or 2 days earlier.
4. There were at least two chicks in the nest
5. Both parents feed the chicks. It is apparent that they feed the chicks with the same kind of fruits - small cheery-like fruits of less than 1 cm diamter with colours ranging from yellow, orange to red.

6. Occasionally, the parents would clean the nest and pick ants out from the nest.
7. Only the female would go into the nest to remove faeces after feeding and carry the faeces away from the nest. The chicks' faeces are NOT wrapped in a gelatinous coating as for Scarlet-backed flowerpecker.

8. During the last few days in the nest, the chick would peck on parents' abdomen vigorously after feeding.(see footage below)
9. During the last few days, the parents approached the nest in a different way. They would stay on a branch quite close to the nest, as if to lure the chick to come out of the nest.

On 11 May, the female removed a dead chick from the nest. (see footage below)

On 15 May, the surviving chick fledged and left the nest . The chick was heard calling in a nearby tree, but could not be seen.

On 16 May, not even the chick's call was heard.