Asian Koel

Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)


My friend Mr Selva called me yesterday. He said a a pair of young birds was blown off the nest in the storm.

I took the birds back to nurse them as they were not ready to fly.

Indeed it is a pair of Asian Koel. The host was the common myna nesting in the grounds of the Tampoi hospital. It is very interesting to note that the Mynas can nurse two parasites which is almost twice their body size. I wonder how much efforts were put in by the foster parents.

I suddenly begin to marveled how my wife and I can raise two daughters, nurture them through university and have enough capacity left to love the birds we enthusiastically photographed.

.............all the more we should celebrate Mother's day ......and Father's day for that matter.

E T Lee


15th May, 2009

When the birds were first brought home, they were weak, dehydrated and a bit disorientated.
The female weighted about 135 gram.
I force feed some water and oral fed about 0.1 cc of an antibiotics ,Baytril (active ingredient enrofloxacin).
The birds were not enthusiastic about food for the next two days, which is not a very good sign for birds at this age. . I force fed them chicken feed using an apparatus I improvised from a normal 3 cc syringe.
On the third day the birds were eager about food and the video above showed they readily eat from the feeding apparatus without any help.
The baby birds are noticeably gaining weight.

Cuckoo

I rescued this bird this morning.

Plain grey head, streak underparts and hawk like barred caudal feathers. This is probably a Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo ( Cuculus fugax) .

This bird was earlier attacked by a gang of ferocious crows.

It was badly battered and highly dehydrated when I first examined it. I sprayed water in his head and mouth and kept it in a dark room for a few hours to calm it down. As of 5pm today, I moved it to a brighter aviary and it was able to stand on a tree branch. It looked refreshed but still weak. However I think it should be able to survive. I have left some banana in the aviary. Cuckoo are fruit eaters. So I think it will be able feed on it and regain its strength to fly tomorrow.

10th Feb 2009
The bird was able to fly a bit and stand a branch but still. weak. I rekon if I relase it, it will be hunted and attacked by the crows . So I decided to keep it for a few days .

11the Feb 2009
The bird was offered papaya, maize and banana. no sign of it eating. White droppings on the floor.

13th Feb 209
The food was still intact. no sign of the bird eating.
I suspect it was having fever.

14th Feb 2009
The bird is disorientated. Forced feeding with papaya attempted.

15th Feb 2009
Some worms were given but it refused to swallow.

16th Feb 2009
The bird finally died.

Crested Myna

Scientific name : Acridotheres cristatellus

Originally residents of southern China & Vietnam. Now probably established in Johor Bahru.

Philippine glossy starling

Scientific Name : Aplonis paneyensis

The parents of this bird nested in a ventilation hole on the first floor of my shop for many years.

This bird was rejected by its parents and was rescued by my neighbour. This bird is now about 5 years old. It has a fractured leg and a pair of deformed wings. It can still fly but only for a few feet.

This bird is now very tame and delighted the children and visitors every time it was let out of its cage.

Pigeon

Common Name : Rock Pigeon

Scientific Name : Columba livia

Notes : abundant , esp in the older part of the town. Some shop keepers make it a point to feed the birds early in the morning with grains. They belive that feeding wild birds is an act of charity which will bring a good business ambience to the shop.

Cattle Egret

Common Name: Cattle Egret

Scientific Name : Bubulcus ibis

Notes: pictures taken at Nantah Lake, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore on 26th October, 2008

Milky Stork

Scientific name : Mycteria cinerea
Notes: These birds were photographed free flying inside the Singapore Zoo. These is probably the same flock that were seen flying and feeding in the southern part of the Johor Bahru City in recent months.