Friday 9 October 2015

Langkawi Birdwatching Tour: The Roosting of Chestnut-Headed Beeeaters

One can tell if they have returned on their migration period in Langkawi. For the past three years, I have personally observed them returning to roost together in the same area of Kuah town and on the same tree.

I had better photos of them coming to roost together on a casuarina tree at the start of their migration period this year.

A flock of Chestnut-Headed Beeeaters Meriops leschenaulti  will come in and those perched on the tree would fly off as if disturbed. Then they return to the tree and reclaimed their position. 

Strangely, they only wanted that particular casuarina tree. There is another casuarina tree standing alone next to this busy tree but none of this birds would want to perch on it. They would rather crammed together on that particular casuarina tree top. Safety in numbers, maybe?

As much as I can see, I would say all of them are the Chestnut-Headed Beeeaters. I counted more than 200 individuals on that evening.

At sunrise, they will head out in different directions. You will see some of them at open plantation areas, paddyfields and even on Gunung Raya. Then in the evenings, all back to their roosting tree...fighting for their sleeping spots again.

A big flock of Chestnut-Headed Beeeater fighting for a spot on top of this casuarina tree on October 8, 2015. Can you count them?
Zoomed in
A Chestnut-Headed Beeeater Meriops leschenaulti happy with its big insect