Ornithological Observations
An electronic journal published
Ornithological Observations accepts papers containing faunistic information about birds. This includes descriptions of distribution, behaviour, breeding, foraging, food, movement, measurements, habitat and plumage. It will also consider for publication a variety of oth
relevant ornithological material: reports of projects and conferences, annotated checklists for a site or region, specialist other interesting or relevant material.
EYEWITNESS
Recommended citation format:
Hattingh K, Hattingh A 2012. Eyewitness report: Crested Barbet chicks killed by Lesser Honeyguides.
- ISSN 2219-0341
Ornithological Observations
An electronic journal published by BirdLife South Africa and the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town
accepts papers containing faunistic information about birds. This includes descriptions of distribution, behaviour, breeding, foraging, food, movement, measurements, habitat and plumage. It will also consider for publication a variety of oth
relevant ornithological material: reports of projects and conferences, annotated checklists for a site or region, specialist other interesting or relevant material.
Editor: Arnold van der Westhuizen
EYEWITNESS REPORT: CRESTED BARBET CHICKS
Ken Hattingh and Alfreda Hattingh
Eyewitness report: Crested Barbet chicks killed by Lesser Honeyguides.
URL: http://oo.adu.org.za/content.php?id=46 Published online: 16 August 2012
0341 -
Ornithological Observations
the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town
accepts papers containing faunistic information about birds. This includes descriptions of distribution, behaviour, breeding, foraging, food, movement, measurements, habitat and plumage. It will also consider for publication a variety of oth
relevant ornithological material: reports of projects and conferences, annotated checklists for a site or region, specialist bibliographies, and any
Editor: Arnold van der Westhuizen
BARBET CHICKS KILLED BY LESSER HONEYGUIDE
Ken Hattingh and Alfreda Hattingh
Eyewitness report: Crested Barbet chicks killed by Lesser Honeyguides. Ornithological Observations, Vol 3: 56-57.
http://oo.adu.org.za/content.php?id=46 16 August 2012
the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town
accepts papers containing faunistic information about birds. This includes descriptions of distribution, behaviour, breeding, foraging, food, movement, measurements, habitat and plumage. It will also consider for publication a variety of other interesting or bibliographies, and any
BY LESSER HONEYGUIDES
Ornithological Observations, Vol 3: 56
EYEWITNESS REPORT: CRESTED BARBET CHICK KILLED BY LESSER HONEYGUIDE
Ken Hattingh1* and Alfreda
1 Middelburg Bird Club, Mpumalanga.
* Corresponding author:
Introduction
We have recently had the opportunity of installing a CCTV (closed circuit television) camera in a Crested B
nest, only to observe what is believe
previously unreported behaviour involving Lesser Honeyguides Indicator minor
It is known that the Lesser Honeyguide Crested Barbet (Vernon and Dean
polygynous (Tarboton 2001) and probably polygamous (Vernon and Dean 2005). It is believed that a female H
egg in each of a number of nests during
eggs per breeding season (Vernon and Dean 2005;
Two birds may work together as
hosts and drawing them away from their nest while the other enters the nest to lay her egg, or a female on her own may simply lay her egg when the nest is unattended.
damage or remove the host egg fro This paper documents two Lesser H occupied Crested Barbet nest and int chicks. No previous record of th
leads to speculation on reasons for the behaviour of these bird species.
The following account chronicles four Crested Barbet and their outcomes.
, Vol 3: 56-57
- ISSN 2219-0341
CRESTED BARBET CHICKS BY LESSER HONEYGUIDES
* and Alfreda Hattingh1 Middelburg Bird Club, Mpumalanga.
* Corresponding author: [email protected]
have recently had the opportunity of installing a CCTV (closed Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii believed to be astonishing and possibly previously unreported behaviour involving Crested Barbets and
Indicator minor.
own that the Lesser Honeyguide is a brood parasite of the Vernon and Dean 2005). Lesser Honeyguides are and probably polygamous (Vernon and It is believed that a female Honeyguide lays a single egg in each of a number of nests during a season – estimated 18-20 Vernon and Dean 2005; Tarboton, 2011).
work together as a team, with the one distracting the and drawing them away from their nest while the other enters the nest to lay her egg, or a female on her own may simply lay her egg when the nest is unattended. The female Honeyguide may damage or remove the host egg from the nest (Tarboton 2011).
Lesser Honeyguides brutally attacking an arbet nest and intentionally killing Crested Barbet previous record of this behaviour could be found. This on reasons for the behaviour of aggressors
The following account chronicles four attempts of egg laying by the and their outcomes.
Observations
I put a new sisal nesting log in a tree next to our house, with a small infrared CCTV camera installed in the top of the log, and wired to the TV set in the house. Shortly thereafter, my wife and I were able to see the
and take up residence. On eggs, each one day apart. On
hatched and the fourth egg was discarded the following day presumably infertile
the nest.
the nest, deepening the hollow in the log slightly. This appeared to occur
On four eggs.
day we expected the eggs to hatch, only to find that the nest was empty.
On
batch of four eggs.
and the fourth hatched the next day.
and I were bo entered the nest.
nest by violently pecking it on the head whi underneath the
allowed nature to take its course, bu Crested Barbets
situation.
out with the
were well out of the garden. On returning to the TV, it appeared that 3 of the chicks were dead.
covered them for a while, we obviously weakened
the next day.
by attempts.
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Observations
I put a new sisal nesting log in a tree next to our house, with a small infrared CCTV camera installed in the top of the log, and wired to the TV set in the house. Shortly thereafter, my wife and I were able to see the Crested Barbets hollow the log out to a depth
and take up residence. On 6 September 2011 they laid the first of 4 eggs, each one day apart. On 24 September, three of the eggs hatched and the fourth egg was discarded the following day presumably infertile. On 28 September two chicks disappeared from the nest. The third died two days later. The Crested B
the nest, deepening the hollow in the log slightly. This appeared to occur after each breeding attempt.
On 8 October, the Crested Barbets laid the first of a second batch o four eggs. We were then away for a few days and returned on the day we expected the eggs to hatch, only to find that the nest was empty.
1 November, the Crested Barbets again laid the first of a third batch of four eggs. Three of these eggs hatched
and the fourth hatched the next day. On 19 November and I were both watching the TV screen, two
entered the nest. The one attacked the adult Crested nest by violently pecking it on the head while the other
underneath the adult and attacked the chicks. I would normally have allowed nature to take its course, but considering the ba
Crested Barbets had already had, I ran outside to try and save the situation. When I got to the nest, the two Lesser
out with the Crested Barbet in hot pursuit, chasing them until they were well out of the garden. On returning to the TV, it appeared that 3 of the chicks were dead. However, after the parent bird had covered them for a while, we saw that one was dead and one obviously weakened and 2 were still alive. The weakened chick died the next day. From this observation, we surmise that similar attacks the Lesser Honeyguides caused failure of the first two breeding attempts. The remaining two chicks were 26 days old an
56
I put a new sisal nesting log in a tree next to our house, with a small infrared CCTV camera installed in the top of the log, and wired to the TV set in the house. Shortly thereafter, my wife and I were able to arbets hollow the log out to a depth of about 20 cm 2011 they laid the first of 4 24 September, three of the eggs hatched and the fourth egg was discarded the following day – hicks disappeared from Crested Barbets cleaned the nest, deepening the hollow in the log slightly. This housekeeping
arbets laid the first of a second batch of We were then away for a few days and returned on the day we expected the eggs to hatch, only to find that the nest was
arbets again laid the first of a third Three of these eggs hatched on 17 November November while my wife th watching the TV screen, two Lesser Honeyguides Crested Barbet in the e the other forced its way I would normally have t considering the bad luck the had already had, I ran outside to try and save the Lesser Honeyguides flew arbet in hot pursuit, chasing them until they were well out of the garden. On returning to the TV, it appeared that However, after the parent bird had saw that one was dead and one The weakened chick died From this observation, we surmise that similar attacks oneyguides caused failure of the first two breeding The remaining two chicks were 26 days old and almost
Ornithological Observations, Vol
ready to leave the nest when we
during which time we assume that they fledged successfully.
On 29 December the Crested B batch of four. On 12January 2012 from the nest and on the morning of
were expected to hatch, the nest was empty.
happened to these eggs.
Conclusions
A total of 16 eggs were laid by the likelihood, only two fledged. Our
one, but possibly more multiple attacks on the were carried out by the Lesser H
these attacks apparently was to kill remove the eggs. The reason for this be
the female Crested Barbet to lay repeatedl synchronise Barbet and Hon
Honeyguide could accomplish its laying as a
- oo0oo
Acknowledgements
I wish to thank all those who responded to my initial report of this behaviour on SA Birdnet and particularly to Professor Les Underhill and Etienne Marais for their useful comments and encouragement to publish these observations in Ornithological Observations.
, Vol 3:56-57
- ISSN 2219-0341 ready to leave the nest when we went away for a few days again,
during which time we assume that they fledged successfully.
Crested Barbets laid the last egg of a fourth 2012, two of these eggs disappeared the morning of 14 January, when these eggs to hatch, the nest was empty. It is unknown what
ere laid by the Crested Barbets, but in all Our observations suggest that at least multiple attacks on the Crested Barbet nest the Lesser Honeyguides. The explicit objective of was to kill the Crested Barbet chicks and ason for this behaviour possibly was to force arbet to lay repeatedly in an attempt to eyguide egg laying so that the accomplish its laying as a brood parasite.
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hose who responded to my initial report of this behaviour on SA Birdnet and particularly to Professor Les Underhill and Etienne Marais for their useful comments and encouragement to publish these observations in Ornithological Observations.
References Tar
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Hockey PAR, Dean WR, Ryan PG (eds). Roberts Africa
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0341 - References
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Tarboton W 2011. Roberts nest and eggs of sout
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Hockey PAR, Dean WR, Ryan PG (eds). Roberts
Africa. VIIth Edition. Cape Town: The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund.
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A guide to nests and eggs of Southern African
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