Birds Foraging on Ficus benjamina at Kampus B, Universitas Negeri Jakarta

Desi Ayu Triana

KPB Nycticorax, Departement of Biology, Universitas Negeri Jakarta

desi.ayutriana@gmail.com

Universitas Negeri Jakarta has two addresses in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, Indonesia. One is located at Jl. Pemuda, named kampus B. It has a mosque named Masjid Ulul Albaab (MUA) and there are weeping figs (Ficus benjamina) in front of MUA. That Moraceae has these characteristics: evergreen shrub or tree with drooping branches; leaves alternate, simple, long-tipped, glossy; flowers and fruits enclosed in a fleshy sac turning from green to orange-red to red and then purplish black (Russel et al, 1997). Fig trees, when in fruits, small fig-like fruit, usually attract large numbers of birds such as doves and pigeons to the tree (Brighton&Arevalo, 2003; Mark, 2009). Fruit forms a significant part of the diet of Fruit-doves, White-headed Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo Doves, Pink-necked Green Pigeon, and Yellow Vented Bulbul (Lester et al, 2013; Singh, 2010). Other birds using the Ficus benjamina ‘fruits’ feeding frenzy to get other animal prey, for example, Common Iora (Singh, 2010). Starr et al (2003) also noted birds foraging and roosting in Ficus trees on Maui include Mynah Birds, Blue faced Doves, Lace necked Doves, and House Sparrows. 

Birds in Kampus B Universitas Negeri Jakarta based on birdwatching result of KPB Nycticorax (2013) are Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans), Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus), Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier), Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster), Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica), Golden-bellied Gerygone (Gerygone sulphurea), Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trochileum), Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis), Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius), Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia), Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis), Island-collared Dove (S. bitorquata), Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala), Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis), White-breasted Wood-swallow (Artamus leucorhynchus), Cave Swiftlet (Collocalia linchi), Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata), Purple-backed Starling (Sturnus sturninus), and Rock Pigeon (Columba livia). Most of them love to stay around the Ficus benjamina. Last Monday (26/8) at noon (16.30-17.30 West Indonesia Time), author did birdwatching at MUA on second floor. Looking for birds use Ficus benjamina, getting photographs of Treron vernans and Passer montanus ate the 'fruit'. Pycnonotus aurigaster and Dicaeum trochileum just perching for times. Author did not see other birds might be because of the author's position and the closed canopy. Based on that result, author would like to discuss about it.

Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans) can be found feeding on fruiting trees, especially fig trees (Sreedharan, 2011). It explained there is no wonder author got photographs of male and female T. vernans was eating the 'fruit' of Ficus benjamina. These are the photographs:

male of PnGP perching on weeping fig

male of PnGP foraging on weeping fig

male of PnGP foraging on weeping fig

female of PnGP foraging on weeping fig

From those photos, seen that T. vernans, male and female prefer to take the red 'fruit' of F. benjamina than the white one. And not only one of T. vernans ate it, but most of. It is explained by Lester et al (2013) and Singh (2010), the 'fruit' being a significant part of T. vernans' diet.

Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus) are common and widespread in agricultural habitats and suburban parks and gardens throughout Europe, Asia and Indonesia (Mayntz, 2013). Known as cosmopolite bird, P. montanus foraging on the ground for small seeds and grains (MackKinnon et al, 2010). But in these photographs, author recorded P. montanus was taking the white 'fruit' of Ficus benjamina. The bird ate the 'fruit' till made its beak turns dirty. Maybe, because P. montanus relatives to P. domesticus, in Starr et al (2003) noted P. domesticus foraging in Ficus.

ETS foraging on weeping fig

stained beak because of weeping fig's fruit

About others birds of kampus B Universitas Negeri Jakarta, author has not had any photograph of their foraging. But author ever saw Common Iora and Golden-bellied Gerygone ate the caterpillar in the weeping fig. And for the Coppersmith Barbet which usually seen at the weeping fig, author guess it also foraging there, just like its relative, Orange-fronted Barbet ate the 'fruit' of weeping fig in Bali Botanical Garden in this photo: 

OfB foraging on weeping fig

Author wish for going to take more photos of birds foraging in Kampus B Universitas Negeri Jakarta next time and make this note more complete. Thanks for KPB Nycticorax for letting me know more about birds and thanks for Juliadi Nugroho who ask me to take the photographs of birds foraging on the weeping fig. Critics and comments needed for improving this note :)


Refferences:

Brighton, Misty A. & Arevalo, Michelle. 2003. What Is a Weeping Fig?. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-weeping-fig.htm
G, Mark. 2009.  Thick-billed Green Pigeons Feasting on Figs. http://www.besgroup.org/2009/08/07/thick-billed-green-pigeons-feasting-on-figs/

Lester, Nita C., Boyd Peter., Chapman, George., Chapman, Graeme., Sneddon, Jim., Warby, Bindy., White, Corie., Ian., & Brown, Jill. 2013. Birds in Gardens Part 1. http://birdsqueensland.org.au/downloads/bq_birds_in_gardens_part1.pdf

Mayntz, Mellisa. 2013. Eurasian Tree Sparrow. http://birding.about.com/od/birdprofiles/p/eurasiantreesparrow.htm
MackKinnon, John., Phillipps, Karen., Van Balen, Bas. 2010. Burung-burung di Sumatera, Jawa, Bali, dan Kalimantan.  Bogor: Burung Indonesia.
Nycticorax, KPB. 2013. Birds of kampus B Universitas Negeri Jakarta.

Russel, Allice B., Hardin, James W., Grand, Larry., & Buendia, Miguel A. 1997. Poisonous Plants of North Carolina: Ficus benjamina. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Ficusbe.htm

Singh, Amar. 2010.  Birds and Fruiting Ficus benjamina in Ipoh, Malaysia. http://www.besgroup.org/2010/08/14/birds-and-fruiting-ficus-benjamina-in-ipoh-malaysia/

Sreedharan, Slim. 2011. The Birds of Singapore: Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans. http://singaporebirds.net/npassers_02/pink-necked_green_pigeon.html

Starr, Forest., Starr, Kim., & Loope, Lloyd. 2003. Ficus benjamina. http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/reports/pdf/ficus_benjamina.pdf