See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/316656619

Nesting behaviour of Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus and

Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus at Jahangirnagar University
Campus, Savar, Bangladesh

Article  in  BirdingAsia · January 2016

CITATIONS READS

3 978

3 authors:

Israt Jebin Jahan Delip Das

King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi University of Groningen
9 PUBLICATIONS   7 CITATIONS    34 PUBLICATIONS   76 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

M Monirul H Khan
Jahangirnagar University
24 PUBLICATIONS   198 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Ecology and conservation of grassland-dependent avian species in seasonally flooded habitats of Bangladesh View project

Ecology and conservation of Monitor lizards (Reptilia: Varanidae) in tropical ecosystems of Bangladesh View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Delip Das on 03 May 2017.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

84
FIELD STUDY
Nesting behaviour of Yellow-footed Green
Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus and Small Minivet
Pericrocotus cinnamomeus at Jahangirnagar
University Campus, Savar, Bangladesh
ISRAT JAHAN, DELIP K. DAS & M. MONIRUL H. KHAN
Yellow-footed Green Pigeon
Treron phoenicopterus
T he Ye l low-fo ote d Gr e e n P i ge on Tre ron
phoenicopterus plays an important role in forest
regeneration through seed dispersion (Stiles 1985,
Corlett 1998, Meehan et al. 2005). It is a common
resident in Bangladesh, but very little is known about
its breeding behaviour in the country (Siddiqui et
al. 2008). The opportunity was therefore taken
to observe three active nests in Jahangirnagar
University Campus, central Bangladesh, to study
and record the species’s breeding behaviour. The
campus (90.259°–90.273°N 23.867°–23.898°E),
which is about 280 ha in area, has a diverse range of
habitats including wetlands, grasslands, cultivated
land, scrub, woodland and human habitation,
providing breeding habitat for many resident
birds. About 180 species have been recorded on
the campus, of which 74 are breeding residents
(Mohsanin & Khan 2009).
Nesting was studied over three breeding
seasons—2009, 2010 and 2011—observing one nest
each year. The birds were watched from natural
hides near the nesting tree, using binoculars and
telescope. Observations were made from 06h00 to
08h00 and 16h00 to 17h00. Below we summarise
data obtained on the breeding biology of the
Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, which may provide
background for further studies.
Observations
Breeding took place between March and June
each year, with pair formation in late March and
all breeding-related activities completed by June;
most probably the same pair was involved each
year. Nest-building, from the collection of material
to completion prior to egg-laying, took 6–7 days.
Construction of the nest, which was situated in a
fork in a tree, began after copulation, both birds
actively participating and working together; the
male collected twigs from branches and brought
them to the site, and the female arranged them
in the structure. Materials used included twigs,
grasses, leaves and feathers, collected from nearby
BirdingASIA 26 (2016): 84–86
bushes and trees; the depression was lined with
dry leaves and a few white feathers.
The three nests were built in two different
species of tree—twice in an Albizia procera, at 13
and 19 m, and once in a Delbergia sissoo, at 17 m.
Relatively more twigs were used to make nests in
Albizia procera (Plate 1), whilst more leaves were
used when constructing the nest in Delbergia
sissoo. This was probably to better camouflage the
nests, because the former tree had more twigs and
the latter had more foliage. Each nest was built near
the nest of a Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus,
probably to benefit from passive protection because
the Black Drongo aggressively defends its nest from
predators. This site selection behaviour by Yellow-
footed Green Pigeons has been reported previously
(Baptista et al. 2016).
Each year a clutch of two eggs was laid. The
average incubation period—the interval between
laying the first egg and the hatching of both
eggs—was 21 days. Both birds shared incubation
duties in rotation and while one bird incubated,
the other either went away, presumably to feed, or
remained nearby. Typically, the female would leave
the nest after about an hour and the male would
then take over incubation. The female would return
after only 5–10 minutes, but was never observed
Plate 1. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus
nesting in Albizia procera tree, Jahangirnagar University
Campus, Savar, Bangladesh, 14 May 2011.
M. MONIRUL H. KHAN
BirdingASIA 26 (2016)
to return directly to incubate, instead perching
nearby for about five minutes before returning to
the eggs. Occasionally the female would be away
for longer—up to 40 minutes—during which time
the male would incubate, although typically the
male only incubated for around 10 minutes at a
time. The incubating bird was also seen to leave
the nest in response to the presence of potential
predators such as Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
and Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos. The
female spent relatively more time incubating in
the early part of the incubation period, and overall
spent more time incubating than the male. After
a long spell of incubation the bird would stretch
its wings and preen. The incubating female was
seen to change her orientation every 15–25 minutes
by about 90°; the rotation was always clockwise
and took up to 76 minutes to complete. In total IJ
observed a complete clockwise 360° rotation 11
times, including two complete rotations during a
two hour morning observation session.
From hatching to fledging of the young, both
adults took part in parental care and fed the young
on small insects. In the first week, both parents
brought food frequently, but in the second week
the interval between feeding visits increased to as
much as 30 minutes and to almost an hour in the
third week. Sometimes they would sit near the nest
and watch over the young.
Breeding success during the study period
was poor because in 2009 and 2011 the lightly
constructed nests could not withstand damage
caused by seasonal storms (kalbaishakhi) that
occur regularly in Bangladesh at this time of year.
Only in 2010 did the young fledge successfully, with
both chicks leaving the nest 22 days after hatching.
Because the species chooses to nest during the
period of seasonal storms, breeding success is
always likely to be poor, although little predation
pressure was seen during our study.
Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus: a short
study of breeding behaviour
The Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus is
widely distributed and often common in South Asia
and South-East Asia, and is a common resident in
Bangladesh (BirdLife International 2016, Taylor
2016). On Jahangirnagar University Campus these
birds are common breeding residents (Mohsanin &
Khan 2009). However, IJ could find no detailed data
on nest-building, incubation period or parental care;
very little is known about their breeding biology
(Siddiqui et al. 2008, Gokula & Vijayan 2011, Taylor
2016). Therefore, in 2011 during her work on Yellow-
footed Green Pigeon breeding behaviour, IJ made
an independent study of two nests in Jahangirnagar
University Campus, to record breeding behaviour.
85
Regular observations were made morning and
evening (for a total of 750 minutes) from natural
hides near the nesting trees, using binoculars and
telescope.
Observations
Small Minivets are seen in pairs or small flocks
for most of the year, but on the campus the birds’
breeding activity started with pair formation
in late April and all breeding-related activities
were completed by July. During pair formation
the birds foraged together, following which nest
construction, which took seven days, was carried
out by both birds. Each well-camouflaged nest
was a deep cup made of fine twigs, stems, lichens,
leaves and bark, coated with cobwebs and lined
with fine roots, and located near the end of a
horizontal branch (Plate 2). One nest was located
at 14 m in a roadside Delbergia sissoo tree and
the second was at 10 m, also in a roadside tree,
Lagerstroemis speciosa, about 1 km from the first.
The female alone incubated, while the male
sat in a nearby tree and brought food to her at
5–9 minute intervals. In the first week the female
would incubate for a period of 25–30 minutes
before taking a short (less than 10 minutes)
break; subsequently the incubation period fell to
20–25 minutes. When the female left the nest, the
male took over incubation. Both pairs reacted to
intruders by calling loudly and continuously.
The nest in the Delbergia sissoo tree held three
eggs but the female was found dead at a late stage
in the incubation and the nest failed. The cause
of death could not be determined; there were no
visible injuries, although the bird may have been
a victim of the widespread use of insecticides in
the vicinity.
The second nest held four eggs, all of which
hatched after 11 days, and three of the chicks
fledged successfully. After hatching, the chicks
Plate 2. Nest of Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
located near the end of horizontal branch in Delbergia sissoo
tree, Jahangirnagar University Campus, 7 May 2011.
KAMRUL HASAN
86 Nesting behaviour of Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus and Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

were fed by both parents on small spiders, Stiles, F. G. (1985) On the role of birds in the dynamics of neo-
caterpillars and other insects. During the first week tropical forests, Pp.49–212 in A. W. Diamond & T. E. Lovejoy, eds.
the parents brought food frequently for the chicks, Conservation of tropical forest birds. Cambridge UK: International
but subsequently only when the chicks called. The Council for Bird Preservation (Techn. Publ. 4).
parents never left the chicks alone for very long,
remaining nearby to protect them from predators, Israt JAHAN
and were seen to chase crows for example. Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University
The chicks’ development was checked regularly, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
using a telescope set up behind a tree about 20 m Email: (corresponding author) israt.jebin@yahoo.com
away. Whenever the parents approached the nest,
the chicks responded by clamouring for food and Delip K. DAS
their heads and parts of their bodies were visible. Department of Zoology, Jagannath University
The first day after hatching, the chicks were naked, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh
reddish in colour and blind. On day two feather Email: bisharga1095@gmail.com
quills started to appear on their bodies which, by
day five, were covered with white feathers. On M. Monirul H. KHAN
day seven their eyes partially opened and they Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University
started preening themselves. On day eight the Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
body-feathers began to change colour from white Email: mmhkhan@hotmail.com
to brown and by day nine a few tail-feathers were
visible. Fledging occurred on day twelve and
the three chicks left the nest with their parents,
spending the next two days together in a nearby
tree.
In summary, a pair of Small Minivets completed
their breeding cycle within a month. The short
fledging period is probably an adaptation to
m in im ise t he r isk of predat ion g iven t he
vulnerability of an open nest near the end of a
horizontal branch.

References
Baptista, L. F., Trail, P. W. & Horblit, H. M. (2016) Yellow-footed Green-
pigeon (Treron phoenicopterus). HBW Alive (http://www.hbw.com/
node/54297 accessed on 29/11/2016).
Taylor, B. (2016) Small Minivet (Pericrocotus cinnamomeus). HBW Alive
(http://www.hbw.com/node/57905 accessed on 02/12/2016).
BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Pericrocotus
cinnamomeus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on
09/10/2016.
Corlett, R. T. (1998) Frugivory and seed dispersal by vertebrates in
the Oriental (Indo-Malayan) region. Biol. Rev. Cambs. Philos. Soc.
73: 413–448.
Gokula, V. & Vijayan, L. (2011) Foraging and nesting niche segregation
among three species of minivets in Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary,
Tamil Nadu, India. J. Sci. Trans. Environ. Technov. 4(3): 116–120.
Meehan, H. J., McConkey, K. R. & Drake, D. R. (2005) Early fate of Myristica
hypargyraea seeds dispersed by Ducula pacifica in Tonga, Western
Polynesia. Austral. Ecol. 30: 374–382.
Mohsanin, S. & Khan, M. M. H. (2009) Status and seasonal occurrence
of the birds in Jahangirnagar University campus of Bangladesh.
J. Life Sci. 21: 29–37.
Siddiqui, K. U., Islam, M. A., Kabir, S. M. H., Ahmad, M., Ahmed, A. T. A.,
Rahman, A. K. A., Haque, E. U., Ahmed, Z. U., Begum, Z. N. T., Hassan,
M. A., Khondker, M. & Rahman, M. M., eds. (2008) Encyclopedia of
flora and fauna of Bangladesh, 26: birds. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of
Bangladesh.

View publication stats