A family in Woodlands recently found themselves playing host to some unexpected — and adorable — neighbours.
After a pair of olive-backed sunbirds built a nest in a potted plant outside their HDB flat in June, the family spent over a month watching the birds raise two chicks, which eventually became so comfortable around humans that they were seen perching on residents’ fingers.
In a Facebook post shared in the group Singapore Wildlife Sightings on Sunday (July 12), the homeowner, Qiu Fen Deng (transliterated), 55, wrote that the chicks had “officially fledged their nest and are exploring the neighbourhood”.
“It’s been such a joy watching this little family build nest from June 4, [with the] first sighting of babies on July 4 [before they finally] fledged off on July 12,” he wrote.
The 55-year-old aviation propulsion engineering supervisor told Lianhe Zaobao that the sunbird parents began building their nest on June 4 among the branches of a potted plant outside his flat.
As the nest was located along the common corridor, Qiu and his family were careful not to disturb the birds. They closed their doors quietly and avoided opening their metal gate fully, as it would swing too close to the nest.
About a month later, on July 4, the family heard chirping from the nest and realised two chicks had hatched.
The parent birds were frequently seen flying back and forth to feed their young, though they appeared to have different parenting styles. The female was more patient, often staying at the nest for a little longer after feeding the chicks, while the male seemed more hurried, flying off soon after delivering food.
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