A New Family Member

We have given the Bali Starling which we released first this year a nickname. She has experienced a change of partner after her male partner from the first release was lost at the site they had previously settled at, allegedly eaten by a predator. After the bird’s disappearance, over a two-week period, our veterinarian and bird keeper, after catching her, paired her with several male birds in the Breeding Centre until she selected a new partner.

Once re-released, this new pair fortunately still stays on the property of one of the foster parents from the Madhuswara Breeders Association, Leo. He loves this pair of birds so much that he always brings fresh fruit for the pair and our bird keeper regularly delivers crickets and mealworms for them as well.

Every morning, Leo checks this pair on his property. He performs a ritual to call her and her partner by knocking on a bamboo wind bell while shouting her name. These two birds understand the sound of the bamboo wind bell and the calls made by Leo and they always fly and perch near him.

She and her partner have good news for us. Last month they added a new member to their family. Right after meeting and preparing her nest box with her new partner, she laid three eggs but these did not hatch. Last month, they laid an egg which hatched. Two weeks after hatching, our bird keeper picked up this new member  to take it from Leo’s field to the Breeding Centre to avoid attacks from predators and to ensure that our junior member has the appropriate care prior to its own release so that our Bali Starling population in Melinggih Kelod village can continue to grow. (Masthika Anandam)