Ficus subgelderi at Wasai Bedanu, Kiudang, Brunei

Note the distinguishing features of Ficus subgelderi. Normally 5 side veins on a medium sized leaf with reticulate (box like) tertiary leaf venation and a hairy stipule. In comparison Ficus sundaica which is frequently confused with F. subgelderi would normally have up to 10 side veins, less hairs on the stipule and the tertiary venation on the leaf would run parallel to the main veins. Both species have a prominent pair of basal veins at the base of the leaf.

Unlike Ficus pellucidopunctata and Ficus pisocarpa the ostiole (the hole at the base of the fig) is fully closed.

This female Bornean Brown Barbet is of the N. Borneo race Calorhampus fulgiinosus tertius with the rufous wash confined mainly to the throat. This barbet is endemic to Borneo.

An adult male Blue-eared Barbet. Only the female has a “blue ear”. Males have a black ear and immature males have a grey forehead. All barbets congregate to feed in fig trees but some barbet species are more specialised than others. It has been estimated that figs make up only 50% of the diet of Blue-eared Barbets but 100% of the diet of Yellow-crowned Barbets. Multiple calls of different barbets coming from the same location is a sure indication of a fruiting canopy fig.

A Red-eyed Bulbul looking for a soft ripe fig.

The fig is squeezed in the bill and pulped so that the juice flows down the throat.

Once the pulpy juice has been extracted the wad of fiber and seeds is deliberately rejected. Only birds which swallow figs whole such as barbets, imperial pigeons and hornbills are effective dispersers of figs. Most bulbuls and fruit bats are “pulp thieves” of figs and do not act as dispersers.

The fruiting Ficus subgelderi illustrated above is in the middle of the photo above. Directly above it is a Ficus annulata with large leaves which was not fruiting during our visit.

This is the hide constructed by our guide Jungle Dave from which the photos above were taken in December 2017.

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