White-breasted waterhens are probably one of the most common bird species seen in our parks, gardens, mangroves and in fact just about anywhere there is a body of water...and in some places far away from water too.
I've always wondered what they eat and where they go about looking for food. I was fortunate to come across one at the Pasir Ris mangrove boardwalk and it did not seem very bothered with me being just only about 2 metres from it. It was amazing to me how accustomed the bird was being in close proximity with visitors on the boardwalk. The Pasir Ris mangroves are truly a magical place for budding birdwatchers!
It was about 5.45pm and the bird was out walking about the drainage channels and turning over dead leaves which had settled on the muddy ground. As it turned over the leaves and discarded them to the side, a bare patch of mud or sand was uncovered. The waterhen very quickly pecked at the ground as if it had seen a small worm or crab which had been suddenly exposed by the removal of the leaves.
This particular section of mangrove housed many mangrove tree climbing crabs as well as burrowing crabs. I did not see the waterhen eating any crabs that time but have a reasonable hunch that crabs do play a big part of its diet, amongst other things, at the Pasir Ris mangroves ... especially the smaller crabs.
Read more about the white-breasted waterhen here :
http://singaporebirds.net/npassers_02/white-breasted_waterhen.html(incl. audio link)
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Amaurornis-phoenicurus (incl. audio links)
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