Early this morning, I made a walk to Jelutong Tower to meet up with a friend who came back for a short visit.
On the way to the tower, there were calls of the Brown Hawk-Owl, Short-tailed Babblers, Asian Fairy-bluebird and the Chestnut-winged Babbler. At the tower itself, there were the usual Orange-bellied Flowerpeckers, Van Hasselt’s Sunbird and the Crimson Sunbird. But the first bird that caught my photographic interest was the Banded Woodpecker (Picus miniaceus) that was calling away loudly.
(Banded Woodpecker)
Just after it flew off, a Chestnut-bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus sumatranus) flew past the tower landing nearby.
(Chestnut-bellied Malkoha with an obvious chestnut-coloured belly!)
My last bird at the tower was the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris). It was perched momentarily at an interesting branch and was calling loudly. (Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo with the distinctive white nape patch)
Soon it flew off, but in the process it was mobbed by bulbuls. The pattern was repeated at the next perch and the following one after that. The bulbuls really did not like the presence of the cuckoo. For good reason too. The Yellow-vented Bulbuls1 and the Olive-winged Bulbuls2 are known brood host of the Drongo-Cuckoo. To protect their own nesting, they mob the cuckoo whenever they are seen.
(Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo calling loudly)
After the excitement of the tower, I had a brief walk at the boardwalk. No interesting birds to report, so instead I photographed another Banded species. This time, a Banded Imperial (Eooxylides tharis distanti) butterfly.
The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), also known as saltie, estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles, as well as the largest terrestrial and riparian predator in the world. The male can reach lengths of up to 7 meters and weigh as much as 2 tonnes. The female is much smaller and usually does not exceed 3 meters in length.
It is a formidable and opportunistic apex ambush predator capable of taking almost any animal that enters its territory, including fish, crustaceans, reptiles, birds and mammals, including other predators. Due to their size and distribution, saltwater crocodiles are the most dangerous extant crocodilian to humans.
The above is taken in part from Wikipedia. Sounds really dangerous. I had a few encounters with them before in Sungei Buloh and once at Kranji Bund.
This particular encounter in August 2013 was the closest. Nonetheless I kept my distance and was stationed at a bridge while the crocodile was down below with no chance of contact. All photos were taken with my 500mm lens, so the crocodile appears closer than in real life. If you do encounter a crocodile, you are ill advised to go near to take a close-up shot. They may be still or appear sedentary, but the danger is still there.
(Very still in the water, may even be mistaken for a piece of driftwood from a distance)
(In dry land, you can see the body. This one is around 3m, a small sized specimen, but still dwarfing a human nonetheless)
(A closer look at the head)
(A closer look at the tail)
(Going back to the water. Notice one of it’s tooth is stained red)
(A saltie taken at Kranji Bund in 2011. This one is nicknamed Barney. Recently deceased 1. Seen here with some foolhardy illegal anglers nearby. One of them was taking a picture of it)
Recently there have been a lot of posts by photographer friends on a nesting of the Coppersmith Barbet. One of the most common ‘to-do’ list was to capture a parent flying in to the nest with food in mouth and with the wings spread, and the even more difficult and faster flying out with the chick’s poop in mouth! All the better with a composite shot consisting of a few wing flaps. There seem to be some competition with regards to who can capture this best, and invariably those with higher end equipment (pro vs prosumer camera, with 12 fps vs 5-6 fps), or those with the most time spent at the nest have a much better chance of success.
(composite of 2 video frames of an adult flying away from nest, processed in Photoshop)
To digress a bit, this nesting probably made history with the number of photographers present as well as actual photos taken. To estimate the actual number of photos taken is an example of Fermi problem.
From initial hole building to fledging, lets say it is 60 days
Average number of photographers present per day (higher during weekend, lower during weekday), so lets say 25 people (morning and afternoon sessions combined).
Average length of stay for photographer: 3 hours
Average feeding frequency: 15 minutes
Average number of pictures per feeding: 60
Doing the sums give you (60 X 25 X 180/15 X 60) = 1.08 million pictures!
Anyway, back to decisive moment. The reason why so many photographers go again and again to take basically the same set of pictures is because it is hard to get everything right. On a 12fps top of the range DSLR, the number of in-focus shots of the bird flying per feeding session can be as low as 2 (I will explain below with an example). For a slower frame rate camera, it is half the amount. Of these, perhaps the wing/body/eyes are in the wrong position. So it’s no wonder that people try again and again over extended period of time to get the decisive shot.
Is there a better way? Especially for those without more expensive equipment or without much time? The answer is definitely yes, and I will outline how.
To do so is to think a bit differently. Firstly, forget about shooting RAW or JPEG. Think about shooting video.
Not any video, but video at 1080p (1920 x 1080px) @30fps with ALL-I (intraframe), or 720p (1280 × 720px) @ 60fps with ALL-I (intraframe) . Most modern DSLR can do these. Make sure the settings for the shutter speed for the video is high, say 1/2000s thereabouts. Shutter speed and video fps are 2 different things. Video fps is commonly 25/30/50/60 fps for normal DSLR. Whereas shutter speed is actually how long each frame’s exposure should be. It seems funny now, but I just managed to de-couple these 2 concepts in my mind just yesterday, permitting me to test it out.
In the video below, I was shooting at 1080p @ 30fps, 700mm, f/5.6, 1/1600s, ISO 5000. The camera was pre-focussed on the tree stump via Live View, and left in manual before the video commenced. I had to settle for a slower shutter speed and higher ISO as the lighting conditions were not ideal.
The processed video has been slowed down to 10% of it’s original frame-rate. You will see that from the moment the bird start to be in focus to the time where it almost land, there are 6 separate, in-focus frames. That means the bird was in focus for 6/30 = 0.2 seconds. So if you have a top-end DSLR capable of 12fps in still shot mode, you get (12 X 0.2) = 2.4 clear shots. If your DSLR is capable of 5fps, then you get (5 X 0.2 )= 1 clear shot for this flight sequence.
So if we get 1 clear shot in still, and a video gets 6, then obviously we need to take advantage of this. But how do we get the shots out of the video? There are many ways, but I am a lazy guy. On a Mac, I just open the file in Quicktime, go to the relevant video section and advance the frame one at a time and then capture the screenshot and open in Photoshop.
What’s the quality like? Below is a sample of the composite of 3 shots in the sequence. Cropped, resized, sharpened and some saturation added. In an ideal situation, I would prefer to frame it without cropping. In this case, I did not have a favourable position to get a closer shot, and an additional teleconverter would make the already high ISO even higher due to the dim lighting condition.
(composite of 3 video frames of an adult flight to nest, processed in Photoshop)
What about other scenarios? I present below a video and a screenshot of a feeding adult. This was shot using a Canon EOS70D at 1080p @ 25fp and shutter speed of 1/400s at ISO 200. I wanted a shot of the adult with full berries in mouth, with the eyes in direct line of sight and the chick head jutting out to receive. There are many frames that satisfy this criteria, but I just picked one that I like the best. Easy. There is no manipulation done. Perhaps some sharpening or cropping may be advantageous.
(photo from video frame)
To be clear, there is still a good argument to do fast-shutter speed still photography. The quality of the shots is still going to be superior. See photo below. But certainly, there are more than one way to go about doing things, and we pick and choose our tools according to the situation.
(photo developed from RAW file)
Are there any more relevant scenarios where this is useful besides nesting moments? Well, this year I wanted to photograph a snipe preening to clinch it’s ID. It took many tries using still photography, but I bet if I had used this technique instead, I would have a much better photographs to show with lesser effort. There are also many instances like a kingfisher/raptor landing/flying to/from a fixed position that will benefit from using high shutter speed video frames.
In summary, here are some of the advantages/disadvantages of this technique:
Advantages:
Judging the decisive moment is difficult in photography. You may be a bit too late/early or run out of camera buffer. You may have low fps camera. In this technique, just start video before the subject’s arrival and wait. While others are fretting about buffers and timing, sit back and relax.
You have many frames to choose from per session. Up to 6 times more than a slower camera, so choose the best post/moments. If that is not sufficient, then use 720p @ 60fps, You get a smaller dimensioned files, but twice as many frames than 1080p @ 30fps.
Certain micro details are only visible in video. No matter how skillful you are, an owl swaying side to side for example is difficult to show in still picture. This is just the result of the strength of the medium. In this barbet feeding session, you get to learn more about the bird. How fast it flaps its wings, or even how it angled its flight for example. I think the ability to slow things down makes the whole viewing experience more enjoyable, and video frames is superior to still frames in that regard.
You spend less time on one bird, or one one aspect of the bird and more time on other things. That’s always good for yourself and for the bird.
Disadvantages:
Only applicable to fixed focus subject.
Limited to certain sizes of picture. This will change in future as 4K video capable camera are more reasonably priced. For now, it’s Facebook sized pictures
Frames out of the video is not as good in quality compared to RAW files, due to the nature of video compression
Takes the fun out of the excitement of waiting. Like the initial introduction of autofocus, some purist will say this is the death knell for the art of photography or of the decisive moment.
Disclaimer: This is a rough guide, not a step by step guide. I do not guarantee that what works for me will work for everyone else. Every camera system is different with a multitude of settings. Please experiment and find your ideal settings.
The Green Crested Lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) is a lizard found in South East Asia.
It is bright green in colour, sometimes with a bluish tint in the head area. When threatened, it can turn brownish in colour. The male has a neck crest. It has a very long tail that makes up over 75 percent of its total length.
In Singapore, it is in decline due to competition with the introduced Changeable Lizard (Calotes versicolor).
(Male Green Crested Lizard at Sungei Buloh)
This picture was taken at the mangroves of Sungei Buloh in August 2012. The tail was a bit too long to fit nicely in the composition.
Here I will like to share some pictures and videos of my encounters with the Western Barn Owls in Singapore as well as other information regarding the species.
The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds as it is present in very continent except Antartica. It has a pure white almost angelic or ghostlike face. Its pale, white, heart-shaped face looks striking with black eyes. The barn owl’s bill and mouth are covered by a hood of white feathers. Its head is rust coloured with its back and wings ranging from tan to brown accented by patterned gray wing tips. The belly is a pale tan or white. Females are slightly longer and heavier than males.
(A Western Barn Owl at Marina Barrage, January 2011)
Like most owls, they have exceptional low-light vision. However it is noted that their eyes are relatively small compared to other owls. This is because an exceptional hearing ability is their most advantageous hunting feature. Barn Owls have asymmetrical ears; one is found higher on the head and points up, while the other is more level with their nostrils and point down. They are covered with feathered flaps that close for loud noises and open for soft sounds. The heart-shaped face also collects sound in the same way as human ears. Its hearing is reputed to be the most sensitive of any creature tested. It is so sharp that it can easily hunt for rodents, which are often concealed from view as they travel in runways beneath the grass.
Another attribute that assists the owl’s hunting is their wings. The feathers on the owls wings are not waterproof, so they are more closely related to down than the average bird feather. This unique feature allows them to fly in complete silence.
The Barn Owls monogamous and mates for life. They are not aggressive toward other barn owls and can nest nearby other pairs. They do not construct a nest; the eggs are laid in a dark space surrounded by pellets. These brownish-black pellets, which are the regurgitated fur and bone fragments of each meal, average about 2 inches in size and are produced twice a day. The female lays between 5-11 eggs (average 4-6), which are laid every other day, which upon hatching will be fed by the adult male for up to two months. Hatching occurs in the same order as the eggs were laid. In times of scarce food, the older and stronger hatchling have a better chance of survival.
In Singapore, the species of barn owl we have is called the Western Barn Owl (Tyto alba). Since Singapore is an urban environment, they are more easily found in places like abandoned buildings and other man-made structure. Though uncommon, from time to time, random owls have been reported by member of the public in unexpected places, including MRT and LRT stations1.
(Screenshot taken off Facebook)
The most famous recent Barn Owl encounter was when a lone owl flew into the Prime Minister’s office, the Istana in November 20132. A resulting Facebook posting gathered more than 27,000 ‘Likes’ and around 1,800 ‘Shares. That is considerably higher than other more weighty issues of the day that was posted before and after the incident.
(A pair of Western Barn Owl photographed in the night without flash)
In another man-made structure nearby, I had a recent encounter with these birds with my family. This is a known rooting place of the owls, therefore the location is not publicly shared. This is to protect this species from harm. A total of 3 birds turned out that day to greet my family. The picture shows what is probably a pair of adults looking down curiously at the human below, with the juvenile further away.
No flash were used, just a LED powered torchlight. They appeared without sound, although their calls were really screechy. No hoots as commonly presumed. Other sightings in the same location have count of up to 4 birds.
(A daytime Western Barn Owl at Tuas South, November 2013)
Although the barn owls are found mainly in man-made structure in Singapore and more easily seen at night, I have encountered them before in grassland area at Tuas South in day time. While observing migrating raptors, a Barn Owl suddenly came by and flew into nearby trees. Its presence in the day is not common, but the grassland does serve as a hunting ground for rodents, which is their main diet. It flew away soon after to a nearby fenced-up grass patch.
(A Western Barn Owl at Marina Barrage, seen sleeping in the daytime)
Perhaps the closest and longest encounter I had with this species is at Marina Barrage in January 2011. A lone owl was roosting just above where people gathered and children played. Most were unaware of its presence. In the day time, it was mainly sleeping, although in moments of wakefulness, it exhibited various owl behaviour that I managed to document through video.
Eyes closed, mouth looking as if munching and the face expression is one of contentment and bliss. Perhaps a dream or maybe too much anthropomorphism!
The owl is seen swaying from side to side. This is a common behaviour of the Barn Owl.
A few things to notice. Barn Owls preen a lot in the day time in between sleeping. It also is seen resting solely on one foot. Yet another common behaviour of the owl. Lastly, notice that the owl really can twist it’s head almost 180 degrees to reach it’s back.
The Sunda Flying Lemur (Galeopterus variegatus), also known as the Malayan Flying Lemur or Malayan Colugo, is a species of colugo found throughout South-East Asia. In Singapore, it can be found in the Central Catchment area.
At night when it is in search for food, it can glide across the forest canopy. This because it has a gliding membrane that connects from the neck, extending along the limbs to the tips of the fingers, toes and nails. Hence the name, flying lemur although it is neither can truly fly nor a true lemur.
During the day it is often found resting. I have seen this species previously at Lower Peirce. This time around I manage to see it in February 2012 at Bukit Timah near the visitor centre. It was clinging on to a palm tree.
The flying lemur was clinging on the lower part of the palm tree, so it was easy to position myself closer to it. It’s looking warily at the people gathering to see it.
It decided that it needs to be up higher, so it started climbing. You can see just how flexible the membrane is.
As it climbs, particles fall down from the tree on the left side, and you can now see it elongating it’s body further.
As it reaches the top, I walked to the side to photograph the other part of the animal. You can see why it was wary of human. It has a baby in it’s membrane’s fold, with it’s head jutting out in curiosity. The baby can take up to six month to be independent from the adult. During this time, it clings on for protection and food.
A pair of Giant mudskippers (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) found at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in September 2013.
This species is found mainly in the mangroves. As the name implies, it is one of the largest mudskipper species around. In the morning in which these pictures were taken, the tide was low. Therefore the mudflats were exposed and these came out from their burrows. These 2 didn’t seem to be aggressive towards each other although their fins were upright. I suppose they were having a courtship ritual, but frankly I am not sure.
Further reading:
http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/fishes/giant-mudskipper.htm
All the species described here belong to the estrildid finch family. Included in this same family are the munias and mannikins, but that is the subject of another article.
I highly recommend Clement, Peter (1993) Finches & Sparrow: An Identification Guide as additional reading. However it is out of print, so you need to obtain it through used book stores. Alternatively there is Wikipedia which holds some other information.
Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava) (Male Red Avadavat – partial breeding plumage)
The Red Avadavat, also called Strawberry Finch or Red Munia is the only bird described here that is in the official Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Checklist (2014). Its original breeding range is in South Asia to South-East Asia (except Malaysia and Singapore). However due to it’s popularity as a caged bird, it is now found worldwide in places like Malaysia, Brunei, Portugal, Spain, Egypt, Fiji, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
Males and females differ. The male in breeding colours is bright red with speckled white spots whereas the female has grey-brown upperparts.
It inhabits tall grass, reeds, sugarcane, bushes or scrub usually in areas near water or marshes. It feeds in tall grass or on the ground, on a variety of grass seeds. Behaviourally, it often seen in pairs or flocks of up to 30 birds, occasionally with other munias and sparrows. It characteristically roost communally in reed beds and sugar cane.
In Singapore it’s has been documented as an introduced species since the 19th century (Hume, 1880)2. Number of birds of this species tend to fluctuate around, and it was only recently that it has been included in the checklist.
The Orange-breasted Waxbill or Zebra Waxbill is a close relative of the Red Avadavat but is originally from the grassland and savannah south of the Sahara in Africa. It is also the smallest of the African estraldid finches. A very distinctive looking bird, it is unlikely to be mistaken from others.
The adult male is bright orange from breast to undertail coverts. In contrast, the female lack the red supercillium, has pale orange undertail coverts with the rump to tail dull red.
It inhabit tall grasslands or savannas, swamp or marsh edges, rice-fields and reedbeds, usually adjacent to water. It feeds on the ground or from the stem of tall grasses, mainly on grass seeds or reed-heads, but also takes a few small insects. Behaviourally, it is a rather tame and confiding, but is active and continually on the move; wags tail from side to side like the Common Waxbill.
In Singapore, it was first reported in a grassland at Tuas in 2011. Recent sightings of a flock at Punggol Barat (2014) suggest that they may have reached critical numbers for breeding.
Location: Tuas, Punggol/Lorong Halus, Punggol Barat
Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) (Common Waxbill – back view)
(Common Waxbill – front view)
The Common Waxbill also known as the St. Helena Waxbill, is found natively south of the Sahara in Africa. It is the commonest and most widespread of the waxbill in Africa. The name waxbill itself is derived from the colour of the adult bird’s bill, which is the same colour as that of sealing wax. Due to it’s popularity as a caged bird (like the Red Avadavat), it is now a widespread feral species after enough of them having escaped their caged existence.
Sexes are alike, but some can be separated by intensity of colour of underparts, though there is considerable individual and racial variation.
It favours long grass or savanna habitat, also edges of marshes, swamps, abandoned cultivation, plantations, gardens, villages, often near water or, where suitable grass habitat exist. A tame and confiding bird that is usually in small flocks when breeding and larger ones when not breeding. It roosts communally in tight packed groups, either in a line on a grass stem or even on the backs of other birds. It feeds on the ground or on grass stems, on a variety of grass seeds, seeds of sedges and occasionally small insects. It is a brood host to the Pin-tailed Whydah.
In Singapore, it was first reported at Pandan River in June 2011. Subsequent sightings were at Chinese Garden and then later the same year at Lorong Halus. Their numbers have increased substantially since then, but no breeding record has been reported yet, although birds have been seen picking up stalks of grass perhaps for nesting purposes.
Location found: widespread, with stronghold in Lorong Halus and Punggol Barat
The Crimson-rumped Waxbill also called the Rosy-rumped Waxbill is found natively in north-eastern Africa.
The sexes are alike but the juvenile differ from the adult in that it is duller and lack barring on mantle, back and underparts, and has duller orange-red on rump and uppertail coverts. The juvenile also lacks the red-stripe through eye and has all-black bill.
It inhabit lowland grassland with bushes or scrub, forest edges, open acacia savanna, marshes or swamp grassland and edges of cultivated area, It feeds on seed-heads or growing vegetation and on the ground, where it takes a variety of small seeds, mainly grass, but also small quantities of insects and ant larvae. It is a brood host of the parasitic Pin-tailed Whydah.
It is the first recorded waxbill species in Singapore with the first sighting in February 2011 at Lorong Halus. Subsequently it’s found in many places with ever increasing numbers. It is now the most numerous of the waxbills species in Singapore (personal observation 2014). As of today, no formal breeding record is known.
Location found: widespread, with stronghold in Lorong Halus
Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes)
(Male Black-rumped Waxbill with pink tinge to breast and belly)
(Black-rumped Waxbill showing black rump)
The Black-rumped Waxbill is a very small and active bird of the dry grassland belt of sub-Saharan Africa.
The adult male looks similar to the Common Waxbill, but with its rump to tail black, white in outer tail feathers, pale pink tinge to breast and belly. The female is similar to the male except it lacks the pale pink tinge. The black rump and tail is prominent in flight
It inhabits dry or arid grassland savannas, often in thickets, scrub or thornbush. Usually in pairs, small groups or occasionally large flocks, often with other waxbills. Feeds on the ground or vegetation principally on grass seeds, millet and even insects. It habitually switches or flick it’s tail from side-to-side when excited or alarmed. It is the brood host of the parasitic Pin-tailed Whydah.
In Singapore, it was first found in June 2011 at Pandan River flocking with the Common Waxbill. This species is not known in large numbers although sighting were reported up to year 2012.
A small, active and distinctively plumaged waxbill. Globally, it is an introduced species found in Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
Its orange face, present at all age is diagnostic and makes it unlikely to be confused with other species. Sexes are alike.
It inhabit a variety of habitat, from grassland savanna, grassy clearings at the edge of cultivation, to swamps, forest edges, thickets or weedy patches, even in gardens where suitable feeding is available. Found usually in pair or in small groups, but band together in sizable flock in non-breeding season. It tends to flock together with its own kind but does mix together with other waxbill and manikin especially at roost or at common source of food, though it appears to avoid areas where the Common Waxbill is numerous. It feeds in tall grass, where it takes seeds from the heads, and on the ground on a variety of mostly small seeds, but some insects may also be taken.
First found at Pandan River in June 2011 and later in larger numbers near Chinese Garden. Subsequent sightings have been less in number of birds.
Location found: Pandan River, Chinese Garden, Satay by the Bay
Additional resource:
In this article and the previous one on weavers, you will find that the year 2011 seems to be a pivotal year for released bird originating from Africa. It is believed that in that year, import of birds from Asia was banned due to possibility of bird flu spreading through Asian origin birds.
It is hard to deduce which activity prompted the release of large variety and numbers of birds as sightings began from February onwards that year. Nonetheless, 3 years in from that date, Singapore’s avian species mixture seem to have been irrecoverably changed.
References:
1. Clement, Peter (1993) Finches & Sparrow: An Identification Guide
2. Gibson-Hall (1949) A Checklist of the Birds of Singapore Island
In 2011, there was a disused plot of land at Tuas West Drive in Singapore that used to be a motorsport venue. Once abandoned, nature reclaimed it and it became a temporary grassland. That place was informally called Tuas grassland by those in the know.
As the grassland proliferated, birds and other creatures found the habitat useful. One species that came in was the Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus), a handsome predator of small mammals and birds.
A family grew there and they became stars of the place with at least 2 broods raised. Many photographers went there specially to photographed them, including me.
Of course, all good things must come to an end somehow. The plot of land is now being developed and the habitat is gone.
Just wanted to share some pictures and videos that I took of the Black-winged Kites that used to populate it.
An adult having a meal of rat. The usual eat, wipe, poop and fly-away routine.
A juvenile awaiting food from it’s parent. There were 2 other juvenile birds and each have to fight for it’s own share.
An adult hunting sequence:
A typical hunting hover of a Black-winged Kite. Once it finds the prey with the use of it’s keen eyes, it will plunge down at high speed to catch and kill.
A successful hunt, with what looks like an unfortunate White-breasted Waterhen chick. By the time it takes flight, the waterhen is likely to have been killed as a live prey would be too hard for it to handle in-flight.
Settling down to a bare tree, it was rather unconcerned about my proximity. It proceeded to de-feather and eat the freshly killed prey as shown in the video below.
I have written about some of these species before, but a few years have passed and I have additional information to share.
Singapore is unique in some sense as it’s a small, urbanized country with limited suitable bird habitat, as well as being one of the centre for bird trade. Add to this mix is the local practice of releasing captive birds during certain religious festivities. This make for an interesting avifauna composition. The introduced species have a comparatively larger presence than it does elsewhere, both in terms of the number of exotic species as well as overall exotic bird numbers.
This is unfortunate on many counts. One being that the native birds are in danger of being displaced by these introduced species due to competition on an already limited habitat. Beyond displacement of native species, in suitable habitat these alien species may wreak environmental havoc due to their diet and behavioral pattern. Case in point is the Red-billed Queleas, which in their native range pose a big problem to farmers due to their huge numbers (estimated around 1.5 billion breeding pairs) and diet causing immense crop damages1. Also, introduction of birds from elsewhere mean potential spreading of whatever disease they may have, as birds can and do carry with them deadly pathogenic load.
For good reason, bird field guides and checklist do not as a rule put in species names for introduced birds unless their presence in the country have been well established via breeding records. This is because most escapees/releasees are one-off birds or their presence in the country may be temporary before their numbers plunge due to unsuitability of the habitat or poor health condition of the birds. Even if they do start breeding, the small number of the founder population often result in inbreeding, which is deleterious to their long term viability as a species in the new environment.
While all these issues are relevant, in the context of Singapore, having a high proportion of introduced species does pose a problem of identification for the beginner birder. This is especially so since the majority of the introduced grassland birds are of African origin, an area most local birders are not familiar with. So an account of the more common introduced birds will be helpful even if the population and species make up may vary over time.
A long write-up for each species here would result in an absurdly long article. The name and picture, and a brief account of each species is provided. Further information can be read in the external links provided.
Streaked Weaver (Ploceus manyar)
The Streaked Weaver is an old introduced species of Asian origin that has a very localized presence. In contrast to the more commonly found and native species the Baya Weaver, this weaver is streaked at the breast area. Of all the introduced weaver, this is the only one in the official Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Checklist (2014). Nonetheless, in recent years numbers seem to have dropped and it is getting increasingly difficult to find them.
Location found:Â Punggol/Lorong Halus
Further reading: Link
Asian Golden Weaver (Ploceus hypoxanthus)
The Asian Golden Weaver is another weaver species with a very localized presence. Not much is known about the date of introduction. In contrast to the other more recent introduced species, this is an Asian species. Nesting has been reported for a number of years at Tampines, but so far, no documentation of successful fledging has been reported.
Location found: Tampines Eco Green
Further reading: Link
Golden-backed Weaver (Ploceus jacksoni)
The Golden-backed Weaver or Jackson’s Weaver is a recently introduced but fast spreading African exotic species. It was first recorded in 2011 at Lorong Halus. They have been documented to have begun nesting activities. It is likely that their population may increase rapidly in the near future.
Location found: Lorong Halus, Neo Tiew area
Further reading: Link
Vitelline Masked Weaver (Ploceus vitellinus)
The Vitelline Masked Weaver is a bird of African origin. So far, the only sighting have been at Lorong Halus in May 2011. Both male and female of the species have been seen together. The male bird looks similar to the Asian Golden Weaver except for the red eyes.
Location found: Lorong Halus
Further reading: Link
Yellow-crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer)
The Yellow-crowned Bishop or Golden Bishop is probably the oldest recorded Bishop species in Singapore. It has been recorded at Tanah Merah reclaimed land since at least 2001 if not longer2. It is likely that they may have started breeding, but as of today, no breeding record has been reported. Recently, flocks were seen at Punggol Barat on a regular basis.
Location found: Tanah Merah, Punggol Barat, Jurong West, Sunset Way
Further reading: Link
Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)
The Southern Red Bishop is another long recorded Bishop species with sightings at Marina East reported in 20072. Recently, moderately large numbers have been seen in Punggol Barat. In their native range, this species have been reported as rather long-lived, with a record of a ringed bird being at least 13 years old3.
Location found: Marina East (ex), Punggol Barat
Further reading: Link
Zanzibar Red Bishop (Euplectes nigroventris)
Zanzibar Red Bishop looks similar to the Southern Red Bishop. It is distinguished by an entirely red crown and forehead and lack of a red breast-band on the black underparts. Sightings has been reported in May 2011 with 2-3 birds at Tampines Eco Green and Lorong Halus respectively. No subsequent sightings have been reported since.
Location found: Tampines Eco Green, Lorong Halus
Further reading: Link
Red-headed Quelea (Quelea erythrops)
The Red-headed Quelea is a recent introduced species. Not to be confused with it’s cousin species the Red-billed Quelea. First reported in April 20104, further sighting in recent years in larger numbers have been reported. Not much is known about it, but in a few instances, single birds has been found near Baya Weaver nesting, suggesting that they use the weaver’s nest as source of nesting material.
Location found: Neo Tiew area, Lorong Halus
Further reading: Link
