The Oriental Scops Owl (Otus sunia) is a rare migrant to Singapore. I have not had the opportunity to see it locally yet. So when the opportunity came to see it in Thailand, I gladly made the night trek through flooded pathway, knee deep in water to one of its known site at Kaeng Krachan National Park in July 2013.
There in a hide, the guide played a short call, and immediately the owl showed itself. It then proceeded to call loudly while scanning it’s surroundings.
You can see that it is calling from the raised throat area.
All the photographs were taken illuminated by 2 flashlights. This permitted me to also capture a video of the owl in action.
The Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) is a endemic bird of Australia. It is rather large, ground dwelling nocturnal bird. At night it hunts for small animals and insects.
I first saw this bird at night in a beach resort on a trip to Queensland, Australia in September 2012. It stayed motionless as I neared it. A pretty eerie sight. Apparently they hunt for small animals and insects in the night.
Early next morning, a few were seen gathered next to a building and a few wandered off to the lawn of the said building. They will walk quickly, and then suddenly stop motionless. A rather peculiar behaviour.
They seem very confiding, although the fact that they were in a beach resort had something to do with it.
A close-up of it’s head. This is an uncropped picture, showing how very close I was to the bird, without it even moving a muscle.
Later in the day, they were gone. I did see one hiding in a dense bush, so their survival skill is still present.
The Blue-winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) is found mainly in North-East India through South East Asia. It is the commonest of the 3 species of leafbirds in Singapore. It can be found in Bukit Timah, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Southern Ridges extending to Mount Faber and even Sentosa Island.
The male differs from the female in appearance (see pictures below). They are normally found in pairs and sometimes in a small flock. Normally, they are hard to spot unless on the move while feeding or flying to a new destination due to their green colouration.
One of the benefit of Jelutong Tower in spotting of leafbirds is that it has a good view of the surrounding forest, so the movement of leafbirds are easy to monitor. The other reason is that the leafbirds like the plants around the tower, particularly the Poikilospermum climber. It has also been seen feeding on insects.
(Front view of the male. A black face and bib, bordered by yellowish head. Notice how close in colour it is to the leaf)
(Side view of the male, showing the blue colours of the wings and tail feathers. Some field guides do not show the full extent of the blue feathers)
(The female in comparison lacks the black face and bib)
On a lunchtime break in December 2012, I decided to make a quick round to the former Bidadari Muslim cemetary, a prime birding area in Singapore. Unexpectedly, I was the lone person there. And for good reason. That day, the birds must have decided to take a break. Or perhaps they sense something else…
As I went along a more wooded area, and ready to leave the place, I saw movement of a large bird. Scanning the area and slowly pacing my steps, I chanced upon a raptor perched on a low branch and close by. Turned out to be a white-morph Changeable Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus). Now normally if the raptor sees a person nearby it will just take-off. But it stayed, so I slowly moved my camera and lens towards my eyes. Once focused on my viewfinder, I could see that it had something on it’s leg.
It scanned around, looking warily, but never made direct eye contact. I was sure it was aware of my presence and just awaiting for the moment to get away. I rattled a few shots quickly, and the noise from the shutter of my camera made it even more nervous. I decided to continue photographing nonetheless. One does not always get a chance to photograph a raptor with a prey. Once I was satisfied with the shots from the position, I wanted a different background, so I took a step…
It then decided the that I have crossed the line and flew off for good, prey in tow. And that was the end of the encounter. No feeding shot after all.
So what was it that it was holding on to? A rat, crushed in the head by it’s powerful leg. A raptor in the city making a meal of an urbanized mammal, in a former cemetery that will soon be a fancy housing estate.
The Grey-rumped Treeswift (Hemiprocne longipennis) is one of the two species of treeswift recorded in Singapore. The other, the Whiskered Treeswift is a very rare resident that is seldom seen, with only one recent record at Upper Peirce Reservoir in 2011.
The Grey-rumped Treeswift on the other hand is a more common resident in Singapore. They can be found regularly at the Singapore Botanical Gardens, Macritchie Reservoir and recently at Bishan Park. In April/May 2011, there was a nesting record in Mandai which I had a chance to document.
Both the male and the female take turns to incubate the egg. The nest of the egg is rather small and can only fit in one adult and one egg.
The male of the species has orange red/chestnut coloured ear coverts that this female lack. Both have an attractive crest.
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.
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.
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
