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Sighting of Pin-tailed Whydah

on 29th April 2008

Alvin a.k.a. epiphytophile of NaturePixels.org was at Changi Cove on the afternoon of 9th April 2008 when he saw a strange and unfamiliar looking bird with a prominently long tail (above). He managed to get a few pictures before the bird disappeared. It was a male Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura) in breeding plumage, thus the long tail.

Similarly, Dr Eric Tan a.k.a. MountainMan succeeded in snapping a few images of this impressively looking and attractive bird (below).

According to Subaraj Rajathurai, our bird specialist: “While these escapees can hang around an area for a while, the whydah has never established itself as a feral species. There are no breeding records, although immature birds have been seen, and they never occur at an area for more than a couple of months.

“This grassland species must have escaped from some bird holding area or bird shop. For the Serangoon records, along with the many other escapees that occured there in the 1980s/1990s, there is the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority Quarantine Station that was situated at the old Tampines Road nearby.

“As for Changi, there have been a few interesting escapees over the years and one wonders where they were escaping from.”

This is a brood parasite, a very aggressive bird that comes from most parts of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Because of its beauty, it is much sought after as a cage bird. The bird sighted at Changi is obviously an escapee.

This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

3 Responses

  1. FOR A MONTH NOW A WHYDAH HAS BEEN IN OUR JACARANDA TREE WHERE OUR BIRD FEEDER IS.HE EATS THE GRAIN OFF THE GROUND NOT FROM THE FEEDER.RUNS ALL OTHER BIRDS AWAY.HAS TWO SOUNDS ONE TWO IN RAPID SUCESSION AND ONE LONGER.THIS IS IN 92831 FULLERTON.PLAYING GOLF AT DIAMOND BAR LAST THUR. TO MY SUPRIZE I SAW AN OTHER JUST OF 11 TEE BOX.I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES BUT I DONT KNOW HOW TO DOWN LOAD THEM.HIS BACK HAS YELLOW LIGHT COLOR HALF CIRCLE.I HAVE BEEN AS CLOSE AS 15 FEET FROM HIM.WHAT A TREAT MY WIFE AND I TAKE TURNS YELLING AT EACH OTHER,here he is come see him.

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