“Coming back home after lunch today at about 3.30pm on a sunny afternoon, I had a surprise waiting for me – a tightly-knit family of 7 Crimson-rumped Waxbills (Estrilda rhodopyga) were hopping around in my garden!
“Here’s my album of pics of them in 3 different locations, all shot within 5m – they are not shy birds at all LINK.
“I took two videos – easier to count them when they are moving, rather than to spot them amongst the leaves in stills. Above shows a family of seven – Mum & Dad are the ones with tails. Below shows Mum/Dad herding everyone back to base camp.
“So it looks like these exotics are really making themselves at home over here! Not sure whether it’s something to celebrate though.
“Previous BESG posts can be seen in LINK 1 and LINK 2.
Lena Chow
Singapore
2nd October 2011
Cheers,
Lena
Glynn
Hi Lena,
Thanks for posting the video’s and pictures there great.
What is your view on their appearance in Singapore? Do you think they are escapees from someone keeping them in captivity over there, or, do you thik they have at sometime been introduced?
Best wishes
Glynn
Lena
Hi Glynn,
I think the waxbills here are most likely escapees or part of Vesak Day releases. I don’t know of any reason why they might be introduced, but I’m happy to learn of any.
Cheers,
Lena
Bird Ecology Study Group Crimson-rumped Waxbills having a bath
[…] of these escapees [Crimson-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda rhodopyga)] in my own garden about 2 years ago LINK, I have not seen this exotic species again in my […]
Bird Ecology Study Group Adult Crimson-rumped Waxbill feeding fledglings
[…] few months later, Lena Chow reported having them in her garden LINK. And in January 2014, a flock of about 20 birds was seen at Gardens by the Bay […]