The image of the Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata) is a composite of a self-feeding juvenile bird with an adult female (using Gibbs, Barnes and Cox 2001). I am used to a family unit of 4 birds, 2 adults and 2 juveniles; here there were only two birds. Notice wing moult, residual brown in wing, and less well-developed facial features and bill colour in juvenile.
Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr)
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Location: Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Habitat: Fruit farming and secondary growth at city fringe
Date: 24th December 2020
Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone
We are indebted to Richard Foster who was aware of a wintering Rufous Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus manillensis), at this site since late 2018. This species is a vagrant to Taiwan. Avifauna of Taiwan (2nd edition) notes two sightings in August 2003 and June 2006. Handbook of the Birds of the World 2019 quotes three sightings in Taiwan in 2003, 2008 and 2009. The Rufous Night Heron comes up from the south; the N. c. manillensis subspecies is found in Philippines, Borneo, Java and Bali. From images online, the bird arrived in breeding plumage but is now in a non-breeding state. This area has many Black-crowned Night Herons and this vagrant seems to be accepted by the other birds.
Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr)
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Location: Dayuan Township, Taoyuan City County, Taiwan
Habitat: Wetlands farming area near the sea
Date: 19th January 2019
Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone
Thong Chow Ngian sent in this documentation of 4 Green-imperial pigeons drinking rainwater in Singapore.
On 31 Aug 2021, I observed 4 Green Imperial pigeons (Ducula aenea) perching on the Footstool palm tree (Saribus rotundifolius) outside my apartment balcony during a heavy down pour. I noticed 2 of them drinking rain drops for at least 5 minutes each, while waiting for the rain to stop. I have included 2 photos and a video for reference.
Photo 1. Green-imperial pigeons stretching their necks upwards to drink rain water.Photo 2. A Green-imperial pigeon stretching its neck forward to drink rainwater off a palm frond surface.
Not sure how many Verditer Flycatchers (Eumyias thalassinus thalassoides) were present (post shows a male). The Verditer Flycatchers would take fruit by fly-by snatches as well as exploring the thick sections of the tree and picking off fruits while perched. Wells 2007 does not note local frugivory but I have previously seen it feeding on the Common Mahang (Macaranga bancana) [http://www.besgroup.org/2015/08/02/immature-verditer-flycatcher-feeding-on-common-mahang-fruits/]. Handbook of the Birds of the World 2019 states that “food not well known; …… also ripe berries of Macaranga and Mallotus”. A Google image search showed an additional fruit feeding episode from Thailand.
The Yellow-bellied Prinia (Prinia flaviventris sonitans) is fairly common in the right habitat in Taiwan. I found the birds in Taiwan quite different from the ones seen back home (Prinia flaviventris rafflesi). I am not sure the name “Yellow-bellied” is that appropriate as the Taiwan subspecies (Prinia flaviventris sonitans) has more of a yellow-tawny colouration that is more prominent on the sides of the belly and flanks (above, below); the center of the breast is pale and there is no clear yellow demarcation as in P. f. rafflesi or P. f. flaviventris. (Note the Yellow-bellied Prinia in Borneo, P. f. latrunculus, has even less yellow and is sometimes called the Bornean Prinia). The tail also looked considerably longer (above, below) and the song is different (sonogram & waveform and edited audio recording here: https://soundcloud.com/amar-singh-hss/yellow-bellied-chinese-prinia-prinia-flaviventris-sonitans).
Handbook of the Birds of the World (2019) separates these birds and calls the Taiwan species (also found in North East Vietnam and South China) the Chinese Prinia (Prinia sonitans).
Sonogram and waveform.
Most authorities prefer Yellow-bellied Prinia (Prinia flaviventris sonitans):
The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World 4th Edition
International Ornithologists’ Union (IOC) World Bird List 2018, version 8.2
OBI (also indicates that this subspecies is also called the Chinese Prinia)
eBird & Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World 2018 label it Yellow-bellied Prinia (Chinese) (Prinia flaviventris sonitans)
Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr)
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
19th January 2019
Location: Dayuan Township, Taoyuan City County, Taiwan
Habitat: Wetlands farming area near the sea
Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone
The White-whiskered Laughingthrush (Garrulax morrisonianus) used to be a popular caged bird in Taiwan as they were considered to have “beautiful singing” (Avifauna of Taiwan, 2nd edition). As the birds were friendly, I heard and recorded two types of vocalisation.
White-whiskered Laughingthrush’s posture and wing flutter.
The first is a song, that Hsiao (2017) says is given by the male; sexes are phenotypically similar, so I presume Hsiao recognises this from breeding activity (there is a Taiwan reference on this but I am not able to locate it and possibly not read it: You Shuzheng, Yuan Xiaowei. 2000. Ecological study on the reproduction of the golden-winged white-browed eye in the Tataga area of Taiwan. China Forestry Monthly (33): 157-168). The song is a loud melodic whistle, described by Hsiao (2017) as “wo-piiyiuyiu” and by Brazil (2009) as “tsip pee pe wee”. It’s amazing how two completely different rendering of the same song can both sound appropriate. The song is repeated every 3 to 3.5 seconds and last ~ 1 second. It comprises 3 notes; the first given discretely while the next two are in rapid succession and merged. I understand this song as more of a loud contact call between the birds while foraging in a pair or group. A short edited song can be found here: https://www.xeno-canto.org/458998 and the fascinating sonogram is shown below. I am still poor at reading sonograms, but there is a lot more going on in the song than we can hear.
Sonogram of first song.
The second vocalisation I heard and recorded was much longer and harder to understand. They were fast, continual calls, with both birds in the pair participating, and lasting for long periods. Often in spurts of 7-8 seconds with very short breaks of 0.5-1 second in between. They sounded like anxious calls to me and the birds were continually looking around and would intimately make a rapid wing movement (flutter the wings). Both the waveform and sonogram (below) show the chaotic nature of these calls. A short edited call can be found here: https://www.xeno-canto.org/458999 Brazil (2009) aptly describes it as a “staccato” and suggest it occurs when the birds are alarmed. I was very near the birds when recording these types of calls (we had stopped for a British cuppa) and I could see them clearly – I could not see any danger and they had been very comfortable with us. Handbook of the Birds of the Worls (2019) has a description of one call as a “giddy laughter” but I am not sure they were these type calls.
Sonogram of second song
Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr)
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
17th January 2019
Location: Daxueshan National Forest Recreation Area, Taichung City County, Taiwan
Habitat: 2,000-2,500 meter ASL, forested region
Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone
The Swinhoe’s Pheasant (Lophura swinhoii) male’s wattle is a fascinating ‘ornament’. Many birds have wattles (a caruncle), a fleshy structure, often brightly coloured, that adorns various parts of the head and neck, occasionally hanging. However, their function remains poorly understood and is often thought to relate to sexual differences and mating. Among the functions attributed to wattles in birds include (Wikipedia 2019, Chester 2019, Papeschi 2000, Smith 2009, Baratti 2010):
an ornament for courting potential mates (in junglefowl wattles increased the conspicuousness of the tidbitting signal, enhance signal efficacy, aiding courtship)
large wattles correlate with high testosterone indicating a good mate
wattles are an indicatory of sexual maturity and better developed in adult males
a possible indicator of health and disease resistance
in some birds it is able to amplify the call
a possible cooling mechanism
enhance ability to evade/survive predators (common pheasants males with larger ornaments have higher survival)
some birds use wattles in territorial defence (as armaments).
Coming back to wattles in Swinhoe’s Pheasant. I pooled images from many different male birds I had seen, during this trip and my previous one, to try and understand it further. The above image shows a composite of 6 birds (I have more but they do not add to the discussion). The images are arranged according to maturity. Bird 1 is an immature male (1st year bird with immature plumage) and the wattle is not fully developed. Birds 2-6 are all adult males but you can see variation in the size and shape of the wattle. I suspect the bird 2 is a young male (2nd year male) as adult male plumage is generally attained in the second year (HBW 2019); it was alone with no females in attendance and its wattle is smaller than older males. Birds 3-6 are older birds, all with accompanying females. Bird 6 had a seven female harem and the wattle is so ‘enlarged’ so as to almost obscure the beak. It is known that the male Swinhoe’s Pheasant wattle become engorged when in courtship (Avifauna of Taiwan 2nd edition, Wikipedia 2019). Taking suggestions from the work by Lloyd‐Jones on wattle functions in another bird, I suspect that Bird 6 had engorged the wattle to defend his females from the perceived threat, us – the bird watchers. Bird 3 and 4 show what the wattle should look like when at ‘rest’.
The Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes taivanus) is a wonderful little bird that works its way through the undergrowth of the upper montane forest of Taiwan. This Taiwan subspecies is said to be greyer/paler and less rufous but I could not appreciate this. May be split as a species in the future.
Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr)
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
17th January 2019
Location: Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area, Taichung City County, Taiwan
Habitat: 2400 meter ASL, forested region
Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone
Photo taken on 24.5.2020 along Hevea trail, Lower Peirce Reservoir in the early afternoon.
Photo 2
Photo taken on 31.5.2020 at Lower Pierce Reservoir.
Photo 3
Photo taken on 7.8.21 at Lower Pierce Reservoir.
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha
Phaenicophaeus sumatranus
They are also known locally (Malaysia and Singapore) as Burong Chenok, Sanok, Krak or Selayak.
Malkoha belongs to the Family Cuculidae (Cuckoos) which has 28 genera and 136 species. This is a very mixed group. Most species are solitary but some live in social groups. Some are nest builders and raise their young as parents (example- Chestnut-bellied Malkoha). Some are specialists in laying their eggs in other species’ nest (Obligate parasitism e.g. Asian Koel).
Cuculidae is divided into six families. One of them, Phaenicophaeinae, contains 16 species of Malkohas. About six Malkoha species are found in Malaysia, while only one is found in Singapore.
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha (CBM) is a fairly large bird, about 16 inches in length, of which 9 inches are tail (photo 2). The long graduated tail has dark green feathers with white tips. This gives it an appearance of widely spaced white bars on its under-surface. From above, it has a dark glossy blue-green color, with dark emerald green wings. However in good lighting, the green changes to a bright blue color. The wings even look iridescently blue. Click on link below to see blue color. https://besgroup.org/2008/05/16/chestnut-bellied-malkohas-sunning/ Dark grey is the color of the head. This grey extends downward to the neck, chest and upper belly. From the central portion of its belly down to its under-tail coverts are colored chestnut brown. However this brown is usually not seen in the field, due to non-optimum lighting condition. This can result in calling it a Black-bellied Malkoha, which has not been seen in Singapore for a long time. Both have the same large, arched, apple green beak and prominent red eye patch. This is an elliptical shape piece of intensely red periorbital bare skin.
CBM is usually found in tropical or subtropical lowland forest, mangrove and swampland, stretching from Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia (including Borneo). However, in Singapore CBM is now only found in the forest of the Central Catchment Area.
CBM usually forages in the mid canopy. It tends to sit quietly on a branch for several minutes waiting for food to come. If no food is coming it moves to a new spot, by climbing up or jumping down to a lower branch. It will also hop along branches, scramble and scuttle about amongst the branches and tangled creepers looking for food. Its long tail aids it in its balancing and maneuverings amongst the dense foliage. When it is high up in the tree top, it may take a short, weak flight to the neighboring tree top by gliding. All these stealthy, elusive behavior has earned it the description of “long tailed, skulking arboreal cuckoos of the forest”.
CBM is insectivorous. It eats caterpillars, grasshoppers, butterflies, cicadas, stick insects, mantis cockroaches, beetles, and spiders. It is supposed to also eat noxious, brightly colored and hairy caterpillars, avoided by other birds. It removes the hard exoskeleton of insects like beetles and cicadas by bashing them on the hard ground or tree branches before swallowing them. It also eats small vertebrates like lizards, frogs, baby birds, skink, tiny snakes and mice.
It is a quiet bird. Occasionally it makes a “tok, tok, tok” sound (like hitting a hollow block of wood with a stick). It is also known to make a high pitch meowing sound.
Both parents share in building their own nest and raising their own youngs. The nest consists of a substantial platform of sticks, built in the fork of a tree, near its trunk. Two chalky eggs are laid in it. There is a very interesting article about the brood care of a local pair of CBM in Mandai Orchid Garden in 2008. Please click link here to see. https://besgroup.org/2008/09/24/brood-care-in-malkoha-a-collaboration-with-a-photographer/
Click on the first LINK in the BESGroup article above, to get a PDF copy of the original article in the Nature in Singapore magazine by Alvin Lok and Lee Tiah Khee (16.9.2008).
In general, cuckoo nestling is known to grow rapidly, leaving nest in a little over ten days. They are also known to excrete a foul smelling liquid from their cloaca when they are disturbed in their nest.
Article by Wong Kais
Photos Courtesy of Mr Allan Fong and Dr. Tan Ai Ling
I just found a young dollarbird in the garden.. It seems to have left the nest too early and cannot fly yet. How am i to keep and feed it for a few days untill it can fly.???
We have a small pond in our garden surrounded by trees and steep bedrock. The other day we saw a heron flying over and attempting to land – I guess to try to eat our small stock of fish. We managed to frighten it away before it landed, and have since installed trip wires around the pond in order to dissuade the bird. The amount of shelter around the pond means that a heron would have to land practically vertically. Does anyone know whether these birds have the agility to hover and land in this way, or do they always need a “glidepath” in order to land successfully?
Today, at the former Bidadari Cemetery, there was a buzz about a sighting of a Grey Nightjar (Caprimulgus jotaka). I heard some birders say this nightjar isn’t commonly seen in Singapore. After some hunting, we spotted it asleep on a tree branch, some 15 m above ground. This was rather interesting as my previous encounters with nightjars have been on either terra firma or on low branches.
Why not search the website using the word ‘Bidadari’ to obtain the information you need. There should be sufficient info in past postings to satisfy you.
I ‘acquired’ a female Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot 5 days ago – was in a public place when the bird flew overhead hit the wall and dropped right in front of me dazed. I picked it up, it appeared unhurt but could not sustain it’s flight. I have since constructed a fairly large ‘cage’ for it, about 4ft x 2fx x 2ft and placed it there last night. I temporarily placed her in a normal bird cage until I had completed the build.
From what I have read up, it’s a fruit, seed and insect feeder and also nectar, flower buds. It’s doing as well as it can on bananas, papaya, jack-fruit (didn’t touch the grape) and seeds (black and white sunflower and other smaller ones). It loves to bathe so I’ve gotten it a tray and from what I read it’s important to keep things clean as it easily succumbs to infection.
Does anyone else have any useful experience and sharing on it’s upkeep? I suspect this bird is an escapee – as far as I can read up, it’s not common, if at all, found in Georgetown, Penang where I am. I’m also not optimistic that it can survive if I were to set it free – assuming it can sustain it’s flight and not go crashing down and if there were dogs/cats around that would be the end of it.
I can attach some pictures but not sure how to do this…
thanks.
The blue-crowned hanging parrot, even though very closely related to the lovebirds, is a nectar feeder. You would raise it the way you raise a lorikeet – which is a messy process. And because you are mixing batches of food for just one little bird, whereas I used to do it for about half a dozen pigeon-sized lorikeets each morning, I don’t know how you are going to get the portions down to manageable sizes. Anyway, here goes, with my recipe for feeding big lories. You can adjust the proportions down accordingly for your little bird.
The staple diet would be a couple of slices of soft fruit (papaya, apple, grapes, even though I am surprised that you said the bird would not eat any) and a mixture of cooked rice sweetened with nectar mix.
How to make nectar mix? Go to a pharmacy and get a can of food for invalids or infants. I use Complan, but I am sure any good baby formula would do. I usually make up enough to fill a beer mug, but there is no way you need that amount for a day’s feeding. If in doubt, make the mixture thinner, not thicker. Birds cannot digest baby formula that is too thick. If it is too thin, they simply have to consume more to get the required amount of energy. Then to this mug, add half a teaspoonful of rose syrup. Also stir in about a cup of cooked rice, well mashed up.
In the case of your bird, I suggest that you pour this lot into an ice-cube tray, freeze the mixture, and defrost one cube to feed it each day.
Now, you said that this bird eats sunflower seeds. This is most unusual for a blue-crowned hanging parrot. Are you sure that this is actually the species you have? Could it be possible that you have actually got a pet lovebird that escaped? There are so many different artificially-created breeds of lovebirds in so many colours that you might have been mistaken.
If you actually have a lovebird, feeding is much simpler. Just go to the nearest pet shop, buy a packet of budgerigar or cockatiel seed of a reputable international brand, and offer it to the bird. You can supplement this with a couple of slices of fruit each day, and that will be all. Plus of course fresh water and a piece of cuttlefish bone to nibble on.
About nectar feeding birds. I forgot to add that feeding nectar is messy, and it goes rancid very quickly in our tropical weather. Feeding containers have to be removed and thoroughly cleaned at the end of each day. The birds also splatter the mixture and wipe their beaks on perches and the bars of the cage. All my lories and lorikeets used to be housed in outdoor aviaries which were hosed down daily.
If Geam Liang does not think the bird will survive if released, I really hope that it is a case of mistaken identity, and that you have a lovebird, rather than a blue-crowned hanging parrot. In our part of the world, all available lovebirds are domestically bred, take to captivity readily, and are easy to feed with commercially available seed mixtures. Yes, and being domestic pets, they would not survive if released.
Thank you Chiu San for your inputs. Thus far, bananas and papayas work well. I’m not sure why it did not take to grapes – will try again. Am I supposed to peel it? I didn’t the last time, basically skewered a couple of grapes to a satay stick and positioned it as I did for the sliced and skinned papaya and peeled bananas.
I have yet to try rice and certainly not nectar but will try out your concoction – have half a mind to go to a pet shop to see if they carry nectar for birds. The ice-cube freeze method is a good one, will try that. I might be mistaken on the sunflower seeds… not touched but it did eat the much smaller roundish, mixed colored seeds. Will remove the sunflower seeds.
I’m sure it’s a female blue crowned hanging parrot.. it sleeps like a bat every night.
When feeding local birds which are unfamiliar with imported fruits such as grapes, it helps to split the fruits to expose the edible parts. As to your remark that the bird sleeps hanging upside down like a bat, yes, that is the way blue-crowned hanging parrots sleep.
Thanks… I need to think like a bird – yup. She has probably not seen a grape much less know that it’s edible, unless the previous owner has fed her with grapes… even then… Today she’s done pretty well making the most of the banana and all of the papaya plus quite a bit of seeds. Will try the baby food + mashed rise + rose syrup.
Will regular honey do instead of rose syrup?
Thanks.
About making nectar to feed birds. Most aviculturalists do not use honey for two reasons: 1. It is expensive and does not seem to give any added benefits. 2. Honey is made by bees, and the composition varies wildly. Some honeys are also known to cause fungal infection in birds.
If you do not want to buy a huge bottle of rose syrup just for one tiny bird, there are cheaper alternatives. The first is plain table sugar, though most don’t seem to like it very much.
What many birds will accept quite readily as a sweetener is condensed milk – the type with sugar that coffee shop owners use.
Many, many birds have a sweet tooth (or should I say sweet beak?) Besides the usual suspects of lories, lorikeets, sunbirds and hummingbirds, for whom it is an essential part of the diet, nectar mixture is readily consumed by mynahs, leafbirds, fairy bluebirds, barbets, doves, parrots of all kinds, and a whole host of other species.
I tried the condensed mild, placed in in a small bottle cap.. only the ants showed interest. Am I supposed to dilute it? I didn’t =( I took you advice and refrained from honey. Have yet to find Rose Syrup from the shelves of TESCO… will try to mix the baby food + mashed rise + rose syrup/sugar syrup this week…
Can anyone help me identify a bird I saw in Singapore last week. Size of a smakll dove or thrush. Dark metallic back. Grey breast with red throat, chest.
Lately I bought a bird feeder which I fill with 4parts water n 1 part white sugar. Sunbirds come regularly to drink and they are really lovely to watch. May I know if it is bad for them to feed on this? Previously they would sometimes pierce and drink from my potted flowers
Lately I bought a bird feeder which I fill with 4parts water n 1 part white sugar. Sunbirds come regularly to drink and they are really lovely to watch. May I know if it is bad for them to feed on this? Previously they would sometimes pierce and drink from my potted flowers.
I am a Senior Lecturer in Zoology at a University in Switzerland and I urgently need to get in touch with photographer Chan Yoke Meng, who takes beautiful photographs of birds near Singapore. Would you please mail me the email address of this photographer!
Trust this email finds you well. We chance upon your photograph on your website and found the amazing image of the Laced Woodpecker and durians. We would like to explore the possibility of getting permission to use them for a new Bird Park in Singapore.
Spacelogic is a company based in Singapore and we have been contracted by Mandai Park Development to carry out design and build works relating to the exhibition interpretive displays in this new Bird Park.
Some background of the new Mandai Bird Park project; it will build upon the legacy of the Jurong Bird Park – https://www.wrs.com.sg/en/jurong-bird-park.html by retaining and building upon a world-reference bird collection and creating a place of colour and joy for all visitors. The new Bird Park will have a world-reference ornithological collection displayed in a highly immersive way with large walk-through habitats. To enhance visitors’ experience with storyline and narrative of the bird park, transition spaces are added to display exhibits that provide a varied type of fun, intuitive, interactive and educational experiences for all visitors. One of the habitats features the Laced Woodpecker on a flora panel It is in this flora panel that we are seeking your permission to feature the Laced Woodpecker. We are looking to use the first image on the link here.
Link can be found here: https://besgroup.org/2012/06/28/laced-woodpecker-and-durians/
We would like to ask if this is something that we can explore further and if yes, how can we go about with putting through a formal permission request. Thank you so much for considering our request and we look forward to hearing from you.
kris
I just found a young dollarbird in the garden.. It seems to have left the nest too early and cannot fly yet. How am i to keep and feed it for a few days untill it can fly.???
Raja
March 20 is world sparrow day!
CHIRP FOR SPARROWS!
TWEET FOR SPARROWS!
TEXT FOR SPARROWS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?client=mv-google&hl=en-GB&v=MQiq8FHrG_0&gl=US&nomobile=1
Iwan
We have a small pond in our garden surrounded by trees and steep bedrock. The other day we saw a heron flying over and attempting to land – I guess to try to eat our small stock of fish. We managed to frighten it away before it landed, and have since installed trip wires around the pond in order to dissuade the bird. The amount of shelter around the pond means that a heron would have to land practically vertically. Does anyone know whether these birds have the agility to hover and land in this way, or do they always need a “glidepath” in order to land successfully?
Khng Eu Meng
Today, at the former Bidadari Cemetery, there was a buzz about a sighting of a Grey Nightjar (Caprimulgus jotaka). I heard some birders say this nightjar isn’t commonly seen in Singapore. After some hunting, we spotted it asleep on a tree branch, some 15 m above ground. This was rather interesting as my previous encounters with nightjars have been on either terra firma or on low branches.
Is this perching so high up the tree normal or is it unusual? I have posted a photo of it on my Facebook Timeline: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151125012234135&set=a.108191464134.96538.617499134&type=1&theater
Jess
Bird Sanctuary At Former Bidadari Cementry
1)Which is the best spot in Bidadari cemetery for bird watch?
2)Where this bird usually resident at?
3)What are some of the rare bird species that can be found at Bidadari?
4)Where is the particular hot spot for the hornbills, eagles, kingfishers and some of the rare migratory bird?
5)Which part of Bidadari are richest in it wildlife?
6)Can you name me the 59 migratory bird species found?
YC
Why not search the website using the word ‘Bidadari’ to obtain the information you need. There should be sufficient info in past postings to satisfy you.
Firdaus Razak
Hai, I just want to ask did anybody had an experience bring bird from oversea via MasKargo? Did the bird will stress at high altitude?
Arjun
I heard this interesting bird call in a forest, and recorded it. Could anyone help me identify it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uubzo1wdbU&feature=youtu.be
Chung Wah
Hi, I am new to bird photography! Could anyone advise a good pair of binoculars to get for this hobby?
YC
Try this Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/groups/394479540610099/
I am sure there would be someone willing to advise.
Geam Liang
I ‘acquired’ a female Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot 5 days ago – was in a public place when the bird flew overhead hit the wall and dropped right in front of me dazed. I picked it up, it appeared unhurt but could not sustain it’s flight. I have since constructed a fairly large ‘cage’ for it, about 4ft x 2fx x 2ft and placed it there last night. I temporarily placed her in a normal bird cage until I had completed the build.
From what I have read up, it’s a fruit, seed and insect feeder and also nectar, flower buds. It’s doing as well as it can on bananas, papaya, jack-fruit (didn’t touch the grape) and seeds (black and white sunflower and other smaller ones). It loves to bathe so I’ve gotten it a tray and from what I read it’s important to keep things clean as it easily succumbs to infection.
Does anyone else have any useful experience and sharing on it’s upkeep? I suspect this bird is an escapee – as far as I can read up, it’s not common, if at all, found in Georgetown, Penang where I am. I’m also not optimistic that it can survive if I were to set it free – assuming it can sustain it’s flight and not go crashing down and if there were dogs/cats around that would be the end of it.
I can attach some pictures but not sure how to do this…
thanks.
Lee Chiu San
The blue-crowned hanging parrot, even though very closely related to the lovebirds, is a nectar feeder. You would raise it the way you raise a lorikeet – which is a messy process. And because you are mixing batches of food for just one little bird, whereas I used to do it for about half a dozen pigeon-sized lorikeets each morning, I don’t know how you are going to get the portions down to manageable sizes. Anyway, here goes, with my recipe for feeding big lories. You can adjust the proportions down accordingly for your little bird.
The staple diet would be a couple of slices of soft fruit (papaya, apple, grapes, even though I am surprised that you said the bird would not eat any) and a mixture of cooked rice sweetened with nectar mix.
How to make nectar mix? Go to a pharmacy and get a can of food for invalids or infants. I use Complan, but I am sure any good baby formula would do. I usually make up enough to fill a beer mug, but there is no way you need that amount for a day’s feeding. If in doubt, make the mixture thinner, not thicker. Birds cannot digest baby formula that is too thick. If it is too thin, they simply have to consume more to get the required amount of energy. Then to this mug, add half a teaspoonful of rose syrup. Also stir in about a cup of cooked rice, well mashed up.
In the case of your bird, I suggest that you pour this lot into an ice-cube tray, freeze the mixture, and defrost one cube to feed it each day.
Now, you said that this bird eats sunflower seeds. This is most unusual for a blue-crowned hanging parrot. Are you sure that this is actually the species you have? Could it be possible that you have actually got a pet lovebird that escaped? There are so many different artificially-created breeds of lovebirds in so many colours that you might have been mistaken.
If you actually have a lovebird, feeding is much simpler. Just go to the nearest pet shop, buy a packet of budgerigar or cockatiel seed of a reputable international brand, and offer it to the bird. You can supplement this with a couple of slices of fruit each day, and that will be all. Plus of course fresh water and a piece of cuttlefish bone to nibble on.
Lee Chiu San
About nectar feeding birds. I forgot to add that feeding nectar is messy, and it goes rancid very quickly in our tropical weather. Feeding containers have to be removed and thoroughly cleaned at the end of each day. The birds also splatter the mixture and wipe their beaks on perches and the bars of the cage. All my lories and lorikeets used to be housed in outdoor aviaries which were hosed down daily.
If Geam Liang does not think the bird will survive if released, I really hope that it is a case of mistaken identity, and that you have a lovebird, rather than a blue-crowned hanging parrot. In our part of the world, all available lovebirds are domestically bred, take to captivity readily, and are easy to feed with commercially available seed mixtures. Yes, and being domestic pets, they would not survive if released.
Geam Liang
Thank you Chiu San for your inputs. Thus far, bananas and papayas work well. I’m not sure why it did not take to grapes – will try again. Am I supposed to peel it? I didn’t the last time, basically skewered a couple of grapes to a satay stick and positioned it as I did for the sliced and skinned papaya and peeled bananas.
I have yet to try rice and certainly not nectar but will try out your concoction – have half a mind to go to a pet shop to see if they carry nectar for birds. The ice-cube freeze method is a good one, will try that. I might be mistaken on the sunflower seeds… not touched but it did eat the much smaller roundish, mixed colored seeds. Will remove the sunflower seeds.
I’m sure it’s a female blue crowned hanging parrot.. it sleeps like a bat every night.
Lee Chiu San
When feeding local birds which are unfamiliar with imported fruits such as grapes, it helps to split the fruits to expose the edible parts. As to your remark that the bird sleeps hanging upside down like a bat, yes, that is the way blue-crowned hanging parrots sleep.
Geam Liang
Thanks… I need to think like a bird – yup. She has probably not seen a grape much less know that it’s edible, unless the previous owner has fed her with grapes… even then… Today she’s done pretty well making the most of the banana and all of the papaya plus quite a bit of seeds. Will try the baby food + mashed rise + rose syrup.
Will regular honey do instead of rose syrup?
Thanks.
Lee Chiu San
About making nectar to feed birds. Most aviculturalists do not use honey for two reasons: 1. It is expensive and does not seem to give any added benefits. 2. Honey is made by bees, and the composition varies wildly. Some honeys are also known to cause fungal infection in birds.
If you do not want to buy a huge bottle of rose syrup just for one tiny bird, there are cheaper alternatives. The first is plain table sugar, though most don’t seem to like it very much.
What many birds will accept quite readily as a sweetener is condensed milk – the type with sugar that coffee shop owners use.
Many, many birds have a sweet tooth (or should I say sweet beak?) Besides the usual suspects of lories, lorikeets, sunbirds and hummingbirds, for whom it is an essential part of the diet, nectar mixture is readily consumed by mynahs, leafbirds, fairy bluebirds, barbets, doves, parrots of all kinds, and a whole host of other species.
Geam Liang
I tried the condensed mild, placed in in a small bottle cap.. only the ants showed interest. Am I supposed to dilute it? I didn’t =( I took you advice and refrained from honey. Have yet to find Rose Syrup from the shelves of TESCO… will try to mix the baby food + mashed rise + rose syrup/sugar syrup this week…
David Thackray
Can anyone help me identify a bird I saw in Singapore last week. Size of a smakll dove or thrush. Dark metallic back. Grey breast with red throat, chest.
BESG
Any images?
Emily Koh
Lately I bought a bird feeder which I fill with 4parts water n 1 part white sugar. Sunbirds come regularly to drink and they are really lovely to watch. May I know if it is bad for them to feed on this? Previously they would sometimes pierce and drink from my potted flowers
Emily Koh
Lately I bought a bird feeder which I fill with 4parts water n 1 part white sugar. Sunbirds come regularly to drink and they are really lovely to watch. May I know if it is bad for them to feed on this? Previously they would sometimes pierce and drink from my potted flowers.
Ken Sng
Hi Friends,
I need help in identifying these 13 birds which i’ve published in a public album on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/81819728@N00/y8ws5B
They are numbered 1-13 so if you know what they are please reply with number and name .
I’m doing a personal project to shoot 100 different birds in SG.
Thanks very Much !
Mahadevi Bhuti
One of best souce for the bird watcher’s enjoying knowledge about ornithology
Martin Nyffeler (PhD)
Dear Sir / Dear Madame,
I am a Senior Lecturer in Zoology at a University in Switzerland and I urgently need to get in touch with photographer Chan Yoke Meng, who takes beautiful photographs of birds near Singapore. Would you please mail me the email address of this photographer!
Thanks,
Martin
Wee Ming
Hello Besgroup,
Trust this email finds you well. We chance upon your photograph on your website and found the amazing image of the Laced Woodpecker and durians. We would like to explore the possibility of getting permission to use them for a new Bird Park in Singapore.
Spacelogic is a company based in Singapore and we have been contracted by Mandai Park Development to carry out design and build works relating to the exhibition interpretive displays in this new Bird Park.
Some background of the new Mandai Bird Park project; it will build upon the legacy of the Jurong Bird Park – https://www.wrs.com.sg/en/jurong-bird-park.html by retaining and building upon a world-reference bird collection and creating a place of colour and joy for all visitors. The new Bird Park will have a world-reference ornithological collection displayed in a highly immersive way with large walk-through habitats. To enhance visitors’ experience with storyline and narrative of the bird park, transition spaces are added to display exhibits that provide a varied type of fun, intuitive, interactive and educational experiences for all visitors. One of the habitats features the Laced Woodpecker on a flora panel It is in this flora panel that we are seeking your permission to feature the Laced Woodpecker. We are looking to use the first image on the link here.
Link can be found here: https://besgroup.org/2012/06/28/laced-woodpecker-and-durians/
We would like to ask if this is something that we can explore further and if yes, how can we go about with putting through a formal permission request. Thank you so much for considering our request and we look forward to hearing from you.
Warmest Regards,
Wee Ming
SPACElogic Pte Ltd