Koel and rain
Cuckoos in folklore are known as weatherbirds. And in most continents they are known as “rainbirds” or ‘stormbirds” because they call incessantly early in the rainy season. Koels, being cuckoos, are similarly known as rain- or stormbirds. The call of … Continued
Black Baza rescue
On 24th March 2007 Alex Koh had an exciting encounter around the block where he lived in Serangoon. He was walking when he saw something fell with a loud thud on the tarmac floor near him. It was a bird. … Continued
Courtship behaviour of Olive-backed Sunbird
I was in the garden a few mornings ago when suddenly there was a series of loud chatters coming from next door. A pair of Olive-backed Sunbirds (Cinnyris jugularis, formerly Nectarinia jugularis) that had just landed in the bougainvillea bush … Continued
Avian “Alcatraz”
While prospecting new birding sites for material opportunities to substantiate bird article writings, I came across a Malaysian kampong (village) in a rural area. It supports a small Malay community with traditional values, living the comforts of 20th Century semi-concrete … Continued
Sunbird’s plumage
Sunbirds exhibit sexual dimorphism. The males are usually colourful with their dazzling iridescent plumages while the females are generally drab looking and lack any striking patterns. The male of the Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) is a spectacular looking bird with … Continued
Aerial display: Sea eagle and kite
Raptors regularly show off their flying skills with fantastic aerial displays. Such displays may involve courtship, play or raw aggression. And one of the most common species indulging in such acrobatic displays is the White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). If … Continued
Cattle egrets have colonised the world
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) has been very successful in colonising the earth. In fact it is found breeding in all six continents and as a rare vagrant in the seventh, Antarctica. The bird was once confined to the Old World … Continued
Things crows use as nesting materials
The nests House Crows (Corvus splendens) build are crude structures made up of interlocking twigs gathered from surrounding trees and shrubs. Together with these twigs are pieces of wires of various lengths and thickness picked up from around the area, … Continued
Subspecies of Red-breasted Parakeet
The Red-breasted Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri) is a feral resident that is currently getting more and more common and slowly replacing the Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), another feral species, as well as the Long-tailed (Psittacula longicauda), a resident. The parakeet was … Continued
What do kingfishers eat?
Although they are called kingfishers, not all kingfishers eat fish. Of the 90 or so species, well over half feed at least sometimes on other prey. There are several species that do not feed on fish at all. And not … Continued
