{"id":49868,"date":"2017-03-24T00:01:42","date_gmt":"2017-03-23T16:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/besgroup.org\/?p=49868"},"modified":"2023-06-24T17:13:03","modified_gmt":"2023-06-24T09:13:03","slug":"why-are-there-chinese-pond-herons-in-full-breeding-plumage-seen-in-singapore-when-they-are-non-breeding-visitors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besgroup.org\/2017\/03\/24\/why-are-there-chinese-pond-herons-in-full-breeding-plumage-seen-in-singapore-when-they-are-non-breeding-visitors\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are there Chinese Pond-herons in full breeding plumage when they are non-breeding visitors?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Khng Eu Meng<\/strong> was at Ang Mo Kio-Bishan Park in March 2017 where he photographed a pair of Chinese Pond-herons (Ardeola bacchus<\/em>) (below). The bird in the foreground is in full breeding plumage while that in the background is not. As this pond-heron is a non-breeding winter visitor to Singapore, he was naturally puzzled seeing one in breeding plumage.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Chinese Pond-heron is an uncommon winter visitor to Singapore. It breeds in East Asia from Manchuria, SE Tibet, E China, west to Assam, N Burma, Andaman Islands and Japan. It winters in the Malay Peninsula, Indochina, Borneo and Sumatra.<\/p>\n In Singapore this pond-heron begins to arrive in September-October, with the number increasing slowly to more than 25 in January. Subsequently the number decreases towards April-May, after which it is not seen until the next migratory season (Wang & Hails, 2007).<\/p>\n Wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai<\/strong> has this to say: \u201cThis is normal and not exclusive to Chinese Pond-herons. Many migrants may arrive in at least partial breeding colours when they migrate here after their breeding season up north.<\/p>\n Likewise, many migrants will start changing into their breeding colours even before they migrate home to breed. This can involve full change like in the case of the pond-herons. Normally, we only see pond-herons in their breeding plumage from late February onwards, but usually in March. For most of their winter-stay here though, they are in non-breeding plumage. There are no breeding records of Chinese Pond-herons in Malaysia and Singapore, as far as I know.\u201d<\/p>\n Chinese Pond-herons in transitional breeding plumage have also been observed LINK<\/a>.<\/p>\n Khng Eu Meng<\/strong> & Subaraj Rajathurai Reference:<\/strong>
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\nWang, L.K. & C. J. Hails, 2007. An annotated checklist of birds of Singapore. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 15: 1-179.<\/p>\n