10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2019

White-breasted Waterhens- Amaurornis phoenicurus phoenicurus are a bird species that you can easily find in Singapore in many locations. Apparently in years gone by the White-breasted Waterhen was eaten in Singapore. Thankfully their population is stable nowadays and they can be seen widely across Singapore.

Singapore 113

Singapore Australia Species Birds 113

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2019

It is often useful to look at satellite images on Google Earth to see where there is suitable habitat for different bird species. When we decided to go to see what bird species there were in the undeveloped areas at Changi Business Park we encountered several species of bird that we did not observe anywhere else in Singapore.

Singapore 113

Singapore Zebras Transported Cattle 113

10,000 Birds

APRIL 28, 2019

During our three weeks of birding in Singapore in March we were surprised that we did not encounter White-crested Laughingthrush – Garrulax leucolophus more often. The White-crested Laughingthrush is actually an introduced species and our first encounter was in the Southern Ridges.

Singapore 113

Singapore Shelters Litter Groups 113

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Charlie is an amateur nature photographer from Singapore who has been birdwatching for close to 15 years now. 10,000 Birds readers love terrific bird photography but hate bird abuse. That’s why reader Charlie Gordon wanted to share this disturbing story. A Grey-headed Fish Eagle photographed ethically.

Eagles 269

Eagles Singapore Ethics Fish 269

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2019

We have just returned from an incredible three weeks in Singapore, where unlike many others who visit the country we spent the whole time in nature parks, forests and gardens observing birds. We travelled to Singapore from Broome overnight on 5th March arriving in the early morning of the 6th March. We had arrived at 09:15am.

Singapore 116

Singapore Transported Boars Malaysia 116

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2019

On our recent visit to Singapore we had hoped that we would be able to observe Oriental Pied Hornbills and we were very lucky during our visit. Not only did we observe the bird species most days, but we also had the privilege of observing them at a nest. It could be several months according to some information I have found online.

Singapore 113

Singapore Seals Eggs Australia 113

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2022

Or would be, had I encountered more of them – so far, I have seen only a very small share of the approximately 233 woodpecker species, and got decent photos of an even smaller number – not much more than 10% of all of them. So, writing a post about them is easy.

Woodpeckers 264

Woodpeckers South Africa China Singapore 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

China is not that well-known for its hornbills, but in Yunnan province, on the border to Myanmar, some species can be found. It can even be found in Singapore, a place that I have once heard being described as “Frankfurt with air conditioning” The Great Hornbill is much rarer.

Myanmar 290

Myanmar Singapore China Hunting 290

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2019

During our three week visit to Singapore in March we spent a good part of each day walking and birding. No doubt they are often overlooked or mistaken for a small bird if you observe them in the distance flying through the dense canopy in Singapore. Singapore is a great place to enjoy the woodpecker family. Banded Woodpecker.

Singapore 113

Singapore Unwanted Pets Woodpeckers Parrots 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2013

JOHOR, MALAYSIA, DECEMBER 2012 – If you’re traveling to Singapore for birding, you might want to think outside the box or, in this case, the island. Anyone considering a visit to Panti Forest should be enticed by the five different species that might be seen there. In review, my trip to Panti Forest was phenomenal.

Malaysia 213

Malaysia Singapore Monkeys Asia 213

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 10, 2019

This guide describes the 125 best birding sites for both common and rare species, covering Myanmar, Thailand, Laos (officially Lao PDR), Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor Leste. The 125 Best Bird Watching Sites in Southeast Asia, edited by Yong Ding Li & Low Bing Wen.

Asia 235

Asia Laos Myanmar Indonesia 235

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2013

SINGAPORE, DECEMBER 2012 – Ask any birder where you should go birding in Singapore and the short list will always include Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve , this city-state’s finest wetlands. Since I was in Singapore in winter, Sungei Buloh seemed like the best place to kick off my introduction to Southeast Asian avifauna.

Singapore 162

Singapore Zebras Zoos Owls 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2023

Even better, just a few meters away from the food vendors, it is not too crowded, and the palm trees attract a number of birds, including two species of parrots. That is mainly the Philippines, as indicated by the species name lucionensis (Luzon is the Philippines’ biggest island). The first one is the Blue-naped Parrot.

Malaysia 264

Malaysia Philippines Parrots illegal 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 18, 2012

Yellow Bitterns ( Ixobrychus sinensis ) showed strongly during a recent trip to Singapore and on occasion it would have been impossible to pose them any better than they were already doing themselves. The Yellow Bittern is a tiny heron, substantially smaller than the Butoroides (Green and Striated) species and slimmer too.

Singapore 178

Singapore Indonesia Asia Guinea 178

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2020

It is interesting to see the different evolutionary strategies of closely related bird species – the various snow-white egrets with their “I don`t give a damn who can see me” attitude contrasting with the ridiculously well-camouflaged yellow bitterns. So, here are some of the species living in Nanhui, Shanghai.

Singapore 219

Singapore Fish Cattle Breeding 219

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2021

A typical description of the family is that of “a tropical African and Asian songbird that typically has a melodious voice and drab plumage”, another is “small, dull-colored passerine birds of Asia and Africa”, yet another states that they are “often rather plain” Individual species get even harsher reviews.

South Africa 275

South Africa Malaysia Africa China 275

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

There are four species in the family, ranging from India to the Solomon Islands. They are my newest family tick, when I picked up a Grey-rumped Treeswift flying high above Singapore Botanical Gardens in December last year. To really get to know a treeswift, you want to get a look at one when its perching.

Solomon Islands 170

Solomon Islands Singapore India Family 170

10,000 Birds

APRIL 21, 2019

During our three weeks in Singapore we encountered many a family of Red Junglefowl- Gallus gallus in various locations. Red Junglefowl are under threat in Singapore due to habitat loss and inter-breeding, but we observed them most days on our hiking trips around the island and also on Pulau Ubin. Happy Easter!

Singapore 113

Singapore Chickens Litter Squirrels 113

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2021

Just last year, 5 new bird species and 5 new subspecies were discovered in a few short weeks of fieldwork on the islands of Taliabu, Peleng and Batudaka. In recent years Indonesia has been competing with the Andes as the region giving rise to the biggest number of undescribed bird species (naturally, all of them endemics).

Indonesia 264

Indonesia Timor Brunei Guinea 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2023

In total, there are eight species of hornbills in Borneo – the best place to see them seems to be the Kinabatagan River area (also known as Sukau). Another paper reviews information on Oriental Pied Hornbills raiding the nests of various bird species in Singapore and even pet bird cages.

Rhinoceros 157

Rhinoceros Singapore Transported Hunting 157

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 27, 2012

I was lucky enough to find a Wagler’s Pit Viper, Tropidolaemus wagleri in Singapore recently and it fair took my breath away. In trying to identify it, I learned that this species has many different patterns in a wide variety of colours. This specimen was only very small, perhaps 50cms, but a large female can reach up to a meter.

Singapore 132

Singapore Reptiles Asia Mammals 132

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Myers, a professional birding guide in “real life,” summarizes the etymology and history of all common bird names (of bird families and groups, not all 10,000-plus species). The guide covers 265 of Maine’s 461 bird species: common nesting species, common migrants, and wintering birds.

Sri Lanka 264

Sri Lanka Malaysia Suriname Malawi 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2024

Given that according to the HBW, the species prefers dense primary and secondary montane forests, the note that the bird also forages among kitchen waste (in the same HBW entry) seems somewhat incongruous. Fish & Wildlife Service has a web page for this species – but it contains absolutely no information.

Burma 244

Burma India Thailand Indonesia 244

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2014

Well, this time next week I’ll be winging my way to Cape Town via Auckland and Singapore (air transport is weird sometimes), so this is my last beat post of the year. It’s a species that has bedeviled and bewitched me over the years. Cave species obviously excluded, they can go extinct for all I care.

Sharks 201

Sharks Leopards Whaling Whales 201

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2015

They are typically easy places to reach, easy to get about in, safe, and serve as a natural primer for many of the species you’re going to be seeing on a trip. Which can often have less to see, or at least see easily as a visitor, than a national park. Here is where botanical gardens are your friend.

Africa 222

Africa South Africa Mongoose Birds 222

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

It feels good to start a post with some truly attractive birds – such as two species of broadbills. Strangely, there do not seem to be many papers on this species. In one paper , you can find fascinating sentences such as “The new species is most similar to D. My cats refuse to even try Fiery Minivets.

Sri Lanka 246

Sri Lanka Taiwan Birds Cats 246

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2012

I’m headed to Singapore in a week with stops in Japan and I hope Malaysia. Studying field guides, reading trip reports, and arranging meetings with local birders can be a process that takes more time than the trip itself, but makes the anticipation that much more delicious. His Best Bird of the Weekend?

Malaysia 137

Malaysia Singapore 2012 New York 137

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

After writing this last sentence, I looked up the species in the HBW and found the sentence “Song poorly documented” in the appropriate section, while with regard to calls, the description is that “call is a two-note raspy nasal ‘ryeeh-reh’”. In New Zealand, the Spotted Dove is an introduced species.

Mountain Goats 147

Mountain Goats Singapore Giraffes Birds 147

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2014

The 28 odd species of this genus are found in the Sunda (the islands of Indonesia, Malaysia and the southern bit of Thailand) and the Philippines, and are named for the inescapable (in this region anyway) Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, he of the founding of Singapore fame. Sometimes it is good to stop and smell the roses.

Philippines 168

Philippines Malaysia Thailand Indonesia 168

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2012

Broome’s famous Cable Beach, named after the telegraph undersea cable that was laid in 1889 to enable communication with England via Singapore, stretches about 23 kilometres-14 miles. We have previously called these birds Beach Thick-knees , but as with so many species around the world in recent years they have had their names changed.

Senegal 163

Senegal Singapore Litter Farming 163

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2012

While planning a much-needed escape from the Western Hemisphere to Singapore, I had to explore the layover birding potential of Narita International Airport, one of two airports serving Tokyo. I was pleased to have added three species with “Japanese” in their names to my lifelist, but figured I’d maxed out the possibities.

Japan 137

Japan Stud Birds Ducks 137

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2017

I saw Painted Wolves again, my favourite species ever. The Orange-fronted Parakeet is a critically endangered species that I came agonisingly close to seeing but didn’t. Singapore: Urban Bird of the Year. Singapore is a densely populated city-state which still manages to protect a number of species.

United Arab Emirates 100

United Arab Emirates Ethiopia 2016 Singapore 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago covers 1,417 species, 601 endemics, 98 vagrants, 8 introduced and 18 undescribed species. Only one bird species has become extinct (Javan Lapwing), but many others are endangered, with some considered close to extinction (not surprising in an area with species restricted to one or two small islands).

Indonesia 168

Indonesia Brunei Malaysia Papua New Guinea 168

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2023

Note to other species: better do not rely on mature primary forests, as this may lead to extinction. This says more about my inability to differentiate between warbler species than about the rarity of the bird – but the bird was kindly singing. Also, do not smoke as it is not good for your health.

Birds 130

Birds Cattle Raised Mammals 130

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

For Corey, this was a weekend without a single standout species but with many birds that were pretty darn neat. Check out the photo and movie in my blog: [link] Richard Mar 14th, 2011 at 3:51 am After a busy week in Jakarta and Singapore, I stayed on for Saturday to do some intensive birding. Enjoy the details and proof here.

2011 133

2011 Deer Owls Birds 133

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2024

Interestingly, these juveniles look more similar to another species, the Pale-billed Parrotbill, than the adult babblers – and they sometimes are part of the same flock. If you want to see how this species builds its nest, see here.) These roads are much less of a hindrance for the Pin-striped Tit-babbler , a mid-story bird.

Burma 242

Burma Vietnam Birds Laos 242

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Anyway, so I started checking my bird photo collection for photos of species starting with an A (after all, this is a bird photo blog, though I sometimes tend to forget this). Maybe there was a time in the history of ornithology when some bird named Ashy was very popular, resulting in more species named in the same way.

South Africa 353

South Africa China Nevada Africa 353