Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore is a small, densely populated country. Nevertheless, its lush vegetation allows you to admire some of the most beautiful birds in Asia.
Crested Partridge
Crested Partridge (Rollulus rouloul) is a species of pheasant in the Phasianidae family. It is an inhabitant of the dense forests of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. The male is blue-black with a characteristic red crest, while the female has a more discreet green plumage. With about 25 cm in length, it is a medium-sized bird.
To move and flee, this bird favours running. He spends a lot of his time looking for food on the ground, fruits, seeds and invertebrates. To lay eggs, it creates a bowl in the ground which it covers with leaves and other plants.
To see the extraordinary diversity of the world’s birds on video, it’s here:
Gray-headed Swamphen
Gray-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus) has a wide range from Turkey to China. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, but was elevated to full species status in 2015. The species has also spread to Florida following an unintentional introduction.
Despite its colourful plumage and partially red head and beak, this bird is sometimes difficult to see. Indeed, it likes wetlands with dense vegetation. In some places, it is sometimes in large numbers and not very timid. It eats small animals and often uses their paws to bring food to their mouths.
Red-bearded Bee-eater
Red-bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis amictus) is a species of bird in the Meropidae (the bee-eaters) family. Like other species of this family, it hunts insects in flight.
It digs a gallery in sandy banks to nest. Unlike many other bee-eaters, it does not nest in colonies.
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis) is also a bee-eater, but more “classic” since it belongs to the genus Merops and has a characteristic morphology. It is particularly beautiful with its blue throat which clearly separates from the reddish-brown livery of the top of its head.
In the northern part of its range, in China, it is migratory, while it is present all year round in Singapore.
The nest is dug in loose soil. Breeding sites can accommodate up to 200 pairs.
Malayan Banded-Pitta
Malayan Banded-Pitta (Hydrornis irena) is a beautifully coloured bird. Probably one of the most beautiful species. It lives in the tropical forests of south-east Asia, especially in Thailand and Indonesia (see the top 10 birds of Indonesia). He spends most of his time on the ground. Earthworms are its main diet, followed by snails.
Its beauty leads, alas, to its poaching, especially in Indonesia.
Brown-throated Sunbird
Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis) has significant sexual dimorphism, so the male is significantly more colourful than the female, as is the case with the majority of sunbirds. Nectar is its main source of food, which it reaches with its long beak. It is an important pollinator which, unlike hummingbirds, lands to feed. It is present from Burma to Indonesia.
Mugimaki Flycatcher
Mugimaki Flycatcher (Ficedula mugimaki) breeds in Siberia and northeast China. It is therefore in winter and during migration that this bird can be observed in Singapore. Typical flycatcher, this bird feeds mainly on small insects caught in flight. It inhabits forests and also parks.
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird of the Pycnonotidae family. Her crest gives her a punk look, an impression reinforced by her temples streaked with red. He appreciates wooded or bushy places, in which he sometimes comes in large groups. Frugivorous, it can in particular consume certain berries that are toxic to other animals.
It has been introduced in particular in Australia, the United States and Reunion Island.
Black-hooded Oriole
Black-hooded Oriole (Oriolus xanthornus) is a member of the Oriolidae family. Its range goes from India to Indonesia via Sri Lanka in particular (see the top 10 birds of Sri Lanka). It feeds mainly on fruits.
Anecdote, according to a folk tale from Bengal, an abused young girl committed suicide and was then reincarnated as a Black-hooded Oriole by a goddess.
White-breasted Waterhen
White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird in the family Rallidae. Mainly active at dusk, this bird is black with a white breast. Its legs and beak are yellow, with a red spot on the top of the beak. It lives in the swamps of South Asia, where it is common. It is flexible in its diet, consuming plants, insects, molluscs…
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