4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - ASIAN PIED STARLING (Gracupica contra)

3-1-2016 HONG KONG, CHINA - WHITE SHOULDERED STARLING (Sturnia sinensis)

The white-shouldered starling (Sturnia sinensis ) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It breeds in southern China and northern Vietnam; it winters in Southeast Asia. The common name of this bird is derived from the white patch found on the bird's shoulder.

The bird can be found in Asian countries including Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Common names for the white-shouldered starling are gray-backed myna, Chinese myna, Chinese starling, and Mandarin myna.

The conservation status of the white-shouldered starling is that of "Least Concern". Physical characteristics of the bird include blue eyes, grey bills, and a white patch on the shoulder. Adult males have light brown heads and breasts and white bellies while adult females are darker brown on their backs and bellies. The birds are usually found in larger flocks.

13-12-2015 BAGAN, MYANMAR - BURMESE COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto ssp. xanthocycla)

The Burmese collared dove (Streptopelia xanthocycla) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Eurasian collared dove (S. decaocto).

The species occurs in China and Myanmar.

Bigger than Mourning Dove, but smaller than Rock Pigeon. The body is uniformly chalky-beige. Black half moon on the back of the neck. Overall it is paler than Mourning Dove. With a square tail. Prefers farms and suburbs; Avoid areas with extensive forests. Introduced from Eurasia to the Bahamas, from where it spread rapidly across southern and western North America in the last decade.

3-1-2016 HONG KONG - RED THROATED PIPIT (Anthus cervinus)

The Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus, is a diminutive passerine, a member of the Motacillidae family. During the breeding season, the adult is distinguished by its brick-red face and throat, a feature that gives this bird its common name.

Outside of the breeding season, the Red-throated Pipit may be confused with other pipits due to its less distinctive appearance. It is heavily streaked brown above with whitish mantle stripes, and below, it has black markings on a white background. The cap, back, flank, rump, and chest are marked with a greater number of streaks compared to similar species, giving it a more striped appearance. Its flight is strong and direct, and it can be identified by a characteristic 'psii' call in flight.

The Red-throated Pipit favors open country for breeding, including mountainous areas, marshlands, and tundra.

This species breeds in the far north of Europe, across the Palearctic, and has a presence in northern Alaska. It is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa, South and East Asia, and the West Coast of the United States. Occasionally, it appears as a vagrant in Western Europe.

The Red-throated Pipit constructs its nest on the ground, often beside a tussock of grass, on rough grassland, or on a hummock in a marsh. The nest is crafted from dry grasses and sedges, with a soft lining of reindeer hair or down. After a two-week incubation period by the female, the young are ready to fledge and leave the nest approximately 12 days later.

11-12-2015 BAGAN, MYANMAR - BURMESE SHRIKE (Lanius collurioides)

The Burmese shrike (Lanius collurioides) is a species of bird in the family Laniidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Compact shrike of forest edges and openings, as well as well-wooded parks and plantations, from lowlands up into mountains. Quite colorful, with a brick-red back, dark gray crown, and broad black mask, but can be difficult to spot when on well-shaded perches below the canopy. Long-tailed Shrike and Tiger Shrike can be similarly colored, but the former is much larger with a noticeably longer tail, and the latter has a paler gray crown and prominent dark barring. Song quitemusical, consisting of varied musical notes and noisy chatters. Call is a repetitive dry chatter: “tchchchchch.”

The Burmese shrike (Lanius collurioides) is a species of bird in the family Laniidae.

11-12-2015 BAGAN, MYANMAR - INDIAN POND HERON (Ardeola grayii)

The Indian pond heron or paddybird (Ardeola grayii) is a small heron. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Iran and east to the Indian subcontinent, Burma, and Sri Lanka. They are widespread and common but can be easily missed when they stalk prey at the edge of small water-bodies or even when they roost close to human habitations.

They are distinctive when they take off, with bright white wings flashing in contrast to the cryptic streaked olive and brown colours of the body. Their camouflage is so excellent that they can be approached closely before they take to flight, a behaviour which has resulted in folk names and beliefs that the birds are short-sighted or blind.

Indian pond herons are stocky with short necks, short thick bills and buff-brown backs. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Their appearance is transformed from dull colours when they take to flight and the white of the wings makes them very prominent. They are very similar to the squacco herons, Ardeola ralloides, but darker backed. To the east of their range, they are replaced by the Chinese pond herons, Ardeola bacchus.

During the breeding season, there are records of individuals with red legs. The numbers do not suggest that this is a normal change for adults during the breeding season and some have suggested the possibility of it being genetic variants.

Erythristic plumage has been noted. The race phillipsi has been suggested for the populations found in the Maldives, without much acceptance. It forms a superspecies with the closely related Chinese pond heron, Javan pond heron and the Madagascar pond heron.[citation needed]

They are usually silent but may make a harsh croak in alarm when flushed or near their nests.

This bird was first described by Colonel W. H. Sykes in 1832 and given its scientific name in honour of John Edward Gray. Karyology studies indicate that pond herons have 68 chromosomes (2N).

They are very common in India, and are usually solitary foragers but numbers of them may sometimes feed in close proximity during the dry seasons when small wetlands have a high concentration of prey. They are semi-colonial breeders. They may also forage at garbage heaps. During dry seasons, they sometimes take to foraging on well watered lawns or even dry grassland. When foraging, they allow close approach and flush only at close range. They sometimes form communal roosts, often in avenue trees over busy urban areas.

The Indian pond heron's feeding habitat is marshy wetlands. They usually feed at the edge of ponds but make extensive use of floating vegetation such as water hyacinth to access deeper water. They may also on occasion swim on water or fish from the air and land in deeper waters. They have also been observed to fly and capture fishes leaping out of water. Sometimes, they fly low over water to drive frogs and fishes towards the shore before settling along the shoreline. They have been noted to pick up crumbs of bread and drop them on the water surface to bait fishes.

The primary food of these birds includes crustaceans, aquatic insects, fishes, tadpoles and sometimes leeches (Herpobdelloides sp.). Outside wetlands, these herons feed on insects (including crickets, dragonflies and bees), fish (Barilius noted as important in a study in Chandigarh) and amphibians.

10-12-2015 THILWA, MYANMAR - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.

3-1-2016 HONG KONG - WHITE EDGED BLUE BARON BUTTERFLY (FEMALE) (Euthalia phemius)

Euthalia phemius, the white-edged blue baron, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Sikkim, Assam, Burma, southern China, and Hong Kong.

Its habitats include Evergreen, Moist Deciduous forests & human habitats.

11-12-2015 BAGAN, MYANMAR - WHITE THROATED BABBLER (Argya gularis)

The white-throated babbler (Argya gularis) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is endemic to Myanmar.

This species was formerly placed in the genus Turdoides but following the publication of a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study in 2018, it was moved to the resurrected genus Argya.

27-12-2015 SAIGON, VIETNAM - ASHY TAILORBIRD (Orthotomus ruficeps)

Small, active, gray bird with a long bill and a dark-tipped, frequently-cocked-up tail. Orange face diagnostic within its range. Males are gray-throated, whereas females have white throats. Common in mangroves, but also frequently encountered in edge, open forest, and other secondary growth. Generally quite tolerant of human habitation and can be found in parks and on roadsides. Song is crisp and bright: a repeated “twoo-lip, twoo-lip” or “chip-wee, chip-wee”. Calls are variable but frequently sound like isolated fragments of song.

1-1-2015 HA LONG BAY, VIETNAM - BURMESE MYNA (Acridotheres burmannicus)

The Burmese myna (Acridotheres burmannicus) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Myanmar and Yunnan, China.

The Burmese myna was considered conspecific with the vinous-breasted myna. Common names of the two split species were changed to "mynas" instead of "starlings" to match the genus.

11-12-2015 BAGAN, MYANMAR - BURMESE MYNA (Acridotheres burmannicus)

The Burmese myna (Acridotheres burmannicus) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Myanmar and Yunnan, China.

The Burmese myna was considered conspecific with the vinous-breasted myna. Common names of the two split species were changed to "mynas" instead of "starlings" to match the genus.

This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

17-12-2015 LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA - BANDED KINGFISHER (MALE) (Lacedo pulchella)

The banded kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella) is a tree kingfisher found in lowland tropical forests of southeast Asia. It is the only member of the genus Lacedo. Male and female adults are very different in plumage. The male has a bright blue crown with black and blue banding on the back. The female has rufous and black banding on the head and upperparts.

The species occurs in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and Brunei. It is extinct in Singapore.

This is a bird of lowland rainforest found up to 1,700 m in Brunei, but normally below 1100 m altitude in the rest of its range. Unlike most kingfishers, it does not need pools or streams in its territory.

The nest is a hole in a rotting tree trunk, or sometimes in the spherical nest of tree termites. Two to five white eggs are laid. In Thailand the eggs are laid between February and May.

The banded kingfisher hunts large insects and occasionally small lizards, usually taken in the trees, but sometimes from the ground.

 

13-12-2015 SOUTHERN MYANMAR - GURNEY'S PITTA (Hydrornis gurneyi)

Gurney's pitta (Hydrornis gurneyi) (Thai: นกแต้วแร้วท้องดำ) is a medium-sized passerine bird. It breeds in the Malay Peninsula, with populations mainly in Myanmar. The common name and Latin binomial commemorate the British banker and amateur ornithologist John Henry Gurney (1819-1890). Its diet consists of slugs, insects, and earthworms.

Gurney's pitta was described by the amateur ornithologist Allan Octavian Hume in 1875 and given the binomial name Pitta gurneyi. The species was moved to the resurrected genus Hydrornis based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2006. The genus Hydrornis had been introduced by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1843. The specific epithet was chosen to honour the amateur ornithologist John Henry Gurney (1819-1890).

 The male has a blue crown and black-and-yellow underparts; the rest of the head is black, and it has warm brown upperparts. The female has a brown crown and buffy-whitish underparts.

Gurney's pitta is endangered. It was initially thought to be extinct for some time after 1952, but was rediscovered in 1986. Its rarity has been caused by the clearance of natural forest in southern Burma and peninsular Thailand.

11-12-2015 BAGAN, MYANMAR - LONG LEGGED BUZZARD (Buteo rufinus)

The long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus) is a bird of prey found widely in several parts of Eurasia and in North Africa. This species ranges from Southeastern Europe down to East Africa to the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. The long-legged buzzard is a member of the genus Buteo, being one of the larger species therein. Despite being relatively powerful, it is considered a rather sluggish raptor overall. Like most buzzards, it prefers small mammals such as rodents, including gerbils, ground squirrels, voles and rats, also taking reptiles, birds and insects as well as carrion. Adaptable to a variety of habitats, long-legged buzzards may nest on a variety of surfaces, including rocks, cliffs and trees. it is a typical buzzard in its reproductive biology. The long-legged buzzard is widely distributed and appears to be quite stable in population. Therefore, it is considered as Least Concern by the IUCN.

30-11-2015 ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA - SCARLET SKIMMER DRAGONFLY (Crocothemis servilia ssp. servilia)

The scarlet skimmer or ruddy marsh skimmer, Crocothemis servilia, is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae, native to east and southeast Asia and introduced to Jamaica, Florida, and Hawaii.

There are two known subspecies; Crocothemis servilia servilia (Drury, 1773) and Crocothemis servilia mariannae Kiauta, 1983. C. s. mariannae lacks the mid-dorsal black stripe.

Description and habitat

It is a medium sized blood-red dragonfly with a thin black line along the mid-dorsal abdomen. Its eyes are blood-red above, purple laterally. Thorax is bright ferruginous, often blood-red on dorsum. Abdomen is blood-red, with a narrow black mid-dorsal carina. Anal appendages are blood-red. Female is similar to the male; but with olivaceous-brown thorax and abdomen. The black mid-dorsal carina is rather broad.

It breeds in ponds, ditches, marshes, open swamps and rice fields.

4-12-2015 SINGAPORE - RAMERON PIGEON (Columba arquatrix)

The African olive pigeon or Rameron pigeon (Columba arquatrix) is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in much of eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape. Populations also are found in western Angola, southwestern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen. It is locally common, although sizeable gaps in its distribution occur due to its habitat requirements.

The adult male African olive pigeon is a large pigeon at 37 to 42 cm (15 to 17 in) in length and a weight of 300 to 450 g (11 to 16 oz). Its back and wings are maroon, with the shoulders heavily speckled with white spots. The underparts are maroon with heavy white spotting, and the head is grey with yellow patches around the eye, and a yellow bill. The neck plumage, used in display, is streaked maroon and white, the underwing and undertail are dark grey, and the feet are yellow.

Females are very similar but somewhat duller. Juvenile birds have the maroon and grey replaced with dark brown, the bare parts are a dull greenish-yellow, and the wing feathers have pale fringes. In flight, this pigeon looks very dark. Its flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general. The call is a loud coo coo.

4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - GOLDEN BREASTED STARLING (Lamprotornis regius)

The golden-breasted starling (Lamprotornis regius), also known as royal starling, is a medium-sized passerine in the starling family.

The golden-breasted starling has a very large range. It is distributed in Northeastern Africa, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and northern Tanzania. These birds inhabit the grassland, savannah, the thickets of acacias, dry-thorn forests and shrubland.

Widespread throughout its habitat range, the population trend of the golden-breasted starling appears to be stable. The species is evaluated as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Lamprotornis regius can reach a body length of about 35 cm (14 in). The adult has a metallic green head and upper back, bright golden yellow breast and belly, dark bill and legs, white iris and metallic violet blue on wings, back, neck and its long tail feathers. Both sexes are similar. The young are duller than the adult.

The golden-breasted starling is a social animal, living in groups of three to twelve individuals. Adults can be found from January to June and from August to November, with a peak in January.

The golden-breasted starling molts once a year, after the breeding season. These birds are monogamous. The female usually lays between three and five pale green eggs with red speckles. It nests in tree holes, usually in tree holes that woodpeckers have left. The nest is made from leaves, roots and other vegetation. Entire family groups cooperate in raising young by gathering food and nesting materials.

In contrast to other brilliant starlings, which feed mainly on fruits, their diet consists mainly of insects and termites. Adult birds catch insects in flight and dig up termite mounds to find prey. Snails, spiders, crustaceans, or small vertebrates, such as lizards, sometimes integrates the diet.

4-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - WHITE COLLARED KINGFISHER (Todiramphus chloris)

The collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the white-collared kingfisher, black-masked kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher. It has a wide range extending from the Red Sea across southern Asia to Polynesia. A number of subspecies and subspecies groups have been split from this species including the Pacific kingfisher, the islet kingfisher, the Torresian kingfisher, the Mariana kingfisher, and the Melanesian kingfisher.

The collared kingfisher is 23 to 25 cm (9.1 to 9.8 in) long and the male weighs 51 to 90 g (1.8 to 3.2 oz), while the female weighs 54–100 g (1.9–3.5 oz). It varies from blue to green above while the underparts can be white or buff. There is a white collar around the neck, giving the bird its name. Some races have a white or buff stripe over the eye while others have a white spot between the eye and bill. There may be a black stripe through the eye. The large bill is black with a pale yellow base to the lower mandible. Females tend to be greener than the males. Immature birds are duller than the adults with dark scaly markings on the neck and breast.

It has a variety of calls which vary geographically. The most typical call is a loud, harsh and metallic "kee-kee-kee" repeated several times.

It is most commonly found in coastal areas, particularly in mangrove swamps. It also inhabits farmland, open woodland, grassland and gardens. In some parts of its range, especially on islands, it can be seen further inland, ranging into forest or into mountain areas. Birds often perch conspicuously on wires, rocks or bare branches.

The subspecies that occurs furthest west in the Eurasian/African landmass is T. c. abyssinica of north-east Africa, which is found in patches of mangroves in Eritrea and has also been recorded from Sudan and Somalia. Further east in Arabia is the endangered race T. c. kalbaensis with a population of 55 pairs or fewer; these are almost entirely restricted to Khor Kalba in the United Arab Emirates, but breeding has also occurred recently at Khor Shinas in Oman. Further subspecies occur locally around the coasts of India and Bangladesh and on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In Southeast Asia and Indonesia the species is widespread and common, occurring far inland in some regions.

Small crabs and shrimps are the favoured food in coastal regions but a wide variety of other animals are eaten including insects (including beetles, cicadas, stick-insects, grasshoppers, moths and butterflies), spiders, earthworms, snails, frogs, lizards, small snakes, small fish, and sometimes small birds and mice. The collared kingfisher perches almost motionless for long periods waiting for prey. When it spots something it glides down to catch it and then flies back to the perch where larger items are pounded against the branch to subdue them. Any indigestible remains are regurgitated as pellets.

The nest is a hole, either a natural tree hole or a burrow excavated by the birds themselves in a rotten tree, arboreal termite nest or earth bank. They will also occupy old woodpecker holes. A clutch of usually two to five rounded, whitish eggs are laid directly on the floor of the burrow with no nest material used. Both parents take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The young birds leave the nest about 44 days after hatching. Two broods are often raised in a year.

4-12-2015 SINGAPORE - WHITE BREASTED KINGFISHER (Halcyon smyrnensis)

The White-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Asia. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range and can often be found well away from water where it hunts a wide range of prey.

The adult White-throated kingfisher has a bright blue back, wings, and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks, and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the white-throated kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. The male and the female are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

White-throated kingfishers are usually seen singly or in pairs. They are active during the day spending their time foraging or perching conspicuously on wires or other exposed perches within their territory. White-throated kingfishers are watch-and-wait hunters which dive onto potential prey from a perch.

White-throated kingfishers are found in Asia from the Sinai east through the Indian subcontinent to China and Indonesia. They are mainly resident over much of their range, although some populations may make short-distance movements. White-throated kingfishers live in a variety of habitats, mostly open country in the plains with trees, wires, or other perches; however, they have also been seen in the Himalayas. These birds also occur in tropical forests, mangrove edges, swamps, ponds, plantations, rice fields, and farmland.

White-throated kingfishers are carnivores (insectivores, vermivores, piscivores). They mainly hunt large crustaceans, insects, earthworms, rodents, snakes, fish, and frogs.

White-throated kingfishers are monogamous and form pairs. They begin breeding at the onset of the Monsoons. During this time males perch on prominent high posts in their territory and call in the early morning. The tail may be flicked now and in its courtship display the wings are stiffly flicked open for a second or two exposing the white wing mirrors. They also raise their bill high and display the white throat and front. The female in invitation makes a rapid and prolonged ‘kit-kit-kit...’ call. The nest building begins with both birds flying into a suitable mud wall until an indentation is made where they can find a perch hold. They subsequently perch and continue digging the nest with their bills. The nest is a tunnel in an earth bank. The female then lays a single clutch of 4-7 round white eggs. The eggs hatch in 20-22 days and the altricial chicks fledge in 19 days.

26-11-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - BLACK NAPED ORIOLE (Oriolus chinensis)

The black-naped oriole (Oriolus chinensis) is a passerine bird in the oriole family that is found in many parts of Asia. There are several distinctive populations within the wide distribution range of this species and in the past the slender-billed oriole (Oriolus tenuirostris) was included as a subspecies. Unlike the Indian golden oriole which only has a short and narrow eye-stripe, the black-naped oriole has the stripe broadening and joining at the back of the neck. Males and females are very similar although the wing lining of the female is more greenish. The bill is pink and is stouter than in the golden oriole.

Subspecies diffusus breeds in eastern Siberia, Ussuriland, northeastern China, Korea, Japan and northern Vietnam and is widespread across India during winter, mainly in the northeastern parts and in the peninsular region and also found in Bangladesh. The population in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are resident. In winter, populations breeding in eastern Asia spend the winter in the tropical areas of Southeast Asia such as Thailand and Myanmar. Subspecies diffusus is an uncommon migrant in many parts of South India and very rare migrant to Sri Lanka and are most regularly seen in the Western Ghats. In Singapore they are believed to have established as breeders only in the 1920s and are today common even within gardens in the city. In the 1880s they were considered rare. At the present time, orioles are fairly common in Singapore.

The black-naped oriole is found in forests, gardens and plantations. It feeds on berries and insects in the canopy.

26-11-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - PIED IMPERIAL PIGEON (Ducula bicolor)

The pied imperial pigeon (Ducula bicolor) is a relatively large, pied species of pigeon. It is found in forest, woodland, mangrove, plantations and scrub in Southeast Asia, ranging from Myanmar and Thailand, throughout Indonesia and east to the Philippines (where it is locally called as camasu and balud-puti) and the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea. It is mainly found on small islands and in coastal regions. It remains locally common, and is therefore considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN.

The Pied Imperial Pigeon is a frugivorous pigeon, characterised by its bicolouration, with the head, body and legs in white and the tips of its wings and tail in black.

It lives in the coastal jungles and mangrove swamps of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Sulawesi, the Philippines and western New Guinea, from sea level right up to the mountain forests at an altitude of over 1,000 metres.

3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - BLACK RAT (Rattus rattus)

The black rat (Rattus rattus), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus Rattus, in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is now found worldwide.

The black rat is black to light brown in colour with a lighter underside. It is a generalist omnivore and a serious pest to farmers because it feeds on a wide range of agricultural crops. It is sometimes kept as a pet. In parts of India, it is considered sacred and respected in the Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke.

A typical adult black rat is 12.75 to 18.25 cm (5.02 to 7.19 in) long, not including a 15 to 22 cm (5.9 to 8.7 in) tail, and weighs 75 to 230 g (2.6 to 8.1 oz), depending on the subspecies. Despite its name, the black rat exhibits several colour forms. It is usually black to light brown in colour with a lighter underside. In England during the 1920s, several variations were bred and shown alongside domesticated brown rats. This included an unusual green-tinted variety.

26-11-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SUPERB STARLING (Lamprotornis superbus)

The breeding season lasts from October to February in Ethiopia, from March to June in Somalia. Superb starlings have been observed running on the ground, jumping with drooping wing and outstretched heads, indicating what is thought to be a form of nuptial display.

Free-standing nests are constructed in thorn trees bushes, although there have been reports of nests in tree holes and even cliffs or rock crevices. The nests in the thorn trees are positioned at 1.5–6 metres (4.9–19.7 ft) above the ground and are well guarded by the thorns. They also sometimes nest at the base of raptor nests for protection. The superb starlings make their own nests, and both sex help with the nests, which are large structures made of twigs lined with dry grass, featuring an entrance on one side. On occasion, they can take over nests belonging to White-headed Buffalo Weavers (Dinemellia dinemelli), sometimes rejecting the existing eggs.

Superb starlings’ eggs are uniformly dark blue, measuring 24–26 millimetres (0.94–1.02 in) x 18–19 millimetres (0.71–0.75 in) and weighting 4.5 g. Females lay 3-4 eggs. Based on captive breeding, the incubation period lasts 12-13 days, and the surprisingly short nestling period ranges from 18-24 days. Only the females incubate. Nestlings are fed insects, primarily caterpillars and grasshoppers. Superb starlings form large social groups in which both breeding parents and 1-14 alloparents contribute to the care of the offspring. It appears that both members of the breeding pair are involved in raising the young until they achieve independence. The individuals who’s provisioned or nestled has been observed carrying food in their bills and did not seem to regurgitate. Starlings lack a crop and may lack a mechanism to prevent digestion of food items in transit. Consequently, they might be compelled to transport insects in their bills to avoid damaging such easily digested prey.

In superb starlings, individuals of both sexes can either choose to forego dispersal (remaining residents of their birth group) or become immigrants (leaving their birth group). Immigrants, being unrelated to the resident individuals of the group they join, may experience ongoing conflict with the residents throughout their lives. Resident females never breed within their natal groups. Both resident and immigrant males have to opportunity to attain breeding status within the same social group during a breeding season. Indeed, despite the presence of reproductively capable resident males and unrelated potential mates, immigrant males often seize breeding opportunities within their new social groups. Apart from the potential inclusive fitness benefit gained by assisting in raising their offspring, superb starlings also benefit from being social on the group and individual levels. Living in larger social groups enhances an individual’s chances of survival and reduces reproductive variance within the group. This is likely because larger predators are actively confronted by the group, with a greater resource availability in the territories inhabited by larger groups.

26-11-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - RED WINGED STARLING (Onychognathus morio)

The red-winged starling (Onychognathus morio) is a bird of the starling family Sturnidae native to eastern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape in South Africa. An omnivorous, generalist species, it prefers cliffs and mountainous areas for nesting, and has moved into cities and towns due to similarity to its original habitat.

The male of this 27–30-centimetre (11–12 in) long starling has mainly iridescent black plumage, with chestnut flight feathers, which are particularly noticeable in flight. The female has an ash-grey head and upper breast. The juvenile resembles the male, but is less glossy than the adults, and has brown rather than dark red eyes. The Ethiopian subspecies O. m. rupellii is longer-tailed than the nominate form and intergrades with it.

This species has a number of whistled calls, but the most familiar is the contact call, cher-leeeoo.

This starling may be confused with other similar starling species, such as its sister species the pale-winged starling. The difference between the two is that the red-winged has rufous primaries while the pale-winged has whitish primaries edged with orange. The pale-winged has a bright red or orange eye, while the red-winged's is dark, almost black. Only the female of the red-winged has a grey head.

The range runs down eastern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng in South Africa. This species has a wide habitat tolerance. It may be found in forest, savannah, grassland, wetlands, fynbos, farmlands and commercial plantations, as well as urban centres. It is now common in many urban areas, due to the similarity between the structure of tall buildings and houses as nest sites with the cliffs of its original habitat. It may also nest in residential areas, breeding in roofs and apertures and up house eaves.

Like other starlings, the red-winged starling is an omnivore, taking a wide range of seeds, berries, nectar from plants such as Aloe and Schotia brachypetala, and invertebrates, such as the beetle species Pachnoda sinuata. They may take nestlings and adults of certain bird species, such as the African palm swift. It will also scavenge on carrion and human food scrap.

The red-winged starling will obviously only perch on plant structures that will be able to support its weight; therefore when taking nectar it will choose certain species with strong, robust racemes with easily accessible flowers, such as that of Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii, and not Aloe arborescens. Large flowers that can support the bird's weight, such as that of Strelitzia nicolai and certain Protea species, are also chosen.

Fruit species that this species may feed on include figs, such as the sycamore fig and others, marulas, date palm fruit, berries from species such as wild olive Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata and Euphorbia, and commercial fruit such as apples, grapes, citruses and others.

In rural areas, red-winged starlings are often spotted perching on livestock and game, such as cattle, klipspringers and giraffes, a trait shared by the pale-winged starling, and may take insects and ectoparasites such as ticks, much in the manner of oxpeckers.

The red-winged starling is territorial, aggressive and intolerant when nesting, and will attack other species, including domestic animals and humans. When not breeding, red-winged starlings are highly gregarious and will associate with other members of their species in large flocks.

This starling is a cliff nester, breeding on rocky cliffs, outcrops and gorges. The red-winged starling builds a lined nest of grass and twigs, and with a mud base, on a natural or structural ledge. It lays two to four, usually three, blue eggs, spotted with red-brown. The female incubates the eggs for 13–14 days, with another 22–28 days to fledge. This starling is commonly double-brooded. It may be parasitised by the great spotted cuckoo.