BIRDWALKERMONDAY

Thursday, 8 December 2016

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - GREEN IGUANA (Iguana iguana)

The green iguana (Iguana iguana ), also known as the American iguana or the common green iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana. Usually, this animal is simply called the iguana. The green iguana ranges over a large geographic area; it is native from southern Brazil and Paraguay as far north as Mexico, and has been introduced from South America to Puerto Rico and is very common throughout the island, where it is colloquially known as gallina de palo ("bamboo chicken" or "chicken of the tree") and considered an invasive species; in the United States, feral populations also exist in South Florida (including the Florida Keys), Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Green iguanas have also successfully colonised the island of Anguilla, arriving on the island in 1995 after rafting across the Caribbean from Guadeloupe, where they were introduced.

A herbivore, it has adapted significantly with regard to locomotion and osmoregulation as a result of its diet. It grows to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length from head to tail, although a few specimens have grown more than 2 m (6.6 ft) with bodyweights upward of 20 lb (9.1 kg).

Commonly found in captivity as a pet due to its calm disposition and bright colors, it can be very demanding to care for properly. Space requirements and the need for special lighting and heat can prove challenging to the hobbyist.

Green iguanas are large beautiful looking lizards found in the Americas. Despite their name, Green iguanas can come in different colors and types. Their color may range from green to lavender, red, orange, black, and even reddish brown. They can also be bluish in color with bold blue markings. Green iguanas have a row of spines along their backs and along their tails, which helps to protect them from predators. Their whip-like tails can be used to deliver painful strikes and like many other lizards, when grabbed by the tail, the iguana can allow it to break, so it can escape and eventually regenerate a new one. In addition, iguanas have a well-developed dewlap, which helps regulate their body temperature. This dewlap is used in courtships and territorial displays.

The native range of Green iguanas extends from southern Mexico to central Brazil, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, and Bolivia and the Caribbean; specifically Grenada, Aruba, Curaçao, Trinidad, and Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Útila. They have been introduced to Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These lizards inhabit tropical rain forests and are often found near water. They also can be found in other types of habitat including dry forest, gallery forest, and mangroves.

Green iguanas are diurnal, arboreal lizards. They are very agile climbers, and if the lizards fall up to 50 feet (15 m) they can land unhurt (iguanas use their hind leg claws to clasp leaves and branches to break a fall). During cold, wet weather, Green iguanas prefer to stay on the ground for greater warmth. These solitary lizards usually live near water and are excellent swimmers. When swimming, an iguana remains submerged, letting its four legs hang limply against its side. They propel through the water with powerful tail strokes. When iguanas sense danger, they will usually freeze or hide.

Green iguanas have a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system. This means that both males and females mate with multiple partners. The breeding season occurs in the dry season. During this time males tend to display more dominant behaviors, such as head bobbing and tail whipping. They also tend to develop a taller dorsal crest than females, as well as taller dorsal spines (or spikes). Females lay clutches of 20 to 71 eggs once per year during a synchronized nesting period. They give no parental protection after egg-laying, apart from defending the nesting burrow during excavation. The hatchlings emerge from the nest after 10-15 weeks of incubation. Once hatched, the young iguanas look similar to the adults in color and shape, resembling adult females more so than males and lacking dorsal spines. Juveniles stay in familial groups for the first year of their lives. Males in these groups often use their own bodies to shield and protect females from predators which makes Green iguanas to be the only species of reptile which do this. In general Green iguanas become reproductively mature when they are 2-4 years old.

Historically, Green iguana meat and eggs have been eaten as a source of protein throughout their native range, and are prized for their alleged medicinal and aphrodisiac properties. Hides of these lizards are also used producing leather. Green iguanas also suffer greatly from the international pet trade and the loss of their native habitat due to development and land conversion for grazing.

According to IUCN, the Green iguana is locally common and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.

These beautiful lizards play a very important role in the ecosystem they live in. Due to their diet, Green iguanas are very important as seed dispersers. They are also a prey species to the local predators and human. Green iguanas can also indicate changes in the environment because reptiles are more sensitive to environmental changes than humans. So if to watch their responses, people can be warned about possible problems before they become too large.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SINGAPORE - DALMATIAN PELICAN (Pelecanus crispus)

The Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is the largest member of the pelican family, and perhaps the world's largest freshwater bird, although rivaled in weight and length by the largest swans. They are elegant soaring birds, with wingspans that rival that of the Great albatrosses, and their flocks fly in graceful synchrony.

Dalmatian pelicans have stunning silvery-white plumage during the breeding season, which contrasts with the orange-red rubbery pouch beneath its bill and the purple-to-yellow bare skin around its eyes. On their napes, the birds have a thick silver crest of feathers. Over the breeding season, their pouches fade to a yellow color, and in winter their plumage loses its sheen of silver and appears whitish or gray instead. The bare skin around their eyes can vary from yellow to purplish in color.

The range of Dalmatian pelicans ranges across much of Central Eurasia, from the Mediterranean in the West to the Taiwan Strait in the East, and from the Persian Gulf in the South to Siberia in the North. The birds usually migrate short distances with varying migration patterns during the year. Dalmatian pelicans are found in lakes, rivers, deltas, and estuaries. They usually return to a traditional breeding site year after year unless it becomes completely unsuitable. During the winter, Dalmatian pelicans usually stay on ice-free lakes in Europe or jheels (seasonal lakes) in India. They also visit, typically during winter, inshore areas along sheltered coasts for feeding.

These pelicans are social birds and live and travel mainly in flocks. On land, they are not graceful, but they fly well and swim strongly. When flying, they rest their heads on their shoulders with their bills resting on their folded necks, and usually, they need to flap their wings only once or twice each second. They are diurnal birds, sleeping at night with heads twisted back, tucked into their feathers.

All species of pelican are careful groomers, and a large part of an individual’s time is spent resting or preening. An individual will clean itself through splash bathing, preening, and rubbing its head over its body to help distribute waterproofing oil through its feathers. Dalmatian pelicans often hunt alone or in small groups. They normally swim along, placidly and slowly, until they quickly dunk their heads underwater and scoop the fish out, along with great masses of water. They are nomadic outside of the breeding season, traveling some distance in search of food. Dalmatian pelicans are often silent, as most pelicans tend to be, although they can be fairly vocal during the mating season, when they may engage in a wide range of guttural, deep vocalizations, including barks, hisses, and grunts.

12-8-2016 OLIVA MARJAL, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of three to five bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.

Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A successful colonist, its range has gradually expanded north, with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the United Kingdom.

30-11-2015 ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA - EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer montanus)

The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult. This sparrow breeds over most of temperate Eurasia and Southeast Asia, where it is known as the tree sparrow, and it has been introduced elsewhere including the United States, where it is known as the Eurasian tree sparrow or German sparrow to differentiate it from the native unrelated American tree sparrow. Although several subspecies are recognised, the appearance of this bird varies little across its extensive range.

The Eurasian tree sparrow's untidy nest is built in a natural cavity, a hole in a building, or the disused nest of a European magpie or white stork. The typical clutch is five or six eggs which hatch in under two weeks. This sparrow feeds mainly on seeds, but invertebrates are also consumed, particularly during the breeding season. As with other small birds, infection by parasites and diseases, and predation by birds of prey take their toll, and the typical life span is about two years.

The Eurasian tree sparrow is widespread in the towns and cities of eastern Asia, but in Europe, it is a bird of lightly wooded open countryside, with the house sparrow breeding in the more urban areas. The Eurasian tree sparrow's extensive range and large population ensure that it is not endangered globally, but there have been large declines in western European populations, in part due to changes in farming practices involving increased use of herbicides and loss of winter stubble fields. In eastern Asia and western Australia, this species is sometimes viewed as a pest, although it is also widely celebrated in oriental art.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SUPERB STARLING (Lamprotornis superbus)

The superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus ) is a member of the starling family of birds. It was formerly known as Spreo superbus.

This species is 18 to 19 cm (7.1 to 7.5 in) long. These small short-tailed starlings have a long narrow bill, robust bodies, strong feet and a distinctive plumage pattern. Adults have black heads and iridescent blue-to-green back, upper breast, wings, and tail. The belly is red-orange, separated from the blue breast by a white bar. The undertail coverts and the wing linings are white. Juveniles have duller plumage with no more than a suggestion of the white breast band. Their eyes are brown at first, later grayish white.

The superb starling has a long and loud song consisting of trills and chatters. At midday it gives a softer song of repeated phrases. There are several harsh calls, the most complex of which is described as "a shrill, screeching skerrrreeee-cherrrroo-tcherreeeeeet."

The appearance of the superb starling is very similar to Hildebrandt's starling, also found in East Africa. The superb starling is distinguished by having pale creamy-white eyes, as opposed to red eyes in the Hildebrandt's. Moreover, only adult superb starlings have a white breast band.

The superb starling feeds primarily on the ground, often below, or in the vicinity of acacia trees. These birds mainly feeds on insects (grasshoppers, beetles, termites, ants and flies) and worms, but also on grains, fruits and small berries. They are gregarious and are generally rather tame and unafraid of people. The breeding season lasts from October to February in Ethiopia, from March to June in Somalia. Spherical nests of grasses and twigs are built in bushes, in trees of medium height and also in rock crevices. Females lay 3-4 eggs which are incubated for twelve days. Both the male and the female take care of the offspring.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SPECKLED PIGEON (Columba guinea)

The speckled pigeon (Columba guinea ), or (African) rock pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range, although there are sizable gaps in its distribution. It is sometimes referred to as the Guinea pigeon due to its similar coloring to some species of guineafowl.

This is a large pigeon at 41 cm in length. Its back and wings are rufous, the latter heavily speckled with white spots. The rest of the upperparts and underparts are blue-grey, and the head is grey with red patches around the eye. The neck is brownish, streaked with white, and the legs are red. Sexes are similar, but immatures are browner than adults and lack the red eye patches. The call is a loud doo-doo-doo.

The speckled pigeon is frequently seen around human habitation and cultivation. Most of its food is vegetable, and it gathers in large numbers where grain or groundnuts are available. This species builds a large stick nest on protected rocky outcrops and in urban areas often atop covered pergola pillars and on flat roofs under deep eaves and lays two white eggs. Its flight is quick, with regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings that are characteristic of pigeons in general.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Platalea ajaja)

The Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. It is a resident breeder in both South and North America. Plume hunting in the 18th and 19th centuries almost drove these beautiful birds to extinction.

Adult Roseate spoonbills have a bare greenish head and a white neck, back, and breast (with a tuft of pink feathers in the center when breeding), and are otherwise a deep pink. The colors can range from pale pink to bright magenta, depending on age, whether breeding or not, and location. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched, and they alternate groups of stiff, shallow wingbeats with glides.

Roseate spoonbills are resident breeders in South America mostly east of the Andes and in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, the Gulf Coast of the United States, and from central Florida's Atlantic coast at least as far north as South Carolina's Myrtle Beach. These birds inhabit coastal marshes, bays, lagoons, mangroves, and mudflats. They usually nest and roost in trees and shrubs near water.

Roseate spoonbills are gregarious birds and prefer to feed and fly in groups. They are active during the day spending many hours foraging in shallow fresh or coastal waters. The birds feed by swinging their bill from side to side as they steadily walk through the water, often in groups. Their spoon-shaped bill allows them to sift easily through mud feeling and looking for prey. The bill has sensitive nerve endings and once the birds feel the prey touch their bill they snap it closed. Roseate spoonbills roost in colonies often with other waders. They sleep standing, often on one leg with their head hidden under a shoulder. These birds are usually silent but when alarmed they will produce a low-pitched 'huh-huh-huh'; when feeding they may utter a very low, guttural sound.

28-11-2016 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.

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - GREAT MYNA (Acridotheres grandis)

The great myna (Acridotheres grandis ), also known as the white-vented myna, is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Northeast India, through Bangladesh to Southeast Asia.

It is black with elongated forehead feathers, forming a frontal crest that may curl backwards. Its beak and feet are yellow. It has white from the vent to the tip of the tail and a white wing patch.

The Great Myna is found in Northeast India, through Bangladesh to Southeast Asia whereas the Javan Myna used to be endemic to Java and Bali but has been introduced in other parts of South East Asia (like Singapore).

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - AFRICAN GREY PARROT (Psittacus erithacus)

The grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus ), also known as the Congo grey parrot, Congo African grey parrot or African grey parrot, is an Old World parrot in the family Psittacidae. The Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh) once was identified as a subspecies of the grey parrot, but has since been elevated to a full species.

The African grey parrot is one of the largest parrots in Africa. It is predominantly grey in color and has darker grey than its body over the head and both wings. The head and body feathers have slight white edges. Its tail feathers are red. The coloration of juveniles is similar to that of adults; however, their eyes are dark grey to black, in comparison to the yellow irises around dark eyes of the adult birds, and their undertail coverts are tinged with grey.

African grey parrots are native to equatorial Africa, including Angola, Cameroon, the Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. They are found inside a range from Kenya to the eastern part of the Ivory Coast. These birds favor dense forests, but can also be found at forest edges, mangrove forest, and in more open vegetation types, such as gallery and savanna forests. They can also visit cultivated areas and even gardens.

African grey parrots are gregarious and very noisy birds especially at night when they gather in large flocks to sleep together in tall trees. During the day, they prefer to spend time in smaller groups and fly long distances to forage. African grey parrots feed mainly in the canopy climbing from one branch to another but may also take clay and mineral soil on the ground. These birds communicate with each other using high-pitched screams and whistles. They also use contact calls, which allow them to interact with their flock mates and communicate information about their location, detection of predators, availability of food, and safety status. In addition, contact calls are used to form strong social bonds with their flock mates.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - GREATER BLUE EARED STARLING (Lamprotornis chalybaeus)

The greater blue-eared starling or greater blue-eared glossy-starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus ) is a bird that breeds from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south through eastern Africa to northeastern South Africa and Angola. It is a very common species of open woodland bird, and undertakes some seasonal migration.

The greater blue-eared starling is a 22 cm long, short tailed bird. This starling is glossy blue-green with a purple-blue belly and blue ear patch. Its iris is bright yellow or orange. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile is duller and has blackish brown underparts.

The populations from southern Kenya southwards are smaller than northern birds and are sometimes considered to be a separate subspecies, L. c. sycobius.

The lesser blue-eared starling is similar to this species, but the blue of the belly does not extend forward of the legs.

The greater blue-eared starling has a range of musical or grating calls, but the most familiar is a nasal squee-ar.

Like other starlings, the greater blue-eared starling is an omnivore, taking a wide range of invertebrates seeds and berries, especially figs, but is diet is mainly insects taken from the ground.

It will perch on livestock, feeding on insects disturbed by the animals and occasionally removing ectoparasites.

The greater blue-eared starling nests in holes in trees, either natural or excavated by woodpeckers or barbets. It will also nest inside the large stick nests of the sacred ibis or Abdim's stork. A nest will include three to five eggs, which are usually greenish-blue with brown or purple spots, and hatch in 13–14 days. The chicks leave the nest roughly 23 days after hatching.

This species is parasitised by the great spotted cuckoo and occasionally by the greater honeyguide.

The greater blue-eared starling is highly gregarious and will form large flocks, often with other starlings. Its roosts, in reedbed, thorn bushes, or acacia, may also be shared.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - RUFOUS CROWNED ROLLER (Coracias naevius)

The name "purple roller" can also refer to the azure dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) of Indonesia.

The purple roller (Coracias naevius), or rufous-crowned roller, is a medium-sized bird widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared with other rollers its colours are rather dull and its voice harsh and grating.

The purple roller is the largest of the rollers, growing to a length of 35 to 40 cm (14 to 16 in). Adults weigh from 145 to 200 g (5.1 to 7.1 oz) with an average weight of 168 g (5.9 oz). From a distance it appears a dull brownish bird with a white stripe over the eye, a patch of white on the nape and a dark tail. Northern populations tend to have a rufus crown while southern populations have a more olive-green crown. The underparts are purplish-pink streaked with white. The wings are long and rounded while the tail is square-cut. The voice is a rather grating "ka" or "gaa", repeated rapidly and evenly.

Its preferred habitat is dry thornveld where it spends long periods perched at the top of thorn trees or poles, watching for food items such as insects, spiders, scorpions and small lizards on the ground. It rocks to-and-fro about its longitudinal axis during display flights, calling raucously all the while; starting from above the treetops it plummets towards the ground in rolling flight. It is territorial, and during the breeding season will drive off other rollers, small hawks and crows.

This species seems to be an opportunist breeder, possibly linked to rains, as its breeding season varies from place to place. It nests in natural hollows in trees or uses old woodpecker holes, or in cliffs, riverbanks, pipes, or holes in masonry, usually laying three white eggs. The young are fed and incubated by both parents.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - EMERALD STARLING (Lamprotornis iris)

The emerald starling (Lamprotornis iris ) is also known as the iris glossy starling. It is a small starling with a metallic green crown, upper body, wings and tail. The ear-coverts and underparts are metallic purple. Both sexes are similar. Most taxonomists unite it with many other glossy starlings in Lamprotornis, while others place it in a monotypic genus Coccycolius.

A beautiful and distinctive starling that is mainly iridescent green, with a purple iridescent cheek patch and belly. In poor light, can look black. Also note the dark eye. Found locally in lush savanna and woodland, usually in small groups that often perch up in dead trees. Somewhat similar to some other glossy savanna-dwelling starlings, but smaller than most, and easily separated by the bright green plumage and the dark eye. The vocalizations include nasal and squeaky calls.

One of the smallest species among starlings, the emerald starling is distributed in West Africa. It inhabits lowlands and savanna of Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The emerald starling feeds on figs, Haronga berries and other fruit, seeds, ants and other small insects. The cup-shaped nest is built in a tree cavity. The male and female cooperate in building the nest from leaves, and both bring food to chicks after they hatch. Females possess a brood patch—a spot on their stomach lacking feathers—that helps them transfer body heat to their eggs.

It was formerly classified as data deficient by the IUCN, as available data was insufficient for judging its conservation status. Studies found that it was relatively widespread and locally common, and in 2015 its IUCN rating was changed to least concern. The emerald starling is caught for the wildlife trade and is locally threatened by mining activities, but overall this is unlikely to cause a major decline in the species.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - ZEBRA DOVE (Geopelia striata)

The zebra dove (Geopelia striata ), also known as the barred ground dove, or barred dove, is a species of bird of the dove family, Columbidae, native to Southeast Asia. They are small birds with a long tail, predominantly brownish-grey in colour with black-and-white barring. The species is known for its pleasant, soft, staccato cooing calls.

The birds are small and slender with a long, narrow tail. The upperparts are brownish-grey with black-and-white barring. The underparts are pinkish with black bars on the sides of the neck, breast and belly. The face is blue-grey with bare blue skin around the eyes. There are white tips to the tail feathers. Juveniles are duller and paler than the adults. They can also have brown feathers. Zebra doves are 20–23 centimetres in length with a wingspan of 24–26 cm.

Their call is a series of soft, staccato cooing notes. In Thailand and Indonesia, the birds are popular as pets because of their calls and cooing competitions are held to find the bird with the best voice. In Indonesia this bird is called perkutut. In the Philippines they are known as batobatong katigbe ("pebbled katigbe") and kurokutok ; in Malaysia this bird is called merbuk, onomatopoeic to their calls. They are also known as tukmo in Filipino, a name also given to the spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis ) and other wild doves.

The native range of the species extends from Southern Thailand, Tenasserim, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore to the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java. It may also be native to Borneo, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, and the Philippine islands.

The zebra dove is popular in captivity and many populations have appeared outside its native range due to birds escaping or being deliberately released. It can now be found in central Thailand, Laos, Borneo, Sulawesi, Hawaii (introduced in 1922), Tahiti (1950), New Caledonia, the Seychelles, the Chagos Archipelago (1960), Mauritius (before 1768), Réunion, and Saint Helena.

It inhabits scrub, farmland, and open country in lowland areas and is commonly seen in parks and gardens. Trapping for the cagebird industry has led to them becoming rare in parts of Indonesia but in most parts of its range it is common. Zebra doves are among the most abundant birds in some places such as Hawaii and the Seychelles.

The zebra dove feeds on small grass and weed seeds. They will also eat insects and other small invertebrates. They prefer to forage on bare ground, short grass or on roads, scurrying about with rodent-like movement. Unlike other doves, they forage alone, or in pairs. Their colouration camouflages them wonderfully when on the ground.

In its native range the breeding season is from September to June. The males perform a courtship display where they bow and coo while raising and spreading the tail. Upon selection of a nesting site, the female will place herself there and will make guttural sounds to attract males to help build the nest. The nest is a simple platform of leaves and grass blades. It is built in a bush or tree or sometimes on the ground and sometimes on window ledges. One or two white eggs are laid and are incubated by both parents for 13 to 18 days. The young leave the nest within two weeks and can fly well after three weeks.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SPOTTED DOVE (Streptopelia chinensis)

The Spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis) is a small pigeon that is a common across its native range on the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia. These birds are also called the Mountain dove, Pearl-necked dove, Lace-necked dove, and Spotted turtle-dove.

The ground color of this long and slim dove is rosy buff below shading into grey on the head and belly. There is a half collar on the back and sides of the neck made of black feathers that bifurcate and have white spots at the two tips. The median coverts have brown feathers tipped with rufous spots in the Indian and Sri Lankan subspecies which are divided at the tip by a widening grey shaft streak. The wing feathers are dark brown with grey edges. The center of the abdomen and vent are white. The outer tail feathers are tipped in white and become visible when the bird takes off. The male and the female are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults and do not acquire the neck spots until they are mature.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - LESSER ORIENTAL CHEVROTAIN (Tragulus kanchil)

The lesser mouse-deer, lesser Malay chevrotain, or kanchil (Tragulus kanchil ) is a species of even-toed ungulate in the family Tragulidae.

The Lesser mouse-deer is the smallest known hoofed mammal that is widely distributed across Southeast Asia. They are generally reddish-brown in color with white underparts. Mouse-deer don't possess horns, but males have enlarged sharp upper canine teeth that protrude from the mouth. Females of this species are usually slightly larger than males.

Lesser mouse-deer are found in Indochina, Burma (Kra Isthmus), Brunei, Cambodia, China (Southern Yunnan), Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatra, and many other small islands), Laos, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and many other small islands), Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. They live in tropical moist forests, swamp forests, mangrove forests, and moist savanna and shrubland. They can also be found in cultivated areas.

Lesser mouse-deer are shy and generally solitary animals; however, they may sometimes be seen spending time in pairs. Both the males and females occupy home territories which overlap considerably; however, individuals of the same sex do not share their territories. Lesser mouse-deer are often thought to be nocturnal but in fact, they are typically active in the morning and in the afternoon. During the day, they roam in crown-gap areas with dense undergrowth, and at night, they typically move to higher and drier ridge areas. When sensing danger Lesser mouse-deer "freeze" and remain motionless and when alarmed they may repeatedly and rapidly stamp their hind legs.

The breeding season of Lesser mouse-deer occurs throughout the year. The gestation period lasts around 140-177 days and females may produce 2-3 fawns per year. The newly born fawn is able to stand within 30 minutes after birth, however, it remains hidden in the dense brush until it's weaned. Young Lesser mouse-deer grow very quickly and females become reproductively mature at age of 125 days while males are ready to breed when they are 166 days old.

Lesser mouse-deer are threatened by habitat loss due to urban development and farming, hunting, and predation by feral dogs.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - RADJAH SHELDUCK (Tadorna radjah)

The radjah shelduck (Radjah radjah ), is a species of shelduck found mostly in New Guinea and Australia, and also on some of the Moluccas. It is known alternatively as the raja shelduck, black-backed shelduck, or in Australia as the Burdekin duck.

Both the male and female of the species are mostly white, with dark wing-tips and a distinctive "collar" of dark feathers. Seen from above in flight the birds have green bands on the tops of their wings. The female has a harsh rattle and the male has a breathy, sore-throat whistle.

The radjah shelduck inhabits the mangrove forests and coastline of New Guinea (West Papua and Papua New Guinea) and Australia, and some of the Moluccas in eastern Indonesia. In Australia, its primary range is coastal tropical northern Australia, from central Queensland through northern Northern Territory (including Kakadu National Park) to the Kimberley in Western Australia. The radjah shelduck is listed as a protected bird in all states of Australia and penalties exist for harming or disturbing them.

The species prefers the brackish waters of mangrove flats and paperbark tree swamps, but will visit freshwater swamps, lagoons, and billabongs further inland during the wet season.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - PINK NECKED GREEN PIGEON (Treron vernans)

The pink-necked green pigeon (Treron vernans ) is a species of bird of the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It is a common species of Southeast Asia, found from Myanmar and Vietnam south through to the major islands of Indonesia and the Philippines (where it is called "punay"). It is a medium-sized pigeon with predominantly green plumage; only the male has the pink neck that gives the species its name. The species lives in a wide range of forested and human-modified habitats and is particularly found in open habitats. Its diet is dominated by fruit, in particular figs. Pairs lay two eggs in a flimsy twig nest in a tree, shrub, or hedge, and work together to incubate the eggs and raise the chicks. The species is thought to be an important disperser of fruit seeds. The species has adapted well to human changes to the environment, and can be found in crowded cities as long as fruiting trees are present. It is not considered to be at risk of extinction.

The pink-necked green pigeon is a medium-sized pigeon, measuring 25 to 30 cm (9.8–11.8 in) in length and weighing around 105–160 g (3.7–5.6 oz). The species has sexually dimorphic plumage. The male has a grey head, pinkish neck and upper breast, and the rest of the breast is orange. The back is olive green and the wings are green with black primaries and yellow edging on the tertiaries which create a yellow bar across the wing in flight. The belly is yellowish with grey flanks, and the tail is grey with a black band at the end, and a chestnut uppertail coverts. The female is smaller overall, has a yellowish belly, throat and face, and greenish crown and back of the neck, although is otherwise similar to the male. The legs are pink or reddish, and the bill is white, pale blue green or grey. Juvenile birds look similar to females but are greyer above.

Pigeons in the genus Treron are unusual in the family for not having cooing calls, instead making whistling and quacking noises, but some cooing notes have been recorded for the pink-necked green pigeon, as the male makes a tri-syballic whistling call ending in a coo. It is also reported to make a rasping krrak krrak... call, but the species is generally held to not be particularly vocal, usually only calling in communal roosts and when it finds food.

The range of the pink-necked green pigeon extends from southern Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam south through the Malay Peninsula and across the Greater Sundas (and their surrounding islands), Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, and as far east as the Moluccas as well as the Philippines. It occupies a variety of habitats, including primary forest, forest edge, secondary forest, and coastal mangroves. It favours more open environments and where it is found in association with denser forest it is typically on the edges. It is also readily found in human dominated environments such as gardens, plantations and farmland. It is more common in lowlands and close to the coast, but can be found up to 300 m (980 ft) in the Philippines, 750 m (2,460 ft) in Borneo and 1,200 m (3,900 ft) in Sulawesi. The species is recorded as non-migratory by the Handbook of the Birds of the World, but other sources have described it as making local movements. A related species, the thick-billed green pigeon, covers vast distances in search of fruit, and it is likely that the pink-necked green pigeon has a similar behaviour.

After the main island of Krakatoa was obliterated in a volcanic eruption in 1883, leaving a handful of smaller islands, the pink-necked pigeon was observed on the first bird survey of these remnants. The survey was conducted in 1908, and at the time the pigeon was the only obligate frugivore (meaning it ate mostly fruit, as opposed to as part of a wider diet or opportunistically) that had established itself on the islands. Within the archipelago it was able to colonise Anak Krakatau, a volcano that emerged from the sea from the caldera in 1927, within 36 years of the new island suffering a large eruption in 1952. The delay between the island settling down and colonisation was likely due to the time taken for figs to become established on the island and begin fruiting. It later became extinct on that island, due to a small population and predation. The species has recently expanded its range, having colonised Flores at some time since 2000.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - LESSER WHISTLING DUCK (Dendrocygna javanica)

The lesser whistling duck (Dendrocygna javanica ), also known as Indian whistling duck or lesser whistling teal, is a species of whistling duck that breeds in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They are nocturnal feeders that during the day may be found in flocks around lakes and wet paddy fields. They can perch on trees and sometimes build their nest in the hollow of a tree. This brown and long-necked duck has broad wings that are visible in flight and produces a loud two-note wheezy call. It has a chestnut rump, differentiating it from its larger relative, the fulvous whistling duck, which has a creamy white rump.

This chestnut brown duck is confusable only with the fulvous whistling duck (D. bicolor ) but has chestnut upper-tail coverts unlike the creamy white in the latter. The ring around the eye is orange to yellow. When flying straight, their head is held below the level of the body as in other Dendrocygna species. The crown appears dark and the sexes are alike in plumage. They fly slowly but with rapid wing-flapping and usually produce a repetitive wheezy seasick call as they circle overhead. They are very nocturnal and often rest during the day. The outermost primary feather has the inner vane modified. They produce very prominent whistling sound while flying.

With a wide distribution range between 1 and 10 million km², they are considered to have a secure global population of between two and twenty million individuals. They are not threatened by hunting as they are not considered good to eat. Hunters in Assam however have been known to raise the ducklings to serve as live decoy.

Lesser whistling duck are usually gregarious. They feed mainly on plants taken from the water as well as grains from cultivated rice apart from small fish, frogs and invertebrates such as molluscs and worms. They dabble as well as dive in water. They will often waddle on the land and Common mynas have been noted to follow them on grass. Courtship involves the male facing the female and dipping and raising its bill in the water and swimming around the female. They breed during the monsoon or rainy season and may vary locally in relation to the food availability. The nest site may be a tree hole lined with twigs and grass or built in the fork of a large tree, sometimes reusing an old nest of a kite or heron or even on the ground. The clutch varies from 7 to 12 white eggs that are incubated by both the parents. Large clutches of up to 17 have been noted although these may be indications of intraspecific brood parasitism. The eggs hatch after about 22–24 days. More than one brood may be raised in a single season. Young birds may sometimes be carried on the back of the parents.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SADDLE BILLED STORK (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)

The saddle-billed stork or saddlebill (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis ) is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south to South Africa, and in The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Chad in west Africa. It is considered endangered in South Africa.

It is a close relative of the widespread Asian and Australian black-necked stork, the only other member of the genus Ephippiorhynchus.

This is a huge bird that regularly attains a height of 145 to 150 cm (4 ft 9 in to 4 ft 11 in), a length of 142 cm (4 ft 8 in) and a 2.4 to 2.7 m (7 ft 10 in to 8 ft 10 in) wingspan. While heights published have been in the aforementioned narrow range, reportedly adult saddle-billed storks in captivity can attain a height of up to 150 to 180 cm (4 ft 11 in to 5 ft 11 in). The male of the species is larger and heavier than the female, with a range of 5.1–7.52 kg (11.2–16.6 lb), with a mean mass of 6.38 kg (14.1 lb). The female is usually between 5 and 6.84 kg (11.0 and 15.1 lb), with a mean mass of 5.95 kg (13.1 lb). Among the large storks, the saddle-billed broadly overlap in size with the two larger Leptoptilos and the Jabiru stork but possesses a longer, more slender neck and slightly longer legs than the other largest storks, so the saddle-billed is likely to be the tallest extant species of the family. Its extremely long legs measure up to 36.5 cm (14.4 in)) in tarsus length. The long bill measures from 27.3 to 36 cm (10.7 to 14.2 in). The sexes can be readily distinguished by the golden yellow irises of the female and the brown irises and dangling yellow wattles of the male. It is therefore one of the few storks to display sexual dimorphism in colour.

It is spectacularly plumaged; both the female and male appear identical when perched but the female shows much more white in the primaries in flight. The head, neck, back, wings, and tail are iridescent black, with the rest of the body and the primary flight feathers being white. Juveniles are browner grey in plumage. The massive bill is red with a black band and a yellow frontal shield (the "saddle"). The legs and feet are black with pink hocks. On the chest is a bare red patch of skin, whose colour darkens during breeding season.

At the continental scale, saddle-billed storks preferred protected areas that have a higher extent of open water compared to areas without the storks. Some of these trends may, however, be due to a bias in coverage by ornithologists of safer areas such as national parks and protected swamps that afford easier accessibility and comforts.

They are silent except for bill-clattering at the nest. Like most storks, these fly with the neck outstretched, not retracted like a heron; in flight, the large heavy bill is kept drooping somewhat below belly height, giving these birds a very unusual appearance to those who see them for the first time. To experienced birdwatchers on the other hand, this makes them easily recognizable even if seen from a distance. It has been suggested that due to the large size and unusual appearance in flight, this species is the basis for the "big bird" and kongamato cryptids.