9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - BLUE CRANE (Anthropoides paradiseus)

The blue crane (Grus paradisea), also known as the Stanley crane and the paradise crane, is the national bird of South Africa. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Blue cranes are birds of the dry grassy uplands, usually the pastured grasses of hills, valleys, and plains with a few scattered trees. They prefer areas in the nesting season that have access to both upland and wetland areas, though they feed almost entirely in dry areas. They are altitudinal migrants, generally nesting in the lower grasslands of an elevation of around 1,300 to 2,000 m and moving down to lower altitudes for winter.

Of the 15 species of crane, the blue crane has the most restricted distribution of all. Even species with lower population numbers now (such as Siberian or whooping cranes) are found over a considerable range in their migratory movements. The blue crane is migratory, primarily altitudinal, but details are little known.

The blue crane is partially social, less so during the breeding season. There is a strict hierarchy in groups, with the larger adult males being dominant. They overlap in range with three other crane species but interactions with these species and other "large wader" type birds are not known. They are aggressively protective of their nesting sites during the nesting season, even attacking innocent, non-predatory animals such as antelope, cattle, tortoises, plovers and the smallest of birds, such as sparrows. Humans are also attacked if they approach a nest too closely, with the aggressive male having torn clothes and drawn blood in such cases. Threats to their eggs and chicks include large savannah and white-throated monitor lizards, egg-eating snakes, foxes, jackals, birds-of-prey, meerkats, and mongoose.

While it remains common in parts of its historic range, and approx. 26 000 individuals remain, it began a sudden population decline from around 1980 and is now classified as vulnerable.

In the last two decades, the blue crane has largely disappeared from the Eastern Cape, Lesotho, and Eswatini. The population in the northern Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West Province has declined by up to 90%. The majority of the remaining population is in eastern and southern South Africa, with a small and separate population in the Etosha Pan of northern Namibia. Occasionally, isolated breeding pairs are found in five neighbouring countries.

The primary causes of the sudden decline of the blue crane are human population growth, the conversion of grasslands into commercial tree plantations, and poisoning: deliberate (to protect crops) or accidental (baits intended for other species, and as a side-effect of crop dusting).

The South African government has stepped up legal protection for the blue crane. Other conservation measures are focusing on research, habitat management, education, and recruiting the help of private landowners.

 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - AUSTRALIAN PELICAN (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

The Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a large waterbird in the family Pelecanidae, widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, also in Fiji, parts of Indonesia and as a vagrant in New Zealand. It is a predominantly white bird with black wings and a pink bill. It has been recorded as having the longest bill of any living bird. It mainly eats fish, but will also consume birds and scavenge for scraps if the opportunity arises.

Australian pelicans feed by plunge-diving while swimming on the surface of the water. They work in groups to drive fish to shallower water, where they stick their sensitive bills in to snatch their prey. Some feeding grounds in large bodies of water have included up to 1,900 individual birds. They will sometimes also forage solitarily. Their predominant prey is fish and they commonly feed on introduced species such as goldfish, European carp and European perch. When possible, they also eat native fish, with a seeming preference for the perch Leiopotherapon unicolor. However, the Australian pelican seems to be less of a piscivore and more catholic in taste than other pelicans. It regularly feeds on insects and many aquatic crustaceans, especially the common yabby, prawns and the shrimps in the genus Macrobrachium. This pelican also takes other birds with some frequency, such as silver gulls, Australian white ibis and grey teal, including eggs, nestlings, fledglings and adults, which they may kill by pinning them underwater and drowning them. Reptiles, amphibians and small mammals are also taken when available. Reportedly even small dogs have been swallowed.

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - MARABOU STORK (Leptoptilos crumenifer)

The marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae native to sub-Saharan Africa. It breeds in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially landfill sites. It is sometimes called the "undertaker bird" due to its shape from behind: cloak-like wings and back, skinny white legs, and sometimes a large white mass of "hair". 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - INDIAN SPOT BILLED DUCK (Anas poecilorhyncha)

The Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) is a large dabbling duck that is a non-migratory breeding duck throughout freshwater wetlands in the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the red spot at the base of the bill that is found in the mainland Indian population. When in water it can be recognized from a long distance by the white tertials that form a stripe on the side, and in flight it is distinguished by the green speculum with a broad white band at the base. This species and the eastern spot-billed duck (A. zonorhyncha) were formerly considered conspecific, together called the spot-billed duck (A. poecilorhyncha). 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - NANKEEN NIGHT HERON (Nycticorax caledonicus)

The nankeen night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) is a heron that belongs to the genus Nycticorax and the family Ardeidae. Due to its distinctive reddish-brown colour, it is also commonly referred to as the rufous night heron. It is primarily nocturnal and is observed in a broad range of habitats, including forests, meadows, shores, reefs, marshes, grasslands, and swamps. The species is 55 to 65 cm in length, with rich cinnamon upperparts and white underparts. The nankeen night heron has a stable population size, and is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Nankeen night herons have a broad distribution and are found in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Java, New Caledonia, Palau, and the Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia. They are native to Australia and are widespread in most states of the country except for the west, in which it is rare or absent. Nankeen night herons have six subspecies, which includes the Bonin nankeen night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus crassirostris). 

The nankeen night heron is resident in a wide range of habitats, which includes grasslands, meadows, forests, lagoons, beaches, reefs, marshes, shores, wetlands, and swamps. It is most commonly found near rivers and streams. The species prefer habitats with emergent vegetation when near permanent water. The nankeen night heron is mainly nocturnal, and thus roosts during the daytime in dense cover of trees, bushes, and reeds. In more exposed situations, they are also known to roost in dead trees. In urban areas, the nankeen night heron favours nesting and roosting in trees such as cypresses and pines. They also reside in urban wetlands, dry fields, gardens, ponds, airports, and parks.

 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - PLANTAIN SQUIRREL (Callosciurus notatus)

The plantain squirrel, oriental squirrel or tricoloured squirrel (Callosciurus notatus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in a wide range of habitats: forests, mangroves, parks, gardens, and agricultural areas. Fruit farmers consider them to be pests.

Its diet consists mostly of leaves and fruits, but it also eats insects and bird eggs. It is known to break open twigs that contain ant larvae to eat them. It can eat fruits much bigger than itself, such as mangoes, jackfruit, or coconuts.

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - SUN PARAKEET (Aratinga solstitialis)

The sun parakeet (Aratinga solstitialis), also known in aviculture as the sun conure, is a medium-sized, vibrantly colored parrot native to northeastern South America. The adult male and female are similar in appearance, with black beaks, predominantly golden-yellow plumage, orange-flushed underparts and face, and green and blue-tipped wings and tails. Sun parakeets are very social birds, typically living in flocks. They form monogamous pairs for reproduction, and nest in palm cavities in the tropics. Sun parakeets mainly feed on fruits, flowers, berries, blossoms, seeds, nuts, and insects. Conures are commonly bred and kept in aviculture and may live up to 30 years. This species is currently threatened by loss of habitat and trapping for plumage or the pet trade. Sun parakeets are now listed as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

Sun conures live in a relatively small region of northeastern South America: the north Brazilian state of Roraima, southern Guyana, extreme southern Suriname, and southern French Guiana. They also occur as vagrants to coastal French Guiana. Their status in Venezuela is unclear, but recent sightings from the southeast near Santa Elena de Uairén have been reported. They may occur in Amapá or far northern Pará (regions where the avifauna generally is very poorly documented), but this remains to be confirmed. Populations found along the Amazon River in Brazil are now known to belong to the sulphur-breasted parakeet.

Sun conures are mostly found in tropical habitats, but their exact ecological requirements remain relatively poorly known. They are widely reported as occurring within dry savanna woodlands and coastal forests, but recent sightings suggest they mainly occur at altitudes less than 1200 m, at the edge of humid forests growing in foothills in the Guiana Shield, and cross more open savannah habitats only when traveling between patches of forest. Sun conures have been seen in shrublands along the Amazon riverbank, as well as forested valleys and coastal, seasonally flooded forests. These conures usually inhabit fruiting trees and palm groves. 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - SCARLET MACAW (Ara macao)

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a large yellow, red and blue Neotropical parrot native to humid evergreen forests of the Americas. Its range extends from southeastern Mexico to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil in lowlands of 500 m (1,600 ft) (at least formerly) up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft), the Caribbean island of Trinidad, as well as the Pacific island of Coiba. Formerly, the northern extent of its range included southern Tamaulipas. In some areas, it has suffered local extinction because of habitat destruction, or capture for the parrot trade, but in other areas, it remains fairly common. It is the national bird of Honduras. Like its relative the blue-and-yellow macaw, the scarlet macaw is a popular bird in aviculture as a result of its striking plumage.

A typical sighting is of a single bird or a pair flying above the forest canopy, though in some areas flocks can be seen. They often gather at clay licks. Scarlet macaws communicate primarily through raucous honks; however, vocal communication is highly variable, and captive macaws are known to be adept mimics of human speech.

Wild scarlet macaws feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, flowers and nectar.

They also love to eat insects and larvae. They are seen feeding heavily on bugs, snails and foliage. Snails and bugs are great source of protein, as they need additional protein during breeding seasons.

In Costa Rica's Central Pacific they have learned to feed on introduced Teak trees (Tectona grandis) and Almond Beach Trees. Local non-profit organizations have planted hundreds of those trees along the coastline from the Tárcoles River basin to Esterillos Beach which had helped increase the population drastically. The combined efforts and the correct ecotourism has also an important role in the conservation of such majestic birds. Tour companies along the Tarcoles River and its mangroves have bet on the importance of birdwatching as an asset for the growth on its population.

While comparatively docile at most times of the year, scarlet macaws may be formidably aggressive during periods of breeding. Scarlet macaws are monogamous birds, with individuals remaining with one partner throughout their lives. The hen lays two or three white eggs in a large tree cavity. The female incubates the eggs for about five weeks, and the chicks fledge from the nest about 90 days after hatching and leave their parents about a year later. Juveniles reach sexual maturity at five years of age.

 The South American range is extensive and covers the Amazon forest, extending to Peru east of the Andes, to Bolivia. In Bolivia, it is common in the Aquicuana Reserve, located in the Beni Department, near the city of Riberalta, the Capital of the Bolivian Amazon.

In Central America, the range extends from extreme eastern and southern Mexico and Panama through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize, the island of Coiba and infrequently on the mainland of Panama, and in Costa Rica in isolated regions on the Pacific Coast; the Nicoya Peninsula the Carara National Park and Peninsula de Osa.

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - BLUE AND YELLOW MACAW (Ara ararauna)

The blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna), also known as the blue-and-gold macaw, is a large South American parrot with a mostly blue dorsum, light yellow/orange venter, and gradient hues of green on top of its head. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of terra firme or unflooded forest), woodland and savannah of tropical South America. They are popular in aviculture because of their striking color, ability to talk, ready availability in the marketplace, and close bonding to humans. 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, 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. The roseate spoonbill's pink color is diet-derived, consisting of the carotenoid pigment canthaxanthin, like the American flamingo. Plume hunting in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries almost drove the roseate spoonbill to extinction. However, in recent years, the range of the species has expanded.

The bird feeds on crustaceans, bits of plant material, aquatic insects, mollusks, frogs, newts and very small fish (such as minnows) ignored by larger waders. In Brazil, researchers found roseate spoonbill diets to consist of fish, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and seeds, all foraged from limnetic/freshwater habitats. This habitat specialization, combined with the relative plasticity of great egret foraging behavior, allows the two species to minimize competition during the breeding season. Roseate spoonbills must compete for food with snowy egrets, great egrets, tricolored herons and American white pelicans.[citation needed] Roseate spoonbills are often trailed by egrets when foraging in a commensal "beater-follower" relationship, as the spoonbill's disturbance of the sediment makes prey more available to the follower. 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - RINGED TEAL (Callonetta leucophrys)

The ringed teal (Callonetta leucophrys) is a small duck of South American forests. It is the only species of the genus Callonetta. Usually placed with the dabbling ducks (Anatinae), this species may actually be closer to shelducks and belong in the subfamily Tadorninae; its closest relative is possibly the maned duck.

 

27-6-2023 VIVEROS GARDENS, VALENCIA - BLACK SWAN (Cygnus atratus)

The black swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird, a species of swan which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Within Australia, the black swan is nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent on climatic conditions. It is a large bird with black plumage and a red bill. It is a monogamous breeder, with both partners sharing incubation and cygnet-rearing duties.

The black swan was introduced to various countries as an ornamental bird in the 1800s, but has managed to escape and form stable populations.

The black swan is common in the wetlands of southwestern and eastern Australia and adjacent coastal islands. In the south west its range encompasses an area between North West Cape, Cape Leeuwin and Eucla; while in the east it covers a large region bounded by the Atherton Tableland, the Eyre Peninsula and Tasmania, with the Murray Darling Basin supporting very large populations of black swans. It is uncommon in central and northern Australia.

The black swan's preferred habitat extends across fresh, brackish and salt water lakes, swamps and rivers with underwater and emergent vegetation for food and nesting materials. It also favors permanent wetlands, including ornamental lakes, but can also be found in flooded pastures and tidal mudflats, and occasionally on the open sea near islands or the shore.

Like other swans, the black swan is largely monogamous, pairing for life (about 6% divorce rate). Recent studies have shown that around a third of all broods exhibit extra-pair paternity. An estimated one-quarter of all pairings are homosexual, mostly between males. They steal nests, or form temporary threesomes with females to obtain eggs, driving away the female after she lays the eggs.

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - BRAZILIAN TEAL (Genus Amazonetta)

The Brazilian teal or Brazilian duck (Amazonetta brasiliensis) is the only duck in the genus Amazonetta. It is widely distributed in eastern South America. 

They can be found throughout eastern South America, from central Brazil, to Uruguay, to northern and eastern Argentina, Paraguay, central Venezuela, northeastern Peru, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, eastern Bolivia, and eastern Colombia. Their preferred habitat is a body of freshwater away from the coast with dense vegetation nearby.

Brazilian teal live in pairs or in small groups of up to twenty birds. Both parents look after their hatchlings. They eat seeds, fruits, roots and insect, while ducklings eat only insects.

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - SCARLET IBIS (Eudocimus ruber)

The scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) is a species of ibis in the bird family Threskiornithidae. It inhabits tropical South America and part of the Caribbean. In form, it resembles most of the other twenty-seven extant species of ibis, but its remarkably brilliant scarlet coloration makes it unmistakable. It is one of the two national birds of Trinidad and Tobago, and its Tupi–Guarani name, guará, is part of the name of several municipalities along the coast of Brazil.

This medium-sized wader is a hardy, numerous, and prolific bird, and it has protected status around the world. Its IUCN status is Least Concern. The legitimacy of Eudocimus ruber as a biological classification, however, is in dispute. Traditional Linnaean taxonomy classifies it as a unique species, but some scientists have moved to reclassify it as a subspecies of a more general American ibis species, along with its close relative, the American white ibis (Eudocimus albus).

The range of the scarlet ibis is very large, and colonies are found throughout vast areas of South America and the Caribbean islands. Native flocks exist in Brazil; Colombia; French Guiana; Guyana; Suriname; and Venezuela, as well as the islands of the Netherlands Antilles, and Trinidad and Tobago. Flocks gather in wetlands and other marshy habitats, including mud flats, shoreline and rainforest. Outlying colonies have been identified in the coastal areas of the states of Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo (for example in the Santos-Cubatão mangroves of the Baixada Santista district), Paraná and Santa Catarina. In recent years, bird colonies can be seen as far south as in the coastal areas of Joinville and the island of São Francisco do Sul.

Mating pairs build nests in a simple style, typically "loose platforms of sticks" of a quality sometimes described as "artless". They roost in leaf canopies, mostly preferring the convenient shelter of young waterside mangrove trees. Scarlet ibises like wet, muddy areas such as swamps, but for safety they build their nests in trees well above the water. If they can, they nest on islands, where their eggs and chicks are less likely to be in danger from predators.

To attract a female, the male will perform a variety of mating rituals such as "preening, shaking, bill popping, head rubbing, and high flights. As with most birds, mating does not involve any coupling or insertion: instead, a transfer of seminal fluids occurs during external contact between the cloacal openings. After a gestation period of five to six days, the female lays a clutch of three to five smooth, matte eggs which typically incubate for 19–23 days. After a successful courtship, pairs remain faithful and cohabitant, sharing parental responsibilities for the young.

 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - RED BILLED PIGEON (Patagioenas flavirostris)

The red-billed pigeon (Patagioenas flavirostris) is a relatively large, robust species of pigeon. Its breeding range extends from southern Texas, United States, to Costa Rica. It is primarily found throughout coastal and lowland areas of Mexico and Central America. It belongs to a clade of Patagioenas which generally lack iridescent display plumage, except some vestiges in the pale-vented pigeon.

Red-billed pigeons are common throughout dry forests in primarily coastal Mexico and Central America, most common in Rio Grande, though still an uncommon find during summertime. They can sometimes be found in Southern Texas, with a declining population. In almost all areas, they are rare to see during the winter. 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - CHESTNUT EARED ARACARI (Pteroglossus castanotis)

The chestnut-eared aracari or chestnut-eared araçari (Pteroglossus castanotis) is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.

The chestnut-eared aracari is a bird of the western and southern Amazon Basin. The nominate subspecies is the more northerly. It is found from southern and eastern Colombia south through eastern Ecuador to southeastern Peru, east into Brazil along the Amazon to the Rio Negro and Acre and Amazonas states. P. c. australis is found from south of the Amazon in north central Brazil south through northern Bolivia, eastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina's Misiones Province into southeastern Brazil to Minas Gerais, São Paulo state, and Rio Grande do Sul.

The chestnut-eared aracari is found in a wide variety of landscapes, many of which are characterized by standing or flowing water. Examples include wet forest by lakes and rivers, várzea, forested river islands, and swamp and gallery forest. It also occurs at edges, clearings, and disturbed areas of drier forest, bamboo and canebrakes, cerrado, and coffee plantations. In elevation it is mostly found below 600 m (2,000 ft) but occurs up to about 1,300 m (4,300 ft) at some Andean locations and to more than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in southeastern Brazil.

The chestnut-eared aracari's diet is mostly fruit. It forages at all levels of the forest, plucking fruit from branches (even while hanging upside down) and investigating and probing vines, shrubs, crevices, and cavities. It also eats flowers and nectar and takes bird eggs and nestlings.

The chestnut-eared aracari's breeding season varies widely across its range, from February to September in the north and west to the opposite September to February in the southernmost population. It mostly nests in old woodpecker holes that it enlarges if needed. There is some evidence of cooperative breeding, as small groups at a nest are more common than just pairs. Its clutch size is at least two and may be as large as four. The incubation period and time to fledging are not known.

 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - BLACK SPOTTED BARBET (Capito niger)

The black-spotted barbet (Capito niger) is a species of bird in the family Capitonidae, the New World barbets. It is found in Brazil, the Guianas, and Venezuela.

The black-spotted barbet is found in the eastern parts of Venezuela's Bolívar and Delta Amacuro states, the three countries of the Guianas, and the Brazilian states of Roraima, Pará, and Amapá north of the Amazon River. It inhabits the interiors of a variety of forest types including terra firme, riparian, and várzea. It also uses the forest edges and more open terrain such as gardens and plantations. In elevation it ranges from sea level up to 200 m (660 ft) in Venezuela and as high as 800 m (2,600 ft) in the Guianas.

Though little is known about the black-spotted barbet's diet and foraging habits, they are assumed to be similar to those of the gilded barbet.

The black-spotted barbet breeds from September to May and possibly to July. Pairs excavate a cavity in a tree 5 to 12 m (16 to 39 ft) above ground. The female lays three or four eggs and both parents incubate them.

 

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - BLUE GROUND DOVE (Claravis pretiosa)

The blue ground dove (Claravis pretiosa) is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from southeastern Mexico to northwestern Peru and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad in the Caribbean.

The blue ground dove is relatively common in open woodland, forest edges, clearings and roadsides, especially in more humid areas. It is found from sea level to about 1200 m altitude. It builds a flimsy dish nest of twigs 1–11 m high in a tree and lays two white eggs.

9-6-2023 MANDAI BIRD PARADISE, SINGAPORE - CRIMSON BELLIED PARAKEET (Pyrrhura perlata)

The crimson-bellied parakeet (Pyrrhura perlata), known as the crimson-bellied conure in aviculture, is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Bolivia and Brazil.

The crimson-bellied parakeet is 24 to 25 cm (9.4 to 9.8 in) long and weighs 76 to 91 g (2.7 to 3.2 oz). The sexes are the same. Adults have a dark grayish brown head flecked with pale grayish buff, dark brownish gray ear coverts, a goldish green upper cheeks, and turquoise-blue lower cheeks. Their nape has a narrow blue band. Their upperparts are green with a bluish tinge. Their throat, upper breast, and the sides of their neck are gray to blue with a scaly appearance, and sometimes with pinkish tips to the feathers. The belly and upper flanks are bright red and their lower flanks and vent area are greeish blue. Their wing is mostly green, with black and cobalt blue primaries and red underwing coverts. Their tail's top surface is reddish brown and the lower surface is blackish brown. Their iris is dark brown, their bill blackish, and their legs blackish gray. Immatures are similar to adults but have a mostly green belly.

The crimson-bellied parakeet is found in the Amazon Basin from the Mamoré River in northeastern Bolivia east into Brazil south of the Amazon River in the states of Mato Grosso, Rondônia, Amazonas, and Pará. It mostly inhabits the canopy and edges of humid terra firme forest and secondary forest, and also occurs in drier lowland forest. In elevation it ranges as high as 600 m (2,000 ft).