Prepared by the Singapore Bird Records Committee

The latest update of our checklist, version 2024-2, has been published. It can be accessed at our Downloads page.

Our last update to the downloadable checklist included several taxonomic changes and species additions. In this version, two additions, two deletions, and taxonomic changes affecting our Accipiter sparrowhawks.

This article includes the updates to our checklist since our last revision. Our checklist is based on the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) taxonomy, the latest version being IOC 14.2.

This edition of the checklist is version 2024-2, and can be downloaded at our Downloads page. Note that this downloadable checklist is a “snapshot” of the checklist as of August 2024, and may differ from our live checklists available on this site and our Records Committee site. 

There are 429 species in the Singapore Bird Checklist after the changes in this revision, the same number as the previous version.

Added to checklist

Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus [Record 10809]: One at Chek Jawa on 28 Apr 2024 was Singapore’s first record since 1908.

Two-barred Warbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus [Record 10814]: A single bird at Kent Vale, 5–6 May 2024, was Singapore’s first record. We discuss its identification in detail here.

Removed from checklist

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis: Removed due to concerns over the provenance of all three of Singapore’s records, as discussed in our blog post.

Moustached Babbler Malacopteron magnirostre: With the last record in 1994, this species exceeds our 30-year threshold for inclusion in Cat A, and is moved to Cat B1.

Significant taxonomic and English name changes

Germain’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani is lumped with Edible-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus fuciphagus.

Little and Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoos, formerly placed in Chrysococcyx, are transferred to the newly recognized genus Chalcites.

All of Singapore’s bitterns, formerly placed in Ixobrychus, are transferred to Botaurus.

Eastern Cattle Egret is transferred from Bubulcus to Ardea.

The genus Accipiter is split in five directions, meaning that apart from Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, all of Singapore’s remaining Accipiter species are relocated. Crested Goshawk finds a home in Lophospiza, leaving the remaining species in Tachyspiza.

The Malay Peninsula resident Otus population is reassigned from Sunda Scops Owl Otus lempiji to Collared Scops Owl Otus lettia.

Japanese and Cinereous Tit (Parus minor/cinereus) are lumped as Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus. One record previously categorized as an unidentified Japanese/Cinereous Tit is reassigned to the new species.

With the split of subspecies tahitica as Tahiti Swallow, Pacific Swallow becomes Hirundo javanica.

The Red-rumped Swallow complex is realigned, and split into three species. Eastern Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica occurs in Singapore.

Review List changes

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus: removed. This species is now fairly frequently observed in sizable numbers (e.g., recently at Tuas), with sporadic records elsewhere.

Black-headed Bulbul Brachypodius melanocephalos: added. As a resident, likely localized to the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves, where sightings have dwindled recently. The last sighting at Jelutong Tower, where this species was previously recorded regularly, was in March 2022.

As always, please feel free to let us know if there are any errors or questions.

Female Japanese Sparrowhawk at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Female Greater Flameback at Chek Jawa on 28 Apr 2024. Photo credit: Ng Yan Ze

Oriental Turtle Dove at Tokyo, Japan. Photo credit: Keita Sin

Moustached Babbler at Panti Forest. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Two-barred Warbler at Kent Vale, Singapore, on 5 May 2024. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow at Punggol Barat. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Collared Scops Owl at Lower Pierce Reservoir. Photo credit: Adrian Silas Tay