Science
November 3, 2023 / November 3, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
Short summary: There are some name changes in eBird that will be different from the Singapore Bird Checklist for a short period of time (Ornate Sunbird, Medium Egret and Western Hooded Pitta). This article briefly explains taxonomy in the bird world, introduces the rationale behind the species splits, and clarifies some misconceptions. The Oriental Dwarf […]
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ID Articles
October 31, 2023 / October 31, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 2 Comments on Primary bars – an unnoticed identification feature in sparrowhawks?
Accipiter identification is fun yet challenging, and oftentimes require a combination of features. In this article we discuss a potentially useful feature that seems to have been neglected so far.
July 4, 2023 / August 9, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 2 Comments on Broadbills in Singapore
How many broadbills are there in Singapore? There are two ways to answer the question: there are multiple Black-and-red Broadbill individuals flying around, and there are two species currently on the Singapore Bird Checklist - Black-and-red and Green Broadbill. There actually also used to be three other species of Broadbills in Singapore historically.
Checklist Revisions
June 17, 2023 / July 27, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 1 Comment on Checklist Revision for June 2023
The latest update of our checklist, version 2023-2, has been published. It can be accessed at our Downloads page.
April 27, 2023 / August 2, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 1 Comment on Lesser Adjutants apparently nest building at Sungei Buloh
A recent visit to Sungei Buloh by Richard White & Goh Yew Lin yielded an interesting observation: the Lesser Adjutants were seen carrying sticks around - a behaviour typically associated with breeding. They were locally extirpated about 80 years ago, could they be making a come back?
Birders' Stories
March 24, 2023 / March 28, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 1 Comment on Once in a Lifetime Experience
Singapore's fourth Great Slaty Woodpecker - one of, if not the world's biggest woodpecker - was found by Kwong Marcus Alaric on 12 March 2023. He very quickly shared his sighting, allowing many in the community to enjoy the bird. Read on to find out about his experience discovering this marvellous beast!
Uncategorized
December 31, 2022 / August 4, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
The Singapore Birds Project hopes that all of you had a great 2022, and will have an even better 2023. Thank you all for the support and see you next year!
December 10, 2022 / December 10, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 3 Comments on Singapore’s first wild Black-headed Ibis
A Black-headed Ibis was found at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on 1 November 2022 by Art Toh. How was the bird identified? Was it wild or an escapee? In this article we share why the Singapore Bird Records Committee thinks that this is the first national record of a wild Black-headed Ibis.
November 25, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
Different bird in Singapore nest at different times of the year, but did you know that their nesting seasons actually differ according to sunshine hours and feeding guild? Laura from the NUS Avian Evolution Lab shares with us her findings based on a thorough analysis of a large dataset.
November 11, 2022 / November 11, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
The Singapore Bird Database was launched on 11 November 2021. Here's a review of the work that we've carried out over the past year, as well as other improvements made to the database since then!
October 6, 2022 / October 6, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 1 Comment on Truly Singaporean Parrots: Queueing for the Good Stuff
Regardless of where you come from, you're missing out on the Singaporean experience if have you never "queued long long" for food before. And it seems that our locally found parrots know that too! Here are some intriguing observations on the feeding behaviour of three parrot species - Tanimbar Corella, Coconut Lorikeet and Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot. Article contributed by Muhammad Nasry.
August 31, 2022 / August 31, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 2 Comments on Checklist Revision for August 2022
The latest update of our checklist, version 2022-2, has been published. It can be accessed at our Downloads page.
August 9, 2022 / August 15, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 1 Comment on Messages from the Cinereous and Streaked Bulbuls
The Cinereous Bulbul Hemixos cinereus and Streaked Bulbul Ixos malaccensis are both uncommon to rare species in Singapore. However, once in a while, they appear in numbers all across Singapore. What can we infer from these sightings?
Birding Starter Pack
June 5, 2022 / November 1, 2023 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 5 Comments on 8 resident bird calls you should know from Singapore’s parks
There are ~400 species of birds in Singapore, but how many of them are you able to identify by call? Here are eight easy and commonly heard ones to get you started!
May 17, 2022 / May 20, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 2 Comments on Soaring all over Singapore: Himalayan Vultures in the 2021/2022 season
During the 2021/2022 winter season, Singapore experienced a record breaking number of Himalayan Vulture sightings. Could they actually all have been the same few birds just flying around the area? Read on to find out!
February 11, 2022 / August 31, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
Our Records Committee maintains an up-to-date checklist of Singapore's bird species, incorporating latest advances in understanding of regional birds. Our official checklist is updated twice a year. Version 2022-1, published in February 2022, is the year's first checklist revision.
Tagged
November 11, 2021 / August 31, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 3 Comments on Singapore Birds Database: A Digital Museum of Local Bird Information
~Record keeping with the future in mind~ By Sin Yong Chee Keita & Dillen Ng Summary The Singapore Birds Database contains an easy-to-use search interface that allows you to look up information on locally rare bird species More than 1000 records across over 160 species are now freely available to the public You can contribute […]
October 25, 2021 / December 25, 2021 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 1 Comment on PIPIT101: Identifying Singapore’s First Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
Written by Richard White, infographic by Keita Sin Editing by Martin Kennewell, Keita Sin, Sandra Chia, & Dillen Ng The birding community was presented with an identification challenge today with the arrival of a vagrant pipit species. These small, brown, streaky birds can be difficult to identify at the best of times. An unfamiliar, out […]
October 8, 2021 / December 3, 2021 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 3 Comments on Why you should start using eBird!
Imagine a world where you could predict the arrival of your favourite migratory bird, get immediate identification help for an unfamiliar bird, and contribute to science and conservation just by being out in the field. I have some fantastic news for you…that’s the world we live in now! BirdCast is a forecast map that utilises […]
September 15, 2021 / August 31, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
The Singapore Birds Project checklist is updated regularly according to taxonomic updates by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC). Our team recently conducted a thorough review to vote on additional species to be added to or removed from the checklist. In the spirit of ensuring that accurate information is provided in a timely fashion, we decided […]
September 2, 2021 / December 3, 2021 by OkamotoKeitaSin | 1 Comment on An Indonesian Archipelago Wishlist: Birds to Look Out For
The recent sighting of the Javan Plover Charadrius javanicus at a reclaimed site northeast of Singapore island was exciting yet unsurprising. Exciting because it was a first for Singapore and continental Southeast Asia that caught everyone off guard (then again, none of us are really prepared for megas!) and unsurprising because this is a species […]
August 13, 2021 / December 3, 2021 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
By Goh Cheng TengEdited by Keita Sin & Lester Tan The Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii is a small shorebird that inhabits coastal sandy areas and rocky shores. It is the only resident breeding plover in Singapore island and can be reliably found along the man-made seawall at Marina East. They are classified globally as Near […]
July 14, 2021 / August 31, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
The latest revision of the Singapore Bird List is now derived from IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. The downloadable list (in Excel format) is available HERE. The following are the major changes: Addition: Wedge-tailed Shearwater – First record of a single bird at Woodlands on 22 June 1998, second record of a single bird […]
June 28, 2021 / August 31, 2022 by OkamotoKeitaSin | Leave a Comment
Pelagic birds are rather scarce in Singapore, so news of the grounded Shearwater found at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park on 23 June must have caught everybody by surprise. The bird was originally found by a passer-by below a HDB block in the area and then transported to the park. It was later spotted by William […]
