Scientific Name: Sitta frontalis
Malay Name: Pepatuk Biasa
Chinese Name: 绒额䴓
Range: From Peninsula India through mainland Asia to Sundaland and west Philippines.
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: frontalis, saturatior, velata, corallipes, palawana.
Size: 12-13.5 cm
Identification: Bright blue upperparts, pale underparts, with black forehead and bright red legs and bill quite unlike any other species in Singapore. Bill colour is paler in juveniles.
Habitat: Healthy Forest
Behaviour/Ecology: Often observed foraging along the barks and branches of trees alone or in pairs, frequently running upside down. Also observed in mixed flocks elsewhere in its range.
Local Status: Non-breeding visitor
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Velvet-fronted Nuthatch)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Sitta frontalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22711216A94283983.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. Retrieved on March 23, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/velvet-fronted-nuthatch.