BLUE-THROATED BEE-EATER

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(884)              BLUE-THROATED BEE-EATER                   Merops viridis  

SINGAPORE        (8)        

Found in open country, borders of large rivers, cultivation, sometimes parks and gardens; also forest clearings and edges, and mangroves. 22.5-23.5 cm. Found in Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

PURPLE-BACKED STARLING

Photographed in Singapore November 2016 

(883)              PURPLE-BACKED STARLING                  Sternus sturninus  

SINGAPORE         (7)        

Also known as Daurian Starling. 17-19 cm. Found in secondary growth, forest edges, open areas, cultivation; lowlands. Range: breeds in SE Asia, Siberia, Ussuriland, Sakhalin, Mongolia, N,NE China, N Korea; winters Sumatra, Java.

ORIENTAL DOLLARBIRD

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(see    84)     ORIENTAL DOLLARBIRD        Eurystomus orientalis

SINGAPORE        (6)

Common resident and migrant of secondary forests, forest edge, scrub, old plantations and parkland, occasionally in mangroves. 30 cm. Widespread across much of East India, E Asia to as far north as the Russian Far East, and Southeast Asia east to Australia and New Guinea.

EURASIAN TREE SPARROW

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(see 506)              EURASIAN TREE SPARROW              Passer montanus

SINGAPORE         (5)

Found in urban areas, such as villages, towns and rural developments; not found in wild habitat. 15cm. Range: Eurasia; introduced into other regions, such as Australia and USA.

ASIAN KOEL

Photographed in Singapore November 2016. Female above, the male is black.

(882)          ASIAN KOEL            Eudynamys scolopacea

SINGAPORE          (4)

Found in open woodland, secondary growth, scrub, cultivated areas, parks and gardens. 40-44 cm. Found in the Indian Subcontinent, China and Southeast Asia.

ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(see      850)              ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING                  Aplonis panayensis 

SINGAPORE         (3)        

Open woodland bird, found along forest edges and roadsides, and in plantations and villages with large trees. 20 cm. Oriental region: locally common resident own northern Sulawesi, but generally scare throughout Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Bali.

PINK-CHEEKED PIGEON

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(see      824)           PINK-CHEEKED PIGEON             Theron vernans

SINGAPORE         (2)

Also known as Pink-cheeked Green Pigeon. 25 cm. A coastal bird, found mainly in mangroves and coastal woodlands, has expanded successfully into disturbed forest, plantations, parks and gardens. Range: Southeast Asia: common resident of the Sunda subregion; extends into Sulawesi, Lombok, Sumbawa and some adjacent islands. 

JAVAN MYNA

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(see    816)                  JAVAN MYNA            Acridotheres javanicus

SINGAPORE         (1)

Also known as White-Vented Myna. 25 cm. Found in open country, along forest edges and in drier fields, often seen near urban villages, generally not settled in cities. Range: Indonesian endemic; Uncommon resident in Java and Bali only; introduced into other islands, such as Sumatra, Riau Islands and abroad to Singapore.

RUFF

Photographed near Bunbury, Western Australia, November 2016 

(881)              RUFF                   Philomachus pugnax  

AUSTRALIA         (654)        

Breeds on lowland grassy wet meadows; winters on wet meadows, muddy fringes of pools and lakes, and brackish coastal lagoons. Male larger, between 29-32 cm; female 22-26 cm. Breeds in northern Eurasia, winters mainly in Africa, but also southern Asia and Australia.

Note: It is usually considered the only member of its genus, Philomachus. A group of ruffs is collectively known as a collar. An unusual bird where the males grow an elaborate collar of feathers used for display in the mating process.

Photographed at Lake Murdeduke, January 2017

COMMON MYNA

Photographed in Denpasar, Bali October 2016

(see  27)              COMMON MYNA                    Acridotheres tristis  

INDONESIA (Bali)            (104)        

Also known as Indian myna or mynah. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct; very adaptive to urban environment, so much so it was listed in 2000 as the world's most invasive species. 23 cm. Native to Asia; but introduced to other parts of the world, such as Canada, Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Hawaii, South Africa and Florida, as well as others.

TAWNY-BREASTED PARROTFINCH

Photographed on Lombok, Indonesia November 2016

(880)              TAWNY-BREASTED PARROTFINCH              Erythrura hyperthra  

INDONESIA (Lombok)          (103)        

Occurs in forest edges and bamboo thickets where it feeds on seeds and probably some insects. 10 cm. Distribution: Sunda and Wallacea subregions into the Philippines in Indonesia; a generally rare montane resident on Java and northern Kalimantan as well as on Sulawesi, Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores.

Note: listed as rare, secretive, active and difficult to watch.

JAPANESE SPARROWHAWK

Photographed on Lombok, Indonesia November 2016 

(879)              JAPANESE SPARROWHAWK               Accipiter gularis  

INDONESIA (Lombok)          (102)        

Frequents forests and open woodlands and is often seen near the coast. 27 cm. Breeds in northeastern Asia; migratory; widespread winter visitor in the Sunda and parts of Wallacea subregions; probably overlooked on many islands; generally fairly common and locally abundant during peak migration.

MOLUCCAN SWIFTLET

Photographed on Lombok, Indonesia November 2016

(878)              MOLUCCAN SWIFTLET                    Aerodramus infuscatus 

INDONESIA (Lombok)          (101)        

Identified as Moluccan Swiftlet. This 'species' has now been split into three species: Sulawesi swiftlet (Aerodromes sororum), Halmahera swiftlet (Aerodromes infusccatus) and Seram swiftlet (Aerodromes swiftlet). The taxonomy remains confusing and neither of the three species are listed as occurring on Lombok. Natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical moist montane forests.

ELEGANT PITTA

Photographe on Lombok, Indonesia November 2016

(877)              ELEGANT PITTA               Pitta venusta  

INDONESIA (Lombok)         (100)        

Found in dry monsoon forest, both primary forest and dense secondary regrowth; outside breeding season mobile and somewhat nomadic flying between islands. 18 cm. Distribution: Indonesia and Timor Leste; widespread and locally fairly common resident throughout Wallacea from Nusa Penida off Bali east to among others Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Timor, Buru, Seram and Kai islands.