Common Readshank

One of the most common migratory birds found at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve between August and April, the Common Redshank can be identified by its long bright orange-red legs and relatively long stout bill. Populations of this bird can come from Mongolia, Russian Far East and China, and they start arriving in Singapore as early as July. Like most waders, they feed on small invertebrates. They are often rather wary, alerting other birds with its loud, fluty, whistled calls. It bobs its tail when it is nervous. It also feeds in muddy shallows, probing and picking with its bill. It inhabits fresh and coastal wetlands, and also breeds on moorland, usually near water. Redshanks will nest in any wetland, from damp meadows to saltmarsh, often at high densities. They lay 3–5 eggs.

Common Greenshank

Like the Common Redshank, the Common Greenshank can also be commonly seen at the reserve between August to April. It breeds across northern Europe and Asia, and is usually seen alone or in small groups. You can also find them at Changi, Khatib Bongsu, and areas with mangroves, mudflats and sandy shores in Singapore. Try to observe the Common Greenshank when it is feeding: It usually pecks and sweeps through the water to find food, but sometimes stalk its prey (like small fish and crustaceans) attentively before dashing through the shallow waters to catch its feed.

Whimbrel

The Whimbrel is another frequent winter visitor and passage migrant to the reserve. You can recognise the bird by its bluish-grey legs and down-curved beak, about twice the length of its head.

At its peak count in November 2003, there were over 440 Whimbrels sighted and documented in Sungei Buloh. Currently, during the migratory months, about 200 to 300 bird sightings are recorded.

Whimbrels feed mostly on crabs and other marine invertebrates, which they extract from sand or mud using their outrageous bills. They also eat berries and insects when available. They migrate between arctic nesting areas and wintering grounds as far south as Bolivia, sometimes having to skirt hurricanes as they fly over open ocean.

Lesser Sand Plover

The Lesser Sand Plover is often sighted at Sungei Buloh between the months of September to December when it travels from places like Mongolia, the Himalayas and Tibet to escape winter. Although its basic plumage is mostly sandy-brown, by the time it arrives in Singapore during breeding season, its appearance changes and the sides of the bird’s neck and broad breast-band turn a shade of rusty-red. They usually congregate in flocks of several hundred at low tide feeding grounds or at high tide roosts. The lesser sand plover's feeds on insects, crustaceans and annelid worms, which are obtained by a run-and-pause technique, rather than the steady probing of some other wader groups. This species takes fewer steps and shorter pauses than the greater sand plover when feeding.

Common Sandpiper

If you notice a bird ‘teetering’ or frequently bobbing its head and tail up and down, you have most likely spotted the Common Sandpiper. This bird breeds in Central Asia, as well as Central and East Siberia, and spends the winter in East Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia.

Another interesting characteristic of the Common Sandpiper is its high-pitched three-note call as it flies off, often described as “twee-wee-wee”. Do keep your ears peeled for this noisy little fellow during your visit!

Pacific Golden Plover

The Pacific Golden Plover is one of the most visible bird species in Sungei Buloh, and you are likely to spot this visitor hailing from Siberia and Alaska during August to April. This is another bird that looks visibly different during breeding season; the under side of its body will turn black, compared to its usual pale-brown appearance. This wader forages for food on tundra, fields, beaches and tidal flats, usually by sight. It eats insects and crustaceans and some berries. The breeding habitat of Pacific golden plover is the Arctic tundra from northernmost Eurosiberia into western Alaska. It nests on the ground in a dry open area.

Asian Dowitcher

The sighting of the Asian Dowitcher never fails to attract the attention of avid bird photographers, who will flock to Sungei Buloh to catch a glimpse of this beautiful bird. The Asian Dowitcher is a rare winter visitor, and usually stops over for just one day at the wetland reserve. With an estimated global population of about 23,000, this bird species is listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species. With these migratory birds and as many as over 220 other bird species that arrive and make Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve their home, do drop by the nature reserve over the next few months, and you may be rewarded with the sight of these charming creatures!

Black-tailed Godwit

The Black-tailed Godwit is an uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, with only one to two individuals recorded annually since 2000. However, on 15 September 2015, the Reserve recorded 32 Black-tailed Godwits. This is the highest number of Black-tailed Godwits recorded in the Reserve since 1996. The black-tailed godwit is a large wader with long bill (7.5 to 12 cm (3.0 to 4.7 in) long), neck and legs. During the breeding season, the bill has a yellowish or orange-pink base and dark tip; the base is pink in winter. The legs are dark grey, brown or black. The sexes are similar, but in breeding plumage, they can be separated by the male's brighter, more extensive orange breast, neck and head. In winter, adult black-tailed godwits have a uniform brown-grey breast and upperparts (in contrast to the bar-tailed godwit's streaked back). Juveniles have a pale orange wash to the neck and breast.

Common Kingfisher

The Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) breeds in Northern Asia such as Taiwan and Korea. This is a small, compact blue bird often seen perching on posts or branches in the Park. Migration occurs mainly at night and it may even fly over mountains. It is also adept at flying close to the ground and water at speeds of over 40km an hour!

Black-capped Kingfisher

Known to be strongly territorial, the Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) usually returns to the same area to winter every year. Being large and with plumage of blue, white and black, it is fairly prominent. However, it is also fairly shy. So while looking for it, be very quiet and avoid sudden movement.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Best observed at the freshwater ponds, the Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) feeds on bees, dragonflies and other insects while in flight. Interestingly, the bee-eater is also known to take small fish for food too. Their migratory patterns are as yet unknown but they can be seen in the Park sporadically during the northern winter season.

Baya Weaver

The baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is a weaverbird found across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Flocks of these birds are found in grasslands, cultivated areas, scrub and secondary growth and they are best known for their hanging retort shaped nests woven from leaves. These nest colonies are usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds and the nests are often built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily. These are sparrow-sized (15 cm) and in their non-breeding plumage, both males and females resemble female house sparrows. They have a stout conical bill and a short square tail. Non-breeding males and females look very similar: dark brown streaked fulvous buff above, plain (unstreaked) whitish fulvous below, eyebrow long and buff coloured, bill is horn coloured and no mask. Breeding males have a bright yellow crown, dark brown mask, blackish brown bill, upper parts are dark brown streaked with yellow, with a yellow breast and cream buff below.

Blue-throated Bee-eater

They are found throughout southeast Asia in subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. Their diet consists mostly of bees, wasps, and dragonflies. Blue-throated bee-eaters are small with colorful plumage consisting of a red nape, dark green wings, light green breast, and their signature blue throat. They have a rich variety of songs and calls, including longcalls which allow them to communicate long distances in the forest.