THE BIRDS OF SINGAPORE ISLAND 
mouths of the large creeks. We have noted it not rarely in 
the Straits of Johore near Kuala Kranju Seletar, Punggol, 
Serangoon and also at Changfi. Occasionally it may be seen 
along the banks of the reservoirs. 
Field Notes : —In their essential actions all the local species 
of kingfishers show a remarkable similarity. They are solitary 
birds usually seen alone and never under any circumstances in 
flocks. From a point of vantag^e, usually a top or outer branch 
of a tree or a stump sticking out of the water, or a solitary 
bamboo or stem overhanging; the water, they survey the sur- 
roundin^^ country. For a lony^ time they will sit huddled up, 
almost motionless, with their short necks drawn back on their 
shoulders and thus present the appearance of a jileeping bird. 
In reality they are very wide awake and the unsuspecting hsh 
betraying its presence by a ripple near the surface of the water 
or the grass-hopper by releasing a bent blade of grass is 
instantly spotted: the bird leaves its station, there is a flash 
of colour^ a '*plop'^ in the w^ater and the bird is back again on 
the perch beating its prey to death against the bough on which 
it sits, with vigorous shakes of its head. The tapping noise 
caused by the grass-hopper or fish being beaten and bruised 
can be heard for some distance and then when the kingfisher 
is satisfied it throws back its head and the now lifeless prey dis- 
appears down the bird's throat — -head first. The best way to 
see the stork-bill is to employ a sampan and explore the lower 
reaches of those Singapore waterways that empty into the 
johore Straits. Then as one drifts along the edge of the 
mangrove one may see, perhaps a hundred yards ahead, a large 
highly coloured bird leave its post and plunge into the water 
causing a fair splash in so doing. When it returns to its seat 
in the mangrove it may be possible to push the boat closer fo^ 
a nearer view but usually^ on the first sign of danger, the war> 
bird darts off with a swift, straight flight at no great height 
over the water and thus it will precede the sampan for perhaps 
a mile or two always darting away when one is a hundred yards 
or so distant. 
Other habits : — This kingfisher appears to be less voci- 
ferous than the other and smaller species found in Singapore, 
Its food consists, in the main, of fish, frogs and crabs. 
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