THE BIHDS OF SINGAPORE ISLAND 
Status hi Singapore : — This is a common bird in gardens 
and woodlands. It escapes general notice because of its habit 
of frequenting tall trees rather than the sides of the paths, the 
bushes and hedges. It nests in the town gardens. 
Field Notes : — By walking along the paths of the Botanic 
Gardens and gazing upwards into the taller well leaved trees 
one Qan often spot the bright yellow breasts of these birds. 
They roam about in pairs or in small parties. The call note 
is rather a curious one and once learned it may be realised that 
the bird is quite common. * 
Other habits'. — Mr. Stuart Baker gives ' the following 
excellent account of the habits, 
"It is a familiar Httle bird^ haunting gardens, orchards and 
the outskirts of villages as well as the fringe of forests and 
scrub-j angle. In the breeding season it performs wonderful 
acrobatic feats, darting tip into the air and then with all its 
feathers, especially those of the rump, puffed out, it comes 
spinning down in a spiral to the perch it has left. Arrived there 
it spreads and flirts its tail like a little peacock, drooping its 
wings and tttiering all the time a protracted, sibilant whistle or 
chirrup. It has a great variety of notes, the most striking of 
which is a prolonged "we-e-e-e-tu" a long, drawn-out wail with 
the last note dropping suddenly. This seems never to be 
uttered except in the rains, and when constantly repeated to tlie 
accompaniment of the splash and the sough of the wind, is one 
of the saddest little bird-notes imaginable. 3t is generally 
found in pairs and js not gregarious, though, where it is 
common, three or four may be seen together on the same tree, 
hunting actively for the insects which form Its food/* 
"This makes a most exquisite and very small, deep cup-like 
nest which is placed in the fork of, or actually on, the bough 
of a small tree.*' 
[1783 
