W. Goodfellow—Familiar Birds of Singapore



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A far more beautiful bird, but seldom seen now about the town

except in the suburbs, is the White-breasted Kingfisher ( H . smyrnensis

fusca), which also eats insects but prefers fish, and is therefore found

more in the vicinity of water and damp places, but often visits gardens.

Some can always be seen by the lake in the Botanical Gardens. Its

colours are chestnut, black, azure blue and white, with a red bill.

What a glorious sight it is when it opens its wings to fly from one tree

to another over the lake ; its blue then outshines the blue, violet,

pink, and white lilies floating in patches on the water below it. It is

well worth a visit to the gardens just to see one of these birds alone,

and if one is fond of nature and wants a thrill, you are sure to get it

then. This species also does well in captivity if taken at a suitable

age, but I have tried several adults and not been able to do anything

with them. It has a vast range, more or less right across Asia, with

differences. In parts of the Philippines it is very plentiful, and often

in country far from water. It eats insects and small lizards there.


The large Stork-billed Kingfisher ( Ramphalcyon amauroptera) used

to be common about the suburbs, but so many of its former haunts have

been drained and built over, and although still by no means rare, it has

to be looked for around mangrove and marshy places. I have known

them to do well in captivity, even adult caught ones. No doubt they

eat fish, but are particularly fond of lizards, and a caged one I saw

seemed fond of mice. A continental collector last year took home

some he had brought down from Siam. These are the three common

Kingfishers of Singapore island. Common in the order I have given,

but other species occur on the mainland some of which may occasionally

be met with on the island.


A very common bird found throughout the island wherever there is a

bush, tree, or only a house-top, is the Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pyenonotus

analis). It is indeed hard to go anywhere without hearing their well-

known notes, which start with the first streak of dawn, and if you have

a garden, it sounds as if every Bulbul in the city must have slept there.

They feed here on berries, insects, and many kinds of fruits, especially

the so-called Indian cherry, which is stoneless and small enough

to be swallowed whole. This sweet fruit is beloved by all fruit-eating

birds, and now so many gardens have planted these extremely graceful



