BFF Big Birdwatch!

I enjoyed reading the preparational resources that have been put up by the BFF team prior to the birdwatch. As someone new to birdwatching I liked how it comprehensively covers multiple ways of identifying a bird, inclusive of knowing its distinct calls! Although it takes awhile to be familiar with the materials, it is rewarding when you manage to spot and ID a new species of bird!

What I found challenging was the lack of a binoculars at home. Although you might hear the calls of a certain bird, its more exciting if you could see the bird in detail and observe its behaviours!

To suggest a few tips… it’s to invest in a good binocular! (going to heed my own advice haha) I think it would be a good investment for any type wildlife watching, not just birding (: I also found this website that I felt gave quite good tips such as following the Pareto Principle in birding, reading for inspiration and learning about the birding etiquette.

Here is the information on 3 species of birds I saw/heard:

Olive-backed Sunbird:

1. Feeds on flower nectar and small insects such as ants and spiders
2. It drinks and bathe in water puddles found on plants (eg. at the base of Bird’s Nest Ferns)
3. They re-use the same nest they have built seven times!

White-collared Kingfisher:

1. Male offers small tokens to female during courtship
2. They are perch-and-wait hunters who will wait patiently for a prey to appear
3. They are known to be aggressive towards their own kind

House crow:

1. All populations of house crow are known to reside near humans
2. Crows can eat over 1000 different food items, hence adapted to living in an urban environment
3. Its scientific name, Corvus Splendens, means shining raven. It refers to the bird’s black and glossy plumage.

Bibliography:

House Crow. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2020, from http://animalia.bio/house-crow

Low, E. (n.d.). Olive-backed Sunbird. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1512_2009-04-27.html

White-collared Kingfisher. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2020, from https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/birds/white-collared-kingfisher/