Look, In the Sky, It's a Bird

Birding Paradise in Singapore

by Marta Ferrer Lubeck

The National Parks Board (NParks) website lists over 400 bird species in Singapore. The island is home to kingfishers, pittas, bulbuls, hornbills, owls, and many other birds. The list includes resident birds, migrants, and vagrants—birds that show up in a location outside their normal range. Birdwatchers, also known as birders, have reported common and uncommon bird sightings in most nature areas, including Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve, Botanic Gardens, Pasir Ris Park, and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

Collared Kingfisher at Pasir Ris Park

Birds as Small Celebrities

The migratory bird season runs from October to March, and Singapore is a favored stopover for birds traveling thousands of miles south from as far as Siberia. Some migratory birds can become local celebrities. Last November, an Oriental dwarf kingfisher was spotted in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. This bird is found in parts of India, China and Southeast Asia, but rarely in Singapore. This uncommon migrant raised huge interest, and a queuing system had to be set up to ensure safe distancing between photographers. To the dismay of all onlookers, the bird did not surface after one of its dives into a pond, leading many to believe it was swallowed by a large fish.

Birding Community

Dark-Sided Flycatcher at Dairy Farm Nature Park

Mervyn (Merv) Soon is a passionate birder. I met with him in Pasir Ris Park, one of his preferred nature areas, to ask about his interest in birding and about the birder community in Singapore. Merv was a landscape and architecture photographer previously and had a good understanding of photography. His interest in birds started about a year ago. Initially, he would take photos of birds and ask other birders to help identify them. “I learned as I went,” he explained, “and nowadays, I roughly know what bird I am seeing.” I asked him why there are so many birders in Singapore: “Last year, many migrant birds went off course and came to Singapore. This is rare, so many people were interested. Also, many people who started working from home during the pandemic picked up bird photography. Birders spend a lot of time taking photos. Most are hobbyists, and you also have retirees who become very interested.”

Crested Groshawk at Pasir Ris Park

During our walk around Pasir Ris Park, Merv stopped often to greet fellow birders. There is great camaraderie within the birding community, and people often share information on bird and other wildlife sightings. Based on a tip, we made our way to an area with scattered trees where we caught sight of a spotted wood owl enjoying a bird’s eye view of the park.

Spotted Wood Owl at Pasir Ris Park

Patti Lane has been paying attention to birds since she lived in Costa Rica 25 years ago. She calls Singapore a paradise for birding, with its easily accessible nature reserves and parks. As to why she likes birding, she notes: “I've always loved hiking and exploring wilderness areas and birding makes me feel even more connected to the natural world. The colors and patterns and variety are incredible, especially when you can observe them in detail through binoculars. It's like looking at a painting that stirs your emotions—tiny miracles of beauty.”

Blue-Winged Pitta at Lower Pierce Reservoir

Both Merv and Patti follow local bird groups on Facebook, Telegram, and other social media to find out about bird sightings. “Whenever I go hiking,” Patti adds, “I just look for birding photographers and start chatting. They're always friendly and excited to show their shots and point out and identify birds. It's a warm, welcoming community that's happy to share tips with birding newbies and newcomers to Singapore.”

Interested in Becoming a Birder?

NParks and non-profit organizations like Nature Society Singapore offer free online workshops to educate the public about Singapore’s birds and to raise awareness about the country’s biodiversity.

Marta moved to Singapore with her husband and two children in July 2020. She loves to explore Singapore with the AWA walking, hiking and photography groups.