Sunda Woodpecker (Yungipicus moluccensis)

OTHER NAMES: Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker
Latin Etymology: Yungipicus ("wryneck woodpecker") moluccensis ("of the Maluku Islands")

Adult female Sunda Woodpecker (subspecies Y. m. moluccensis) at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore - February 2017

Featured Subspecies: Yungipicus moluccensis moluccensis
Weight: 15-18g  /  Length: 11.5-12.5cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Sunda Woodpecker is a tiny species found primarily in Indonesia and Malaysia.  It is one of the more common woodpecker species in Singapore, which contrains many of it's preferred habitats such as tropical forest and mangrove.  This particular female was seem at the Gardens by the bay, flying in unexpectedly to start picking at a bare tree trunk.

Related Species:
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Dendrocopos or Yungipicus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A fairly common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: A single bird at Gardens by the Bay

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Malaysian Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica)

OTHER NAMES: Sunda Pied Fantail
Latin Etymology: Rhipidura ("fanned tail") javanica ("of Java")

Adult Malaysian Pied Fantail (subspecies R. j. longicauda) at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Rhipidura javanica longicauda
Weight: 14-19g  /  Length: 18cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The fantails are a group of passerines distinct to Southern Asia and Australasia, which, much as the name suggests have a wide fanned tail.  I saw several of these birds around the Gardens by the Bay in  Singapore, and the overall impression was a species half way between a Pied Wagtail and a Pied Flycatcher, both visually and in terms of the way they moved, flicking back to similar spots in exagerated movements.  Thanks to Meg for spotting the first one of these for me!

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Rhipiduridae
Genus: Rhipidura
SUBSPECIES: R. j. javanica, R. j. laungicauda

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A locally common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Gardens by the Bay

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Oriental Honey Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus)

OTHER NAMES: Crested Honey Buzzard
Latin Etymology: Pernis (a hawk mentioned by Aristotle) ptilorhynchus ("feather bill") 

Juvenile dark morph Oriental Honey Buzzard (unknown subspecies) at Bishan Park, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Unknown, migrant ranges overlap in Singapore; probably orientalis
Weight: 750g-1.5kg  /  Length: 52-68cm  /  Wingspan: 150-170cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While it's European counterpart has long eluded me, the Oriental Honey Buzzard has turned out a little easier to catch up with, 3 birds in quick succession passed over me unexpectedly in a park in Singapore, with a 4th bird later perching up briefly when we visited the Gardens by the Bay.  The Honey Buzzard complex are specialist feeders on wasp larvae, although they will take other prey.  They are also notable for having plumage that mimicks stronger, more, aggressive raptors, which acts as a deterent from being attacked.  Despite the alternate name of Crested Honey Buzzard, half the subspecies of this bird don't actually have crests.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Pernis
SUBSPECIES: P. p. orientalis, P. p. ruficollis, P. p. torquatus, P. p. ptilorhynchus, P. p. palawanensis, P. p. philippensis

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A reasonably common passage migrant and Winter visitor

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Three over Bishan Park and one over Gardens by the Bay

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutoris)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Orthotomus ("straight piece") sutoris ("fasten together")

Adult Common Tailorbird (subspecies O. s. maculicollis) at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Orthotomus sutoris maculicollis
Weight: 6-10g  /  Length: 12cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small active bird, I first encountered this species not far from where I got off the taxi at Genting Highlands, but spent longer that I would have ideally liked to trying to photograph them.  I'd encountered a small flock which unfortunately didn't want to sit still long enough for me to photograph them, and took a number of attempts for me to get something identifiable. The individuals I saw appeared to be young birds - the adults gain a distinctive rust coloured cap and a long tail as they mature.

Related Species:
ORDER: Passeriformes
FAMILY: Cisticolidae
GENUS: Orthotomus
SUBSPECIES: O.s. guzuratus, O. s. patia, O. s. luteus, O. s. fernandonis, O. s. inexpectatus, O. s. longicauda, O. s. maculicollis, O. s. edela

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - Perenjak Pisang ("Banana Warbler")

A fairly common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: A small group seen in Genting Highlands

SINGAPORE - A common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Seen around Ang Mo Kio and Gardens by the Bay

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Acraea ("high latitude") terpsicore ("dance")

Adult Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore) at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 5-6.4cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

While it can sometimes be depressing to realise to what extend the natural world is diminishing, it can be easy to forget that some species are actually expanding their range, and not in the sense of being introduced by humans.  The Tawny Coster is one such species; an insect that is resident to India and Sri Lanka, it has slowly expanded it's range round the coast for the past 30 years, arriving in Malaysia in 1992 and finally in Singapore in 2006 where it is now established.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Nymphalidae 
Genus: Acraea
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A locally common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: One at Gardens by the Bay

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Changeable Lizard (Calotes versicolor)

OTHER NAMES: Variable Agama, Oriental Garden Lizard, Bloodsucker
Latin Etymology: Calotes (?) versicolor ("variable colours")

Adult female Changeable Lizard (subspecies C. v. versicolor) at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Calotes versicolor versicolor
Weight: ?  /  Length: 37cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

Agamas are an Old-World relation of the iguanas, but generally much smaller.  They are a much more "upright" lizard than all previous species I've encountered; on the one hand this means they are less adept at climbing flat surfaces than geckoes and wall lizards, but allows for faster running and improved climbing on bushes and trees.  In Singapore, they are an introduced species that has displaced other local lizards. The alternate name of "bloodsucker" comes from the fact that in breeding season, the males gain a bright red underside gives a look as if they had been feeding on blood.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Calotes
SUBSPECIES: C. v. farooqi, C. v. versicolor

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A common resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several seen at Gardens by the Bay

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .