 a publication of Sungei Buloh Nature Park |
|
||||
| Vol
4 No 1 Apr 97 Breeding Birds at Sungei Buloh BirdWatch 96 Luncheon Meet for Volunteers The Nesting Herons of Sungei Buloh Volunteering at the Park Activity Stations at Sungei Buloh |
 You
may miss the herons when they stand still among the tall grasses, or stealthily
on the trees. But once spotted, identifying the birds is an easy task. Herons
are birds of the wetlands with distinctive features. Generally large in
size, they are relatively easy to observe. They have long, pointed bills,
small heads, long snake-like necks and long legs and toes. Fifteen species
of birds classified under the heron family (Ardeidae) are recorded in the
Sungei Buloh Nature Park. Of the fifteen species, the Grey Heron and the
Purple Heron are breeding in the Park. One of the largest species of birds to occur in Singapore, the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) stands at about 92 centimetres high. Adult male birds are about 1.5 kilograms in weight. The female birds are slightly lighter. Wingspans for both males and females could reach up to two metres. They are mostly black, white and grey and have a conspicuous black eyestripe-cum-nuchal crest. The sexes are similar but the plumes of the female birds are shorter. With not more than 250 individual birds throughout Singapore, the Grey Heron is a vulnerable species here. It is found mainly along the northern coastline and has established a heronry in the Sungei Buloh Nature Park within the past two years. This is believed to be the only nesting site for the Grey Heron in Singapore.  The
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) is another heron species
known conclusively to breed in the Park. About 76 centimetres in length,
it is slightly smaller compared to the Grey Heron. The Purple Heron looks
darker than the Grey Heron, is more rufous (reddish-brown) than grey and
has a black line down the neck. The neck also has a prominent kink which
is absent in the Grey Heron. Both sexes are similar in plumage. In the Park, both the Grey and the Purple Heron can be seen in many of the brackish water ponds. Perhaps one of the best places in the Park to see the herons is from the visitor trail along route 2, near the Mangrove Arboretum. Here, visitors can spot the many herons' nests among the mangrove trees.  Early
in the nesting season, you would be able to watch the herons construct their
nests. The males source for and deliver the nest materials which are usually
sturdy sticks while the females do the actual building and construction
of the nest. Talk about a woman's touch! Look out for the nests which are bulky platforms of sticks perched on branches of the mangrove trees. If you are observant, you might even catch a glimpse of the three or four blue eggs in the nests. The period between the laying of eggs to the chicks leaving the nests is about three months for both the Grey and Purple Herons. Feeding of the young is done by both parents. The chicks beg for food by tugging at their parents' bill to stimulate regurgitation of the fish caught. The frenzy of activity at the heronry at the Mangrove Arboretum should continue until the end of June. Since February 1997, at least 60 individual nests of the, Grey and Purple Herons have been counted. So do gather your family and friends, grab your binoculars, telescopes and cameras and come and get a piece of the action before the breeding season ends. |
|||
|
© Sungei Buloh Nature Park |