Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)

During my recent birding trips i saw quite a number of Collared Kingfishers (Todiramphus chloris). This kingfisher is said to be closely associated with tidal habitats such as mangroves and mudflats. However they do also occur around coastal regions, large rivers and at times inland plantations.

Most guide books have listed this bird as one species i.e Halcyon chloris. Robson (2007) has however divided this kingfisher to a number of subspecies. Here are the subspecies described:
i) Todiramphus chloris - armstrongi (description: blue above with turquoise wash, whitish collar etc).
ii) Todiramphus chloris - humii (description: bluer above).
iii) Todiramphus chloris - davisoni (description: smaller, blackish-green head-sides).

Robson (2007) further explained that T.c armstrongi is wide spread while T.c humii can be found from Myanmar, South Thailand southwards and T.c davisoni is from Coco Island.  I will show some photos of the various collared kingfishers here and let you decide which region they are originated:

The top photos could be from the armstrongi subspecies. The photos were taken at Kampung Nelayan, Tanjung Dawai, Kedah - Feb 2012.

This could be from the humii subspecies. The photos were taken at a mangrove area in Merbok Forest Reserve, Kedah - Feb 2012.

Could this be from the davisoni subspecies? Photos were taken from Teluk Air Tawar IBA - Jan 2012. A much better photo of this subspecies can be viewed at http://www.birdway.com.au/.

The tinge of brownish on its sides may suggest that it could be a juvenile. Image was taken at Air Itam Dalam in December 2014.

HAPPY BIRDING !!

Common Household and Garden Birds

Over here in West Peninsular Malaysia we do have a variety of beautiful common birds. Depending on where you stay, some birds can be uncommonly common while some you will see and hear them almost everyday. The nice thing about these household and garden birds is that they allow us to approach them closer for photography.

The top photos show a Black-Naped Oriole. They can finish a ripe papaya like this one within half a day.

This is another common bird - a Yellow-Vented Bulbul. Also a papaya ripper.

Some books called this bird an "Edible Nest Swiftlet". I would just call it a "Common Swift". One of its diagnostic field features are that its primaries are longer than its secondaries feathers and has a buffish brown body.

This is a Pied Fantail which can be very friendly to you as well as your "friendly" cats and dogs.

This is a very common bird - a Eurasian Tree Sparrow (adult).

This picture was taken in January 2013



A Peaceful Dove walking along the road side.

The juvenile Peaceful Dove can be seen here (left bird)

Another common bird - a Philippine Glossy Starling with its glossy greenish sheen not so conspicious here due to lighting condition.

Here is another commmon bird - a House Crow or Raven as most Brits would be fond of calling them. An alert bird which would not hesitate to fly away even if you point a broom stick at their direction.

At times you can find this bird in your garden - a Common Tailor Bird

Looks like he has managed to grab a bottlefly by its legs.

If you are staying around Klang Valley, you will most likely to meet a Javan Myna like this one.

Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)

A Rock Dove. Now one could find a variety of colors due to its "inter-clan" marriages.

At times this bird may also drop by at your garden - a Coppersmith Barbet.

This is a Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater. At the peak of their migrating season, they can be found everywhere.

If you have trees in your garden you will most likely to encounter this bird - a Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker.

This is a very common and friendly Oriental Magpie Robin.

This is the most common sunbird you can find in your garden - an "Olive-Backed Sunbird". This one is a male.

Plain Throated Sunbird

Formerly known as Brown-Throated Sunbird, this sunbird is also common in the gardens and parks. 

This is a bird way of saying thank you for visiting this site.

Birding at FRIM, Kepong - Feb 2012

Frim, Kepong is a well managed forestry area with a variety of nice looking birds to see . It is located not too far away from KL city and has a pond area which is frequently visited by star birds. I was already at the pond area by 7.30am. Making my way there i stumbled and startled a snoozing wild boar - yup it was fat and whithish grey in colour.

A Blue-Winged Leafbird (Male) - the first bird seen.

This is a Crow-Billed Drongo and not an ashy drongo as verified by Yang Chong. Here is what he has to say: "a 1st winter Crow-billed Drongo because of heavy bill, up-turned tail tips and spotting on underparts and of course habitat. Ashy Drongo prefers somewhat more open country and secondary brush, usually away from forest: mangroves, mangrove edge, plantations and village gardens are prefered habitats. Incidentally, the Crow-billed is a migrant and will not be found after May, returning only in Aug/Sept. Only first winter birds show the white spotting, the older birds are all black so you would need to look for the forked up-turned tail tips and the heavier, crow-like shaped billed. Juvs. of Black Drongos etc.. will all have white spotting on the vents and sometimes breasts"

Hawking for insects nearby was this Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo.

Finally i managed to get a photo of this illusive resident of the pond area - a White Breasted Waterhen.

A Large-Billed Crow? was seen flying across shortly.

(note: after further review and having spoken to some experts, this crow looks more like a Slender-Billed Crow)

Followed by these two "twins" - same flight pattern as well as bleached wing shoulders.

I sneaked up below this White Throated Kingfisher after it called.

Than this Blue-Eared Kingfisher appeared out of no where.

This is a flycatcher alright but not sure which type it belongs to?

These are juveniles Banded Bay Cuckoo. Saw two of them.

This must be one of its parents.

This is a Common Iora. After seeing this bird i left the pond site and went into the jungle trails. 

Saw at least 3 of this Crested Serpent Eagle.

This is a resident Giant Black Squirrel doing some acrobatic maneuvers between the twigs to get to a ripe fig. The last time i saw him was with the SBBG bird outing a few years back. So it looks like he is doing well here.

The first bird i saw in the jungle trail was this Grey-Bellied Bulbul.

The next was these Stripped-Throated Bulbuls.

This is a Javan Myna perched on top of a roof.

I also saw a Red-Eyed Bulbul.

This is a Brown Barbet which came down to eye level.

In one of David Wells book, it was said that if its bill is redish pink, it means that it is either a female or a juvenile. So could this bird be a juvenile/female as its bill is slightly brownish?

Saw this Pin-stripped Tit Babbler trying to rip apart a stick insect.

This is a Dark-Necked Tailor Bird.

On the way back i stopped by at the pond area again hoping to see whether i miss out any birds. Nope i only saw this Common Tailor bird.

...and this common tortoise basking in the hot sun.

Overall this place was not too bad for a half-day birding trip.