Does Singapore have a National Bird?

Singapore turned 57 on 9 August 2022! To celebrate, I rounded up a list of some of my favourite Singapore birds, and their respective fun facts.

While Singapore doesn't have an official National Bird (unlike the Kiwi, for the Kiwis), we do have some top contenders. Which one is your favourite?

The Most Patriotic: Crimson Sunbird

The Crimson Sunbird may be tiny, but with his brilliant red upper torso and loud birdcalls, he is hard to miss! This little guy (barely the size of your thumb) was voted the National Bird of Singapore at the 6th Asian Bird Fair in 2015, due to their brilliant red plumage. (Good for him that Singapore doesn’t have a red and white bird with stars, huh?)

The one pictured here is a male, as females are sadly too drab and brown to be featured front-and-centre of an e-newsletter. But if you’re keen, you can spot them flitting about in search of their breakfast among tiny flowers, such as bougainvilleas, in the mornings!

The Most Beloved: Oriental Pied Hornbill

Some Singaporeans might know Singapore’s success story of the Oriental Pied Hornbill. But in case you need a refresher, here it is: Around the 2000s, the local OPH population had sadly declined to the point of local extinction. NParks began setting up man-made nest boxes set up by NParks to assist the OPHs to breed, as well as to study their behaviour - and it was a huge success. These days, you won’t be surprised to see the huge black-and-white hornbills soaring across the skies in Pasir Ris Park, Sentosa, and more! They also tend to travel in huge groups, so if you spot one, keep an eye out for the others!

A fun fact: OPHs are quite strange in their nesting habits, because the female bird is sealed into a tree trunk during the incubation of the eggs, with only a small slit left open in the tree trunk. The male OPH has to bring food to his family, and deliver the food to them through that slit. It can be comical to see the huge bird finesse his beak through the slit!

The Most (In)famous: Common Koel (male)

Ever been rudely awakened by the ‘koo-oh! koo-oh!’ calls of the Common Koel? That’s actually how they got their name - through onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeia is the process of creating a word that phonetically resembles the sound that it describes. Another onomatopoeic bird name is the Cuckoo!

But anyway, don’t be too harsh on the Common Koel - he’s just looking for love! The black male with the red irises are the ones that call ‘koo-oh! koo-oh!’ while the dapplied female makes more of a high-pitched, frenzied bubbling series of shrieks. Charming!

I’m still waiting for a local singer-songwriter to sample these birdcalls for their EPs…

The Most Unique: Straw-headed Bulbul

The first time I ever saw one of these birds, my friend joked that they looked like ex US President Trump (gag). Forgive them for the unfortunate resemblance!

But I’d wager you guys have not really heard of, nor seen, the Straw-headed Bulbul. These guys have such an interesting story! They are considered Critically Endangered as they are hunted and trapped extensively for the illegal bird trade. (It’s got nothing to do with their looks; and everything to do with their melodious tune.)

But thanks to Singapore’s constant vigilance against poaching, together with habitat enhancement efforts, the local SHB populating is flourishing! Singapore is now considered a global stronghold for this highly threatened songbird.

The Most Baller: White-bellied Sea Eagle

Got $10,000 to spare? You can buy a sheet of Singapore’s highest denomination note - and on it, you’ll get a gorgeous drawing of the White-bellied Sea Eagle! Like their name suggests, they are sea eagles who mostly survive off a diet of fish. Spot them diving for prey at Sungei Buloh Wetlands!

The WBSE is a majestic bird and, with a wing span of about 2m, is Singapore’s largest bird of prey. (The world’s longest wingspan belongs to the Wandering Albatross at 3.65m, or if you’re a basketball fan, to NBA player Manute Bol at 2.6m!)

Anyway, if you’re too broke, you can buy a piece of the SBWR for much, much cheaper. In a series of postage stamps released on 10 March 1963 showcasing Malayan birds and orchids, the eagle was featured on the $5 stamp, which was the highest denomination in the series. That’s a little more palatable, huh!

Thanks for reading till the end! I hope you learnt some cool things about Singapore’s birds today! :)