Sunday, March 30, 2008

This Is Crazy Bird

I nicked named this bird, crazy bird because they are just so energetic when they are courting, making them impossible to photograph. That's how they got their nick name.
Several of them have taken up residence in my neighborhood and have been delighting us with wonderful bird song in the morning and dusk. I have been following these birds for some time now but with little success at photographing them. However, I scored some decent shots of a breeding pair this morning, they were happily singing and foraging for food in the park. But the pair were being harassed by mynahs. This is my crazy bird the magpie robin.The magpie robin was once widespread and common in Singapore but by the late 1970's, it became virtually extinct on Singapore and was only found on some offshore islands.
This was caused mainly by illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade, competition from mynahs and loss of their favoured habitats.
I am so happy that they are making a slow comeback through reintroduction efforts, although their status remains vulnerable. I just hope that the birds stay after their breeding season is over.

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