As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Migratory duck makes rare visit to Singapore


FEB 5, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT

A rare visitor has flown into Singapore's Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, sparking a flurry of excitement among nature lovers here.

A male northern pintail, a breed of duck, was seen feeding among a group of egrets in the reserve at about 7pm on Wednesday.

The last time this species of bird was sighted here was in 1992 in Senoko South. This is the first time that the species has been seen in the wetland reserve, said the National Parks Board (NParks).

Mr Wong Tuan Wah, director of conservation at NParks, said the migratory bird is a "very rare visitor" to Singapore.

"We are excited that the northern pintail has decided to stop over at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve - particularly in the week of World Wetlands Day. This shows that the wetland reserve is a significant stopover point for migratory birds."

According to conservation group BirdLife International, the bird is native to countries such as Britain and Switzerland. The omnivorous creature feeds on algae and amphibians, among other things.

Its sighting comes as the avian migratory season is about to end.

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