Saigon 2022-2023

Saigon Bird Surveys 2022 – 2023 Callyn Yorke

July 6 & 7, 2023 Sala Wetlands, District 2, Saigon (33 Species)

Weather: Overcast, 30C to 31C; wind NNE 2 kph.

Time: (7/6/23) 1012-1150 hrs.; (7/7/23) 0600-0815 hrs.

Area Covered: Two consecutive surveys: A late morning (7/6/23: 1012-1150 hrs.) and an early morning survey (7/7/2023: 0600-0815 hrs.). Sala Wetlands, mainly along Duong Chao Street – ENE, returning the same route. I walked slowly on and along the elevated, railed sidewalk, using a 10 x 40 binocular and Nikon D850 camera with a PF 500mm lens. The surveyed habitat was predominantly inundated Nypa Palm, coastal scrub, open, grassy and dense, vine-tangled second-growth with scattered ornamental and native trees.

When a species was found on only one of the two surveys, the date is indicated (m/d/yr). The highest count of individuals for each species is given.

Birds Noted

• Eastern Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis 15, vocal, greg., on utility wires and flushed from shade tree, ne.
• Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 12 vocal, greg. on ground in clearing and on utility wires.
• Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans 1 (m) in distant tree canopy (7/7/23).
• Germain’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani 80 (conserv. est.) loosely greg., flying 10 -100m agl over open areas.
• Crake Zapornia sp. ? 1 seen briefly as it ran across trashed out clearing in eucalyptus woodland, sw (7/6/23).
• Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger 1 (ad) flying ne (7/7/23).
• Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis 1 (imm) flying 20 n 20 m agl (7/7/23).
• Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 4 vocal, one sunning and another flushed from tall grass.
• Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis 1 vocal (unseen) trees at edge of grassy field, n (7/6/23).
• Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus 2 vocal (unseen) second-growth trees (7/7/23).
• Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis 2 (ad, imm) one flying low over marsh, another alighting in tall grass and second-growth clearing (7/7/23).
• Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus 2 (ad, imm) flying low over marshy clearing, n (7/7/23).
• Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis 1 (ad, imm) flying low over palms and clearing, ne.
• Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1 (imm) flying low to marshy edge of stream, ne (7/7/23).
• White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 2 vocal, individuals in trees at edges of clearings (7/7/23).
• Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris 2 on utility wires over clearings (7/7/23).
• Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis 10 (ad, imm) greg. individuals and pairs sallying to grassy field from utility wires, ne.
• Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus 2 vocal, one on tree stump at edge of clearing, ne.
• Laced Woodpecker Picus vittatus 2 vocal, one flying from second-growth field, across road to edge of woodland (7/6/23).
• Malaysian Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica 2 vocal (song), sallying and aerial hawking over dense, marshy second-growth (7/7/23).
• Eastern Jungle Crow Corvus levaillantii 1 flying n along river at 20 m agl (7/7/23).
• Racquet-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia 2 individuals in tall trees at edges of clearings (7/7/23).
• Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris 4 vocal (repeated song) one singing atop tall grasses (7/7/23: photo).

• Plain Prinia Prinia inornata 3 vocal, one singing from utility wire then moving to tall grass (photo).

• Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps 4 vocal, greg. pairs in tall grass and second-growth at woodland and roadside edge.
• Sunda Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus apalis 12 vocal, greg., ubiq.
• Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus conradi 2 in trees at edge of clearing, n.
• Common Iora Aegithina tiphia 1 vocal (repeated song) trees at edge of grassy second-growth field (7/6/23).
• Brown-throated Sunbird Anthreptes malacensis 2 (m,f) individuals foraging in tree foliage, sw, n.
• Copper-throated Sunbird Leptocoma calcostetha 1 (m) on second-growth tree, ne (7/7/23).
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus 20 (m,f) vocal, greg. on ground and flushed to trees, sidewalks and trashed out clearings in town.
• White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata 1 (possibly more unseen) flushed from tall grass, msf with SBMU, sw (7/6/23).
• Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura nisoria 16 (m,f) vocal, greg. several small flocks of 6-8 birds in tall grass and second-growth near roadway and sidewalk.

June 9, 2023 Sala Wetlands (24 Species)

Weather: Overcast with intermittent light rain; 27C, wind WNW 5-10 kph.

Time: 0618-0730 hrs.

Areas Covered: Sala Wetlands, mainly Duong Chao Street – east, returning the same route. I walked slowly on and along the elevated, railed sidewalk, using a 10×40 binocular and Nikon D850 camera with a Nikon PF 500mm lens. The surveyed habitat was predominantly inundated Nypa Palm, coastal scrub, open, grassy and dense, vine-tangled second-growth. Mature trees in the distance were also attractive to birds.

Birds Noted

• Eastern Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis 3 greg. on utility wire.
• Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 12 greg. on utility wires and roadside.
• Fruit Dove Treron sp. 3 in flight, southwest.
• Germain’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani 30 greg. flying 20-60 m agl over area.
• Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 1 vocal (unseen).
• Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus 1 repeatedly vocal in second-growth with trees near Sarica B apartments.
• Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus 1 flying low over open area.
• Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis 1 flying low over second-growth in open area.
• Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta 1 flying west, 40m agl.
• Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis 1 on utility wire over open area.
• White-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 1 flying low over open area.
• Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris 2 vocal on utility wires at edge of tall second-growth and open area.
• Laced Woodpecker Picus vittatus 2 (m,f) vocal, a pair flying to roadside tree on east end.
• Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea 1 flew to roadside trees, mid-level.
• Sunda Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica 3 individuals vocal in tangled low and medium-height second-growth.
• Racquet-tailed Treepie Cypsirina temia 4 vocal, greg. in trees at edge of clearings, e.
• Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus 2 a pair on roadside railing, e.
• Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris 1 vocal in tangled second-growth.
• Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps 3 vocal, active in low, weedy second-growth.
• Sunda Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus apalis 5 vocal, greg. flying and in trees throughout.
• Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus conradi 2 in trees at edge of tangled second-growth, nw.
• Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura nisoria 5 greg. vocal, staying low in weedy second-growth.
• Indian Sparrow Passer indicus 2 on sidewalk near Sarica B apts..
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus 10 (m,f) vocal, greg. gardens, trees and second-growth near Sarica B apts..

October 24, 2022 Sala Wetlands (43 Species)

Weather: Overcast to partly cloudy; 26C to 30C. Winds calm.

Time: 0550-1000 hrs.

Observers: Hai, Marc Choisy, Le Quy Minh and I

Areas Covered: 1) Sala Wetlands (SW): Mainly, Duong Chao Street – East; returning same route. We walked slowly on along the elevated, railed sidewalk of the road, with binoculars and digital cameras, surveying Nypa Palm- coastal scrub and open, grassy wetland (see previous survey accounts for additional area details). 2) Sarica B apartment building – rooftop and balcony of M & H’s place (SAR).

Birds Noted:

• Eastern Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis 6 vocal, often in pairs in trees, on street and on roadway railings, SW
• Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 7 vocal, greg. on utility wires; in flight, SW
• Orange-breasted Green Pigeon Treron bicinctus 6 (m,f) greg. atop distant tree in open field, SW
• Germain’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani 60 greg. flying over large, open area, @ 5-40 m agl, SW, SAR
• Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis 1 flying nw, @ 10 m agl over roadway, SW
• Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 4 vocal; an adult sunning with wings spread on top of tree, then flying low over field, SW (photo).

• Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis 1 vocal (unseen), SW
• Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis 2 vocal a pair fairly well concealed in a vine-covered tree near roadway, SW
• Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus 1 (m) initially on an exposed outer limb of a tree in an open field, then flew to a roadside utility pole; appeared attracted to QM’s imitative whistled notes, SW
• Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicolis 1 seen only by Hai at edge of east channel ,SW
• Javan Pond Heron Ardeola speciosa 4 (ad) individuals flying low over marsh areas, SW
• Gray Heron Ardea cinerea 1 flying @ 20 m agl over wetland, SW
• Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 1 flying @ 20 m agl over wetland, SW
• Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta 2 individuals flying @ 25-35m agl over wetland, SW
• Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia 3 greg. flying @ 25 m agl over wetland, SW
• White-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 2 vocal, individuals perched on exposed limbs and utility wires, SW
• Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris 2 greg. a pair perched in a leafless tree at edge of open area, SW
• Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus 1 vocal (QM) , roadside trees, SW
• Laced Woodpecker Picus vittatus 2 vocal, mostly staying in dense cover with deciduous trees, SW
• Eastern Black-naped Oriole Oriolus diffusus 1 flying 15 m agl over wetland, SW
• Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus 1 seen and photographed by Marc Choisy, SW
• Sunda Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica 4 vocal, individuals very actively insect- gleaning from foliage at lower to mid and upper level of deciduous trees, SW
• Chinese White-faced Drongo Dicrurus innexus 1 associated with SODR in trees about 30 m from roadway, SW (photo).

• Sooty Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus 2 in trees about 30m from roadway
• Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus 1 imm perched for several minutes about 1m agl in front of dense shrubs at the edge of an open area, SW
• Northern Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus 1 vocal (unseen), SW
• Racquet-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia 2 individuals flying 5-10 m agl over wetland, SW
• Eastern Jungle Crow Corvus levaillantii 2 repeatedly vocal (unseen), SW
• Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius 2 vocal (unseen) dense undergrowth, SW
• Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps 1 vocal – briefly (unseen) dense undergrowth at edge of open area, SW
• Oriental Reed-warbler Acrocephalus orientalis 1 vocal (QM) – (unseen) dense, grassy area, roadside, SW
• Black-browed Reed-warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps ? 1-2 vocal (QM) -repeated calls- and movement, remaining largely concealed in dense, tall grass, roadside, SW
• Sunda Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus apalis 16 vocal, greg. pairs in trees and tall shrubs, SW
• Phylloscopus sp. loosely associated with a Pied Fantail, both sp. foraging quickly in foliage of deciduous tree canopy at edge of clearing, SW
• Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica 2 individuals sallying from mid-level of trees at edges of clearings, SW (photo).

• Brown-throated Sunbird Anthreptes malacensis 2 (m,f) foraging in interior and around the outside foliage of a tree at the edge of clearing, SW
• Copper-throated Sunbird Leptocoma caliostetha 3 (m,f) in deciduous tree at edge of clearing; flowering tree in roof-top garden, SW, SAR
• Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus 1 (m) seen briefly on lower limb of flowering tree in roof-top garden, SAR
• Olive-backed (Ornate) Sunbird Cinnyris ornatus 2-3 an adult male apparently feeding an imm. vocalizing repeatedly (begging calls) in roof-top garden, SAR

• White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata 4 greg. a tight flock flying @ 5m agl over roadway, SW
• Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura nisoria 8 greg. in tall grass near roadway, SW
• White-headed Munia Lonchura maja 5 greg. a trio flying @ 5m agl over tall grass; a pair attempting to build a nest (possibly a returning pair) in a potted palm on the apartment balcony, SAR
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus 8 (m,f) greg, in small tree near roadway, SW

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July-August, 2022 Saigon: Including Zoo-Botanical Gardens and Sala Wetlands

(Scroll down for Annotated Bird List)

Introduction

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with a current population of nearly nine-million, is divided into twenty-four districts. The sprawling city contains numerous small parks and green spaces with mature trees and gardens, where birds may be found. Included in this report are three birding locations, two in District 1 (Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens; Independence Palace & Park) and one in District 2 (Sala Wetlands). Of the three locations, the two with the highest diversity of bird species were the Sala Wetlands (four surveys: 46 species) and Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens (one survey: 14 species). All three locations are also covered online by eBird (Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, USA).

Generally, birding in Saigon was best from sunrise to around 9 am (the zoo usually opens at 7 am; Independence Palace & Park at 8 am). Weekends, holidays and special events probably should be avoided. Residing in District 1 is a good choice for visiting birders, since the three locations described below are all within a five to ten-minute taxi or motorbike ride; most drivers know these places and catching a lift back to the hotel after a birding session was fairly easy.

Survey Area Descriptions; Materials and Methods

Independence (Reunification) Palace & Park (IP): July 26, 2022. Time: 0709-0755 hrs.; 0800-0845 hrs. Weather: partly cloudy, 30 C, winds calm; Observers: Da Thao and I; Area Covered: We walked the paved perimeter of the walled & fenced palace park, prior to its opening at 8 am. Just inside the main entrance, a Red-billed Blue Magpie was on the ground beneath a large tree. I photographed it through the iron bars; the bird soon retreated into the trees and was not seen again. When allowed inside, we walked a clockwise route through the park visually surveying most of the 25-hectare property with binoculars. We stopped occasionally to listen and watch for birds in mature, predominantly broad-leaf evergreen trees, forming a shady, closed-canopy over at least half of the park; almost no understory vegetation exists on the property. Birdlife was sparse throughout.

A guard stopped us to inspect our tickets and, speaking Vietnamese with Da Thao, he had noticed that we were interested in the quieter sections of the property i.e., those areas seldom visited by the busloads of tourists arriving here daily. A few minutes later in the north section of the park, a maintenance worker ambushed us in a crossfire of automatic sprinklers, forcing a hasty retreat to a paved pathway. That area just happened to be where one of the very few birds of interest was found, a pair of Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush (photo – see Annotated Bird List).

Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens (SBZ):

July 24, 2022. Time: 0730-0943 hrs. Weather: Partly cloudy, 26C to 32 C, winds calm; Observers: Da Thao and I. At “Heron Island,” we briefly met two other birders, Marc Choisy and Thomas Mourez, both Frenchmen living and working in Saigon. Area Covered: Da Thao and I walked a meandering route, mainly on paved pathways through the botanical gardens and zoo, visually covering most of the park’s 20 hectares with binoculars. The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, opened to the public in 1869, contains hundreds of mature, native tree species, that are perhaps among the oldest and largest specimens remaining in Vietnam, if not all of Southeast Asia. The lofty canopies of these magnificent trees attract a variety of frugivorous and insectivorous birds year-round, though winter (November-February) is probably the season with the highest diversity of bird species. Some of the birds found in the park, e.g. bulbuls, white-eyes, laughingthrushes, though native to the region, are doubtless escapees or their descendants (sadly, millions of songbirds are caged in Saigon). Unless there were obvious signs of a bird being in captivity, e.g. excessively worn plumage, it was impossible to be certain of their provenance. Our surveys counted only the free-flying birds in the park, some of which were also kept in the zoo aviaries, e.g. Lesser Adjutant.

Sala Wetlands (SAW):

July 25, 2022. Time: 0720-0900 hrs. Area Covered: Sarica B Apartment rooftop with ornamental flowering shrubs and trees; Weather (summarized for all four Sala surveys): Partly cloudy to mostly sunny, 26C to 32 C; winds calm to light from the NW; Observers: Marc Choisy, Hai, Thomas Mourez, Da Thao and I.

August 18, 2022. Time: 0515-0845 hrs. Area Covered: mainly the northeast section of Duong Chau street. Observers: Marc Choisy and I.

August 19 & 20. Time: 0530-0845 hrs. Area Covered: I walked slowly from the street in front of the Sarica apartment complex, northeast through a roadside parkland strip to a large pond, returning, then south on Nguyen Co Thach Rd. and east-northeast about 1 km, returning, then west 1km on Duong Chau street, returning the same route. This bridged roadway, northeast and west of Nguyen Co Thach Rd., is elevated 2m above the wetland, and with raised, guard-railed sidewalks on the sides, provides excellent viewing for bird surveys. Both northeast and west segments of Duong Chau street transect essentially the same habitat types but in different configurations.

Note: Duong Chau street east had a makeshift, waist-high barricade near the intersection of Nguyen Co Thach Rd., easily negotiated by Olympic medalists in the high hurdles, though somewhat less skillfully by those with binoculars and cameras. Except for a major marathon event on 8/20, public access on this route was supposedly restricted. However, we were never bothered by law enforcement authorities while birding there. The roadway continues to a northeastern T- junction at an abandoned construction site. An actively guarded barrier was on a paved cross street, about 200m southwest of this intersection, blocking the roadway-loop connection to the Sarica Apartments. Duong Chau street west, by contrast, was lightly barricaded and open at each end to bicycle, motorbike, jogging and pedestrian traffic.

Marc Choisy has calculated, using a Google Maps, that the northeastern Duong Chau street survey area includes about 50-hectares of visual coverage; western Duong Chau street (i.e., west of Nguyen Co Thach Rd.), about 63-hectares of visual coverage. On 8/20, I continued west on Duong Chau, then turning south and west on connecting streets, the last segment with a bridge overlooking a shipping channel on the Saigon River. This route added about forty more hectares to my final survey of the Sala Wetlands.

The Sala Wetlands (eBird, Sala Township) is a 267-hectare, largely natural, undeveloped area, paralleling the north bank of the meandering Saigon River. The area contains a blend of freshwater, tidal, brackish, and slow-moving water, i.e. tidal marsh, swamp, ponds, channels and rivulets. Vegetation consists predominantly of dense stands of water coconut palm (Nypa fruticans), a mosaic of open, marshy fields, with native and exotic grasses, herbs, ornamental flowering shrubs and trees, e.g Sonneratia casiolaris, Pterospermum spp..

The Sala Wetland area is an important wildlife refuge which provides adequate cover and food resources for many kinds of birds and other wildlife, amidst an increasingly urban setting. Marc Choisy, a Biologist living in Saigon, has identified more than one-hundred species of bird in the area; several of which have limited distributions in Vietnam, e.g. Black Bittern, Ashy Tailorbird, Copper-throated Sunbird and Asian Golden Weaver.

At the landward, north-central margin of the wetlands, are relatively new, multilevel residential and commercial buildings (Sala Community). Upper levels of the tallest buildings, have commanding views of the wetlands and river, e.g. from the Sarica B apartments. Marc Choisy and his companion, Hai, showed us the rooftop area of that building one morning (7/25/22), supporting boxed plantings of ornamental flowering trees on an artificial turf substrate. This ‘garden in the sky‘ attracted birds such as, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Copper-throated Sunbird and Olive-backed Sunbird. From the roof top vantage point, using a binocular, larger birds in the wetlands below, and those flying over the area, could be identified.

I used a 10 x 42 Zeiss binocular and Nikon D850 with Nikon 200-500mm or 70-200mm lens. Thao used a 8 x 42 Zeiss binocular. I entered field notes in a pocket notebook and subsequently rewrote them in a permanent loose-leaf, 23 x 13 cm notebook. If species identifications in the field were in question, digital images were later examined on a computer monitor for clarification. Some brief and/or unclear observations of birds remained specifically unassigned and are indicated with a ‘?’ in the annotated list.

Annotated Bird List – Saigon, Vietnam July, August, 2022 Callyn Yorke

Abundance: Numbers following each species entry are the maximum count for a single survey, when multiple surveys of an area were made (i.e., four surveys of the Sala Wetlands, including Sarica Apt. rooftop). Age, sex and molt (when known): ad = adult; imm = immature; m = male; f = female; bsc plmg = basic (non-breeding plumage; alt plmg = alternate (breeding) plumage. Frequency: C = Common, i.e. found during all or more than half of the surveys; UC = found on fewer than half of the surveys; R = found only once. Note: some localities were surveyed only once, i.e. IP and SBZ. Localities: Independence Palace and Park (IP); Saigon Botanical Gardens and Zoo (SBZ); Sala Wetlands, including Sarica Apt. rooftop (SAW); see above Introduction for further location details; ubiquitous in the appropriate habitat (ubiq). Ecology and Behavior: aerial insect hawking (ah); taking fruit, berries or parts of flowers (fr); gleaning insects from foliage (ig); estimated height (m) above ground (agl); gregarious (greg).

Systematics and Nomenclature used herein is an amalgam from Handbook of Birds of the World, Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, and current (2022) online resources, i.e. Birds of the World, Cornell University, USA.

• Ruddy Shellduck Tadorna ferruginea 6 small island moat, SBZ
• Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha 6 SBZ; 6 SAW
• Feral Rock Pigeon Columba livia 5 IP
• Eastern Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis 6, often paired, C, SBZ, 1 IP, 6 SAW
• Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 12 vocal, greg., C, SAW
• Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans 5 greg. in tree canopies, C, SAW
• Germain’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani 30 (conserv. est.) loosely gregarious, flying 10-80 m agl C, SAW
• Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis 4 loosely greg. flying 10-30 m agl, UC, SAW
• Asian House Swift Apus nipalensis 2, UC, SAW; 3 SBZ
• Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 3 vocal, C, SAW
• Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis ? 1 seen briefly at edge of second-growth edge of woods, appeared significantly smaller than C. sinensis, R, northeast SAW
• Western Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus 1 repeatedly vocal (unseen), R, east SAW
• Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus 2 in flight and sunning in tall shrubs near roadway, UC, west SAW
• Ruddy-breasted Crake Zapornia fusca 3 vocal, greg. (pairs) shy, mostly concealed, walking in swampy areas at edge of palm forest, C, SAW
• Indochinese Swamphen Porphyrio viridis 4 greg. pair showing courtship behavior, island shores, SBZ (photo).

• Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus 1 on large island (‘Heron Island’), SBZ
• Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala 6 greg. foraging in shallows and on large island, SBZ (photo).

• Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus 4 greg. (pairs) on ‘Heron Island,’ SBZ (photo).

• Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis 3 flying low over open marsh; alighting near CIBI in tall grass (resource partitioning remains unstudied in these two sympatric species), UC, SAW
• Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus 5 individuals flying low over open marsh, alighting in tall grass near YEBI, C, SAW
• Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis individuals flying 2-10m over marsh and palms, UC, SAW
• Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax 25 a nesting colony in a deciduous tree at the edge of the large island (hence the coined name, ‘Heron Island’), SBZ; 3 regularly flying w, 20 m agl over wetlands at dawn; unseen thereafter in the survey area, C, SAW
• Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia 5 greg. in flight, (8/20), ne SAW
• Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger 25 greg. in flight, (8/20), ne SAW; 3, greg. perched in trees on small island, SBZ
• Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster 1 in tree on small island, SBZ
• Shikra Accipiter badius 1 imm. in flight, low over open area, R, ne SAW
• Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis 5 individuals, loosely greg. on utility cables and wires, sallying to ground in open areas, C, SAW

• Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 1 flying low over channel in palm forest, C, w SAW
• Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris 2 flying low over palm forest and across open areas, C, SAW
• Smyrna Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 1 vocal, flying low across open marsh, UC, SAW
• Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus 4 greg. all in a roadside tree, (8/20) w SAW; 2 25 m agl in canopy of a mature fruiting tree, SBZ
• Laced Woodpecker Picus vittatus 2 (m,f) vocal, flying and perched in trees at edge of open areas, C, SAW
• Common Iora Aegithina tiphia 2 vocal, active in canopies of trees at edge of open areas, UC, SAW
• Sunda Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica 6 vocal, individuals and pairs active low in shrubs and trees at edge of open areas, C, SAW
• Racquet-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia 3 vocal, greg. in trees at edge of open areas, C, SAW
• Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythroryncha 1 imm (trans. pre bsc. – molting flight feathers), walking on ground and exposed roots at the base of large tree, inside main entrance, IP (photo).

• Eastern Jungle Crow Corvus levaillantii 1 in flight north over wetlands, R, SAW
• Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus 1-2, vocal in ornamental, roadside tree, (8/20) w SAW
• Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris 8 vocal, active in tall grass and shrubs at edge of clearings, C, SAW (photo).

• Plain Prinia Prinia inornata 6 vocal, individuals and pairs active in tall grass and shrubs at edge of clearings, C, SAW (photo).

• Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis 4 SBZ (photo); 1 vocal (unseen), UC, n-central SAW

• Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps 3 individuals and pairs active in shrubs and trees at edge of clearings, C, SAW
• Eurasian Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 6 loosely gregarious, 10-20 m agl over wetlands, UC, SAW
• Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus 1 in tree at edge of open area, R, SAW
• Sunda Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus apalis 25 vocal, greg. in trees, C, SAW; 3 IP
• Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus conradi 4 vocal, greg., in trees, UC, SAW; 6 SBZ; 2 IP
• Oriental White-eyes Zosterops palpebrosus 2 (m,f) a pair visiting ornamental, roof-top trees, (8/25) SAW
• Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax monileger 2 a pair, active in canopy of mature broad-leaved trees, n IP (photo)

• Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 5 greg. on ground near entrance, IP
• Copper-throated Sunbird Leptocoma calcostetha 2 (m,f) visiting ornamental, flowering trees on rooftop (25 July), SAW (photos). Note: In a previous report for Phu Quoc Island, South Vietnam (12 June, 2018), there is an incorrect identification of a Maroon-bellied (Van Hasselt’s) Sunbird, given as Copper-throated Sunbird.

• Ornate (Olive-backed) Sunbird Cinnyris ornatus 2 (m,f) visiting ornamental trees, C, SAW
• Asian Golden Weaver Ploceus hypoxanthus 1 (m) atop tall tree near edge of open area, R, w SAW
• Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar 2 bsc. plmg., in tall grass, shrubs and road railing, often associated with EUTS at edge of clearings, C, w SAW (photo).

• Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura nisoria 8 (ad., imm) greg., vocal, foraging on seeds in tall grass throughout, C, SAW
• White-headed Munia Lonchura maja 5 greg. foraging on seeds in tall grass at edge of roadway, UC, SAW
• Indian (House) Sparrow Passer domesticus 6 (m,f) greg. less numerous and associated with EUTS (spatial resource partitioning?), on ground in clearings and in short grass, C, SAW
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus 30 (m,f) greg. on ground, pavement, short grass and edges of clearings, C, SAW; 30 SBZ; 6, IP
• White-wagtail Motacilla alba 1 seen briefly from rooftop, while in flight over n parkland and pond, (25 July), SAW

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