Bird ringing has been conducted at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) since 1990. This article gives an overview of some of the results of the bird ringing effort at Sungei Buloh over the past year. In 2003, a total of 535 birds from 64 species were ringed. The ringing field work was carried out on scheduled days and nights throughout the year. A summary of the number of birds ringed in 2003 (and the previous three years) is provided in Table 1. The most commonly ringed bird species were (numbers ringed in brackets): Pacific Golden Plover (87), Yellow-vented Bulbul (52), Marsh Sandpiper (46), Javan Munia (35), Collared Kingfisher (26) and Plain-throated Sunbird (26). Compared to ringing results in 2002, the number of birds ringed has decreased slightly from 595 to 535. The decrease may be attributed to fewer productive hours of mist netting. Consequently, the absolute number of birds ringed especially shorebirds have decreased. In particular, no Curlew Sandpipers were ringed while numbers of Common Redshank ringed continue to trend sharply downwards. Regular bird counts in SBWR have revealed no significant changes in shorebird numbers apart from the apparent avoidance of the wetland by most of the Mongolian Plovers in the area and the general absence of Curlew Sandpipers over the past year. The results of the regular shorebird counts carried out in SBWR do not suggest cause for alarm. Nevertheless, SBWR has commenced several habitat management measures to increase the attractiveness of the wetland’s mudflats to the Curlew Sandpiper and Mongolian Plover. The ringing and shorebird counting efforts over the next few years will help to determine if these measures are effective and whether the trends currently noted with regards to the shorebird numbers should be of concern. While the absolute number of birds ringed has decreased, the year saw some species ringed or recorded for the first time in SBWR. They are the Ashy Minivet, Bluewinged Pitta, Crimson Sunbird and Eastern Crowned Warbler. This brings the total number of wild birds recorded at SBWR between 1987 and 2003 to 212 species. The Blue-winged Pitta, mist netted in June, is believed not to be an escapee from the bird trade but a genuine late migrant on its northward migration. A Brown-chested Jungle-Flycatcher, a globally threatened species, was mist netted and ringed for a second consecutive year. Other interesting birds ringed in 2003 were the Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Crowbilled Drongo and Striped Tit Babbler.

The ringing work has continued to bear fruit with an increase in the recapture rate over the past three years. The recapture rate has increased steadily from 4.5% (2000) to 11.0% (2001) to 14.3% (2002) and 15.4% (2003). In 2003, there were 97 recaptures of birds from 29 species for birds that had been ringed before 2003. The Collared Kingfisher continues to maintain its lead with 16 individual birds recaptured. The Pacific Golden Plover had 12 recaptures followed by the Marsh Sandpiper and Plainthroated Sunbird with 9 recaptures each. One use for the data obtained from recaptured birds is the enabling of longevity records and the survival of different bird species in the wild to be determined. These records are provided in Table 2. Of special mention, a Pacific Golden Plover was recaptured after an interval of 146 months (12 years 2 months) smashing the previous record set in 2002 of 108 months (9 years). This bird from Sungei Buloh is believed to be the world record holder for the title of the oldest ringed Pacific Golden Plover in the world!

Other interesting recaptures include the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, White-browed Crake and Yellow Bittern.

In summary, bird ringing in 2003 has continued to reveal surprises in the presence of bird species, their movements, abundance and survival in Sungei Buloh. Data collected are invaluable for the long-term conservation management of the wetland reserve.

Acknowledgements
This article is possible because of the field studies supported by NParks. Thanks to fellow ringers Ramakrishnan, Linda Goh, Charles Lim, Patricia Phua, Ray Knock, Mustaffa bin Hajar, Abdul Khalid and Chan Su Hooi for contributing to the ringing work. Ray, in particular, shared his extensive experience in ringing which we found beneficial. Many others assisted with the ringing including staff, volunteers and friends especially Halilah Ahmad, Ong Hai Chwee and Supardi bin Mohd Shariff. I am grateful for the voluntary help from Nick Baker, Debby Ng, Lua Wai Heng and R. Subaraj who provided expert advice and some sighting records.

References