WETlands
a publication of Sungei Buloh Nature Park
Vol 7 No 1
Apr 2000

St. Andrew's
Cross Spider

Yellow-bellied Prinia

Life in the Mangroves:
snippets on
plants & animals

Divine Diversity

Shorebird Population Monitoring
(1992-1998)

Inundation
in the Park

Service with a Smile: the Park's frontline staff

Field Ornithology training in Sarawak

Millenium mementos

Butterfly Trail Adoption 		 
Shorebird Population Monitoring
in Sungei Buloh Nature Park
(1992-1998)
adeline chia
scientific officer
The monitoring of shorebird population in Sungei Buloh has been carried out since 1992.
It is important to keep track of the population in order to detect any change and periods of migration. The season for the wader census starts when the migratory shorebirds arrive on the mudflats in the Park from September to April every year. A total of 29 species, mainly belonging to the families of Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and others) and Charadriidae (Plovers) have been recorded in the Park since 1992.

Staff involved in this exercise position themselves in hides and on vantage points during high tide. Using telescopes and binoculars, the number of roosting birds are counted. Species that visit the Park in large numbers over the past 7 years were used for the analysis of population in comparison to the international flyway population, namely the Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Redshank. Coupled with our wader-ringing programme and a series of data analysis, interesting light has been shed on the waders' roosting and feeding site. The 6-year mean of midwinter (January) count, BMI (Body Mass Index), monthly counts and other parameters were used to analyse the turnover rate, immigration and emigration periods as well as other findings.

Comparison of the population in Sungei Buloh Nature Park with the total East/Southeast Asian population from 1994 to 1996 showed that most species do not exceed 1% of the flyway population. When compared with Singapore, however, the Park supports 11 to 77.5% of the population of each species in Singapore. With the exception of the Pacific Golden Plover (11%), all other species visiting the Park represent more than 25% of the population in Singapore.

Table: Comparison of Wader Population Count in Sungei Buloh
with National Population Count Data from 1990 to 1996
Species
Ave no. in Spore
94-96
% of the no. that occur in the Park
Ave no. in Spore
90-92
% of the no. that occur in the Park
Pacific Golden Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Whimbrel
Redshank
Greenshank
Curlew Sandpiper
1907.3
387.0
260.7
734.0
327.3
148.0
10.9
31.3
47.3
22.8
81.7
65.1
1283.3
120.0
122.7
482.3
240.7
444.3
16.2
10.1
10.0
34.6
55.8
21.7
(Sources: Rose and Scott 1994; Asian Wetland Bureau; Lopez and Mundkur (eds.) 1997; Perennou et al 1994)

In order to determine the migration timing for shorebirds visiting Sungei Buloh, birds captured during ringing sessions were dyed. Observations from 1997 to 1998 showed that no more dyed birds were found in the Park after mid-March of 1998 (ringing of birds started in October 1997). In general, BMI increases when the birds refuel to further immigrate or when flying back north. This was evident at certain periods in October to December when peaks and drops in BMI were detected.

Information without action is redundant. Hence, using the information obtained, the Park has adhered to a carefully thought-out regime which allows the preservation of the mudflats that is fundamental for the wintering visitors. Ponds are kept low during high tides to allow the shorebirds to roost. Testing of water bodies are also conducted regularly to ensure that the quality of the habitat for the inhabitants and migrants is not compromised.

With development threatening the survival of mudflats and mangroves all over the world, the role of Sungei Buloh as a wetland nature park is evident. We play our part in conserving a delicate ecosystem that is vital for the survival of not only the shorebirds, but that of the mangrove community within it.
   
© Sungei Buloh Nature Park