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Birds of Southeast Asia |
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There are an estimated 10,000 living species of bird, around one fifth of which
occur in Southeast Asia. The greatest diversity occurs in lowland primary
rainforest and coastal mangrove. Broadly, birds can be divided into
passerines and non-passerines. Passerines, or perching birds (Order :
Passeriformes) comprise around one half of all bird species. They are also
known as 'songbirds' and are grouped together in a single order on the basis of
the arrangement of their toe and leg musculature. Non-passerines comprise birds
from 28 other orders in existence today.
Birds have undergone remarkable adaptive radiation, with many examples of
convergent evolution i.e. unrelated bird groups have evolved similar body form
in response to the demands of adapting to specific ecological niches. For
example, swifts and
swallows are of similar body shape, but are quite unrelated.
The casual observer need understand nothing of the complex evolutionary history
of birds. Its simply enough to appreciate the stunning beauty and diversity of
these creatures, particularly the brightly coloured
kingfishers,
barbets, trogons,
woodpeckers,
broadbills and majestic hornbills which
inhabit the region's forests. |
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Acknowledgements : Ng Bee Choo,
Morten Strange and Yeo Suay Hwee
helped identify some of the less common birds in these pages. Thanks !
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Waterfowl (Anseriformes)
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Grebes
(Podicipediformes)
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Finfoots, Rails
(Gruiformes)
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Ducks
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Grebes
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Finfoots
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Rails
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Darters
(Suliformes)
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Pheasants
(Galliformes)
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Ibises
(Pelecaniformes)
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Tropicbirds
(Phaethontiformes)
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Darters
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Pheasants, Junglefowl
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Ibises
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Tropicbirds
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Gulls, Waders, Plovers, Stilts, Jacanas and allies
(Charadriiformes)
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Terns
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Waders
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Snipes
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Lapwings & Plovers
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Stilts
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Jacanas
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Bitterns, Herons, Egrets and Storks
(Ciconiiformes)
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Bitterns
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Small Herons & Egrets
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Large Herons & Egrets
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Storks
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Raptors
(Acciptriformes)
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Swifts and Treeswifts
(Apodiformes)
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Raptors (1)
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Raptors (2)
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Swifts
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Treeswifts
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Pigeons and Doves
(Columbiformes)
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Cockatoos, Parakeets and Parrots
(Psittaciformes)
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Pigeons & Doves
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Cockatoos
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Parakeets
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Parrots
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Cuckoos, Coucals and Malkohas
(Cuculiformes)
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Owls
(Strigiformes)
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Nightjars and Frogmouths
(Caprimulgiformes)
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Owls
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Nightjars
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Frogmouths
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Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers
(Coraciiformes)
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Tree Kingfishers
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River Kingfishers
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Bee-eaters
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Rollers
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Woodpeckers and Barbets
(Piciformes)
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Woodpeckers (1)
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Woodpeckers (2)
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Barbets
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Trogons
(Trogoniformes)
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Hornbills
(Bucerotiformes)
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Trogons
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Hornbills
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Broadbills and Pittas
(Eurylaimoidea)
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Honeyeaters
(Meliphagoidea)
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Broadbills
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Pittas
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Honeyeaters
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Crows and allies
(Corvoidea)
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Minivets
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Orioles & Cuckooshrikes
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Shrike-babblers
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Woodswallows & Peltops
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Whistlers
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Ioras
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Woodshrikes
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Drongos
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Monarchs
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Fantails
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Shrikes
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Oriental Magpies &
Treepies
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True Crows
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Leafbirds & Fairy Bluebirds
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Swallows, Bulbuls, Tailorbirds, Warblers, Laughingthrushes, Babblers etc.
(Sylvioidea)
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Swallows
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Bulbuls (1)
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Bulbuls (2)
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Tailorbirds & Prinias
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Warblers
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White-eyes
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Laughingthrushes
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Minlas, Sibias & Mesias
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Old World Babblers
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Jungle Babblers
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Fulvettas
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Shamas, Old World Flycatchers, Forktails, Thrushes,
Mynas, Starlings etc.
(Muscicapoidea)
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Magpie Robins & Shamas
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Flycatchers & allies
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Niltavas & allies
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Forktails
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Thrushes
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Mynas & Starlings
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Canary Flycatchers
(Paroidea?)
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Nuthatches etc.
(Certhioidea)
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Canary Flycatchers
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Nuthatches
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Wagtails, Sparrows, Munias, Finches, Weavers, Tits etc.
(Passeroidea)
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Wagtails & Pipits
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Sparrows
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Munias
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Finches
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Weavers
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Tits
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Spiderhunters, Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers etc.
(Dicaeoidea)
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Spiderhunters
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Sunbirds
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Flowerpeckers
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