Photographer finds non-native violet turaco bird outside Seletar Camp
A photographer recently found a non-native violet turaco bird in Seletar after several search attempts.
Mr Andy Chew, a 53-year-old wildlife photographer, told MS News that he learnt about the presence of the violet turaco through several birding chatgroups.
The previous sightings occurred in the Seletar area.
Source: Andy Chew on Facebook
As such, Mr Chew made a visit to the vicinity of Hampstead Wetlands Park, outside Seletar Camp.
During this first search attempt on 28 Dec 2024, he found the bird hidden in a tree.
As he was unsure of the violet turaco’s behaviour, Mr Chew said he planted himself at one spot, only for him to miss the bird when it flew out elsewhere.
His second attempt fared even worse. Mr Chew searched from Mornington Crescent to Hampstead Wetlands Park but failed to find the elusive violet turaco.
Photographer makes 3rd visit to find bird
On the morning of 3 Jan, Mr Andy Chew headed to Hampstead Wetlands Park once more.
“I was not optimistic at all in finding this bird as the area it flies around is big,” he wrote in the Facebook post.
Nonetheless, he began his search outside Seletar Camp. On the way there, he heard the distinct call of the turaco.
Source: Google Maps
He traced it to the inside of the camp, peering through the fences in an unsuccessful attempt to spot the bird.
Mr Chew noted that he could not photograph it even if he saw the turaco as it was inside a military base.
Eventually, the violet turaco’s call moved closer to the camp entrance.
A helpful cleaner in the base then noticed Mr Chew with his camera and informed him that the bird had flown out of Seletar Camp onto a tree.
This tree happened to be the one Mr Chew found it in during his first search attempt.
Unable to see it in the tree, the photographer waited for around 20 minutes for it to appear.
Man photographs violet turaco in tree outside Seletar Camp
At around 8am, the violet turaco emerged to chase a crow away, finally allowing Mr Chew to snap a photo of it.
Source: Andy Chew on Facebook
“The successful attempt was easy.”
He told MS News that the violet turaco seemed oblivious to his presence. Instead, the non-native bird flew from tree to tree, engaged in conflict with the local crows, either chasing them away or being chased.
Source: Andy Chew on Facebook
Mr Chew found himself “mesmerised by its beauty”, specifically its vibrant colours and the rarity of the sighting. He spent 30 minutes following the bird and taking photos across its long flight path.
Source: Andy Chew on Facebook
The violet turaco is a bird from West Africa and is not native to Singapore. NEither is it migratory.
According to Mr Chew, the birding community suspects that the one he photographed escaped from a private aviary.
MS News has also reached out to the Bird Society of Singapore for comments.
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Featured image adapted from Andy Chew on Facebook.
