From magical forests to pretty little creatures, 2020 has certainly made us more aware of the diverse flora and fauna in Singapore. If you think you’ve seen them all, wait till you see this yellow-faced bird Facebook user Eddie spotted yesterday (10 Nov).
Posting his find in Facebook group Nature Society (Singapore), he sought the help of members to identify the creature.
If you’re a casual observer of the common pigeons and mynahs, you’d likely notice them constantly moving on the ground, waddling around.
When they do rest, they often perch on higher places, like tree branches or window ledges.
Perhaps it was the rain or just the irresistible fluffiness of the grass at the golf course, but most photos Eddie took showed the yellow-faced bird nestled in the green.
Just like the chonky iguana which made an appearance in Choa Chu Kang recently, the bird seemed unbothered by the goings-on around it.
Neither did it seem to care that someone was snapping photographs.
Like the helpful community members they are, netizens in the group quickly identified the bird as the masked lapwing.
Others came up with more layman terms to describe the creature, like “cheese face bird” and “durian face bird”.
Indeed if you look closely, the creases in the yellow part of the bird’s face do resemble that of durian flesh or slightly melted cheese.
According to a 2006 post by the Bird Ecology Study Group, the masked lapwing is actually native to Australia.
Before becoming free-ranging, they were kept in enclosures at the Singapore Zoo, until a fallen tree at the Pygmy Hippo enclosure left a gap, giving them the chance to escape.
Thereafter, members of the public started spotting them wandering freely within the vicinity, as well as at the following places:
Eddie, however, spotted this particular bird at a golf course all the way in Changi.
Some recent sightings include earlier in Aug at Gardens By The Bay, where even the cute little chicks made a special appearance.
Beyond their adorable factor, their existence is proof that the bird is thriving in ‘the wild’, and we hope they’ll continue to live well.
Despite our reputation as a concrete jungle, it’s heartening to see that some wildlife are still surviving in our modern city.
Seeing them going about their activities certainly makes life a little more fun here in our urban setting.
Have you ever seen a masked lapwing in the wild before? Let us know in the comments.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.
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