Title
Marine surveys to study the movements of seabirds through the Singapore Strait 2010-2013
Author(s)
Poole, C. M.;Davison, G. W. H.;Rajathurai, S.
Published
2014
Publisher
Forktail
Abstract
Until October 2010 there had been little concerted work and nothing published on the movements of seabirds through the sea area known as the Singapore Strait, which lies between the Strait of Malacca to the west and the South China Sea to the east. This paper details the results of regular monthly surveys in the period from October 2010 to November 2011 and eight follow-up surveys in 2012 and 2013. These surveys confirmed that the Singapore Strait is a key passage area for Aleutian Tern Onychoprion aleuticus and the Near Threatened Swinhoe's Storm-petrel Hydrobates monorhis-with over 500 of the latter being recorded in a few hours on a single day on 17 September 2011. Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus and Long-tailed Skua S. longicaudus were recorded on several occasions, Short-tailed Shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris on spring passage, and significant numbers of Bridled Terns O. anaethetus in autumn. The skuas, Red-footed Booby Sula sula and Short-tailed Shearwater had not previously been recorded in the area. Based on the data gathered, the Singapore Strait is a marine migratory bottleneck as defined by BirdLife International and should qualify as an Important Bird Area.

Access Full Text

A full-text copy of this article may be available. Please email the WCS Library to request.



Back

PUB15303