Stripe-throated Bulbul
Upper Seletar Reservoir Park

22 Apr 2022

Record added by admins: This record was not submitted by observers. It was made available here as part of the Bird Society of Singapore's effort to make all bird records more easily accessible. Images here are displayed with permission from the photographer.

02 Mar 2023

Record added

This record was added to the database by a site administrator.
03 Mar 2023

Review started

The Records Committee began deliberating on this record.
26 May 2023

Record finalised

The Records Committee completed its review and finalised its verdict.

General details

Species	Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni
Record ID	10491
Date	22 Apr 2022
Location	Upper Seletar Reservoir Park
Count	1 individual
Date added	02 Mar 2023

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Committee's view

Background
The sighting was first made public after 10 months, in March 2023. As of 16 April 2023, no further details, descriptions or photographs are available on any public site besides those presented in the NSSBGRC report for 2023. This record was also omitted in the official 2022 January to June report written by the same group. The information provided below relates to the original vote in April 2023. A full summary with more details is available here. Three RC members voted that the bird was likely to be an escapee, two that it was likely to be a wild bird, and one that the bird was possibly a wild bird. The summarised justifications for these votes are as follows. For the bird likely being a wandering individual from the Peninsula, just like the other non-breeding visitor bulbuls Singapore gets: 1) Records South of Malacca are sparse, but as of voting, there was one eBird record from Panti in April 2023. 2) The species is not being openly traded in Singapore. 3) The species does not require particularly pristine forest; the habitat in Singapore is suited for it. For the bird likely being an escapee: 1) The species is sparse in the Southern portion of Peninsula Malaysia and it is not known to be nomadic unlike the other non-breeding visitor bulbuls Singapore gets. 2) There are no records of the bird being traded in Singapore, but it is not inconceivable given the large number of birds traded locally. This species is also extensively traded in regional countries like Thailand. 3) Even in Thailand that is part of this species' natural range, records from city parks are thought to be escapees by the local Records Committee as they generally do not disperse out of their habitat.

Background

The sighting was first made public after 10 months, in March 2023. As of 16 April 2023, no further details, descriptions or photographs are available on any public site besides those presented in the NSSBGRC report for 2023. This record was also omitted in the official 2022 January to June report written by the same group.

The information provided below relates to the original vote in April 2023. A full summary with more details is available here.

Three RC members voted that the bird was likely to be an escapee, two that it was likely to be a wild bird, and one that the bird was possibly a wild bird. The summarised justifications for these votes are as follows.

For the bird likely being a wandering individual from the Peninsula, just like the other non-breeding visitor bulbuls Singapore gets:
1) Records South of Malacca are sparse, but as of voting, there was one eBird record from Panti in April 2023.
2) The species is not being openly traded in Singapore.
3) The species does not require particularly pristine forest; the habitat in Singapore is suited for it.

For the bird likely being an escapee:
1) The species is sparse in the Southern portion of Peninsula Malaysia and it is not known to be nomadic unlike the other non-breeding visitor bulbuls Singapore gets.
2) There are no records of the bird being traded in Singapore, but it is not inconceivable given the large number of birds traded locally. This species is also extensively traded in regional countries like Thailand.
3) Even in Thailand that is part of this species' natural range, records from city parks are thought to be escapees by the local Records Committee as they generally do not disperse out of their habitat.

Vote results	For: 8 Escapee: 4, Wild: 3, Limbo: 1
Verdict	Accepted / Limbo (Verifiable)

Committee's view (prior to reopening)

Vote results	Cat A: 2, Cat D: 1, Cat E1: 3
Verdict	Accepted / Escapee (Verifiable) Placed in Cat E1

References (see all)

References	NSS

Revisions to this record

Date revised	Changes made
03 May 2023	This vote was reopened as 50% of the committee voted to do so. The details of the original vote are given above.
03 May 2023	Made screenshot publicly viewable

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (2023). Record 10491: Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://records.singaporebirds.com/record/10491/.

Media

Credit for photo(s): Veronica Foo

Stripe-throated Bulbul Upper Seletar Reservoir Park 22 Apr 2022

Record added

Review started

Record finalised