9 Species Of Birds That Appeared In Singapore’s Dollar Notes

Also known as “Berek berek” in Malay owing to its call, the Blue-Throated Bee-Eater is a stunning bird with blue, green and brown plumage and long tail feathers. It consumes bees and other insects, removing dangerous stings by rubbing them on a perch. Another interesting fact is that the bird has been seen casting or regurgitating pellets of undigested food, such as insect wings and exoskeleton, after its meal. This bee-eater was illustrated on the old Singapore $100 notes and two other postal stamp series.

The only oriole species found in Singapore, this brilliantly yellow-and-black bird is commonly found in parks, gardens and even housing estates. It eats insects and fruits, and makes a very conspicuous “tooo-diddlyoo” call. It was nominated to win the National Bird of Singapore title but eventually lost in votes to the Crimson Sunbird. The Black-naped Oriole was featured on the old Singapore’s $500 notes and two other stamp series.

Probably the most commonly encountered garden avifauna, the Olive-backed Sunbird is a permanent resident in Singapore. It is hard to miss its high-pitched “cheep, cheep, wheet” chirp. In Singapore, it likes to nest in urban areas along the corridors and balconies and does not seem to be afraid of people. The bird is often confused for a hummingbird. Unlike its neotropical cousin, the sunbird does not hover while drinking nectar from a flower, but perches on a stem or flower stalk instead. It was featured on the old Singapore $20 notes.