Photographic Guide to the Birds of Malaysia & Singapore. Morten Strange

      Acknowledgements

      In January 1997 something unusual happened to me. I had dropped by to visit the local bird park on the Indonesian island of Bali, and while I was waiting at the parking lot for a friend to pick me up, Eric Oey, the CEO of Periplus Editions, unexpectedly appeared, I have known Eric For almost ten years, having supplied his company with a few photographs and occasional texts on Southeast Asian wildlife.

      Eric had decided to produce a new book on Southeast Asian birds, to be included in his Periplus Nature Guides series. Within 10 minutes, while standing there in the parking lot, the two of us had agreed on the concept for what later became Tropical Birds of Southeast Asia, Periplus Editions (1998).

      As it turned out, Eric's ambitions went further than this small introductory volume. He planned to publish a complete (as possible) photographic coverage of the birds found in Southeast Asia and Indonesia. This would be produced in a guide book format that birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts in the region could use for identification purposes and to further their knowledge of the birds' locations and habits.

      It is self-evident that in a photographic guide the photographs are of utmost importance. Since my reasonably comprehensive collection of photographs, acquired during fieldwork over the past fourteen years, were not enough for a monumental project like this, I appealed to my fellow photographers for help, and the response was overwhelming. Nearly forty percent of the photographs in this volume were produced by these wildlife photographers. Each frame has been selected to show the species in the best position possible, hence every shot used in this book is significant. All required considerable time and effort to produce, so I would like to thank these photographers for their most generous and valuable contributions.

      I would like to single out a few people for special mention. One of the few women in the business, Ong Kiem Sian, has produced an impressive photographic collection of bird species, through extensive fieldwork in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. I much appreciated being allowed to tap into her outstanding collection. Apart from an impeccable technique, Sian has an unusual eye for composition and aesthetics in her photography. This is the first time a major selection of her pictures has been published, but it surely will not be the last.

      It is particularly rewarding when local ornithologists take the trouble to photograph birds encountered during their travels to remote locations. In this way others may share their experiences and learn from their sightings. Alan OwYong, Allen Jeyarajasingam, Uthai Treesucon, Samson So, Atsuo Tsuji and others fall into this category, as does Dr. Pilai Poonswad of the Asian Hornbill Network. I would especially like to commend Dr. Poonswad for her dedication to the protection of Asian hornbills and to thank her for allowing me to work with her.

      Some Western scientists and birdwatchers, whether on birdwatching visits to Southeast Asia or residing in the region, also produce rare and valuable photographs. They are well represented here and I would especially like to mention Pete Morris, a talented and hard-working young Briton with a remarkable insight into tropical birds and a photo collection to match. Tim Loseby from England, and Bernard van Elegem and some of his friends from Belgium, travel to this region especially to photograph birds and have produced some stunning images.

      The gifted artist and scientist Kelvin Lim is surely destined for bigger things; his illustrations are a significant contribution to this volume.

      Lim Kim Keang put his complete personal library of Southeast Asian ornithological references at my disposal during the information research phase of this book, and I thank him sincerely for that.

      And many thanks to my long-time birding buddy Lim Kim Seng, himself an accomplished author on Southeast Asian birds, for checking through the manuscript for errors, and to my good friend Dr. Clive Briffett, who gave invaluable advice on format and content at the planning stage.

      My special friend Ng Bee Choo, Managing Director of Nature's Niche in Singapore, provided contact with photo contributors, input on the content, and assistance through all the production stages. I particularly appreciate her vital support.