Part of an interconnected lake system, Kingfisher Wetlands at Gardens by the Bay is a lush green section of the Singapore attraction, tucked away beside the waters of Marina Bay and Satay by the Bay.
Kingfisher Wetlands: A Freshwater Habitat in the City
This lush green area is not very large. It is just slightly larger than two football fields. but yet it attracts wildlife, most notably its namesake, the Kingfisher.
Other animals that have been spotted this manmade wetland in the city include native and migratory birds, insects, monitor lizards and even a family of otters.
Kingfisher Wetlands is made up of two water bodies, the Kingfisher Lake and the Lotus Pond. They plays a functional role for the garden as these serve to collect and clean rainwater that is used for irrigation. The clear and clean waters of the Kingfisher Wetlands is what draws the wildlife to this freshwater sanctuary.
However, it is not just the waters of the lake that create the wetlands environment. It is also the trees and plants that provide a safe habitat for the wildlife to flourish.
To this end, when the Kingfisher Wetlands was created, more than 2000 native mangrove trees and associated shrubbery was planted to create the freshwater wetland environment. These plants also serve as a store for “blue” carbon.
Different Features at Kingfisher Wetlands
There are three main zones at Kingfisher Wetlands along with a short trail that you can explore on foot and learn more about the inhabitants of the wetlands.
Natural Rock Pool & Main Cascades
If you are having a meal at Satay by the Bay, the Gardens by the Bay’s outdoor food court, you may want make your way to the Natural Rock Pool and Main Cascade that is located just beside the food court.
A wooden bridge acts as a vantage point to admire the beauty of the Kingfisher Wetlands.
On one side of the bridge, you can look out at the falling water at the Main Cascades. This is divided into two sections. One section is made up of three tiers of mini waterfalls while the other section has rocks that create a pretty cascade for the water to bubble over.
This section of the Kingfisher Wetlands, the Lotus Pond, is filled with water lilies.
Look out from the other side of the bridge and you will find a while “field” of water lilies, carpeting the lake and making it appear as if one could walk across the lake, hopping from lily pad to lily pad.
At the far end of the pond is the Wildlife Lookout.
Kingfisher Cascade
Linking the Lotus Pond with the Kingfisher Lake is the Kingfisher Cascade.
A little foot path that follows along the Kingfisher Cascade allows you to get right next to the waters of the Lotus Pond and the Kingfisher Lake.
Water from from the Lotus Pond to the Kingfisher Lake, bubbling down through the Kingfisher Cascade. This also helps to filter the water, part of the process of making it clear and clean.
Kingfisher Lake
Kingfisher Lake is one of the two significant lakes at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. The other lake is the Dragonfly Lake.
Kingfisher Lake is much smaller than Dragonfly Lake, but its position next to the waters of the Marina Bay is what attracts the small fishing Kingfisher birds to it.
Three large silver sculptures can be found around the Kingfisher Lake.
The trio of steel sculptures of the kingfishers show them in various poses, either perched on the look out for prey or in full flight, ready to swoop into action.
Did you know that Singapore has nine species of kingfishers? Several of them have been spotted at the Kingfisher Lake.
The Collared Kingfisher is the most common kingfisher in Singapore. It is mostly blue with a white collar and breast.
The White-throated Kingfisher is mostly brown and it has a blue back with a striking red beak.
The Common Kingfisher is a migratory bird that visits Singapore from August to March. It is distinguished by its teal back and reddish-brown breast.
The Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is a colourful bird that also stops by Singapore from October to March. It can be identified by its lilac-red head, yellow breast and blue-black back.
The Kingfisher Lake is a picturesque spot to enjoy the beauty of the nature and for you to try and spot these remarkable birds. While at Kingfisher Lake, you could easily forget that you are in the bustling city center of Singapore, just minutes away from the heart of the financial district, and imagine that you are in a wildlife reserve elsewhere.
Wildlife Lookout
The Wildlife Lookout is a spot at Gardens by the Bay’s Kingfisher Wetlands that has been created for nature lovers to survey the Lotus Pond and to keep a look out for its inhabitants.
The wooden shelter provides some shade from the sun above. There are also seats at the Wildlife Lookout.
A wide platform provides more than enough space for wildlife photographers that may be interested in setting up a tripod and patiently waiting it out to get a shot of the animals and birds. After all, it can be hard to predict when the wildlife will show up.
Educational Signboards
All around the Kingfisher Wetlands, you will find educational signboards providing information about the wildlife that you may encounter at the Gardens by the Bay attraction.
As a nature lover, I especially liked how efforts have been made to make some of the educational signboards interactive in ways besides by simply reading it.
One of the signboards is entitled “Bird Calls”. It features QR codes that you can scan to have a listen to the calls of various birds.
You can scan to listen to the calls of the Black-naped Oriole. This bright yellow bird with black plumage makes a fluting whistling sound.
The White-breasted Waterhen often hides in the undergrowth and vegetation found beside the water. It makes a throaty chuckle sound along with clucks.
There is also the Collared Kingfisher represented with its loud “keek-keek” bird call.
Commune with Nature at Gardens by the Bay’s Kingfisher Wetlands
A visit to the Kingfisher Wetlands is an opportunity to take a breather and soak in the wondrous beauty of nature.
Get more details about Kingfisher Wetlands.
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