KUKILA (E-Journal)
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First records of Little Stint Calidris minuta in Indonesia
Full text linkDetails are presented of the first two Indonesian records of the Little Stint Calidris minuta, discovered during shorebird surveys on the north coast of Aceh Province, Sumatra, between 18 October 2019 and 30 January 2020. As the species has already been recorded multiple times in most of the surrounding countries it is assumed that it had hitherto been overlooked in Indonesia. As further records from other parts of Indonesia can be expected, we summarise key features for distinguishing the species from the very similar Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis, with which it often associates
Mystery flycatchers in Sumatra - Rück's Blue-flycatcher or White-tailed Flycatcher?
No full textObservations, photographs and a sound-recording taken in Jambi, Sumatra, in 2013 and 2014 refer to a pair of unidentified flycatchers with certain characters that match some features of Rück's Blue-flycatcher Cyornis ruckii. However, a review of alternative possibilities cannot exclude and indeed tends to favour White-tailed Flycatcher C. concretus, given that (i) the white breast-patch of the female and white tail-markings of the male can remain hidden, (ii) the female can be strikingly rufous in some light or some individuals, and (iii) the white belly patch seems to exclude ruckii. The sound recording has no match in sound archives and the song recorded might have involved infrequently heard phrases used in courtship. Nevertheless, new searches of the undisclosed site are planned, and new searches in any remaining tracts of primary lowland forest on Sumatra are urged
Distribution and abundance of introduced Common and Javan Mynas in metropolitan and suburban areas of Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo
Full text linkCounts of the invasive Common Myna Acridotheres tristis and Javan Myna A. javanicus were carried out in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, Borneo, and in surrounding suburbs, over a period of 30 months from July 2013 to December 2015. Ten areas were sampled each month using 3 km-long line transects. Combining all 30 months, a total of 3,913 mynas were counted, of which 75% were Common Mynas, and 25% Javan Mynas. Population densities were estimated at 0.78 and 0.72 individuals ha-1 for Common and Javan Mynas, respectively. The Common Myna was widely distributed in Kuching and suburbs of Kota Samarahan division, whereas the Javan Myna was confined to metropolitan Kuching. The distribution of these two species was thought to be influenced mostly by food and nest site availability
Breeding season of the Endangered White (Umbrella) Cockatoo, and possible competition for nest holes with Blyth’s (Papuan) Hornbill in North Maluku, Indonesia
Full text linkThe White Cockatoo Cacatua alba is endemic to the North Molucca islands and is considered Endangered mostly due to unsustainable levels of trapping for the pet trade. Little is known about its breeding biology in the wild, except that it nests in tall trees during the early part of the year. We made brief observations of two active nests of White Cockatoos on Halmahera and another on Ternate in February and March 2014, and estimate the egg laying dates of two of these nests as mid-October and mid-November. Combined with other data, the breeding season appears to extend from October to May or June. All three nests were visited by Blyth’s Hornbills Rhyticeros plicatus, a species which occurs throughout North Maluku, as well as New Guinea. One nest was subsequently abandoned. In September and November 2014, we observed two active nest cavities of hornbills, one of which was inspected by a cockatoo, and the other, approached closely by cockatoos. Both hornbill nests were reported to have been used previously by White Cockatoos, suggesting that the two species may either share or compete for the same nest cavities. Sharing of cavities may be facilitated by partly non-overlapping breeding seasons, as Blyth’s Hornbill reportedly lays eggs from August to October in the region. However, as the nest cycle of both species is c.4 months, it is possible that early nesting pairs of one species may attempt to usurp nest cavities occupied by the other species. The potential for nest competition may be exacerbated on small islands where deforestation has reduced the number of nest cavities available for hole-nesting species
Nest, egg and vocalisations of the Green-backed Robin Pachycephalopsis hattamensis in the Arfak Mountains, West Papua
Full text linkThe Green-backed Robin Pachycephalopsis hattamensis is a near-endemic species of Papua (Indonesian New Guinea; Irian Jaya). Its breeding behaviour is poorly known, and its nest, egg and clutch-size were unknown prior to our study. We describe the nest and egg of a Green-backed Robin found near Kwau village in the Arfak Mountains, Papua, in mid-November 2012. A second nest with one young in late January 2012 confirms that the breeding season occurs during the wet season, at least from November to January, in the Arfak Mountains. The nest and egg are similar to those reported for the congeneric White-eyed Robin P. poliosoma in Papua New Guinea, and both species may have clutch-size of one. In our study area, the most frequent and persistent vocalisations of the Green-backed Robin, depicted in two spectrograms, were tu-wee sounds, uttered by both sexes. Other vocalisations heard were a piping whistle and a raspy chur-chatter. The function of these vocalisations is discussed and compared with other Australasian robins. We also describe interactions between the sexes and neighbours
New and Significant Bird Records from Bintan Island, Riau Archipelago, Indonesia in 2018
Full text linkPulau Bintan is the largest island in the Riau Archipelago, Indonesia. During two brief visits in 2018, a total of eight species new to the island were recorded, increasing the island’s bird checklist to 189 species. These new records are Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia, Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus, Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo Chalcites basalis, Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus, White-headed Munia Lonchura maja, Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster and Javan Myna Acridotheres javanicus. Three of our new records appear to be new for the Riau Archipelago, increasing the avifaunal checklist for the archipelago to 232 species. Following years of development, little primary vegetation remains on Bintan Island, and our failure to detect any woodpeckers by sight or sound during our visits is worrying in terms of the importance of these birds to ecosystem sustainability. Nonetheless, the island retains sizeable area of natural forests, including some swamp forest patches, and our new and significant records suggest its avifaunal diversity is still understudied and underestimated. We call for relevant Indonesian government agencies and the Bintan Resorts, which manage the northern portion of the island for tourism development, to strengthen efforts in biodiversity research and conservation, as well as habitat restoration, so as to attain the development goal of making Bintan a true “eco-island” for international tourism
First Record of Bare-headed Laughingthrush Garrulax calvus in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo
Full text linkThe Urban Avifauna of Kuching, Borneo, and the possible impact of cats on its structure
Full text linkUrban landscapes have depauperate avifaunas, but there have been few studies of urban bird communities in Southeast Asia. Domestic cats can attain very high densities in urban environments, and are known to have detrimental effects on local avian assemblages. The aim of this study was to describe the urban bird assemblage of Kuching, an equatorial city in Borneo, and to investigate its potential relationship with the abundance of cats. The density of birds and domestic cats was examined in ten discrete urban areas from November 2014 to April 2015 using line transects. A total of 1,844 bird observations were made, involving 27 species. Bird species richness and diversity were negatively related to cat density (R2 = 0.41 and 0.43, respectively), but cat density did not significantly affect bird density (R2 = 0.032). Bird species richness was strongly correlated with the size of urban areas (R2 = 0.76, P = 0.001) suggesting that larger areas offer additional habitat or niches (e.g. street trees, parks, waterways), which in turn support more species. Reduction of habitat heterogeneity and type of surrounding matrix, as well as the presence of abundant introduced predators may play important roles in structuring the composition and population dynamics of this urban bird community. Urban areas do have some biodiversity conservation value, but the challenge is to enhance this value through better planning