KUKILA (E-Journal)

Holmes, Derek A

76 Short Communications KUKILA 7 No. 1 
A FURTHER NOTE ON THE BLUE-CROWNED HANGING-PARROT W WEST JAVA 
By 
DA. Holmes 
In van Balen & Lewis (1991, but see also KUKILA 6(2): 145), the presence of a single Blue-crowned 
Hanging-parrot Loriculus galgulus was described from Carita, West Java, at localities which appear to 
be virtually the same, in July 1989 and June 1990. Although not specifically stated, a male was 
described in each case, and the assumption could be made that these observations were of the same bird. 
On 26 August 1994, the author observed a male Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot at the same location. 
This was readily identified by its red throat and rump. This bird then joined a female hanging-parrot, 
which was observed only briefly but appeared to be all green except for a red rump. A third hanging-
parrot then joined the pan, and all three flew off before any further observations could be made. At the 
time, the second bird was assumed to be a female Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot, but of course such 
speculation is unjustified. Indeed, it would be extremely interesting if the identity of the second and 
third birds could be determined. 
The 1991 communication speculates on the possible origin of this bird (assuming that all three 
observations relate to a single bird). It might therefore be significant to record that an all red parrot was 
observed nearby soon afterwards. This was later determined to be a Violet-necked Lory Eos squamata. 
Several of the latter were seen for sale later in the market at Cilegon, the nearest large town. 
Reference 
Van Balen, S. & A. Lewis. 1991. Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot on Java. Kukila. 5(2): 140-141. 
Vol07-1-1994-new 
Wednesday, September 03, 2003 5:17:11 PM 


English

A further note on the Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot in West Java

Kukila, Editors

Editorial

From 11 to 23 December 1989 a survey was carried out in agricultural and forested areas of northwest Obi. A total of 65 species was recorded, including Obi's only endemic the Carunculated Fruit-dove Ptilinopus granulifrons, in addition to 10 of the island's 19 endemic subspecies and 7 of the island's 15 Moluccan endemics. Nine species, at least four of which may represent resident populations, were recorded for the first time on Obi. Evidence is provided that the Cacatua alba may not occur on this island (contra White &amp; Bruce 1986). Details of observations of species of particular interest are also provided together with an appendix listing other species recorded

Linsley, M D

Some bird records from Obi, Maluku

Noske, Richard A

Ueda, Keisuke

158 Short Communications KUKILA 8 
References 
MacKinnon, J. & K. Phillipps. 1993. A field guide to the birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. 
Oxford University Press. 
White, C.M.N. & M.D. Bruce. 1986. The birds of Wallaces (Sulawesi, the Moluccas and 
LesserSunda Islands, Indonesia). London: Brit. Orn. Un. Checklist No. 7. 
Address: 
Bali Bird Club, P.O. Box 400, Denpasar 80001, Bali. 
FIRST RECORD OF CINNAMON BITTERN FOR TIMOR 
by 
Richard A. Noske and Keisuke Ueda 
(Received 14 February 1996) 
The Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus is widespread through eastern Asia from India 
and China south to Indonesia, but is not known from Australia or New Guinea. It is a common 
resident of freshwater swamps and rice paddies throughout the Greater Sundas, including Bali 
(Holmes & Nash 1989; Mason & Janvis 1989; MacKinnon & Phillipps 1993). In Wallacea. it is 
common in Sulawesi (Watling 1983; Baltzer 1990), and there are four records from Flores 
(Verhoeye & Holmes, in prep.) and two from Sumba (Bishop 1992, M. Linsley in litt. To D. 
Holmes), White & Bruce (1986) suggest that Sulawesi and Lombok appear to mark the SE limit 
of range, and that some records for Wallacea may refer to winter visitors from the north 
(presumably China), although Verheijen (1964) tentatively recorded breeding on Flores in April. 
On 9 December 1995, while birdwatching in rice paddies 16 km east of Kupang, West Timor, we 
saw a small bittern fly towards and past us, circle and fly past again. During this period we had 
excellent views of this bird, which had uniform bright cinnamon-chestnut upperparts, including 
wing-quills, and paler underparts with a noticeable black stripe or stripes on the foreneck Both of 
us have had previous experience of this species, RJM in Malaysia and KU in southern Japan 
Neither of us were in any doubt as to the identity of the bird as a male Cinnamon Bittern. 
This record constitutes the first documented record of the species for Timor, extending the known 
range eastwards slightly from Flores and Sumba. The only other small bittern known from the 
island is the Yellow Bittern I. Sinensis (White & Bruce 1986) As our bird was present during the 
northern winter, it is likely that it was a vagrant beyond its normal wintering range. However, we 
recommend observers visiting the island to pay more attention to birds of the wetlands, in order to 
confirm the status of this and other heron species. 
159 1996 Short Communications 
References 
Baltzer, M.C. 1990. Areport on the wetland avifauna of South Sulawesi. Kukila 5(1):27-55. 

Bishop, K.D. 1992. New and interesting records of birds in Wallacea. Kukila 6(1):8-34. 

Holmes, D. & S. Nash. 1989. The birds of Java and Bali. Oxford University Press. 

MacKinnon, J. & K. Phillipps. 1993. A field guide to the birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. 

Oxford University Press. 
Mason, V. & F. Jarvis. 1989. Birds of Bali. Periplus Editions, Berkeley, California. 
Verheijen, J.A.J. 1964. Breeding season on the island ofFlores, Indonesia. Ardea 52:194-201. 
Watling, D. 1983. Ornithological notes from Sulawesi. Emu 83:247-261. 
White, C.M.N. & M.D. Bruce 1986. The birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Lesser 
Sunda Islands, Indonesia). London: Brit. Orn. Un. Checklist No. 7. 
Address 
Science Faculty, Northern Territory University, P.O. Box 40146, Casuarina, NT 0811, Australia. 
STATUS OF THE SALMON-CRESTED COCKATOO AND RED LORY ON AMBON 
ISLAND, MALUKU 
by 
Michael Poulsen & Paul Jepson 
The Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis is endemic to the islands of Seram, Ambon, 
Haruku and Saparua (White & Bruce 1986) and listed as vulnerable in Collar et al. (1994). The 
Red Lory Eos bornea is endemic to these same islands together with Buru and the Kai islands, and 
several small islands between Seram and Kai (White & Bruce 1986). The population of the lory 
on Ambon, Haruku and Saparua, nominate bornea, is considered to be a separate sub-species 
from E. b. rolhschildi of Seram by Stresemann (1912) and Arndt (1990), on account of its larger 
size, however Forshaw (1989) and White & Bruce (1986) question the validity of this taxon. 
The status of the Salmon-crested Cockatoo on Ambon has always been uncertain, Stresemann (in 
White & Bruce 1986) states that the species does not occur on Ambon. However, van Bemmel 
(1948) included Ambon in the species' range, with a footnote that it is introduced there Forshaw 
(1989) and Smiet (1985) follow the view that it was introduced. The latter author did not record 
the species during nearly two years residence on the island (1980-81), but reports information 
that it had been common up to ten years prveiously. Arndt (1990) considers the nominate sub-
species of the Red Lory to be extinct. We confirm that wild populations of both species still occur 
on Ambon and that the lory still occurs on Haruku. 
The authors visited forested hills behind Hila on the north coast of the Hitu peninsula on Ambon 


First record of Cinnamon Bittern for Timor

Nash, Anne D

Nash, Stephen V

Kukila 1985 2(2) 
Jry , No: AMNH 5470) at Tanjung Bringin (original name) . 
98 . Although the exact location was not recorded , it could 
' Lower Langkat where Schneider collected most of his 
11:een November 1897 and March 1898 (Schneider 1905). 
and Binjai, this area is now covered with oil palm planta-
;ex unknown) was reported by Parrot (1907) to have been 
:e and locality were not identified . 
ology Museum, (No: 13149) , was taken at Muara Tapoes 
t) by G .de Haan on 24 Aprill939. Further records include 
1 the Vanderbilt Sumatran Expedition (1936-1939) near 
e article, the bird was probably collected on the Laboean 
ld the coastal town of Belawan (Schauensee and Ripley 
11923) report a bird collected by Jacobson in the Mt. Ophir 
tnd one by de Beaufort and deBussy in the Medan district . 
locations were not reported . There have been many addi -
at different locations prior to the 1940's; these are too 
i that none recorded the presence of the Masked Finfoot. 
r is surely one reason for the lack of records . 
tation from these early sightings up to the present. In 
1pilation of references related to Java (primarily) and In-
• is not cited . Nor has this species been cited in recent 
ent) with reference to Indonesian avifauna . 
been of birds on the Wai (River) Kanan fl owing through 
.ampung Province) . An adult female was seen on two oc-
'· pers .comm.) and 22 Aprill984 (P . Andrew. D. Brad-
ling a short distance downstream from the Forestry Dept. 
ore recently, a reserve guard (Darmanta pers. comm.) ac-
occurring in the same location on 3 June 1985 . These 
Ill occurrence in Indonesia (early December to ea rly June) 
la laysia. Moreover they dramatically extends the fi nfoots' 
!m to the southern half of Sumatra . 
I and riverine forests of Java have been intensively studied 
no reference to finfoots has been found in the literature . 
tuthor of an adult male on 7 March 1984 is believed to be 
vas skulking at the edge of the Rhizophora swamp in the 
' S. 106°42' E) in Jakarta Bay. 
comes available. the coastal and forested riverine habitat 
LS this migrant's usual habitat in Indonesia. However the 
:curs only in small numbers and has always been uncom-
·ed to be a vagrant beyond the normal limit of its range . 
e American. European . and Southeast Asian museums 
tformation on Heliopais personata housed in the ir collec-
:ler the World Wildlife Fund- Indonesia Program. Project 
Kukila 1985 2(2) 
References 
Ali , S . & S .D. Ripley, 1980. Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan, together with those 
of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan , and Sri Lanka. Vo/2: M gapodes to Crab Plover. 
snd ed. Oxford Univ. Press. London. 
Baker, E.C.S. 1929. The fauna of British India , including Ceylon and Burma. Birds. Vol VI. 
Taylor and Francis , London. 
Hoogerwerf , A. 1953. An ornithological bibliography having particular reference to the study 
of the birds of Ja va. 
Org . Sc. Res . lndon. Bull. 13-16: 168p. Jakarta . 
King, B., M. Woodcock, & E. C. Dickinson. 1975. A field guide to the birds of South-East 
Asia. Collins, London. 
Medway , L. & D.R. Wells . 1976. The birds of the Malay peninsula . Vol V . Conclusion , and 
survey of every species. H.F. and G . Witherby Ltd. London. 
Parrot, C. 1907. Beitrage zur ornithologie Sumatras und der Insel Bangka mit besonderer 
Zugrundelegung der von Dr Hagen auf Bangka gesammelten Vogel. Aus den 
Abhandlungen der K. Bayer. Akademie der Wiss. II . KL.XXIV . Bd I. Abt. 
Robinson, H.C. & C.B. Kloss . 1923. Revised list of the birds of Sumatra. J . Fed. Mal. St. 
Mus. 8 : 319-362. 
Schauensee, R.M. de , & S.D. Ripley. Zoological results of the George Vanderbilt Sumatran 
Expedition. 1936- 1939. Part I. Birds from Aijeh. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 
91 : 311-368. 
Schneider, G . 1905. Ergebnisse Zoologischer Forschungs-reisen in Sumatra . Erster Teil. 
Saugetiere (Mammalia). Zoo/. Jahrb . (Abt. F. System) 23: 1-172. 
Smythies, B.E. 1953. The birds of Burma. Oliver and Boyd Ltd. Edinburg. 
Wells, D.R. i982. Bird Report: 1974 and 1975. Malgy Nat. J . 36: 6.1-85. 
Wells, D.R. 1983 Bird Report: 1976 and 1977. Malay Nat. J . 36: 197-218 
Address: World Wildlife Fund- Indonesian Program, P .O . Box 133, Bogar. 
West Java , Indonesia . 
FIRST DOCUMENTED NESTING OF THE BLACK BUTCHERBIRD 
IN IRIAN JAYA 
by Anne D. Nash and Stephen V. Nash 
Received April 29, 1985 
Two nests of the Black Butcherbird Cracticus quoyi were found on Kimaan Island, 
Merauke District in Southern Irian Jaya. The first nest, with one young, was found 
on May 20 1984, at the Bugeran River (7°36' S, 138°08' E) on tl)e western side of 
Kimaan Island. The second nest, with two eggs, was found on May 23 1984 at 
Tabonji (7°32' S, 138°50' E) on the River Manggumas on the north coast of the 
island. These two nests represent the first documented information on the nesting 
of the Black Butcherbird in Indonesia . 
43 
Kukila 1985 2(2). 
The first nest was in the crotch of a divided trunk at a height of 5 metres , halfway up 
· the tree . The nest was a loose construction of coarse twigs, with an inner cup of fine 
twigs; the height, cup depth, outside and inside diameters of the nest were respec-
tively 40 em, 10 em, 22 em and 15 em. 
The second nest was in the crotch of a tree leaning against another, at the height of 
10 metres, three-fifths of the height of the tree; the nest was similar to the first, but 
its height was only 10 em. 
The eggs from the second nest had a ground colour of pale green , thickly flecked 
with pinkish brown and grey over the whole egg but more densely around the 
broader end. They were moderately incubated. The width of the first egg was 25.5 
mm. The measurements of the second egg, which has been deposited at the 
Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense in Bogar, were 33.0 X 25.8 mm. 
The feathers of the nestling from the first nest were still in sheaths . The legs and bill 
were pale blue-grey and the iris was brown with a dark blue pupil. The exposed 
culmen was 26.5 mm, the wing 87 mm, the tail 29 mm and the tarsus 40 mm. 
At the first nest location , the parents were very agitated and both birds attacked the 
observer, calling incessantly. At the second location , the two parents were first seen 
chasing a small accipiter. Later, while one adult was sitting at the nest, its mate 
came to the nest carrying a large white grub in its bill , then flew to a nearby branch. 
The incubating adult joined the other bird and , after eating the grub , returned to sit 
on the nest. Notably, the pair was silent. 
Acknowledgements 
We wish to thank the many knowledgeable people who quickly responded to our 
queries as to existing information on the Black Butcherbird in the Australasian 
region, notably the late Dr. H. Bell, Dr. B. Bheeler, W.E.Boles, Dr. J . Diamond , 
Dr. E. Lindgren, Dr. R. Petocz and Dr. R. Schodde. 
(Editor's note: K.D.Bishop reports finding nestlings in three nests near Kimaan in 
September 1983 in tops of trees in the scrubby woodland edge of tall mangroves. 
He notes that this species is remarkably more conspicuous and apparently common 
in SE Irian Jay a than elsewhere in its range) . 
REVIEW 
"A Field Guide to the Bird Songs of South-East Asia", compiled and edited by 
Terry White. The British Library National SoundArchive 1984. Price 10 pounds 
ste_rling (add one pound for addresses outside Britain) from the Curator of Wildlife 
Sounds, British Library National Sound Archive, 29 Exhibition Road, London 
SW7 2AS. 
A number of authors have produced discs or cassettes of bird sounds of the Sunda 
region, especially in West Malaysia, but this is the first published general sound 
44 
Kukila 1985 2(2). 
identification guide. Although not expressly stated , 
panion to the book of nearly the same name (H 
1975) , and applicable to the area covered by that be 
Asia. However as stated in the preface, many 
throughout the Oriental region . Out of the 136 spp 
mainly in Sumatra and Kalimantan (only about 65 iJ 
ly recorded in Indonesia, most of these in Java by I 
buf three were made in Sumatra by this reviewer. 
A casual visitor to the forests of Sumatra and Kalima 
by the apparent paucity of his observations, which b 
Forest birding requires determination, patience and 
also a very useful asset. With experience, more a 
vocalizations. I have personally succeeded in obse 
barbet making each of its diagnostic calls, but tlu 
others I am now sufficiently confident to confirr 
wherever I go, based entirely on their calls. But r 
While some species have calls that are immediately i 
are a great many pitfalls of which the newcomer rna! 
should make it his aim to personally confirm every 'c 
through others or from cassettes. 
In my early years in the region , I remember fooling 
unintentionally: a tape I sent them for confirmation c 
winged Babbler Stachyris erythroptera giving a slow 
song, recorded at very close range . The experts "' 
trogon. This experience emphasizes the risk of heat 
context, as it were. Listening to the short high-pitcl 
Woodpecker Meiglyptes tukki (no. 64) , it occurred 
and one flycatcher have a very similar call (anothe: 
bulbul! - see Addendum) . On site one might realu 
small lower-storey passerine, but this cannot be dete 
on site, it is very difficult to distinguish the long dra~ 
Garnet Pitta Pitta granatina (no . 71) from that of 
which is not represented, the Malaysian Rail Babbl1 
however, the compiler has taken care to indicate 
under no. 111 he notes that Stachyris ruficeps h~ 
lustrated for the Golden BabblerS. chrysaea. To thi 
rufifrons! 
Several of the barbets have two distinct calls, one I 
other the "trilling" call. Only the trilling call is given 
Megalaima chrysopogon (49), and the tok-tok call f 
mystacophanos (51), but the accompanying notes r 
both species. It is not generally known that the Blue 
also has its version of the trilling call, which once g; 
down. Incidentally the frequency with which this ba 
other recordings reflects a very real situation in th 
recordist will be aware (cicadas and gibbons are the 1 
whine of a mosquito in front of hand-held microp 


First documented nesting of the Black Butcherbird in Irian Jaya

Grantham, M J

2000 Short Communications 133 
Parrott, S. & P. Andrew 1996. An annotated checklist of the birds of Way Karnbas National Park, 
Sumatra. Kukila 8. 57 85 
Silvius, M.J. & W.J.M. Verheugt. 1989. The status of storks, ibises and spoonbills in Indonesia. Kukila 
4 (3 4).119 132 
Smythies, B.E. 1981. The birds of Borneo., Third edition. The Sabah Society with the Malayan 
Nature Society. 
Sody. H.J.V. 1930. De Broedtijden der vogels in West en Oost Java. Tectona 23P: 183 198. 
Sody. H.J.V. 1953. Vogels van het Javaanse djatibos. Majalah Ilmu Alam untuk Indonesia (formerly 
Natuurk Rtijdschr. N. 1) 109:125 l72. 
A NOTE ON I HE PANSAGE OF VARIEGATUS AND PRAEOPUS TYPE WHIMBRELS

THROUGH ALAS PURWO NATIONAL PARK, EAST JAVA

by 
M.J. Grantham 
(Final draft received 7 March 2000) 
Summary 
Over autumn mid spring passage (1997 99), Alas Purwo National Park hosted good numbers of birds 
resembling Western Paleartic type Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus phaeopus. Of 264 passage birds 
racially identified, only 4.5% were of the more expected Eastern Palearctic race Numenius phaeopus 
variegatus. The remainder all showed characteristics of the nominate phaeopus, which usually winters 
only as far east as India and the Malagasy region. 
Ringkasan 
Selama musim bermigrasi (1997 1999). Taman Nasional Alas Purwo ditempati burung Gajahan 
Numenius phaeopus dalam jundah yang cukup besar. Gajahan ini mirip tipe Whimbrels dari 'Western 
Palearctic.' Dari 264 Gajahan yang ras diidentifikasikan, hanya 4.5% jelas dari ras Numenius 
phaeopstv variegates yang paling dimungkinkan di Jawa. Semua burung yang lain punya ciri ciri mirip 
Numenius phaeopus phaeopus yang bermusim dingin (winters) sejauh India dan daerah Malagasy. 
Introduction 
Alas Purwo National Park lies in the far southeast corner of Java. The west of the Park consists 
of riverine mangroves (Segoro Anak) and a small estuary leading into Grajagan Bay. at Cungur (8*31'S 
11015'E). During peak passage periods (September November and March April), these areas hold 
small numbers of 21 species of migrant shorebirds. Autumn passage is dominated by Sanderling 
Calidris alba, Rufous nacked Stint Calidris ruficollis and Whimbrel, with only the latter present in any 
numbers:on spring passage. Other interesting migrant records include Oriental Plover Charadrius 
veredus. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus and Red capped Plover Charadrus ruficollis (for 
detalls, see Grantham, in prep.). 
134 Short Communications KUKILA 11 
Whimbrel passage In Alas Purwo 
During the period, up to 134 Whimbrels were seen in the Segoro Anak  Cungur area, with the 
main passage period spanning late October to December, with a smaller spring passage from March 
until mid April. 
However, of more interest are the racial origins of these birds. Of some 264 birds identified to 
sub species (between 31 August 1997 and I June 1998), only 12 individuals (4.5%) were considered to 
be 'classic' variegatus types, with the remainder (252 individuals) showing characteristics of phaeopus 
types. The only variegatus birds seen were as listed below: 
Date Number

31 August 1997 8

1 September 1997 1

13 October 1997 1

24 April 1998 2

Usually, due to observation at long distance, birds were racially identified on lower back and 
rump colour only (heavily barred on variegatus, and white or lightly barred on phaeopus). Of birds seen 
at close range (all phaeopus types), the lower back and rump were seen to be white with no obvious 
barring. However, the underwing coverts of these birds showed some dark barring, intermediate 
between variegatus and phaeopus as depicted in Marchant et al (1986), though this may be a variable 
feature. 
Distribution 
The four races of Whimbrel have a near cosmopolitan distribution. Numenius phaeopus 
phaeopus breeds across the Western Palearctic from Iceland to western USSR, wintering south to 
South Africa and east to India and the Malagasy region. Numenius phaeopus variegatus breeds in 
eastern USSR, moving south along the coast of East Asia to wintering grounds in South east Asia and 
Australia. As expected, only variegatus has been recorded in the Philippines (Dickinson et al. 1991) 
and Wallaces. (White & Bruce 1986), though interestingly Coates and Bishop (1997) describe 
variegatus Whimbrels in Wallacea as showing "a white rump to lower back with variable brown 
barring; whole underwing is barred brown and white." MacKinnon and Phillipps (1993) also state of 
Whimbrels in the Greater Sundas that "some individuals with white rump and underwing approach 
form of nominate phaeopus." Through the Malay peninsula, west coast birds typically show white on 
the back and rump (suggesting phaeopus), whereas east coast birds are presumed to be both phaeopus 
and variegatus (Wells 1999). 
Conclusion 
It is not known why so many phaeopus type Whimbrels should occur on passage in Alas Purwo 
and this requires further field observations. N central USSR is a racial hybrid zone between phaeopus 
and variegatus, will these birds show die characteristics described above, and also be likely migrants in 
South east Asia? 
Further records of phaeopus type Whimbrels in South east Asia, or any other comments would 
be much appreciated by the author. 
2000 Short Communications 135 
References 
Coates, B.J. & K.D. Bishop. 1997. A gul4e to the birds of Wallacea: Sulawesi, The Moluccas and Lesser 
Sunda Islands, Indonesia. Dove, Queensland. 
Dickinson, E.C., R.S. Kennedy & K.C. Patkies. 1991. The birds of the Philippines. An annotated 
checklist. Tring, U.K: British Orn. Union (Check list no. 12). 
Grantham, MJ. 2000. Birds of Alas Purwo National Park, East Java. Kukila 11. 
MacKinnon, J. & K. Phillipps. 1993. Field guide to the birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. 
Oxford, New York, 
Merchant, J., A.J. Prater, & P. Haymen. 1996. Shorebirds. an identifications guide to the waders of the 
world. Helrn, Landon 
Wells, D.R. 1999. The birds of the Thai Maloyan Peninsula. Volume One. Non Passerines. Academic 
Press. 
White, C.M.N. & M.D. Bruce. 1986. The birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, The Moluccas and Lesser Sunda 
Wands, Indonesia). an annotated check list. London: British Om Union (Clieck fist no. 7). 
NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF LITTLE CORMORANT AT

NUSA DUA, BALI

by 
Victor Mason 
(Received 6 July 1999) 
The ponds which treat sewage from the Nusa Dua hotel complex are located west of the road 
running between Buala and Tanjung Benoa, near the hamlet of Celu, coordinates: 08°48'S, l15°14'E. 
Divided by wide, grassy bunds, they are bounded on two seaward sides by mangroves, and elsewhere 
by a screen of natural greenery. Situated in the ponds am numerous small islands, supporting a growth 
of trees, shrubs, reeds and grasses, which in turn support teeming bird life. It is a spectacular location. 
In fact six years ago the author recommended to the local office of the State Ministry of t that 
the site be gazetted a Wetland Reserve, considering its important population of waterfowl, including 
breeding Black crowned Night heron Nycticorax nycticorax, Javm Pond heron Ardeola speciosa, 
Egrets Egretta sp., Purple Heron Ardra purpurea, and little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax 
nelanoleucos. Unusual visitors have included Rufous Night heron N. caledonicus, Lesser Adjutant 
Leptoptilus javanicus, Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcineflus, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, and 
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. And now little Cormorant P. niger. 
The area falls within the jurisdiction of Bali Tourist Development Corporation (BTDC), who 
have taken positive measures to prow this sanctuary, such as gating the bunds, although current 
construction of a by pass road skirting die southern edge has, at least temporarily, tended to disturb and 
diminish die resident population of waterfowl. 
A search of available literature (see Bibliography) reveals that Little Cormorant 
Phalacrocorax niger (sometimes combined with Pygmy Cormorant P. pygmaeus of Eurasia) is known 
from the Greater Sundas, including Java, but has not hitherto been recorded from the island of Bali. 


A note on the passage of variegatus and phaeopus type Whimbrels through Alas Purwo National Park, East Java

Becking, Jan H

OBITUARIES 
IN MEMORIUM 
HANS BARTELS (1906 1997) 
by 
Jan Hendrik Becking 
Hans Bartels, an eminent ornithologist, died on 6 February 1997 at the age of 90 years at 
Bilthoven, The Netherlands. With his death Indonesian ornithology has lost one of its pioneers, and 
because of his knowledge and friendly character he will be missed by many Indonesian and European 
ornithologists. He was always willing to answer questions and to share his knowledge. Personally, I 
remember him as a good friend and esteemed companion on many excursions. 
The course of Hans' life cannot be seen without reference to his brothers and the family 
circumstances. Born on 6 July 1906 at the tea estate 'Pangerango' (better known by its locality name 
Pasir Datar) of the firm H.G.Th. Crone on the south western slope of Mt. Pangrango in West Java, he 
enjoyed great freedom in his youth. His father M.E.G. Bartels, manager of the Pangerango estate, was 
the founder of the famous Bartels collection of c.15,000 skins of Java birds, now held in the Leiden 
Museum, Naturalis. Born as the third of three sons (Max born 1902, Ernst born 1904) he and his two 
brothers followed their father's footsteps. Growing up in a nearly optimal climate for bird study and 
interest in natural history, living on a rather isolated estate, there was no better playground for three 
growing up boys than the well timbered garden, the surrounding tea gardens and the virgin forest 
nearby. Of course the three brothers were also often found in the rooms where the collection was stored, 
and in the preparation room, where Sundanese workers trained by their father were preparing bird 
skins. The games they played, such as tree climbing, or running downstream leaping bare foot from 
boulder to boulder, developed a comradeship between them that was to persist throughout their lives. 
Their mother, Angeline Caroline Henriette Bartels Maurenbrecher (born in 1879 at Pontianak, 
Kalimantan) shared and stimulated their interest in nature. Although she was not trained as an artist, she 
skillfully painted in water colours all kinds of natural objects such as curious insects, butterflies and 
moths, their caterpillars and pupa, etc. Moreover, later, she painted birds in water colours for her 
husband's intended 'magnum opus' on Java birds named Ornis Javanica. She herself, being educated on 
the nearby estate 'Cipetir', near Cibadak, was very familiar with the Indonesian (and especially 
Sundanese) way of life and local traditions. She spoke the Sundanese tongue of this region fluently. As 
a baby, Hans was given to a local Sundanese maid for care, as was often done in planter families. This 
woman took him in her carrying cloth all around the house and garden, as well as in the forest, because 
she had the collecting of medicinal herbs (jamu jamu) as a part time occupation. For this reason, forest 
may have been an almost natural habitat for Hans from very early childhood. For the boys it was quite 
normal to walk bare foot like the local people, even in the forest, without regard for the roughness of the 
ground. At an age of 8 10 years each son was allocated a special native helper and guard (paninggaran 
in Sundanese, or hunter companion) for their safety, but also to teach (mapagahan) them in the secrets 
of the forest. At the age of nine Max had already ascended (bare footed) with his father Mt. Pangrango, 
the mountain behind the estate, an achievement which his brothers accomplished at about the same age. 
As teenagers, they gave themselves nicknames according to their special abilities or achievements. The 
2000 OBITUARIES 175 
nickname of Hans was 'Polistes', a genus name of a small species of rather aggressive wasps (Polistinae 
or usud in Sundanese), because of his particular endurance and skill in locating bird nests. 
The boys received their early primary school education (1914 1917) from their mother and only 
for the last two classes they were to the primary school in Sukabumi. Socondary school was attended in 
Bandung (1918 23), because there was no such schoo1 at that time near Sukabumi,, and their mother 
went with them. In their teens they wrote extensive letters to their father summarizing all their 
excursions, bird observations and particularly nests and eggs collected. A great success was the 
discovery in June 1923 of a nesting site of the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus ernesti in the Kawah 
Ratu, the active crater of Mt. Tangkubanprahu (Bartels, M. 1925). All their letters concerned 
ornithology exclusively, and no other subject was ever mentioned! During this Bandung period a tragic 
event completely change their future. On 2 January 1920 their mother died as result of a typhus 
infection. This was a real shock for the boys as well as for the father, who never recovered from the 
blow. The children were boarded out mid after Max had obtained his secondary school certificate in 
1923. they were all sent to Haarlem in The Netherlands for further education. Hans finished his 
secondary schooling there in 1926 and returned (with his brother Ernst) in January 1927 to Java. There 
was an agreement with his father that he could get a year solely for ornithological research at Pasir 
Datar before starting a study or an occupation. 
The period February 1927 June 1929 on the Pangerango estate was a happy and fruitful time for 
him. His activities were confined to the environment of the estate in order to obtain information on the 
nidification of birds, for which data were then unknown. For example the nest of the Black Eagle 
Ictinaetus malayensis (at that time called Neopus malayensis) had never been found, while the Javan 
Hawk eagle Spizaetus bartelsi (then Spizaetus nipalensis kelartit) was thought to be a migrant (Finsch, 
1908). Hans discovered the nests of these raptors and collected the first eggs known to science. In 
addition he was responsible for the discovery of the nest and the only egg of the Oriental Honey
buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus known for Java. It is noteworthy that he rarely used a shotgun, because in 
his opinion observations were far more important than obtaining a dead bird. He was an excellent tree
climber and completely free of agrophobia, and he developed a new technique for climbing tall, 
isolated giants and using these as 1ook out posts for locating raptor nests. From this lofty perches, he 
had an unobstructed view over a large area of forest above the upper canopy. With a pair of Zeiss 8 x 30 
binoculars at hand and some rolls of rice cooked in a banana leaf (Sundanese buras) for food, he 
watched the movements of raptors above the forest from dawn to sunset and recorded the observations 
in a minuscule notebook. Surely he was gifted with a large amount of patientce. He studied their soaring 
flight and enjoyed their acrobatic courtship and displays. As he assured me later, these impressions 
belong to the happiest moment of his life. Besides work on the larger birds of prey, he also paid attention 
to smaller bird species for which the nidification was not yet reported. So he found the first nests and 
eggs of Black thighed Falconet Microchierax fringillarius. Javan Owlet Glaucidium castanopterum 
Nicobar Pigeon Caleonas nicobarica, Pied Imperial Pigeon Ducula bicolor, Spotted Crocias Crocias 
albonotatus. Crested Jay Platylophus galericulatus, Chestnut fronted Shrike babbler Pteruthius 
aenobarbus, Blue banded Kingfisher Alcedo euryzona, a number of woodpeckers (Checker throated 
Picus mentalis, Banded P. miniaceus and Orange backed Reinwrdtipicus validus), and some others. He 
was also responsible for the first and only known egg of Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus concretus 
for Java in the nest of Greater Racquet tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus. Near Palabuhanratu on the 
176 OBITUARIES KUKILA 11 
southern coast of Java he located nesting holes of Wreathed Hornbill Aceros (Rhyticeros) undulatus 
(Julang) and Rhinoceros Hombill Buceros rhinoceros (Rangkong), laying already at that time the basis 
for the joint publication with his brother Max (Bibliography No.3), who photographed these birds in 
front of their nest holes. 
Hans was very musical. During his school years at Haarlem he took violin lessons and during 
the lonely evenings at the estate (only having his father as company) he exercised this further. With this 
talent and his very good ear for bird vocalizations, he was able to distinguish the voice of every small 
bird. In this pre tape recorder age he tried to describe the vocalizations of birds both phonetically and 
also in musical notes. I own from his hand a paper with at least 21 different musical notations of the 
song of the Greater Racquet tailed Drongo, a species like many drongos that is gifted with a large vocal 
repertoire. Moreover, this species imitates the calls of many other birds. Typically, after hearing in these 
imitations the mating call of the Javan Hawkeagle, Hans immediately concluded there must be a 
nesting site of this raptor nearby, which proved to be true. 
Hans was also a talented bird photographer. By an ingenious system of electric wires he devised 
an early photo capture technique. During his school vacations in The Netherlands he visited his brother 
Max in Switzerland and helped him to photograph the snow covered nests of Nutcrackers Nucifraga 
caryocatactes, resulting in a joint publication (Bibliography No.2 and Bartels, M., 1931). However he 
was far more enthusiastic and interested in the malting of cinematograph films. In 1937/39 during his 
Sumatran period he made a Kodachrome colour cinefilm with a 16 mm Kodak movie camera of the 
breeding biology and complete life cycle of the Wreathed Hornbill (this film was however lost during 
World War II, together with all his note books). After his 'free year' at the tea estate, Hans returned in 
June 1928 to The Netherlands to receive a planter's training at the Secondary Agriculture School 
(Middelbare Landbouwschool) at Deventer. This school proved to be of great importance for his later 
life, because besides the normal subjects related to agriculture, sanitary and veterinary science were 
taught and he learnt metal forging and carpentry. These gave him the idea to design special climbing
irons for ascending inaccessible trees. He completed this school in 1930 at the age of 24 and on 19 
August 1930 he married Johanna Louise (Hanaie) Maurenbrecher, whom he had already known from 
Java, and they departed for Indonesia. In spite of the economic depression he got a job on the tea estate 
'Pagar Djawa' of the HVA, near Pernatang Siantar in North Sumatra. The hard life of a novice planter 
gave little room for spare time and ornithology. Only in April 1932, when his brother Max visited him 
on passage to Java, did he get some vacation, Together they visited the Sibatuloteng forest reserve 
around Lake Toba where they discovered an occupied nesting hole of the Wreathed Hornbill. In June. 
1933 he found in the same forest the nest of the Pale headed (Short tailed Frogrnouth) Barrachostomus 
poliolophus. The collected nest and egg were the first known to science and they also produced the 
description of the hitherto undescribed male of this species (Bartels, M., 1938). 
2000 OBITUARIES 177 
The tea estate was in the process of development from the tropical rain forest, and he saw many 
striking and rare birds of the medium elevation and lowland primary forest of Sumatra. During these 
clearances the excessively hard and heavy tree species, which were very difficult to fell, were saved 
such as the Tualang trees Koompasia excelsa (Caesalpiniaceae) These enormous, bold, buttressed 
columnar trunks with smooth bark stood as giant trees of 60 80 m height in the open and were the 
favoured nesting trees of hornbills and many raptors. It was always challenge for Ham to climb this tree 
with his self designed climbing hooks and to make pictures of the nests. Because of World War II, Hans 
was called to arms in May 1940 and in March 1942 his group surrendered to the Japan army. He was 
among the first group to be transported to Burma for the construction of the notorious Burma railroad 
from Mandalay/Moulmein to Bangkok. In spite of the distressing situation and the very poor living 
conditions, he found his mental strength by doing nature observations and seeing his beloved birds. He 
became acquainted with a fellow prisoner, an amateur herpetologist, with whom he studied snakes 
(they held a black cobra as a pet!). Hans was partly exempted from hard railroad work, because he could 
sharpen and forge axes and knives, and even more important he could prepare medical surgery 
instruments for operations from iron wastes such as old preserving tins, petroleum tins and oil drum, 
left by the Japanese. Also being a trained bush ranger he trapped all kinds of animal food from the forest 
for the protein supply of his fellow prisoners, such as forest rats and mice, snakes, lizard and birds, 
sometimes a small deer. When the prisoners csmp (Camp 108) was situated in untouched rainforest 
near the “Three Pagodas Pass”, full of hornbills, he located the nests of four species. Whreated Aceros 
(Rhyticeros) undulatus Great Buceros bicornis, Plain pouched Aceros (Rhyticeros) subruficollis and 
Tickell's Brown Hornbill [the Grey brown] Anorrhinus tickelli. Although a conservationist, he snared 
four Tickell's Brown Hornbill males at one occupied nest hole for food. He already knew of 
'cooperative breeding' and 'helpers at the nest' in the hornbill family in 1943 44, long before they were 
known had reached the ornithological literature! After the capitulation of the Japanese army in August 
1945, it was not immediately possible to returnEurope and Hans mdvo in, The Nedharlands only in 
1947. 
In 1948 he returned to Sumatra, to the estate 'Balimbingan' near his former estate 'Pagar 
Djawa'. In June July 1950 he studied there and photographed the nesting of Bat Hawk Macheiramphus 
alcinus in a 70 m tall Koompassia tree (the nest height was 62 m) (Bibliography No.6). In 1952 he 
returned definitively to the Netherlands, but during the year 1975 79 he went several times back to 
Sumatra, Java and Bali as a guide on nature tours. His utmost desire however to make a sound cinema 
production of a natural history or bird subject was never fulfilled. In 1957 he applied unsuccessfully to 
be film operator for the Papua expedition (Sterren mountains) of the Museum of Natural Historay in 
Leiden. In 1964 he wrote (together with Ernst) a scenario for a sound colour cine film on the breeding 
biology of the Rhinoceros Hornbill and allied species in Malaysia. Despite the support of the 
University of Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) and several scientists, the funds were not forthcoming. In 
1965, again in cooperation with his brother Ernst, he prepared a project for a sound colour movie film 
on the breeding biology of the endemic Philippine (so called Monkey eating) Eagle Pithecophaga 
jefferyi. This proposal was later extend to the study of the endemic Great Philippine (Rufous) Hornbill 
Buceros hydrocorax. However, again all his effort for the expedition failed through lack of funds, 
although the idea for the Philippine Eagle was later pursued and executed by others. Hans was a 
member of the ICBP Hornbill Specialist Group established by Alan Kemp (Transvaal Museum) and he 
178	 OBITUARIES KUKILA 11 
contributed also to the latter's book on hornbills (Kemp 1995). In addition he contributed to the B.O.U 
Checklist No. 10 on the birds of Sumatra (Van Marle & Voous 1988). Hans is survived by his wife 
Hannie, two daughters Willy (in Zimbabare) and Ilse (in Canada), and a son Hans (in Australia). 
References 
Bartels, M. 1925. Het nest van Falco peregrinus emesti Sharpe op Java ontdekt. Jaarber. Club Ned 
Vogelkundigen 15 : 90 95, 3 plates. 
Bartels, M. 1931. Verzögerung des Brutgeschäftes dutch Schneefall und Kälte beint Tannenhäher 
Nucifraga caryocatactes caryocatactes (L). Beitr.z.Fortpflanzungsbiologie der Vögel 7:129
130. 
Bartels, M. 1938. Notizen uber einige Batrachostomus Arten. Joum. f Ornith. 86: 244 247, 2 plates 
Finsch, O. 1908. Ein neuer Irrrgast fur Java (Spizaetus Kelaari Legge). Ornith. Monatsber. 16 : 44 45. 
Kemp, A. 1995. The Hombills, Bucerotiformes. In Series: Bird Families of the World, Oxford 
University Press, Oxford, U.K., 302 pp. 
Van Marle, J.G. & Voous, K.H. 1988. The Birds of Sumatra. An annotated check list. B.O.U. Check
listNo.10. British Ornithologists' Union, Tring, 265 pp. 
Bibliography 
1  Bartels, M, Bartels, E & Bartels, H. 1924. Die javanischen Eier der Nehrkomschen Ornith. 
Monatsber. 32: 109 110. 
2 Bartels, M & Bartels, H. 1929. Zur Brutbiologie des dickschnäbligen Tannenhähers, Nucifraga c. 
carvocatactes (L). Journ. f Ornith. 77: 489 50 1, plates IV VIIL 
3 Bartels, M & Bartels, H. 1937. Uit her leven der Neushoornvogels, Parts I 111. De Tropische 116 
127,140 147,166 172. 
4 Bartels, M & Bartels, H. 1937. De neushoomvogels een bij de wet bescherrade Vogelgroep. 
Steenis, C.G.G.J. (ed.): Album van Natuurmonumenten in Nederlandsch Indië. Serie II: 88 
5 Bartels, H. 1937. Photograph of a male Buceros rhinoceros rhinoceros L. at its nesting hole, 
Siantar, Sumatra, April 1936. Nederlandsche Commissie voor Internationale Mededeelingen 
No. 11: opp. p. 10. 
6 Bartels, H. 1952 . Machaerhamphus a. alcinus Westerm. Waarnemingen bij vogel, nest en ei. 93
100. 10 figures. 
7	 Bartels, H. 1956. Waarnemingen bii een broedhol van de Jaarvogel, Aceros u. undulatus Sumatra. 
Limosa 29: 118, 20 figures. 
A photograph of a nest hole of Asian Pied Hombill Anthracoceros albirostris in a tall Tualang tree 
Koompassia excelsa shows Hans Bartels climbing up with his climbing books along the huge trunk 
of this giant tree. The photo was taken in July 1932 by his brother Max at Pematang Siantar, North 
Sumatra. Nederlandsche Commissie voor Internationale Natuurbescherming, Mededeelingen No. 
11 (1937): opp. p.57. 
Address: Jan Hendrik Becking, Ericalaan 7, 6703 EM Wagerringen, The Netherlands. 
E mail: <janhendrikbecking@hotmail.com> 


Hans Bartels (1906-1997)

van Balen, Bas

Nurwatha, Pupung F

152 Short Communications KUKILA 10 
EASTERN MARSH HARRIER IN KALIMANTAN 
by
 
S. (Bas) van Balen & Pupung F. Nurwatha
 
(Final draft received 1 June 1998)
 
On 26 March 1996, while bird watching on the outskirts of Tanjung Selor, a small town on the 
Kayan River, East Kalimantan, (I 17'27'E, 2'50'N), a raptor was seen flying over the local airport. The 
bird was immediately recognized as a harrier from its slender wings, held in a shallow 'V'. Detailed 
notes were made of the bird as it flew about 20 25 in overhead, once back and forth along the tarmac 
strip. 
Harriers, in particular females and immatures, pose serious problems in identification and the 
relevant literature is often misleading, as was pointed out by Bakcwell et al. (1987). However, their 
guidelines to the identification of harriers assisted with the present bird. 
The following description was taken in the field: Head mottled pale buff. Body breast uniform 
dark chocolate brown. Wings rather broad; above: uniform dark grey brown with some dark shading; 
below: primaries whitish with broad dark tips, secondaries brownish, wing lining chocolate brown and 
the same colour as the breast, with whitish to buff lesser wing coverts. Tail uniform dull grey brown 
153 1998 Short Communications 
below, slightly darker terminal bar; upper tail vaguely barred, especially towards the rump. Rump with 
a small, ellipse shaped, conspicuously white patch. Legs yellow. 
The combination of the following features is diagnostic of a juvenile or female Eastern Marsh 
harrier Circus spilonotus (see Porter et at. 1981, Bakewell et al. 1987) and excludes confusion with any 
other harrier occurring in the region i.e. a) Hen Harrier C. cyaneus, b) Pied Harrier C. melanoleucos and 
c) Western Marsh harrier C. aeruginosus: 
1) relatively broad wings (excludes a & b); 
2) faintly barred (or plain) tail (excludes a & b which females have clearly barred tails); 
3) unbarred underwings (excludes a & b); 
4) chocolate brown body and wing lining (excludes a & b); 
5) whitish to buff lesser wing coverts (excludes a & b); and 
6) white rump (excludes c). 
Morioka et.al. (1995) show a photograph of a harrier that resembles our bird, but which was 
identified tentatively as a Pied Harrier. However, the annotation was made by the authors that the head 
was too pale and the wings too broad for a Pied Harrier. 
The Eastern Marsh harrier is a regular to locally abundant passage migrant and winter visitor to 
North Borneo and Sarawak (Smythies 1981). The species has not been recorded previously in 
Kalimantan, where only the Pied Harrier C. melanoleucos was known hitherto (Andrew 1992). 
Acknowledgements 
The authors wish to thank the WWF Indonesia Programme staff in Tanjung Selor and Jakarta for their 
support prior to and during our survey in East Kalimantan. Dr. Jean Marc Thiollay and Dr. David R. 
Wells commented on an earlier description of the harrier. 
References 
Andrew. P. 1992. The birds of Indonesia. A checklist (Peters' sequence). Jakarta: Indonesian 
Ornithological Society. Bakewell, D.N., G.J. Carey & M.D. Williams. 1987. Some notes on 'ringtail' 
harriers occurring in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Bird Report 1987. 
Morioka, T., N. Yamagata, T. Kanouchi & T. Kawata. 1995. The birds of prey of Japan. Tokyo: Bunichi 
Sogo Shuppan. 
Porter, R.F., I. Willis, S. Christensen & B.P. Nielsen. 1981. Flight identification of European raptors. 
(Third edition). Calton: Poyser. 
Smythies, B.E. 1981. The birds of Borneo. Third edition. The Sabah Society with the Malayan Nature 
Society. 
Address: Tropical Nature Conservation and Vertebrate Ecology, Wageningen Agricultural University, 
Bomsesteeg 69, 6708 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands. 


Eastern Marsh Harrier in Kalimantan

Sutrisno, Edi

Imanuddin, .

Rachmady, Reddy

Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 32
Preliminary Observations of the Breeding Biology of
the Critically-endangered White-shouldered Ibis
Pseudibis davisoni in East Kalimantan
EDY SUTRISNO, IMANUDDIN, AND REDDY RACHMADY
Jl. Paus No 8A, KPP IPB I Sindangbarang, Bogor 16617, Indonesia
Email: artitris@yahoo.com
Ringkasan. Kami menyurvei empat anak sungai Mahakam untuk mencari Ibis Karau
Pseudibis davisoni, spesies burung dengan status Kritis (Critically Endangered) lebih
dari sembilan bulan, yaitu dari September 2003 sampai Juni 2004. Kami menemukan dua
sarang yang diletakkan pada pohon Bangris Koompassia excelsa. Sarang pertama,
ditemukan bulan Oktober, memiliki satu anak, sementara pada sarang lainnya telur
ditemukan awal Desember. Ini menggambarkan bahwa pola berbiak secara lokal sudah
berlangsung dari September sampai Desember. Laporan ini berbeda dari pola berbiak
yang pernah dilaporkan di Burma (Februari-Maret). Ketinggian posisi sarang (30.2 and
41.5 m) juga menunjukkan perbedaan yang mencolok dibandingkan dengan laporan-
laporan berbiak di kawasan lain Asia Tenggara. Inkubasi minimal 28 hari dan periode
anakan (nestling) adalah sekitar 26 hari, informasi ini nampaknya masih relatif sama
dengan literatur yang ada untuk jenis ini.
Once ranging widely from Burma through Southeast Asia to Borneo (Hancock et
al. 1992), the White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni is now restricted to
northern and eastern Cambodia, southern Vietnam, extreme southern Laos and
East Kalimantan. This species now has a very small, highly fragmented and
declining population due to deforestation, drainage of wetlands and hunting, and
with an estimated total world population of less than 250 individuals, is
considered Critically Endangered (BirdLife International 2008). Up to 108 birds
have been seen at one site in Cambodia, but numbers for the remainder of this
country, and for Vietnam and Laos, are very small, probably numbering in the
low tens. In Kalimantan, the population along the Mahakam River was estimated
at 30 to 100 individuals (Sözer & van der Heijden 1997), but this population may
have declined after the extensive forest fires induced by the 1997-98 El Niño
Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. Based on 25 boat surveys (covering 2,590
km), Sözer & Nijman (2005) found that encounter rates were higher before
ENSO (1992–1996) than after it (1997–2000), and no ibises were seen along
river sections that were affected by fire.
Very little is known of the breeding biology of the species. In mainland
South-east Asia, it is said to build large nests in trees, or use old raptor nests, at
heights of 5-10 m above the ground, where it lays 2-4 eggs (Matheu & del Hoyo
1992). Hancock et al. (1992) stated that its breeding season in Burma occurred in
February-March and that the incubation period lasted for 29 days. In Cambodia,
Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 33
it has been recorded nesting during the dry season (December to April) on the
edges of seasonally abandoned wet season rice paddy and in the Mekong channel
(Birdlife International 2008).
Sözer & van der Heijden (1997) showed that nearly all records of the White-
shouldered Ibis in East Kalimantan since 1980 are confined to the middle and
upper reaches of the Mahakan River and its tributaries. As individuals having
blue napes were found on the large, open Mahakan River, whilst white-naped
birds were predominantly recorded on the small, forested Ratah River, they
suggested that the former were adults and the latter, sub-adults. From the dates of
records of white-naped birds, they inferred that the species nested throughout the
year. Observations of copulatory behaviour in February 1996, and of three
immature birds in November 1996, were consistent with this assumption (Sözer
& van der Heijden 1997).
Between 30 September 2003 and 24 June 2004 we found two nests of the
White-shouldered Ibis while conducting transect surveys of the species along
four tributaries of the Mahakam River, namely Datahbilang-Pari River (42 km),
Datahbilang-Long Iram (54.5 km), Datahbilang-Long Bagun (85 km), and
Datahbilang-Ratah River (35.5 km). Each transect was surveyed eight times
(Sutrisno & Imanuddin 2005).
The first nest, located on 4 October 2003, was situated in the estuary of the
Merah River (00°22’51”N, 115°26’02”E). The nest, composed of twigs and fresh
leaves, had been built in a ‘Bangris’ tree Koompasia excelsa and contained one
chick. Using a clinometer, the height of the nest was estimated to be 30.2 m. The
nest tree was approximately 10.4 m from the edge of the river, and was
surrounded by secondary riverine forest. About 500 m upstream from the nest
tree the forest had been cleared at least five years ago for a log pond site, where
logs were piled before transportation to markets, and about 500 m downstream
was a disused log pond. We watched the nest daily until the young fledged on 30
October 2003, suggesting that the nestling period is over 26 days. During that
period one or both parents (each with a blue nape) continued to add leaves and
sticks to the nest at least once a day. The parents took turns in feeding the chick,
at intervals of approximately 1-2 h (Sutrisno & Imanuddin 2005). The chick had
light yellow legs and a bluish-white nape (Sutrisno & Imanuddin 2005).
The second nest was found on the Ratah River (00°17’34”N, 115°23’ 40”E),
another tributary of the Mahakam River. The owners were busily building this
nest 41.5 m from the ground in a ‘Bangris’ tree on 10 December 2003 (Sutrisno
& Imanuddin 2005). The nest tree was located c. 60 m from the Ratah River, on
land owned by local people who practiced shifting cultivation. On 14 December
2003, the pair was observed copulating on the nest, after which the larger male
flew to collect nest material, while the female incubated the egg(s) for periods of
1 to 10 minutes. On 12 January 2004 we observed one egg and one chick, as well
as fresh broken eggshell, light blue in colour, under the nest, indicating that the
chick had hatched earlier that day. This suggests an incubation period of at least
28 days. When re-visited for the last time, on 17 January 2004 the two chicks
Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 34
were obviously different in size, suggesting that the eggs hatched
asynchronously.
The minimum incubation period of 28 days is consistent with the full period
reported for Burma (29 days; Hancock et al. 1992). It is also consistent with that
of the Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus (28-29 days), but slightly longer than
that given for the closely related Indian Black Ibis P. papillosa (25-27 days;
Matheu & del Hoyo 1992). Combining this period with a nestling period of at
least 26 days (above), but possibly up to 40 days, as is typical of other ibis
species (Matheu & del Hoyo 1992), the egg(s) in the first nest were probably laid
in late August, while those of the second nest were apparently laid in mid-
December.
With a combined incubation and nestling period of at least two months, it is
conceivable that the immature birds observed by Sözer & van der Heijden (1997)
in November came from eggs laid in September or earlier. We therefore suggest
that the main breeding season is from September to December. This proposed
breeding season seems to differ from those reported in Cambodia (December-
April; Birdlife International 2008) and Burma (February-March; Hancock et al.
1992). However if we include the observations of copulatory behaviour
(February) and sub-adults (June and November) by Sözer & van der Heijden
(1997), the season may well be much longer. It is also noteworthy that the
heights of our nests (30.2 and 41.5 m) were much greater than the range given (5-
10 m) for the species by Matheu & del Hoyo (1992).
We thank the BP Conservation Programme for funding this research, and Idea Wild for
donating equipment used in our surveys. We are very grateful to Richard Noske for
substantially improving the text of an earlier version of this manuscript. We also thank Dr
Dewi Prawiradilaga for her supervision of the project.
References
BirdLife International 2008. Pseudibis davisoni. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 13 March 2009.
Collar, N.J. & J.C. Eames. 2008. Head colour and sex-size dimorphism in Pseudibis
papillosa and P. davisoni. BirdingASIA 10: 36-40.
Hancock, JA, J.A. Kushlan & M.P. Kahl. 1992. Stork, Ibises and Spoonbills of the
World. Academic Press, London.
Matheu, E. & J. del Hoyo. 1992. Family Threskionidae (Ibises and Spoonbills). Pp 472-
506 in del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & J Sargatal (eds), Handbook of the Birds of the
World, Vol. 1. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
Sözer, R. & A.J.W.J. van der Heijden. 1997. Status of White-shouldered Ibis in East
Kalimantan. Kukila 9: 126-140.
Sözer, R & Nijman, V. 2005. Effects of ENSO-induced forest fires and habitat
disturbance on the abundance and spatial distribution of an endangered riverine bird
in Borneo. Animal Conservation 8: 27-31.
Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 35
©
W
eb
er
U
lr
ic
h
©
E
d
i
S
u
tr
is
n
o
©
E
d
i
S
u
tr
is
n
o
Plate 1. Nesting tree of White-
shouldered Ibis on Ratah River,
showing location of the nest (in
yellow arrow).
Plate 2. Nest of White-
shouldered Ibis on Merah River.
Plate 3. White-shouldered Ibis,
Tmat Boey eco-village, Cambodia.
Sutrisno, E. & Imanuddin. 2005. White-shouldered Ibis Project 2003. Conserving
White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni in East Kalimantan. Final report to BP
Conservation Programme. Biodiversity Conservation Indonesia, Bogor.
Sutrisno, E. & Imannudin 2002. Status and Distribution of White-shouldered Ibis
(Pseudibis davisoni) in East Kalimantan. Unpublished Report to BP Conservation
Programme. Biodiversity Conservation Indonesia, Bogor.


Preliminary Observations of the Breeding Biology of the Critically-endangered White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni in East Kalimantan

Nurza, Agus

Mulyawati, Dwi

Husnurrizal, .

Jaya, Ricko L

Sanir, T M

Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 54
First Breeding Records of Shikra Accipiter badius
in Indonesia
AGUS NURZA1, DWI MULYAWATI2, HUSNURRIZAL3,
RICKO L. JAYA4 , T. M SANIR5 AND RICHARD NOSKE6
.
1Jl. Soekarno Hatta No. 18 Garot Geuceu, Banda Aceh Indonesia.
Email: agus.nurza@gmail.com
2Dwi Mulyawati, Jl. Palapa 8/9 Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Indonesia
3Jl. Tgk Chik Di Lamnyong, Lr. Tengah No. 7. Darussalam, Banda Aceh Indonesia.
4Ricko L. Jaya, Dusun Tanjung, Surien, Banda Aceh Indonesia.
5T. M. Sanir, Jl. Inong Balee, Laboratory of Veterinary Faculty, Darussalam, Banda Aceh
Indonesia.
6 School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
Ringkasan. Di Indonesia Elangalap Shikra Accipiter badius selama ini dikenal sebagai
jenis yang bermigrasi sampai ke Sumatera. Tulisan ini melaporkan catatan berbiak
pertama Elangalap Shikra di Indonesia yang ternyata merupakan populasi penetap
berdasarkan pengamatan pada beberapa sarang aktif yang ditemukan antara bulan Januari
dan April 2008 di Aceh, Sumatera yang sebelumnya tidak terlaporkan. Laporan ini juga
mencatat perilaku berbiak seperti kopulasi, membangun sarang, dan kehadiran anak.
Dengan laporan ini juga berarti meluasnya populasi berbiak Elangalap Shikra, sekaligus
menyarankan penelitian lebih jauh mengenai distribusi, kelimpahan, dan tingkat
kesuksesan berbiak jenis ini.
Indonesia has 19 species of goshawks and sparrowhawks belonging to the genus
Accipiter (Sukmantoro et al. 2007), of which one is considered as a strict
migrant, four as partial migrants, and two as irregular visitors. The Shikra
Accipiter badius is considered as a regular winter migrant or vagrant to Sumatra
(van Marle & Voous 1988; Thiollay 1994; MacKinnon et al. 1998; Zalles &
Bildstein 2000; Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001), despite a specimen record for
Medan on 18 June 1912 (van Marle & Voous 1988), well outside its non-
breeding season in southeast Asia, from the end of September to early March
(Wells 1999; Higuchi et al. 2005). One of six subspecies, poliopsis is resident
from northeast India east to southern China and south to southern Thailand and
Vietnam, and wintering as far south as southern Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore
and Sumatra (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001; Naoroji 2007). This paper
provides the first report of breeding of several pairs of Shikra in Indonesia, as
well as records in May and July, all of which suggests the presence of a small
resident population in northern Sumatra.
On 9 January 2008 a pair of Shikras was seen copulating at the rear of the
Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Aceh, Sumatra. This pair was seen
copulating again on three separate days (26, 28 and 29 January 2008) near the
nest tree; at least two of the three copulations occurred in the morning. From 26
January to 5 February the pair engaged in active nest building, mostly in the
Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 55
morning between 07:00 to 09:00 hrs, when they carried Acacia twigs in their legs
or bill approximately seven times per hour. Such behaviour is typical among
raptors prior to egg laying (Newton 1979; Naoroji 2007). From 6 to 27 February,
incubating behaviour was seen many times, but from 27 February to 7 March, the
nest was unattended, and no offspring were produced by the pair. The failure of
this breeding attempt was apparently caused by human activity around the nest
tree. However, an adult Shikra was seen back at the nest location on 7 March
2008, when it was seen re-arranging the nest, indicating that re-nesting might
have taken place subsequently.
Five additional pairs of Shikra were found with active or inactive nests, the
latter with either fledged young or juvenile birds nearby, over the following four
months; two were in Banda Aceh and three in Aceh Besar (Table 1). All nests
except those of Pairs 1 and 2 were located in coconut plantations, mixed with
housing or paddy fields. Except for Pair 2, which built its nest in a Casuarina tree
(Plates 1 and 2), all nests were built in coconut trees Cocos nucifera. Nest
materials included leaves of an Acacia sp (Pair 1), Cocos nucifera (Pair 2) and
Table 1. Records of Shikras Accipiter badius nesting in northern Sumatra during 2008 by
authors (except DM and RN).
Date of first
encounter
Pair/
No.
Location
(district)
Coordinates Nest site and notes
9 January 1 Banda
Aceh
05°34’36”N;
95°21’47”E
Active nest in clearing at rear of
Universitas Syiah Kuala campus;
unsuccessful (see text for details)
25 January 2 Banda
Aceh
05°34’21”N;
95°22’07”E
Active nest in grove of
Casuarinas beside building
(Plates 1 and 2); fate unknown
25 March 3 Banda
Aceh
05°33’54”N;
95°21’16”E
Nest in coconut plantation with
housing; two immatures (Plate 3)
perched next to nest on 29 May
1 April 4 Aceh
Besar
05°35’05”N;
95°22’00”E
Active nest in a mixture area of
coconut plantation, coastal ponds
and housing; fate unknown
10 April 5 Aceh
Besar
05°29’39”N;
95°16’03”E
Nest in mixture of coconut
plantations, swamps and paddy
fields; on 18 May two of three
fledged young were taken (Plate
5); see text for details
7 May 6 Aceh
Besar
05°23’03”N;
95°31’24”E
Nest in a mixture of coconut and
banana plantations; adult pair
attending fledgling (Plate 4)
Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 56
Syzygium sp (Pair 3). At least three of the pairs were successful in producing one
to three fledglings (Pairs 3, 5 and 6, Table 1; Plates 3 and 4). However, two of
the offspring produced by Pair 5 were caught by the owner of the plantation on
which the pair nested (Plate 5); luckily, the third escaped.
Additional records of Shikra during 2008 include solitary birds seen near a
bus terminal in Medan, North Sumatra, on 5 April (A. Adcock, pers. comm.), and
in a coconut plantation (05°37’38” N, 95°23’52” E) in Aceh Besar regency, on
19 July (M. Ismail, pers. comm.; Plate 6). In mid January, AN also witnessed as
many as 13 Shikras flying over Aceh Besar during a 35 min period.
The Indo-Malayan races of Shikra are known to breed between January and
June (Indian subcontinent), March-August (Sri Lanka) and March-June
(Southeast Asia) (Thiollay 1994; Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). All of the
nests we found in Aceh during 2008 were active between January and April. This
is similar to the breeding season in the Indian sub-continent, where the species is
resident. The normal over-wintering period of migratory Chinese Goshawk A.
soloensis and Japanese Sparrowhawk A. gularis in Java is September to March
(Nijman et al. 2006). As the young from at least two nests in Aceh fledged in
May, and “over-wintering” adult birds were seen as late as mid-July, it is feasible
that our observations signify a resident population in northern Sumatra..
Considering the relatively low survey intensity in Aceh, and the age of the June
records (1912), this population may have been overlooked, but it may also refer
to a recent expansion.
The relatively high density of nests in Aceh seems typical of Indo-Malayan
races of the Shikra (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). Given the proclivity of this
species for open country, it is likely that its colonisation of the region has been
facilitated by the rapid rate of deforestation and conversion of forest to oil palm
plantations in Sumatra (BirdLife International 2003). Additional observations are
needed to determine the distribution and movements of Shikras in Sumatra. In
view of the capture of young we observed, it would also be useful to conduct a
public awareness campaign to inform people that all birds of prey are protected
under Indonesian law (see Sukmantoro et al.). Nevertheless such laws are
meaningless unless the people who break them, by capturing and selling wild
birds, are prosecuted.
The authors would like to thank Keith L. Bildstein and Robert DeCandido, who gave
suggestions and improvements on preliminary drafts of this paper, and Hawk Mountain
Sanctuary Acopian Center for Conservation Learning, which provided valuable
references and facilities to finish it. Special thanks go to all of the crew of Cicem
Nanggroe, who provided equipment and support. Our meetings with local people were
facilitated by Rubama and Tisna Nando, who shared their information and knowledge.
Thanks also to Andy Adcock, UK, and Mahdi Ismail of FFI-Aceh Program (FFI-AP)
who shared their sightings, as well as Hidayat Ashari of LIPI museum. Finally, we are
grateful to Bas van Balen for assistance with the literature and interpretation of our
observations, and to Vincent Nijman for his comments on an earlier version of this
manuscript.
Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 57
References
BirdLife International. 2003. Saving Asia’s Threatened Birds: a Guide for Government
and Civil Society. Cambridge, U.K., BirdLife International
Ferguson-Lees, J. & D.A. Christie. 2001. Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, New
York.
Higuchi, H., H. J. Shiu, H. Nakamura, A. Aematsu, K. Kuno, M. Saeki, M. Hotta, K. I.
Tokita, E. Moriya, E. Morishita & M. Tamura. 2005. Migrating of Honey-buzzards
Pernis apivorus based on satellite tracking. Ornithological Science 4: 109-115.
MacKinnon, J., K. Phillips & B. van Balen. 1998. Burung-burung di Sumatera, Jawa,
Bali dan Kalimantan. Puslitbang Biologi LIPI and BirdLife International Indonesia
Programme, Jakarta. [In Indonesian]
Naoroji, R. 2007. Birds of Prey of the Indian Subcontinent. Om Books International, New
Delhi. Newton, I. 1979. Population Ecology of Raptors. Buteo Books, South
Dakota, USA.
Sukmantoro, W., M. Irham, W. Novarino, F. Hasudungan, N. Kemp & M. Muchtar.
2007. Daftar Burung Indonesia (Checklist of Indonesian Birds) No. 2. Indonesian
Ornithologists’ Union, Bogor.
Thiollay, J-M. 1994. Family Accipitridae (Hawks and Eagles). Pp. 52-205 in del Hoyo,
J., A. Elliot & J. Sargatal (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2: New
World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
van Marle, J.G. & K.H. Voous. 1988. The Birds of Sumatra: An Annotated Check-list.
B.O.U. Check-list No. 10. British Ornithologists’ Union, Tring UK.
Wells, D.R. 1999. The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Vol. One: Non-Passerines.
Academic Press, London.
Zalles, J.I. & K.L. Bildstein. 2005. Old World versus New World long-distance migration
in Accipiters, Buteos, and Falcons. Pp. 154-167 in Greenberg, R. & P. P. Marra
(eds.). Birds of Two Worlds: The Ecology and Evolution of Migration. The John
Hopkins University Press, Maryland.
Kukila 14 2009 Short Communication 58
----
Plate 1. The adult male of Pair 2 at the nest; Plate 2. The habitat around nest tree of
Pair 2 (right).
Plates 3 and 4. Offspring of Pair 3 (left) and Pair 6 (centre); Plate 5. Two of three
offspring of Pair 5 taken by local people (right). All photos: Agus Nurza.


Not a member yet