KUKILA (E-Journal)

Burton, Kenneth M

UNSEASONAL OCCURRENCE OF BLUE ROCK-THRUSH 

MONTICOLA SOLITARIUS IN SUMATRA

by Kenneth M. Burton

At approximately noon on 29 July, 1985, while walking through dry, open, 

0 0
rocky, montane pine forest near isak, Central Aceh (4 29' N, 96 57' B), an 

all dark blue thrush type bird was seen standing on a large boulder. Upon 

closer inspection, it was seen to have well-defined scales, especially on 

the belly. The bill and legs were completely dark. Its behaviour of hopping 

about on the rock and flicking its tail was indicative of a thrush, and with 

the aid of the two books listed below it was identified as a male Blue Rock-

Thrush Monticola solitarius. The somewhat similar shiny whistling Thrush 

Myiophoneus melanurus could be ruled out by habitat, behaviour, and the 

lack of any bright markings.

The identification was confirmed about an hour later when a female was seen 

perched on a low dead branch of a nearby pine tree. She also had a very scaly 

appearance below (the back not clearly visible). In this case the only 

other possibility was the female of the Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica,

but the bird clearly lacked eyebrows, a distinct throat patch, and rufous 

washing on the breast.

This sighting raises the intriguing possibility of a resident population 

of this species in Suaatra, perhaps belonging to the race M. s. madoci, at 

present known only from the Malay peninsula. Otherwise, based on the colour 

of the male (without chestnut on the belly), they may have been over-

summering birds of the migrant Hinalayan race, M. s. pandoo.

Acknowledgement 

I am grateful to Derek Hollies for his comments and suggestions.

Ringkasan

Monticola solitarius pandoo jantan dan betina diamati pada sekitar tengah 

hari tanggal 29 Juli 1985 di hutan pinus dekat Isak, Aceh Tengah. Beaar

kemungkinan, burung ini adalah M. s. madoci, yang sampai saat ini hanya

ditemukan di Semenanjung Malaysia. Didasarkan kepada warna bulu burung 

jantannya, burung yang diaaati itu adalah M. s. pandoo, burung migran daxi 

Himalaya yang terlalu dini sampai di Sumatra.

Reference 

Delacour, J. 1947. Birds of Malaysia. The HacMillan Company, New York.

King, B.F., E.G. Dickinson 6 H.W. Woodcock, 1975. A field guide to the birds 

of South-East Asia. Collins, London.

Address:

114 Hazel Ave., Mill Valley CA 94941, U.S.A.

61AN 

62



English

Unseasonal occurrence of Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola aolitarius in Sumatra

Kukila, Editors

EDITORIAL

Once again, the editors apologize for the long time 1ag between 

issues, but as noted in a previous editorial, publication will 

continue to be at irregular intervals. We will not sacrifice 

standards in order to meet unnecessary targets. Nevertheless, we 

hope to reduce the periods between issues.

Publication of Birds to Watch, reviewed in this "issue, has awoken 

us to the alarming fact that Indonesia has the longest list of 

threatened species in the World. This is not really surprising in 

view of the sheer size of our avifauna, and nearly half of those 

listed consist of Wallacean endemics whose current status is 

unknown. So few of the lesser islands have bean visited by 

ornithologists in recent decades.

The Oriental Bird Club has appealed to the country representatives 

to identify opportunities for study in their respective regions. 

It is regretted that the Indonesian representatives have not done 

so. The reason is the sheer magnitude of the task. The entire 

Republic of Indonesia awaits ornithological field study. This can 

be seen as a major challenge, as it will not always be easy 

birdwatching. Travel to the remote regions can be a pleasure, but 

requires funds, time and patience. Few regions yet have adequate 

identification guides, and we do not even possess a definitive 

national bird list. The paper by Bowler & Taylor in this issue 

shows the difficulties that will be faced in the identification of 

several species because of poorly understood taxonomic 

relationships and the lack of field guides.

Birds to Watch should now be used as a baseline to identify those 

species that really are threatened (and those that may be omitted). 

While we may be optimistic and hope that a proportion of those 

listed will be found to be secure, or able to adapt to changing 

habitats, we can be equally certain that others are already

threatened. To our knowledge, only two Indonesian endemics have 

become extinct. How many others may soon receive the same fate? 

Bowler & Taylor show that Cacatua moluccensis is already far down 

that road (along with the other endemic cockatoos). A definitive 

Bird Red Data Book is now an urgent priority for Indonesia.

In accordance with Kukila's concept and aims, It is hoped in our 

next issue to publish a "Sulawesi Bird Report" as a medium for the 

publication of recent data on distribution and status on that 

island. Other islands will follow in future issues, beginning with 

Sumatra. Although the editorial office is not yet computerized, 

increasing use is being made of such facilities (and authors who 

1

wish to submit manuscripts on diskette are invited to contact the 

editors first), and it is intended that data from the reports of 

visiting ornithologists will be stored in this way, for inclusion 

when the next relevant area report is due.

D.A.H.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

JAVA and BALI BIRDS - Request for information/assistance.

In connection with a Checklist of the Birds of Java and Bali, to be 

published as one of the British Ornithologists' Union's Checklist 

series, all those who have new or interesting observations from 

those islands (especially recent observations from little-known

areas), are invited to send information to the compiler. Dr. J.H. 

Becking, 7 Ericalaan, 6703 EM Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Any information on the birds welcome, and all records will, of

course, be fully acknowledged.

CORRECTION: All port G. & G.R. Milton. A note on the recent

sighting of Zosterops f1ava Javan White-eye.

This paper in our last issue included a footnote to p.144 which 

omitted to mention that the note originated from the editors; the 

final text was not seen or approved by the authors. The editors 

wish to confirm the authors' opinion that hand descriptions would 

be adequate to confirm the presence of Zosterops chloris, without 

the necessity to collect specimens.

Field workers are reminded that the collection of specimens in 

Indonesia is illegal without the possession of a research permit 

from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), and that any such 

specimens collected remain the property of Museum Zoologicum 

Bogoriense.

The new FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF JAVA AND BALI by John MacKinnon 

was published by Gadjah Mada University Press, Jogjakarta, in late 

1988. Details of overseas distributors and prices are not 

available at time of going to press. A review will appear in our 

next issue

2



Editorial

Whitten, A J

PELICANS AT CENGKARENG 

by A.J.Whitten

At about 16.00 on 23 April 1988 I was driving to Jakarta from the 

Soekarno-Hatta airport at Cengkareng, when I saw a group of seven 

pelicans on the south side of the highway near the Maju Bersama 

warehouse. They were swimming about 200m from the highway in close 

formation, and one was seen to feed. There was no opportunity to stop 

and take field notes, or to make a specific identification. 

10, Primrose St.

Cambridge, U.K.

[Editorial comment.

Pelicans are sufficiently scarce visitors to Java to justify

publishing this note, even though the species was not identified. 

Three species are known from Java, most often the Spot-billied 

Pelecanus phi1ippinus, identified by its greyish plumage and dark 

brown/grey legs. The last reported record was from Pulau Dua in 1975. 

However there are recent reports of the Eastern White Pelican P.

onocrotalus in Ball. These are mainly white with pink legs. Finally, 

there was an irruption of a third species in 1978, the Australian 

Pelican P. conspicillatus, which reached at least as far west as Bogor. 

These have a black and white tail, with slaty-blue legs. There have 

been no further reports of irruptive behaviour in this species. 

Identification would be more problematical if only immatures are 

present].

BLACK SWAN AT MERAUKE

by D.E.Parry

At Merauke on the evening of 15 July 1988, at about 18.00, I was 

surprised to see two Australian Slack Swane Cygnus stratus flying in a 

south-easterly direction, at about 10 metres elevation, some t50-200 m 

from the observer. Even at that distance, the loud beat of the wings 

was clearly audible, after the manner of white swans in my native 

England.

Tromol Pos 16

Merauke

64



Pelicans at Cengkareng

Lambert, Frank

Howes, J R

Thorsell, J.W. (ed.). 1985. Conserving Asia's Natural Heritage. 

Planning and Management of protected areas in the Indomalayan 

Realm. I.U.C.N. Gland.

Van Marle, J.G. & K.H. Voous. 1988. The birds of Sumatra. London: 

British Ornithologists' Union, Checklist No.10: 41-42, 145.

Whitten,A.J., S.J. Damanik, J. Anwar & N. Hisyam. 1984. The Ecology of 

Sumatra. Jogyakarta : Gajah Mada Umv:Press. 37.7-384.

Address :

51 Manor Close, Kingsbury, London, NW9.

A RECENT SIGHTING OF SALVADORI'S PHEASANT

F.R. Lambert & J.R. Howes

(Received 11 October 1988)

Salvadori's Pheasant Lophura inornata has been listed as one of the 126 

species of threatened bird that occur in Indonesia (Collar & Andrew 

1988). The species is a Sumatran endemic, confined to the Barisan 

Mountain range and isolated mountain tops from the Ophir districts 

(00°04'N, 99°59' E) of Sumatra Barat, south to Mount Dempu (04°02'S, 

103°09'E) in Sumatra Selatan. The bird has been. reported to inhabit 

the floor of lower montane forest at 1000-2200m (Van Marle & Voous 

1988). Very little is known about Salvadori's Pheasant, and its 

taxonomic affinities with the closely related Hoogerwerf's Pheasant 

L. hoogerwerfi are unclear. Nevertheless, although L. hoogerwerfi has 

been incorporated into L. inornata in the past, differences are 

thought to be sufficient to treat these two as separate species (Van 

Marle & Voous 1988).

Prior to the record documented below, Salvadori's Pheasant had not 

been recorded in the wild since the period 1913-1917, when a series of 

34 specimens was collected by Robinson & Kloss (1918) and E. Jacobson 

(Robinson & Kloss Robinson & Kloss (1918) and E. Jacobson (Robinson & 

Kloss 1924) at various sites. Nevertheless, four live specimens were 

imported into France in 1939, and several pairs (perhaps a mixture 

including both Salvadori's and Hoogerwerf's Pheasants) are reported 

to have reached Europe and North America in 1975 and 1976 (Delacour 

1977).

On 26 December 1986, the authors observed a pair of Salvador's 

Pheasants at an altitude of c.2200m on the summit trail of Mount 

Kerinci, Sumatra Barat (01°42'S, lOI'^e'E), above the village of 

56

Kerisik Tya. The birds were observed at close range for about 20 

seconds before they walked into dense understorey, giving a quiet 

alarm call. The vegetation in this area had been extensively altered, 

with scattered areas of planted bananas slightly lower on the 

mountain, and evidence that a significant proportion of the larger 

trees had been felled. Further down the mountain (perhaps 100m lower) 

the forest had been clear felled to plant crops. Just above the area 

where the pheasants were seen, the forest appeared to be untouched.

Although, it is a heartening discovery that Salvadori's Pheasant still 

survives on the slopes of Mount Kerinci, and presumably at other sites, 

much of the former forested range of the species, lying at lower 

altitudes, has been cleared. The birds observed on Mount Kerinci were 

at the upper known limit of the species' known altitudinal range, and 

it seems likely that further illegal agricultural encroachment and 

land clearance will occur. The Kerinci-Seblat National Park has been 

classified as one of the ten most threatened protected areas in the 

Indomalayan realm (Thorsell 1985).

Whilst the birds were observed in an area of forest modified by man, 

their existence here does not necessarily imply that the species can 

survive indefinitely in secondary forest. It is possible that these 

birds were occupying a marginal habitat because of altitudinal 

constraints which prevent them from moving to primary forest at 

slightly higher altitude.

References

Collar, N.J. & P. Andrew, 1988. Birds to Watch : The ICBP World Check
-
list of Threatened Birds. International Council for Bird 

Preservation, Techn.Publ. 8.

Delacour, J. 1977. The Pheasants of the World 2nd Edition. Spur Publ. & 

World Pheasant Association.

Robinson, H.C. & C. Boden Kloss. 1918. Results of an expedition to 

Kerinci peak, Sumatra. Part 2 : Birds. J. Fed. Malay States 

Museum 8:81-284.

Robinson, H.C. & C. Boden Kloss. 1924. On, a large collection of birds 

chiefly from West Sumatra made by Mr. E. Jacobson. J. Fed. Malay 

States Museum 11;189-347.

T.horsell, J.W. (ed) 1985. Conserving Asia's Natural Heritage. The 

Planning and Management of Protected Areas in the Indomalayan 

Realm. Gland : IUCN.

57

Van Marle, J.G. & K.H. Voous, 1988. The Birds of Sumatra : an annotated 

check-list. London : British Ornithologists' Union, Check-list 

No.10.

Address:

F.R.Lambert, 15 Bramble Rise, Brighton BNI 5GE, UK J.R.Howes, Asian 

Wetland Bureau, IPT, Universiti Malaya, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS Tringa flavipes IN SUMATRA 

- NEW TO S.E. ASIA

R.F.011ington and D.Parish

(Received 2 November 1988)

Early in the afternoon of Wednesday 27 September 1983, the authors were 

watching waders on the shallow pools adjacent to the west boundary 

fence of the P.T. Arun Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) plant near Lhokseumawe 

on the east coast of Aceh province, northern Sumatra (5°14' N, 97°04' 

E).

Waders present on the pool were Marsh Tringa stagnatilis, Wood T. 

glareola and Common Actitis hypoleucos Sandpipers and another medium-

sized Tringa species. The unidentified Tringa was initially seen with 

three Wood Sandpipers. When approached, the bird was flushed and flew 

inside the gas plant, out of sight. It had long, trailing, orange legs 

and a square, white rump and was obviously not one of the common Asian 

wader species.

With the cooperation of the gas plant operators, we gained access and 

approached the area containing the Tringa sp., only to see all the 

birds fly back to the other side of the fence. We walked over and looked 

through the fence at the original pools and noticed a single "shank" by 

itself in the corner of a pool. Through the Questar telescope, it 

appeared rather like a Marsh Sandpiper with a fairly straight bill, 

greyish upperparts with white-bordered feathers, whitish underparts 

and a prominent white eyering. It was flushed and again showed bright 

orange legs and a square white rump. It dropped back inside the fence 

of the gas plant, but this time it was alone. We again stalked it with 

the Ouestar, and took some rather distant photographs before recording 

the following notes :

The bird was taller than a Wood Sandpiper but similar in colour except 

for a paler head. At rest, the wings were longer than the tail. The bill 

58



A recent sighting of Salvadori's Pheasant

Galdikas, Birute M. F

King, Ben

Game Reserve in 1983 (Silvius and Verheught, 1986), no White-winged Wood

Duck was observed.

It would be very useful if any birdwatchers in the lowlands of Jambi

Province would try to include some early morning or late afternoon river

trips in their time schedule (this advice applies anywhere in the lowlands

of Sumatra. Ed.).

References

Holmes, D.A. 1976. A record of the White-winged Wood Duck Cairina scutulata

in Sumatra, full. S-it.Orn.C1. 96:68.

Holmes, D.A. 1977. A report on the White-winged Wood Duck in southern

Sumatra. Wildfowl 28;81-64.

Lambert, F.R. 1988. The status of the White-winged Mood Duck in Sumatra. A 

preliminary, report. AMB/INTERWAOER Report no.! 4 Bogor.

Silvius M.J. and W.J.M. Verheught. 1986. The birds of Berbak Game Reserve,

Jambi Province, Sumatra. Kukila 2(4):76-85.

Address:

Asian Wetland Bureau, P.O. Box 254/BOO. Bogor 16001, Indonesia. 

RINGKASAN

Dipertelakan tempat penemuan untuk Cairina scutulata di Sungai Berbak

dekat pantai Jambi. Catalan ini merupakan tempat paling utara untuk jenis

ini da lam beberapa dosa warsa ini.

LESSER ADJUCAMT NESTS IN. S.W. KALIMANTAN

Birute M.F. Galdikas and Ben King

(Received 30 June 1969)

On 1 October 1988 we noted 7 Leaser Adjutants Leptoptilos javanicus on and 

near 4 large stick nests. No young birds were seen. This site was about 7 km

from the Tanjung Puting National Park boundary at Tanjung Harapan, outside

the western edge of the park, in Kalimantan Tengah. The nests were in 2 huge

Alstonia sp., the largest tree in the area.

Smythies (1981) notes this species as resident but local, the last report

of nesting being given in 1968. It is certainly now generally rare in

Borneo. This record enhances the importance of Tanjung Puting National

Park, and it would be worthwhile to study the possibility of including tine

nesting area in the park.

152

Vol04-3-4-1989-new 
Wednesday, September 03, 2003 4:45:46 PM 
Reference:

Smythies, B.E. 1981. The Birds of Borneo. Sabah Society.

Address :

Prof. Dr. Birute M.F. Galdikas, Orangutan Research and Conservation.

Project, Tromol Pos 1, Pangkalanbun, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia.

Ben King, c/o. Ornithology Dept., American Museum of Natural History,

Central Park West at 79 Street, New York, MY 10024, USA.

RINGKASAN

Dipertelakan dua sarang Leptoptilos javanicus yang ditemukan tidak jauh di

luar batas Taman Nasional Tanjung Puting. Catatan ini merupakan penemuan

baru yang penting untuk Taman Nasional tsb., dan diusulkan agar batas Taman

Nasionat ini diperluas untuk melindungi tempat bersarang burung tsb.

ON THE PITFALLS OF IDENTIFYING

LESSER KNOWN ISLAND ENDEMICS 

by J.R.D. Ma11

The middle levels of the northern slopes of Gunung Rinjani from about 500 -

1500 m, northern Lombok, are clothed in little-disturbed primary forest

which has a closed canopy and a thin lower layer of saplings and shrubs: the

ground vegetation cover is sparse and there is thick leaf litter. While

walking along a well-marked path through this forest on 12 May 1988, I

observed an unidentified thrush-like bird. Notes on its appearance and

behaviour and a sketch were made.

Briefly, the bird was about 18-20 cm long and was quite strikingly

coloured. Its bin, crown, wings, breast and tip of tail were black,

contrasting with a white belly; two prominent white spots appeared on its

secondary wing coverts. Its back was a light reddish brown and its rump and

upper tail coverts reddish brown. The most striking visual feature was its

facial pattern which comprised a white oval from the bill to above and

behind the eye, crossed obliquely from front to rear by a black band passing

through the eye. I saw the bird initially at a distance of some 10-15 m but

it was quite tame: it hopped quite calmly away from me, pausing at intervals

to inspect the litter and occasionally hopping onto the lower branches of

shrubs. This bird made no call, but a second sighting was made a few hundred

metres further ups lope where the same or a second bird was perched on a low

branch some 3 m from the ground and was singing. The song was too complex to 

153

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Wednesday, September 03, 2003 4:45:46 PM 


Lesser Adjutant nests in S.W. Kalimantan

As part of the more general studies of the Barito Ulu Project, a detailed study was made of the avifauna in July-September 1989. The survey area, which lies at the geographical centre of the island of Borneo, consists mainly of primary forest in hilly terrain, and this Is the first detailed study that has been made In the hills of Kalimantan for many decades. A week was also spent in montane forest at 800-1000 m. An appendix lists 226 species that were recorded. The avifauna includes 15 Bornean endemics, and extensions to known range are made for Spizaetus alboniger, Arborophila hyperythra and Megalaima eximia. Data are provided also on 20 species for which there are no recent Kalimantan records. While species described as 'slope specialists' predominated, the presence of some 26 'extreme lowland specialists' may have significance for conservation, for example Lophura erythrophthalma, Melanoperdix nigra. Pitta baudi, Malacopteron albogulare and Pityriasis gymnocephala

Wilkinson, Roger

Dutson, Guy

Sheldon, Ben

Darjono, .

Noor, Yus Rusila

The avifauna of the Barito Ulu region. Central Kalimantan

Indrawan, M

138 Short Communications KUKILA 5 No. 2 
A WINTER FLOCK OF PHEASANT-TAILED JACANAS 

T CIAMIS, WEST JAVA.

By M. Indrawan

Ringkasan 
Suatu pengamatan telah dilaksanakan terhadap 40 sampai 70 ekor Burung Sepatu (Hydrophasianus 
chirurgus) di dekat Ciamis, Jawa Barat. Ini merupakan jumlah tecbesar yang pernah dilaporkan untuk jenis 
migran yang langka tersebut di Pulau Jawa. 
A flock of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas Hydrophasianus chirurgus was observed at a swamp 
locally known as "Kedungbelis", near Sindawangi village, south of Ciamis, West Java (ca. 
7°24'S, 108°31'E) in March 1990. Observations made on three days from 17 to 19 March 
revealed daily counts of between 40 and 70 birds, but it is likely that more were present. 
The flock was usually dispersed among the marsh vegetation, but mostly adjacent to areas of 
lotus plants, where they were difficult to observe. An approach was generally possible in a 
two-man boat up to about 15 metres, at which point small groups would take off suddenly 
and fly short distances, about 20 metres, often with manouevres and turns similar to the 
flight of snipe. On one occasion, landing with raised wing and a short glide was observed. 
Once when a playback of the calls was made from a stationary boat, unexpectedly an 
inconspicuous small flock nearby took to flight, indicating a group reaction to a warning 
call. 
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is widespread in South-East Asia, including Sumatra and 
Borneo, but in Java it is assumed to be only a vagrant (Hayman et al. 1986) or rare winter 
migrant to the north coast of West and Central Java (MacKinnon 1988). The present 
observations, made almost on the south coast of West Java, indicate that the species may be a 
regular migrant to the freshwater swamps that are now severely diminished on Java and 
ornithologically little explored. 
The species was apparently not rare at Jakarta a century ago, with 20 birds being collected in 
1881-82 (Vorderman 1882). In East Java, Kooiman (1940) saw it once on the south coast. A 
single bird was observed on 6 March 1951 at Ujung Kulon, West Java (Hoogerwerf 1950), 
but MacKinnon (pp. cit.) reports that there are no more recent records on Java. However, a 
group of more than 15 was seen on 18 February 1987 at Salatri, Sindangbarang, on the south 
coast of West Java (Van Balen and Marhadi, pers. comm.), and a solitary bird was seen near 
Jakarta airport on 23 November 1986 (D.A. Holmes, pers. comm.). 
139 1991 Short Communications 
The swamps at Ciamis are little known. One of the first publications on the area is from 
Polak (1949), where it is described as an area locally known as "Rawa Lakbok", a rare 
example of peatswamp in Java with a maximum depth of six metres. The Indonesian 
Wetlands Inventory (Silvius et al. 1987) lists it as the largest peat area on Java, however 
agricultural development is rapidly changing the nature of the swamps, and there are 
indications that bird hunting forms a considerable threat to the bird populations. It is 
recommended that surveys are made, with an assessment on the potential for establishing a 
conservation area in South Ciamis to preserve this rare example of Javan peat swamp habitat 
(Indrawan 1990). 
Acknowledgements 
The survey was carried out for and funded by the Asian Wetland Bureau. Dr. Boeadi 
(Museum Zoologi Bogor) and Marcel Silvius (Asian Wetland Bureau) provided preliminary 
information on the area. Marcel Silvius and Bas van Balen generously commented on the 
first draft. 
References 
Hayman, P., J. Marchant & T. Prater. 1986. Shorebirds. An identification guide to the waders 
of the World. Croom Helm, London, Sydney: 422 pp. 
Hoogerwerf, A. 1950. Udjung Kulon: the land of the last Javan Rhinoceros. E.J. Brill, 
Leiden. 
Indrawan, M. 1990. Pangamatan pendahuluan lahan basah di Kecamatan Lakbok dan 
Kecamatan Padaherang, Jawa Barat, Report to Asian Wetland Bureau. 
Kooiman, J.G. 1940. Mededeelingen over het voorkomen in Oost Java van enkele voor dit 
gewest nog hiet in de literatuur genoemde vogels. Ardea 29:98-147. 
MacKinnon, J. 1988. Field Guide to the birds of Java and Bali. Gadjah Mada University 
Press, Yogyakarta: XIII + 390pp. 
Polak, B. 1949. De Rawa Lakbok, een eutroof laagven op Java. In: Med. Alg. Proefst. Landb. 
85: 1-60 (Communications of the General Agricultural Experiment Station, 
Buitenzorg, Java). 
Silvius, M.J., A.P.J.M. Steeman, E.T. Berczy, E. Djuharsa & A.W. Taufik, 1987. The 
Indonesian Wetland Inventory. A preliminary compilation of existing information on 
wetlands of Indonesia. PHPA, AWB/INTERWADER, EDWIN. Bogor. 
Vorderman, A.G. 1882. Bataviasche vogels. Natuwk Tijdschr. v. Ned. Ind. 42:116-119. 
140 Short Communications KUKILA 5 No. 2 
Address 
Kemanggisan Ilir Raya 16, Komplex Pajak, Jakarta Barat 11480. (Full 
descriptions of the Pheasant-tailed Jacanas were provided, Ed.). 
BLUE-CROWNED HANGING PARROT ON JAVA 
by S. van Balen & A. Lewis 
Ringkasan 
Dipertelakan dua Catalan tentang Loriculus galgulus di Carita, Jawa Barat. Nampaknya burung tersebut 
adalah lepasan-sangkar. Diskusl terutama ditujukan kepada kemungkinan terjadinya imigrasi alami dari 
Sumatera. 
During a visit on 12-14 Jul 1989 to the Carita Recreation forest, ca 10 km north of the village 
of Labuhan (6°21' S, 105°48' E) on the west coast of Java, AL observed a Hanging Parrot at 
the forest edge not far from the Curug Gendang waterfall. The bird showed a red throat and 
was provisionally identified as either an aberrant Javan Yellow-throated or feral Blue-
crowned Hanging Parrot. 
About one year later, on 6 Jun 1990, the area was visited by SvB. A Hanging Parrot with red 
throat patch, red rump, but otherwise green plumage was observed during a few seconds in a 
tree at the edge of a clearing south of the above mentioned waterfall. 
On Java and Bali the only resident species of hanging parrot so far known is the endemic 
Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot Loriculus pusillus (MacKinnon 1988). Descriptions of 
both present birds however fits best with the Blue-crowned L. galgulus, a species occurring 
on Kalimantan, Sumatra, peninsular Thailand and Malaysia (King et al. 1975). Very likely 
the observations at Carita concerned one or more escaped cagebirds. Vorderman (1883) 
mentioned the breeding of feral Blue-crowned Hanging Parrots in Jakarta, and reported that 
local sailors regularly brought them from southern Sumatra to Anyar, Caringin and Merak in 
the far northwest of Java. However, the possibility of more natural immigration should not 
be excluded. West Java is separated from southern Sumatra by a strait of ca 25 km in which 
lie some islands that may serve as stepping stones. Van Marle & Voous (1988) mentioned the 
species for most of the islands off Sumatra, and the absence of races in the species (Forshaw 
1973) may indicate interchange amongst the different populations throughout its range. Its 
dispersal abilities are attested by the arrival of three birds on Selingan island, 40 km off 
Sabah, after a storm in July 1973, as reported by de Silva & Chong (1974). 


A Winter flock of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas at Ciamis, West Java

van Balen, Bas

van Balen, L M

KUKILA 6 No. 2 (1993): 128 - 130 
OBSERVATIONS ON A WINTERING COMMON KINGFISHER IN JAVA 
by 
S. van Balen and L.M. van Balen 
(Revised draft received 16 December 1992) 
The Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis is a winter visitor to western and northern Indonesia from 
the northern hemisphere, from the Malay peninsula northwards. The migrant race is bengalensis, 
whereas breeding populations of floresiana and hispidoides occur in the Lesser Sundas, 
Sulawesi, Moluccas and Papuan region (Fry et et  al, 1992). 
The Common Kingfisher is a rare visitor to Java (McKinnon 1988), and only thirteen specimens 
and sightings could be traced in the collections of the Zoological Museum at Bogor, the Leiden 
Museum and from the literature. These mainly derive from the northern coastal areas of the 
island. The species has not previously been reported from the interior of the island. However, 
recent observations have been made not only in coastal areas but also at a considerable distance 
inland. Table 1 lists both the old and recent records. 
Table 1.  Records of Alcedo atthis on Java. 
Locality Coordinates Date Source 
Ciletuh 106ÿ28'E, 7ÿ07'S 21.10.02 Bartels/NHML45160 
Kali Cilesung 107ÿ19'E, 5ÿ58'S 13.03.18 Bartels/NHML 
Kali Cilesung 107ÿ19'E, 5ÿ58'S 13.03.18 Bartels/NHML 
Kali Bungin 107ÿ07'E, 5ÿ57'S 13.10.22 Bartels/NHML 
Cihonje 105ÿ32'E, 6ÿ42'S 15.10.32 Hoogerwerf/MZB 
Jakarta 106ÿ48'E, 6ÿ05'S MZB 
Muara Angke 106ÿ44'E, 6ÿ07'S Oct 1987 van Balen 
Bogor gardens* 106ÿ47'S, 6ÿ36'S Dec 1987 Hurrell (pers. comm. 1987); van 
Cengkareng 106ÿ42'E. 6ÿ05'S Feh 1990 Balenvan Balen 
Bogor (Tajur)* 106ÿ49'E, 6ÿ37'S 1990-1991 This paper 
Muara Angke 106ÿ44'E, 6ÿ07'S Oct 1990 Indrawan (in litt. 1992) 
Bandung* 107ÿ35'E, 6ÿ55'S 28.12.90 J. Seymour (in litt. 1992) 
Bandung* (Buahbatu) 107ÿ39'E, 6ÿ57'S 31.01.92 Rudyanto & H. Kohayashi. (pers. 
comm. 1992) 
Inland records are asterisked.

NHML: Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Leiden;

MZB : Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense.

129 1993 Observations on A Wintering Common Kingfisher in Java 
One of these records refers to a bird that visited the authors' garden in the village of 
B&ntarpeuteuy (or Bantarpete) in the SB of Bogor almost daily from September 1990 to 
February 1991. The site lies cu. 55 km from the North coast. The observations are of interest 
because of the relative continuity of sightings, of what was presumed to be a single individual, in 
rather aberrant winter quarters-In mid-September 1990, the call of a kingfisher was regularly 
beard near the neglected fish pond behind the authors' house. The bird was not seen until 6 
January 1991. Its dull greenish-blue upperparts, white neck patch and rufous ear coverts, and 
intensity of the blue on the rump, identified it as the Common Kingfisher, rather than the resident 
Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting, a much more common species in the region. 
Although Fry et al (1992) describe the Blue-eared's call as similar to the Common's, the authors 
believe that. the two species can be safely distinguished by call. The somewhat shriller call of the 
Common always lacked the more trilling quality of the Blue-eared. This may prove to be a useful 
character in areas such as Sulawesi and Maluku, where both species are resident and where 
plumages are very similar (Long et at, 1992). On the Sula Islands about one year later, SvB saw 
and heard the resident Common Kingfisher A. atthis hispidoides calling exactly like the bird in 
Bogor. 
Early during the bird's residence in Bogor, it was seen only early in the day. It perched on 
overhanging branches or on the concrete border of the pond, from where it preyed on the 
numerous "guppies" (billion fishes), and perhaps also tadpoles. After some hours, the water 
surface would be covered by an algal film that developed under the influence of sunshine, and 
which turned from green in the morning to red during the course of the day. Occasional late 
afternoon showers altered this situation by disturbing the film and permitting the bird to feed 
again. With the onset of wetter weather in February, the fish became available throughout the day, 
as wind and cloud prevented the forming of an algal cover. The bird was seen by both authors at 
any time of the day during this period. 
The kingfisher was seen for me last time w 25 February. In the late afternoon, it took two series of 
splash baths, as if preparing for a night journey (Common Kingfishers are known to migrate at 
night, see Medway & Wells 1976). On this day, the sun had shone brightly after a long period of 
rainy weather, and the suggestion is made that the change in weather conditions triggered the 
bird's departure. 
Within a week after the departure of the Common Kingfisher, the characteristic "trreee-tee" call 
of the Blue-eared Kingfisher was heard around the pond. On 10 March, the bird was seen, and its 
deep blue upperparts, white neck patch, blue ear coverts and smaller size made clear that the 
vacancy left by the migrant was now occupied by the resident. Apart from some minor differences 
in behaviour (the Blue-eared, for instance, never sat on the concrete border and was much shier 
and more difficult to see), the replacement was perfect. Until the authors moved from the house in 
130 S. van Balen and L.M. Van Balen KUKILA 6 No. 2 
November 1992, the bird was a regular visitor to the garden. The Common Kingfisher never 
appeared during the two subsequent winters. 
During 1986-1992, four more inland observations were made (see Table 1), e.g., by J. Seymour 
(in litt. 1992) and during bird banding activities by HIMBIO (Rudyanto & H. Kobayashi, pers. 
comm. 1992) in and around Bandung, which lies at an altitude of 700 m, at least 60 km from the 
coast. As mentioned previously, old records pertain only to the coastal areas. This apparent 
change may be a result of ornithologists being more active in the region than previously. Possibly, 
however, the clearance of most of the forest cover on Java, and the relatively recent, large-scale 
disturbance of mangroves and other coastal habitats along the North coast, especially the 
construction of shrimp ponds, has encouraged the migrant kingfishers to utilize inland wintering 
grounds. 
References 
Fry, C.H. Fry, K. & A. Harris. 1992. Kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. Helm, London. 
Long, A., Eames, J. Sc. C. Robson. 1992. Some hints on the identification of five Alcedo 
kingfishers in the orient. Oriental Bird Cl. Bull. 15:18-23. 
MacKinnon, J. 1988. Field guide to the birds of Java and Bali. Gadjah Mada University Press^ 
Yogyakarta. 
Medway. Lord & D. R. Wells. 1976. The birds of the Malay Peninsula, Vol. 5. Witherby London. 
Acknowledgements 
We would like to thank Dr. Rene Dekker (Leiden) and the Zoological Museum Bogor (Puslitbang 
Biologi LJPI) for providing information on the skins in their collections; and Phil Hurrell, M. 
Indrawan, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Rudyanto and John Seymour for generously sharing their data. 
David Bishop provided comments on a first draft. 
Address 
P.O. Box 146, Bogor 16001, West Java, Indonesia. 


Observations on a wintering Common Kingfisher in Java

Bowler, John M

Letter to the Editor 
LETTER TO THE EDITOR 
THE STATUS OF THE LAZULI KINGFISHER 
The Lazuli Kingfisher Halcyon lazuli is endemic to Seram and its satellite islands of Amboa, 
Saparua and Haruku, in Maluku. On Seram the species was described by Stresemann in 1914 as 
occurring in mangroves and lowland swampy woodland (vide White & Bruce 1986), but 
information concerning the past and present abundance is lacking. 
During the 1987 Operation Raleigh expedition to Seram, I led, together with John Taylor, an 
ornithological exploration of the Manusela National Park and adjoining areas of north-central 
Seram, concentrating on examining the status of endemic and near-endemic specie*. Our first 
impression was that the Lazuli Kingfisher was common, as we located three pairs in degraded 
forest/garden habitat almost immediately upon arrival in the area between Wahai and the 
boundary of the park to the east. This included one pair visiting a hollowed-out arboreal termite 
nest. However, following two months of survey work in the region, fro0f-20 July to 25 
September, we located just two more pairs, in similar habitats close to the village of Solea 
(Bowler & Taylor 1989). It is encouraging that this species can utilize sucb modified habitats, but 
the apparent absence of this rather noisy and conspicuous bird elsewhere is strange and a potential 
cause for concern. The Collared Kingfisher Halcyon chloris appears to replace this species in the 
mangroves. 
Bishop (1992) describes the species as notably common in the vicinity of Wahai on 11 June' 1990. 
However, his records refer to three pairs in the same areas as the 1987 sightingi. Taylor (1992) 
located just two pairs in the same area in August 1990 and again failed to locate the species 
elsewhere in north-central Seram during two months of fieldwork. 
Visitors to Seram and its satellite islands should be encouraged to search for the Lazuti 
Kingfisher, particularly in areas away from the Wahai/Solea area, and to report all observations to 
Kukila. The species may prove to be widespread in coastal areas where village gardens mix with 
degraded forest. However, until more is known about its distribution and habitat requirements, 
the species should be treated as rare and potentially threatened. 
References 
Bishop, K.D. 1992. New and interesting records of buds in Wallacea. Kukila 6 (I): 8-34. 
Bowler, J, & J. Taylor. 1989. An annotated checklist of the birds of the Manusela National: Park, 

Seram. Birds recorded on the Operation Raleigh expedition. Kukila 4 (1-2): 3-29.

Taylor, J. 1992. A status survey of Seram's Moluccas endemic avifauna. Private ms. White, 

C.M.N. &. M. D. Bruce. 1986. The buds of Wallacea. Brit. Orn. U, Checklist No. 
7.London. 
J.M. Bowler, c/o The wildfowl aod Wetlands Trust, Sllmbridge, Glos GL2 7BT. England. 
REVIEWS 


The status of the Lazuli Kingfisher

Sozer, Resit

Short Communications1994 75 
A RECENT SIGHTING OF WHITE-SHOULDERED IBIS IN KALIMANTAN 
By 
Resit Sozer 
On 22 September 1992, at around noon with clear weather conditions, three White-shouldered Ibis 
Psendibis davisoni were seen from a longboat along the Mahakam river between Data Bilang and 
Laham (between 115°23' and 115''30'E, 0°10' and 0°21'N). The liver at the observation site was shallow 
and relatively &st flowing, with exposed rocks. The birds were apparently foraging on a gravel bank 
(stones of 2-3 cm diameter) a few metres  from the water's edge. The riverside forest was unlogged and 
appeared to be undisturbed. 
The birds were watched at ca. 15m. range for about one minute. Five people including the author 
observed them as the boat passed slowly upstream. They stayed close together and were not at all 
disturbed by our very noisy engine. Boats frequently pass this site, and the birds did not appear shy, 
contra Wildash (1968) who describes the species as being very shy. All three birds were dull slate in 
colour. The upper hind neck and head were light blue, the legs and bill were dull but the colour was not 
noted. The birds were moving slowly and the white patch on the shoulders was not seen. 
This site lies in the region where the species was observed by Petersen (1991), which is site L in the 
review by Holmes (1991). 
Acknowledgements 
I would like to thank Vincent Nijman for his assistance, Annemarie van der Heijden for confirmation of 
the sighting and Marcel Silvius for his comments on earlier drafts. 
References 
Holmes, D.A. 1991. Note on the status of the White-shouldered Ibis in Kalimantan. Kukila 5:145-148. 
Petersen, S. 1991. A record of White-shouldered Ibis in East Kalimantan. Kukila 5: 144-145. Wildash, 
P. 1968. Birds of South Vietnam. Charles E. Tuttle Co. Inc. of Ruthland,, Vermont & Tokyo. 
Vol07-1-1994-new 
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