Feeding Rate and Success Rate of Foraging Waders in Tropical Intertidal Areas

A serious deduction in waders population worldwide has led to several study on ecology of waders in their stop-over migratory routes. Extensive study on wader’s habitat used especially on their feeding ground is needed to establish a framework that channel to the conservation of waders species. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the feeding and success rates of foraging in selected species of waders at Jeram and Remis Beaches of Selangor, Malaysia. Direct observation techniques were used in this study. Kruskal-Wallis Analysis test shows that there was significant difference in feeding rates (H= 139.58, p < 0.001) and success rates between the species (H = 11.18, p = 0.011). Pairwise comparisons analysis proved that the differences of feeding rates occurred between Little heron and Lesser adjutant (z = 107.39, p < 0.0001); Little heron and Whimbrel (z = -159.31, p < 0.001); and Lesser adjutant and Common Redshank (z = 80.3, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, Mann-Whitney test shows that the differences lie between Little heron and Common redshank (W = 5743, p = 0.0114) and also between Lesser adjutant and Common redshank (W = 9353, p = 0.012). Spearman correlation shows that a significant correlation was found between both feeding and success rates (R = -0.293, p < 0.001). This study concluded that the feeding rates and success rates were differed between different species of waders utilizing similar feeding ground due to the differences in foraging techniques used while foraging

The effects of disturbance on the abundance and foraging behaviour of shorebirds and waterbirds in the tropical mudflat areas

A study was conducted in the mudflats of Jeram and Remis Beaches, Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia from November 2013 until July 2014 to determine the effects of disturbance on shorebird and waterbird abundance and foraging behavior. Direct observation was used in this study. Mann-Whitney test showed no significant difference in abundance of bird in Jeram and Remis Beaches (t=2.96, p=0.05). A significant difference were detected between the sampling plots in Jeram Beach (S=16.67, p<0.001) and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test shows a significant difference between the sampling plots in Remis Beach (W=78, p=0.003). Spearman’s rank correlation shows significant association between the abundance of bird with the abundance of humans, dogs and vehicles (p<0.05) in both Jeram and Remis Beaches. Humans contribute to a higher percentage in disruptions towards the species studied (47.5%), followed by dogs (32.1%) and vehicles (20.4%). Thirty-six percent of birds stopped feeding and flew away upon disruption, 23% stopped feeding and run away, 22% stopped feeding but stay alert and 19% continue feeding (habituated). Analysis on the responses of birds toward the disturbance show significant difference between species (χ2 = 98.77, p<0.05). This study concluded that anthropogenic disturbance caused a major impact on shorebird and waterbird abundance and influenced their foraging behavior. Response of bird towards disturbance was varied according to the species and types of disturbance. By understanding how the bird species response toward disturbance, the conservation efforts can be implemented more effectively in the future

Ethno-ornithology of Temuan Community In Ledang, Johor

Ethno-ornithology is the study of the relationship between people and birds. It is a natural scientific approach that explains the relationship between people’s knowledge and the use of birds in their culture. Temuan community is one of the aborigine ethnics in Malaysia. They practice lifestyles that closely associated with nature. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the ethno-ornithology knowledge and practice by Temuan Community lived around the Gunung Ledang National Park, Johor, Malaysia. A set of questionnaires was distributed to 40 respondents from the Temuan community to gather the information of birds used in their daily activities. In addition, the information was also obtained from the interview session with the head of the village (Tok batin). The identification of the birds obtained from the questionnaire and interview was further confirmed by using reliable resources. A total of 29 bird species was successfully identified. Temuan community used birds in their daily life in many ways such as, food, pet, folklore, entertainment, and many more. Understanding ethno-ornithology between local community and avifauna is good as it helps conservationists to keep track of bird species they use and identify the sustainable ways of this practice that align with the conservation of avifauna species

Bird Diversity in Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve, Johor and Implications on Peat Swamp Forest Management Strategies

Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve (AHUFR) is the largest and last existing peat swamp forest in Johor. Peat swamp forest are known to be very important as it serve as a home to variety of flora and fauna, especially the bird species. Other than that, peat swamp forest also prone to forest fire as it become the major threat in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve during a hot weather or drought (El Nino events). This problem will cause a biodiversity lost and also can threatened the bird’s habitat and behaviour since some birds are extremely susceptible to sudden environmental changes. Therefore, an effective management need to be implemented to the peat swamp ecosystem in order to conserve the forest as well as the bird species that inhabit the area. Hence, this study was conducted to provide a preliminary checklist of the bird, while identify the threats faced by AHUFR in order to came out with the best management of peat swamp forest to protect the bird and the wildlife in it. The method used in this study are mist-netting, direct observation with the aid of DSLR camera, video camera, binocular, and spotter scope, sound recording and interview with forest ranger for four days. About 15 species was recorded, 5 species from direct observation and interview method, 3 species from sound recording, and 2 species from mist-netting method. From the data, one species of vulnerable (VU) and near threatened (NT) species was recorded which are Black Hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus) (VU) and Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler (Macronus ptilosus) (NT) in which both are native to peat swamp forest. In term of threat, forest fire was identified as common problem usually occurred in AHUFR. The bird diversity in AHUFR can be threatened by the forest fire if there is no action or management taken to mitigate this disturbance from various parties as well as spreading the awareness among the communities according to this issue. Therefore, this study suggested few recommendations of best practices to manage peat swamp forest of AHU based on previous study

Investigating Pest Birds Problems and Potential Solutions in Sawah Ring, Tangkak

In the agricultural sector, especially paddy fields, birds are considered pests when they destroy the paddy plants by eating the grains and reducing crop production. Pest birds are a common problem in agriculture. Nevertheless, studies of the pest birds, particularly on their distribution, ecology, and management, are still scarce in Malaysia.  One of the significant pest birds in this case study is the Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio). The objectives of this study are (1) to identify pest birds species (2) to investigate the behaviour of Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) and (3) to provide potential solutions for pest birds problems to local farmers at Sawah Ring, Tangkak. The methods used were direct observation using binoculars, spotter scope, and a digital camera. Besides that, a survey through the distribution of questionnaires and interviews was also conducted among the local people at the study site. Five species of pest birds have been recorded, which are, Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), Lesser Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna javanica), Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata), Javan Munia (Lonchura leucogastroides) and Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus). From the list, Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), was identified as the most disturbing pest bird. The occurrence of this species were marked at Block 1, Block 3, Block 15, Block 16, Block 18, and Block 19 at Sawah Ring, Tangkak, and the species' behaviour (resting, nesting, feeding, etc.) was also recorded. In terms of solutions, several methods have been identified to overcome the pest bird problem based on the literature studies, such as physical and chemical repellent, buzzer and mesh networks, and also acoustic tools. Overall, pest birds are a significant problem in the paddy field areas of Sawah Ring, Tangkak. It reduced the quantity and quality of paddy production and caused losses to farmers. Understanding the occurrence and behaviour of pest birds is indeed crucial for better management of these pest bird species

The Diversity and Potential of Avitourism in Peat Swamp Ecosystem of Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve, Johor

Avitourism is a responsible and tourism activity where birdwatchers perform bird-watching, which can be either a hobby or a dedicated practice. Bird-watching is an act of observing and identifying birds in their natural environment. It can be performed by using the naked eye, using binoculars or scope for visual enhancement, listening to bird songs, or using public cams. Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve is a peat swamp forest, a type of tropical moist forest with a dense layer of acidic peat and serves as a habitat for a diverse range of species. This study aims to identify bird species present in Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve and evaluate the potential of avitourism in Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve. A questionnaire was passed to 51 respondents to collect their opinions on developing Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve as an avitourism site. Point count method and mist-netting were performed to record bird species spotted during the sampling period. The sampling has recorded 33 species in total, where there are 2 Vulnerable, 3 Near-Threatened, and 1 Endangered species, and 20 out of 33 species are totally protected under Wildlife Conservation Act 2010. The respondents have given generally positive feedback and are interested in visiting Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve. Avitourism can potentially benefit Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve in economic, social, and environmental.Avitourism is a responsible and tourism activity where birdwatchers perform bird-watching, which can be either a hobby or a dedicated practice. Bird-watching is an act of observing and identifying birds in their natural environment. It can be performed by using the naked eye, using binoculars or scope for visual enhancement, listening to bird songs, or using public cams. Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve is a peat swamp forest, a type of tropical moist forest with a dense layer of acidic peat and serves as a habitat for a diverse range of species. This study aims to identify bird species present in Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve and evaluate the potential of avitourism in Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve. A questionnaire was passed to 51 respondents to collect their opinions on developing Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve as an avitourism site. Point count method and mist-netting were performed to record bird species spotted during the sampling period. The sampling has recorded 33 species in total, where there are 2 Vulnerable, 3 Near-Threatened, and 1 Endangered species, and 20 out of 33 species are totally protected under Wildlife Conservation Act 2010. The respondents have given generally positive feedback and are interested in visiting Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve. Avitourism can potentially benefit Ayer Hitam Utara Forest Reserve in economic, social, and environmental

Bird diversity in Mangrove areas in Tumpat, Kelantan

Mangroves forests play an important role in the management of coastal ecosystem of Malaysia. However, day by day, the number of mangroves is reduced due to the high demand for aquaculture, industrials development, and urbanization. The objective of this study is to determine the comparison of bird diversity between waterbird and terrestrial bird at mangrove area in Tumpat, Kelantan by using the point count method. 256 individuals were recorded representing 38 species and 23 families from the study. Out of the total, 27 species (202 detections, 78.91%) and 11 species (54 detections, 21.09%) belong to terrestrial bird and waterbird respectively. From the result analysis, the highest detection for the terrestrial bird were Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goaivier) (49 detections) while the lowest were Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis) (1 detection). Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) (13 detections) is the highest detection for waterbird while the lowest is Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (1 detection). Terranestrial birds recorded the highest diversity (H’= 2.90), species richness (Margalef’s= 5.09), and evenness (0.87). The results of this study signified that the mangrove area in Tumpat is an important habitat for waterbirds as well as the terrestrial bird

Impak penyerpihan habitat terhadap kepelbagaian spesies mamalia di koridor ekologi Central Forest Spine (CFS), kompleks hutan Banjaran Titiwangsa, Semenanjung Malaysia

Penyerpihan habitat adalah pemacu kepada isu kepupusan pelbagai spesies yang menyebabkan serpihan hutan menjadi lebih kecil dan terpencil. Kajian ini dijalankan bertujuan untuk mengukur komposisi serta kepelbagaian spesies mamalia terestrial (bersaiz sederhana dan besar) di koridor ekologi CFS1:PL1 dan CFS1:PL6. Pemasangan 211 perangkap kamera di kedua-dua koridor berjaya menghasilkan sejumlah 43,799 imej bebas (8,594 perangkap/malam). Sebanyak 30 spesies mamalia berjaya direkodkan dengan 28 spesies daripadanya ditemui di PL1 dan 17 spesies di PL6. Artiodactyla adalah Order yang menunjukkan kekerapan hadir tertinggi (869 imej bebas) manakala Karnivora adalah Order yang mencatatkan kepelbagaian spesies tertinggi (14 spesies). Sebanyak sembilan spesies menyumbang kepada lebih daripada 90% komuniti mamalia di PL1 dan PL6 dan tiada perbezaan yang signiikan antara komuniti mamalia di kedua-dua kawasan kajian. Hasil analisis mendapati babi hutan (Sus scrofa) (PCRI = 62.17), kijang (Muntiacus muntjak) (PCRI = 31.20) dan beruang matahari (Helarctos malayanus) (PCRI = 15.14) merekodkan kekerapan (PCRI > 10) yang tinggi melintasi koridor PL1. Manakala di PL6, spesies yang sering direkodkan ialah kijang (Muntiacus muntjak) (PCRI = 47.70), tapir Malaya (Tapirus indicus) (PCRI = 26.21), babi hutan (Sus scrofa) (PCRI = 23.61), gajah Asia (Elephas maximus) (PCRI = 11.57) dan seladang (Bos gaurus) (PCRI = 10.63). Walau bagaimanapun, kekerapan melintasi koridor bagi mamalia sederhana hanya dilihat di PL1 sahaja oleh spesies pelanduk/napuh (Tragulus sp.) (PCRI = 20.88) dan landak raya (Hystrix brachyura) (PCRI = 14.68). Tuntasnya, langkah pemuliharaan yang lebih efektif dan pelan pembinaan lintasan hidupan liar perlu dilaksanakan di kedua-dua koridor memandangkan koridor ini digunakan pada frekuensi yang tinggi

A Bird Survey of Sungai Kangkawat Research Station, Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, Sabah

A bird survey was conducted at the Sungai Kangkawat Research Station (117°3′34.593″E, 5°4′29.187″N), Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA), Sabah from 5th until 8th October, 2018. The objective of this survey was to produce a preliminary checklist of bird species in the study area. The primary method used was mist-netting with occasional observation from vocal and visual identification. A total of 30 mist-nets were deployed for 11 hours (0630-1730 hr.) for four consecutive days with a final accumulation of 1840 net/hours. Overall, 59 species comprising 23 families were recorded throughout the survey. Of these, 114 individuals were netted representing 41 species from 13 families. The most abundant species caught was the Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra with 26 individuals. Additionally, 18 species from 10 different families were identified via opportunistic sighting and vocalisation. This includes one Critically Endangered (Helmeted Hornbill, Buceros vigil), three Vulnerable (i.e., Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros, Large-billed Blue Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus and Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii and 20 other Near-threatened species. Four endemic species were recorded namely the Bornean Blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus, White-crowned Shama Copsychus stricklandi, Black-headed Pitta Pitta ussheri and Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii. We expect higher diversity of birds in ICCA because the species accumulation curve did not reach an asymptote until the last day of sampling. This suggests additional trapping effort with point counts along predetermined transects should be considered for future surveys

A Bird Survey of Sungai Kangkawat Research Station, Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, Sabah

A bird survey was conducted at the Sungai Kangkawat Research Station (117°3′34.593″E, 5°4′29.187″N), Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA), Sabah from 5 th until 8 th October, 2018. The objective of this survey was to produce a preliminary checklist of bird species in the study area. The primary method used was mist-netting with occasional observation from vocal and visual identification. A total of 30 mistnets were deployed for 11 hours (0630-1730 hr.) for four consecutive days with a final accumulation of 1840 net/hours. Overall, 59 species comprising 23 families were recorded throughout the survey. Of these, 114 individuals were netted representing 41 species from 13 families. The most abundant species caught was the Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra with 26 individuals. Additionally, 18 species from 10 different families were identified via opportunistic sighting and vocalisation. This includes one Critically Endangered (Helmeted Hornbill, Buceros vigil), three Vulnerable (i.e., Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros, Large-billed Blue Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus and Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii and 20 other Near-threatened species. Four endemic species were recorded namely the Bornean Blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus, White-crowned Shama Copsychus stricklandi, Black-headed Pitta Pitta ussheri and Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii. We expect higher diversity of birds in ICCA because the species accumulation curve did not reach an asymptote until the last day of sampling. This suggests additional trapping effort with point counts along predetermined transects should be considered for future surveys