Tos 2P\Oi \ Journal of Asian i No. 27 August 201 1 Uu THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 3 0 AUG 2011 PURCHASED TRING LIBRARY Forktail 27 (2011) OBC Council Stephen Browne (Co-Chairman, Conservation Committee) David Buckingham (Co-Chairman, Conservation Committee) Nigel Collar (Chairman, Publications Committee) Mike Edgecombe (Promotions) John Gregory (Treasurer) Tim Loseby (Art and Photographic Editor) Steve Rowland Tony Sawbridge (Secretary) Graeme Spinks Brian Sykes (Chairman) Margaret Sykes (Membership Secretary) Jo Thomas (Promotions) Richard Thomas (Advertising) Alan Wilkinson (Internet) Publications Committee Stuart Butchart, Nigel Collar, Tim Loseby, Rene Pop, Nigel Redman, Simon Roddis, Brian Sykes, Richard Thomas Conservation Committee Nick Brickie, Stephen Browne, Dave Buckingham, Francis Buner, Mike Crosby, John Fellowes, Jim Wardill, Simon Wotton The Oriental Bird Club has been established for ornithologists throughout the world, both amateur and professional, who share a common interest in the region's birds and wish to assist in their conservation. The Club aims to: • Promote interest in the birds of the Oriental Region and their conservation • Liaise with, and promote the work of, existing regional organisations • Collate and publish material on Oriental birds OBC Representatives Susan Myers (Australia) Paul Thompson (Bangladesh) Filip Verbelen (Belgium) Keo Omaliss (Cambodia) Tony Gaston (Canada) Ding Chang-qing (China) Jiri Mlikovsky (Czech Republic) Klaus Mailing Olsen (Denmark) Hannu Jannes (Finland) Axel Braunlich (Austria and Germany) Paul Leader (Hong Kong) Janos Olah (Hungary) Asad Rahmani and Vishnu Singh (India) Ria Saryanthi (Indonesia) Chris Murphy (Ireland) Carlo Violani (Italy) Akira Hibi (Japan) Jin-Young Park (Korea) Mike Chong, Ooi Chin Hock and Anthony Wong (Malaysia) Charles Anderson (Maldives) Nyambayar Batbayar (Mongolia) Tony Htin Hla (Myanmar [Burma]) Yub Raj Basnet (Nepal) Jelle Scharringa and Bas van Balen (Netherlands) Jan 0ve Gjershaug (Norway) Aleem Ahmed Khan (Pakistan) Carmela Espanola and Arne Jensen (Philippines) Ray Tipper (Portugal) Fang Woei-horng (Taiwan) Lim Kim Seng (Singapore) Adam Riley (South Africa) Sarath Kotagama and Upali Ekanayake (Sri Lanka) Jonas Nordin (Sweden) Beat Wartmann (Switzerland) Philip Round and Pajaree Intravooth (Thailand) Robert Kennedy (USA) Jonathan Eames and Nguyen Cu (Vietnam) Membership of OBC Ordinary Member £15p.a. Family Member £20 p.a. Reduced Rate Member £10 p.a. For Oriental nationals resident in the region. We encourage all members to pay the full rate if they can afford it Supporting Member £25 p.a. Funding one Oriental member in addition to Ordinary membership Libraries and Academic Institutions £25 p.a. Business Supporter £45 p.a. The Oriental Bird Club is a Registered Charity No. 297242 For further information please write to: Oriental Bird Club, P.O. Box 324, Bedford MK42 OWG, U.K. OBC email address OBC website mail@orientalbirdclub.org http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/ The presentation of material in this publication and the geographical designations employed do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Oriental Bird Club concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Cover picture: Amur Falcon Falco amurensis, north-east China, May 2010 by Martin Hale ISSN 0950-1746 © Oriental Bird Club 201 1 FORKTAIL Number 27, 201 1 Acting Editor N. J. Collar the natural history museum 3 0 AUG 2011 PURCHASED TRING library Associate Editors Jeremy Bird, David Buckingham, Stuart Butchart, Will Duckworth, Eben Goodale, John Pilgrim and Jack Tordoff CONTENTS RISHAD NAOROJI Breeding of the Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera in Saurashtra, Gujarat, India . 1 VINAYA KUMAR SETHI, DINESH BHATT, AMIT KUMAR & ARCHANA BHATT NAITHANI The hatching success of ground- and roof-nesting Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus in Haridwar, India . 7 J. W. DUCKWORTH, P. D. ROUND & R. J.TIZARD The Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea in Indochina . 1 1 LISA MARIE J. PAGUNTALAN, PHILIP GODFREY JAKOSALEM, MARKUS LAGERQVIST, JONAS NORDIN, GEORGINA FERNANDEZ, MICHAEL DE LA CRUZ & AGATON BAYSA Bird observations on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao, Philippines . 1 5 JAMES A. FITZSIMONS, JANELLE L. THOMAS & MARC ARGELOO Occurrence and distribution of established and new introduced bird species in north Sulawesi, Indonesia . 23 N.J. COLLAR Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus . 29 I. A. WOXVOLD & R. A. NOSKE Birds of kerangas, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Central and East Kalimantan, Indonesia . 39 BEN WIELSTRA, TJALLE BOORSMA, SANDER M. PIETERSE & HANS H. de IONGH The use of avian feeding guilds to detect small-scale forest disturbance: a case study in East Kalimantan, Borneo . 55 COLIN R. TRAINOR The waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste: new site records clarifying residence status, distribution and taxonomy . 63 MARTJAN LAMMERTINK Group roosting in the Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus involving large numbers of shallow cavities . 74 ABNER A. BUCOL, LEONARDO T. AVERIA, ANGEL C. ALCALA & LIRIO CORDOVA New records of birds for the Gigantes Islands, Iloilo Province, Philippines . 78 Short Notes FANGYUAN HUA, WILLIAM MARTHY, DAVID LEE & MUHAMMAD NAZRI JANRA Globally threatened Sunda Blue Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus: synthesis of global records and recent records from Sumatra . 83 SAYAM U. CHOWDHURY Some significant avifaunal records from Bangladesh, including first record of Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala . 85 ANDREW DIXON, NYAMBAYAR BATBAYAR & GANKHUYAG PUREV-OCHIR Autumn migration of an Amur Falcon Falco amurensis from Mongolia to the Indian Ocean tracked by satellite . 86 CHANG-YONG CHOI, JONG-GIL PARK, NIAL MOORES, EUN-MI KIM, CHANG-WAN KANG, HYUN-YOUNG NAM & SEOG-MIN KIM The recent increase of the Red-billed Starling Sturnus sericeus in the Republic of Korea . 89 S. (BAS) van BALEN & H. H. (ERIK) EGGENKAMP First record of Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica in Wallacea 91 Forktail 27(2011) IMAM TAUFIQURRAHMAN Nesting record of Blood-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum sanguinolentum in Gunung Merapi National Park, Yogyakarta, Indonesia . 92 MASAYOSHI KAMIOKI, NORITOMO KAWAJI, KIMIKO KAWAJI & KEISUKE UEDA A predation attempt by an Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus on Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps nestlings . 93 COLIN R. TRAINOR, IMANUDDIN & JON WALKER Heuglin's Gull Larus heuglini on Wetar Island, Banda Sea: the first Indonesian record . 95 THARMALINGAM RAMESH, KALYANASUNDARAM SANKAR & QAMAR QURESHI Status of vultures in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India . 96 K. S. GOPI SUNDAR Farmland foods: Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus prey items in an agricultural landscape . 98 N.J. COLLAR Taxonomic notes on some Asian babblers (Timaliidae) . 1 00 DING LI YONG Eating aliens: diet of the Grey-headed Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus in Singapore . 1 02 ALEXANDER C. LEES, JEREMY P. BIRD, SAYAM U. CHOWDHURY & ROBERT W. MARTIN Status of Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus in Bangladesh . 1 04 ROSEMARY LOW What is Psittacus borneus? . ^05 ROBERT DeCANDIDO, CHATUPHON SAWASDEE, DAMIAN SMITH, CHUKIAT NUALSRI & DEBORAH ALLEN Observations on the 2009 southbound migration of three bee-eater species at Radar Hill, Thailand . 1 06 TIZIANO LONDEI Podoces ground-jays and roads: observations from the Taklimakan Desert, China . 1 09 ANWARUDDIN CHOUDHURY Records of Black-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis flavirostris from Manas National Park, Assam, in north-east India . 1 1 1 J. DEL HOYO& N.J. COLLAR Acrobatic copulatory display in the Black-crowned Barwing Aetinodura sodangorum . 1 1 2 LE MANH HUNG, MARK B. ROBBINS, NATHAN H. RICE, ERICK A. GARCIA-TREJO, STEVEN M. ROELS & SARAH A. BODBYL-ROELS Preliminary survey of the avifauna at Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserves, Dong Nai province, Vietnam . 1 1 4 TSHERING CHOKI, JIGME TSHERING, TSHEWANG NORBU, UTE STENKEWITZ & JAN F. KAMLER Predation by leopards of Black-necked Cranes Grus nigricollis in Bhutan . ] 1 7 XIN LU & JOCHEN MARTENS Nesting notes of the White-browed Tit Parus superciliosus in alpine scrub habitats in Qinghai and Tibet, China . 1 1 9 Guidelines for contributors inside back cover Forktail 27(2011) Editorial notes The growing number of contributions to Forktail, combined with the need to keep the postage costs to a minimum, led to a decision this year to restyle the journal and reduce the space occupied by each contribution. As it happens, the number of main contributions this year dropped slightly, leaving us with a somewhat thinner- than-usual issue. However, we are henceforth able to publish more _ material within the page lengths typical of recent issues, and on behalf of all associated with OBC I thank Peter Creed for the carefully thought-through and very elegant new design on show here. One new 'design' of our own is the use of capital letters for the family names of authors in their addresses at the end of each paper. This applies to all authors but it particularly aims to distinguish the family names of Asian authors for citation purposes. In many cases Asian authors place their family name first, but in more westernised cultures (e.g. Hong Kong, Singapore) this tradition is often dropped. The resulting confusion can be considerable, with the same author cited under different names. In Forktail 27, we have lead authors Ding Li Yong, Le Manh Hung and Xin Lu, and it is important for consistency and clarity that readers wishing to cite their papers know how to do so. The answers can be found where you find their email addresses. (This is not to pretend that the system is foolproof, and we are aware that confusion may continue in cases where names involve patronymics, as in Mongolia.) In 2009 I became 'Acting Editor' of Forktail, but only in my capacityasChairmanofOBC's Publications Committee. The position of Editor remains vacant, and applications are invited. Meanwhile, to help with the task of processing material I have extended the associate editorship to seven members, Jez Bird, Dave Buckingham, Stuart Butchart, Will Duckworth, Eben Goodale, John Pilgrim and Jack Tordoff, and I must place on record my sincere thanks to all of them for their solid support, without which this issue would not have appeared; the same goes for Brian and Margaret Sykes, who have played their usual vital, selfless, behind-the-scenes role in the production of Forktail 27. This year Forktail has been 'indexed' as a peer-reviewed journal by the Institutefor Scientific Information (ISI), which uses the number of times papers are cited in other such journals to assess overall value to the scientific community ('impact'). With an impact factor of 0.842, Forktail has achieved a ranking above several much longer established and better known international ornithological journals. This may have the effect of attracting more academic papers with stronger scientific components; but, welcome as such a development might be, I should reaffirm that the scope of Forktail remains as broad as it was when the journal was founded, and it will keep its doors open to contributions from anyone with valuable original material on the subject of Asian birds. It is perhaps worth noting, however, that first national records of species and other material of that type are now largely being carried by the OBC sibling publication BirdingASIA, especially when these are accompanied by photographs. N. J. Collar FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 1-6 Breeding of the Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera in Saurashtra, Gujarat, India RISHADNAOROJI Two nests of Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera were studied in 1 988 near Jasdan in Gujarat, India. The nests were in trees in areas of dense human population. One nest with one young was followed intensively. Activity of the male partner was influenced by the (much more frequent) vocalisations of the larger female. Prey at both nests was almost entirely birds, from the size of pigeons down to sparrows. Hunting patterns, prey delivery, caching, roosting and brooding behaviour are described, along with activity and development of the nestling. Territorial aggression was high within 25 m of the nest, mostly directed against House Crows Corvussplendens, and increased with nestling age. The nestling was fed almost exclusively by the female, roughly 4-5 times daily, mainly before 1 2h00 and (to a lesser degree) after 1 5h00; it fledged at 48 days, an apparently late date perhaps related to the lateness of the season (end of May, a month later than previously recorded in India). INTRODUCTION Little is known about the Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera in India. Although widely distributed, it is uncommon throughout the subcontinent and a rare resident in the north-east (Naoroji 2006). Breeding biology and ecology are little known except for a few published observations by Dharmakumarsinhji (1954), Dharap (1974), Gole (1980), Ingalhallikar (1988) and Subramanya (1982, 1985). The African subspecies — recently suggested as distinct at the species level (Wink & Sauer-Gtirth 1980) — has been studied in more detail by Colebrook-Robjent & Osborne (1974) and Osborne (1981). The species is not easy to detect owing to its small size, crepuscular habits and penchant for perching in foliage. It frequents open habitat interspersed with groves of trees, cultivation and villages, avoiding dense forest (Dharmakumarsinhji 1954, Ali & Ripley 1978, Cade & Digby 1982, Naoroji 2006). Here I describe aspects ofbehaviour during the nestlingperiod based on observations at two nests in Gujarat, one located on 23 April 1988 at Gundala with two three-day-old young (the smaller died soon after hatching), the other located on 28 April 1988 at Alan Baug with three almost fledged young. STUDY AREA Both nests were close to Jasdan town, in the Saurashtra peninsula of Gujarat. Gundala village is a bustlingcattle camp (necessitated in 1 988 by a third consecutive year of drought), approximately 300 m from the Bileshwar temple grove. The Alan Baug complex is a mixed, degraded and disturbed planted grove of 4 ha within the environs of a sheep-rearing station adjacent to the Alan Sagar reservoir, adjoining the village of Bhakhalvad. Gundala and Alan Baug are about 26 km and 5 km respectively from Jasdan, and 19 km apart. The open habitat, interspersed with groves of trees, cultivation, reservoirs and villages, ideally suits the species. Frequent dust storms accompanied by strong winds in April/May occasionally uproot trees and blow down nests. Temperatures of up to 49°C were recorded in May 1988. METHODS The Gundala nest was observed from a 14 m high hide built around an amli T amarindus indicus for support (referred to hereafter as the hide tree) for a total of 126 hours, from 27 April to 14 June 1988, when the young fledged. Daily observations commenced on the eleventh day from 06h00 to 1 2h00 and sometimes up to 1 4h00 and even 18h00. Dawn-to-dusk observations were not possible owing to lack of transport and accommodation, and dependence on my host at Jasdan for facilities. All nest-related activities are therefore given as frequency rate per hour. Roosting and evening observations were made from the ground during the late nestling period. Fledglings from both nests were ringed and measured. The rather inaccessible Gundala nest was not regularly examined to avoid disturbance, so growth rate of the young was not determined. Prey brought to both nests were visually identified whenever possible, and prey remains intermittently collected from both nests were identified. Post-nestling stage observations were made mostly at the Alan Baug nest site. RESULTS Previously unreported nesting behaviour linked to calls, hunting, feeds, prey, territory, interspecific and intraspecific encounters are described. Although extremely shy in Africa (Osborne 1981), both pairs I observed were confiding and approachable to 5 - 10 m. The larger, dominant female influenced the male’s activities. She brooded and fed the nestling. Prey was frequently cached, even overnight. The male was occasionally repulsed by the female when he attempted to take cached prey from the nest, and was once fed by the female for 1 1 minutes. The nest-dependency periodwasaminimumof48 days, compared to an average of 36 days (range 34-37 days) in Zambia (Osborne 1981). From plotting sigh tings at Gundala a core territory comprising a radius of a minimum of 1.5 km around the nest-site was estimated. An average distance of 2 km between nearest pairs, i.e. 5.6 kmr per pair, has been estimated amongeight pairs in Zambia (Colebrook-Robjent & Osborne 1974). Calls associated with specific behaviour are described, as auditory signals are widely used by raptors. Nest sites Both nests were located amidst dense human habitation, originally built by House Crow Corvus splendens and Shikra Accip iter badi us. Nests were on alateral crotch on an overhanging branch at the edge of the main leafy canopy, away from the trunk and three-quarters up the nest-tree, partially concealed from below and completely from above. The Gundala nest was 1 3- 14 m high in an amli tree. The nest- tree had been severely lopped for fodder but the nest was almost concealed among newly sprouting stems and leaves. The Alan Baug nest was 7.5 m high in a mango tree Mangif era indica within a mixed (mainly mango) planted grove. Nesting elsewhere has been reported in a Casuarina equisetifolia 24 m high in Bangalore (Subramanya 1982), and over many years on the market square tower in Pune (Gole 1980). Nests only 3.5-5 m high in stunted trees have been found in arid areas in Kutch (S. Malik pers. comm.). 2 RISHAD NAOROJI Forktail 27 (2011) Vocalisations The female to some extent influenced the male’s activities through calls. Harsh high persistent calls, 12-18 in quick succession and culminating in a crescendo thwee-twee {zn&ingvj\t\\ a metallic ring), often prompted a sometimes reluctant male to hunt. A repeated harsh chrrp induced the male to relinquish prey. During the entire observation period 90% of vocalisation was by the female (n= 133), reaching the highest frequency during the early to mid-nestling stage (Fig. 1). Her calls had greater tonal variation, intensity and volume than the male’s, which were softer, more evenly toned and without extreme modulation in pitch. Calls by the female usually heralded the male’s arrival with prey. Both adults vocalised during prey transfers. The pair warned off intruding conspecifics and mobbing crows through calls. The highest incidence of calls occurred from dawn till lOhOO, decreasing from 12h00 to 15h00 during the hot hours, increasing after 15h00 but much reduced compared to mornings. The frequency of calls by the male was highest during the first 16 days, and by the female over days 17-32 of the nestling period (Figure 1). Figure 1. Sexual differentiation in levels of vocalisation in a breeding pair of Red-headed Falcons: male (broken line) and female (continuous line). Prey and drinking Prey from both nests consisted almost entirely of birds. At Gundala, only birds (mainly doves) averaging 28-130 gm were brought to the nest. A greater variety of bird species and a bat were recorded from Alan Baug. The followingprey species were identified from both nests: Rock Pigeon Columba livia, European Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto , Little Brown Dove S. senegalensis , Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus, Crested Lark Galerida cristata, myna Acridotheres and House Sparrow Passer domesticus. Unidentified species of quail, robin, babbler and a large insect were also recorded. Additionally a Spotted Crake P. porzana and a large bat (identified from forearm remains), most likely of genus Rbinopoma , Taphozaus or possibly Cotophilus , were collected from the Alan Baug nest. Rock Pigeon, though plentiful, was evidently too large to be regularly taken. A variety of prey species (mainly birds) has been recorded for the African race (Brown & Amadon 1968, Osborne 1981, Brown etal. 1982, Cade &c Digby 1982, Steyn 1982). Between 15h00 to 18h00, mostly 15h00-16h00, the pair together or singly drank daily from a puddle created by a crack in the waterpipe below the nest, and sometimes from a trough for cattle. The species has often been reported drinking at waterholes in the Namib (Willoughby & Cade 1967). Hunting, prey delivery and caching Hunting strategies are described by Dharmakumarsinhji (1954), Ali & Ripley (1978), Brown et al. (1982), Cade & Digby (1982), Subramanya (1985) and Naoroji (2006). After the Alan Baug young fledged, the adults’ hunting activities became increasingly crepuscular. At Gundala the frequency of hunts was highest during the mornings, lowest in the afternoon and intermediate in the evenings. The male hunted as early as 05h00 and as late as 1 9h45 during the dusk. When unsuccessful in the nest vicinity, he hunted further afield. Of hunts recorded (n=92), the male hunted alone for 40%, female alone 30%, and the pair together 30% (Figure 2). The duration of hunts could be short (0.5-1 minute), the male returning in 1-5 minutes, but up to 43 minutes when hunting further afield. After an unsuccessful hunt the male immediately returned to a favourite lookout perch in the nest vicinity. No extended chases were observed. Birds were caught in flight and sometimes close to the ground. The brooding female at times hunted with the male in the nest vicinity, both flying off together as if on cue. Usually the male would fly off followed seconds later by the female. Successful or not she would abruptly return within 1-2 minutes to brood or nest-watch, never strayingbeyond 150-250 m from the nest site. Two successful hunts 1 00- 1 50 m from the nest were witnessed. The male hunted further afield, well beyond 500 m from the nest mostly in the direction of Hingolgadh and the Bileshwar grove. After 2 1 days the female occasionally hunted alone in the nest vicinity and more frequently with the male. The male would bring partly eaten prey to the nest, while the female brought prey directly to the nest and plucked it there. During the late nestling stage her hunting frequency increased (Figure 2). Up to 1 lh30, 25-30 hunting sorties singly or cooperatively by the pair resulted in 3-4 morning feeds. Before the female resumed hunting average feeds till 12h00 were 2. The female invariably brooded during the hot hours, when the male occasionally hunted. The pair mostly hunted in concert during the late nestling stage from 36 to 48 days. Attacks were launched from exposed lookout perches on the hide-tree, hide poles, the nest itself and nearby trees, the birds scanning for prey, bending low with jerky, vertical bobbing of the head. These perches also served as feeding posts. Most aerial prey transfers were within 100 m of the nest. With visibility considerably reduced during a dust storm the female hunted much higher in the air than usual. Inclement weather Figure 2. Changes in the proport ion of time spent hunting by a breeding pair of Red-headed Falcons: male (broken line) and female (continuous line). Forktail 27 (2011) Breeding of the Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera in Saurashtra, Gujarat, India 3 (rain or gusty storms) delayed hunting, the first feed occurring at 12h00 using cached prey. Prey visits averaged 4-5 daily, with highest frequency in the mornings, a lull between 12h00 and I6h00, and less frequently during the evenings as late as 19h30. The male would alight with prey on his feeding post on the hide-tree (rarely at the nest), whereupon the brooding female would leave the nest to snatch it from him. After 38 days prey deliveries were irregular. The frequency of prey brought to the nest was highest till the late nestling period, tapering off as the nestling fledged (Figure 3). Whole and partly eaten prey were cached in at least four different trees (includingthe hide-tree) 5-15 m from the nest, sometimes up to 150 m away, secured in sharp to right-angled crotches in trees. Prey was never left in the nest and was either entirely devoured or carried away by adults. Osborne (1981) and Steyn (1982) reported excess prey always being cached in nests with young. Caching was observed as late as 19h48. Roosting The pair roosted after 19h00, usually 19h30-20h00. Until the nestling was almost fledged (37 days) the female invariably roosted on the nest. The male roosted on either the hide or nest-trees, a jamun Syzygium cuminii and an amli 18 m and 3.5 m respectively from the nest. At 38 days he roosted once on an arduso Ailantlms excelsa 55 m from the nest, and thereafter (39th day onwards) invariably with the female on another amli 34 m from the nest. Territorial aggression and nest defence Perching prominently served primarily for lookout purposes for hunting and secondarily as territorial advertisement. In a small sample of 1 4 nest defences, the female did 9, the male 4, both birds 1 . A 25 m radius around the nest was vigorously defended mostly against crows (see below). The overall territory protected extended up to a radius of 70 m from the nest. Most territorial aggression occurred during mornings and evenings, with increased frequency after the nestling was 24 days old (Figure 4). When the fledgling began its first flights, it was escorted and closely guarded by the female from frequent attacks by crows — hence her elevated aggression at this time. Brooding Of 59 hours on the nest, 48 were spent brooding by the female. Pier average brooding duration was 1 14 minutes. Of total time on the nest, female brooding constituted 77%, feeding 9% and perching 14%. As the nestling matured, she brooded less (Figure 5). Brooding terminated at 43 days, six days before the young left the nest. Tight brooding usually commenced by 07h30, occasionally earlier subject to weather and the nestling’s age. The female would half-squat, position herself and settle lightly over the young with wings partially spread. During the hottest hours, 12h00-l6h00, during May/June, with temperatures 45-49°C, the nestling was constantly brooded. Brooding position frequently shifted, always facing away from the sun. In May, frequent high gusts of wind (1-3 minutes’ duration) necessitated constant brooding from 06h30. The brooding female was often unsettled, making visible efforts to maintain balance. Mobbing by crows interrupted brooding, once for 30 minutes. The male briefly relieved the female (3-5 minutes) on three occasions between 15h00 and 17h00. During one such absence the female was observed drinking. The nestling was first left alone at 1 9 days and subsequently for varyingperiods up to 1 1 7 minutes, despite strongwinds. The female occasionally brooded but mostly perched 7-9 m from the nest. During the middle nestling stage, brooding was synchronised with the hot hours, the female standing or crouching over the nestling. From 29 days she discouraged it from settling under her; thereafter it kept in her shadow. Figure 4. Sexual differentiation in levels of aggression in a breeding pair of Red-headed Falcons: male (broken line) and female (continuous line). Figure 5. Proportions of activities by female over the nestling period. 4 RISHAD NAOROJI Forktail 27 (201 1) After 3 1 days brooding tapered off. On the 40th day the female was absent from the nest but perched nearby. The next day she brooded from 1 2h30 to 1 5h30. At 42 days she brooded for the last time, from 13h00 to 13h30. Feeding the nestling The female almost invariably fed the young; the male did so just once, for only two minutes. Feeds averaged 4-5 daily depending on hunting success. Deliveries were observed as early as 05h30 and as late as 19h45. Unsuccessful hunting delayed the first feed till 09hll and once till 12h00. The nestling was fed manageable fleshy morsels; the bones, tarsus and toes of birds up to dove size were swallowed whole by the adults. Frequency of feeds was highest 05h30- 1 lhOO, lowest 12h00- 15h00, with a slight increase 15h00-19h30. Not all prey were brought to the nest. Until the nestling was 19 days old the female mostly fed at the nest. Thereafter she also fed off the nest. The total number of kills exceeded the food deliveries to the nest. Duration of feeds largely reflected prey size and varied unusually from 1 up to 22 minutes, usually 3- 17 minutes, averaging 10 minutes per feed (n=44) at the nest (female and young combined), and 8. 14 minutes (n=4l) for young alone. During feeds the nestling attempted to swallow the tarsi of birds which were withdrawn from its gape and swallowed by the female, although she continued to offer tarsi. After 35 days the nestling fed independently, the female increasingly just dropping in prey (Figure 6). She mostly fed off the nest, feeding first before delivering prey to the nest. After the young fed she retrieved the prey remains. The 45-day-old fledgling was given the first feed of the day by the female after its first flight at 09h50. The Alan Baug female transferred prey to the free-flying fledglings on the nest-tree and nearby trees. Increasingly the adults’ deliveries became crepuscular. A delayed prey transfer by the male (plucking prey or feeding) often resulted in the female snatching the prey. She twice repeatedly repulsed the male, who was attempting to seize the prey, by mantling it and vocalising. O Figure 6. Activities of the nestling from hatching to fledging. Female feeding male At one point towards the end of the nesting cycle, the male approached the feeding female and solicited her, incessantly calling and posturing like a nestling. After 10 minutes she fed him for 1 1 minutes. The young throughout was vociferously begging for food. This unusual behaviour was observed once. Subramanya (1985) reported a male being fed by a female during the incubation stage. Interspecific encounters At Alan Baug a Shikra pair drove the independent fledglings from the nest-tree. However, most interspecific interactions were with House Crows. Both the Gundala and Alan Baug pairs aggressively repelled crows within a radius of 16 m from the nest. Crows were prevented from landing on the furthest roosting trees at Gundala. The more aggressive female often interrupted brooding to chase off crows, usually leading the male in the pursuit. The falcons often made contact, cornering individuals and forcing them into low trees, hedges or bushes for cover. Crows generally avoided the immediate nesting area. The falcons’ superior manoeuvrability and speed usually deterred crows in groups up to three. The Gundala nest was occasionally mobbed by 8- 1 0 persistent crows, once for 30 minutes. Crows were attracted to the nest during feeds, especially when the fledgling fed on its own. On its first flight the Gundala fledgling was severely mobbed by a pair of crows when it alighted on their nesting tree and was rescued by villagers roused by the clamour of cawing crows. Fledged, nest-independent juveniles at Alan Baug were frequently mobbed by crows. Conspecifics are not tolerated near the nest. The Alan Baug pair drove an intruding adult away a considerable distance from the nest vicinity. The Gundala nest-tree hosted a dove’s nest, but the adult doves and nestlings were ignored although doves were frequently hunted. Activity and development of nestling Changes in nestling activity over time are shown in Fig. 5. The nestling defecated into the nest throughout the nestling stage. At 37 days it once defecated over the nest-rim. By 20 days it often wing- stretched, the frequency and duration increasingtill it fledged. When perched, it wing-stretched with the tail spread and cocked at the same angle and direction as the extended wing and leg. Wing-exercise started at 29 days, increasing till fledged. At 37 days this activity lasted 2-3 seconds, occasionally up to 1 1 seconds in wind, the intensity and duration of gusts greatly determining the duration and frequency of this activity. From 12 days the nestling preened with increasing frequency, and was occasionally preened by the female. By 19 days it regularly preened at varying intervals during the day, for 8-20 minutes. The nestling cheeped in anticipation of a feed. As it developed, the frequency of calls sharply increased. At 20 days the cheeps were more frequent and extended, modulating to a quick staccato when prey was brought. By 29 days the nestling was overall more vocal, especially when feeds were delayed or on seeing the adults, which often responded to its persistent calls (a sharp, high-pitched che cbe chwee ) by hunting or delivering cached prey. By 37 days the frequency, variation and volume of calls had increased. Its calls were indicators of the adult’s proximity to the nest. Calls were continuous when adults (even without prey) were in view. Irregular prey visits or adults feeding first would result in monotonous, continuous calls twee twee twee..., a softer, similar- pitched version of the female’s, rising to a crescendo after 8-9 single notes. Prey delivered after a long delay was greeted with a rapid succession of urgent, progressively higher-pitched staccato notes terminating in a strident whine. Feeds Begging by pecking the bill of an adult resulted in a feed. At 1 0 days the nestling unsuccessfully attempted to swallow tarsi and feet of birds. By 2 1 days it was swallowinglarge chunks of flesh and feathers, and once the tarsus of a lark-sized passerine. At 29 days it was fed a Crested Lark but swallowed the tarsi and feet only with an effort. Subsequently it swallowed the legs and feet of a House Sparrow. At 35 days till independence it increasingly fed itself. When prey visits were delayed it grabbed and tugged at the female’s bill (with foot braced on her side for leverage) and pecked her breast, causing Forktail 27 (2011) Breeding of the Red-headed Falcon Folco chicquero in Saurashtra, Gujarat, India 5 her to fly off. At 40 days it fed itself on a babbler-sized bird for 38 minutes. Subsequently average feeding duration was 10 minutes (n=10). From 42 days the increasingly nest-independent fledgling visited the nest primarily to feed. It first fed away from the nest at 48 days. Thereafter its dependence on the nest for feeds decreased. Nestling period and fledging Two newly hatched nestlings were observed in the Gundala nest on 27 April 1988, the first probably having hatched 2-3 days earlier. On 7 May the nest contained one chick which fledged successfully on 14 June, thus giving the minimum nestling period of 48 days (although it first moved outside the nest at 42 days). Until its full independence at 55 days this fledgling was fed mainly away from the nest, but roosted in the nest at night. The fledglings at Alan Baugwere nest-independent within 15 days of their preliminary forays from the nest. Trees in the nest vicinity (including the nest-tree) were frequented, but mainly a large peepal Ficus religiosa. Feeding was decidedly crepuscular, the birds mostly perching in foliage throughout the day. The nest-tree was decreasingly used for perching and feeding. Eighteen days after nest- independence, the juveniles travelled beyond the nesting grove. First flight was at 45 days. At 06h25 the female flew to the nest and ruffled the juvenile; then, between 06h30 and 08h30, the latter sluggishly flew a distance of over 200 m. It did not fly the next day but the day after at 05h55 it flew about 200 m, followed by two short flights until 07h06. At 09hl5 it flew twice and perched alongside the male 45 m from the nest. On most flights it was escorted by the adults, mainly the female. Thereafter it flew frequently, decreasingly using the nest for feeds but mainly for roosting, till fully nest-independent at 55 days. DISCUSSION The Red-headed Falcon is unspecialised in its choice of nest-trees. I agree with Ali & Ripley (1978) and Dharmakumarsinhji (1954) that it prefers breeding in large and small densely foliaged trees, e.g. mango, neem Azadiracbta indica and Ficus in disused, concealed nests of mainly House Crow and Shikra. In India the species seldom breeds in Palmyra palms Borassus. In Africa it breeds mainly in Borassus , its distribution closely linked with that of the palm, although it also uses nests of corvids in Acacia. Also it is not generally associated with human habitation (Brown & Amadon 1968, Brown 1 970, Colebrook-Robjent & Osborne 1 974, Osborne 1981, Brown et al. 1982, Steyn 1982), whereas the Indian subspecies often nests in close proximity to villages and in densely populated cities like Bangalore and Pune (Dharap 1974, Govindakrishnan et al. 1978, Gole 1980, Subramanya 1982). The distribution of corvid and Shikra nests, together with the territorial behaviour of the species itself, probably determines nest-spacing in this falcon, as with the Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides (Hustler 1983). The minimum nestling period was 48 days, compared to 36 days reportedfortheAfricansubspecies(Colebrook-Robjent& Osborne 1 974, Osborne 198 1 ). Drought conditions and delayed nesting (after the optimal period) perhaps retarded the nestling’s growth. As the species’s range encompasses mainly arid, drought-prone areas, comparative data are required on the fledging period and nesting success of pairs over favourable and unfavourable years in relation to number of young fledged per nest. The female was clearly the dominant of the pair, reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD) being pronounced, and she greatly influenced the frequency of the male’s hunting activity and prey-delivery. Both pairs reverted to a crepuscular routine during the post-fledgingperiod. The Alan Baug pair fledged three young by the end of April, the Gundala pair one young by the end of May. Dharmakumarsinhji (1954) reports nesting from December- April, Ali & Ripley (1978) and Subramanya (1982) January-March. In light of this, the Gundalapair nested exceptionally late. By breedingearly the species can avoid the storms and high winds of May/June which pose a threat to trees and nests. Also, early nesters can avail themselves of migrant passerines coinciding with the early nestling period. Furthermore the varied habitat at Alan Baug supported a more diverse prey-base than Gundala. Study may illuminate the causes and extent to which breeding schedules vary in relation to fluctuations in the climate and environment, and the effects of climate on clutch and brood size. The role of calls in regulating social behaviour and dominance through courtship, communication, bonding among pairs and nest defence cannot be underrated. Among most raptors, the larger females (especially when RSD is pronounced) exert dominance over males through behavioural and vocal means (Amadon 1975, Cade & Digby 1982). The Gundala female undoubtedly controlled the male’s activities to agreat extent through vocalisations by summoning him with prey, forcing prey transfers and inducing him to hunt. Through contact and territorial/aggression calls, she was able to induce the desired responses from the male. The Red-headed Falcon nests in disturbed village groves and in avenues lining roads. Loss of cover within its range limits the choice for suitable nest-sites as trees are cur or lopped for fuel and fodder, exposingnests to pilfering by village boys andpredators. The smallest Alan Baugfledglingwas captured by village urchins and subsequently died. In arid regions where trees are scarce and stunted, excessive cutting and lopping can disastrously affect nesting success. Two exposed nests on lopped trees not more than 4 m high, at the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch, were deserted due to human disturbance (S. Malik pers. comm.). In drought-affected Saurashtra, stall feeding of cattle proved immensely successful. Ifwillingly implemented with government support, the overgrazed land would recover over aperiod of time, benefiting the villagers, livestock and wildlife. Lopping must be controlled near known nest sites. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This paper is dedicated to the memory of the late Shivrajkumar Khachar who located the Gundala nest, promptly informed me, and provided hospitality and facilities to make this study possible. Godrej A. Dastoor computerised the data input. The late Dr Ravi Sankaran reviewed the final draft. Dr Ajith Kumar advised and streamlined the data analysis. S. M. Satheesan and Manoj Muni at BNHS, and Peter Colston at the British Museum, helped identify the prey remains. Mansuk Bhai neglected his construction job to help erect the machan. Shabir Malik provided information on his observations of the species. Special thanks to the two referees, Lloyd Kiff and the other anonymous, for their detailed comments and suggestions. REFERENCES Ali, S. & Ripley, S. D. (1 978) Handbookofthe birds of India & Pakistan, 1 . Second edition. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Amadon, D. (1975) Why are female birds of prey larger than males? Raptor Research 9: 1-1 1. Baker, S. (1 935) Nidification of birds of Indian Empire. London Taylor & Francis. Brown, L. FI. & Amadon, D. (1968) Eagles, hawks and falcons of the world. Middlesex, U.K.: Flamlyn. Brown, L. H. (1970) African birds of prey. London: Collins. Brown, L. FI. (1974) Data required for effective study of raptor populations. In Management of raptors. Vermillion, S.D.: Raptor Research Report, 2. Brown, L. H„ Urban, E. K. & Newman, K. (1982) The birds of Africa, 2. London: Academic Press. Cade, T. J. & Digby, R. D. (1982) The falcons of the world. London: William Collins & Co. 6 RISHAD NAOROJI Forktail 27 (2011) Colebrook-Robjent, J. F. R & Osborne, T. O (1974) High density breeding of the Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera in Zambia. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 94: 172-176. Dharap, R. N. (1 974) Redheaded Merlin nesting in densely populated area. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 17(10): 1 1-12. Dharmakumarsinhji, K. S. (1954) Birds of Saurashtra. Dil Bahar, Saurashtra: published by author. Gole, P. (1 980) A March bird count in Poona J. Bombay Nat. Hist. 5oc. 77:49- 55. Govindakrishnan, P. M., Verghese, A. & Chakra varthy, A. K. (1 978) Occurrence of Red-headed Falcon F. chicquera in Bangalore, Karnataka. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 75:487. Hustler, K. (1983) Breeding biology of the Greater Kestrel. Ostrich 54: 1 29- MO. Ingalhallikar, S. (1988) Birds of prey around Pune. J. Ecol. Soc. 1 : 59-65. Johnson, D. R. (1981) The study of raptor populations. University Press of Idaho. Khan, M. A. R. (1978) Notes on the ecology and behaviour of the Redheaded Merlin Falco chiquera chiquera Daudin from Bangladesh J. Asiatic Soc. Bangladesh (Sc.) 4(1&2): 9-14. Naoroji, R. K. (2006) Birds of prey of the Indian Subcontinent. London: Christopher Helm. Newton, I. (1979) Population ecology of raptors. Berkhamsted, UK:T.& A. D. Poyser. Osborne, T. O. (1981) Ecology of the Red-necked Falcon Falco chiquera in Zambia. Ibis 123: 289-297. Roberts, T. J. (1991 ) Birds of Pakistan, 1. Karachi: Oxford University Press. Steyn, P. (1982) Birds of prey of southern Africa: their identification and life histories. Cape Town: David Philip. Subramanya, S. (1982) Nesting of Redheaded Merlin Falco chicquera in Bangalore, Karnataka. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 79: 41 2. Subramanya, S. ( 1 985) Hunting and feeding habits of the Red headed Merlin, Falco chicquera. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 25 (1&2): 4-8. Willoughby, E. J. & Cade, T. J. (1967) Drinking habits of birds in the Central Namib Desert of South West Africa. Sci. Pap. Namib Desert Research Station 31. Wink, M. & Sauer-Gurth, H. (2000) Advances in the molecular systematic of African raptors. Pp.1 35-147 in R. D. Chancellor & B.-U. Meyburg, eds. Raptors at risk. Berlin & Blaine, WA: World Working Group on Birds of Prey/Hancock House. Rishad NAOROJI, Godrej Bhavan, 5th Floor, 4A Home Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001, India. Email: rishadn@gmail.com. FORKTAIL 27 (201 1 ): 7-10 The hatching success of ground- and roof-nesting Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus in Haridwar, India VINAYA KUMAR SETHI, DINESH BHATT, AMIT KUMAR & ARCHANA BHATT NAITHANI We studied hatching success of Red-wattied Lapwing Vanellus indicus in ground- and roof-nests during 2006-07 in rural and suburban habitats of district Haridwar (29°55'N 78°08'E), Uttarakhand state, India. The mean number of eggs that hatched successfully per nest in roof- nests (2.2±1.2) was significantly higher than in the ground-nests (1.0±1.5). This was because the number of egg losses in roof-nests was significantly lower than in ground-nests, not because of a difference in clutch size between nest-types. Hatching success as computed by the Mayfield method was 0.30 (n = 70) and 0.67 (n = 25) in ground- and roof-nests respectively. Different factors, namely predation, nest damage and hatching failure, were responsible for egg loss in both nest-types. However, egg loss due to predation was significantly higher in ground- nests (59.21%) than those on the roofs (1 5.38%). In spite of common threats operating on both nest-types, results clearly revealed that roof- nests had more successful hatch-rates than ground-nests. INTRODUCTION The Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus is currently classified as Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List (Birdlife International 2009) and is a common and widespread wading bird of the Indian Subcontinent. The species, in common with other Charadriidae, lays 3-4 eggs on the ground, in a small natural depression or scrape. Typical nestinghabitat includes open country, grazing land, fallow fields, dry beds of village tanks, and islets in rivers (Ali & Ripley 1998). The incubation period ranges from 28 to 30 days and both sexes perform incubation duties (Desai & Malhotra 1976, Ali & Ripley 1998). Eggs are lost to an array of predators (e.g. mongooses, crows, kites, dogs), to human activities (e.g. ploughing) and to trampling by grazing animals (Naik et al. 1961). Desai & Malhotra (1976) studied the nesting success of ground-nesting Red-wattled Lapwing and observed that out of 74 eggs laid 39 (52.70%) hatched successfully, and ultimately 30 young fledged, leading to an overall nesting success of 40.54%. Additionally, this species has occasionally been observed to nest on flat pebbled roofs in urban environments (Gole & Mundkur 1980, Patnaik 1 980, Tehsin&Lokhandwala 1982, Mundkur 1985, Grimmett etal. 1998). Roof-nestinghas been observed in a number of ground-nesting avian species in other parts of the world such as the United States, Canada and South Africa (Goodnight 1 957, Fisk 1978, Blokpoel & Smith 1988, Gore & Kinnison 1991, Dwyer etal. 1996, Crawford & Dyer 2000). In some countries populations of roof-nesting birds (e.g. terns and gulls) have significantly increased or even outnumbered those on the ground (Ludwig 1974, Hovis & Robson 1 989, Vermeer 1 992). Use of flat roofs for nesting has been suggested as an adaptive response of ground-nesting birds to the loss of traditional nest sites and habitats subjected to rapid urbanisation (Fisk 1978, Toland 1992, Baumann 2006). Additionally, roofs have been suggested to be more protected from humans, most mammalian predators and grazing animals when compared to open ground (Douglass et al. 2001). Loss of natural habitat has been suggested as a possible reason for roof-nesting by Red-wattled Lapwing (Mundkur 1985). However, no studies have so far been conducted to ascertain the reasons causing such a shift in the species’s nesting habitat. This paper aims to study productivity of roof-nests of Red-wattled Lapwing relative to those on the ground through comparing hatching success between nest-types. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was undertaken in April-June 2006 and 2007, which coincides with the peak breeding season ofthe Red-wattled Lapwing. Observations were made using 10x50 binoculars and field scope (75 x) in rural and urban habitats of district Haridwar (29°55,N 78°08'E), Uttarakhand state, India. Ground-nests were located by notingtypical breedingbehaviour such as nest building, incubating birds or alarm calling. Roof-nests were searched for by climbing to a vantage point and scanning the roofs of nearby buildings. Field observations reveal that Red- wattled Lapwings are generally not present on roofs outside the breeding season. Thus, frequent sightings ofbird(s) on a building during the breeding period were suggestive of the presence of a breeding pair there. Most observations were made during midday hours when, due to high temperatures, nests were never left unattended and at least one of the birds was incubating. Searches for nests were done systematically and we were equally likely to find nests regardless of location, i.e. all parts of the study area were searched thoroughly and repeatedly during the breeding season. The incubation period of Red-wattled Lapwing lasts 28-30 days (Desai & Malhotra 1976, Ali & Ripley 1998). Thus, nests found prior to clutch completion were inspected every 2-5 days followed by more frequent visits during the expected date of hatching. Nests found after clutch completion were nearly always inspected on alternate days. In addition, local inhabitants such as children, farmers and building owners were regularly quizzed regarding the occurrence of nest(s) of Red-wattled Lapwing on their premises or in nearby areas. To relocate nests quickly and reduce the chance of attracting predators (see Salek & Smilauer 2002), nests were marked by a stone placed on a brick within 1.5 m. To minimise disturbance we did not spend more than 1 0 seconds near the nest during inspection. When a nest was found empty, the contents were carefully scrutinised and recorded. Nests were recorded as successful when at least one of the following criteria was apparent: small fragments of eggshell were present in the nest lining; at least one chick was seen; behaviour of the adults indicated presence of a brood. A nest was classed as successful if at least one egg hatched. A nest was assumed to have failed if it was found to be empty before the expected hatch date ( and did not comply with the above criteria) , or if there was evidence of predation (i.e. large egg fragments, disturbed nest lining, etc.) (Galbraith 1988). Duringeach visit, nests, eggs and chicks were counted and sorted by nest-type (ground or roof). In a number of nests, asynchronous hatching was observed, i.e. all eggs did not hatch simultaneously and it took 20-43 hours until the complete clutch hatched. In those nests, the young started moving out of nests within a couple ol hours and concealed themselves in nearby vegetative cover. Such nests were observed at either midday or dawn because parents were 8 VINAYA KUMAR SETHI etai Forktail 27 (2011) always observed sitting over the eggs andyoungduring these periods. Along with two local inhabitants, we observed individual nests for longer continuous periods (up to four hours) from a hide or vehicle in order to spot fleeing chicks, and we searched vegetation for hiding chicks. Roofs provided less cover for chicks than ground sites, thus offering better opportunities to locate the chicks. In both nest-types we observed most chicks before they left the nest. Hatching success was calculated with the Mayfield method (Mayfield 1975) as well as with the traditional method (% of eggs that hatched successfully out of total eggs laid). Numbers of eggs and chicks that hatched in ground- and roof-nests were compared using two-tailed t-test (Zar 1 984) . The mean values were presented with the standard deviation (±SD). RESULTS A total of 40 (29 on ground and 1 1 on roof) and 55 (41 on ground and 14 on roof) nests of Red-wattled Lapwing were found in 2006 and 2007 respectively. In both nest-types (ground and roof) the clutch size and mean number of eggs hatched per nest did not differ significantly between years and thus the data from both years were pooled (Table 1). Average clutch sizes for ground- and roof-nests were nearly identical (3.6±0.6 SD and 3.6±0.4 SD respectively; t- test: t = 0.02, df= 59, P = 0.982). Usingthe Mayfield method, the mortality rate for the incubation period of Red-wattled Lapwing was 0.039 (45 failures/ 1,134 nest- days) and 0.013 (5 failures/374.5 nest-days) failures per nest-day for ground- and roof-nests respectively. The probability of survival wasO.961 ( 1-0.039) and 0.987 (1-0.013) per nest-day for ground- and roof-nests respectively. Hence, with an incubation period of 30 days, the probability of survival of a nest with young was 0.30 (0.96 130) and0.67 (0.98730) forground- androof-nests respectively. The mean number of eggs that hatched successfully in roof-nests was significantly greater than those from ground-nests (2.2±1.2 and 1.0±1.5 respectively; t = 3.95, df = 50, P = 0.0002). On comparing the hatching success between nest-types with the traditional method, the proportion of eggs that hatched in roof- nests (62.6%) was higher than in ground-nests (28.6%) (Table 2). Loss of eggs was greater in ground-nests (71.3%) than those on the roofs (37.3%). Different factors, namely predation, nest damage and hatching failure, affected hatching success in both the nest- types, but with different loss rate in each group (Table 2). Only 1 5.3% of roof-nest eggs were predated compared to 59.2% of ground- nest eggs. Roof-nests may primarily have been predated by aerial predators, ground-nests by both terrestrial and aerial predators. Grazing animals caused nest damage in ground-nests leading to a 9.8% loss of eggs, whereas roof-nests were damaged mostly by intentional and unintentional human interference during building construction, renovation or cleaning, resulting in an egg loss of 1 9.7%. Individual eggs remained unhatched in both nest-types. Loss of eggs due to hatching failure was almost equal in ground- (2.3%) and roof-nests (2.1%). DISCUSSION Nest survival and hatching success of Red-wattled Lapwings were higher on roofs than in typical habitat on the ground. The main dilference in hatching success between nest-types was mainly due to higher predation rate on the ground than on roofs. Those nests on the ground were susceptible to a greater array of predators such as domestic dogs, pigs, snake, mongoose, House Crow Corvus splendens, Jungle Crow C. macrorhyncbos, GreaterCoucal Centropus sinensis , Black Kite Milvus migrans and Shikra Accipiter badius, whereas nests located on roofs were susceptible to a smaller range of primarily aerial predators such as crows and raptors (no terrestrial predators were noticed on the roofs). Similar differences in nesting success between roof- and ground-nests have been reported in other ground-nesting species (Fisk 1978, Gore & Kinnison 1991). These differences have been partly attributable to the different types of predators that ground- and roof-nests are exposed to (Fisk 1978, Massey & Fancher 1989, Gore & Kinnison 1991). Apart from predation, ground-nesting Red-wattled Lapwings faced the risk of nest damage by grazing animals. In two instances we witnessed a herd of grazing sheep trampling the eggs of ground¬ nesting Red-wattled Lapwings. Also, on a number of occasions ground-nestingparentswereobservedaggressivelyattackinggrazing animals near their nests. Damage to eggs in ground-nests by grazing animals has been reported by other workers also (Beintema & Muskens 1987, Hart et al. 2002). Unlike ground-nests, losses in roof-nests were more frequently caused by human activities (Table 2). Most of the property owners were unaware of the presence of nests of Red-wattled Lapwing on their roofs, and thus nearly all damage to nests occurred unintentionally during the unloading of building material like cement, bricks and wood on the roofs. In two cases, property owners were observed trying to protect nests of Red-wattled Lapwing from direct sunlight by providing artificial shade. In another instance, the property owner relocated the nest (with four eggs and stone pebbles) of a Red-wattled Lapwing 6 m from its original position as it was disturbing construction. It was interesting to note that the Table 1. Clutch size and average number of eggs hatched in Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus between study years (2006 vs 2007) and nest- types (ground vs roof). Clutch size [mean±SD] Number of eggs hatched [mean±SD] Nest-type 2006 2007 2006 2007 Ground 3.62±0.72 (N = 29) 3.65±0.65 (N = 41) 0.89± 1 .44 (N = 29) 1.14±1.57(N = 41) t-test value t = 0.22, df = 56, P = 0.824 t = 0.68, df = 63, P = 0.495 Roof 3.63±0.50 (N = 11) 3.64±0.49 (N = 14) 2.36±1.28 (N = 11) 2.21 ±1 .31 (N = 14) t-test value t = 0.03, df = 21, P = 0.974 t = 0.28, df = 22, P = 0.777 Table 2. Productivity in ground- and roof-nests of Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus. Hatching success (%) calculated by Causes of nest loss (%) due to Nest-type Nests observed Eggs laid Eggs hatched Mayfield Traditional method method Predation Nest damage Hatching failure Ground 70 255 73 30.31 28.63 59.21 9.80 2.35 Roof 25 91 57 67.53 62.63 15.38 19.78 2.19 Forktail 27 (2011) Hatching success of Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus in Haridwar, India 9 bird initially arranged the stone pebbles and later incubated the eggs in its new position and that all the eggs hatched successfully. Dwyer et al. (1996) have reported the loss of 50% roof-nesting colonies of gull species due to human activities, but contrary to our study, they were all subjected to an intentional roof-nesting removal programme. We observed instances of hatching failure of individual eggs in both nest-types at almost the same rate. Hatching failure due to infertility or embryo mortality is an important cause of reduced breeding success in birds and has commonly been reported for a number of avian species (Gonzalez 1996, Seixas & Mourao 2002). There are reports indicating that roof-nesting by colonies of ground-nesting birds may cause economic, safety and health problems for the property owners, through (i) noise caused by their calls and footsteps, (ii) mess and fouling caused by their droppings, (iii) blockage of gas flues and gutters by nesting materials, (iv) holding moisture by nesting materials, and (v) diving and swooping on pets and people, etc. (Blokpoel&Scharf 1991,Belant 1993), and various techniques have been trialled to reduce or eliminate these factors (Blokpoel & Tessier 1992). In the present study, however, nesting by Red-wattled Lapwings on roofs did not cause any trouble to property owners because the species does not breed in colonies and in only one instance did we find two active nests on a single roof (area: 230 m2). Most property owners were merely aware of the presence of Red-wattled Lapwing pairs but not of their nests on their roofs. These observations also suggest that the distribution and extent of roof-nests of Red-wattled Lapwing in our study area is not ' as great as reported for other ground-nesting birds in other countries. In spite of common threats operating on both nest-types, it is clear from the results that roof-nests had higher hatching success than ground-nests. The intensity of predation on adult birds and their nests has been presumed to be one of the determining forces for the evolution of avian reproductive strategies (Lack 1968, Ricklefs 1 969) . It has also been suggested that if prey cannot defend itself against predators there should be selection for predator avoidance adaptations, for instance, concealment of the nest and its contents, nesting at lower densities and breeding in inaccessible sites or in safer habitats (e.g. Lack 1968, Collias & Collias 1984). It is worth mentioning here that in one of our studies carried out in the same study area, we found the Spotted Munia Loncbura punctulata occurring in urban habitat solely during the breeding period and nesting significantly more successfully in this urban habitat than in forest, owing to reduced predation rate on the urban nests (Sharma et al. 2004). It could be argued that roof-nesting by Red-wattled Lapwings is also a strategy to increase breeding output by minimising predation pressure. Alternatively, roof-nesting by Red-wattled Lapwing may also be a response in a locally increasing population to loss of traditional habitat and to the abundance of gravel roofs in the study area. Although roof-nesting appears to give Red-wattled Lapwings a selective advantage of higher hatching success, chick survival could be constrained on roofs due to restricted food supply, lack of cover, and falls. Further investigations are needed on ringed individuals over consecutive years to ascertain causes and consequences of roof-nesting. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank Head, Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, for providing infrastructural facilities to carry out this work. We thank Mr Shivchand Arora, Mr Sachin Turaiha and Mr Vikas Saini for their assistance during field visits. The kind cooperation of Swami Shivanand Ji (Matri Sadan Ashram, Jagjeetpur, India) to allow us to work in his premises is gratefully acknowledged. We are grateful to Dr Robert D. Sheldon, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scotland, for his invaluable remarks and helpful suggestions in the editing of this manuscript. We thank also an anonymous referee for constructive comments. REFERENCES Ali, S. & Ripley, D. (1998) Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Baumann, N. (2006) Ground-nesting birds on green roofs in Switzerland: preliminary observations. Urban Habitats 4: 37-50. Beintema, A. J. & Muskens, G. J. D. M. (1987) Nesting success of birds in Dutch agricultural grasslands. J. Appl. Ecol. 24: 743-758. Belant, J. L. (1993) Nest-site selection and reproductive biology of roof- and island-nesting herring gulls. Trans. North Amer. Wildl. and Nat. Res. 58: 78-86. BirdLife International (2009) Vanellus indicus species factsheet. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 1 0 June 2010. Blokpoel, H. & Scharf, W. C. (1 991 ) The ring-billed gull in the Great Lakes of North America. Acta Internatn. Orn. Congr. 20: 2372-2377. Blokpoel, H. & Smith, B. (1 988) First records of roof nesting by ring-billed gulls and herring gulls in Ontario. Ontario Birds 6: 15-18. Blokpoel, H. & Tessier, G. D. (1992) Control of ring-billed gulls and herring gulls nesting at urban and industrial sites in Ontario, 1 987-1990. Proc. East. Wildl. Damage Control Conf. 5:51-57. Collias, N. E. & Collias, E. C. (1984) Nest building and bird behaviour. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Crawford, R. J. M. & Dyer, B. M. (2000) Swift terns Sterna bergii breeding on roofs and at other new localities in southern Africa. Marine Orn. 28: 1 23- 124. Desai, J. H. & Malhotra, A. K. (1976) A note on incubation period and reproductive success of the Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus at Delhi Zoological Park. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 73: 392-394. Douglass, N. J., Gore, J. A. & Paul, R. T. (2001 ) American oystercatchers nest on gravel-covered roofs in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 29: 75-80. Dwyer, C. P„ Belant, J. L. & Dolbeer, R. A. (1996) Distribution and abundance of roof-nesting gulls in the Great Lakes reg ion of the United States. Ohio J. Sc/. 96: 9-12. Fisk, E. J. (1 978) Roof-nesting terns, skimmers, and plovers in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 6: 1 -8. Galbraith, H. (1988) Effects of agriculture on the breeding ecology of Lapwings Vanellus vanellus. J. Appl. Ecol. 25: 487-503. Gole, P. & Mundkur, T. (1980) An unusual nest of a pair of Red-wattled Lapwing. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 20: 15. Gonzalez, J. A. (1996) Breeding biology of the Jabiru in the southern llanos of Venezuela. Wilson Bull. 108:524-534. Goodnight, L. E. (1957) Least Tern. Florida Naturalist 30: 123. Gore, J. A. & Kinnison, M. J. (1991) Hatching success in roof and ground colonies of Least Terns. Condor 93: 759-762. Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C.& Inskipp, T. (1 998) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Hart, J. D„ Milsom, T. P„ Baxter, A., Kelly, P. F. & Parkin, W. K. (2002) The impact of livestock on Lapwing Vanellus vanellus breeding densities and performance on coastal grazing marsh. Bird Study 49: 67-78. Hovis, J. A. & Robson, M. S. (1989) Breeding status and distribution of the Least Tern in the Florida Keys. Florida Field Naturalist 17: 61-66. Lack, D. (1968) Ecological adaptations for breeding in birds. London: Methuen Press. Ludwig, J. P. (1 974) Recent changes in the ring-billed gull population and biology in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Auk 91 : 575-594. Massey, B. W. & Fancher, J. M. (1989) Renesting by California Least Terns. J. Field Orn. 60:350-357. Mayfield, H. F. (1975) Suggestions for calculating nest success. Wilson Bull. 87:456-466. Mundkur, T. (1985) Observations on the roof-nesting habit ofthe Red-wattled Lapwing (I /anllus indicus) in Poona, Maharashtra. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 82: 194-196. 10 VINAYA KUMAR SETHI etal. Forktail 27 (2011) Naik, R. M„ George, P. V. & Dixit, D. B. (1961) Some observations on the behaviour of the incubating Red-wattled Lapwing, Vanellu s indicus indicus (Bodd.).T Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 58: 223-230. Patnaik, H. P. (1 980) Unusual nesting site of Red-wattled Lapwing. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 20: 9. Ricklefs, R. E. (1969) An analysis of nesting mortality in birds. Smithsonian Contr. Zool. 9: 1 -48. Salek, M. & Smilauer, P. (2002) Predation on Northern Lapwing 1 /anellus vanellus nests: the effect of population density and spatial distribution of nests. Ardea 90: 5 1 -60. Seixas, G. H. F. & Mourao, G. M. (2002) Nesting success and hatching survival of Blue-fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. J. Field Orn. 73: 399-409. Sharma, R. C., Bhatt, D. & Sharma, R. K. (2004) Breeding success of tropical spotted munia (Lonchura punctuiata) in urbanized and forest habitats. Orn. Sci. 3: 1 1 3-1 1 7. Tehsin, H. R. & Lokhandwala, J. (1982) Unusual nesting site of Red-wattled Lapwing. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 79: 414. Toland, B. (1992) Use of forested spoil islands by nesting American oystercatchers in southeast Florida. J. Field Orn. 63: 1 55-1 58. Vermeer, K. (1 992) Population growth rate of the glaucous-winged gull Larus glaucescens in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada. Ardea 80: 181-185. Zar, J. H. (1984) Biostatistical analysis. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Vinaya Kumar SETHI', Dinesh BHATT2, Amit KUMAR and Archana Bhatt NAITHANI, Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar 249 404, Uttarakhand, India. E-mails: 'vinayaksethi@yahoo.co.in;2dineshharidwar@gmait.com FORKTAIL 27 (201 1 ): 11-14 The Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea in Indochina J. W. DUCKWORTH, P. D. ROUND & R. J. TIZARD While the Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea is rather common in Kachin state in northern Myanmar, in South-East Asia it is otherwise known with certainty only from a highly disjunct cluster of four localities in rugged mountains on the international border between Laos and Vietnam: Phou Kabo, Ban Muang-Ngat and Phou San (all in the Xiangkhouang highlands), Laos, and Pu Mat Nature Reserve (northern Annamite mountains), Vietnam. There is no obvious biogeographic explanation of this distributional pattern, which is most unlikely to be an artefact of fieldwork bias. Improved conservation status of forest within the range of the species is desirable. INTRODUCTION RECORDS The Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea is primarily an eastern Himalayan species, occurring from Sikkim and Bhutan east through most of the north-east Indian hill states to small parts of southern China and adjacent northern Myanmar (Collar & Robson 2007, where called Pseudominla cinerea) . The first South-East Asian record was from northern Myanmar on 1 April 1933 (Stanford ArTicehurst 1935) and the next was the listingfor the northern highlands of Laos in David-Beaulieu ( 1 939), at least 1,100 km to the south-east. Despite the upsurge in bird survey in South-East Asia since the late 1980s, there remain remarkably few records in South-East Asia away from Kachin state, Myanmar, resulting in a separation exceeding 800 km between the main Himalayan range and records elsewhere in South- East Asia. This note assembles these latter records, and draws attention to the peculiar distribution, and regional conservation concern, of the bird. Figure 1 shows the South-East Asian localities mentioned in the text. Laos David-Beaulieu (1939) simply listed this fulvetta for Tranninh (an areasimilarto today’s Xiangkhouangprovince, but also includingsome of today’s northern Vientiane province), later stating (David-Beaulieu 1 944) that it was first recorded there by Delacour & Greenway ( 1 940). These latter (in fact, probably F.Edmond-Blanc:Edmond-Blanc 1944) collected five skins on Phou (= Mount) Kabo ( as Phou Kobo; 1 9° 1 6' N 103°25,E), evidently during December 1938 and/or February 1939 (Hennache & Dickinson 2000). David-Beaulieu (1944) himself, despite collecting widely in the Tranninh highlands, found it only at two sites, Phou Kabo (his main collecting area, then a well-forested mountain rising to 2,155 m), where he observed big flocks but found them only rarely, and around Ban (= village of) Muang-Ngat (as Muong-Ngat; 19°06'N 104°03,E), where it was common and readily found. The latter lay amid partly wooded hilly grassland at 1,150m, but within 3 km the hills rise to 1,748 m; Phou Muang-Nhat, 8 km to Figure 1. Lao and Vietnamese locality records of Yellow-throated F u Ivetta Alcippe cinerea, and other South-East Asian localities mentioned in the text. Individual recordsfor Kachin state, Myanmar, have not been collated and are not mapped, but none lies south of the Chinese record marked. The main range of the species is in Kachin state and in the regions of India and other countries to the west of it. Locality records (stars): 1, Phou Kabo; 2, Ban Muang-Ngat; 3, Phou San; 4, Pu Mat NR; 5, latitude of southernmost Chinese record. Other localities mentioned in the text (dots): A, Fan Si Pan; B, Phou Xaylaileng; C, Nam Xam NPA; D, Nam Et-Phou Louey NPA; E, Nam Ha NPA; F, Phou Dendin NPA; G, Nakai-NamTheun NPA; H, Nape; I, Phou Gnouan; J, Nam Chouan proposed NPA. 12 J. W. DUCKWORTH, P. D. ROUND & R. J. TIZARD Forktail 27 (201 1) the north, peaks at 2,406 m. He collected nine specimens, of which he sent one (from Phou Kabo, 26 April 1 940) to Bourret ( 1 943). Six others are now in Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, USA (YPM 19634-19639): four are from Phou Kabo (one on 7 May 1939 and three on 26 April 1 940), and singles came from Ban Muang-Ngat on 14 and 13 January 1940 respectively; none has a specific altitude recorded (K. Zyskowski in litt. 2007). The David-Beaulieu collection in Chulalongkorn University Zoological Museum, Bangkok, Thailand (see Dickinson 1970) contains none (E. C. Dickinson in litt. 2009) ; many David-Beaulieu specimens are held at the Museum National d'HistoireNaturelle, Paris, France but we have not checked whether any are of this species. The only other Lao record is from these same highlands, from Phou San (19°39,N 103°23T; rising to 2,218 m): two were found foraging at 2-3 m above ground in dense bamboo beside a small stream amid logged forest at 1,850 m on 8 June 2009. The forest on Phou San is mostly on fairly gentle terrain, and is rich in epiphytes, with bamboo common; within 1 km of the sighting lie some unlogged stands of magnificent tall (30-35 m) trees and such forest was presumably extensive prior to logging. However, persistent thick mist meant only two days were spent in the forest of Phou San, so it is unclear how common the species is there (Duckworth in press, JWD). Vietnam This fulvetta is known only from Pu Mat Nature Reserve (NR), which lies in the northern Annamite mountains. Single birds were seen at two different locations at c. 1 ,400- 1 ,500 m (perhaps as high as 1,600 m) near ‘Camp 4’ (19°01'N 104°31'E), on the slopes of Pu (= Mount) Mat itself, in the understorey (broad-leaved plants) on 24 April 1999 and in dense low ground herbage the next day. Here the forest was typically montane with many epiphytes and much bamboo. The first sighting was within good-quality tall forest on steep slopes, the second on a ridge-top. Six observer-days were spent in this area, between 1,200 and 1,841 m (SFNC 2000, PDR). The species was listed, with no text discussion, in a January - March 1995 baseline survey for part of Vietnam’s tallest mountain, Fan Si Pan (c.22°18'N 103°46'E), in the Hoang Lien Nature Reserve (Appendix 7 in Kemp et al. 1995). In the ‘notes’ column is ‘ ? ?’, indicating (presumably) a great degree of uncertainty: the species was not illustrated in any field guide to South-East Asian birds then available, and the authors seem not to have checked skins. The report’s section 10 makes it clear that the authors were evolving their bird identification skills for the region, and the species is not mentioned in their discussion ofglobally threatened and near-threatened species (it then fell in the latter category: Collar etal. 1994) recorded by the survey. Because this area has been subject to fairly high survey combininghistorical and recent efforts (see below) without any other records, and despite the acceptance of the record by Tordoff et al. (1999), we consider there to be at high chance of an error being involved. Myanmar Yellow-throated Fulvetta is evidently common and widespread in northern Kachin state, which is fundamentally contiguous with its main Himalayan range (Stanford & Ticehurst 1935, 1938-1939, Stanford & Mayr 1940-1941, Smythies 1949, King et al. 2001, Smythies 200 1 , Renner & Rappole 2011, Eames & Steinheimer in prep., Than Zaw verbally 2005 [many photographs examined by JWD and RJT], JWD and RJT own observations 2007-2010). It has not yet been found in any other state or division of the country. DISCUSSION The Yellow-throated Fulvetta’ s distribution in northern Myanmar is almost the eastern extremity of its Himalayan range: it continues into the north-western part (Gongshan) ofYunnan (Cheng 1987) and is otherwise known in China only in south-east Xizang Autonomous Region (Cheng 1987, Collar & Robson 2007). The Lao and Vietnamese records are highly disjunct from this main range: although J. Hornskov (in litt. 2009) has found it somewhat south of the Gaoligongshan range given by Cheng (1987),atc.25°N, there is no known connection in range from northern Myanmar to Laos via Yunnan or Thailand. This is despite heavy survey and birding focus on the latter’s northern montane avifauna in recent decades, although there is no published compilation more recent than Deignan ( 1 945), King ( 1 966), Round (1988) and Lekagul & Round (1991). It is implausible that the bird has been widely overlooked in South-East Asia. Although Delacour & Greenway (1940) considered it difficult to see and obtain, they seem alone in this stance. It is particularly conspicuous during the cold season, when it is ‘a beautiful sight to watch a large flock cascading down a hillside, every bird in incessant movement, darting in and out of the undergrowth and bustling to and fro’ (Stanford & Mayr 1940- 1941: 77). Although its attachment to dense understorey and ceaseless movement made it, before the use of mist-nets, difficult to collect (Stanford & Mayr 1940-1941, David-Beaulieu 1944), the same behaviour makes it easy to find (at least in the cold season) in Kachin state, Myanmar (Stanford & Mayr 1940-1941, YJmgetal. 2001, JWD and RJT). Umesh Srinivasan (in litt. 2009) agrees that, ifpresent, it is ‘extremely easy’ to find (and one of the most commonly seen birds) in both western and eastern Arunachal Pradesh (Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and Namdapha Tiger Reserve: Srinivasan et al. 2010), where it occurs from 600 to 2,100 m, with abundance peaking around 1,500 m. It is in the cold season that much survey and recreational birding takes place on Thailand’s mountains, and not withstanding the occasional finding new for Thailand of resident passerines in these forests (e.g. Round & Pattanavibool 2003, Treesucon 2007), it is unlikely that such a conspicuous species has been overlooked. The Lao and Vietnamese records come from one area of rugged highlands spanning the international border. Ban Muang-Ngat, the only Indochinese locality where it has been called common, is on the Nam (= River) Mo, amid, for Laos, a large tract exceeding 2,000 m; hills to the west exceed 2,400 m, whilst to the east, Phou Xaylaileng (19°12'N 104°1 1 E), on the Vietnam border, rises to 2,71 1 m. Pu Mat NR abuts the Lao-Vietnam border, extending north to 19°12'N although diverging from the border some way south of this, such that the highest terrain along the border is excluded from the protected area: the massif itself rises only to 1,841 m and 90% of the reserve lies below 1,000 m (SFNC 2000). Phou Kabo and Phou San are two of the many peaks that lie north¬ west of the Nam Mo headwaters. Surveys of montane forest in Laos even further north and west (Nam Xam National Protected Area [NPA] : Showier etal. 1998; Nam Et-Phou Louey NPA: Davidson 1998, 1999; Nam HaNPA: Tizard etal. 1997; PhouDendin NPA: Fuchs etal. 2007) have not found the species, and, whilst it would be rash to assert its absence from any given area, the combined lack of records implies that it is highly localised in Laos’s northern highlands. In Vietnam there has also been recent extensive survey and hobby birdwatching in the highland forests around Fan Si Pan (rising to 3,148 m) and to a lesser extent elsewhere (Tordoff et al. 1999 and references therein, Tordoff etal. 2000, Swan & O’Reilly 2004a, b, Vogel et al. 2003), without any credible records of the bird. However, the western border areas north of Pu Mat NR remain poorly covered Q. C. Eames in litt. 2010). There is no evidence that Yellow- throated Fulvetta extends from Pu Mat NR southwards along the Annamite spine (Eames et al. 2001), although various areas rise higher than Pu Mat and retain large tracts of little-degraded forest. However, R. J. Timmins (in litt. 2009) cautions that on his surveys ofNakai-Nam Theun NPA, Forktail 27 (2011) The Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea in Indochina 13 which yielded many montane passerines new for Laos and even more for Central Laos (Evans & Timmins 1998), he focused on getting as high as possible and the altitude band around 1,500 m (which included taller forests than he surveyed) was poorly covered, and so might hold additional species. The known distribution in Laos and Vietnam does not strongly resemble that of any other bird species. That of Rufous-vented Laughingthrush Garrulax gularis is perhaps the most similar: in Vietnam, this species is also recorded only from North Annam (Robson 2008), and in Laos most records come From Xiangkhouang province, with one From Nam Et-Phou Louey NPA and, perhaps, another From Ban Nape, although the basis for this latter seems not to have been clarified (Duckworth etal. 1999); a Further parallel is that this species is also known from North Myanmar (essentially, Kachin state plus the land directly to its west) but not elsewhere in that country or From Thailand (Robson 2008). The Yellow-throated Fulvetta’s Lao and Vietnamese distribution is not readily explained by any obvious biogeographic or physiographic feature or biological, vegetational or physical constraint suspected to be a determinant of Indochinese bird distribution. The Pu Mat NR records, especially because they Fall plausibly during the breeding season, indicate that the species is not simply ahigher montane specialist. Were this so, it should be present, and have been found, in Vietnam’s northern highlands, notably around Fan Si Pan. Also, it seems unlikely to be restricted to (near) pristine forest, given the precise observation spot on Phou San and David-Beaulieu’s ( 1 944) description of habitat around Ban Muang- Ngat, and repeated reference from elsewhere in its range to the use oF bamboos, glades, streamsides and other edge habitats (e.g. Collar & Robson 2007). It was evidently localised within the Tranninh highlands even in the 1 940s, meaning that the lack of records (surely indicating genuine absence) from the only other recently relatively well-surveyed mountain in these highlands, Phou Gnouan (Duckworth etal. 2002, Duckworth in press), is unlikely to be due simply to the area’s retaining only a small forest patch. Without further precise locality records of this fulvetta in Indochina and/or ecological study at its few known sites, meaningful speculation on the reasons governing its peculiar distribution is not possible. The same is true For the various other species in South-East Asia with strangely localised distributions that cannot easily be Fitted into multi-species patterns, such as Rufous-vented Laughingthrush and Black-bibbed Tit P. ( palustris ) hypermelaena. Close examination of the records available across the species’s much wider range in the Indian subcontinent also suggests that it may be absent From some fairly large blocks of adequately surveyed suitable habitat (T. P. Inskipp in litt. 2009) and in China it is ‘rare’ (precise meaning ambiguous) (Cheng 1987: 723). This Fulvetta was listed (with no discussion) as globally Near Threatened by Collar & Andrew (1988), but this status was rescinded by BirdLife International (2000), since when the species has been considered Least Concern (BirdLife International 2009). While there is no reason to question this at the global level, the disjunct Indochina population may warrant local-level conservation attention because its known range is so small, and maintenance oF a species throughout its recent range is a generally accepted conservation aim. The bird is far too small to be a hunting target, but habitat status is of great concern. The Xiangkhouang highlands retain only small relicts of forest above 1,500 m (R. J. Timmins in litt. 2009, from examination of satellite images). Even these are subject to ongoing destruction and degradation: the small patch on Phou Gnouan profiled in Duckworth et al. (2002) had, by 2009, been internally fragmented by a network of mining exploration tracks and lost most of its large trees (Duckworth in press). Pu Mat NR, by contrast, has probably suffered little, if any, habitat conversion at altitudes over 1,000 m in the last decade (B. Long verbally 2009). Most of this general area oF Laos, namely the swathe of highlands from Phou Kabo south-east to Phou Xaylaileng, felt reasonably likely to hold the species but is as yet unexplored for birds, holds insurgents and is not open for surveys or site-based conservation projects. Within Laos, where the bird is not known from any NPA, Phou San — recently declared aprovincial protected area but not under any active management — may therefore be a conservation priority. It is quite plausible that, because it holds such a localised bird species, it also supports herpetofauna, plants, invertebrates and perhaps other birds of high conservation significance. The eastern Nam Mo headwaters form the northern part of the Nam Chouan proposed NPA (pNPA) (Berkmuller et al. 1995), and Ban Muang-Ngat lies only 5 km west of the proposed border. Nam Chouan pNPA extends south along the international border (contiguous with Pu Mat NR) to abut the Nam Theun Extension pNPA, and was identified during the 1990s as a high priority for wildlife survey; Follow-up has been impossible and no information is available on its avifauna. The likely presence of Yellow-throated Fulvetta suggests other special species may occur; and the lack of very high land in Pu Mat NR suggests that Nam Chouan pNPA would be found to hold many additional species and would not simply be biologically equivalent to the Vietnamese protected area. No subspecies oF Yellow-throated Fulvetta are recognised: the sole synonym for the species, A. delacouri (as used by David-Beaulieu 1939, 1944), was proposed by Yen (1935, reiterated in Yen 1936) as a nom. nov. for Minla cinerea Blyth, 1847, which he believed to be preoccupied, once the species was transferred to Alcippe, by Alcippe cinerea Blyth, 1844, used for Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteron cinereum. But the 1844 name is not available, so the 1847 name does not need to be replaced (Stanford & Mayr 1940- 1941). Given the Yellow-throated Fulvetta’s highly disjunct distribution it would be instructive to compare the genetic structure of Indochinese with Himalayan birds, and there seems to be no inFormation to suggest that any modern morphological reassessment has been attempted. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank Geoff Carey, Aparajita Datta, Edward Dickinson, Jonathan Eames, Jesper Hornskov, Tim Inskipp, Barney Long, John Pilgrim, Craig Robson, Umesh Srinivasan, Than Zaw, Rob Timmins, Jack Tordoff and Kristof Zyskowski for informative discussion on specimens, the species and its habitats, Perawit Insuan for preparing the map, and BirdLife International Indochina Programme for photocopies of Kemp etal. (1995) and Tordoff etal. (1999). REFERENCES Berkmuller, K., Eva ns, T., Timmins, R.&Vongphet, V. (1 995) Recent advances in nature conservation in the Lao PDR. Oryx 29: 253-260. BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona, Spain, and Cambridge, U.K.: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International. BirdLife International (2009) Speciesfactsheet: Alcippe cinerea. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 31 July 2009. Bourret, R. (1943) Liste des oiseaux recemment entres dans les collections du Laboratoire de Zoologie. 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(2000) Les types des oiseaux rapportes du Vietnam, du Laos et du Cambodge par Jean Delacour entre 1 923 et 1 939. Zoosystema 22: 601-629. Kemp, N., Le Mong Chan & Dilger, M. (1995) Nui Hoang Lien Nature Reserve. London: Society for Environmental Exploration (Frontier Vietnam Forest Research Programme Report 6). King, B. (1966) List of bird skins and specimens collected in Thailand from 1 March 1964 to 30 June 1966. Research project No. 24/1. Migration studies of birds in Thailand, Report No. 1 . Bangkok: Applied Scientific Research Corporation ofThailand. King, B., Buck, H„ Ferguson, R„ Fisher, T„ Goblet, C„ Nickel, H. & Suter, W. (2001) Birds recorded during two expeditions to north Myanmar (Burma). Forktail 1 7: 29-40. Lekagul, B.& Round, P. D.(1 991 ) Aguide to the birds of Thailand. Bangkok: Saha Karn Bhaet. Renner, S. C. & Rappole, J. H. (201 1) Avifauna of the eastern Himalayas and southeastern sub-Himalayan mountains - center of endemism or many species in marginal habitats? Orn. Monogr. 70, no. 1 . Robson, C. (2008) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia. London: New Holland. Round, P.D. (1988) Resident forest birds in Thailand: their status and conservation. Cambridge, U.K.: International Council for Bird Preservation (monograph 2). Round, P. D. & Pattanavibool, A. (2003) The discovery of the Long-tailed Wren Babbler Spelaeornis chocolatinus in Thailand. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 123: 215-220. SFNC = Social Forestry and Nature Conservation in Nghe An province (2000) Pu Mat: a biodiversity survey of a Vietnamese protected area, ed. A. Grieser Johns. Vinh, Vietnam: SFNC project. Showier, D. A., Davidson, P., Khounboline, K. & Salivong, K. (1 998) A wildlife and habitat survey of Nam Xam NBCA, Houaphanh province, Lao PDR. Vientiane: CPAWM/WCS. Smythies, B. E. (1 949) A reconnaissance of the N'Mai Hka drainage, northern Burma. Ibis 91:627-648. Smythies, B. E. (2001) The birds of Burma. Fourth edition. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: Natural History Publications (Borneo). Srinivasan, U., Dalvi, S., Naniwadekar, R., Anand, M. O. & Datta, A. (2010) The birds of Namdapha National Park and surrounding areas: recent significant records and a checklist of the species. Forktail 26: 92-116. Stanford, J. K. & Mayr, E. (1940-1941) The Vernay-Cutting Expedition to northern Burma. Ibis (1 4)4: 589-71 1 ; (1 4)5: 56-1 05, 21 3-245, 353-378, 479-518. Stanford, J. K.&Ticehurst, C. B. (1 935) Notes on some new or rarely recorded Burmese birds. Ibis (13)5: 38-65, 250-279. Stanford, J. K.&Ticehurst, C. B. (1 938-1 939) On the birds of northern Burma. Ibis (14)2:65-102, 197-229, 391-428, 599-638; (14)3: 1-45, 211-258. Swan, S. R. & O'Reilly, S. M. G., eds. (2004a) Van Ban: a priority site for conservation in the Hoang Lien Mountains. Community-based conservation in the Hoang Lien Mountains: technical report n° I . Hanoi: Fauna & Flora International Vietnam Programme. Swan, S. R. & O'Reilly, S. M. G. eds. (2004b) Mu Cang Chai Species/Habitat Conservation Area. Community-based conservation in the Hoang Lien Mountains: technical report n° 2. Hanoi: Fauna & Flora International Vietnam Programme. Tizard, R. J., Davidson, P., Khounboline, K.& Salivong, K. (1 997) Awildlifeand habitat survey of Nam Ha and Nam Kong Protected Areas, Luang Namtha province, Lao PDR. Vientiane: CPAWM/WCS. Tordoff, A., Swan, S., Grindley, M. & Siurua, H. (1999) Hoang Lien Nature Reserve. London: Society for Environmental Exploration (Frontier Vietnam Forest Research Programme Report 13). Tordoff, A., Vu Van Dung, Le Van Cham, Tran Quang Ngoc & Dang Thang Long (2000) A rapid field survey of five sites in Bac Kan, Cao Bang and Quang Ninh provinces, Vietnam. A review of the northern Indochina subtropical forests ecoregion. Hanoi: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme (Conservation Report 14). Treesucon, U. (2007) [Spotted Wren Babbler.] Bird Conserv. Soc. Thailand Bull. 24(2): 8-9. (In Thai.) Vogel, C. J., Sweet, P. R., Le Man Hung & Hurley, M. M. (2003) Ornithological records from Ha Giang province, north-east Vietnam, during March- June 2000. Forktail 1 9: 21-30. Yen, K. Y. (1 935) Revision du gen re Alcippe Blyth, 1 844. Nat. Sci.J.,Sun Y at Sen University, Canton 6: 669-71 1 . Yen Kwokyung (1936) Revision du genre Alcippe Blyth, 1 844. Oiseau et R.f.O. 6:213-232, 435-454. J. W. DUCKWORTH, 3 Camerton Close, Saltford, Bristol BS3 1 3BT, U.K. Email: wiHduckworthprk@yahoo.com. P. D. ROUND, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. R. J. TIZARD, 1901 Nueces Drive, College Station, Texas 77840, U.S.A. FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 15-22 Bird observations on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao, Philippines LISA MARIE J. PAGUNTALAN, PHILIP GODFREY JAKOSALEM, MARKUS LAGERQVIST, JONAS NORDIN, GEORGINA FERNANDEZ, MICHAEL DE LA CRUZ & AGATON BAYSA Bird observations were conducted in Pasonanca Natural Park, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines on 17-21 February 2008 and 29-31 May 2008 and in Lituban-Quipit watershed, Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines on 26-28 May 2008. Observations were also conducted in Lake Maragang-Mt. Timolan, Zamboanga del Norte, 26-28 May 2009. A total of 1 42 bird species were encountered of which 68 (47%) were Philippine endemics, seven (5%) were migrants and 13 were globally threatened endemics including the Critically Endangered Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi, the first nesting record of the eagle in Zamboanga Peninsula since the early 1 950s. The remaining forest cover in northern Zamboanga Peninsula is threatened with mining, illegal logging and subsistence agriculture. A listing of the birds recorded in the Zamboanga Peninsula is also presented. INTRODUCTION The Philippines ranks second in terms of number of threatened endemic birds in the world (Stattersfield et al. 1998, Collar et al. 1999, Mallari et al. 2001). Many of these endemic and threatened birds are restricted to one island or a group of islands. Among the islands where a number ofendemic birds are threatened is Mindanao. Mindanao was once part ol the Greater Mindanao Pleistocene Island some 20,000 years ago, when the sea-level dropped up to llO m below its current levels, thereby connecting the islands ol Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Dinagat, Siargao, Mindanao and Basilan (Heaney 1 993, Heaney et al. 1998,2000). Interestingly, however, the western part of Mindanao, the Zamboanga Peninsula, differs from the rest of the island by havingan endemic species of its own: the Zamboanga Bulbul Ixosrufigularis. Despite the importance olthe Zamboanga Peninsula in terms of presence of restricted-range and endemic species, very few studies have been conducted in the area. Most ol the available inlormation on avifauna is derived from museum records (Dickinson et al. 1991, Lambert 1996, Collar et al. 1999, Kennedy et al. 2000, Brooks 2002) and trip reports ol visiting birdwatchers. Zamboanga Peninsula is politically divided into three provinces: Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. Among the three provinces, Zamboanga del Sur has the most number of key conservation sites or Important Bird Areas (IBAs) as identified by BirdLife International and the Haribon Foundation (Collar et al. 1999, Mallari etal. 2001), two ofwhich are shared by Table 1. Summary of ornithological expeditions conducted in Zamboanga Peninsula, based on evidence in Dickinson etal. (1991) and Collar etal. (1999). Expeditions Dates Sonnerat , 1771 Dumont D'Urville June— July 1839 US Exploring Expedition January— February 1842 Challenger Expedition (Murray) October 1874, January— February 1875 Everett March-May 1878 Steere October— December 1887 Menage Expedition July-August 1891 Mearns 1903-04,1906 Crane Pacific Expedition 1929 Prince Leopold of Belgium April 1932 Lawrence March-April 1937 Stott August— October 1945 Rabor 1948 Rabor March-May 1952 Noona Dan Expedition August— December 1961 Rabor April— May 1969 Zamboanga del Norte. In the north-eastern part ol Zamboanga del Sur lie Mt Dapiak and Mt Paraya (IBA PH 108) where nine threatened birds are reported. A total of eight threatened birds are known to occur on Mt Sugarloaf (IBA PH 109) in the northern portion of the peninsula. South ol Mt Sugarloal is Mt Timolan Protected Landscape (IBA PHI 10) with five reported threatened species (Collar etal. 1999, Mallari etal. 2001). In 2008 we visited the Pasonanca Natural Park (IBA PH 1 12) and the Lituban-Quipit Watersheds (IBA PHI 11), and in 2009 Lake Maragang-Mt Timolan Protected Landscape. This study presents a list ol bird species and information on the conservation status of the remaining lorests and threatened birds in these areas. Previous ornithological fieldwork Bird collections in Zamboanga Peninsula were conducted by a number olexpeditions from Sonnerat in 1771 up to the expeditions of Rabor in 1969 (see Table 1). SITES SURVEYED IN 2008-2009 Lituban-Quipit Watershed The Lituban-Quipit Watershed covers the municipalities olSiocon, Baliguian and Gutalac with the highest elevation of 1,047 m. This IBA was formerly logged by at least four large companies: TIMES, CURUAN Timber, Zamboanga Wood Products and JOLAR. Currently only DACON Timber Company operates in the area. Toronto Ventures Inc. mines gold and copper a few kilometres east. We visited the remaining forest patches in Sitio Lutongan (7°48.867'N 122°13.102'E, 418 m), Barangay Linay, in Baliguian, in the north-eastern part of Zamboanga Peninsula, on 28-29 May 2008. Linay is an inland barangay ol Baliguian bordering Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay. There are still patches of secondary forest, averaging less than 100 ha in size. The secondary forests are confined to gullies and steep slopes interspersed with corn farms and forest clearings. Cleared areas are dominated by Imperata cylindricawhile agricultural areas are mainly planted with rice. Some portions of the forest are planted with Acacia mangium , Swietenia macrophylla, Gmelina arborea and other exotic species. These tree plantations are part of the reforestation programmes initiated by the government to rehabilitate the forests, mainly through Integrated Forest Management (IFMA) programmes and Integrated Social Forestry (ISF) projects. Elevations are 380-750 m. Pasonanca Natural Park Pasonanca Natural Park (PNP) covers 17,414 ha comprising a 12,107 ha watershed and a buffer zone of 5 ,307 ha. The park is 7 km 16 LISA MARIE J. PAGUNTALAN et al. Forktail 27 (2011) from the city proper of Zamboanga and located at the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula. Approximately 90% of the area is still covered with secondary and old growth dipterocarp forest (PASA Report 1997). The most dominant trees areShorea contorta, S. negrosensis , S. polysperma, S. palosapis, S. almon and Parashorea melaanonan. Emergent trees reach 40 m in height while forest canopy reaches 18-25 m. The forest understorey is dominated by tree seedlings, rattan, woody vines, palms and different species of herbs, ferns and ground orchids. Exotic species like mahogany. Acacia mangium, Gmelina arborea and Albizia have been planted within the park. Mosses and liverworts are also common in Barangay Cabonegro and Barangay Nancy as elevation reaches almost 1,000 m. A total of four sites were visited in PNP on 17-21 February 2008. These were Barangay Canucutan (6°58.663,N 122°4.09 1 E, 103 m), Barangay Baluno (7°1.338'N 122°1.897'E, 757 m), and Barangay Nancy (890 m) in La Paz and Barangay Cabonegro (820 m) in Tolosa (two days being spent at Baluno, one day at the other three sites). Baluno was visited again on 29-30 May 2008 while Intake Dam in Canucutan was visited on 31 May 2008. Of the areas visited, only barangays Nancy and Cabonegro contain mature secondary forests while barangays Baluno and Canucutan are composed of secondary forest mixed with tree plantations. The general terrain is rough to steep, with very steep slopes, and elevation ranges from 70 m to 1,300 m. The management of PNP is shared between the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region IX. ZCWD has reforested 300 ha with the support of the Local Water Utility Agency while the DENR Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Zamboanga City has rehabilitated about 7 5 ha. ZCWD and DENR forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) authorising ZCWD to conduct regular monitoring and patrol in the area. Lake Maragang Protected Landscape The Lake Maragang Protected Landscape (7°47'56"N 123°16,2”E; 763 m) lies adjacent to Mt Timolan Protected Landscape in Zamboanga del Sur. The area is accessible through Barangay Limas, Tigbao, along an old logging trail that leads to the lake and to an overgrown trail that connects to the secondary lowland forest in Mt Timolan Protected Landscape. We visited the lake on 26-28 May 2009. It is surrounded by patches of secondary lowland dipterocarp forest mixed with established tree plantations mostly made up of exotic species, e.g. Gmelina arborea and Swietenia macrophylla. Less than half the immediate surroundings of the lake are secondary forest and most is confined to steep slopes and ridges. Gullies and areas closer to Mt Timolan are also made up of mature secondary lowland and mid- montane forest dominated by dipterocarp trees Shorea. Some portions on steep slopes closer to the barangays have been cleared for subsistence agriculture (mostly corn and sweet potatoes), rubber and abacca plantations. There are no permanent structures or establishments evident in the areas close to the lake except for an old watch-tower and floating raft. The lake is visited by local tourists during weekends and holidays. METHODS W e spent a total of 1 1 0 observation hours in all sites visited where 20 observation hours were spent in Lituban-Quipit Watershed and 30 at Lake Maragang. Intensive all-day standard field observations from dawn to dusk were conducted using 10x42 binoculars. ‘Playback’ of sound recordings was used to confirm/determine presence and absence of species. Calls and songs were also recorded for future reference using a Microtrack digital recorder and K6 Sennheiser unidirectional microphone. Fruiting and flowering trees were located and revisited to detect fruit- and nectar-eating bird species. Watches from breaks in the canopy and the hillsides enabled us to observe larger above-canopy species (raptors and parrots). Night surveys were also conducted along trails. We spent a total of 60 observation hours in PNP by following five 2-km line transects from 06h00 to 08h00 and 16h00 to 18h00 for two hours to identify and record the avifauna. All trails were located inside lowland to mid-montane forests. Bird observations continued during the day and at dusk were focused on finding threatened and endemic species, particularly Mindanao endemics. In the analysis of the results, we calculate relative abundance per species per site by adding the total number of individuals per species observed per site divided by the total observation hours spent for each site. Information on land use, exploitation for cagebirds and hunting activities was also obtained from direct observations and from discussion with local people. We also visited households keeping captive native birds and conducted informal interviews in an attempt to document information on where captive birds were collected. Systematic order, common names and taxonomic treatment follow Inskipp etal. (1996) with the exceptions ofMindanao Brown Dove Phapitreron brunneiceps where it follows Collar etal. (1999). Scientific names are in Appendix 1. RESULTS A total of 142 species of birds were recorded in all survey sites, of which 106 were found in Pasonanca Natural Park, 93 in the Lake Maragang-Mt Timolan area and 71 in rhe Lituban-Quipit Watershed (Appendix 1). Of the 142 birds observed, 16 (11%) were Mindanao endemics and 68 (47%) were Philippine endemics. We also recorded a total of 15 species of captive birds. The most frequently encountered species in all sites was Zamboanga Bulbul (see Appendix 1; endemic species) followed by Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, White-eared Tailorbird (endemic species) and Coppersmith Barbet. These birds were easily observed as they are conspicuous and give distinct calls. The majority of species were encountered fewer than 10 times during the survey. Other species found include the V ulnerable Little Slaty Flycatcher and Blue- capped Kingfisher and the Near Threatened Rufous Hornbill, Writhed Elornbill, McGregor’s Cuckooshrike and Blue-naped Parrot. A particularly significant survey record was an active nest of the Critically Endangered Philippine Eagle. Threatened, near-threatened and endemic species A total of 20 threatened bird species were observed of which 11 are restricted to Mindanao faunal region. Of these 1 1, five were observed in Lituban-Quipit Watershed and seven in PasonancaNatural Park (Appendix 1 ) . In the accounts below of some of these species, IUCN threat status after species names is taken from Collar et al. (1999) and abbreviated as: CR= Critically Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened; while RR = restricted range, as defined in Stattersfield et al. (1998). Philippine Eagle (CR) is distributed in the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao (Collar et al. 1999). In the 1990s a Philippine Eagle was retrieved by Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) from Zamboanga. In 2003, anorherwas retrieved in Siocon and placed in the Philippine Eagle Center. Tail and wing feathers of this species were also retrieved by the ZCWD and DENR Region 9 Eagle Watch Team in Pasonanca Natural Park in 2004, 2007 and most recently on 19 January 2008. Soon afterwards, an active nest was located by locals and monitored by the DENRRegion 9 Eagle Watch Team in Barangay Linay, in the town of Baliguian, Forktail 27 (201 1 ) Bird observations on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao, Philippines 17 Zamboanga del Norte. The nest was on a branch of a dipterocarp located in a forest patch of about 1 00 ha surrounded by patches of secondary forest mostly concentrated on ravines and gorges. About 300 m from the nest was a forest clearing with a house. The roughly six-month-old eaglet was seen in the nest while both parents were observed within 50 m of it during the survey. Photographs were taken of both the parents and the eaglet in the nest. This is the first confirmed nesting record of the species in Zamboanga Peninsula since the 1950s. Philippine Duck (VU) was observed in ricefields in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, and in Lake Maragang, Zamboanga del Sur. A total of five individuals were observed moving from the rice paddies together with Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Javan Pond-heron and Cinnamon Bittern in Siocon on 26 May 2008. At Lake Maragang, 42 adults accompanied by 24 immatures were observed on the lake on 26-27 May 2009. Mindanao Brown Dove (VU) is known from Mindanao and Basilan but was historically not recorded from the Zamboanga Peninsula (Collar et al. 1999). However, a single individual was observed by the team on the trail in secondary forest along one of the ridges in Lituban-Quipit Watershed at around 680 m. The individual was heard calling about 10 m away before it flew to trees on the lower slopes and disappeared. The call was similar to that of a White-eared Brown Dove but was deep and shorter: hoot-hoot- hoot-boot-boot. The bird was distinctive: brown with iridescent purple collar, reddish-orange eyes, brownish-black naked periorbital skin and no white line below the eye (seen in e.g. Amethyst B^own Dove). Mindanao Bleeding-heart (VU) is recorded from six Philippine islands, with old records from Zamboanga in 1887 and 1898 (Collar etal. 1999). Locals reported it in the Lituban-Quipit Watershed. We did not encounter it in the wild but found two caged individuals in one household in Barangay San Jose, Siocon. They had been in captivity for two months, having reportedly been poached by a local hunter and sold for Php700 (US$ 16) each. Philippine Eagle Owl (VU) is known from six Philippine islands, and was recorded historically on Mindanao from only three sites. One individual was heard calling repeatedly a low, deep hoo- hoo-hoo-hoo in a forest patch in Lituban-Quipit Watershed, close to where the Philippine Eagle nest was found. Using playback, the bird responded and perched on a branch about 20 m from where we were standing. Silvery Kingfisher (VU) is distributed across seven Philippine islands and is historically recorded from six sites in Zamboanga Peninsula, with four specimens taken in the nineteenth century from Zamboanga City (Collar etal. 1 999) . We observed this species in the Cabonegro and Canucutan areas in PNP. One bird was seen at a bridge crossing en route to Nancy on 19 February 2008 and another was heard calling at Cabonegro on 20 February 2008. At T umaga River in Canucutan, we encountered two more individuals (adult and juvenile). The adult brought food items to the juvenile at least four, times. One prey item was a grasshopper and one was a freshwater fish. Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher (VU) ranges through the Philippines except Mindoro, Palawan and West Visayas. Two individuals were observed at Intake dam in Sitio Canucutan, PNP, and one individual was observed in the Lake Maragang-Mt Timolan area. Mindanao Broadbill (VU) occurs in Dinagat, Siargao, Mindanao and Basilan. A total of 28 birds were collected from four sites on the Zamboanga Peninsula between 1887 and 1993 (Collar etal. 1999). Lambert (1996) reported the species as absent from the western part of southern Mindanao, but we saw and photographed it in Cabonegro, PNP: a group of six individuals (four males, two females) in a mixed-species feeding flock. Two individuals were also encountered in Lake Maragang (26 May 2009). Philippine Leafbird (VU) has the same range as Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher. It was recorded on Mt Sugarloaf in 1969 where six individuals were collected (Collar etal. 1 999). We observed it at Baluno and Cabonegro, PNP. In Cabonegro, two birds were seen feeding on fruits in a forest subcanopy. This is the first record of the species from Zamboanga del Sur. White-eared Tailorbird (RR) was observed in PNP, Lituban- Quipit Watershed and Lake Maragang. Two were seen in Canucutan, PNP, moving in shrubs and ferns in the forest understorey looking for insects. The species is easily detected as it makes a distinctive call when its territory is approached. Slaty-backed Jungle Flycatcher (RR) occurs on Leyte, Samar, Siargao, Mindanao and Basilan. We observed one in Nancy, PNP, flycatching in the understorey as it moved with a mixed-species flock. Little Slaty Flycatcher (RR) occurs on Mindanao. A pair was seen and photographed moving through dense vegetation in Intake, PNP, Canucutan, Zamboanga City. One individual in a different location was also heard calling. Species and habitat conservation issues Huntingofwildlife either for meat or for the pet trade was rampant in the Lituban-Quipit Watershed. A number of locals were also engaged in hunting Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis , Philippine Warty Pig Sus philippensis, Philippine Deer Cervus mariannus and larger species of birds. The total number of birds kept in cages amounted to 44 individuals of 16 species, namely Philippine Hawk Eagle (1), Amethyst Brown Dove (2), White¬ eared Brown Dove ( 1 3), Mindanao Brown Dove (2), Black-chinned Fruit Dove (1), Green Imperial Pigeon (2), Mindanao Bleeding- heart (2), Emerald Dove (1), Blue-naped Parrot (2), Blue-crowned Racquet-tail (1), Colasisi (12), Mindanao Hornbill (l), Rufous Hornbill (1), Coleto (1), Red-striped Flowerpecker (1) and Java Sparrow (1). Timber poaching for commercial and household use was rampant in the Lituban-Quipit W atershed. In addition, re-opening of abandoned farms and clearing regenerating secondary forests for subsistence agriculture were also observed. These practices have profound effects on the avifauna of the area includingthe Philippine Eagle, the nest of which was located in the middle of an abandoned farm while the three other alternative nests were all in clumps of trees in the middle of forest clearings and corn farms. Efforts to rehabilitate the area were mostly focused on planting fruit trees and exotic tree species, e.g. mahogany Swietenia macrophylla , Acacia mangium , Gmelina arborea and other fast¬ growing species. Many of these were planted even within forest clearings, around water sources and in slopes and gullies close to existing forest patches. DENR has organised local households into cooperatives and peoples’ organisations to implement Integrated Social Forestry (ISF) projects, and has awarded ‘Industrial Tree Plantation Certificates’ to private corporations and individuals to rehabilitate portions of the watershed. DISCUSSION Our surveys generated the first comprehensive list ofbirds occurring in the southern portion of the Zamboanga Peninsula and provide preliminary information on threatened birds and the status of three key conservation sites. The total number of resident forest birds recorded during the survey represents around 62% of the forest species occurring in Mindanao. W e encountered most of the lowland threatened and endemic species of Mindanao except for Celestial Monarch Hypothymis coelestis and Miniature Tit Babbler Micromacronus leytensis. In the Lituban-Quipit Watershed the larger species of pigeons, e.g. imperial pigeons, were also not 18 LISA MARIE J. PAGUNTALAN etal. Forktail 27 (201 1) encountered. However, a larger patch of lowland secondary forest within Siocon Resource Reserve may provide a suitable habitat for some of the lowland forest birds we did not record. The Philippine Eagle is a lowland forest resident bird that may venture into forest edges and agricultural clearings close to forest habitats (Dickinson etal. 1991, Collar etal. 1999). The presence of a breeding pair in Lituban-Quipit increases the conservation importance ol the area. The Philippine Eagle Foundation Inc. (PEFI) and the Regional DENR 9 Eagle Watch Team have been instrumental in raising conservation awareness in the local communities and the local governments of Baliguian and Siocon. Consequently, these communities and governments were aware of the significance of the Philippine Eagle and felt proud of its presence in their area. This was taken by DENR 9 as an opportunity to declare the area as a Critical Habitat under the Philippines Wildlife Protection Act (Republic Act 9147). However, practical and efficient conservation programmes that address the habitat degradation, wildlife and forest protection and the needs of the local communities are still badly needed. Local communities need to understand that areas around all the alternative nest trees should be immediately protected and freed from all forms of human development. Species conservation initiatives are currently focused on the Philippine Eagle and little attention is being given to the other threatened endemic species, especially in the Lituban-Quipit Watershed. Hunting of wildlife is rampant and local people are unaware of the Philippine Wildlife Act (RA 9147). About 60% of bird-keeping locals said they liked birds as pets, 1 0% trade them and 30% hunt birds for meat. The species that appear most vulnerable are hornbills, parrots and doves. Many resident forest species may become locally extirpated if the current rate of habitat destruction and unregulated extraction of natural resources continues. Local hunting of Long-tailed Macaques may pose a significant impact on the diet of the Philippine Eagle. PNP forest appears to be more efficiently protected than that in the Lituban-Quipit W atershed. Regular monitoringand patrolling by the ZCWD forest guards greatly contribute to the protection of the forest and its wildlife. As an indicator, the majority of the endemic and threatened avifauna species were recorded in PNP by the survey team. More thorough survey in Nancy and Cabonegro might even reveal the presence of a breeding pair of Philippine Eagle. Conservation survey needs There is a need to conduct more field research and surveys in the remaining forest patches of the Zamboanga Peninsula. Research studies should also focus on a wider number of equally important threatened and endemic species and across different taxa. Many of the threatened and endemic birds we observed in both areas are poorly known and most were mainly surviving in forests below 800 m. Prioritised research areas and focus species include: ■ Mt Sugarloaf and Mt Timolan: focus on a number of endemic and threatened birds that have been recorded historically including the Philippine Eagle, Celestial Monarch, Mindanao Broadbill, Little Slaty Flycatcher and Silvery Kingfisher; ■ Siocon Resource Reserve: a patch of secondary mature lowland (300-500 m) forest close to the town of Siocon potentially harbours several Mindanao threatened endemic species; ■ Mt Dapiak and Mt Paraya (east of Mt Malindang in north¬ eastern Zamboanga del Sur): Mt Dapiak (980 m) is reportedly mostly denuded but 80% of Mt Paraya (1,186 m) still retains lowland and mid-montane forest cover (Mallari et al. 2001), and Philippine Eagle, Silvery Kingfisher, Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher, Little Slaty Flycatcher and Azure-breasted Pittahave been historically recorded on both mountains (Collar etal. 1 999, Mallari et al. 200 1 ). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank Club 300 Foundation for Bird Protection-Sweden for providing support for the February 2008 survey. We are grateful to the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Service (PAWCZMS) ofthe DENR 9 for facilitating the field surveys in May 2008 and May 2009; in particular the Wildlife Section Chief Mussaenda Tee and Forester Dario Mendija of CENRO-Siocon for organising the trip in Baliguian. We also thank the Barangay Captain of Linay, in particular Mr Regin Geografia and former Barangay Chairman Mr Dioniosio Geografia, for arranging logistics while in Baliguian; Engineer Archiles Braulio ofZCWD for facilitatingthe PNP survey; EufemiaTorribio and Mario Runolo for Lake Maragang-Mt Timolan survey. The Oriental Bird Club Representative (OBC) Philippines Mr Arne Jensen and Desmond Allen kindly reviewed and provided comments contributing to the finalisation of the field survey manuscript. Two anonymous referees improved the manuscript. REFERENCES Brooks, T. (2002) Birds collected in the Philippines by the Noona Dan Expedition, August to December 1961. Steenstrupia 27: 29-46. Brooks, T. & Dutson, G. (1 997) Twenty-nine new island records of birds from the Philippines. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 1 1 7: 32-37. Collar, N. J., Mallari, N.A.D. & Tabaranza, B. R. (1999) Threatened birds ofthe Philippines. Manila: Bookmark. Dickinson, E. C., Kennedy, R. S. & Parkes, K. C. (1991) An annotated checklist ofthe birds ofthe Philippines. London: British Ornithologists' Union. Heaney, L. R. (1 993) Biodiversity patterns and the conservation of mammals in the Philippines, Asia. Life Sciences 2: 261-274. Heaney, L. R„ Balete, D. S., Dolar, M. L., Alcala, A. C., Dans, A. T. L„ Gonzales, P. C., Ingle, N. R., Lepiten, M. V., Oliver, W. L. R., Ong, P. S., Rickart, E. A., Tabaranza, B.R.&Utzurrum, R.C.B. (1998) A synopsis of the mammalian fauna ofthe Philippine Islands. Fieldiana Zool. 88. Heaney L. R., Walker, E. K., Tabaranza, B. R. & Ingle, N. R. (2000) Mammalian diversity in the Philippines: an assessment ofthe adequacy of current data. Sylvatrop 1 0: 6-27. Kennedy, R. S., Gonzales, P. C., Dickinson, E. C., Miranda, H. C. & Fisher, T. H. (2000) A guide to the birds ofthe Philippines. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Lambert, F. (1996) Pittas, broadbills and asities. Robertsbridge, East Sussex: Pica Press. Mallari, N. A. D„ Tabaranza, B. R. & Crosby, M. J. (2001) Key conservation sites in the Philippines. Manila: Bookmark. PASA Report = Protected Area Suitability Assessment of Pasonanca Watershed (1997) Report Submitted to DENR Region 9. Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. & Wege, D. C. (1998) Endemic Bird Areas of the world: priorities for biodiversity conservation. Cambridge, U.K.: Bi rd Life International. Lisa Marie J. PAGUNTALAN and Philip Godfrey JAKOSALEM, Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc., 18 Diamond St., Gemsville Subd., Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines. E-mail: iisa.paguntaian@cebubiodiversity.org Markus LAGERQVIST and Jonas NORDIN, Club 300 Foundation for Bird Protection, Fijortgatan 16 A SE-223 50 Lund, Sweden Georgina FERNANDEZ, Protected Areas Wildlife Coastal Zone Management Service - Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Region 9, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines Michael de la CRUZ and Agaton BAYSA, Protected Area Superintendent Office, Pasonanca Natural Park, Lantawan, Pasonanca, Zamboanga City, Philippines Forktail 27 (2011) Bird observations on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao, Philippines 19 Appendix 1 List of bird species recorded in Lake Marangang-Mt Timolan, Lituban-Quipit Watershed and Pasonanca Natural Park, Zamboanga del Sur B = Baluno, Zamboanga City; N = Nancy, Zamboanga City ; C = Cabonegro, Zamboanga City and 1 = Intake Dam, Zamboanga City. Global threatened species are in bold letters while Near Threatened species are in bold italic. Numbers in parentheses refer to abundance scores whi asterisk means the bird was observed in a cage. English name Scientific name Noona Dan Expedition (1962) LakeMaragang- Mt Timolan Lituban-Quipit Watershed B Pasonanca Natural Park N C 1 Total Red Junglefowl Gallus gailus 4(0.13) 1 (0.06) 1 Philippine Duck Anas luzonica 66(2.20) 5(0.25) Blue-breasted Quail Coturnix chinensis 1 2 (0.07) Sooty Woodpecker Mulieripicus funebris 2 Philippine Woodpecker Dendrocopos maculatus 3(0.10) 1 (0.06) 1 (0.08) 2 White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis 2 (0.07) 8(0.40) 1 (0.06) 1 (0.08) 2 Greater Flameback Chrysocolapteslucidus 1 1 (0.03) 5 (0.28) 2(0.17) 7 Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala 2 (0.07) 16(0.89) 7(0.44) 4(0.33) 27 Mindanao Hornbill Penelopides affinis 24(0.80) 3(0.15) 4(0.22) 1 (0.07) 2(0.13) 7 Writhed Hornbill Aceros ieucocephaius 1 42(1.40) 5(0.25) Rufous Hornbill Buceros hydrocorax 2 18(0.60) 4(0.20) 2(0.14) 6(0.38) 8 Philippine Trogon Harpactes orders 1 4(0.13) 4(0.22) 6(0.38) 3(0.25) 13 Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis 1 2(0.07) 3(0.17) 1 (0.08) 4 Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis l 1 (0.08) 1 Silvery Kingfisher Alcedo argentata 1(0.06) 2(0.17) 3 Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx meianurus 1 1 (0.03) 2(0.17) 2 Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis 1 (0.08) 1 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smymensis 2(0.07) 2(0.10) 2(0.17) 2 Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris 1 14(0.47) 1 (0.05) 6(0.33) 1 (0.08) 7 Blue-capped Kingfisher Actenoides hombroni 1 (0.03) 1 (0.06) 1 Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus 1 6(0.20) Philippine Hawk-cuckoo Cuculuspectoralis 3(0.17) 1 (0.08) 4 Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus 2 1 (0.05) 2(0.11) 1 (0.08) 3 Rusty-breasted Cuckoo Cacomantis sepulcralis 14(0.47) 4(0.22) 3 (0.25) 7 Philippine Drongo-cuckoo Surniculus veiutinus 6(0.33) 6 Common Koel Eudynamys scoiopaceus 1 (0.05) 2(0.11) 1 (0.08) 3 Philippine Coucal Centropus viridis 12(0.40) 1 (0.05) 10(0.56) 4(0.33) 14 Black-faced Coucal Centropus melanops 8(0.27) 5(0.25) 4(0.22) 8(0.67) 12 Guaiabero Bolbopsittacus iunulatus 1 1 (0.06) 1 Blue-naped Parrot Tanygnathus lucioaensis 2 2(0.11) 1 (0.07) 1 (0.08) 4 Blue-backed Parrot Janygnathus sumatran us 1 (0.06) 1 Blue-crowned Raoquet-tail Prion itur us discurus 1 7(0.35) 1 (0.06) Colasisi Loriculus philippensis 2 2 (0.07) 10(0.50) 4(0.22) Uniform Swiftlet Aerodramus vanikorensis 16(0.53) 1 (0.06) 3 (0.25) Philippine Swiftlet Aerodramus mearnsi 2(0.10) 26(1.44) 4(0.33) Glossy Swiftlet Coiiocalia esculenta 36(1.20) 1 (0.05) 4(0.22) 5 (0.42) Pygmy Swiftlet Coilocalia troglodytes 24(0.80) 3(0.15) 4(0.33) Philippine Spinetail Mearnsia picina 4(0.22) Philippine Scops-owl Otus megalotis 1 (0.03) 1 (0.05) Philippine Eagle-owl Bubo philippensis 1 (0.05) Philippine Hawk-owl Ninox philippensis 1 (0.06) Great Eared Nightjar Eurostopodus macrotis 2 (0.07) 1 (0.06) 1 20 LISA MARIE J. PAGUNTALAN et at. Forktail 27 (2011) English name Scientific name Noona Dan Expedition (1962) Lake Maragang- MtTimolan Lituban-Quipit Watershed B Pasonanca Natural Park N C 1 Total Philippine Nightjar Caprimulgus manillensis 1 (0.06) 1 White-eared Brown Dove Phapitreron leucotis 1 11(0.37) 2(0.10) 5 (0.28) 3(0.19) 4(0.33) 12 Amethyst Brown Dove Phapitreron amethystinus 5 1 (0.06) 1 Mindanao Brown Dove Phapitreron brunneiceps 1 (0.05) 0 Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove Ptilinopus occipitalis 1 1 (0.03) 1 (0.06) 1 Black-chinned Fruit Dove Ptilinopusleclancheri 3(0.10) 3(0.15) 1 (0.06) 1 (0.08) 2 Pink-bellied Imperial Pigeon Ducula poliocephala 2(0.07) 2 Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea 1 (0.06) 1 (0.06) 2 Philippine Cuckoo-dove Macropygia tenuirostris 1 30(1.00) 6(0.33) 2(0.17) 8 White-throated Pigeon Columba vitiensis 1 (0.03) Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica 5(0.17) 1 (0.05) 1 (0.08) 1 Mindanao Bleeding-heart* Gallicolumba criniger Island Collared Dove Streptopelia bitorquata 3(0.15) 1 (0.06) 1 Spotted-necked Dove Streptopelia chinensis 2(0.10) Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 12(0.60) Barred Rail Gallirallus torquatus 2(0.07) Slaty-legged Crake Rallina eurozynoides 2(0.07) White-browed Crake Porzana cinerea 1 (0.03) Plain Bush Hen Amaurornis olivacea 1 (0.03) White-breasted Waterhen Amour or nis phoenicurus 1 1 (0.03) 1 (0.05) Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1 (0.03) Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva 1 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 2(0.10) Osprey Pandion haliaetus 1 (0.06) 1 Barred Honey-buzzard Per nis celebensis 5(0.25) Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus 2 (0.07) 1 (0.05) 1 (0.06) 1 Besra Accipiter virgatus 1 (0.06) 1 Philippine Serpent Eagle Spilornis holospilus 1 (0.03) 1 (0.05) 2(0.11) 2(0.17) 4 Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi 3(0.15) Philippine Hawk Eagle Spizaetus philippensis 1 (0.05) 2(0.11) 1 (0.08) 3 Philippine Falconet Microbier ax erythrogenys 3 9 (0.50) 1 (0.08) 10 Little Egret Egretta garzetta 24(0.80) 3(0.15) Javan Pond Heron Malayan Night Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Cattle Egret Cinnamon Bittern Pink-necked Green Pigeon Red-bellied Pitta Hooded Pitta Mindanao Broadbill Philippine Leafbird Philippine Fairy-bluebird Pied Triller Black-and-white Triller Ardeola speciosa Qorsachius melanolophus Nycticorax nycticorax Bubulcus ibis Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Treron vermins Pitta erythrogaster Pitta sordida Sarcophanops steer ii Chioropsis flavipennis Irena cyanogastra Lalage nigra Lalagemelanoleuca Pachycephala philippinensis 49(2.45) 1 (0.03) 1 (0.03) 44(1.47) 1 (0.03) 5(0.17) 6(0.20) 2 (0.07) 2 (0.07) 2 (0.07) 4(0.13) 16(0.53) 24(0.80) 4(0.20) 1 (0.05) 1 (0.05) 1 (0.05) 4(0.22) 2(0.11) 2(0.11) 2(0.11) 7(0.39) 6(0.38) 2(0.13) 1 (0.08) 1 (0.08) 1 (0.08) I (0.07) 7(0.44) 2(0.17) 16 Yellow-bellied Whistler 4 Forktail 27 (201 1 ) Bird observations on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao, Philippines 21 NoonaDan Lake Maragang- Lituban— Quipit Pasonanca Natural Park English name Scientific name Expedition (1962) MtTimolan Watershed B N C 1 Total Large-billed Crow Conus macrorhynchos 12(0.40) 4(0.20) 20(1.11) 20 White-breasted Woodswallow Artamusleucorynchus 18(0.60) 2(0.10) 2(0.11) 2 Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis 4(0.13) 5(0.25) 2(0.11) 9 (0.75) 11 Philippine Oriole Oriolussteerii 1 Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina striata 1 1 (0.03) 2(0.10) 1 (0.06) 3(0.25) 4 McGregor's Cuckooshrike Coracina mcgregori 1 (0.06) 1 Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus 1 (0.06) 1 (0.08) 2 Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica 4(0.13) 1 (0.05) 8(0.50) 8 Blue Fantail Rhipidura superciliaris 1 (0.05) 1 Flair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus 6(0.20) 1(0.05) 12(0.67) 10(0.63) 3(0.25) 25 Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea 20 (0.67) 16(0.89) 7(0.58) 23 Short-crested Monarch Hypothymis helenae 8 (0.40) 6(0.38) 6 Rufous Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone cinnamomea 3(0.17) 2(0.13) 5 White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx montana 6(0.43) 6 Rufous-tailed Jungle-flycatcher Rhinomyias ruficauda 1 2 (0.07) 2(0.17) 2 Slaty- backed Jungle-flycatcher Rhinomyias goodfellowi 1 (0.07) 1 Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta 1 (0.06) 1 Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina 1 Little Slaty Flycatcher Ficedula basitanica 3(0.25) 3 Cryptic Flycatcher Ficedula crypto 1 (0.07) 1 Mangrove Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra 6(0.20) 3(0.15) Citrine Canary-flycatcher Culicicapahelianthea 1 (0.06) 1 Oriental Magpie-robin Copsychus saularis 3(0.10) 2(0.10) Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis 6(0.20) 4(0.20) 3 (0.25) 3 Coleto Sarcops calvus 27 (0.90) 6(0.30) 16(0.89) 2(0.17) 18 Elegant Tit Paws elegans 16(0.53) 3(0.15) 11(0.61) 4(0.25) 4(0.33) 19 White-fronted Tit Parussemilarvatus 2(0.07) 2(0.10) Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier 2 32 (1.07) 1 (0.05) 9(0.50) 9 Yellow-wattled Bulbul Pycnonotus urostictus 15(0.50) 8 (0.44) 4(0.25) 4(0.33) 16 Zamboanga Bulbul Im rufigularis 1 102(3.40) 6(0.30) 32 (1.78) 1 (0.07) 12(0.75) 3 (0.25) 48 Yellowish Bulbul Ixos everetti 1 (0.05) Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis 1 (0.05) Everett's White-eye Zosterops everetti 6(0.20) 23(1.28) 23 Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis 1 (0.06) 1 Philippine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus oiivaceus 1 (0.05) 7(0.39) 3(0.21) 7 (0.44) 3 (0.25) 20 Philippine Tailorbird Orthotomus castaneiceps 14(0.47) 3(0.15) 17 White-eared Tailorbird Orthotomus cinereiceps 1 1 (0.03) 4(0.20) 18(1.00) 2(0.14) 4(0.25) 12(1.00) 36 Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis 6(0.20) 1 (0.05) Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris 2(0.07) 1 (0.05) Striated Wren Babbler Ptilocichla mindanensis 8(0.40) 2(0.11) 2 Pygmy Babbler Stachy r is platen i 12(0.40) 25 (1.39) 3(0.19) 28 Rusty-crowned Babbler Stachyris capitalis 8(0.27) 4(0.25) 4 Brown Tit Babbler Macronus striaticeps 6(0.20) 7(0.39) 5(0.31) 2(0.17) 14 Stripe-breasted Rhabdornis Rhabdornis inornatus 2(0.13) 2 Olive-backed Flowerpecker Prionochilus oiivaceus 2(0.07) 2(0.10) 6(0.33) 2(0.13) 8 Olive-capped Flowerpecker Dicaeum nigrilore 1 (0.06) 1 22 LISA MARIE J. PAGUNTALAN et al. Forktail 27 (2011) /*■ English name Scientific name Noona Dan Expedition (1962) Lake Maragang- MtTimolan Lituban-Quipit Watershed B Pasonanca Natural Park N C 1 Total Bicolored Flowerpecker Dicaeum bicolor 7(0.23) 2(0.10) 21(1.16) 21 Whiskered Flowerpecker Dicaeum proprium 2(0.13) 2 Red-striped Flowerpecker Dicaeum australe 9(0.30) 2(0.10) 7(0.39) 6(0.50) 13 Buzzing Flowerpecker Dicaeum hypoleucum 2 (0.07) 1 (0.05) 11(0.61) 2(0.14) 13 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma 4(0.13) 2(0.10) 30(1.67) 7(0.58) 37 Olive-backed Sunbird Cirmyris jugular is 3 15(0.50) 2(0.10) 3(0.17) 6(0.50) 9 Purple-throated Sunbird Leptocoma sperata 1 (0.03) 1 (0.05) 4(0.33) 4 Metallic-winged Sunbird Aethopyga pulcherrima 2(0.07) 2(0.13) 2 Naked-faced Spiderhunter Arachnothera clarae 1 (0.03) 3(0.17) 3 Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra 1 1 (0.03) 2(0.11) 2 Paddyfield Pipit Anthusrufulus 4 Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montan us 42(1.40) White-bellied Munia Lonchura leucogastra 2 29(0.97) 1 (0.05) Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca 36(1.20) 24(1.20) 1 (0.06) 1 Java Sparrow Lonchura oryzima 2(0.07) Total number of species 34 93 71 73 11 33 53 106 Total number of Threatened species 5 5 4 0 3 4 9 Total number of Philippine endemic species 17 36 31 48 11 28 29 68 Total number of Mindanao endemic species 2 4 6 7 4 9 5 13 Total observation hours 30 20 18 14 16 12 60 FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 23-28 Occurrence and distribution of established and new introduced bird species in north Sulawesi, Indonesia JAMES A. FITZSIMONS, JANELLE L. THOMAS & MARC ARGELOO Distributional and habitat information on eight introduced bird species in north Sulawesi, Indonesia, is presented. The accounts are based on our observations as well as being gathered from published sources and unpublished trip reports. Three species (Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita, Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster and Red-collared Dove Steptopelia tranquebarica ) have not previously been reported in north Sulawesi in the published literature, while the continued presence and status of Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora, Zebra Dove Geopelia striata and Rock Dove Columba livia was considered uncertain in the published literature. Further work is required systematically to document the distribution, status and spread of introduced species in the north and other parts of Sulawesi — an imperative from both an economic and conservation perspective. INTRODUCTION The distribution of introduced bird species often receives less attention than native and particularly rare or endemic species (White & Bruce 1986, Eguchi & Amano 2004, Yap & Sodhi 2004, Antos et al. 200 6). However, introduced species can potentially have a range of negative ecological impacts (e.g. competition, etc.), and recording changes in known distribution can indicate rates or means of establishment or spread (Long 1981, Brook 2004, Lever 2005). Here we provide further distributional information for eight species of introduced birds on the Minahassa Peninsula, north Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Minahassa Peninsula is the longest of Sulawesi’s four peninsulas that contribute to the island’s distinctive shape (Ligure 1). This distributional information is based on our observations and on comparisons with major recent published works for the island (White & Bruce 1986, Holmes & Phillipps 1996, Coates & Bishop 1 997, Strange 2001), monographs (e.g. Handbook of the birds of the world series), published journal articles and unpublished trip reports. Our observations were made between 1 990 and 2010 (MA) while travelling extensively in north Sulawesi (roughly between Manado and Gorontalo) and 12-23 July 2009 (JAP and JLT) while travelling between sites on the northern peninsula of Sulawesi including Manado, Tangkoko Duasudara Nature Reserve, Tomohon and surrounds, Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park and Bunaken Island. The locations of place names used in this paper are shown in Figure 1. Figure 1. Locations in Sulawesi described in this paper (protected areas are represented by grey shading: NR = nature reserve; NP = national park). ffc, Bahowo _ 1 F^Kinunang village.' , .//Pulisan Bunaken Island*'/ , ~ 4"- Airport V Tangkoko Molasf * Dyasudara NR Manado ? Bitung GunUTig Mahawu y ® Manembonembo NR Nimanga RKter • Tomohon Lake Tondapo Amurang ^oigar jf Kotamobagi), Guriun Ambang NR i Bogani Nani _ Wartabone NP 1tynb“'? Pinogu • n . ‘manduX-Mokintop _ Doloduo.* — Kosio ,, , JpUuv/an Matamdoi MalavangatT1' Milongodaa ( 1 Donggala^Tawaeli , p1, Ta-® 1 Lore Lindu NP Ujung Pandarig (Makassarf 45 I . 90 I 180 Kilometers j I 24 JAMES A. FITZSIMONS, JANELLE L. THOMAS & MARC ARGELOO Forktail 27 (201 1 ) SPECIES ACCOUNTS Species not previously recorded in north Sulawesi in the published literature Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster Sooty-headed Bulbul is native to China, Burma, Indochina, Thailand, Java and Bali, but has been introduced to a number of islands in Indonesia, thought to be the result of escaped cagebirds (e.g. Coates &: Bishop 1997, Strange 2001), although Yap & Sodhi (2004) suggest the mode of colonisation for this species in South- East Asia is unknown. Coates & Bishop (1997: 406) stated that this species occurs in south Sulawesi, north to Enrekanga (at the northern end ol the southern peninsula). Strange (2001) listed the species as occurring in ‘south Sulawesi’ and maps its distribution in the southern peninsula. Holmes & Phillipps (1996: 52) noted that the Sooty- headed Bulbul and Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier ‘have been introduced into South Sulawesi where they occur widely’, while MacKinnon & Phillipps (1993) also suggested their introduction has been restricted to the south of the island. White & Bruce (1986) cited Coomans de Ruiter & Maurenbrecher’s ( 1 948) assessment of this species becoming a ‘well established urban dweller at Ujung Pandang’ in the south, but cite no other records. Fishpool & Tobias (2005), in the most recent review of the entire distribution of the species, stated its presence in Sulawesi was restricted to the south. MA believes this species to have been present in north Sulawesi from at least 1 990 (at least in parts of Manado) . Specific observations include several tens at Bahowo village (coast north of Manado) on 30 July 2006, up to three at Pulisan between 12 and 14 August 2006 and several tens at the same location on 14 March 2008, several tens at Hotel Santika, Tongkeina (Manado), on 8 March 2008, three at TanjungMariri, north coast, 12kmeastofInobonto,on l4March 2008, and several tens on the track up to Gunung Mahawu on 25 June 2008. In February 2010, birds were observed collecting nest material (grasses) on a daily basis in Manado, and a single bird was observed between Manado and T omohon. In March 2010 specific attention was paid to the occurrence of this species along the north coast between T umpaan and Inobonto. Birds were observed 20 and 7 km east of Poigar (one, 1 9 March), near T anjungMariri (three, 1 9 March) and nearby in Nonapan Baru (one, 27 March). Additional observations inland were made at the Nimanga River near Munte (one, 27 March), and 1 km south of Manado airport (three, 28 March). No observations were made further west at Kotamobagu, or further west to Gorontalo despite more than 20 trips there. JAF and JET observed small groups of this species in at least four separate localities on the Minahassa Peninsula of north Sulawesi — in central Manado on 12 July 2009, Tangkoko Duasudara N ature Reserve on 1 5 July 2009, near the north eastern edge of Fake Tondano on 15 July 2009' and outskirts of Manado near the Sam Ratulangi International Airport on 23 July 2009. In addition to our observations, Sooty-headed Bulbul has been recorded in the Minahassa Peninsula in a number of unpublished trip reports, it seems as far back as 1997, specifically at Manado (e.g. Fuijendijk 1997, Farrow 2006, Morris & Demeulemeester 2007, J. W. Duckworth in Robson 2007), Tangkoko Duasudara Nature Reserve (e.g. Ahlman 1999, Gregory & Maher 2000, Myers 2001, Cooper & Cooper 2002, Morris & Demeulemeester 2007, Farrow 2008), and between Manado and Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park (Cooper & Cooper 2002). It would thus appear this species is almost certainly established in parts of the Minahassa Peninsula and could be locally common (see also Farrow 2010). The lack of records from cental Sulawesi suggests it is likely that these north Sulawesi populations are the result of locally escaped birds rather than a spread from the south of the island. However, observations from areas between the western Minahassa Peninsula and the south-west of the island are required to determine the occurrence (or lack thereof) of intervening populations; for example, Cooper & Cooper (2002) also found Sooty-headed Bulbul between Palu and Fore Findu National Park. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita Two Sulphur-crested Cockatoos Cacatua galerita were seen by JAF, JET and a guide perched quietly in trees in lowland rainforest in Tangkoko Duasudara Nature Reserve at 1 lhOO on 14 July 2009. The pair was observed for a couple of minutes before flying and calling. One bird was located a few minutes later about 1 00 m away and was observed through binoculars and photographed in the mid¬ upper canopy (~20 m up) for five minutes before flying off. The cockatoos were identified from the closely related Critically Endangered native Yellow-crested Cockatoo C. sulphurea by their large size, relative size of the crest, and lack ofyellow ear-coverts (see Coates & Bishop 1 997, Rowley 1 997, Forshaw 2006) . The cockatoos had a clearly visible pale blue eye-ring, suggesting they were most likely of the subspecies eleonora (but possibly also triton). Both observers are familiar with this species from Australia. The nearest native population of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are in Papua (subsp. triton ) and the Aru Islands (subsp. eleonara), some 650 km and 1,250 km away, respectively. None of the major texts (White & Bruce 1986, Holmes & Phillipps 1996, Coates & Bishop 1997, Rowley 1997, Strange 2001, Forshaw 200 6) notes Sulphur-crested Cockatoo as occurring on Sulawesi. Coates & Bishop (1997) considered that where Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have been recorded elsewhere in Wallacea they have been introduced. The subspecies eleonora (and possibly triton) has been recorded on Ambon, Seram Taut Islands (Manawoka, Gorong) and Kai Island, where it is ‘recently introduced [and] possibly established’ (Coates & Bishop 1 997 : 337). Feral birds or escapes are occasionally observed elsewhere in Wallacea but their status is considered unknown (Coates & Bishop 1997). Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are an illegally but commonly traded species in Indonesia (White & Bruce 1986, Shepherd 2005, 2006, ProFauna Indonesia 2008), with trade between Papua and the Philippines. North Sulawesi, and particularly the coastal port of Bitung near Tangkoko Duasudara Nature Reserve, is part of this smuggling/trade route (I. Hunowu and J. Tasirin, Wildlife Conservation Society, pers. comm. 2009). It is thus highly likely the cockatoos observed in Tangkoko are escaped or released cagebirds, as (it is suspected) are records of an Eclectus Parrot Eclectus roratus at Tangkoko in 2003, a species native to the Moluccas (I. Hunowu pers. comm. 2009) and reports from rangers of a White Cockatoo Cacatua alba in the same reserve (P. Gregory pers. comm. 2010). Rowley (1997) stated that Sulphur-crested Cockatoos released from captivity can rapidly establish populations. If this species were to establish itself in Tangkoko or other parts of Sulawesi it raises a number of interesting questions. The ecological similarity between C. galerita and C. sulphera means there is potential for competition if they overlap — indeed Schliebusch & Schliebusch (2001) suggest they are conspecific. However, while Yellow-crested Cockatoos formerly occurred across Sulawesi, they are now believed to be close to extinction (Rowley 1997, Snyder et al. 2000) and most likely extinct in T angkoko and other parts of the north (Coates & Bishop 1997, BirdFife International 2001). Indeed rangers at Tangkoko were very excited on observing and/ or viewing the photographs of the pair, with one suggesting he had not seen a cockatoo in seven years of working in the reserve. Thus there is potential for Sulphur-crested Cockatoos to take over the ecological niche vacated by the massive declines and local extinctions of Yellow-crested Cockatoos. Interestingly, there have also been a number of recent reports of Yellow-crested Cockatoos in Tangkoko (Farrow & Robson 2009, Hutchinson 2009a, 2009b, Gregory 2010), including one seen at close quarters (P. Gregory pers. comm. 2010), although Farrow Forktail 27 (2011) Established and new introduced bird species in north Sulawesi, Indonesia 25 (2010) reassigned his 2009 observation to Sulphur-crested based on closer observations of a pair in 2010 and the presence of pale blue eye-rings on these birds. Considering the presence of a number of species of obviously introduced parrots, the origin of these recently observed Yellow-crested Cockatoos is unclear but could also be the result of cage escapes/release. On viewing photographs of the cockatoo we had observed, the observers above agreed that it was a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, and thus visitors to the reserve should be mindful of the potential presence of a number of similar cockatoo species. Red-collared Dove Steptopelia tranquebarica Red-collared Dove was first found in Sulawesi in 1978 (Escott & Holmes 1980), and according to Coates & Bishop (1997: 313) is known only in north-central Sulawesi ‘from the Palu Valley and north to the vicinity of Tawaeli, and also near Parigi’. Holmes & Phillipps (1996) and White & Bruce (1986) both suggested that the occurrence of this species is restricted to the central region of Sulawesi. However, more recent reports suggest the range of this species may be expanding. For example. Bishop (1999) has since observed four birds between Moutong and Gorontalo on the Minahassa Peninsula, Lagerqvist (2006) found two birds between Doloduo and Tambun, De Win (2010) found them not only near Lore Lindu but en route to Manado, while Hutchinson (2010) observed them in ricefields between Manado and Kotamobagu. Small numbers have also recently been observed around fishponds in Makassar on the south of the island (Farrow 2007, 2008, 2010, Morris & Demeulemeester 2007). Interestingly, in the information centre of Tangkoko Duasudara Nature Reserve the species is illustrated as occurring in that reserve. Species whose status was previously considered uncertain in north Sulawesi Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora Although Java Sparrows Padda oryzivora have for some years been considered Vulnerable in their native Java (BirdLife International 200 1 ), escapes have established feralpopulations in a number South- East Asian countries where they have become pests of rice crops (Yap & Sodhi 2004), includingparts of southern Sulawesi (Whitten et al. 2002). Meyer & Wiglesworth (1898: 543) found Java Sparrow to be ‘common near Macassa, but rare in the north, where it has only been found by Meyer near Manado’. These observations from the late nineteenth century contradict the statements in Whitten et al. (2002: 585) that the species ‘was probably introduced into Sulawesi in the last couple of decades’ and in Lever (2005: 247) that ‘Java Sparrows seem to have been first reported on Sulawesi, on the southern peninsula and on the eastern end of the northern Minahassa Peninsula, by Stresemann (1936)...’. White & Bruce (1986) cited Meyer & Wiglesworth’s (1898) observation near Manado but provide no other records from north Sulawesi, as did Stresemann & Heinrich (1941). Coates & Bishop (1997: 499) suggested the species is ‘uncommon and local in the south, but locally common, north to Parepare and the head of T eluk Bone’. They also stated it is ‘also recorded [in] Menado’ but that its status in this region is unknown. It is not clear whether Coates & Bishop’s (1997) reference to the Manado record(s) is sourced from White & Bruce (1986) and ultimately Meyer & Wiglesworth (1898). Holmes & Phillipps (1996: 67) stated the species has been ‘introduced into south Sulawesi, but it is now rare’. Andrew & Holmes (1990) did not report any records ofthis species from the north. Strange (200 1 ) reports the Java Sparrow to be introduced but generally scarce on Sulawesi (and a number of other Indonesian islands) but does not provide any more specific location information. MA observed asinglejava Sparrowon 23 October 1 990 at Molas (Nusantara Dive Centre, north of Manado), a single bird at Purworedjo (some 15 km south-east of Kotamobagu) on 21 September 1993, and a single bird at Gorontalo on 16 July 2000. Approximately seven J ava Sparrows were observed byj AF at around 08h30 on 12July 2009 on building scaffolding about 15 m high on a newly constructed building on Jl. Piere Tendean, on the coastal strip of central Manado. Our observations, combined with sightings by Gregory & Ford (2006) of a flock of at least 1 50 in the paddies at Posko, by Farrow (2008) of a ‘couple ofbirds’ at Amurang (possibly the same location ofobservations in Hutchinson [2008a, 20 1 0] and Farrow& Robson [2009]), by Hutchinson (2009b) of ‘flocks’ on locations between Manado and Kotamabagu, byDe Win (2010) of two birds en route to GunungAmbang, and by Hutchinson (2008b) ofseveral ‘nesting under the eves of a roadside house’ between T angkoko and Manado Airport, indicate that small resident populations exist near human settlements in north Sulawesi, although the absence of sightings from most ‘trip reports’ suggests they are not common. Zebra Dove Geopelia striata Coates & Bishop (1997: 317) stated that the Zebra Dove Geopelia striata is ‘apparently feral on Sulawesi’ but provided no further distributional information. Strange (200 1 ) suggested that the species is introduced to Sulawesi, although he did not map its distribution on the island as he had for other introduced species to Sulawesi. Holmes & Phillipps (1996) provided little detail except to note that Zebra Dove is present on Sulawesi and does not appear to be v restricted to any particular region. Meyer & Wiglesworth’s (1898: 648) historical account of this species’s distribution provides more information when stating it is ‘very common in flocks on the fields in South Celebes; in the North of the island it is unknown’. Escott & Holmes (1980) were apparently the first to document the species’s presence in the north (at Gorontalo), suggesting it had previously only been recorded in the south and south-central regions. Intriguing and somewhat contradictory is the statement by Gibbs et al. (2001: 313) that it is ‘local in Sulawesi (mostly in the north) ’ although they mapped the species as occurring across the entire island. MA observed a single Zebra Dove on 28 July 1991 at Imana, some 20 km east of Kwandangon the north coast. Few records of Zebra Dove appear in recent trip reports, indicating the species is uncommon and not widespread in north Sulawesi (although see Milton’s [2008] record from Manado and a record by Hutchinson [2009b], location not specified). Gregory (2010) found ‘amazingly few, just singles near T angkoko and T oraut’, and in the information centre at Tangkoko Duasudara Nature Reserve the species is illustrated as occurring there. Rock Dove Coiumba livia Rock Dove is one of the most successful introduced species in the world. Coates & Bishop (1997: 312) suggested that it is ‘present in most towns in Wallacea’ but ‘only recently established as a feral species’. White & Bruce (1986) noted Rock Dove as occurring in south Sulawesi but that ‘White had no records of feral birds for Wallacea’. White & Bruce (1986: 186) further stated: ‘There area few recent observations from South Sulawesi (McKean 1982, J Klapste [pers. comm.])’ and that ‘These pigeons are often seen in towns throughout Wallacea (cfW atling 1983), but the distribution of feral birds is poorly understood, as with other introduced species’. Holmes & Phillipps (1996) also indicated this species as having been recorded only in the south of Sulawesi. JAF and JLT recorded a single bird in Manado flying to a building ledge on 12July2009 and three birds on the roofofa shed in paddy fields north ofLake Tondano on 15 July 2009. Elsewhere, Morris & Demeulemeester (2007) found Rock Doves in several towns and suggested many were kept as pets. This somewhat corresponds with Watling’s (1983: 253) observations from mostly central Sulawesi of the species ‘kept in a semi-domesticated form in 26 JAMES A. FITZSIMONS, JANELLE L. THOMAS & MARC ARGELOO Forktail 27 (201 1) many villages’, but that no wild nesting populations were observed. However, Gregory & Maher (2000) and Gregory (2010) observed ‘presumed feral birds’ at Kotamobagu, Lagerqvist (2006) saw Rock Doves ‘in small to moderate numbers in most populated areas’ in Sulawesi, while Farrow (2006) also recorded them several times. In the information centre of T angkoko Duasudara Nature Reserve the species is illustrated as occurring in that reserve. Species well known to be established Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Thought to be introduced to Sulawesi in 1835, Spotted Dove is now widespread in Wallacea, where it appears to be expanding its range (Coates & Bishop 1 997). Strange (200 1 ) mapped its Sulawesi range as the entire island. Holmes & Phillipps ( 1 996) considered it common and widely distributed in open country. White & Bruce (1986) cited Meyer (1879) as giving the date of introduction as 1839, although this changed to 1835 in Meyer & Wiglesworth (1898). That White & Bruce (1986) also stated the species to be ‘recently recorded from Central and SE Sulawesi’ (citing Holmes & Wood 1980, McKean 1982, Watling 1983) suggests that the north was where the species first became established on the island. This is supported by Meyer & Wiglesworth ( 1 898), who found the species to be common (at least in the north) and Riley ( 1 924), who reported a ‘good series of both sexes’ from a number of localities in the north and central regions between 1914 and 1918. MA records Spotted Dove as being widespread and relatively common in north Sulawesi, particularly in rural areas and towns but not in the forest. Specific localities recorded include Matayangan (two on 2 December 1990), Tambun village (six on 7 December 1990), the Pinogu enclave of Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park (six on 22 July 1991), Molibagu (one on 7 August 2006), Tambun (three on 9 August 2006), and Kinunang (Pulisan) (two on 12 August 2006). Recent trip reports often mention small numbers of Spotted Doves seen in open habitats (Gregory & Maher 2000, Farrow 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, Gregory 2010), especially in the Manado/ T angkoko areas (Morris & Demeulemeester 2007), although Bishop (1999) suggested they are common in dry, coastal scrub, farmland, edge of rice-fields and areas near human habitation throughout Sulawesi. Spotted Doves have also been recorded in agricultural land and secondary forest in a number of protected areas, e.g. Manembonembo, Panua, Gunun Ambang and Tangkoko Duasudara Nature Reserves and Bogani N ani W artabone National Park (Rozendaal & Dekker 1989, Bororing et al. 2000, Riley & Mole 2001, Riley et al. 2003, Lagerqvist 2006). Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Coates & Bishop (1997) suggested that Eurasian Tree Sparrow has only relatively recently become established in north and north- central Sulawesi (in 1979) following Escott & Holmes’s (1980) statement that the ‘spread of the introduced T ree Sparrow around Sulawesi is to be expected and it is now known from Menado in North Sulawesi and Donggala, the port of Palu, in Central Sulawesi’. White & Bruce (1986) suggested it is now found in various parts of north, central, and south Sulawesi. Holmes & Phillipps (1996) suspected that the Eurasian Tree Sparrow arrived on Sulawesi via ships and, with Strange (2001), stated that it is now common in many towns and settlements. Summers-Smith (2009) showed the distribution of this species as the entire island of Sulawesi, but did not suggest it is introduced. Rozendaal & Dekker (1989) noted that the observation of a single bird at Doloduo on 9 December 1985 was the only record on the west side of the Dumoga Valley at the time and that the species was common in Manado, Tomohon and Kotamobagu. However, MA’s observations clearly show the spread of the Eurasian Tree Sparrow in a westerly direction into the Dumoga Valley (Kosio, Uuwan, Imandi, Mokintop), and even along the south coast (Milongodaa, Mataindo), while Sutton (1997) found them to be ‘common around Dumoga Bone N.P.’. MA made the following observations: 22 October 1990, Manado, ‘very common’; 5 November 1990, Kosio, Dumoga Valley (numbers not recorded); 15 November 1990, between Duloduo and Molibagu, village Uuwan, 10, probably more; 19 November 1990, Manado, ‘daily’, no numbers; 4 December 1990, Imandi, Dumoga Valley, one juvenile, roadkill, c.3 weeks old; 1 7 April 1991, Mokintop, near Tambun, one adult caught and eaten by Purple-winged Roller Coracias temminckii (see Argeloo & Fitzsimons 20 1 1); 22-23 July 1991, Pinogu enclave, no Tree Sparrows observed; 3 August 1991, ‘tens’ at Milongodaa (south coast national park); 9 March 2007, tens at Santika Hotel, Manado, breeding in holes of palms and cottages in February 20 1 0; and several tens along the south coast in Mataindo (20 March 2010). JAF and JLT found the species to be common in most areas of human habitation and agricultural areas in July 2009 (e.g. Manado, Tangkoko, Lake Tondano, Bunaken Island). Riley et al. (2003) recorded the species in agricultural land in Panua Nature Reserve, while Bororing et al. (2000) found it in villages within Manembonembo N ature Reserve. Most trip reports do not specifically list localities for Eurasian T ree Sparrow although the summary by Bishop (1999) — ‘ubiquitous except within forest’ — provides a representative summary of records from this forum. DISCUSSION This paper documents the distribution and occurrence of introduced bird species (a) that have not previously been recorded as occurring in north Sulawesi in the published literature, (b) whose status was previously considered uncertain and (c) already known to be well established. Of the birds in the first two categories, two were already known to be established in the south of the island (Sooty-headed Bulbul, Java Sparrow) and another probably so (Zebra Dove), while one is established in central Sulawesi (Red- collared Dove). All are kept as cagebirds and it is likely that local escapes/ releases were the source of these northern populations rather than northward spread (except perhaps in the case of the Red- collared Dove, whose northern record was closer to the central Sulawesi population). The discovery of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos in T angkoko is most likely to be the result of a deliberate release or escapes of pets or smuggled animals. One introduced species, Yellow-vented Bulbul, is known to be established in the south of Sulawesi but not yet in the north. As this species most likely became established through cage escapes or releases it is feasible it could establish itself in the north through similar means. Elsewhere, in the Buton Islands in south Sulawesi, Catterall ( 1 997 ) suggested another species, the Island Collared Dove Streptopelia bitorquata, could have also been introduced to Siumpu Island. A lack of past records from Sulawesi (e.g. for much of the first seven decades of the twentieth century) may in part be due to a lack ofvisitingornithologists and birdwatchers. However, even in recent times as north Sulawesi becomes increasing popular and accessible to birdwatchers, introduced species may be less recorded in ‘trip reports’ than native species, as they are often of less interest to birdwatchers, while birdwatching tours are more focused to finding native and particularly endemic species. Thus some of the species may be more common than current reports suggest. Further work is required to document the distribution, status and spread of introduced species in the north and other parts of Sulawesi — an imperative both from an economic and conservation perspective. Forktai! 27 (201 1 ) Established and new introduced bird species in north Sulawesi, Indonesia 27 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to John Tasirin, Iwan Hunowu, Nick Brickie, Filip Verbelen, Dave Farrow, Rob Hutchinson, Phil Gregory and the guides and rangers at T angkoko DuasudaraNature Reserve for offering opinions and information on the identity of the cockatoo. Thanks to Guy Dutson, Jez Bird and an anonymous reviewer for comments on a draft and Stu Sheppard for provision of mapping data. REFERENCES Ahlman,R.( 1999) Sulawesi 3-1 7/7 1999. Available: http://www.club300.se/ Files/TravelReports/sula wesi.pdf Andrew, P. & Holmes, D. A. (1990) Sulawesi bird report. Kukila 5: 4-26. Antos, M. 1, Fitzsimons, J. A., Palmer, G. C. & White, J. G. (2006) Introduced birds in urban remnant vegetation: does remnant size really matter? Austral Ecol. 31: 254-261. Argeloo, M. & Fitzsimons, J. (2011) Predation of a small passerine by the Purple-winged Roller Coraclas temminckii, an endemic species of Sulawesi. 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Handbook of the birds of the world, 14. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Sutton, M. (1997) Sulawesi and Hal mahera, 12 July-2 August, 1 997. Available: http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=374 and http:// www.surfbirds.com/mb/Trip%20Reports/sulawesi-ms-sp.html Watling, D. (1983) Ornithological notes from Sulawesi. Emu 83: 247-261. White, C. M. N. & Bruce, M. D. (1986) The birds ofWallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia): an annotated check-list. London: British Ornithologists' Union (Check-list no. 7). Whitten, T„ Mustafa, M. & Henderson, G. S. (2002) The ecology of Sulawesi. Singapore: Periplus Editions. Yap, C. A. M. & Sodhi, N. S. (2004) Southeast Asian invasive birds: ecology, impact and management. Orn. Sci. 3: 57-67. James A. FITZSIMONS, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia; and The Nature Conservancy, Suite 3-04, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia. Email: james.fitzsimons@deakin.edu.au Janelle L. THOMAS, Birds Australia, Suite 2-05, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia. Email: j.thomas@birdsaustralia.com.au Marc ARGELOO, planG, Panamakade 36, 1019 AX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Email: marcargeloo@plang.nl FORKTAIL 27 (201 1): 29-38 Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus N.J. COLLAR Philippine bird taxonomy is relatively conservative and in need of re-examination. A number of well-marked subspecies were selected and subjected to a simple system of scoring (Tobias et al. 2010 Ibis 152: 724-746) that grades morphological and vocal differences between allopatric taxa (exceptional character 4, major 3, medium 2, minor 1 ; minimum score 7 for species status). This results in the recognition or confirmation of species status for (inverted commas where a new English name is proposed) 'Philippine Collared Dove' Streptopella(bitorquatus) dusumieri, 'Philippine Green Pigeon' Treron (pompadora) axillaris and 'Burn Green Pigeon' T. (p.) aromatica, Luzon Racquet-tail Prioniturus montanus, Mindanao Racquet-tail P. waterstradti, Blue-winged Raquet-tail P. verticalis, Blue-headed Raquet-tail P. platenae, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail P. flavicans, White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon ( smyrnensis ) gularis (with White-breasted Kingfisher applying to H. smyrnensis), 'Northern Silvery Kingfisher' Alcedo ( argentata ) flumenicola, 'Rufous-crowned Bee-eater' Merops ( viridis ) americanus, 'Spot-throated Flameback' Dinopium (javense) everetti, 'Luzon Flameback' Chrysocolaptes ( lucidus ) haematribon, 'Buff-spotted Flameback' C. (/.) lucidus, 'Yellow-faced Flameback' C. (/.) xanthocephalus, 'Red-headed Flameback' C. (/.) erythrocephalus, 'Javan Flameback' C. (/.) strictus, Greater Flameback C. (/.) guttacristatus,' Sri Lankan Flameback' (Crimson-backed Flameback) Chrysocolaptes (l.)stricklandi, 'Southern Sooty Woodpecker' Mulleripicus ( funebris ) fuliginosus, Visayan Wattled Broadbill Eurylaimus ( steerii ) samarensis, White-lored Oriole Oriolus (steerii) albiloris, Tablas Drongo Dicrurus ( hottentottus ) menagei, Grand or Long-billed Rhabdornis Rhabdornis ( inornatus ) grandis, 'Visayan Rhabdornis' Rhabdornis (/.) rabori, and 'Visayan Shama' Copsychus ( luzoniensis ) superciliaris. Flowever, Phapitreron leucotis nigrorum and P. /. brevirostris, P. amethystina maculipectus, Ceyxmelanurus mindanensis, Orthotomus castaneiceps frontalis and Phylloscopus trivirgatus nigrorum do not quite make species statusandrequirefurthervocalorotherevidencejandSuluorBlack-billedHangingParrotLor/cu/usbonaporte/andCamiguinFlangingParrot L. camiguinensis are here considered to remain part of Philippine Flanging Parrot L. philippensis. INTRODUCTION The Philippine Archipelago is notable both for its high biological endemism (Myers 1990, Stattersfield et al. 1998) and for the high levels of threat to this endemism (Stattersfield & Capper 2000, Myers et al. 2000, Mallari et al. 2001). Recently, Peterson (2006) sought to increase the country’s complement ol avian endemism by producing a list of ‘populations’ which he regarded as species, and while his methods and conclusions were questioned (Collar 2007) his paper was a signal of the need to reassess the more distinctive taxa currently treated as subspecies in the Philippine avifauna in quest of greater consistency in species-level treatments. This need was given further impetus by Lohman et al. (2010), who used molecular evidence to contend that higher levels of taxonomic dillerentiation exist in the archipelago than are currently recognised. Species-limits issues are particularly vexing in the Philippines owing to the large number of islands and mountains on which ancestrally related forms have evolved in allopatry. The introduction to Collar et al. (1999: 39-41) sought to indicate conservationist sensitivity to this problem; indeed, that publication took upon itself to split, with written justification, two Sulu endemics, Tawi-tawi Brown-dove Phapitreron cinereiceps and Sulu Woodpecker Picoides ramsayi, where the specimen evidence appeared to be overwhelming and the conservation need pressing. However, Dickinson et al. (1991) listed no fewer than 631 subspecies ol breeding bird in the Philippines (Collar 2007), and it would be a major research undertaking to assess all of these for their distinctiveness. What follows is merely a review of certain salient cases where relatively straightforward and rapid evaluations might be made using the criteria proposed by Tobiases/. (20 10), along with a consideration of a few others where species-level status has already been proposed. METHODS Objective criteria for delineating species when closely related taxa occur in allopatry have not been easy to find. Helbig et al. (2002) proposed a system which required a taxon to exhibit unique characters, but which accepted as lew as two such characters irrespective of their strength. A higher threshold, trialled by Collar (2006), involved a quantitative scoring system for assessing degree ol phenotypic difference between allopatric taxa. In this system — modilied and developed by Tobias et al. (2010) — an exceptional ditference (a radically dilferent coloration or pattern) scores 4, a major character (apronounced and strikingdiflerence in the colour or pattern of a body part, or in a measurement or vocalisation) 3, a medium character (a clear diflerence reflected, e.g., by a distinct hue rather than different colour) 2, and a minor character (a weak difference, e.g. a change in shade) 1; a threshold of 7 is set to allow species status, species status cannot be triggered by minor characters alone, and only three plumage characters, two vocal characters, two biometric characters (assessed tor effect size using Cohen’s d where 0.2-2 is minor, 2-5 medium, 5-10 major and >10 exceptional) and one behavioural or ecological character may be counted (Tobias et al. 2010). Subspecies ol Philippine bird mentioned or illustrated as well marked in Kennedy et al. (2000) were placed on a preliminary list for further investigation involving museum skins, as were the ‘populations’ listed in the appendix of Peterson (2006), along with a number ol taxa deemed worthy of investigation by D. N. S. Allen {in litt. 2007). These were then subjectively filtered for strength and number of characters to produce a much shorter list of stronger candidates for priority investigation. I then examined specimens held at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH), Natural History Museum, Tring, UK (BMNH), Delaware Museum of Natural History, Wilmington (DMNH), Museum National d’HistoireNaturelle, Paris (MNHN), Philippine National Museum, Manila (PNM) and National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC (USNM). Where appropriate, I attempted to measure a sample ofl 0 individuals of a taxon, seeking a balance between the sexes. Bill was measured from tip to skull, wing curved, tail from tip to point of insertion, with all measurements in millimetres. Means are presented with standard deviation (±). An online calculator (http://www.uccs.edu/~faculty/lbecker/) was used to determine Cohen’s d effect sizes (symbol o) in cases where mensural evidence suggested a strong difference. 30 N. J. COLLAR Forktail 27 (2011) I list all perceptible differences for each taxon, but as only the three highest-scoring plumage characters can be counted (usually with these characters in topographic rather than magnitude sequence) I note the remainder with the letter ‘u’ for ‘unscored’ but add the score I believe would be appropriate after it in square brackets, in order to give more weight to the profile of the taxon in question. In some cases for lack of adequate sample or time I have not taken measurements of evidently different-sized characters, and therefore do not offer a score, but in all cases I anticipate a score of 1 or 2. In three cases I take the liberty ofprovidinga score of2 for size difference without supporting evidence from Cohen’s d\ Sulawesi’s Yellow¬ breasted Racquet-tail Prioniturus flavicans and Ashy Woodpecker Mulleripicus fulvus , for which in reality the only contentious point here is whether that score should in fact be 3, and Chrysocolaptes lucidus guttacristatus, based on evidence from a secondary source. RESULTS 1 . Suggested and supported changes Streptopelia ( bitorquatus ) dusumieri The form dusumieri of the Philippines (with populations introduced to the Marianas and apparently northern Borneo) is strikingly disjunct from nominotypical bitorquatus (Island Collared Dove), which ranges from Java to Timor (Baptista etal. 1997, Gibbs etal. 2001). The two taxa are distinct on a suite of characters, none particularly strong, the tail pattern being most obvious. In the nominotypical the outer vane of the outermost rectrix (upperside) is pale grey, not contrastingwith the inner vane of the same feather, with the distal half of each feather shadingprogressively darker towards the central feathers, whereas in dusumieri the outer vane of the outermost rectrix is white along its length, the inner vane black basally and mid-grey distally, while the other feathers are also mid-grey, so that the contrast of the white outer vane is striking (2). In the nominotypical the undertail is blackish basally, whitish- grey distally, the separation occurring in a sharp line at mid-shaft, whereas in dusumieri the undertail is blackish shading to dull mid¬ grey on the last 20%, the contrast only being supplied by the white outer vane of the outermost rectrix (2). The form dusumieri is a paler, weaker greyish-pink below, with the throat and belly to vent much whiter ( 1 ). These are the three strongest plumage differences, but it is worth noting that dorsally dusumieri is also paler greyish- brown, but the grey of the lesser, median and greater coverts is darker and less contrasting than in the nominotypical; the grey hindneck- patch is paler but sometimes with whitish centres to the feathers, creating a mild scaly effect, and with much less or none of the white upper and lower edging; the entire head of dusumieri, including the nape, is pink-tinged whitish-grey, paler towards the frontal area, whereas the nominotypical has a purer grey crown (palest frontally) but a slightly rusty-tinged greyish-pink face (malar to ear-coverts and postocular area) and nape; in both taxa the respective colours of the breast continue around the lower hind-neck, below the neck- patch onto the mantle, but this band of colour is twice as wide in the nominotypical as in dusumieri. The bill of bitorquatus averages longer than that of dusumieri ( bitorquatus22.%0 ± 0.79, n = 10; dusumieri 20.90 ± 0.88, n= 10; a2.28) (2). S. de Kort {in litt. 2010) has kindly forwarded recordings of ‘perch coos’ of the two forms that suggest their strong divergence. Javan bitorquatus has a three-note songwith a thick rolling throaty quality: rra P.4RRRR ru (two songs in five seconds; first note highest, second lower and longest, third lowest and shortest) ; Luzon dusumieri has a brisker three-note WA wu-WAA , with a different stress and pure quality with no guttural tone (two songs in four seconds; first note highest, second lowest and shortest, third longest and slightly lower than first); Figure 1 shows these differences. A wider sample of recordings to confirm them is needed before these vocalisations can be considered taxon-specific, but in any case a total score of 7 is achieved even without vocal analysis. The name ‘Philippine Collared Dove’ seems appropriate for S. dusumieri. Treron (pompadora) axillaris and T. (p.) aromatica Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) treated Pompador Green Pigeon T. pompadora as at least four species, and this view seems likely to prevail. However, they did not consider the form axillaris (along with amadoni , canescens and everetti) of the Philippines or indeed aromatica of Burn, although they remarked on the probable specific status of both. The Philippine taxa are distinct from phayrei (Himalayas to Vietnam) and affinis (India) on account of their red cere or base of bill (2), much larger (deeper and longer) bill (not measured), bluish- grey (not reddish-pink) legs and feet (3), blackish-grey carpal area (u [2]) and white (not creamy-brown) undertail-coverts (3), in addition to which they lack the orange-yellow breast-patch (u [2]) and maroon (not chestnut) back (u [2]) of phayrei , and the much less distinctly yellow throat (u [2]) of affinis (note some of the foregoing differences are male-only characters). The voice is reported to be different from other forms in the pompadora complex (R. O. Hutchinson verbally 2010). A total score of 8, likely to increase when sufficient data are available to score bill size and voice, indicates species status for axillaris (‘Philippine Green Pigeon’). H owever, axillaris must also be compared to T. {p. ) aromatica of Buru, apparently the taxon closest in plumage to the four subspecies that make up axillaris. The form aromatica , whose distinctiveness was pointed out by Rheindt & Hutchinson (2007), differs in having no red cere (2), a deeper-shaded but much less extensive maroon back (2), much more yellow in the wing-coverts and on remex edges (u [1]), grey of crown somewhat bluer, more clear-cut and extending more round the back of the ear-coverts to give fuller coverage of nape (u [2]), reddish-purple legs and feet (3) and a>smaller bill (unmeasured). This gives a total score of 7 and accords aromatica (‘Buru Green Pigeon’) species status. 16- 12- 08 0.4 & t Ml * 0S& 1 2 3 4 5 Time (sec) * — H — 1.6- 1 2- i - 1 - 1 - r 12 3 4 Time (sec) Figure 1. A waveform (top) and spectrogram of two perch coos each of Streptopelia ( bitorquatus ) bitorquatus from Java (left) and S. (b.) dusumieri from Luzon (right). Spectrogram parameters: FFT size = 512, Window = Hamming, Bandwidth = 10 Hz. Figures provided by S. de Kort based on recordings in his possession. Forktail 27 (201 1) Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus 31 Some Prioniturus parrots Forshaw (1989) treated Luzon Racquet-tail/5. montanus (Luzon), Mindanao Racquet-tail P. waterstradti (Mindanao) and Blue¬ winged Racquet-tail/-’, verticalis (Sulu Islands) as one species, while Dickinson etal. (199 1 ), Inskipp etal. (1996), Kennedy etal. (2000) and Dickinson (2003) considered P. montanus and P. waterstradti as conspecific but allowed verticalis species status (a strange arrangement, given that in plumage at least verticalis is closer to geographically distant montanus than to geographically adjacent waterstradti). Sibley & Monroe (1990), Collar etal. (1994, 1999, 2001), Collar (1997a), King (1997), Juniper & Parr (1998), Stattersfield & Capper (2000), and Clements (2007) treated all three taxa as species, and although there seems little doubt that the three are closely related — despite the assertion in Sibley & Monroe ( 1 990) that verticalis is actually more closely related to Blue-crowned Racquet-tail/5, discurus (forwhich see further below) — they can be separated as follows: • waterstradti differs from montanus and verticalis in the absence of a red crown-patch (3), absence of blue surrounding the red crown- patch (perhaps co-variable with the red crown-patch, hence: u [2] ), no blue in the uppertail (2), somewhat smaller size (some mensural overlap in Forshaw 1989), score so far 5, plus (from montanus) lack of turquoise-blue on the face and head-sides (2; total score 7), and (from verticalis ) smaller bill with virtually no overlap (data in Forshaw 1989), lack of pale turquoise tone to rear head-sides and nape (u [1]), strong yellowish mantle sharply delineated From nape (2) and paler yellow-green underparts (u [l]; total score 7); • montanus differs from verticalis in redistribution of blue on head, with turquoise-blue on face and head-sides but no turquoise tone to rear head-sides and nape (3), no strong yellowish mantle sharply defined from nape (2), paler yellow-green underparts (1), paler blue in the uppertail (u [ 1 ] ), plus smaller bill and shorter wing (male bills 18-21 [19.8] vs 21-22 [21.6], male wings 161-171 [164.8] vs 163-185 [174.6] in Forshaw 1989) (at least 1) (total score 7). Ostensibly greater difficulty in deploying these numerical criteria arises when comparing verticalis with the Yellow-breasted (Red- spotted) Racquet-tail P.flavicans of Sulawesi. These two forms are considerably closer in plumage than verticalis is to montanus , but are separated by the substantially larger size of flavicans (2; see final sentence of Methods), redistributed head colours with richer blue crown and greener, less turquoise-tinged head-sides (2), lack ofblue in tail (2) and stronger mustard-yellow tones on mantle and breast (1), total score 7. On the other hand, Inskipp etal. (1996) followed the view, no longer current, that flavicans is a subspecies of P. discurus. In this case, flavicans can be separated from discurus on its much larger size (2; see final sentence of Methods), presence of a red crown- patch (3), mustard-yellow tones on mantle and breast (2) and lack ofblue in tail (2), total score 9. For reference on size (mm), Forshaw (1989) gives male verticalis bill 21-22 (21.6), tarsus 18-20 (18.9), wing 163-185 (174.6), tail 125-146 (136.0) (n=7), male flavicans bill 22-25 (23.4), tarsus 19-21 (19.9), wing 176-194 (184.4), tail 150-181 (164.7) (n=ll); mal c discurus mindorensis (largest race) bill 1 9-22 (21.1), tarsus 1 6-20 ( 1 8.2), wing 161 - 174 ( 1 67.7), tail 124-144(131.8) (n=l 1) (nooverlap atall in tail bcxwtenflavicans and the other two species). Prioniturus discurus differs from montanus in the absence of a red crown-patch (3), lack of turquoise-blue on face and head-sides (1) and brighter green underparts (1), but is in any case sympatric with it; from waterstradti by absence of major area ofblue on crown (2) , presence ofblue in the uppertail (2) and duller green nape and neck-sides (1), but is again sympatric; and from the allopatric verticalis by the absence of a red crown-patch (3), greener, less turquoise-tinged head-sides and underparts (2), absence of strong yellowish mantle sharply defined from nape (2), and duller blue in primaries and tail feathers (u [ 1 ]), total score 7. Since Forshaw (1989) considered Palawan’s platenae conspecific with discurus , it may be worth noting thiciplatenae differs from discurus in having the entire head blue and of a more turquoise-tinged colour (3), upperparts greyish-green (2) and underparts pale green-blue with yellower undertail-coverts (2), total score 7. Halcyon ( smyrnensis ) gularis The Philippine form gularis ofWhite-throated Kingfisher, a species that extends from T urkey to T aiwan, is highly distinctive, owing to the absence of white on the breast and belly, restricting it to the throat (3); a much larger and darker wing-patch involving elongated median coverts, and consisting of (a) black rather than brownish- sooty coloration, (b) black rather than chestnut-brown lesser wing- coverts, (c) black rather than dull blue tips to the median coverts, and (d) elongate median coverts so that the feature is three-quarters the length of the folded wing (3); black rather than blackish-grey tips to primaries (l); and by comparison with H. s.fokiensis (the nearest population geographically) a shorter tail ( fokiensis mean 88.8 ± 1.1, n = 1 0 ; gularis mean 81.4 ± 1.4, n = 10; O = 5.73) (3); total score 10. It would be more appropriate for the Philippine species to retain the name White-throated Kingfisher and for the remaining populations to be known, as they often are, as White-breasted Kingfisher. Otherwise Brown-breasted Kingfisher might be applied to H. gularis. Alcedo (argentata) flumenieola Silvery Kingfisher is endemic to the Philippines with two subspecies: argentata in Mindanao, Basilan, Dinagat and Siargao, and flumenieola in Samar, Leyte and Bohol (Dickinson etal. 1991, Collar et al. 1999). The form flumenieola differs from the nominotypical in having buff (not white) lores, ear-covert flash and chin to throat (but the upper breast and separate belly-patch remain white as in argentata ) (3); rich royal blue lower breast and flanks (not shading rapidly to greenish-blue on upper belly and flanks as in argentata) (2); and an overall smaller size ( argentata mean wing 60.6 ± 1.9, n = 10; flumenieola 55.7 ± 1.89, n = 10; O = 2.59) (2). The two species could be renamed Northern ( flumenieola ) and Southern ( argentata ) Silvery Kingfisher. Merops (viridis) americanus Blue-throated Bee-eater Al. viridis ranges from southern China and South-East Asia to the Greater Sundas (all nominotypical viridis ) and the Philippines (race americanus ) (Dickinson et al. 1991). Philippine birds differ from nominotypical in having the blue of the throat and upper breast reduced to a slight tinge spreading from the malar area, so that the underparts appear virtually all green (2); crown to mantle rich rufous rather than dark chestnut (2); wing feathers and wing-coverts with little or no metallic mid-blue coloration (u [1]); much broader and unfraying vanes to central rectrices, with (a) their shafts remainingblack (rather than shading to white), (b) the vanes retaining the intense blue of the rest of the tail (rather than shading to pale greenish or fraying to nothing) and (c) broadly and squarely tipped with black (rather than tapering to two pale bare points) (three characters combining irt one feature to render it highly distinctive, hence 3). Morphometric differences are not obvious: americanus may average slightly larger, but my sample at BMNPd indicated overlap in lengths of bill, wing, tail and tail extension. Marks et al. (2007) reported a 3.8% genetic divergence in americanus from Bornean viridis but made no suggestion that the two should be separated as species. FFowever, ascore of7 produces such a split; a possible name would be Rufous-crowned Bee-eater. Dinopium (javense) everetti The Common Flameback D. javense consists of six subspecies of which (despite the great disjunction of the form malabaricum) only 32 N.J. COLLAR Forktail 27 (201 1) one, the Philippine endemic everetti , is ever described as distinctive (e.g. in Short 1982, Winkler etal. 1995, Winkler & Christie 2002). The three strongest plumage differences between everetti (which is confined to Palawan, Balabac, Busuanga and Culion) and D. j. raveni (the closest neighbour of everetti in north-eastern Borneo) are its virtually plain brown breast (in raveni the underpart scaling is boldest of all taxa in D. javense ) (2); greatly reduced white postocular superciliary stripe (broad in raveni ), the product of a rather broader black postocular eyestripe and of the red of the crown extending more onto the headside and behind the ear-coverts (2); and (in the female) a matt-black crown with slightly paler (essentially invisible) shaft-streaks (occasionallywith tiny white spots) andwith a red nape, whereas lemale raveni has a glossy black crown and nape, with bold white spotting (3). Apart from these features, the underpart scaling below the breast is subtly different in pattern, each feather having in everetti a dark centre and very broad pale outer area (sometimes with a very narrow dark edge), and in raveni an entirely pale centre and a fairly broad dark edge, so that everetti appears rather more mottled (or even semi-barred) than heavily scaled (u [1]); everetti has central throat and chin lightly peppered black, whereas raveni has this area white except for a string ol bold black streaks usually forming a near-continuous black mesial line (u [l]); male everetti has a vague reddish stain on a relatively poorly marked dark submoustachial area (none in male raveni , in which the submoustachial area is a bolder blackish line) (u [1]). In these comparisons raveni is effectively typical of all non- Philippine javense. There may be other minor differences: male everetti seems to have a brighter red crown and marginally more golden mantle than male raveni , lor example, but these are not significant. Short (1982) reported that ‘the tail of everetti is proportionately (to wings) shorter than in other races of the species’, but checks on several representatives of everetti and raveni did not immediately confirm this. The illustration of male and female everetti in Winkler etal. (1995) shows the black eyestripe connecting to the black lateral neck-stripe (where in other forms the neck-stripe connects with the moustachial stripe), but this seems to be a slip. However, a score of 7, based on the above, lifts everetti to species level, for which D. N. S. Allen [in litt. 2008) proposes the name ‘Spot-throated Flameback’. The Chrysocolaptes lucidus complex ‘The species Chrysocolaptes lucidus comprises many very distinct forms’, wrote W inkier etal. (1995:8), ‘some ofwhich may be shown by future research to be full species’. Mees (1986, 1996) sought to split the Javan form strictus and South-East Asiznguttacristatusbut either these papers were overlooked or their lack of morphological analysis was considered an obstacle to the acceptance of his views. Meanwhile, concern over the conservation status of several of these forms in the Philippines — where, incidentally, all taxa differ from all others elsewhere in Asiain lackingthe bold clear white postocular stripe (present in both sexes) and in having red eyes — triggered a minor degree ofpublic hand-wringing (Collar 1997b, 2003, Collar et al. 1999:40), and Winkler & Christie (2002) reaffirmed that taxonomic revision was urgently needed because of the possibility that newly determined species might be at risk. Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) also took the view that Chrysocolaptes luciduswus ‘substantially overlumped’, but, because dealing with South Asia, they only separated out one form, ‘Crimson-backed Flameback’ C. stricklandi of Sri Lanka. This process can now be advanced, taking each of the 13 taxa accepted by Winkler & Christie (2002) in turn. In this review where I have not been able to review taxa for myself I indicate the differences in question by reference to the relevant literature. C. /. haematribon differs from the nominotypical in having the ground colour of the female’s head black, not dirty yellow (score 3, based on 2 for black background + 1 for smaller and whiter spotting on it), blackish ear-coverts and rear neck-sides (2), no extensive broad buff spotting on the underparts but instead more densely spotted with smaller spots on the throat (2), changing sharply to a very weakly marked dirty yellowish-tinged buff from mid-breast to vent with obsolete, blurry-edged scaling or barring (u [1]), and slightly more crimson (less scarlet) crown (male) and upperparts (u [1] ); total score 7. C. /. rufopunctatus differs from the nominotypical in having rather clear pinkish-brown spotting on the crown and supercilium (lemale) (2), a pink wash to the submoustachial stripe (1) and a more strongly red back (2); total score 5. C. /. montanus differs from the nominotypical in having the back entirely or almost entirely golden rather than reddish-golden (2) . C. 1. xanthocephalus differs from haematribon in its all-yellow face (both sexes) (3), yellow crown (female) (3), brighter red crown (male), back and wings ( 1 ), less dense and contrasting spotting on the throat (u [ 1 ] ), pale (dirty flesh-coloured) legs (u [1]) and almost plain dull yellow underparts (u [1]); total score 7. It differs from the nominotypical in the first two characters (yellow face and female crown) (6), plain yellow belly (2) and pale legs ( u [ 1 ] ) ; total score 8. C. 1. erythrocephalus differs from haematribon in its golden back (3), red head-sides (3),yellow-and-olive-flecked crown (female) (3), yellowish bill (u [2]), blackish ear-covert spot (u [1]), pinkish chin (u [1]), and underpart pattern like the nominotypical (u [2 +1, on the basis of the scoring above for haematribon ]); total score 9. It differs from the nominotypical in five of the six first characters listed above (not the golden back, but allowing 2 for yellowish bill) (total allowable 8), plus ayellow-and-olive-flecked crown (female) (u [2]); total score 8. It differs from xanthocephalus in its golden back (3), red head-sides (3), yellowish bill (2), blackish ear-covert spot (u [1]), pinkish chin (u [1]), yellow-and-olive-flecked crown (female) (u [1]) and underpart pattern like the nominotypical (u [2] ); total score 8. C. /. strictus most closely resembles C. /. haematribon and C. /. montanus but differs from both in the broad white supercilium (2) and broader black postocular stripe through ear-coverts to hindneck (3) , brighter yellow crown with a few irregular black streaks rather than any close spotting (female) (2 for montanus ; u [2] for haematribon ), brighter red crown (male) (u [1]), greatly reduced red on the rump (u [ 1 ]),plus (compared to haematribon ) yellowish- golden upperparts (3) and an underpart pattern like the nominotypical (u [2 + 1]), total score 8, and (compared to the nominotypical) brighter and yellower upperparts (u [1]), total score 7. C. /. kangeanensis differs from strictus in a series of evidently very minor features (Winkler & Christie 2002). C. /. guttacristatus differs from strictus in being substantially larger (2; see final sentence of Methods) — Winkler et al. (1995: 378) give a bill size of 50-64 mm where no other form measured exceeds 46 mm, and a weight of 150-233 g where no other form measured exceeds 164 g — and having a white-spotted black head (female) ( 3) , much fuller complement of red on the rump (extending up the back) (2), stronger golden upperparts ( 1 ), bolder moustachial, malar and mesial stripes (u [ 1 ] ) and bolder-patterned underparts (u [1]), total score 8. C. /. chersonesus (called indomalayicus by Mees 1986, 1996) is slightly smaller than C. /. guttacristatus (1). Measurements of chersonesus , which is the smallest of the subspecies of the proposed new C. guttacristatus below, show that while bill length is only marginally longer than strictus wing length is decidedly longer (on a small sample of four males of each taxon in BMNH, chersonesus has bill 47, wing 153.25; strictus bill 44.75, wing 141; with bill 39, wing 143.7 in 28 xanthocephalus for comparison), in which case a score of 1 would clearly apply to guttacristatus with its three subspecies below and reduce its total score vs strictus to 7. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus 33 C. 1. socialis , slightly larger than chersonesus , differs in a few minor characters (score perhaps only 2) from guttacristatus (Winkler & Christie 2002), although it is worth noting that Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) reported ‘extraordinarily different acoustic signals’ that mean that, in their view, even this form is ‘probably better created as a full species’. C. 1. andrewsi is similar to but slightly larger than chersonesus but [fide Amadon 1943) has underpart feathers fringed brownish or brownish-black instead of black and with centres washed brownish (1). C. 1. stricklandi differs from guttacristatus in having crimson (not golden) upperparts (3), a yellow (not black) bill (2), a much weaker postocular superciliary stripe (reduced to spots) (2) and a weaker supramoustachial line (u [ 1 ] ), total score 7. Always accepting that new insights may result as and when vocal and other evidence is assembled, it meanwhile seems reasonable to propose that this complex be broken into seven species, in the following arrangement (English names suggested for simplicity of reference). Luzon Flameback Chrysocolaptes haematrihon Luzon, Polillo, Marinduque, Catanduanes Buff-spotted Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus C. 1. rufopunctatus Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Calicoan, Bohol, Panaon C. /. lucidus Basilan, W Mindanao C. /. montanus C&E Mindanao, Samal Yellow-faced Flameback Chrysocolaptes xanthocephalus Ticao, Masbate, Panay, Guimaras, Negros Red-headed Flameback Chrysocolaptes erythrocephalus Balabac, Palawan, Calamian group Javan Flameback Chrysocolaptes str ictus C. s. strictus SW, C&E Java, Bali C. 5. kangeanensis Kangean Islands Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus. C. g. socialis W coast of India C. g. guttacristatus NW India to S China, Indochina and Thailand C. g. chersonesus Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, coastal NW Java C. g. andrewsi coastal NE Borneo Sri Lankan Flameback Chrysocolaptes stricklandi Sri Lanka Mulleripicus (funebris) fuliginosus Fide Dickinson etal. (1991), it was Delacour & Mayr (1945) who were responsible for uniting the form fuliginosus with Sooty Woodpecker M. funebris, and, although Peters (1948) kept them separate, all subsequent lists and treatments have accepted the lumpingof the two. Nevertheless, southern fuliginosus (Samar, Leyte and Mindanao) differs from northern nominotypical funebris, mayri and parkesi (Luzon, Polillo Islands, Catanduanes and Marinduque) in being distinctly paler in body plumage (2), with the red on the male’s face confined to the submoustachial streak (2) but much brighter (scarlet rather than burgundy) (2), larger white spots on chin, throat, upper neck, neck-sides and hind-crown (u [1]), and overall slightly smaller in body size but with the tail significantly shorter funebris mean 127 ± 6.8, n = 21 -fuliginosus 103 ± 6.5, n = 2 1 ; O = 3.6) (2) and, for some curious reason, with the vanes in the rectrices almost invariably frayed and ragged. The difference between shades of red on the head of fuliginosus is not mentioned or illustrated in Winkler et al. (1995) or in Winkler & Christie (2002), while it is illustrated but not mentioned in Short (1982). The late T. H. Fisher (verbally 2009) reported that funebris on Luzon has a piping call like a soccer referee’s whistle which he never heard from fuliginosus on Mindanao, but this difference cannot be scored until detailed studies confirm it. Nevertheless, a score of 8 returns fuliginosus to the status accepted by Peters; but to emphasise their similarity the two species might be called Northern Sooty and Southern Sooty Woodpecker. It is important to consider here also Ashy Woodpecker Mulleripicus fulvus from Sulawesi. Although no-one has suggested its conspecificity with its Philippines congeners, this bird does greatly resemble Northern Sooty in shape and head pattern and Southern Sooty in shade of red on the head. Flowever, Ashy is uniformly buff below includingon the chin (3), with an all-black bill (2), and is very considerably larger (such that Cohen’s d effect size would be at least 2; see final sentence ofMethods), Winkler etal. (1995) giving wing of fulvus 17 6-192 vs funebris 147-171, suggesting no overlap. Eurylaimus ( steerii ) samarensis Inskipp etal. ( 1 996) (a) pointed out that Delacour & Mayr ( 1 945) lumpedA. steerii andir. samarensis ‘despite noting that they differed “clearly in size and color’”, (b) observed that Lambert (1996) treated the taxa as separate species for the same reasons, and (c) opted to treat them as separate species, as subsequently did BirdLife International (Collar etal. 1 999, 200 1 , Stattersfield & Capper 2000) and Bruce (2003). Dekker & Dickinson (2000) curiously remarked that Delacour & Mayr’s (1945) treatment had been ‘universally followed since’ before proceeding to discuss Lambert’s (1996) alternative treatment, and concluding that ‘the distinctions summarized by them for samarensis and steerii are not convincingly demonstrative of specific differentiation’. This position has fed through to Kennedy etal. (2000) and Dickinson (2003), where the species is known as Wattled Broadbill. The form samarensis differs from steerii in its all purplish-pink (not slaty-grey) mantle, back and scapulars (3), mottled grey not white collar (2), lilac-pink not yellow edges to the white bar on the outer secondaries (2), and distinctly smaller size, most strongly expressed in its notably shorter tail ( steerii mean 62 ± 2, n = 16; samarensis 52 ± 2.5, n = 13; O = 4.5) (2), total score 9. Oriolus ( steerii ) albiloris Collar (1998) rehearsed the evidence supporting specific status for White-lored Oriole Oriolus albiloris, but in a way that could easily be missed. Kennedy etal. (2000) and Dickinson (2003) continued to treat it as part of Philippine Oriole O. steerii, and Dickinson (2004) maintained that ‘the facial markings on albiloris are characteristic, but it is hard to see these as of specific importance given the closer overall resemblance to steerii and the sustained if rather faint streaking of the underparts’. Walther & Jones (2008) evidently agreed. None of these authors takes account of the considerably shorter, smaller bill of albiloris in relation to all other subspecies of steerii , although this was hinted at in Collar (1998). Unfortunately at present a good sample has not been assembled owing to specimen diaspora and number of subspecies, but if preliminary findings may be taken as indicative, albiloris has a mean bill length of 2 1 .8 mm (range 21- 22, n=4) while four other subspecies of steerii taken together have one of 25.8 mm (range 23-28, n=19). In plumage, albiloris differs from all other forms of steerii in having yellow underparts with very faint streaking (only on flanks) as against various combinations of grey, grey-on-white streakingand black-on-white streaking (4) , white lores and chin (a striking feature representing a major difference: 3), and more uniform andpaler yellowish-olive on crown and upperparts (1) ; one does not even require the addition of a score for the bill size for this to establish species status for albiloris. Somewhat surprisingly, a recent study has found that albiloris is genetically so close to Isabela Oriole O. isabellae that they should ‘perhaps. . . be treated as asingle taxonomic unit’ (Jonsson etal. 2010). However, the notion of their conspecificity cannot be seriously entertained, given their sympatry in at least two areas of Luzon (Bataan and Cagayan; Kennedy et al. 2000), which precludes a 34 N.J. COLLAR Forktail 27 (2011) scoring exercise, and given their considerable morphological differences (broad white lores and small reddish bill in albiloris , narrow yellowish lores and large grey-blue bill in isabellae , among other things: Collar 1998). Dicrurus (hottentottus) menagei The form menagei , whose taxonomic and conservation status have been highlighted belore (Collar 1997b, 2003, 2007, Allen 2006), was elevated to species level from Hair-crested Drongo D. hottentottus by Rocamora & Yeatman-Berthelot (2009), although in their introductory material (p. 173) they admit that such a move ‘will require further corroboration’. The characters that distinguish menagei (measurements taken from D. h. cuyensis and D. h. palawanensis as the two geographically closest forms) are its • notably elongate outertail feathers with a strong terminal twisting ( menagei mean 176.4 ± 10.6, n = 20; cuyensis 135 ± 4. 1 8, n = 9; palawanensis 1 3 1 ± 5.42, n = 1 0; effect size vs cuyensis = 5-14 and vs palawanensis 5.32) (3); • curiously frayed and degenerate wing and tail feathers, the latter distinctly narrower than in other hottentottus (2); • loss of gloss on flight and body plumage, leaving the underparts, mantle, back and scapulars matt blackish- brown (2). Allen (2006) suggested that in their reduced quantity as well as in their quality the vocalisations of menagei might be distinguishable from other geographically close forms, but considerable study is needed to determine the true distinctiveness of these traits; decline in frequency of singing and calling might simply be a cultural response to the scarcity of neighbours, as reported in a Myadestes thrush (see Collar 2005: 561). Meanwhile, a score of 7 produces a species-level split. Rhabdornis (inornatus) grandis and R. (/.) rabori The status as a full species of what Kennedy et al. (2000) called the ‘Grand Rhabdornis’ R. grandis (‘Long-billed Rhabdornis’ in Sibley & Monroe 1990, Dickinson et al. 1991, Inskipp et al. 1996, King 1997, Clements 2007) has been questioned by Dickinson (2003), who ‘believes this to be simply a large subspecies’. Compared to other taxa in the R. inornatus complex, the form grandis — albeit on a tiny sample size, owing to the great scarcity of specimens — has a massive bill (on the basis of two PNM specimens measuring 24 and no other inornatus taxon having a mean greater than 19.5, 1 score this 3), and is much blacker on the mask (lores to ear-coverts) and in the primaries (2), greyer on the crown ( 1 ), whiter on the underparts ( 1 ) and darker brown on the back, wing-coverts, tertials and inner secondaries (u [1]), although in other mensural characters, contrary to the evidence (a small sample size) in the original description (Salomonsen 1952), it is extremely similar to inornatus and thus only merits the nam e grandis in view of its bill. The first suggestion that the form rabori, which is not even illustrated in Kennedy etal. (2000), might merit specific status came from Peterson (2006), who correctly distinguished between the more broadly light grey throat and stronger streaking of Negros ‘populations’ (=P. i. rabori) and the more restricted grey throat and weaker streaking of other taxa in the inornatus complex. In proportions rabori is actually rather larger than all other subspecies of inornatus (including, with the exception of the bill, grandis), and has a proportionately much longer tail ( rabori mean 63.9±2.1,n = 15; P. i. alaris 54.8 ± 2.31, n = 15; C = 4.1) (2); facially it is also distinctive, with a pale brownish-grey (not brownish-black) mask, more diffuse, broken-up supercilium and a paler, greyer crown, altogether making for a rather featureless head (3), browner-grey throat (1) and black blotches on lower hindneck (2). This yields ‘Visayan Rhabdornis’ a score of 8. The other three taxa ( inornatus , leytensis and alaris ) belong together and it is fairly hard to see the basis on which they merit even subspecific recognition. Copsychus (luzoniensis) superciliaris All recent treatments have retained the West Visayan form superciliaris of White-browed Shama C. luzoniensis as conspecific. Collar (2005), noting the lack of both rufous rump and white wing- patch, commented: 'morphologically distinctive; if found to be equally distinctive vocally, may perhaps better be treated as aseparate species’. Peterson (2006) picked out the same characters. However, closer inspection and measurement of specimens reveal that there are another three characters which further distinguish male superciliaris from luzoniensis-. (a) purer whitish flanks ( luzoniensis has the flanks tinged buffy-rufous, which only show as a very slight buffy-grey discoloration in superciliaris), (b) absence or only vestigial presence of the prominent white tail-tips, and (c) distinctly shorter tail despite a very slightly larger size overall, and longer legs (in my samples only males were measured). On this basis superciliaris can be scored on all-dark rump (3), all-dark wings and tail (wings and tail seem best combined) (3), shorter tail with reduced white tips ( luzoniensis mean 82.4 ± 2.69, n = 15; superciliaris 69 + 2.94, n = 14; O = 4.75) (2), longer legs ( luzoniensis mean 26.3 ± 1.1, n = 15; superciliaris 29. 2 ± 1.07,n= 13; 0 = 2.71) (2) and whiter underparts ( u [ 1 ] ) - Thus without the need for vocal evidence — which may not in fact be greatly informative, since both luzoniensis andsuperciliaris are inveterate mimics (D. N. S. Allen in litt. 2008) — a total score of 10 carries ‘Visayan Shama’ to species level. This split has already been promoted on molecular evidence (Lim et al. 2010). 2. Taxonomic challenges requiring further documentation Phapitreron leucotis nigrorum and P. /. brevirostris The central Philippine form nigrorum (Calagna-an, Cebu, Guimaras, Masbate, Negros, Panay, Sibuyan, Tablas, Ticao: Dickinson et al. 1991) differs from nominotypical White-eared Brown Dove P. leucotis (Alabat, Catanduanes, Lubang, Luzon, Marinduque, Mindoro, Verde) in havingabuffy (not vinous-russet) throat (2), buffy (not white) subcilial streak (2), brownish-grey (not pale grey) forecrown shading to greenish (not bronzy-russet) hindcrown and greener, less pinkish mantle and neck-sides (2), and a distinctly shorter wing ( leucotis mean 1 28 ± 3.27, n = 1 0; nigrorum 122 ± 2.24, n = 9; G 2.02) (2); total score 8. It differs from the form P. (/. ) brevirostris (Biliran, Bohol, Calicoan, Camiguin Sur, Dinagat, Leyte, Mindanao, Samar, Siargao, Siquijor, with occipitalis on Basilan andjolo) in havingabuffy (not buffy-whitish) throat (1), buffy (not white subcilial) streak (2), brownish-grey (not strong buffy-white) forecrown shading to greenish (not pinkish) hindcrown and greener, much less pinkish mantle and neck-sides, weaker metallic blue centre to mantle (2), and a longer tail ( nigrorum mean 89.4 ± 3, n = 9; brevirostris 83.7 ± 3.23, n = 10; O 1.84) (1); total score 6. The form brevirostris differs from the nominotypical in having a buffy-whitish (not vinous-russet) throat (u [1]), strong buffy- white (not pale grey) forecrown (2), strongpink (not bronzy-russet) hindneck, pinker tinge on neck-sides and breast ( 1 ), stronger metallic blue centre to mantle (1), and shorter bill ( leucotis mean 20.5 ± 0.53, n = 10; brevirostris 18.6 ± 0.7, n = 10; O 3.07) (2); total score 6. With scores of 6 the forms brevirostris and nigrorum almost achieve species status from leucotis. Clearly, vocal and other evidence will be decisive in these cases. Phapitreron amethystina maculipectus The form maculipectus of Amethyst Brown Dove Phapitreron amethystina seems never to have been regarded as more than a subspecies, at least in the past 70 years (Peters 1 937, Goodwin 1 970, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Dickinson etal. 1991, Inskipp etal. 1996, Baptista et al. 1997, King 1997, Kennedy et al. 2000, Gibbs et al. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus 35 2001, Dickinson 2003). However, it differs relatively strongly from typica \amethystina in having the underparts (malar area spreading to breast including breast-sides and belly) pale grey rather than greyish-tinged purplish-brown (2) , chin and undertail-coverts more whitish than pale rufous (1), breast marked with darkish grey bars (1), and on average a larger size, most notably in tail length (, maculipectus mean 116 + 5.47, n = 25; amethystina 105 ± 4.08, n = 23; O 2.3) (2); score 6. Again, vocal evidence will be crucial in determining the specific status of this form. Ceyx melanurus mindanensis Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher is endemic to the Philippines with three subspecies: melanurus on Luzon, Polillo and Catanduanes, samarensis on Samar and Leyte, and mindanensis on Mindanao and Basilan (Dickinson et al. 1991, Collar et al. 1999). There is insufficient detail in recent reviews of the form mindanensis. Fryer al. (1992) and Woodall (2001) indicated that it differs from the nominotypical (and also samarensis ) by lacking the blue neck-spot and having the wings fringed with chestnut (but indicating that mindanensis and samarensis are similar in size), while Kennedy etal. (2000) simply diagnosed mindanensis on the lack of the blue neck- spot, but also indicated melanurus as the ‘smallest’. In reality, nominate melanurus and samarensis are very similar in appearance although samarensis is larger. Meanwhile mindanensis differs from both in its lack of a blue neck-patch (2); lack of blue starring on the wing-coverts (2) ; strong lilac iridescence on the rear submoustachial area, postocular superciliary area, mantle and back and, as strong spangling, from mid-crown to nape (2); dull rufous tips to wing- coverts and edges to secondaries (u [1]); and slightly larger size (sample size for intermediate-sized samarensis too small to test against mindanensis') . A score of 6, with evidence oflarger size, leaves mindanensis close to species rank, but more work evidently needs to be done, especially as the molecular findings of Marks & Willard (2005) do not tend to support a split. Orthotomus castaneiceps frontalis (and the relationships of O. derbianus) Dickinson etal. (1991) and Kennedy etal. (2000) treated the taxon frontalis (and the closely related race mearnsi) as conspecific with Philippine Tailorbird Orthotomus castaneiceps (with races chloronotus and rabori), although the latter remarked simply that the two forms are sometimes treated as two species. In a footnote Dickinson (2003) explained that in taking this approach these authors were ‘awaiting good acoustic evidence of all the races before considering a split’. Inskipp etal. ( 1 996) accepted this arrangement. Madge (2006), however, proceeded with the split, establishing the Rufous-fronted Tailorbird O. frontalis (with race mearnsi ) because it (a) 'differ [s] in vocalizations’ (although in the Voice section of Madge’s entry on the species this becomes a more tentative ‘appears to differ’) and (b) ‘differs from O. castaneiceps principally in having a grey hood, with rufous restricted to frontal mask’, while the morphometries are given as 1 3 cm and 7 g for castaneiceps and Table 1 . Morphometries of Orthotomus frontalis/mearnsi (Group A) and O. castaneiceps! chloronotus! cobod (Group B). * Sample size different from that given is indicated in brackets after the mean, t 'Hind-claw' includes hind-toe. Bill Tarsus Hind-dawt Wing Tail Group A (n = 30*) mean 17.2(28) 19.9 11.5(12) 43.4 38.6(28) sd 0.52 0.85 0.51 2.25 2.25 Group B (n = 20*) mean 18.6 22.1 13.8(19) 49.7 48.7(19) sd 0.83 1.17 0.62 2.94 2.86 Effect size 2.09 2.19 3.99 2.41 3.74 12 cm and 7 g for frontalis. These latter data are, however, insufficient to indicate the degree of difference in size between the two. Race mearnsi s slightly more smudged mask and slightly brown- tinged grey crown in no way offer an intermediate to the all-rufous crown of castaneiceps , and the differences of (a) frontalis /mearnsi from (b) castaneiceps / chloronotus / rabori are as follows: rufous mask and grey crown vs rufous crown (3), less extensive white-on-slate streaking on breast of respective males (1), disjunction in size (o = >2 for all variables; see Table 1) (2). Clearly with a score of 6 the vocal evidence is crucial. Parkes (1971) made the case for Grey-backed Tailorbird O. derbianus of southern Luzon to be treated as specifically distinct from O. castaneiceps owing to its overlap with O. castaneiceps chloronotus in central Luzon, and this has been widely accepted (Dickinson etal. 1991, Kennedy etal. 2000, Madge 2006) (although it would be good to have further confirmation of this circumstance and evidence of how the birds sing and segregate ecologically in the zone of overlap). However, this arrangement leaves the anomalous situation in which Luzon’s chloronotus continues to be assigned to O. castaneiceps (nominotypical race on Bantayan, Guimaras, Masbate, Panay and Ticao, possibly also Calagna-an and Pan de Azucar, with rabori on Negros and Cebu: Dickinson etal. 1 99 1 ), in a distribution which leapfrogs O. derbianus. This is all the stranger when in morphological terms derbianus is closer to castaneiceps and rabori for its possession of a grey mantle and back (albeit stronger and continuing to the uppertail-coverts). It might therefore be more appropriate for chloronotus to be given monotypic species status under the English name ‘Green-backed Tailorbird’, and for derbianus to be united, still under the name Grey-backed T ailorbird, with castaneiceps and rabori ( derbianus being the oldest name). However, further study incorporating vocal evidence of the whole Orthotomus complex is clearly needed, and it seems safer to leave any rearrangement until vocal and molecular evidence can be assembled and assessed. Phylloscopus trivirgatus nigrorum Philippine populations of Mountain Leaf Warbler lack the bright yellow median crown-stripe (score 2) and broad blackish lateral crown-stripe (score 3) ofotherpopulations (except for the Bornean subspecies kinabaluensis which, being a distinctive greyish form of trivirgatus. has agreyish-white median crown-stripe), replacingthem instead with a plain brownish-olive cap. Moreover, they (at least on Luzon, Mindoro and Negros, i.e. benguetensis and nigrorum, which are the only taxa in BMNH) are paler yellow on the throat and breast (1) (but brighter than kinabaluensis with its washed-out yellowish-grey breast), and have a distinctive slight mottling or barring on the submoustachial area which is echoed more weakly on the cheeks and across the throat; total score 6. As Parkes ( 1971 ) noted (himself quotingE. Mayr), the situation is further complicated by the intra-Philippine variability of populations (which includes vocal variability: Kennedy etal. 2000), so that only an extensive review by ‘some brave soul’ of all relevant evidence, morphological, acoustic and genetic, will be likely to produce a coherent arrangement. This seems likely to take considerable time, especially given the existence of three as-yet undescribed races in the Philippine archipelago (Kennedy etal. 2000: 272),butF.E. Rheindt {in litt. 201 1), when mentioning that genetic and acoustic data are particularly important in determining species limits in Phylloscopus , reports that research in this area is in hand. 3. Unsupported splits Loriculus philippensis bonapartei and L p. camiguinensis Philippine H anging Parrot L. philippensis is a polytypic Philippine endemic forwhichForshaw( 1989) recognised 1 1 subspecies, Collar ( 1 997a) 1 0 and Juniper & Parr ( 1 998) nine, the last-named authors granting species status to one form, bonapartei of the Sulu Islands 36 N. J. COLLAR Forktail 27 (2011) (Sulu or Black-billed Hanging Parrot). Later Tello et al. (2006) realised that birds from Camiguin Sur, previously allocated to the Mindanao race apicalis, represent a taxon, indeed one in their view so morphologically distinct as to merit species status under the name Loriculus camiguinensis (Camiguin Hanging Parrot). Although bonapartei is ostensibly the most distinctive of the Philippine hanging parrots by virtue of having a blackish or dark red (but not bright red) bill (score 2) and dull greyish (not orange) legs (score 3), there is arguably nothing else that distinguishes the form from the suite of other races in pbilippensis. Juniper & Parr (1998) contended that apicalis (Mindanao) and dohertyi (Basilan) have 'much redder-orange napes and a strong orange suffusion on the mantle’, but BMNH material does not wholly support this diagnosis: one specimen of bonapartei (91.12.17.2) has a crown identical in coloration and pattern (bright red shading to orange on the nape) to one of apicalis (1905.1 1.26.143) (hence no score), and the mantle suffusion on this latter is weak; but in any case other races of pbilippensis also lack a mantle suffusion, so that its absence in bonapartei is not an overall diagnostic feature (again no score). Hence the bill and legcolours are the only consistent morphological difference from other taxain the species, and in the absence of other evidence these are not enough to raise bonapartei to species level. The form camiguinensis is intriguing. Unlike other taxa in the species, it shows no sexual dimorphism, with no distinct male plumage. According to Tello et al. (2006), Camiguin birds most resemble females of L. p. worcesteri from Bohol, Leyte and Samar and L. p. apicalis from Mindanao, but differ as follows: ( 1 ) The scarlet of the crown... does not extend as far onto the bright olive green nape as it does in both males and females of L.p. apicalis and L.p. worcesteri... (2) The width of the scarlet crown narrows at the rear edge instead of being rounded as in all other populations. (3) The scarlet (sometimes orange) throat patch that is typical of males in L. pbilippensis is lacking. (4) The face... is extensively turquoise blue and differs from that of females of L. pbilippensis subspecies in that the blue.. . is darker and more extensive, extending over the eye and onto the throat. (5) The turquoise blue in the thighs... is darker than that ofT. pbilippensis populations. (6) The blue in the inner edges of the rectrices above and throughout below is darker... (7) Mean wing chord and tail length of males and tail length of females... are significantly longer than those of nearby L. pbilippensis subspecies. (8) The overall green plumage is a darker shade with less of a yellowish tinge, especially on the back (Tello et al. 2006). Part of the difficulty in contemplating this case is that comparisons were in part limited to the populations geographically closest to Camiguin Sur. But is this entirely appropriate? Certainly if we broaden the review to include all other taxa in the species (some of them almost as close), the results look less clear-cut. Thus concerning point (1) in the diagnosis above, it is to be noted that the scarlet of the crown is also less extensive in nominotypical pbilippensis , mindorensis , bournsi , regains, cbrysonotus and siquijorensis, so this feature is very hard to interpret. As for (2), this is a variable character in material in AMNH and BMNH; for example, BMNH 96.6.6.1045 (a male worcesteri horn Leyte) shows a decidedly tapering scarlet crown width of the type reported for camiguinensis. Point (3) is incontrovertible. Using the photographs in Arndt (2006) it is possible to see that point (4) is likely to be valid in terms of colour shade; however, at least two specimens in BMNH possess as extensive facial blue as in camiguinensis , a nominotypical from Marinduque (96.6.6.1023) and an apicalis from Mindanao (1905.1 1.26.147). The shade ofblue on the thighs and tail (points 5 and 6) is extremely hard to gauge and seems to be a rather variable feature on otherpopulations and taxa. Wing and tail size differences (point 7) may be significant but still involve considerable overlap, and comparison was made with only three other taxa; reference to Forshaw (1989) shows that the forms cbrysonotus and siquijorensis appear to rival and perhaps match camiguinensis on wing and tail length. Overall plumage shade (point 8) seems dubious: it is not obvious in Arndt’s (2006) photographs, and if the comparison was only made with apicalis, which has a slightly yellow-tinged mantle (see above), apossible distortion may have occurred since most other taxa lack yellow tinges in this area. Therefore it seems that the case for species status rests on two unequivocal characters, namely the absence of sexual dimorphism (score 3) and a richer (but not more extensive) blue face (score 1), total score 4. It is worth noting, moreover, that the circumstance of sexual monomorphism in an otherwise sexually dimorphic species (or vice versa) has not normally, in itself, been considered a trigger of species status, e.g. Anas platyrhyncbos diazi , Falco tinnunculus neglectus , Alisterus amboinensis sulaensis, Brachypteryx montana goodfellowi, Pachycepbalapectoralisfeminina and P.p. xantboprocta, Petroica macrocephala dannefaerdi, Malurus alboscapulatus aida, AL a. kutubu and M. a. moretoni, Oriolus cruentus vulneratus, Pbrygilus unicolor inca. DISCUSSION In total, 26 avian taxa that either were almost always (15, of which 12 are in the Philippines) or are still often (11, with 9 in the Philippines) regarded as subspecies are here given support as species using quantitative criteria as outlined in Tobias et al. (2010). Moreover, six near-splits involving Philippine endemics are outlined without reaching a conclusion, and two proposed splits are considered to be unwarranted on the basis of the same criteria. Of course the taxonomic treatment of allopatric forms represents a series of hypotheses that are always open to new evidence, and no method for the evaluation of such forms is without its limitations. This contribution is by no means a comprehensive revision of the Philippine avifauna; it is merely an attempt to support a process that is likely to gather momentum over the next decade or so. In due course, a considerable number of further taxa may be scrutinised with the additional use ofvocal data, which have largely been absent in this review; fieldworkers and birdwatchers are strongly encouraged to step up their efforts to document the voices of the Philippine avifauna. It is now 15 years, for example, since Morris (1996) reported on a population of White-browed Shortwings Brachypteryx montana identified entirely by their different voice, but many other such cases may await discovery. Moreover, because of the very serious levels of habitat destruction in the Philippines, plus the concomitant problems of hunting, there is a real urgency to scrutinise the country’s avifauna in more depth, in terms not only of taxonomy but also of conservation biology. Thus while it is clearly vital to compile data on the conservation status of the species established in this paper in order to determine their IUCN Red List category, it is equally important that, with an avifauna as complex and taxonomically unsettled as the that of Philippines, distinctive populations of all taxa are documented in greater detail, since some and perhaps many will in due course also be elevated to species level. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am very grateful to Des Allen, who furnished a candidate list of potential splits based on his great experience of Philippine birds, and Paul Sweet (AMNH), Robert Prys-Jones (BMNH), Jean Woods (DMNH), Lourdes Alvarez (PNM) andjames Dean (USNM), who allowed me access to the bird specimens in their care. John Croxall, Martin Fowlie, Josep del Hoyo, James Lowen, Fabio Olmos, Joe Tobias and David Wells nominated monomorphic Forktail 27 (2011) Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus 37 caxa within sexually dimorphic species. Selvino de Kort very generously sent recordings and spectograms of Streptopelia perch coos. The late Tim Fisher gave me several very helpful items ofinformation duringconversations. Robert Prys-Jones and Frank Rheindt provided extremely valuable commentaries as referees, and Stuart Butchart made equally useful comments as editor of this paper. REFERENCES Allen, D. 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Verhand. 232. Mees, G. F. (1996) Geographical variation in birds of Java. Publ. Nuttall Orn. Club 26. Morris, P. (1996) Sightings of an unusual, possibly new shortwing in the Philippines. Oriental Bird Club Bull. 23: 55. Myers, N. (1990) The biodiversity challenge: expanded hot-spots analysis. Environmentalist 10: 243-256. Myers, N., Mittermeier, R. A., Mittermeier, C. G., da Fonseca, G. A. B. & Kent, J. (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 43: 853- 858. Parkes, K. C. (1 971 ) Taxonomic and distributional notes on Philippine birds. Nemouria 4. Peters, J. L. (1937) Check-list of birds of the world, 3. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Peters, J. L. (1948) Check-list of birds of the world, 6. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Peterson, A.T. (2006) Taxonomy is important in conservation: a preliminary assessment of Philippine species-level bird taxonomy. Bird Conserv. Internatn. 16: 155-173. Rasmussen, P. C. & Anderton J. C. (2005) Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide. Washington D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. Rheindt, F. E. & Hutchinson, R. O. (2007) A photoshot odyssey through the confused avian taxonomy of Seram and Buru (southern Moluccas). BirdingASIA 7: 1 8-38. Rocamora.G.J.&Yeatman-Berthelot, D.(2009) Family Dicruridae(drongos). Pp.1 72-226 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds. Handbookofthe birds of the world, 14. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. 38 N. J. COLLAR Forktail 27 (2011) Salomonsen, F. (1952) Systematic notes on some Philippine birds. Vidensk. Medd. Dan. Naturhist. Foren. 1 1 4: 341-364. Short, L. L. (1 982) Woodpeckers of the world. Greenville, Delaware: Delaware Museum of Natural History (Monogr. Ser. 4). Sibley, C. G. & Monroe, B. L. (1990) Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. New Haven: Yale University Press. Stattersfield, A. J.& Capper, D. R., eds. (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Cambridge, U.K.: Lynx Edicions for Bird Life International. Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J„ Long, M. J.& Wege, D. C. (1 998) Endemic Bird Areas of the world : priorities for biodiversity conservation. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (Conservation Series 7). Tello, J. G., Degner, J. F., Bates, J. M. & Willard, D. E. (2006) A new species of hanging-parrot (Aves: Psittacidae: Loriculus) from Camiguin Island, Philippines. Fieldiana Zoology 106: 49-57. Tobias, J. A., Seddon, N., Spottiswoode, C. N., Pilgrim, J. D., Fishpool, L. D. C. & Collar, N. J. (20 1 0) Criteria for species delimitation based on phenotype. Ibis 1 52: 724-746. Walther, B. A. & Jones, P. J. (2008) Family Oriolidae (orioles). Pp.692-731 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds. Handbook of the birds of the world, 13. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Winkler, H. & Christie, D. A. (2002) Family Picidae (woodpeckers). Pp.296- 555 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & J. Sargatal, eds. Handbook of the birds of the world, 7. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Winkler, H., Christie, D. A. & Nurney, D. (1995) Woodpeckers. Robertsbridge, UK: Pica Press. Woodall, P. F. (2001) Family Alcedinidae (kingfishers). Pp. 130-249 in J. del Hoyo, A. D. Elliott & J. Sargatal, eds. Handbook of birds of the world, 6. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. N. J. COLLAR, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK, and Bird Group, Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Herts HP23 6AP, UK. Email nigel.collar@birdlife.org FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 39-54 Birds of kerangas, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Central and East Kalimantan, Indonesia I. A.WOXVOLD&R. A. NOSKE We present the results of bird surveys conducted in 2000 and 2006 at 13 sites in the interior lowlands and foothills (<400 masl) of Central and East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The study area spans c.l 70 km east-west between the middle and upper reaches of the Barito and Mahakam Rivers, and more than 100 km north-south from the foothills of the Muller Range. Habitats surveyed include mixed dipterocarp forest, heath forest (kerangas), riparian forest and con verted lands on a variety of substrates. A total of 226 species was recorded, including five Vulnerable species (Crestless Fireback Lophura erythrophthalma, Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, Hook-billed Bulbul Setornis criniger and Bornean Wren Babbler Ptilocichla leucogrammica ) and 59 Near Threatened species. Habitat, land use and soil quality varied widely across the study area. The north-west section of the study area boasts large tracts of intact, continuous-canopy dipterocarp and heath forest and is likely to support viable populations of a variety of rare and threatened species. The influence of logging disturbance is briefly discussed, and the bird communities of dipterocarp and heath forests are broadly compared. INTRODUCTION Sundaland, comprised of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, Bali and Borneo, is among the most biologically diverse and endemically rich regions on earth (Myers eta/. 2000). In recent decades, Sundaic forests have been seriously depleted by multiple large-scale pressures, including legal and illegal logging, conversion to commercial agriculture, smallholder farming, forest fire and unsustainable mining (Siegert eta/. 2001, Holmes 2002, Fuller eta/. 2004, Sodhi et al. 2004, Gibbs etal. 2010). Most of the forest loss has occurred in the biodiversity-rich lowlands, with remaining habitat being converted at a rate that ranks among the highest in the world (Achard et al. 2002, FWI/GFW 2002, MacKinnon 2005, Hansen etal. 2008). As a result, much of the island’s lowland biota is severely depleted and increasingly fragmented, and 109 (c.26%) ofBorneo’s resident bird species are listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as threatened or 'Near Threatened’ with extinction (IUCN 2010) (hereafter ‘IUCN priority species’). Until recently, Kalimantan’s interior forests have been among the last to resist major conversion pressures (Holmes 2002, FWI/ GFW 2002, Fuller et al. 2004), owing in part to their relative remoteness and the nutrient-poor soils that characterise much of the territory (MacKinnon et al. 1996). Indeed, despite the high rates of destruction observed over much of the island, these areas still support the largest tracts of lowland forest remaining in Sundaland, and are therefore capable of playing a critical role in maintaining biodiversity within the region. However, temporary isolation does not amount to immunity, and the majority of Kalimantan’s interior low-elevation forests are presently under licence for timber harvesting, palm oil production, mineral exploration and other development projects (FWI/GFW 2002). Despite the high conservation value ofBorneo’s forests, relatively little is known of the status and distribution of fauna across much of 115°0’E 116’0'E Figure 1. Map showing location survey sites. of 40 I. A. WOXVOLD & R. A. NOSKE Forktail 27 (2011) the island. T o date, the majority of ornithological research has focused on the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah and the near-coastal forests ol Kalimantan (Mann 2008). Among the relatively few recent surveys conducted in Kalimantan’s vast interior, most have focused on sub/montane habitats (e.g. Nurwatha 1996, van Balen 1997, Brickie et al. 2010) or wetlands (e.g. van Balen 1996, Gonner 2000, Budiono et al. 2006). Consequently, the distribution of avifauna throughout much of the interior lowlands is still poorly understood. In this paper we present the results of three rapid-assessment ornithological surveys conducted in 2000 and 2006 between the Barito and Mahakam Rivers in the interior lowlands and hills of Central and East Kalimantan (Figure 1). Prior knowledge of the avifauna of this region comes largely from collections acquired during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (e.g. C. Schwaner 1 843- Table 1 . Survey dates, base coordinates and survey effort summaries for each survey site. Site Dates Base coordinates Latitude Longitude Elevation (m) Observation hours' Mist- netting (Diurnal net-metre hrs) Phase 1 2000 1 22-27 March 0°00.05S 114°55.23E 180 23.5 4,648 2 29 Mar-1 Apr 0°03.90S 1 14°55.09E 300 19.5 5,264 3 3-4 Apr 0°03.92S 1 14°52.30E 280 10.5 1,862 4 5-8 Apr 0°06.73S 114°51.31E 320 13.0 3,724 Phase II 2006 5 (Muara Tuhup) 19-27 Feb 0°36.98S 114°48.17E 35 35.5 5,514 6 27 Feb-5 Mar 0°05.185 1 14°53.04E 265 36.75 5,381 4 5-13, 18 Mar 0°06.73S 1 14°51 .3 1 E 320 39 6,328 2 12-17 Mar 0°03.90S 114°55.09E 300 28.25 2,349 7 18-26 Mar 0°11.75S 114°53.60E 65 14.75 2,905 8 18-26 Mar 0°14.50S 114°56.10E 65 14.25 - 9 (Baloi) 26-30 Mar 0°18.16S 115°01.14E 50 10.25 842 10 28-29 Mar 0°1 7.84S 1 1 5°04.99E 50 10.25 - Phase III 2006 11 (Empakuq) 20-24 May 0°16.89S 115°51.35E 35 22 1,208 12 25-28 May 0°21.03S 115°19.49E 95 15.5 1,551 13 (Dempar) 28-31 May 0°22.10S 115°30.63E 25 13.75 1,080 1 'Observation hours' includes formal, active search time only and excludes periods of opportunistic birding (e.g. sightings from camp, deploying and retrieving mist-nets, reconnaissance drives, etc.). Table 2. Habitats encountered at each survey site. Site MDF Riparian forest Heath forest ( kerangas ) Converted lands North-west 1 -|b/c? 1? 2 1-2b 6,7b 3 5b> 4 3-4b 5b, 75 6 2-4' 1-3b 6bd Central West 7 2-3b 1-4b 8 3bf, 4’ 6' 9 (Baloi) 4' 9, IT 10 2-4b 12 2‘, 3‘5, 4‘ Tuhup & East 5 (Muara Tuhup) 2b 2-3b 9-1 T 11 (Empakuq) 49 1b 8d 9“, 10a-9, 1 1ad 13 (Dempar) 2«-9, 3-4« 3-4at 9—11“ MDFand riparian forest: 1 = primary, 2 = lightly logged/disturbed, 3 = moderately logged/disturbed, 4 = heavily logged: Kerangas: 5 = tall (25-30 m), 6 = moderate-height (15-25 m), 7 = short (12— 15 m), 8= stunted (<6 m); Converted lands: 9= rubber/fruitkef>tf/?andpost-M7r?2 ha at these sites. Sites 1 and 2 were situated in State Protection Forest {Hutan Lmdung ) on the western rim ’of the Mahakam River catchment Forktail 27 (2011) Birds of kerangas, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Kalimantan 41 (East Kalimantan). The steep, hilly topography supported largely undisturbed MDF on yellow clays, and an area of kerangas c. 1 km west of the Site 2 camp. Central West: Sites 7, 8, 9, 1 0 and 1 2 Surveys of the central western section were conducted from an established camp at Site 7, Baloi village (Site 9) and a temporary forest camp (Site 12) located nearaloggingcampc.5 km south-west of Intu Lingau village. Areas around Sites 8 and 10 were accessed from Sites 7 and 9. Legal and illegal logging were active across this region, including in areas of Protection Forest around Sites 8, 9 and 10. Most of the habitat consisted of lightly to heavily logged MDF. Closed-canopy forest was less common than in the north-west, although extensive areas of lightly logged forest still occurred on the steep clays between Sites 7 and 8. Sites 1 0 and 1 2 were characterised by undulating hills traversed by streams and small rivers, with lightly to heavily logged MDF on sandy clays. At the time of the surveys, forest at Site 1 2 was subject to illegal manual logging following initial and legitimate mechanised logging. Areas east of Site 8 and around Site 9 were flat with fertile volcanic soils and had been heavily logged in preparation for oil palm Elaeis guineensis. Also surveyed were riparian forest on limited-width riverine flats at Site 7, and an isolated patch of kerangas on poorly drained, infertile soils west of Site 8. Cultivated land predominated at Baloi village (rubber/fruit kebun [gardens] and active ladang [agricultural fields]). Tuhup and the East: Sites 5, 1 1 and 1 3 Surveys of this sector were conducted from three sites situated on major rivers: Muara Tuhup village (Site 5) on the Barito River, Empakuq village (Site 11) on the Mahakam River and Dempar village (Site 1 3) on the Nyuatan River, a major Mahakam tributary. These areas are well populated, and non-riparian habitats were characterised by a matrix of converted lands associated with shifting cultivation (active ladang and regrowth, rubber/fruit kebun, secondary forest) interspersed with remnantpatchesofMDF.MDF remnants were typically infrequent and small (<50 ha), and often located on ridges, steep slopes or on poorly drained soils presumably unsuitable for agriculture. These habitats were surveyed along the 5 km section of road leading north from Site 5, in lands west of the Nyuatan River accessed from three landing sites located 1-3 km downstream from Site 1 3, and in an area south-west of the Mahakam River that ran some 4 km south from Site 1 1 . Birds were also surveyed in stunted (<6 m high), heavily fragmented kerangas protected within the Kersik Luway Nature Reserve (c.5,000 ha). Riparian habitats were surveyed along the Barito and Nyuatan Rivers and in undisturbed backwater swamp forest behind the eastern banks of the Mahakam River near Empakuq. METHODS Survey methods Birds were formally surveyed using a combination of active searches and mist-netting. Active surveys were conducted along logging roads and vehicular tracks, along walking trails in closed forest and along the banks of rivers and creeks, and by boat along the Nyuatan and Mahakam Rivers and in undisturbed swamp forest near Empakuq. Care was taken to avoid double-counting of mobile species (e.g. aerial foragers, raptors) during active surveys, and cumulative counts were avoided where trails were walked more than once. Active surveys were preferentially conducted early to mid-morning (05h30- 1 OhOO, Central Kalimantan time) and from late afternoon to shortly after dusk ( 15h00- 18h30) to cover active periods of both diurnal and nocturnal birds. Opportunistic observations were also recorded from camps and during reconnaissance drives. Birds were identified visually and by call. Unfamiliar calls and periods of peak birdsong activity (e.g. dawn chorus, noisy feeding flocks) were routinely recorded by IAW in 2006 usinga Sony HiMD minidisc recorder and Sennheiser ME64 cardioid microphone. Unfamiliar calls were matched against an extensive database of South-East Asian birdcalls (Scharringa2005; www.xeno-canto.org/ asia/ ; www.hkbws.org.hk; personal records). At selected sites calls were played aloud using a Toa 15-watt megaphone in an effort to elucidate a response from cryptic species (e.g. night birds, pheasants, partridges and babblers). Between 2 and 11 mist-nets (6-14 m, 31 mm mesh) were deployed at most sites for a total of more than 42,000 diurnal net- metre hours (Table 1). Most nets were erected close to the ground (all <7 m high) and checked hourly by the authors or trained assistants. Nets were furled duringperiods of heavy rain and at night. Direct observational data were supplemented with records provided by local villagers from Baloi, Intu Lingau, Dempar and Muara Tuhup. During interviews, villagers who displayed a particular knowledge oflocal avifauna were shown images ofselected birds in MacKinnon & Phillipps ( 1 999) . A conservative approach was adopted when interpretinginformation from local informants; the opinions reported here are provided with relevant context and concern only those species that are likely to be snared by hunters and/or are kept as pets. Birds were censused using point counts in 2006, the results of which are to appear elsewhere. Estimates of abundance are provided " in the text for IUCN priority species. Taxonomy, status and statistical methods Sequence and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow Inskipp et al. (1996). The global conservation status of all species was taken from IUCN (2010). The list of species protected under Indonesian law was obtained from Noerdjito & Maryanto (2001). We used species accumulation curves and a cluster analysis to explore the data and help to illustrate inventory completeness and patterns of bird community composition across the landscape. Survey sites were clustered according to similarity in species composition by means of a hierarchical (agglomerative) cluster analysis using the SPSS version 12.0 statistical package. A dendrogram was generated from presence/absence data using the centroid method and Jaccard’s similarity index. RESULTS A total of 226 species from 41 families was directly recorded (excluding information from local informants) (Appendix 1), including five species listed as threatened by IUCN (Crestless Fireback Lopbura erythrophthalma. Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei , Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilosjavanicus, Hook-billed Bulbul Setornis criniger and Bornean Wren Babbler Ptilocichla leucogrammica), 59 Near Threatened species, and 43 species that are protected under Indonesian law. Ninety-seven species are endemic to the Sunda subregion, two are restricted to the Greater Sunda islands and eight are Bornean endemics. Species discovery curves for each of the nine sites surveyed in 2006 are shown in Figure 2. Species totals (excluding provisional records) were highest at Sites 4 (131) and 2 (113), and lowest at Sites 10 (51), 3 (76) and 12(78). Variation in survey time influenced the completeness of inventories amongsites. Shorter surveys at Sites 9, 10, 12 and 13 yielded lists that fall well short of a full census. However, despite more extensive surveys at other locations, by the end of each survey new bird species were still being recorded daily, and none of the curves in Figure 2 approaches a clear asymptote. A total of 440 birds from 67 species were captured in mist-nets (Appendix 1). At most sites multiple species were captured that 42 I. A. WOXVOLD & R. A. NOSKE Forktail 27 (201 1 ) Survey Effort (hrs) Figure 2. Species discovery curves (mist-net records excluded) for each of the 1 1 sites surveyed in 2006. Figures show site codes. r Northwest < Central west < v 1 3 4 11 13 5 9 12 7 8 10 Figure 3. Dendrogram showing similarity between survey sites based on bird species composition. The dotted line indicates the point at which three broadly recognisable avifaunal sectors (as discussed in the text) were separated. Figures show site codes. were not detected by sight or sound. Across the study area, five species were confirmed present by trapping only: Rufous-chested Flycatcher Ficedula dumetoria, Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurus ruficapillus , Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteron albogulare, Striped Wren Babbler Kenopia striata and Grey-headed Babbler Stachyris poliocephala. Four species (Crested Fireback Lophura ignita, Bulwer’s Pheasant L. bulweri, Bornean Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron schleiermacheri and Bornean Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiatus ) were not recorded directly but are provisionally included in Appendix 1 based on information provided by local residents or field assistants. A comparison of species composition between study sites showed that locations clustered broadly according to geographic proximity (Figures 1 and 3). Thus the five sites within each of the north-west and central west regions of the study area formed separate clusters. In the north-west, bird communities at Sites 2 and 6 were most similar, while those of Sites 3 and 4 were also similar, although themselves rather distinct from the former site-pair. In the central west the bird communities at Sites 7 and 8 were most similar. Together with Site 5, the two easternmost sites (1 1 and 13) formed a third cluster. Selected species accounts Species accounts are provided for globally threatened taxa and/or species rarely recorded in Kalimantan according to Mann (2008). Unless otherwise stated, numbers of individuals recorded in specific habitats (described in the text or shown as figures in brackets) are taken from 2006 survey data. Relative abundance does not accurately reflect a preference for various habitats as not all habitats were surveyed equally. Crestless Fireback Lophura erythrophthalma (Vulnerable) In 2006 individual males were captured in gully kerangas at 260 m near Site 6, and in a sloping gully in lightly disturbed MDF at 300 m at Site 2. Two small, dark, female Lophura observed briefly near Site 4 in 2006 were also considered most likely this species. From c.50 m the birds were flushed from beneath felled trees on the edge of a c. 1 ha regenerating clearing and flew some 15m away from the observer into tall kerangas on a steep slope. Lophura are commonly snared by local hunters and the genus was recognised during all interviews. There is much potential for confusion, however, and some interviewees regarded male Crested L. ignita and Crestless Firebacks as separate sexes of the same species, suggesting both may occur in at least some areas. An experienced hunter interviewed at Dempar (Site 1 3) claimed to have eaten this or a Crested Fireback earlier the same day. Considered scarce in Borneo (BirdLife International 2001, Madge & McGowan 2002, Mann 2008); recorded at Barito Ulu (Wilkinson et al. 1991). [Bulwer's Pheasant Lophura bulweri (Vulnerable) A scarce resident of (mostly) hill and montane forests, this species was the most commonly recorded Lophura at Barito Ulu in 1989, where it was encountered between 150 and 250 m (W ilkinson etal. 1991). In 2006 a field assistant (Pandam Nugroho) saw a white¬ tailed pheasant from close range at c.27 5 m at Site 2. In addition, the hunter at Dempar claimed to know Bulwer’s Pheasant from forest around Intu Lingau, but said it was no longer present in areas that had been logged.] [Bornean Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron schleiermacheri (Endangered) A rare Bornean endemic with most recent records coming from Kalimantan (Madge & McGowan 2002, Mann 2008). The hunter at Dempar recognised this species and, unprompted, correctly pointed out the twin leg spurs unique among the island’s pheasants. He reported that it was formerly present in hunting grounds around Intu Lingau but he had not seen it after the area was logged. Not recorded at Barito Ulu (Wilkinson etal. 1991).] Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus The distinctive song of this species was heard for extended periods (c. 20 minutes) shortly after dusk, and occasionally during the night, over two consecutive nights ( 1 3 and 1 4 March 2006) from an area of disturbed forest adjacent to a small river at Site 2. Previously recorded in small numbers as a winter visitor to Malaysian Borneo and Brunei (C. i.jotaka) (Mann 2008), Brickie et al. (2010) note that their recent record from the Menyapa Mountains in East Kalimantan is the only other traceable record from Indonesian Borneo. Migratory races are typically less vocal on their wintering grounds, where they ‘occasionally sing briefly’ (Cleere 1998: 230). The presence of breedinghirds cannot be ruled out. Forktail 27 (2011) Birds of kerangas, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Kalimantan 43 Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei (Vulnerable) A sparsely distributed inhabitant mostly ofprimary lowland Sundaic forests (BirdLife International 2001, Mann 2008). In 2006 agroup of 10 birds was seen leaving a remnant patch of mature MDF in agricultural land near Site 5. Smaller numbers were recorded in logged MDF on volcanic soils near Sites 8 (3) and 9(1). Its dependence on large figs suggests that this species is likely to be less common in kerangas and other low productivity forests, and it was not recorded in the relatively intact low-nutrient forests in the north¬ west of the study area. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Occurs as a winter visitor and passage migrant throughout the year, with birds in breeding plumage suggesting the species may breed in Borneo, although this is yet to be confirmed (Mann 2008). On 22 May 2006, six birds in breeding dress were observed along the Mahakam River on the southern outskirts of Melak, a short distance upstream from Empakuq (Site 13). Birds were observed movingoverland between the river and an unknown location to the west. Blyth's/Wallace's Hawk Eagle Spizaetus alboniger/nanus (/ Vulnerable) In 2006 a juvenile, long-crested hawk eagle was observed perched in a tree along the main road at Site 12. Blyth’s and Wallace’s Hawk Eagles, particularly juveniles, can be difficult to separate in the field (BirdLife International 2001, Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2005). Although the low elevation (95 m) is often considered more suitable for the Vulnerable Wallace’s Hawk Eagle (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2005), Blyth’s Hawk Eagle has been reported from comparable altitudes in some localities (e.g. 130 m, Barito Ulu, Wilkinson eta/. 1991). Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus (Vulnerable) I n Kalimantan this species occurs mostly along the Mahakam River (especially the Mahakam Lakes: Conner 2000) and in scattered localities near the south coast including near Banjarmasin and along the Negara River (BirdLife International 200 1 , Budiono etal. 2006). In 2006 two Lesser Adjutants were recorded over heavily logged forest c.3 km north-east of Site 9. The birds were observed from a distance of c. 1 km and rose on a thermal for over a minute before headingsouth. The habitat there included numerous small marshes created when the construction of a logging track interrupted drainage by a series of streams. Lesser Adjutants wander extensively (Mann 2008), and individuals may visit these areas as they travel between strongholds elsewhere. Discussions with local villagers suggest that the species does not occur frequently in the local area; it was not recognised by hunters from nearby Baloi, and a villager at Intu Lingau knew of this species only from the Mahakam Lakes. Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina An uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant, mostly to northern Borneo. In 2006 a male was seen singing on the edge of tall kerangas near Site 4. This is the second record for Central Kalimantan (Mann 2008). White-vented Myna Acridotheres cinereus White-vented (Javan) Mynas, believed to be of captive origin, were first recorded in Borneo around Banjarmasin and Kuching in the 1 970s and 1 980s, and have since become established there. In 2006 two White-vented Mynas were observed in wet grazingland adjacent to the Mahakam River between Melak and Empakuq village. The birds rested on cattle, foraged on the ground and flew to cover in nearby fruit trees and secondary growth. This is the first record of this species from interior Borneo and the first confirmed record for East Kalimantan, although Smythies ( 1 999) suggested that a record of Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus from Rasamala on the lower Mahakam may in fact refer to this species. Hook-billed Bulbul Setornis criniger (Vulnerable) Endemic to the islands of Borneo, Sumatra and Bangka in the Greater Sundas. While generally regarded a specialist resident of kerangas and peat-swamp forests (Dutson et al. 1991, BirdLife International 2001), it has also been recorded in submontane (Dutson etal. 1991) and degraded mixed dipterocarp habitats (IAW pers. obs.). In 2000 a single bird was observed in kerangas at Site 2. It was not recorded in 2006. At nearby Barito Ulu it was recorded at several localities across a range of altitudes (120-1, 000m), where it showed a marked preference for kerangas (Dutson et al. 1991, Wilkinson etal. 1991). Oriental/Everett's White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus/everetti In 2006 three Zosterops were observed foraging in the canopy of a fruiting tree in moderately logged MDF at Site 7 and two were seen in similar habitat at Site 10. All birds showed grey flanks aside a yellow ventral line, though views were insufficient to distinguish between Oriental and Everett’s White-eye. There are no records of Oriental White-eye from Central Kalimantan and Everett’s White- eye is known from that province only at Barito Ulu (Wilkinson et al. 1991, Mann 2008). Bornean Wren Babbler Ptilocichlaleucogrammica (Vulnerable) "■ A scarce Bornean endemic of lowland primary evergreen forests and, less commonly, peat-swamp and logged forests (Lambert 1992, BirdLife International 200 1 ). In 2006 at least three individuals were heard in lightly logged MDF at Site 2, and a single bird was heard in a large, mixed-species feeding flock in a ‘belt’ of MDF surrounded predominantly by kerangas at Site 6. Not recorded in 2000. [Eyebrowed Wren Babbler Napothera epilepidota In Borneo a scarce resident of hill and montane forest (Mann 2008). In 2006 a song attributed to this species was heard from close range at c.27 5 m in lightly logged gully MDF at Site 4. The bird was calling from sparse undergrowth alongside a rocky stream in steep, terraced, gully forest. The bird was not observed. However, the repeated thin, clear, falling whistles immediately recalled and proved indistinguishable from the characteristic song of this species (a pre¬ recording being immediately on hand for comparison). There was no response to call playback the following morning. In Central Kalimantan this species has been recorded previously only at Barito LUu (800-900 m, Wilkinson et al. 1991). Although it occurs at comparable altitudes in mainland South-East Asia, if confirmed, this is the lowest reported Sundaic elevation for this species.] DISCUSSION These surveys reveal that the study area currently supports a rich bird assemblage which varies in community composition across the landscape. Of the 226 species recorded, nearly half (43.8%) are of global and/or national conservation significance, and more than one quarter (28.3%) are IUCNpriority species. The high proportion oflUCN priority species recorded here is consistent with the results of bird surveys conducted elsewhere in lowland Borneo (e.g. Eames 2005), and reflects the extreme pressure placed on Indonesia’s biota by the wholesale destruction of lowland forest and the high degree of international concern it has evoked (BirdLife International 200 1 , Holmes 2002, Sodhi et al. 2004). Temporal and logistic constraints limited survey completeness at individual sites, and many more species will no doubt be recorded from the study area given additional survey time. Nevertheless, the combined list for all sites includes nearly three-quarters of 44 I. A.WOXVOLD&R. A. NOSKE Forktail 27 (2011) Kalimantan’s resident lowland forest bird species (c. 210/295, excludingwaterbirds and migrants), and provides a useful base upon which to discuss how changes in habitat and land use influence avian community structure, and conservation value, at the landscape level. A cluster analysis grouped bird communities into three broadly distinguishable avifaunal 'regions’. Sites within regions shared similar habitat features (see Methods) and in most cases sites clustered according to geographic proximity. Tuhup and the east As is the pattern in many developing regions (e.g. Tatem & Hay 2004), settlement in Borneo is most intensive in coastal areas and along its major roads and rivers. Sites 5, 1 1 and 13 were situated on the largest and only truly navigable watercourses visited during these surveys, and accordingly were the most densely populated. The distinctiveness of their avifauna was largely due to the dominant presence of converted lands and extensive riparian habitats along the Barito, Mahakam and Nyuatan Rivers. Of 23 species recorded only at these sites, nine (39.1%) are residents of agricultural lands, urban areas and heavily disturbed forests (Blue-throated Bee-eater Merops viridis. Rock Pigeon Columba Uvia, nightjar sp. (probably Savanna/Large-tailed), Black¬ thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius. White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus. Common Iora Aegithina tiphia, White-vented Myna, Scarlet-backed FlowerpeckerD/oreww cruentatum , Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis), four (17.4%) are found almost exclusively in wetlands (Stork-billed Kingfisher Halcyon capensis, Whiskered Tern, White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus. Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) , and four are predominantly riparian and secondary forest species that were recorded only in the Mahakam swamps (Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon Treron fulvicollis , Oriental Pied Hornbill Antbracoceros albirostris , Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos , Malaysian Blue Flycatcher Cyornis turcosus). The value of riparian forest to wildlife and humans alike, particularly in converted landscapes, has been a topic of some focus (e.g. Darveau et al. 1995, de Lima & Gascon 1999, Lees & Peres 2008). In the present study, 20 Near Threatened bird species were recorded in riparian forest at these sites. The majority of these were recorded more widely across the study area and in a variety of forest habitats. Riparian forest is of more direct importance to species such as Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon, Malaysian Blue Flycatcher (at least on Borneo) and especially Grey-headed Fish Eagle. Thirteen Near Threatened species were recorded in converted habitats at these sites (Buff-necked Woodpecker Meiglyptes tukki , Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesii , Red-throated Barbet M. mystacophanos , Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon , Green Iora Aegithina viridissima , Black-and-white Bulbul Pycnonotus melanoleucos , Puff-backed Bulbul P. eutilotus. Buff-vented Bulbul Ioleolivacea, Short-tailed P>2ddo\crMalacocincla malaccensis , Rufous- crowned Babbler Malacopteron magnum. Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler Macronous ptilosus , Brown Fulvetta Alcippe brunneicauda. Scarlet¬ breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus thoracicus). All are Sundaic endemics and most occur predominantly or solely below c.800 m. Most of these species were recorded in secondary forest ( vis-a-vis active ladang, gardens, regrowth scrub, urban areas). The role of secondary forests in preserving biodiversity is emerging as a key issue in tropical conservation biology (Wright & Muller-Landau 2006, Chazdon et al. 2009). While there are extensive records of the occurrence of Bornean birds in converted habitats (summarised in Mann 2008), most are based on informal observations (cf. e.g. Koh 2008, Edwards et al. 2010), and there is a growing need for detailed studies into the value of such habitats. In particular, future studies should examine the potential for secondary habitats to support forest¬ dwelling Sundaic birds in relation to a variety of geographic and ecologicalparameters, includingthe size, shape and degree ofisolation (from primary forest) of individual habitat patches, stage of regeneration, and floristic, structural and edaphic characteristics. In a national context, converted lands supported a variety of passerines protected under Indonesian law, including the Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica, numerous sunbirds and the Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra. This situation reflects the current legislative focus on culturally significant species rather than on those forest-dependent birds that have suffered most from the destruction of Sundaic forests. Anthropogenic landscapes also included small areas (often <5 ha) of remnant primary and/ or moderately disturbed MDF within the dominant agricultural matrix. In these fragments a number of Near Threatened passerines were recorded, including Black-and- yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus, Lesser Green Leafbird, Green Iora, Rufous-tailed Shama Trichixospyrropyga , and a variety of bulbuls and babblers. They also provided a source of fruiting trees for mobile frugivores such as hornbills and barbers. While forest fragments do not match continuous forest in avian diversity and abundance (Edwards et al. 2010), depending on their size, condition and proximity to remnant habitats, and, especially in relation to larger species such as hornbills, on the prevalence of hunting, these remnant forest patches may be important for the persistence of local or regional populations of some (but not all) species from a variety of guilds (Kinnaird & O’Brien 2007, Edwards et al. 2010). The north-west and central west forests Larger areas of forest were surveyed in the north-west and central west sections of the study area. The structure, condition and soil profile of these forests were highly variable. Noticeable differences in habitat between these regions included: (1) extensive, predominantly intact kerangas present in the north-west; (2) the presence of rich, volcanic soils near Sites 8 and 9; and (3) continuing intensive logging near Sites 9, 10 and 12. The north-west section is situated within an increasingly rare example of a large expanse of relatively intact Indonesian lowland and hill forest which stretches far west and north across the Murung Raya district. This area is likely to support viable populations of at least three Vulnerable species recorded during the surveys: Crestless Fireback, Hook-billed Bulbul and Bornean Wren Babbler. Further surveys may reveal/confirm the presence of additional threatened taxasuch as Black Partridge Melanoperdix nigra, Bulwer’s Pheasant, Bornean Peacock Pheasant, Bonaparte’s Nightjar Caprimulgus concretus. Large Green Pigeon and Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii. Of these species all but the Bornean Peacock Pheasant and Bonaparte’s Nightjar are known from Barito Ulu (Wilkinson et al. 1991). The structural integrity of kerangas was high in comparison to most MDF surveyed. These low-productivity forests are of limited interest to loggers or farmers, and comparatively few logging roads were traversed while surveying this habitat. Kerangas supports a handful of (near-)specialist species such as the Grey-breasted Babbler and Hook-billed Bulbul, both of which were found only in the north¬ west, but have also been found further west in Barito Ulu (Wilkinson et al. 1991). In 2006 a further 22 species were recorded only in the north-west, most of which may also be expected to occur within the study area in forests to the south. Much of the forest surveyed in the central west was already heavily disturbed. Forest on the rich volcanic plains around Sites 8 and 9 had been very heavily logged and few emergent trees remained. Nevertheless, these sites did support a relatively rich bird community, with 1 1 7species recorded (including34IUCN priority species) over a relatively short survey period (Fig. 2). If left alone, forest on these soils can be expected to make a rapid recovery relative to logged forest in less fertile areas. Unfortunately it is these fertile Forktail 27 (201 1 ) Birds of kerangas, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Kalimantan 45 lowland forests on gentle terrain that are targeted most heavily by developers seeking to plant crops such as oil palm. Following intensive logging, forest on less fertile soils at Site 12 was of a similar structure to that observed at Sites 8 and 9. Many forest birds common at other locations in the central west were scarce at Site 12, and a number of vocal species were not recorded during the brief survey (e.g. Red-throated Barbet, Yellow-crowned Barbet Megalaima henricii , Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati, Blue-winged Leafbird C. cochinchinensis, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis. Yellow-bellied Bulbul Alophoixus pbaeocephalus. Moustached Babbler Malacopteron magnirostre and Sooty-capped Babbler M. affine). Although barbets vocalise less at certain periods (Wells 1999), both the Red-throated and Yellow- crowned Barbets were heard at Site 13 immediately after the Site 12 survey, suggesting their silence at Site 12 was not merely seasonal. Species richness was clearly lower at Site 12 than on the more fertile soils at Sites 8 and 9 (Fig. 2), but this was not formally quantified. Logged forests play a critical role in preserving biodiversity within Sundaic landscapes (Berry et al. 2010, Edwards et al. 2011). The influence ofsoil quality on the conservation value of degraded Sundaic forest habitats may be a worthwhile direction of inquiry. Studies of rainforest bird communities have often shown that terrestrial and understorey insectivores are sensitive to logging and habitat fragmentation (Johns 1996, Lambert 1992, Thiollay 1997, Lambert & Collar 2002, Peh et al. 2005, Edwards et al. 2009). In addition to habitat loss and degradation, hunting pressure is likely to be high in the vicinity of logging camps (e.g. Bennett etal. 2000), such as those active at the time of survey near Sites 8, 9 and 1 2, with pheasants and partridges actively targeted by snaring. During our surveys a number of terrestrial taxa such as pheasants and wren babblers were scarce or absent from the logged forests of the central west. A notable exception was a Crested Partridge Rollulus rouloul heard calling in moderately logged forest at Site 1 0. By contrast, the Crestless Fireback, Great Argus Argusianus argus , Bornean Wren Babbler, Striped Wren Babbler Kenopia striata and Eyebrowed W ren Babbler were only recorded in the less disturbed forests of the north-west. Woodpecker diversity and abundance were also lower in the heavily logged forests around Sites 8, 9 and 10 where few large trees remained. Lambert (1992) reported a similar pattern among woodpeckers in logged compared with primary forests of lowland Sabah, while Lammertink (2004) reported no change in species richness over increasing levels of forest disturbance in West Kalimantan. As with many other taxa, the relationship between woodpeckers andloggingdisturbance is complex, with various studies indicating a variety of responses both within and between species (Meijaard etal. 2005). Community structure in dipterocarp forest and kerangas Soil quality in the north-west was generally poor; kerangas was common and unlogged MDF was of a smaller stature than at Sites 7 and 10 and many other regions of lowland Kalimantan (Paoli 2006). The low-nutrient, acidic soils of this region supported relatively few fruiting trees. Accordingly, a number of frugivorous guilds were poorly represented in kerangas , with many species of hornbill, pigeons and doves, bulbuls, partridges and pheasants (insectivore/frugivores) apparently scarce or absent. Low hornbill abundance has also been reported in the nutrient-poor forests of Barito Ulu (McConkey & Chivers 2004). A notable exception was the Crestless Fireback: three of the four individuals encountered in 2006 were encountered in kerangas. Compared to MDF, a number of insectivores were also poorly represented in kerangas. Many terrestrial insectivores recorded in MDF were not recorded in kerangas (e.g. wren babblers, White¬ chested Babbler Trichastoma rostratum), and muscicapid flycatchers. cuckoos and cuckooshrikes were relatively scarce and species-poor. In addition, some woodpeckers that were common in MDF were either not recorded inker angas (Crimson-winged WoodpeckerRicws puniceus , Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus) or were present in relatively low numbers (Buff-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis). The diversity and abundance of invertebrates is reportedly lower in kerangas , a pattern attributed to the relatively low floristic and structural diversity present in this habitat (MacKinnon et al. 1996, Robinson & Tuck 1996). As well as a reduced availability of larval and non-flying insects, the relative scarcity of large trees may have rendered heath forests within the study area less suitable for many woodpecker species. Final remarks These surveys help to provide a basic understanding of avian community composition and the habitat preferences ofvarious taxa within the study area. Flowever, our data are insufficient to allow a detailed assessment of the distribution and status of many rare and threatened species that have been recorded or are likely to occur. Nevertheless, it appears likely that the western portion of our study area does support viable populations of at least four globally threatened bird species (Crestless Fireback, Large Green Pigeon, Hook-billed Bulbul, Bornean Wren Babbler), and that further surveys may confirm the presence of additional priority taxa. The occurrence of these species meets the criteria set by BirdLife International (2009) for this region to be nominated a global ' Important Bird Area (IBA). Processes threatening forest in the present study area include unsustainable logging, agro-industrial plantations (oil palm) and, in the north-west and immediate surrounds, small-scale mining, in particular those miningleases issued by local government. A number of mineral and resource companies have been actively commissioning biological surveys in the vicinity of our study area. In a broader context, with much of Kalimantan’s interior still unsurveyed, further work will be essential to provide the basic information that is normally required to prioritise areas for conservation. Unfortunately, much of Kalimantan’s forests are converted without prior knowledge of the wildlife they contain. This increases both the urgency of additional surveys in, and the inherent conservation value of, remaining tracts of relatively intact and continuous canopy forest. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank all members of the 2000 and 2006 biodiversity survey teams for their assistance and support in the field: Gary Paoli, Darrell Kitchener, Rob Stuebing, Greg Richards, Djoko Iskandar, Ibnu Maryanto, Umilaela, Tan Heok Hui, Daisy Wowor, Raymond Goh and Pandam Nugroho. For their role in planning and organising the 2006 surveys we are grateful to Francis Crome and staff at Coffey Natural Systems. Many thanks to those local residents who generously assisted us in the field and for their willingness to share valuable local knowledge: Paulus, Lieu, Bangsawan, Edimanto, Ryan Rika, Sarjono, Hongi, Suria Atmajah, Aspuri, Harno and Watmiardi. Special thanks to Gary Paoli for sharinghis detailed knowledge of the flora and habitats ofKalimantan. Many thanks also to Bas van Balen, Jelle Scharringa and Martjan Lammertink for their help in identifying unfamiliar bird sounds recorded by IAW in 2006, and to David Edwards, Nigel Collar and an anonymous referee for providing helpful comments to improve this manuscript. REFERENCES Achard, F„ Eva, H. D., Stibig, H.-J., Mayaux, P., Gallego, 1, Richards, T. & Malingreau, J.-P. (2002) Determination of deforestation rates of the world's humid tropical forests. Science 297: 999-1002. 46 I. A. WOXVOLD & R. A. 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Wilkinson, R., Dutson, G. & Sheldon, B. (1991) The avifauna of Barito Ulu, central Borneo. Cambridge, UK: International Council for Bird Preservation (Study Report 48). Wright, S.J.&Mul ler-Landau,H.C. (2006) The future of tropical forest species. Biotropica 38: 287-301 . lain A. WOXVOLD, Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Email: iwoxvold@unimelb.edu.au Richard A. NOSKE, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia. Email: Richard.Noske@cdu.edu.au Appendix 1 Birds recorded in Central and East Kalimantan in 2000 and 2006 CS = conservation status; SS = seasonal status Species12 CSB SS4 Site5 Habitat6 Crested Partridge Rollulus rouloul NT R 1,10 MDF Crestless Fireback Lophura erythrophthalma (2) VU R 2, [4], 6 MDF, ker [Crested Fireback Lophura ignita] NT R 12(L),13(L) [Bulwer's Pheasant Lophura bulweri ] VU, P R [2],12(L*) MDF [Bornean Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron schleiermacheri] EN R 12(L*) Great Argus Argusianus argus NT, P R 2,4 MDF Malaysian Honeyguide Indicator archipelagicus (1) NT R 5 Rip Rufous Piculet Sasia abnormis (3) R 1,2, 4, 7-9 MDF Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus R 4,6 ker Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus R 1,2 White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis R 3,4,11-13 MDF, ker Banded Woodpecker Picus miniaceus R [5], 11 MDF, cl Crimson-winged Woodpecker Picus puniceus R 2-4,6,11-13 MDF Checker-throated Woodpecker Picus mentalis (1) R 1-4,6 MDF, ker Maroon Woodpecker Blythipicus rubiginosus (1) R 2,4,6 MDF, ker, Rip Orange-backed Woodpecker Reinwardtipicus validus R 1-3,11 MDF, Rip Buff-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis R 1-4,6,8,12,13 MDF, ker Buff-necked Woodpecker Meiglyptes tukki (4) NT R 1,4,11,12 MDF, Rip, cl Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus R 1-4,6,7,9,11 MDF, ker Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus R 1-5,7-10,12 MDF Gold-whiskered Barbet Megalaima chrysopogon R 4,6-9 MDF, ker, Rip Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesii NT R 1-6,8,10-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Red-throated Barbet Megalaima mystacophanos NT R 5-11,13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Yellow-crowned Barbet Megalaima henricii NT R 1,2,4-10,13 MDF, ker Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis R 1-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Brown Barbet Calorhamphus fuliginosus (1) R 1-5,7,8,10,12,13 MDF, ker, cl Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris R 11 Rip Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus NT, P R 1-4,6,9,10,12 MDF, Rip Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros NT, P R 1-9,11-13 MDF, Rip Helmeted Hornbill Buceros vigil NT, P R 1,4,8-10,13 MDF Bushy-crested Hornbill Anorrhinus galeritus P R 2,4,6,11,12 MDF.Rip White-crowned Hornbill Aceros comatus NT R 5,7,12 MDF 48 I. A.WOXVOLD&R. A. NOSKE Forktail 27 (2011) Species' 2 CSJ SS< Site5 Habitat6 Wrinkled Hornbill keros corrugatus NT, P R 8,11 MDF Wreathed Hornbill keros undulatus P R 1,3 Wrinkled/Wreathed Hornbill Aceros corrugatus undulatus [NT] P R 9,13 MDF Red-naped Trogon Harpactes kasumba NT, P R 1,2, [9] MDF Diard's Trogon Harpactes diardii NT, P R 2,7,8,11,12 MDF Scarlet-rumped Trogon Harpactes duvaucelii (2) NT, P R 2-4,6-9,12,13 MDF, to Dollarbird Eurystomus orlentalis R,W 5 cl Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting (11) P R 1-3,5-7,11,13 MDF, Rip, cl Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus (17) P R,?W 2-7,9,12,13 MDF, Rip Banded Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella P R 6,8,12 MDF Stork-billed Kingfisher Halcyon capensis P R 11,13 Rip Red-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornls amictus R 4,7,9 MDF, Rip Blue-throated Bee-eater Merops virldls R 5,11,13 MDF, cl Moustached Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx vagans NT R 8,13 MDF Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax R,W 1,7 MDF Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus R,W 1,4,7-9,11-13 MDF, cl Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantls sonneratii R 5,6,9,11-13 MDF, Rip, cl Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus R 1,5,7-13 MDF, Rip, cl Rusty-breasted Cuckoo Cacomantis sepulcralls R 4,6,7 MDF Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus R 2,4,6-8,10-13 MDF, ter, cl Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris R 2,4,6-9,11,13 MDF, Free, Rip, cl Black-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus diardi NT R 2,6,7 MDF, fret Chestnut-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus sumatranus NT R 3,4,6,11 MDF, to, Rip Raffles's Malkoha Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus R 1,4,7,10,13 MDF, cl Red-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus javanicus R 4 Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris R 2-4,7,11 MDF [Bornean Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiatus] NT R 13(L) Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis R 4,5,8-13 MDF, Rip, cl Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis R 1,9,11 cl Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus NT R 2-4,8,10,13 MDF, to- Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot Loriculus galgulus R 2-8,10-13 MDF, to, cl Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta R 1-4,6 cl Edible-/ Black-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga/maxima R 1,2,4-7,13 MDF, Rip, cl Silver-rumped Needletail Rhaphidura leucopygialis R 1-4,6-10,12,13 MDF, to, cl Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus R 3-5,13 Rip, cl Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis R 2-13 MDF, to, Rip, cl Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata R 1-7,12 MDF, to, cl Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena R 1,2, [5] cl [Barred Eagle Owl Bubo sumatranus] R [2] MDF Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica R 2 MDF Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata R,W 4,9 MDF, to Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritus NT R 4 MDF Gould's Frogmouth Batrachostomus stellatus NT R 2 MDF Malaysian Eared Nightjar Eurostopodus temminckii R 2,4-7,9,11,12 MDF, cl Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus W 2 MDF Nightjar Caprimulgus sp. R 11 cl Rock Pigeon Columba livia R 11 cl Forktail 27 (2011) Birds of kerongas, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Kalimantan 49 Species'2 CS1 SS4 Sites Habitat6 Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis R,?W 5,9,11 cl Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica R 3,8,9,13 MDF Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon Treron fulvicoilis NT R 11 Rip Little Green Pigeon Treron olax R 4,13 MDF Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans R 9,11 ker,c\ Thick-billed Green Pigeon Treron curvirostra R 4,7,8,11-13 MDF, Rip, cl Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei VU R 5,8,9 MDF Jambu Lruit Dove Ptilinopus jambu NT R 3,4 ker Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea R 2, [4], 5, 11-13 MDF, cl White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus R 11 cl Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos W,P 5 Rip Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrid us P W,Ws,P,?Mb 11 Rip Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus P R,W 13 Rip Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus P R 4,7 MDF, ker Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus P R 5,7,11,13 Rip, cl Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus NT, P R 13 Rip Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheek P R 1,3,7-10,12,13 MDF, Rip, cl Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus P R 4 ker [Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter qularis] P W [4] MDF Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis P R 4,6 ker Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii P R,?W 1 Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus P R 9 MDF Blyth’s Hawk Eagle Spizaetus alboniger P R 4 Blyth's/Wallace's Hawk Eagle Spizaetus alboniger/nanus [VU] P R 12 MDF Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius P R 4,11,12 MDF, cl Little Heron Butorides striatus (1) P R,W,?P 1,5 Rip Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus VU, P R 9 MDF Dusky Broadbill Corydon sumatranus R 2,6,9,12 MDF, ker Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos R 11 Rip Banded Broadbill Eurylaimus javanicus R 1,2, 6, 7, 9 MDF Black-and-yellow Broadbill Euryiaimus ochromalus NT R 1,2,4-9,11-13 MDF, ker, Rip Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis NT R 2,4,7-10,12 MDF, ker Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella R 1-8,10,13 MDF Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati R 1-4, 6, 8, 9 MDF, ker, Rip Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon (1) NT R 3-5,7-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis R 1-10 MDF, ker Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus W,P 8 MDF Crested Jay Platylophus galericulatus NT R [11,2,6,8 MDF, ker Black Magpie Platysmurus leucopterus NT R 2-4,6-9,12,13 MDF, ker, Rip Slender-billed Crow Corvus enca R 5,7-9,11,13 MDF, Rip, cl White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus R 11 cl Bornean Bristlehead Pityriasis gymnocephaia NT R 2-4,8 MDF, ker Dark-throated Oriole Oriolusxanthonotus NT R 1,2,4,6-8,10,11,13 MDF, ker Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina striata R 2,12 MDF Lesser Cuckooshrike Coracina fimbriata R 1,2, 4, 7, 8 MDF, Rip Fiery Minivet Pericrocotus igneus NT R 2-4 MDF Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus R 4,7 MDF, ker, Rip 50 I. A. WOXVOLD & R. A. NOSKE Forktail 27 (2011) Species' 2 CSJ SS4 Site5 Habitat6 Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus R 1-6,8,10,11,13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica (2) P R 5,9,11,13 MDF,Rip,d Spotted Fantail Rhipidura perlata (3) R 1,2,4,6-9,12,13 MDF Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus W,P 2 MDF Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus R 2,7,8,11,13 MDF, cl Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus R 1-6,8,11-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea (2) R 1-4,6-9,11-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi ( 3) R 1-4, 7, 8 MDF ,ker Common lora Aegithina tiphia R [51,11 Rip, cl Green lora Aegithina viridissima NT R 1-13 MDF,/cer,Rip,cl Rufous-winged Philentoma Philentoma pyrhopterum (9) R 1,2, 4, 6 MDF, Her Maroon-breasted Philentoma Philentoma velatum NT R [2], 4 MDF Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis gularis R 4,6,7,10 MDF, Rip Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher Rhinomyias umbratiiis (22) NT R 1-8,10-13 MDF, ker, Rip Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica (1) W,P 4,7,8 MDF Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica (2) R,W,P 1-4,6,10 MDF, cl Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina W 4 ker Rufous-chested Flycatcher Ficedula dumetoria (1) NT R 9 MDF [White-tailed Flycatcher Cyornis concretus ] W [51 MDF Bornean Blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus (3) R 1,6, 7, 9 MDF Malaysian Blue Flycatcher Cyornis turcosus NT R 11 Rip Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis R 1 -4,6-9 MDF, ker Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis R 4-7,9,11,13 MDF, cl White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus (5) R 1,2,4-9,11-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Rufous-tailed Shama Trichixos pyrropyga (6) NT R 2-6,9,11-13 MDF, ker, Rip Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurus ruficapillus (1 ) NT R 6 ker(Rip) White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti (1) R 1 White-vented Myna Acridotheres cinereus R 11 cl Hill Myna Gracula religiosa P R 2,4,6,9,11-13 MDF, ker, d Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis (1) R 1-4,6,10,11,13 MDF, ker Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica W 5 cl Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica R 4,5,7,9,11-13 MDF, Rip, cl Black-and-white Bulbul Pycnonotus melanoleucos (1) NT R 2,4-6,9,10 MDF, ker, cl Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps (3) R 5,7-9,11,13 MDF, Rip, cl Grey-bellied Bulbul Pycnonotus cyaniventris NT R 1-4, 7, 9 MDF Puff-backed Bulbul Pycnonotus eutilotus NT R 2-13 MDF, ker, Rip, d Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier R 5,9,11,13 d Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus (4) R 5,8-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex (10) R 1-4, 6, 7, [8], 9, 10 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus (3) R 5, [8], [10], 11-13 MDF, Rip, cl Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythropthalmos R 5,7,9,13 MDF, cl Finsch's Bulbul Alophoixus finschii (5) NT R 4,7 MDF [Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus] R 6 MDF Grey-cheeked Bulbul Alophoixus bres (5) R 1-4,7-10,12 MDF, ker Yellow-bellied Bulbul Alophoixus phaeocephalus (13) R 1-4, 7-9 MDF Hook-billed Bulbul Setornis criniger VU R 2 ker Hairy-backed Bulbul Tricholestes criniger ( 21) R 1-4,6-10,12,13 MDF, ker Forktail 27 (2011) Birds of kerangos, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Kalimantan 51 Species' 2 CSJ SS4 Site5 Habitat6 Buff-vented Bulbul lole olivacea NT R 4, 5, 7, 8 MDF, ker, d Streaked Bulbul Ixos malaccensis NT R 3,4,10 MDF ,ker Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris R 4,5,7-9,11-13 MDF,cl Oriental/Everett's White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus/everetti R 7,10 MDF Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis (3) R 1-13 MDF, ker, Rip, d Rufous-tailed Tailorbird Orthotomus sericeus (7) R 1,2,4-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps R 2,5,7,10-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis (2) W,P 1,2, 5, 7, 8 MDF,d Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliarls R 11,13 MDF, Rip, cl White-chested Babbler Trichastoma rostratum (11) NT R 1,2,5-9,11-13 MDF, Rip Ferruginous Babbler Trichastoma bicolor (7) R 1,2,4-9,11-13 MDF, ker, Rip Horsfield's Babbler Malacocinda sepiarium (6) R 2,4,12 MDF Short-tailed Babbler Malacocinda malaccensis (23) NT R 1,2,4,5,7-9,11,12 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Black-capped Babbler Pellorneum capistratum (5) R 1, [2], 4, 6, 7, 11-13 MDF, ker Moustached Babbler Malacopteror magnirostre (10) R 2-9 MDF, Rip, d Sooty-capped Babbler Malacopteror affine NT R 2,4,7-9,13 MDF, ker Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteror cinereum (32) R 1-4,6,8,9,12 MDF, ker Rufous-crowned Babbler Malacopteror magnum (6) NT R 1-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteror albogulare (19) NT " R 1-4,6 MDF, ker Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus montanus (1) R 1-4,6-8,12 MDF, ker Bornean Wren Babbler Ptilocichla leucogrammica VU R 2,6 MDF Striped Wren Babbler Kenopia striata (1) NT R 1 Rip Black-throated Wren Babbler Napothera atrigularis NT R 5 Rip [Eyebrowed Wren Babbler Napothera epilepidota] R [4] MDF Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyris rufifrons R 2-4,6-10,12 MDF, ker, Rip Grey-headed Babbler Stachyris poliocephala (3) R 7,9 MDF, Rip Black-throated Babbler Stachyris nigricollis (8) NT R 1-4,6,10,11 MDF, Rip Chestnut-rumped Babbler Stachyris maculate (5) NT R 1-4,6-12 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Chestnut-winged Babbler Stachyris erythroptera (19) R 1-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Striped Tit Babbler Macronous gularis (4) R 3-7,9-13 MDF, ker, d Fluffy-backed Tit Babbler Macronous ptilosus (8) NT R 2-4,6-13 MDF, Rip, cl Brown Fulvetta Alcippe brunneicauda (4) NT R 1-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl White-bellied Yuhina Yuhina zanthoieuca R 12,6,7 MDF Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker Priorochilus maculatus (28) R 1,2,3-10,13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker Priorochilus xarthopygius (1) R 1-9,12 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus thoracicus NT R 2-6,13 MDF, ker, d Brown-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum everetti NT R 7 Rip/d Yellow-vented Flowerpecker Dicaeum chrysorrheum R 3 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma (2) R 1-5,7-12 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Plain Flowerpecker Dicaeum concoior R 2-4,9,13 MDF, cl Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum (1) R 5,11,12 ker, cl Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex (2) P R 1-5,7, MDF, cl Brown-throated Sunbird Anthreptes maiacensi? P R 4,5,7,9,11,12 MDF, cl Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Anthreptes singalensis (4) P R 1-4,6,9,11-13 MDF, Rip, cl Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum (5) P R 1,2,4-6,9,11,13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl Purple-throated Sunbird Nectarinia sperata P R 2-6 MDF, ker, cl Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis P R 13 cl 52 I. A. WOXVOLD & R. A. NOSKE Forktail 27 (2011) Species' 2 CS! ss4 Site5 Habitat6 Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja (1) P R 5,9,11,13 MDF, Rip, d Temminck’s Sunbird Aethopyga temminckii P R 1,2 Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra (37) P R 1-9,11-13 MDF, ker, Rip, cl [Thick-billed Spiderhunter Arachnothera crassirostris } P R [13] MDF Long-billed Spiderhunter Arachnothera robusta P R 1,2, 4, 8, [10] MDF Spectacled Spiderhunter Arachnothera flavigaster P R 4,6,10-12 MDF, ker Yellow-eared Spiderhunter Arachnothera chrysogenys P R 1,3, 4, 9 MDF Grey-breasted Spiderhunter Arachnothera affinis P R 7 MDF Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus R 4,5,7,11 cl Dusky Munia Lonchura fuscans (3) R 2-5,7,9,11 cl Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca R 5 cl 1 Square brackets indicate species provisionally identified by the authors or species reported only by local informants. Of seven provisionally identified species, four were clearly of additional birdsforthe study (Japanese Sparrowhawk, Edible-/Black-nest Swiftlet, White-tailed Flycatcher, Oriental/Everett's White-eye). The remaining three may have been confused with other birds recorded due to uncertainty about calls (Barred Eagle/Brown Wood Owl, Ochraceous/e.g. Grey-cheeked Bulbul) or differences in juvenile plumage (Blyth's/Wallace's Hawk Eagle). 2 Figures in brackets indicate the number of individuals captured in mist-nets. 5 International threat category and legal status in Indonesia. IUCN (2010) Red List categories: EN - Endangered, VU - Vulnerable, NT - Near Threatened. P - Protected under Indonesian law. 4 Seasonal status based on Mann (2008): R - Resident, W - Northern hemisphere winter visitor, Ws - Southern hemisphere winter visitor, P - Passage migrant, Mb - Breeding migrant. 5 Numeric site codes follow Figure 1 and Table 1 . (L) - Denotes species reported present, or formerly present (L*), by local informants. Square brackets indicate provisional records. 6 Habitat codes follow categories described in Table 2. MDF - Mixed dipterocarp forest, Ker - Kerangas (heath forest), Rip - Riparian forest, cl - Converted lands. Appendix 2 Species accounts: Near Threatened taxa Unless otherwise stated, numbers of individuals recorded in specific habitats (described in the text or shown as figures in brackets) are taken from 2006 survey data. Crested Partridge Rollulus rouloul One recorded at Site 1 in 2000, another heard in moderately logged MDF at site 7b in 2006. The 'Siaw' (pron. See-ow) was well known to Dayak villagers throughout the study area, a number of whom suggested numbers may be falling in the area. [Crested Fireback Lophura ignita Not recorded directly during these surveys, Crested Fireback has been recorded previously at Barito Ulu (Wilkinson etal. 1991) and south ofTuhup (Voous 1 961 ), and was recognised by villagers as occurring in the vicinity of Baloi.Tumehand Dempar. A number of interviewees regarded male Crested and Crestless Firebacks as separate sexes of the same species.] Great Argus Argusianus argus The most commonly recorded pheasant due to its conspicuous and far- carrying call. Singles recorded at Sites 1 and 4 in 2000, and at least four individuals heard in MDF at Site 2 and near Site 4 in 2006. It was well known to hunters, who reported it present throughout most of the study area. However, birds were directly encountered only in the relatively intact and inaccessible forests of the north-west section. Malaysian Honeyguide Indicator archipelagicus A single bird mist-netted in disturbed riparian forest atTuhup, with another remaining close by until its release. This is the second record from Central Kalimantan (Mann 2008). Buff-necked Woodpecker Meiglyptes tukki Five in 2006, including a pair captured in MDF at Site 4, a single captured in dense 3m ladang regrowth near Empakuq, and singles observed in undisturbed swamp forest near Empakuq and heavily logged forest at Site 1 2. A single bird was netted at Site 1 in 2000. Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesi Recorded at most sites and in a variety of habitats, including kerangas (9), logged MDF (16)andisolatedfruitingtreesinsettledareas(e.g.MuaraTuhup). Red-throated Barbet Megalaima mystacophanos Recorded at most sites in the central west and eastern sections of the study area and atTuhup, although scarce orabsentfrom much ofthe north-west. Recorded in all habitat types but commonest in MDF (1 5). Only one was heard in kerangas (Site 6), and none was heard in heavily logged MDF on low-nutrient soils at Site 1 2, suggesting this species may rely on more fertile soils for a higher density of fruiting trees than the Red-crowned Barbet, at least at the time of survey. Elsewhere somewhat tolerant of habitat disturbance, with birds heard in logged MDF, mature secondary forestand remnant MDF fragments. Yellow-crowned Barbet Megalaima henricii Recorded in MDF (24) at most sites (cf. Site 1 2). Tolerant of some habitat disturbance, with birds present in logged forest and remnant MDF patches adjacent to converted lands. A single heard in tall kerangas at Site 4. Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus Recorded in moderately to heavily logged forests at Sites 9, 1 0 and 1 2, and in MDF and riparian forest at all sites in the north-west. A group of four observed in unlogged MDF at Site 2. Not detected in kerangas. Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros Recorded in MDF (23) and riparian forest (l)atallsites except Site 10. Tolerant of some habitat disturbance, with birds recorded in remnant MDF fragments and emergent fruiting trees in logged forest and converted lands. Helmeted Hornbill Buceros vigil Singles recorded at Sites 1 and 4 in 2000. Eight recorded in 2006 in remnant MDF and emergent fruiting trees in logged forest at Sites 8, 9, 10 and at Dempar. White-crowned Hornbill Aceros comatus Heard in moderately logged MDF at Sites 7 and 1 2, and in a remnant MDF fragment in converted lands near Tuhup. Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus Pairs seen flying over heavily logged forest at Site 8, and converted rural lands near Empakuq. Pairs of this species or Wreathed Hornbill A. undulatus seen flying over converted rural lands near Baloi and Dempar. Red-naped Trogon Harpactes kasumba Three in lightly logged forest at Site 1 and one at Site 2 in 2000. In 2006, a trogon heard briefly in logged forest at Site 8 was provisionally identified as this species. Forktail 27 (201 1) Birds of kerangas, converted lands, mixed dipterocarp and riparian forests in Kalimantan 53 Diard's Trogon Harpactes diardii Singles recorded in lightly logged forest at Site 2 in 2000, and in 2006 in logged MDF at Sites 7, 8 and 12 and in secondary forest near the Mahakam River downstream from Empakuq. Scarlet-rumped Trogon Harpactes duvaucelii The most commonly encountered trogon. Present throughout the study area in primary and logged MDF (18), and recorded in kerangas (4) at Sites 3, 4 and 6. Moustached Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx vagans Singles heard in heavily logged MDF at Site 8 and from a distance in agricultural/secondary forest/ MDF mosaic near Dempar. Black-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus diardi In 2006 singles seen in kerangas at Site 6 and on the edge of moderately logged MDF at Site 7, and a pair observed in lightly logged MDF at Site 2. Chestnut-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus sumatranus In 2006 recorded in kerangas at Site 6 (group of 4), moderately logged MDF at Site 6 (1) and undisturbed swamp forest near Empakuq (1). In 2000 recorded three times in kerangas at Site 3 and once at Site 4. [Bornean Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiatus A hunter interviewed at Dempar claimed this species occurs in remnant forest downstream and west of the Nyuatan River. Not recorded directly.] Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus Recorded in all sections of the study area (north-west, central west and east). Common near Site 8 with at least 18 birds observed in moderately logged MDF (12) and kerangas (6). Kept as pets by residents at Dempar. Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritus A Large Frogmouth responded to a call playback from a forested hill alongside a tributary oftheLampu nut River south of Site 4. This is the second record from Central Kalimantan (Mann 2008). Gould's Frogmouth Batrachostomus stellatus A Gould's Frogmouth was heard over two nights in lightly logged MDF adjacent to the campsite at Site 2. This is the second record from East Kalimantan (Mann 2008). Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon Treron fulvicollis At least eight observed with a similar number of Thick-billed Green Pigeons T.curvirostra feeding in the canopy of a fruiting tree at 16h00 in undisturbed swamp forest near Empakuq. Jambu Fruit Dove Ptilinopus jambu Singles in kerangas at Sites 3 and 4 in 2000. Not recorded in 2006, but recognised by villagers from Intu Lingau. Normally silent, it may be commoner than these numbers suggest. Mann (2008) listed no records from Central Kalimantan though it was recorded in low numbers at Barito Ulu (Wilkinson etal. 1991). Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus One circling over the Nyuatan River downstream from Dempar in 2006. Black-and-yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus Common throughout the study area, predominantly in lightly to heavily logged MDF (30+), though also recorded in riparian forest (4) and kerangas (3). Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis Seen or heard at most sites (but not recorded in 2000) where it was most common in (lightly to heavily logged) MDF (12). t Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon Common throughout the study area, predominantly in logged MDF (23), although also recorded in riparian forest (2), kerangas (6) and early stage secondary growth (5). Crested Jay Platylophus galericulatus Single birds recorded in primary MDF at Site 2 and in heavily logged MDF at Site 8. Provisional records in MDF at Site 1 and a bird heard in kerangas at Site 6. Black Magpie Platysmurus leucopterus Common throughout the study area and recorded in a range of forest types, including lightly to heavily logged MDF (18), kerangas (4) and riparian forest (1). Bornean Bristlehead Pityriasis gymnocephala In 2000 two groups of four birds observed in kerangas at Site 3, and another group of four at Site 4. In 2006 two groups of at least four birds observed on the edge of heavily logged MDF at Sites 4 and 8, and two birds heard in lightly logged MDF at Site 2. Dark-throated Oriole Oriolus xanthonotus Recorded at most sites in lightly to heavily logged MDF (8), and once in a small area of kerangas within MDF matrix near Site 8 in 2006. Fiery Minivet Pericrocotus igneus In 2000 recorded at Sites 3 and 4, and in Casuarina trees in lightly logged MDF at Site 2. Not recorded in 2006. Green lora Aegithina viridissima Seen or heard almost daily and at all sites. Recorded in primary and logged MDF (43) riparian forest (3), kerangas (3) and ladang regrowth (2). Maroon-breasted Philentoma Philentoma velatum A single male observed in kerangas at Site 4 in 2000. Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher Rhinomyias umbratilis Common in less disturbed forests throughout the study area. Recorded in lightly to moderately logged MDF (12), kerangas (5) and riparian forest (3). Rufous-chested Flycatcher Ficedula dumetoria A male was mist-netted in moderately logged MDF at Site 9. Malaysian Blue Flycatcher Cyornis turcosus A male seen in undisturbed swamp forest near Empakuq in 2006. Rufous-tailed Shama Trichixos pyrropyga Present at most sites and in a variety of habitats, including kerangas (3), riparian forest (1 ) and lightly to moderately logged MDF (12). Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurus ruficapillus One netted in streamside kerangas at Site 6 in 2006. Black-and-white Bulbul Pycnonotus melanoleucos Singles at Sites 2 and 4 in 2000. In 2006 recorded near Tuhup and at sites in the north-west and central west sections in logged MDF (5), kerangas (5) and secondary forest (1 ). Grey-bellied Bulbul Pycnonotus cyaniventris Recorded in primary and heavily logged MDF ( 10) at most sites in the north¬ west section and at Sites 7 and 9. Puff-backed Bulbul Pycnonotus eutiiotus Present throughout the study area in a range of habitats, including logged MDF (23), riparian forest (2), kerangas (2) and secondary forest (5). Finsch's Bulbul Alophoixus finschii At Site 4, four birds seen and one netted in 2000 and two seen on the edge of moderately logged MDF in 2006. Two pairs netted in lightly logged MDF at Site 7 in 2006. Buff-vented Bulbul lole olivacea In 2006 recorded in moderately to heavily logged MDF (3) at Sites 7 and 8, in kerangas (1) near Site 8 in 2006, and in ladang regrowth near Tuhup (1). Pairs observed twice in moderately logged MDF at Site 4 in 2000. Streaked Bulbul Ixos malaccensis Pairs twice at Site 3 and three times at Site 4 in 2000. In 2006 a single seen in tall kerangas near Site 4 and a pair observed in moderately logged MDF at Site 1 0. 54 I. A. WOXVOLD & R. A. NOSKE Forktail 27(2011) White-chested Babbler Trichastoma rostratum Common throughout the study area wherever waterside vegetation persists, including riparian forest (24) lining the larger rivers and swamps, and lightly to heavily logged MDF (13) around the smaller streams and marshes. Not recorded in kerangas. Short-tailed Babbler Malacocincla malaccensis Fairly common throughout the study area. In 2000 two mist-netted in MDF at Site 1 , four at Site 2 and two in kerangas at Site 4. in 2006 recorded mostly in lightly to moderately logged MDF (10) and riparian forest (7), with singles in tall kerangas at Site 4 and secondary forest planted with rubber near Tuhup. Sooty-capped Babbler Malacopteron affine Recorded at scattered localities in all sections of the study area, with the highest numbers at Sites 7 (4) and 8 (5) in the central west. In 2006 found in lightly logged MDF (6) and moderately to heavily logged MDF on volcanic soils (8). One in tall kerangas at Site 4 in 2000. Rufous-crowned Babbler Malacopteron magnum The most commonly recorded tree-babbler. Found at all sites and in a variety of habitats, including lightly to heavily logged MDF (40), riparian forest (2), moderate-height and tall kerangas (7) and secondary forest (2). Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteron albogulare Consistent with a preference for intact, low-productivity forest (Sheldon 1987, Holmes & Wall 1989, Dutson et al. 1991), this species was recorded only in the north-west section of the study area where it was found at all sites. Located by mist-netting only and often captured in pairs or groups. At Site 2, five birds (2, 2, 1 ) captured in lightly logged MDF in 2000, and one in 2006. In kerangas at Sites 3 and 4, five birds (3 and 2 respectively) captured in 2000, and one in 2006. One bird captured at Site 1 in logged MDF in 2000; and in kerangas at Site 6, three birds captured together in 2006. Striped Wren Babbler Kenopia striata One mist-netted in riverine forest at Site 1 in 2000. Not recorded in 2006. Black-throated Wren Babbler Napothera atrigularis In 2006 a single bird was heard and taped in riparian forest near Tuhup. This is the first from Central Kalimantan (Mann 2008). Black-throated Babbler Stachyris nigricollis In 2000 mist-netted in kerangas (3) and lightly logged MDF (7). In 2006 recorded in unlogged riparian swamp forest near Empakuq (2), and in lightly logged (3) and moderately logged MDF (2), and in heavily disturbed MDF on waterlogged soils (7). Chestnut-rumped Babbler Stachyris maculata Present at most sites throughout the study area. In 2006 recorded in riparian forest (1), moderate-height and tall kerangas (6), lightly logged (6), moderately logged (9) and heavily logged MDF (11) and secondary growth (6). Fluffy-backed Tit Babbler Macronous ptilosus Recorded at most sites and tolerant of disturbed habitats. In 2006 recorded in riparian forest (2), lightly to moderately logged (6) and heavily logged MDF (6), and ladang regrowth, early successional regenerating MDF and secondary forest (1 1). In 2000 birds mist-netted in roadside coral ferns at Site 3 (2) and noted <2 m from creekside vegetation at Site 2. Not recorded in kerangas. Brown Fulvetta Alcippe brunneicauda Recorded at all sites. Tolerant of moderate habitat disturbance but most numerous in less disturbed forests. In 2006 recorded in riparian forest (7), moderate-height and tall kerangas (5), secondary forest (1 ) and lightly to moderately logged (30) and heavily logged MDF (1 2). In 2000 most abundant at Sites 2 and 4. Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus thoracicus Uncommon outside the north-west section where it was recorded at most sites in both years. In 2006 recorded in kerangas (5), lightly to moderately logged MDF (2), ladang regrowth (1) and rubber kebun / secondary forest (2). Brown-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum everetti In 2006 a single observed at Site 7 taking fruit from Melastoma polyanthum shrubs growing on the banks of a small river adjacent to the main camp clearing. Intact riparian forest and lightly logged MDF dominated the steep slope on the opposite bank. This is the first record from Central Kalimantan (Mann 2008). FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 55-62 The use of avian feeding guilds to detect small-scale forest disturbance: a case study in East Kalimantan, Borneo BEN WIELSTRAJJALLE BOORSMA, SANDER M. PIETERSE & HANS H. de IONGH Finding suitable indicators to monitor the state of disturbance of tropical forests is a challenge. Avian feeding guilds are a promising candidate and we test their practical usefulness. We use checklists compiled during short surveys. The observed species are classified into avian feeding guilds based on a combination of diet and foraging layer. We compare avian feeding guild structure of two forests exploited on a small scale (traditional community forest or hutan adat) with an undisturbed control area. Fieldwork was conducted in duplicate (in two rounds, by different observers) in East Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). Four avian feeding guilds were found to show differences in species numbers between the disturbed and control sites: terrestrial insectivores and arboreal nectarivores are more numerous, whereas understorey insectivores and arboreal insectivores are less numerous in terms of number of species. Of these four, understorey insectivores were considered to be the most informative, as understorey species are surveyed most effectively and as the guild contains a relatively large number of species. Standardised monitoring of avian feeding guilds yields valuable information on the state of disturbance of forests, and species checklists based on short surveys are a suitable method to obtain the required data. We recommend including avian feeding guilds in standardised monitoring programmes and discuss possible improvements for a study in a larger framework. INTRODUCTION Tropical forests contain the majority of the planet’s biota. The persistence of the world’s tropical forests is crucial to the conservation of global biodiversity, but these forests are facingever- increasing anthropogenic pressure (Hansen et al. 2010). Fundamental to the management of forests is to understand the state of disturbance they experience. Monitoring should yield scientifically sound information on the condition of the forests’ biodiversity and potential changes therein (Noss 1999). However, developing a clear and practical monitoring system is challenging. Monitoring all components and interactions of an ecosystem is impossible. Instead, indicators are used: a selection of taxa for which the response (to a certain input, such as disturbance) is expected to reflect the state of the ecosystem as a whole (e.g. Caro & O’Doherty 1999). Habitat degradation can be an insidious process, slowly erodingbiodiversity. In order to function as an early warningsystem, indicators must be sensitive enough to detect the first signs ofoverall ecosystem deterioration. Avian feeding guilds have previously been suggested as a suitable indicator (e.g. Ghazoul & Hellier 2000). A feeding guild can be defined as ‘a group of species that exploits the same class of environmental resources in the same way’ (Root 1967). Such a clustering of individual species into groups is not susceptible to change due to e.g. taxonomic progress or improved insight into population size, which is the case for other criteria such as endemism and Red List status. Birds are particularly suitable, as they are relatively easy to survey and their ecology is relatively well understood (Bibby et al. 2000, Gray et al. 2006). The objective of this study is to find an indicator which is sensitive enough to register slight levels of disturbance and for which the required data can be collected against relatively low costs and effort. We assess the potential of avian feeding guild data, by comparing the avifaunal composition of forest disturbed on a small scale with an undisturbed control site. Study area « We present a case study from Borneo. Fieldwork was carried out in two lowland rainforest areas in East Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo): Gunung Lumut Protection Forest (GLPF) and Sungai Wain Protection Forest (SWPF) (see Figure 1). Hutan adat is the Indonesian term for forest claimed by customary right, where access and control over forest resources are governed by the local community (van der Ploeg& Persoon 2007). Hutan adat is subject to extraction of non-timber forest products and selective logging for personal use. In theory, hutan adat is protected from large-scale exploitation, because its sustainable use is in the best interest of the villagers. However, in practice short- - term benefits might entice villagers to e.g. convert hutan adat to shifting cultivation ( ladang ). The selected study sites at GLPF are the hutan adatoi the villages Mului and Pinang Jatus. The hutan adat of Mului is situated in GLPF, whereas the hutan adat of Pinang Jatus partially overlaps with GLPF. Hutan adat of both Mului and Pinangjatus is subject to selective logging (for personal use), hunting, rattan and bamboo harvesting, bird trapping and the gathering of fruit, honey and firewood (Pieterse&Wielstra 2005, van der Ploeg& Persoon 2007). This disturbance has not been quantified. We consider the hutan adat of Mului and Pinangjatus to represent forest disturbed on a small scale (Pieterse & Wielstra 2005). Although part of SWPF has suffered from 1998 forest fires and encroachment, its 4,000 ha core has remained intact (Fredriksson & Nijman 2004). This core, consistingof pristine rainforest, is only accessible to researchers and therefore considered virtually undisturbed. SWPF was chosen as a control site, because there are no known undisturbed tracts of rainforest in GLPF (or elsewhere Figure 1 . Geographical location of the study areas in East Kalimantan. SWPF = Sungai Wain Protection Forest; GLPF = Gunung Lumut Protection Forest. 56 BEN WIELSTRA et al. Forktail 27 (201 1) in SE Kalimantan, for that matter). This study design potentially introduces other factors, besides disturbance, varying between test and control sites. However, given the logistical constraints, SWPF was the most suitable control site available. Bird surveys have previously been carried out in SWPF (e.g. Slik & van Balen 2006). All records collected during these surveys (including the present study) have been combined into a checklist (G. Fredriksson in litt.). This checklist is here regarded as approaching the total avifauna present in SWPF, and is referred to as the ‘total checklist’. As opposed to SWPF, the avifauna in GFPF had never previously been surveyed (Wielstra & Pieterse 2009). METHODS Surveys of the three study sites were conducted in two rounds by different observers, in order to assess repeatability of results. We refer to the individual surveys as Visits’. During the six visits (mean 15 ±4.7 days) we made interim species checklists. These checklists were based on data collected duringpoint- transect and line-transect counts, complemented by random observations. All fieldwork was carried out between February andMay in 2005 (Pieterse & Wielstra 2005) and 2007 (Boorsma 2008). We did not have any previous field experience with the region’s birds. To avoid negative effects of a learning curve, the following precautions were taken: ■ In order to train bird identification skills, literature and sound recordings were studied before commencing fieldwork and a seven-day learningperiod was spent in the fieldprior to collecting data. ■ Sound recordings were made, so unknown sounds could be identified at a later time (Parker 1991; Bibby et al. 2000). ■ Study sites were visited in opposite order: GFPF Pinangjatus- GFPF Mului-SWPF by Pieterse & Wielstra (2005) and vice versa bv Boorsma (2008). Species were assigned to avian feeding guild based on a combination ofpreferred diet and foraginglayer. Birds were classified as: nectarivore, insectivore, carnivore (raptor/piscivore), frugivore or a combination of these. Foraging layers were: terrestrial, understorey (0-10 m) or arboreal (>10 m). Our analysis only included resident, forest-dependent species. Species preferringopen areas were excluded because they were expected to respond positively to disturbance, despite belonging to the same avian feeding guild (Fambert & Collar, 2002). Aerial feeders, raptors and nocturnal species were also excluded, as these require separate survey methods (Bibby etal. 2000, Slik & van Balen 2006). Winteringmigrants were excluded in order to prevent a seasonal bias. Assigning ecological traits to species was based on Fambert (1992), Thiollay (1995), Smythies & Davison (1999), Fambert & Collar (2002) and Slik & van Balen (2006). The comparability among the three sites was evaluated based on ( 1 ) number of species recorded during individual visits and (2) number of species recorded per study site (combining both visits). The efficiency of our visits was assessed by determining the overlap in species recorded between (1) visits per study site, and (2) the total checklist of SWPF versus the data derived from our own visits. Differences in avian feedingguild structure were analysed, based on a comparison of the data from the disturbed area (the two sites in GLPF) and the undisturbed control area (SWPF). RESULTS The complete list of forest-dependent resident lowland species recorded with certainty, and their division into avian feeding guilds, can be found in the appendix. The number of species recorded during the individual visits and the cumulative number of the two visits per site is provided in Table 1. On average, 1 12.3±5.1 species were observed during individual visits and 154.3±2.1 species were observed per study site. The species overlap between the two visits per study site is c.70% (Table 1). Similarly, the species overlap between pairs of study sites is c.70% (Table 2). Table 1 . Overlap of the number of species recorded during the two visits per study site. SWPF = Sungai Wain Protection Forest; GLPF = Gunung Lumut Protection Forest; PJ = Pinang Jatus; M = Mului; visit I = data from Pieterse & Wielstra (2005); visit II = data from Boorsma (2008); cumulative = the total number of species recorded for both visits combined; overlap = the species shared between visits, with the percentage of the cumulative number in parenthesis. visit 1 visit II cumulative overlap SWPF 120 110 134 96(71.6) GLPF PJ 113 111 134 90(67.2) GLPF M 105 115 129 91 (70.5) Table 2. Overlap in the number of species recorded at the different study sites. See Table 1 for explanation of abbreviations and terms. cumulative overlap SWPF vs GLPF PJ 155 114(73.6) SWPF vs GLPF M 156 107 (68.6) GLPF PJ vs GLPF M 152 112(73.7) The species richness and avian ecological characteristics of the total checklist and our survey data for SWPF are compared in Table 3. We recorded fewer species ; than are noted on the total checklist (7 1 .0% and 65.1% during the first and second visit). When looking Table 3. Comparison of the survey data and the total checklist of SWPF (Sungai Wain Protection Forest). Visit 1 = data from Pieterse & Wielstra (2005); visit 11 = data from Boorsma (2008). The data are divided into three ecological partitions: foraging layer (A = arboreal; U = understorey; T = terrestrial), diet (F = frugivore;l = insectivore;C = = carnivore; N = nectarivore; combinations possible) and avian feeding guild (a combination of foraging layer and diet). See the appendix for the assignment of species to ecological partition. Integers represent the number of species recorded; the percentage of the total checklist is in parenthesis. Ecological SWPF visit l& II SWPF total partition SWPF visit 1 SWPF visit II cumulative checklist Foraging layer A 53(60.2) 49(55.7) 64(72.7) 88 U 55 (88.7) 48 (77.4) 56(90.3) 62 T 12(63.2) 13(68.4) 14(73.7) 19 Diet F 8(61.5) 8(61.5) 11(84.6) 13 FI 22(81.5) 22(81.5) 25 (92.6) 27 FC 5(71.4) 6(85.7) 6(85.7) 7 1 74(76.3) 64 (66.0) 80(82.5) 97 N 8(38.1) 8(38.1) 9(42.9) 21 1C 3(75.0) 2(50.0) 3(75.0) 4 Avian feeding guild AF 7(58.3) 7(58.3) 10(83.3) 12 AFI 8(66.7) 8 (66.7) 10(83.3) 12 AFC 5(71.4) 6(85.7) 6(85.7) 7 Al 30(71.4) 24(57.1) 34(81.0) 42 AN 3 (20.0) 4(26.7) 4(26.7) 15 UFI 10(100.0) 9(90.0) 10(100.0) 10 Ul 37 (88.1) 33 (78.6) 38(90.5) 42 UIC 3(75.0) 2 (50.0) 3 (75.0) 4 UN 5(83.3) 4(66.7) 5 (83.3) 6 TF 1(100.0) 1 (100.0) 1 (100.0) 1 TFI 4(80.0) 5(100.0) 5(100.0) 5 Tl 7(53.9) 7(53.9) 8(61.5) 13 Total 120(71.0) 1 TO (65.1) 134(79.3) 169 Forktail 27 (2011) Use of avian feeding guilds to detect small-scale forest disturbance: East Kalimantan, Borneo 57 Table 4. The avian feeding guild structure of the survey data for the different study sites. See Table 1 for explanation of site abbreviations and terms, and Table 3 for guild abbreviations. For each visit, the percentage of the cumulative number of species is stated in parenthesis. See the appendix for the assignment of species to ecological partition. Avian feeding guild SWPF visit 1 SWPF visit II SWPF overlap SWPF cumulative GLPF Pi visit 1 GLPF PJ visit II GLPF PJ overlap GLPF PJ cumulative GLPF M visit 1 GLPF M visit II GLPF M overlap GLPF M cumulative AF 7(70.0) 7(70.0) 4(40.0) 10 11 (100.0) 10(90.1) 10(90.1) 11 11(100.0) 8(72.7) 8(72.7) 11 AFI 8(80.0) 8(80.0) 6(60.0) 10 7(87.5) 7(87.5) 6(75.0) 8 7 (70.0) 10(100.0) 7(70.0) 10 AFC 5(83.3) 6(100.0) 5(83.3) 6 8(100.0) 7(87.5) 7(87.5) 8 5(83.3) 6(100.0) 5(83.3) 6 Al 30 (88.2) 24(70.6) 20(58.8) 34 27 (87.1) 21 (65.6) 17(53.1) 31 26(93.0) 26 (93.0) 24(85.7) 28 AN 3 (75.0) 4(100.0) 3 (75.0) 4 9(100.0) 6 (66.7) 6(66.7) 9 7(77.8) 9(100.0) 7(77.8) 9 UFI 10(100.0) 9(90.0) 9(90.0) 10 6(66.7) 8(88.9) 5(55.6) 9 8(80.0) 9(90.0) 7 (70.0) 10 Ul 37 (97.4) 33 (86.8) 32(84.2) 38 25 (80.7) 28 (90.3) 22(71.0) 31 25(78.1) 28(87.5) 21 (65.6) 32 UIC 3(100.0) 2(66.7) 2 (66.7) 3 2(100.0) 2(100.0) 2(100.0) 2 1 (50.0) 2(100.0) 1 (50.0) 2 UN 5(100.0) 4(80.0) 4(80.0) 5 4(80.0) 5(100.0) 4 (80.0) 5 6(85.7) 6(85.7) 5(71.4) 7 TF 1 (100.0) 1 (100.0) 1(100.0) 1 1 (100.0) 1 (100.0) 1 (100.0) 1 1 (100.0) 1 (100.0) 1 (100.0) 1 TFI 4(80.0) 5(100.0) 4(80.0) 5 4(66.7) 5(83.3) 3 (50.0) 6 2 (66.7) 2 (66.7) 1 (33.3) 3 Tl 7(87.5) 7(87.5) 6(75.0) 8 9(69.2) 11 (84.6) 7(53.9) 13 6(60.0) 8(80.0) 4(40.0) 10 Total 120(89.6) 110(82.1) 96(71.6) 134 113(84.3) 111(82.2) 90(67.2) 134 105(81.4) 115(89.2) 91 (70.5) 129 at foraging layers, it becomes apparent that understorey species were relatively better covered than arboreal and terrestrial species (i.e. a higher percentage of the total number of species present was recorded). When looking at avian feeding guild structure, arboreal nectarivores and terrestrial insectivores were noticeably poorly covered. Differences in avian feeding guild structure between visits and sites are presented in T able 4. U nderstorey insectivores and arboreal insectivores in particular showed a lower number of species in disturbed forest, whereas numbers of species of arboreal nectarivore and terrestrial insectivore were higher in disturbed forest. DISCUSSION Comparability and efficiency of surveys We did not collect a dataset of sufficient size to test our results statistically (this would require more disturbed and control sites to be visited). We thus provide aqualitative interpretation of our data. The number of species observed at the different study sites is similar. This applies to both the individual visits and their cumulative number. Furthermore, the study sites all share a large proportion of their species and no site is more similar to one than to the other. We argue this allows us to make comparisons among the study sites. The overlap in species recorded during the two visits per study site is substantial, meaning that different observers can converge on the same results in a short time-span. Furthermore, comparing our survey data with a total checklist reveals that the majority of species present is recorded during short surveys. We conclude that short surveys are efficient and reproducible. Response of avian feeding guilds to small-scale disturbance When taking ecological preferences into account, differences between the disturbed sites and the undisturbed control site come to light. Most avian feeding guilds do not show a clear difference, but some guilds respond to disturbance in a consistent fashion. The number of understorey insectivores and, less clearly, arboreal insectivore species is lower in the 'disturbed sites than in the undisturbed site. For arboreal nectarivores and, less clearly, terrestrial insectivores, the opposite is true. We argue that the smaller the number of species included in a particular avian feeding guild is, the larger the effect of missing one or two species by chance would be. Therefore results for small avian feeding guilds would be less reliable. Understorey and arboreal insectivores are by far the most speciose avian feeding guilds. Understorey species in general are covered well during short surveys, while arboreal and terrestrial species are relatively poorly covered. Higher conspicuousness of understorey species owing to factors such as behaviour, distance to observer, and level of concealment by vegetation may explain this (e.g. Bibby eta/. 2000). Therefore, of the four avian feeding guilds which show differences between the disturbed and undisturbed sites, understorey insectivores appear to yield the most reliable information for monitoring purposes. Comparison with previous studies This study particularly focuses on the effects of small-scale disturbance. It is the first to compare traditional forests or butan adat with undisturbed forest. Previous studies have looked at the effects of several kinds oflarge-scale disturbance, i.e. fragmentation, forest fires and logging. We compare such studies conducted in Asia with our own results to determine the similarities and differences in the responses shown by birds. Fragmentation seems to affect virtually all species negatively. Forest fragments, even relatively large patches, lose a significant number of species over time (Lambert & Collar 2002). Van Balen (1999) found that forest interior species are more dependent on larger forest patches for survival than forest-edge, open-area and urban species. Hunting particularly affects large birds such as hornbills, doves and pheasants (MeijaardcT^/. 2005), whereas the trapping of birds for the pet industry focuses on songbirds (Jepson & Ladle 2005) . Forest fires were found to have a positive effect on understorey insectivores, a result contrary to previous studies and perhaps explicable in part by differences in sampling method, forest recovery time and distance to unburned forest (Slik & van Balen 2006). Logging affects insectivores in general (Gray et al. 2006), and understorey (delongheta/. 2007) and terrestrial ( Cleary etal. 2007, de Iongh etal. 2007) insectivores in particular. In the case of arboreal and understorey insectivores, our results point in the same direction, but terrestrial insectivores actually show a slight increase in disturbed forest in our dataset. However, care should be taken when interpreting this result, as this guild contains few species (mainly pittas and wren-babblers) . Stimulation of flowering by disturbance (e.g. through increased sunlight due to canopy opening) can lead to a temporary increase in nectarivores (Ghazoul & Hellier 2000, Lambert & Collar 2002, Slik & van Balen 2006). Our data suggest an increase of arboreal nectarivores under disturbance, but do not show a difference for understorey nectarivores. Frugivores show varying responses to disturbance (Ghazoul & Hellier 2000, Gray et al. 2006), but our data do not show a clear response at all. The different types of forest disturbance should not be seen independently ofeach other (Lambert & Collar 2002). For example. 58 BEN WIELSTRAefa/. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) logging can cause fragmentation and makes forest areas more susceptible to fire. Moreover, logging makes the forest more accessible, which in turn could produce an increase in hunting. A major difference among the studies reviewed in this paper concerns the partitioning of the recorded avifauna into groups. This makes comparing studies difficult. Some studies (e.g. Lambert 1 992) discuss specific taxonomic groups, such as woodpeckers, or even more specific, such as ‘wren-babblers’. In our study, species belonging to these groups are classified into broader feeding guilds (e.g. woodpeckers are classified as either understorey or arboreal insectivore). Even when data are divided into feeding guilds, there are major differences amongstudies in how this is to be accomplished (Simberloff& Dayan 1991). For example, some studies also include foraging method or body mass. This signifies a trade-off: while it could be informative to partition a dataset into more classes, increasing the number of classes does reduce the number of species in each class. Conversely, some studies do not distinguish between open-area and forest-dependent species. Although forest-dependent species respond negatively to forest disturbance, open-area species respond positively. We would argue that this distinction should be explicitly taken into account. The increase in understorey insectivores reported by Cleary etal. (2007) probably relates to an increase of open-area species (such as tailorbirds). Comparability of future studies will benefit if a standardised partitioning method is used. Considerations The results of this study are promising and we recommend the use of avian feeding guilds to be tested in a larger framework. There are, however, some issues to address. The major weakness of the current study is that we surveyed only two disturbed sites and one control site. As a result, statistical power is diminutive. With a larger number of study sites, quantitative instead of merely qualitative interpretations would be possible. The required effort can be divided over multiple observers, without yielding personally biased results. In order to compare survey data adequately, the method of surveying should be maximally standardised (e.g. time of day, time of year, time spent in the field, etc.). The time spent effectively in the field in this study varied due to logistical constraints (most importantly transportation and weather). As long as the number of species recorded appears to have reached a plateau (although not explicitly tested, expected to have occurred during our visits), this should not be a significant problem (Soberon & Llorente 1993). SWPF and GLPF differ in the sense that the former area is relatively flat coastal rainforest, whereas the latter is located further inland and covers a wider altitudinal range. This could introduce differences other than the level of disturbance and thus potentially invalidate our results. Indeed there are floristic differences between the areas, but still SWPF and GLPF are considered to belong to the same floristic region (Slik etal. 2003, 2007). We have argued that the disturbed sites and the control site, despite beingpart of different forest tracts, are reasonably comparable in terms of their avifaunal composition. However, we recommend that in future research, as far as is logistically possible, study sites located in the same forest area be used. It could be argued that increased ecosystem dynamics due to forest degradation could lead to an increase in species richness (Ghazoul & Hellier 2000). At the same time, however, population density within species would decrease. By including a relative abundance measure per avian feeding guild (e.g. the number of ‘contacts’), a potentially clearer picture of community change can be revealed. Similarly, it would be useful to quantify the level of disturbance per study site. Comparing sites with different degrees of disturbance would provide insights in the resilience of individual avian feeding guilds. Implementation There is a clear need for practical monitoring tools, for example to test the effect of different management strategies. The preliminary results in this study indicate that analysing avian feeding guild structure is sensitive enough to detect even the presence of small- scale disturbance. Moreover, short surveys are a suitable method to obtain the required data. We used a horizontal approach, i.e. comparing affected areas to a ‘yard-stick’. The method could just as well be applied to a vertical approach, i.e. monitoring a particular area over time. We recommend that avian feedingguilds are included in standardised monitoring programmes. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was financially supported by the J. J. ter Pelkwijk and Pluspunt Individu funds, and via Delta and LUSTRA scholarships of Leiden University. We thank T ropenbos International and the T ropenbos Indonesia Program for logistic support. 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Email: sander.pieterse@ncbnaturalis.nl Hans H. de IONGH, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Department of Conservation Biology, PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands. Email: iongh@cml.leidenuniv.nl Appendix List of bird species included in the analysis and their division into avian feeding guilds Sequence and taxonomy closely follow Dickinson (2003) and Gill & Wright (2006). SWPF = Sungai Wain Protection Forest; GLPF = Gunung Lumut Protection Forest; PJ = Pinang Jatus; M = Mului; Visit I = data from Pieterse & Wielstra (2005); Visit II = data from Boorsma (2008). Avian feeding guild is a combination of foraging layer (A = arboreal; U = understorey; T = terrestrial) and diet (F = frugivore; I = insectivore; C = carnivore; N = nectarivore; combinations possible). Vernacular Scientific Avian feeding guild SWPF total checklist SWPF visit 1 SWPF visit II GLPF PJ visit 1 GLPF PJ visit II Pheasants Long-billed Partridge Phasianidae Rhizothera longirostris TFI X Crested Partridge Roll ulus rouloul TFI X X X - X Crested Fireback Lophura ignita TFI X - X X X Bornean Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron schleiermacheri TFI X X X X X Great Argus Argusianus argus TFI X X X X X Doves and pigeons Common Emerald Dove Columbidae Chalcophaps indica TF X X X X X Little Green Pigeon Treron olax AF X X - X X Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans AF - - - - - Thick-billed Green Pigeon Treron curvirostra AF X - X X X Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei AF X - X X - Jambu Fruit Dove Ptilinopus jambu AF X - - - - Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea AF X X - X X Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia AF - - - - - Parrots Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot Psittacidae < Loriculus galgulus AN X X X X X Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus AF X X X X X Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda AF X X - - Cuckoos Short-toed Coucal Cuculidae Centropus rectunguis Tl X X X X Bornean Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiatus TFI X X X X - Raffles's Malkoha Rhinortha chlorophaea Al X X X X X GLPF M GLPF M visit I visit II x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 60 BEN WIELSTRA etal. Forktail 27 (201 1) Vernacular Scientific Avian feeding guild SWPF total checklist SWPF visit 1 SWPF visit II GLPFPJ visit 1 GLPF PJ visit II GLPF M visit 1 GLPF M visit II Red-billed Malkoha Zanciostomus javanicus Al X X X X X - . Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris Al X - X X X X X Black-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus diardi Al X - X - - X X Chestnut-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus sumatranus Al X - X X - Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus Al X X - X - X X Little Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx minutillus Al X - - - - - Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii Al X X X - X X X Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo Surniculuslugubris Al X X - X - X X Moustached Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx vagans Ul - - - - - - X Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax Ul X - - - - - - Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus Al X X X X - X X Trogons Red-naped Trogon Trogonidae Harpactes kasumba Ul X X X X X Diard's Trogon Harpactes diardii Ul X X X X X X X Cinnamon-rumped Trogon Harpactes orrhophaeus Ul X - - - - - - Scarlet-rumped Trogon Harpactes duvaucelii Ul X X - X X X X Kingfishers Rufous-collared Kingfisher Alcedinidae Actenoides concretus UIC X X Banded Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella Ul X X X - - - - Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyxerithaca UIC X X X X X X X Blue-banded Kingfisher Alcedo euryzona UIC X - - - - X Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting UIC X X X X X - - Bee-eaters Red-bearded Bee-eater Meropidae Nyctyornis amictus Al X X - . X X X Hornbills Bushy-crested Hornbill Bucerotidae Anorrhinus galeritus AFC X X X X X X X Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris AFC - - - X X - - Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus AFC X X X X X - X Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros AFC X X X X X X X Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil AFC X - X X X X X White-crowned Hornbill Berenicornis comatus AFC X - - X - - . Wrinkled Hornbill Acer os corrugatus AFC X X X X X X X Wreathed Hornbill Rhyticeros undulatus AFC X X X X X X X Asian barbets Golden-whiskered Barbet Megalaimidae Megaiaima chrysopogon AF X X X X X Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima raffiesii AFI X X X - X - X Red-throated Barbet Megaiaima mystacophanos AFI X - X X X X X Yellow-crowned Barbet Megalaima henricii AF - - - X X X X Blue-eared Barbet Megaiaima australis AF X X X X X X X Brown Barbet Calorhamphus fuliginosus AFI X X X X X X X Honeyguides Malaysian Honeyguide Indicatoridae Indicator archipelagicus Al X . X - - . Woodpeckers Rufous Piculet Picidae Sasia abnormis Al X X X X X X X Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopus canicapillus Al X X - X X X X Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus Ul X X X - - X X White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis Al X X X X - X - Banded Woodpecker Picus mineaceus Ul X - - X - X - Crimson-winged Woodpecker Picus puniceus Al X X X X - X X Checker-throated Woodpecker Picus mentalis Al X X - - - - - Olive-backed Woodpecker Dinopium raffiesii Ul X X X - X X Maroon Woodpecker Blythipicus rubiginosus Ul X X X X X X X Orange-backed Woodpecker Reinwardtipicus valid us Al X - X X X X X Buff-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis Al X X X X X X X Buff-necked Woodpecker Meiglyptes tukki Ul X X X - X X - Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus Al X X X X X X X Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus Al X X X X X - X Broadbills Green Broadbill Eurylaimidae Calyptomena viridis AF X X X X X Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos Al X X X X X X - Banded Broadbill Euryiaimus javanicus Al X X X X X X X Black-and-yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus Al X X X X X X X Dusky Broadbill Corydon sumatranus Al X X X X X X X Pittas Giant Pitta Pittidae Pitta caerulea Tl X Banded Pitta Pitta guajana Tl X - - X X - X Blue-banded Pitta Pitta arquata Tl - - - X - X Garnet Pitta Pitta granatina Tl X X X X , X - X Forktail 27 (2011) Use of avian feeding guilds to detect small-scale forest disturbance: East Kalimantan, Borneo 61 Avian SWPF total SWPF SWPF GLPF PJ GLPF PJ GLPF M GLPF M Vernacular Scientific feeding guild checklist visit 1 visit II visit 1 visit II visit 1 visit II Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii Tl X - - X X - - Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida Tl X - X X X X X Australian warblers Acanthizidae Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea Al X X - X - Woodshrikes and allies Tephrodornithidae Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus Al X X X X X X X Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis virgatus Al X X - - - - X Rufous-winged Philentoma Philentoma pyrhoptera Ul X X X X X X X Maroon-breasted Philentoma Philentoma velata Ul X X - X - X Bornean Bristlehead Pityriasidae Bornean Bristlehead Pityriasis gymnocephaia AFI X - - - - - - loras Aegithinidae Common lora Aegithina tiphia Al X X - X - - Green lora Aegithina viridissima Al X X X X - X X Cuckooshrikes Campephagidae Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina striata Al X X X - - Lesser Cuckooshrike Coracina fimbriata Al X X X X X X X Fiery Minivet Pericrocotus igneus Al X - - - Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus Al X X X X X X X Whistlers Pachycephalidae Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala grisola Al X - - - Vireos Vireonidae White-bellied Erpornis Erpornis zantholeuca Al X - - - Orioles Oriolidae V, Dark-throated Oriole Oriolusxanthonotus AFI X X X X X X X Drongos Dicruridae Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus Al X X X X X Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurushottentottus Al X X - - Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus Ul X X X X X X X Fantails Rhipiduridae Spotted Fantail Rhipidura perlata Ul X X X - X X X Monarchs Monarchidae Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea Ul X X X X X X X Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi Ul X X X X X X X Crows and jays Corvidae Crested Jay Platylophus galericulatus Ul X X X - X X Black Magpie Platysmurus leucopterus AFI X X X X X - X Slender-billed Crow Conus enca AFI X X X X X X X Malay Rail-babbler Eupetidae Malaysian Rail-babbler Eupetes macrocerus Tl X - - * - - Fairy flycatchers Stenostiridae Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis Ul X X X - X - X Bulbuls Pycnonotidae Black-and-white Bulbul Pycnonotus melanoleucos AFI X - X - - X X Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps AFI X X X X X X X 'Scaly-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus squamatus AFI - - - - - X Grey-bellied Bulbul Pycnonotus cyaniventris AFI X - - - - - Puff-backed Bulbul Pycnonotus eutiiotus UFI X X X X X X X Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex UFI X X - - - X - Asian Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus UFI X X X X X X X Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythropthalmus UFI X X X X X X X Grey-cheeked Bulbul Aiophoixus bres UFI X X X X X X X Yellow-bellied Bulbul Alophoixus phaeocephalus UFI X X X X X X Hairy-backed Bulbul Tricholestes criniger UFI X X X X - - Buff-vented Bulbul lole olivacea UFI X X X X - X X Streaked Bulbul ixos malaccensis AFI X X - - - - Cettia bush warblers and allies Cettidae < Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris Al X X - - X X X Cisticolasand allies Cisticolidae Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis Ul X X X X X - X Rufous-tailed Tailorbird Orthotom us sericeus Ul X X X X X X X Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps Ul X X X X X X X Babblers Timaliidae Black-capped Babbler Pellorneum capistratum Tl X X X X X X X 62 BEN WIELSTRA et al. Forktail 27 (2011) Vernacular Scientific Avian feeding guild SWPF total checklist SWPF visit 1 SWPF visit II GLPFPJ visit 1 GLPF PJ visit II GLPF M visit 1 GLPF M visit II White-chested Babbler Trichastoma rostratum Tl X X X - X X - Ferruginous Babbler Trichastoma bicolor Ul X X X X X X X Abbott's Babbler Malacocinda abbotti Ul X X - - - - - Horsfield's Babbler Malacocinda sepiaria Ul X X X - - - - Short-tailed Babbler Malacocinda malaccensis Tl X X X X X X X Moustached Babbler Malacopteron magnirostre Ul X X X - - - X Sooty-capped Babbler Malacopteron affine Ul X X - X X X Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteron cinereum Ul X X X X X - X Rufous-crowned Babbler Malacopteron magnum Ul X X X X X X X Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteron albogulare Ul X X X - - - - Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus montanus UFI X X X - X X X Bornean Wren Babbler Ptilocichla leucogrammica Tl X - - - - - Striped Wren Babbler Kenopia striata Tl X X X - - - - Black-throated Wren Babbler Napothera atrigularis Tl - - - - X X - Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyris rufifrons Ul X X X - - - - Grey-headed Babbler Stachyrispoliocephala Ul - - - - X X Chestnut-rumped Babbler Stachyris maculata Ul X X X X X X - Black-throated Babbler Stachyris nigricollis Ul X X X X X X X Chestnut-winged Babbler Stachyris erythroptera Ul X X X X X X X Bold-striped Tit Babbler Macronus gularis Ul X X X X X X X Fluffy-backed Tit Babbler Macronous ptilosus Ul X X X X X X X Brown Fulvetta Alcippe brunneicauda UFI X X X - X X X Fairy-bluebirds Irenidae Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella AF X X X X X X X Nuthatches Sittidae Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis Al X X X X - - - Starlings Sturnidae Common Hill Myna Gracula religiosa AF X X X X X X X Thrushes Turdidae Chestnut-capped Thrush Zoothera interpres UFI - - - - - - X Chats and Old World flycatchers Muscicapidae White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus Ul X X X X X X X Rufous-tailed Shama Trichixos pyrrhopygus Ul X X X - - - Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurusruficapillus Tl X - - X - - White-crowned Forktail Enicurusleschenaulti Tl X X X X - X Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher Rhinomyias umbratilis Ul X X X X X - - Rufous-chested Flycatcher Ficedula dumetoria Ul X X X - X - - Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus Al - - - - - X X Pale Blue Flycatcher Cyornis unicolor Al X - - - - - - Sunda Blue Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus Ul X - - - - - - Bornean Blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus Al X - - - - - Malaysian Blue Flycatcher Cyornis turcosus Ul X X X X - - Dark Blue Flycatcher Cyornis concretus Ul - - - - X - - Leafbirds Chloropseidae Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati AN X - X X X X X Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon AN X X X X - X X Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis AN X X X X - X X Flowerpeckers Dicaeidae Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus maculatus AFI X X - X - X X Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker Prionochilus xanthopygius UN X X X X X X X Yellow-vented Flowerpecker Dicaeum chrysorrheum AN X - - - - - X Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma AN X - - X X X X Plain Flowerpecker Dicaeum concolor AN X - - - - - - Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum AN X - - - - - - Sunbirdsand spiderhunters Nectariniidae Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Chalcoparia singalensis UN X X X X X X X Plain Sunbird Anthreptes simplex AN X - - X - X X Red-throated Sunbird Anthreptes rhodolaemus UN - - - - - - X Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum UN X X X X X X X Purple-throated Sunbird Leptocoma sperata AN X - - X X - X Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja AN X - - X X - - Temminck's Sunbird Aethopyga temminckii AN X - - - - - Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra UN X X X X X X X Thick-billed Spiderhunter Arachnothera crassirostris AN X - - - - - - Long-billed Spiderhunter Arachnothera robusta AN X - - - - Spectacled Spiderhunter Arachnothera flavigaster AN X - - X X X X Yellow-eared Spiderhunter Arachnothera chrysogenys UN X - - - - X - Grey-breasted Spiderhunter Arachnothera modesta UN X X - - X X X 169 120 110 113 111 105 115 FORKTAIL 27 (201 1): 63-72 The waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste: new site records clarifying residence status, distribution and taxonomy COLIN R.TRAINOR The status of waterbirds and coastal seabirds in Timor-Leste is refined based on surveys during 2005-201 0. A total of 2,036 records of 82 waterbird and coastal seabirds were collected during 272 visits to 57 Timor-Leste sites, and in addition a small number of significant records from Indonesian West Timor, many by colleagues, are included. More than 200 new species by Timor-Leste site records were collected. Key results were the addition of three waterbirds to the Timor Island list (Red-legged Crake Rallina fasciata, vagrant Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles and recent colonist and Near Threatened Javan Plover Charadrius javanicus) and the first records in Timor-Leste for three irregular visitors: Australian White Ibis Threskiornismolucca, Ruff P/u'/omac/u/spugnaxand NearThreatened Eurasian Curlew Numeniusarquata. Records of two subspecies of Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica, including the first confirmed records outside Australia of G. n. macrotarsa, were also of note. INTRODUCTION Timor Island lies at the interface of continental South-East Asia and Australia and consequently its resident waterbird and coastal seabird avifauna is biogeographically mixed. Some of the most notable findings of a Timor-Leste field survey during 2002-2004 were the discovery of resident breedingpopulations of the essentially Australian Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus, and the first island records of two rails (Spotless Crake Porzana tahuensis and Red-necked Crake P. fusca) at the limits of their Australian and South-East Asian distributions respectively (Trainor 2005a). A total of ten new waterbird and coastal seabirds including three ducks, three rails, painted snipe, two migrant waders, a tern and a night-heron were added to the island list (Trainor 2005a). For many species there was still limited information to determine their residence status, and taxonomic status, particularly subspecific identity. Three wetlands were identified as of high national significance, with Lake Iralalaro on the Fuiloro plateau one of the most notable wetlands in W allacea. Here I provide new information on the status and distribution of waterbirds in Timor-Leste, and Timor generally, based on field surveys from J anuary 2005 to October 2010 and, where appropriate, the incorporation of previous data. It marks the culmination of a number of field projects in Timor-Leste, including an Important Bird Areas programme and a doctoral study (Trainor et al. 2007a, Trainor 2010). The residence status and nomenclature for some species listed in a fieldguide (Trainor etal. 2007b) and recent review (Trainor et al. 2008) are clarified. Three new island records are -documented and substantial new ecological data on distribution and habitat use are included. Errors and omissions in Trainor (2005a) are also corrected or updated. METHODS W aterbirds and coastal seabirds were recorded in T imor-Leste during visits to 57 wetland sites, including 1 9 newsites not covered in T rainor (2005a), during 1 1 April 2005 to 26 September 2010 (Table 1). A few significant observations ofwaterbirds and coastal seabirds from Indonesian West Timor are also noted from the following locations. Three sites in Kupang Bay sites were visited: Olio River and adjacent fishponds on 1 5 December 2004 (data omitted from Trainor 2005a), 4 January 2005, 6 January 2005 and 5 January 20 1 0, and Kuka-Pariti and Bipolo-Panmuti were visited on 5 January 2005. Extensive mangrove-lined lagoons at Tuadale (10°19,30"S Table 1 . Summary of the 1 9 newly surveyed Timor-Leste sites additional to the 74 sites listed in Trainor (2005a) (and numbered 1-74 in Appendix 2, and shown on Figure 1 of Trainor 2005a). No. Wetland site District Area (ha) Elevation (m) Habitat Coordinates 75 Lifao River estuary Oecusse 10 0 Braided stream estuary 9°12'18"S 124°18'29"E 76 Oecussi swamp Oecusse 200 1 Mangrove lined floodplain and short grass 9°12'04"S 124°2V24"E 77 Lake Onu Laran Covalima 30 2 Freshwater lake (reedbed-lined) 9°25'22"S 125°07'06"E 78 Lake Asan Foun Covalima 5 1 Saline coastal lagoons 9°24'29"S 125°11'08"E 79 Maliana ricefields Bobonaro 300 210 Ricefields 8°58'54"S 125°12'09"E 80 Suai airfield Covalima 100 21 Short grass 9°18'13"S 1 25°1 7'09"E 81 Queorema dam (Hatu Builico) Ainaro 0.3 2,110 Shallow saline lake 8°51'46"S 1 25°32'01 "E 82 Mount Manucoco, Makadade Dili 600 600 Springs on mountain 8°16'10"S 125°34'24"E 83 Lake Welada Manufahi 7 42 Freshwater lake, mangrove-lined 9°01'26"S 1 25°59'06"E 84 Lake Welenas Manufahi ( t 12 44 Freshwater lake, mangrove-lined 9°01'36"S 125°58'14"E 85 Sahen River channel Manatuto 300 30 Braided stream channel 9°00'25"S 1 26°00'58"E 86 Lake Naan Kuro Manatuto 100 0 Saline coastal lagoon, mangrove-lined 9°01'53"S 126°05'13"E 87 Manatuto Lake/ mangroves Manatuto 24 0 Saline mudflats 8°31'34"S 1 26°04'20"E 88 Laleia River Baucau 200 20 Braided stream channel 8°33'44"S 126°10'08"E 89 Carabella Baucau 100 5 Short grass, ricefields 8°28'58"S 126°16'56"E 90 Parlemento-Moro Lautem 100 0 Beach, coastal 8°19'30"S 1 26°58'54"E 91 Nari Lautem 1,500 580 Short grass 8°24'17"S 126°58’07"E 92 Chin River Lautem 20,000 360 Secondary forest, springs 8°33'28"S 126°56'54"E 93 Fuiloro Lautem 500 420 Short grass 8°24'1 8"S 126°57'58"E 64 COLIN R. TRAINOR Forktail 27 (2011) 1 24° 1 3,27ffE), c. 1 5 km south of Kupang, were visited on 6 January 2005, and a dam near Nenas village (9°36'39"S 124°13,27"E) at 1,760 m, in the foothills of Mount Mutis (see Noske in Jepson & Ounsted 1997) was visited on 5 January 2010. Taxonomy and nomenclature follows Oriental Bird Club (OBC) (http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/checlclist) except Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae which is recognised here as a species following Christidis & Boles (2008). Global threat status follows IUCN (wcvw.redlist.org). A small number of significant observations made by colleagues in Timor- Leste, and also West Timor are included. The results focus on the interpretation of residence status ofwaterbirds and coastal seabirds based on their abundance, seasonality and direct or indirect breeding observations. Information on abundance (maximum counts) and habitat use, including new elevation limits, are also summarised where it differs from published information. Correction and update Appendix 2 of Trainor (2005a) numbers two wetlands (Lake Seloi and Lake Tasitolu) as site number 13. Lake Tasitolu is site 13, and Lake Seloi should be site number 14. This correction is important to enable correct interpretation of the occurrence of waterbird and coastal seabirds by sites in Appendix 1 of Trainor (2005a). A total of 43 videos of Timor-Leste waterbirds and coastal shorebirds shot during 2003-2005 were uploaded to Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCRTrainor). This includes the first Timor Island records of Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles , Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos and Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus. The specimen of Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca mentioned in Trainor (2005a) was a female, and was lodged at the Australian Museum as specimen: 0.72283 (tissuenumberis46545: W. Boles, in litt. 2010). RESULTS A total of 2,036 records of 82 waterbird and coastal seabird species were obtained in Timor-Leste during 283 visits to 57 wetland sites over 185 field days. This included a total of 227 new species by site records (Appendix 1). Two additional species (Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus and Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus ) were only reported in Timor-Leste by colleagues. Records were not collected evenly, with greater effort in the late dry season (September-November) and few records during January, February, July and August (Figure 1). A set of breeding records of species not covered in the annotated list is given in Table 2. The annotated list documents 44 waterbird and coastal seabirds for Figure 1 . Monthly survey effort for waterbird and coastal seabirds in Timor-Leste (number of records) during the two survey periods. which new records or new data are available on distribution, seasonality (months and extreme dates) and breeding for Timor- Leste or Timor Island. Accounts where data are contributed solely by colleagues or where the bird remains unconfirmed for Timor are included within square brackets. Wandering Whistling Duck Dendroeygna arcuata Large flocks of this breeding resident included 200 birds at Lake Modo Mahut on 12 June 2005, 300 at Loes River estuary on 10 September 2005 and 250 at Olio River on 15 December 2004. Previously the largest flocks recorded in Timor-Leste were the 120 birds at Lake Iralalaro (Trainor 2005a). At Chaiperi lagoon there were sets of eight and 10 chicks on 28 May 2004. Green Pygmy-goose Nettapus pulchellus Two birds were recorded at Lake Modo Mahut on 12 June 2005, otherwise allTimor-Leste records are from the Fuiloro plateau where the species was thought to be a visitor from Australia (Trainor 2005a). This duck is usually observed in pairs and is presumably a breeding resident in Timor-Leste, perhaps with occasional influxes of visitors from Australia, but confirmation is needed. Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa The six birds noted at a dam at 2,100 m at Queorema on 30 April 2005 comprised the highest elevation record in Wallacea (Coates & Bishop 1997). Additional breeding records included: two eggs (56.5x41.2 and 56x40.2 mm) at the edge of Lake Laga on 9 May 2005: two eggs found at Lake Iralalaro on 13January 2004; one bird with five fledglings, and another with two fledglings at Lake Eraulu on 17 April 2005. Table 2. Direct and indirect breeding records not mentioned in Trainor (2005a) or the main text. Refer to Trainor (2005a) for site details. Species Date Notes White-browed Crake Porzana cinerea 26 October 2006 Three immature from a total of 1 3 birds at Lake Iralalaro (Irasequiro River) Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 13 June 2005 Two or three downy chicks at Lake Welenas (video uploaded to Youtube) Purple Swamphen P. porphyrio 24 October 2006 Pair with 2 chicks at Lake Iralalaro Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa 30 October 2004 One bird with 2 young at Lake Iralalaro Dusky Moorhen G. tenebrosa 13 December 2003 Eight birds noted including 2 juveniles at Lake Iralalaro (Irasequiro River) Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea 28 May 2004 One immature bird at Chaiperi swamp Comb-crested Jacana /. gallinacea 13 December 2003 Six juvenile birds at Lake Iralalaro (Irasequiro River) Comb-crested Jacana 1. gallinacea 13 April 2005 Four chicks (c. 16 cm tall) with seven adults at Lake Iralalaro Comb-crested Jacana /. gallinacea 30 May 2005 Five immature birds at Lake Iralalaro Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii 1 November 2004 A juvenile bird on beach at Com Great-billed Heron Ardeasumatrana 2 June 2005 Breeding display with head and bill held vertically at Lore, Namulutu estuary Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticoraxnycticorax 25 October 2006 One immature-plumage bird from a total of 15 birds at Lake Iralalaro (Irasequiro River) Rufous Night-heron Nycticoraxcaledonicus 13 April 2005 Fledgling seen and videoed at Lake Iralalaro Black Bittern Dupetorflavicollis 26 October 2006 One immature-plumage bird at Lake Iralalaro (Irasequiro River) Forktail 27 (2011) The waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste: new site records 65 Sunda Tea! Anas gibberifrons The commonest duck on saline wetlands and estuaries with a highest count of c.500 birds at Lake Be Malae on 18 June 2005. Four adult birds with six recently fledged juveniles at Tasitolu on 18 February 2006 confirms breeding on Timor. Sunda Teal is easily confused with Grey Teal A. gracilis because ‘females and juveniles of nominate gibberifrons do not have the high forehead of the drakes’ (Mees 2006) . There were two unconfirmed reports of Grey T eal from W est Timor, but photographs taken by J. Eaton of birds identified as Grey Teal have been confirmed as juvenile Sunda T eal (J. Davies in. lift. 2010). The only published Lesser Sunda record of Grey Teal is from Komodo (Bishop 1992), but there is no description given, and this record should also be considered as unconfirmed (Mees 2006). Hardhead Aythya australis Previously considered as an Australian visitor, but with up to 100 birds at Lake Iralalaro (Trainor 2005a) and birds occasionally seen in pairs, it may be a breeding resident. N ow known from sea level to 1,150 m; previously recorded to 340 m (Trainor 2005a). [Red-legged Crake Rallina fasciata The first island records were of a pair of adult birds with two well- feathered chicks observed at Bipolo, West Timor, on 5 February 2009, and an adult bird seen at Camplong, West Timor, on 9 February 2009 (Dymond 2011); subsequently an adult bird was seen independently by three observers at Bipolo on 17 March 2010 (N. Brickie in lift. 2010). Red-legged Crake is known from the Lesser Sunda Islands ot Flores, Alor and Kisar (White & Bruce 1986). On Flores it is a breeding resident, but it is thought to have resident, migratory and dispersive populations throughout its South-East Asian range (T aylor & van Perlo 1 998) . Although it might possibly have been overlooked in the past, it is probably more likely to be a wet-season breeding visitor to Timor (N. Brickie in litt. 2010).] White-breasted Waterhem Amaurornis phoenicurus The widespread Wallacean subspecies (Sulawesi, parts of Maluku and Lesser Sundas) is leucomelanus , but the Timor/Nusa Tenggara bird has much more extensive grey on the flanks with white restricted to a central area of the chest, and more extensive grey on the head and cheek (compared to birds elsewhere). Plates in fieldguides (Coates &Bishop 1997, Trainor etal. 2007b) show the Sulawesi bird which, although currently included with the Timor/Lesser Sunda subspecies, appears closer in appearance to populations on Java. Hartert (1904) clarified subspecific differences for Indonesian populations and included Sulawesi and west Nusa Tenggara populations up to Sumbawaas phoenicurus, v/ith.leucomelanus\\ste6. only for Flores, Timor, Wetar, Romang and Tukangbesi Islands. This taxonomic treatment by Idartert (1904) does appear to better represent plumage variation. Breeding records include: adult birds with two chicks at a dam nearNenas on 14 March 2010 (N. Brickie in litt. 2010); a fledgling at Irasequiro bridge on 18 April 2003, and also on 30 May 2005, and a fledgling videoed at Anartutu-Atauro Island (650 m), feeding on drying corn on 21 April 2005. Other high-elevation records were at Mount Legumau ( 1,000 m) andNenas (W est T imor) at 1,760 m (recorded to 2,000 m in south-west India: Taylor & van Perlo 1998). < [Baiiion's Crake Porzana pusilla One bird was observed briefly at the edge of Lake Welenas on 14 June 2005. It had agreyish chest andbrownupperparts and its identity was confirmed from plates in field guides, but no other details were noted down at the time of the observation. The broad colour patterning and small size does not fit with other rails known from Timor. Regionally it is known from Bali (first island record on 31 March 1995), Flores, Sumbawa (first record on 25 October 1996), Seram and Sulawesi (Mason 1996, Coates & Bishop 1997, Trainor et al. 2006). An immature bird recorded from North Sulawesi in June was moulting flight feathers and was assumed to have bred locally (White & Bruce 1986). The Flores population is probably the migrant subspecies pusilla , as assumed for other Indonesian records based on dates and a few specimens (Taylor & van Perlo 1998, Mees 2006). The date of the Timor observations indicates that it is likely to be resident, although migrant birds in the Malay Peninsula remain until late May or June (White & Bruce 1986). A Timor population would comprise either pusilla , or the Australasian palustris , which occurs widely in Australia and eastern New Guinea (Taylor & van Perlo 1998).] [Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis The bird killed by hunters mentioned in Trainor (2005a) had the following measurements (in mm) : bill 18, tarsus 30, wing7 1.5, body (excluding tail) 1 17. The wing length is substantially smaller than male or female birds from Australia, and from New Guinea, but the bill fits within the range of Australian birds (16.2-22.2 mm), but is smaller or slightly larger than New Guinea subspecies {et dwardi— 19-22 mm, richardsoni = 15-17: Taylor & van Perlo 1998). Previously, this crake was known only from the Fuiloro plateau (340- 420 m) in Timor-Leste (Trainor 2005 a) , but it has nowbeen recorded from 35-420 m.] Common Coot Fulica atm v. Previously this bird was considered as a ‘rare vagrant’ (Coates & Bishop 1997) to Wallacea, or as a regular visitor to Timor-Leste (T rainor 2005a) but there is a resident breedingpopulation in T imor- Leste. An adult with three juveniles was seen along the Irasequiro River on 3 October 2004, and seven juveniles were seen at the same site on 8 October 2004. The subspecies is presumably australis. Godwits Limosa spp. A high count of 100-150 godwits were observed at Olio River on 26 September 2010, dominated (c.95%) by Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, with at least one Near Threatened Black-tailed Godwit L. limosa noted. Up to 188 Black-tailed Godwit were observed at the same site by Andrew ( 1 986) on 30 September 1985. Although data are sparse, there appears to have been a substantial decline of this bird, and other waders such as Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea at this site. Little Curlew Numenius minutus Three recent records only duringSeptember and November confirm that this bird stages in small numbers in Timor-Leste for briefperiods while on passage. The highest count was seven birds at Secal estuary on 19 November 2006. One was observed at Laga on 15 November 2005 (A. Black in litt. 2010). At Olio River, 24 birds were photographed on 26 September 2010. Other recent Wallacean records include observations of larger groups at airfields: 40 on Kai Besar (Mauro 1999), 40 on Yamdenain Oct 2008 (van Biers 2008) and 50-70 at the airport at Kai Besar in October 2010 (B. Demeulemeester in litt. 2010). Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata Near Threatened. The first record from Timor-Leste was of one bird at Tibar aquaculture on 5 April 2008. It was separated from F ar Eastern Curlew N. madagascariensis by its white rump and lower back, which was readily seen when the bird flew off. Far Eastern Curlew is regular at this site, but has a brown rump and lower back. The first Timor Island records were of one and two birds in Kupang Bay during September and October (Andrew 1986). Only eight Wallacean records were reviewed recently (Schellekens 2009) with the omission of a record of two birds on the Gili islands off Lombok (Boon 1996). There is one confirmed Australian record (www.tonypalliser.com/barc/summaries/SUMM545-htm). 66 COLIN R. TRAINOR Forktail 27 (2011) Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Previous Timor-Leste records were during southward migration (September-November) but recent records (up to 1 1 birds) in January, February, March and May indicate that small numbers overwinter, with a particularly late record (23 May at Tibar aquaculture) either a bird on return migration or oversummering. During 2002-2004 all Timor-Leste records were from the period of southward migration (Trainor 2005a) but they have been recorded in Wallacea during all months (Coates & Bishop 1997). At Kupang Bay, 28 birds were noted on 15 December 2004, and about 15 birds were present on 26 September 2010. [Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus Near Threatened. There have been two recent records of this rare visitor. Colleagues observed one at Tasitolu on 1 1 and l4September 2005 (A. Black in lift. 2009), and one bird was seen on the beach south of Iliomar, Lautem district (8°45r 1 9r,S 126049,43”E) on 14 December 2005 (P. Leitao ,in. litt. 2010). These are theseventhand eighth Wallacean records (Trainor 2005a, Tebb et al. 2008, Schellekens 2009).] Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris Vulnerable. There were eight records of either one or two birds from September to 29 March, including two birds (presumably always the same) at T asitolu from 3- 1 6 November 2006. N ine Great Knot were present at Lake Tasitolu on 23 September 2010 (J. D. Pilgrim in litt. 2010), confirming the relative rarity of this bird on Timor. A photograph of a bird at Vero River estuary on 22 October 2006 is published in Trainor et al. (2007b:50). Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis A bird observed at Lake Tasitolu on 7 May 2005 (in breeding plumage) , with an orange flagon the left tarsus, was originally banded in Westernport Bay, Victoria, 3,812 km to the south (C. Minton, Australasian W ader Studies Group, in litt. 2010). Recent high counts at Kupang Bay include 252 birds on 12 June 2004 and 350 on 15 December 2004. A total of about 550 birds were counted at Bipolo- Panmuti (West Timor) on 6 September 2010 (C. Robson in litt. 2010). Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata The 112 birds observed at Bipolo-Panmuti on 6 September 20 1 0 is the highest recent count for Timor (C. Robson in litt. 2010). Up to 25 birds have been recorded in Timor-Leste (Trainor 2005a). Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea An uncommon passage migrant in Timor-Leste with up to four birds on coastal wetlands. Records of 29 birds at Kupang Bay on 1 2 June 2004 (T rainor 2005 a), and of one bird at Lake Lagaon 1 6 June 2006, indicate that small numbers occasionally oversummer. Wallacean records range from August- April, and June (Coates & Bishop 1997) but there are few records outside the period of southward migration. A recent high count of 80 birds was observed at Bipolo-Panmuti on 6 September 2010 (C. Robson in litt. 2010), where up to450 birds were recorded in the 1980s (Andrew 1986). Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Single birds only at Lake Tasitolu on 20 December 2005 (P. Leitao in litt. 2010), 22 September 2006 and 3 November 2006 confirm that this is one of the rarest migrants visiting Timor-Leste. The 36 birds observed at Kuka-Panmuti on 5 January 2005 is the highest Timor count (Trainor 2005a). One bird was observed at Bipolo- Panmuti on 6 September 2010 (C. Robson in litt.). Ruff Philomachus pugnax The first Timor-Leste records were at Lake T asitolu from 28 August 2006 (an adult male) through to l4November 2006, with one record at the former Dili FFelicopter pad (now developed into the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation). There were further Lake Tasitolu records: one bird on 19 November 2005 at Tasitolu (A. Black in litt. 2009) and three on 20 December 2005 (P. Leitao in litt. 2010). Ruff is a rare but regular visitor to the region (Verbelen 1995, Mauro 1999, Schellekens 2009). Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis The only recent record (2005-2010) was of a female flushed from an irrigated ricefield at Secal on 20 September 2005. Since 2002, all seven records have occurred during the typical migrant season (August-April) except the one bird flushed at Irasequiro River on 24 May, which is relatively late. It might indicate that some birds oversummer, or that there is a resident population on Timor. Based on distribution this bird has been assumed to be the Asian taxon, but photos or a specimen would be valuable to confirm that it is not the recently recognised Australian Painted-snipe R. australis (Baker et al. 2007). Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus The previous report of breeding at Kupang Bay, West Timor (Trainor 2005a), omitted any detail. This observation was of two brown-winged fledglings on 12 June 2004 with light cream nape. Juvenile birds had been previously noted nearby (Verbelen 1996). Records of juveniles were highly seasonal between September and January (Figure 2a), and these have either bred locally on Timor (there was also unconfirmed evidence of breedingat Lake Be Malae and Lake Iralalaro) or neighbouring islands. In northern Australia this species breeds after the wet season, and there is no information that birds fly north. The Australasian form leucocephalus occurs as a breeding bird (?visitor) as far west as Sumatra (Iqbal 2008). Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola The c.350 birds roosting at Olio River on 6 January 2005 is the largest recent count for Timor island. [Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus The firstTimor-Leste record was of one bird observed and sketched at Tasitolu on 20 September 2005 (A. Black in litt. 2009, corroborated by J. Cox in litt. 2009) and the second Timor record following an observation at Kupang Bay (McCrie 1995).] Javan Plover Charadrius javanicus Near Threatened, new island record. At Tibar Aquaculture, one and three birds were observed on 19 and 21 September 2009, and at least one adult male and one adult female was present on 4 and 9 May 2010 (Plate 1). At least four birds were present at Tibar on Plate 1 .A male Javan Plover Charadrius javanicus in breeding plumage at Tibar aquaculture on 9 May 201 0. Photo: C. R. Trainor Forktail 27 (2011) The waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste: new site records 67 Plate 2. A juvenile Javan Plover Charadrius javanicus at Tibar aquaculture on 31 July 201 0. Note downy feathers on nape; in life this bird showed a light rufous wash on the 'collar'. Photo: C. R. Trainor 3 1 July 2010, including a recently fledged bird with downy feathers still visible on the nape (Plate 2). Substantial new distributional information has been collected on this species, formerly often included with Kentish Plover C. alexandrinus. There are breeding populations on Sumbawa (under Kentish Plover: Coates & Bishop 1997), Sumba and Sulawesi, and new distributional records for Sumatra, Flores and Lombok (Tebb et al. 2008, J Eaton, I. Londo and M. Schellekens in litt. 2010, CRT unpubl. data). The Timor- Leste birds appear to be recent colonists, and are unlikely to been have overlooked since 2002. Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus One bird was rescued from a leg snare (used by local boys to catch Spotted Dove Stigmatopelia chinensis ) at Tasitolu on 6 November 2003 . Red-capped Plover breed throughout most of theyear, perhaps particularly in the dry season (Figure 2b). Birds breed successfully at T asitolu, but many nests are destroyed (Olsen & T rainor 2005). Two days (6 September 2005) after a nest with two eggs was found at Lake T asitolu, there was no trace of the eggs and presumably they had been eaten by pigs or other predators. tasked Lapwing Vanellus miles New Island Record. In 2005, there were five Timor-Leste records including photos and video and two West Timor records of 2-13 birds duringjune, August, September and October, indicating that there are occasional dry season visitors from Australia to Timor and as far as Flores (Trainor et al. 2009). Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum There are only three recent records, but this includes observations of about 100 birds hawking over the Baucau plateau on 1 8 November 2005 (A. Black in litt. 2009) and 10 December 2005 (P. Leitao in litt. 2010), providing further evidence of the importance of Wallacean islands as stopover sites for this Palearctic migrant (Trainor 2005a). Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella A regular visitor with highest counts of 150 birds at Lake Laga (24 May 2005) and 100 birds at Loes River estuary (21 May 2005). About 3,000-5,000 are crudely estimated to visit Timor-Leste duringmostyears, and an estimated 10,000 birds have been recorded at Kupang Bay, West Timor. The number of birds declines steadily through the dry season (Figure 2c). Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Gull-billed T ern was first recorded for T imor at Secal estuary on 28 October 1973, but without comment on subspecific identity (McKean etal. 1975). At KupangBay,64of82 birds were in breeding plumage on 1 October 1985, and these were ‘presumably visitors from Australia’ (Andrew 1986). Recent publications have highlighted the differences between the Australian resident subspecies macrotarsa and Asian migrant affinis (Rogers 2004, Rogers etal. 2005). These are probably distinct at the species level, but genetic work has not yet been done (D. Rogers in litt. 20 1 0). At Olio River, KupangBay, on 26 September 20 1 0 about si xmacrotarsa (Plate 3) and at least one affinis {Vizit 4) were present. The very pale upperparts and long bill with negligible gonydeal angle characterises these birds as macrotarsa rather than affinis (D . Rogers in litt. 2010). These are the first confirmed records for macrotarsa outside Australia. The Asian subspecies affinis showed a tiny black spot behind the eye {macrotarsa shows extensive black behind and in front of the eye in non-breeding plumage), and a rather different bill shape, shorter and straighter than macrotarsa (Plate 4) with a stronger gonydeal angle. They are also smaller than macrotarsa. with subtly darker upperparts. The macrotarsa at Olio River were in breeding plumage and performed displays with fish in their bills, * suggesting that they may breed at the site. Observations and photos Plate 3. A Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica subspecies macrotarsa in breeding plumage, at Kupang Bay on 27 September 2010. Plate 4. A Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica subspecies affinis, at Kupang Bay on 27 September 2010. Both photos: C .R. Trainor 68 COLIN R. TRAINOR Forktail 27 (201 1 ) of straight-billed Gull-billed Terns in Timor-Leste during 2009 were ajjinis (D. Cook in lift. 2010), and this subspecies was also photographed near the coast at Bipolo-Pariti, West Timor, in July 2010 (J. Eaton in litt. 2010). About 40 Gull-billed Terns were present at a roost at Olio River on 6 January 2005, and a total of 6- 15 birds have been recorded at Bipolo-Panmuti during August- September visits in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 20 1 0 (C. Robson in litt. 20 1 0) . A bird collected from nearby Luang Island was affinis (White & Bruce 1986) as was a bird photographed by CRT at nearby Leti Island on 25 September 2008 (M. Carter in litt. 2010). Timor records span June to January (Figure 2d). Little Tern Sterna aibifrons A cosmopolitan tern which is represented by subspecies sinensis in South-East Asia and Australasia. There were 27 breeding records from 21 May to 5 November (12 records oi breeding birds in May and June) at estuaries and saline mudflats along the north coast of Timor, with breeding from June to November at Lake Laga (Figure 2e) . The only December record was of a bird feeding over coral reefs at Atauro Island (Trainor & Leitao 2007) . However, they are clearly not resident at any location and their status on Timor is unclear. Australian Little Tern breed during the austral summer, so presumably the Timor birds are breeding visitors from Asia. Two specimens collected on Timor by Muller in 1829 are listed as migratory S. a. pusilla (van den Hoek Ostende et al. 1997), which is usually included with subspecies sinensis. Little Tern was recorded up to 400 m at inland wetlands in Timor-Leste. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leueopterus Since 2002 there have been only seven records (of 1 -6 birds) of this migratory tern from 1 1 October to 1 1 November, with a record of abird in breedingplumage at T asitolu on 22 May 2005. It is probably frequently overlooked. Little Grebe Taehybaptus ruficollis Appears to breed throughout the year (Fig. 2e). A bird sat on a nest (on top of reeds) with a single egg at Lake Veihoorana on 25 April 2005. Observed from sea level to 2,100 m in Timor-Leste. Australasian Grebe Taehybaptus novaehollandiae The subspecies is presumably novaehollandiae. Two birds at Lake Eraulo (1,190 m) on 24 September 2005 (R. Safford verbally 20 10) and one bird at Lake Iralalaro on 26 October 2006 were the only recent records in Timor-Leste. Seemingly rare, but a spotting scope is needed on larger lakes to discriminate the yellow-eyed T. novaehollandiae from the much commoner dark-eyed Little Grebe MAMJJASOND Figure 2. Seasonal patterns of abundance or breeding among selected waterbirds and coastal seabirds with records pooled for months since 2002. (a) Seasonal records of adult and immature-plumaged Black¬ winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus when both recorded together. (b) Reproductive pattern (nests, and runners and fledglings combined) of Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus. (c) Seasonal patterns in the abundance of Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella throughout Timor-Leste. (d) Records and total number of individuals of Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica recorded in Timor-Leste and West Timor. (e) Incidence of Little Tern Sterna aibifrons at Lake Laga during 47 visits since 2002. (f) Mean counts of Palearctic shorebird migrants at Tasitolu pooled over month for the two survey periods. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) The waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste: new site records 69 T. ruficollis. There was an additional record of one bird at Lake Tilong, near Kupang (W est Timor), on 9 June 20 1 0 (M. Schellekens in litt. 2010) and new island records for the neighbouring islands of Sermata (4 November 20 1 0) and Leti (an adult bird with four chicks on 13 November 2010) (CRT unpubl. data). Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae This bird is often treated as a subspecies within the globally Near Threatened Darter A. melanogaster (del Hoyo et al. 1992, OBC 2010). In recent Timor literature darter was recognised as a subspecies of the Near Threatened melanogaster (Trainor 2005a), or as the Oriental Darter A. melanogaster (Trainor et. al. 2007b) but is clearly the Least Concern Australian species as in Trainor et al. (2008). In W allacea, melanogaster has been recorded on Sulawesi, Banggai and Sumbawa, while novaehollandiae was listed for Babar, Timor, and probably Seram and Halmahera (Coates & Bishop 1997). The estimate of 200 birds at Lake Modo Mahut on 12 June 2005 is the highest count for Wallacea. Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos A pair of birds sat on a stick nest at Lake Iralalaro on 29 March 2003, and about 100 immature birds were photographed loafing next to Lake Iralalaro at the same time. Previously at this site, locals reported 500-1,000 nests during episodic flooding at Iralalaro ( 1 999-2002). At this time Estuarine Crocodiles Crocodylusporosus fed on fallen chicks, and local men entered the water to climb trees and collect eggs and chicks. Pied Heron Egretta picata An uncommon Australian vagrant or visitor with records from sea level to 330 m. Immature birds with white head and neck were observed 3 km west of Lautem onl6June2006,andat Lake T asitolu on 22 June 2006. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Records ofsixindividuals by CRT attributed to this heron in the far east of Timor-Leste are now considered most likely to have been misidentified Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana (perhaps immature birds). There are two records from Kupang Bay (T rainor 2005a), and this heron is likely in lowland wetlands of Timor- Leste — but not in sea caves along the coast as reported in Trainor (2005a) — these would certainly refer only to Great-billed Heron. Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis Observed at four lakes and swamps on 13 April, 30 May, 10- 1 3 June, 2 and 24 August, confirming that it is resident rather than a northern migrant. It was recorded in July 20 1 0 on Sumba (J. Eaton in litt. 2010). A bird was also seen adjacent to Ngurah Rai international airport, Bali, on 29 May 2006, suggesting that it is also resident on Bali although previously it has been thought a winter migrant (MacKinnon & Phillipps 1993). [Von Schrenck's Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus A bird observed in flight at Laka Farapata on 28 April 2006 with ‘rufous back and grey wings’ was thought to be Von Schrenck’s Bittern rather than Yellow Bittern/, sinensis, which typically shows blackish primaries and yellowish-brown back. There were several further unconfirmed observations of bitterns flushed at O’Swamp with patterning that appeared more like Von Schrenck’s Bittern, but perhaps these were confused with Yellow Bittern. There are records ofV on Schrenck’s Bittern from T alaud, Siau and north and east Sulawesi, where it is thought to be a ‘scarce but regular winter visitor’ but possibly breeds on Sulawesi (Coates & Bishop 1997). Ixobrychus bitterns are poorly known on Timor: most observations have been of flushed birds, observed in flight for less than 1 second, making identification difficult.] Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus This was considered a breeding resident in Trainor (2005 a) without supporting evidence. The first island record was on 9 December 1995 and it was considered a likely vagrant from northern Asia (Noske & Ueda 1 996). Of the 29 records since 2002, four have been between 24 May and 2 August (2004, 2005, 2008), which suggests that this bird is more likely to be a resident breeder than a northern migrant. Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca The first record for Timor-Leste was the two adult birds feeding along the Loes River near the estuary on 1 8 September 2009. The only previous Timor record was of one bird at Kupang Bay on 7 August 1998 (R. Drijvers in Trainor et al. 2006). An adult and immature were recorded from Babar Island (200 km east of Timor- Leste) during August and September 1905 (Hartert 1906). Australian birds are strongly migratory (Marchant & Higgins 1993), and appear to reach Timor as rare Austral winter vagrants. There is a resident breeding population on Seram, but otherwise it is infrequently recorded in Wallacea (Coates & Bishop 1997). Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia Large flocks were observed along the north coast particularly during the dry season at Kuka-Pariti (19 birds on 5 January 2005), Lifao River estuary (at least 18 birds in non-breeding plumage on 15 „ September 2009), Lake Be Malae (75 birds on 18 June 2005) and Secal estuary (13 birds on 20 September 2005) which suggests the species is probably an austral visitor rather than a local breeder. One bird at Lake T asitolu on 7 February 2003 was in breeding plumage (white nape-plume). The date of the two specimens collected in Dili mentioned in Trainor (2005a) should have been 17 April 1932, rather than 1931. Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus The 123 birds counted at Lake Tasitolu on 21 September 2010 (J. D. Pilgrim in litt. 2010) is the highest count for Timor Island. Up to 150-200 birds have been reported from nearby Roti Island (Trainor 2005b). It was considered as an ‘irregular visitor’ to Wallacea from Australia (Coates & Bishop 1997), but is present year round on Timor. DISCUSSION Species status At least 90 waterbird and coastal seabirds have now been recorded on Timor Island including an unusual mix of typical Asian and Australian forms. Combined with previous data (2002-2004) a total of 86 waterbird and coastal seabirds (5,645 records) have now been recorded in Timor-Leste from 93 sites. This comprises c.99% of geo-coded records available for waterbird and coastal seabirds in the new nation, and could be used as abaseline for broad monitoring of wetlands and associated bird populations. Some of the most surprising recent Timor Island observations include the discovery of breeding populations of Red-capped Plover, Javan Plover and Red-legged Crake, and the first records outside Australia of the Australian race macrotarsa of Gull-billed Tern. Of the listed species only vagrant White-headed Shelduck Tadorna radjah and Caspian Tern Sterna caspia have not been recorded since 2002. All waterbirds and coastal seabirds listed for the island have been recorded in Timor-Leste with the exception of Red-legged Crake and Purple Heron. Of the migrant shorebirds listed for Wallacea, only the vagrant Nearctic Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (Schellekens 2006) and Pin-tailed Snipe Gallinago stenura are yet to be recorded — or confirmed — for Timor (Coates & Bishop 1997). 70 COLIN R. TRAINOR Forktail 27 (2011) Five threatened or Near Threatened Palearctic migrants (Black¬ tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Eastern Curlew, Asian Dowitcher and Great Knot) have been recorded in Timor-Leste. None of these is represented by internationally significant counts, and only Eastern Curlew occurs regularly. Three Near Threatened resident waterbirds were listed in Trainor (2005a). Now ignoring darter, Timor-Leste retains good populations of Near Threatened Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii and Beach Thick-knee Esacus magnirostris. Both these species are restricted to beach habitat which is highly limited in area, and in Timor-Leste is in great demand for a variety of development projects and livelihood activities. V illages also line much of the coastal strip of the country. The status of the Near Threatened Javan Plover is poorly known, but it presumably prefers saline lake and aquaculture pond habitat, which in Timor- Leste is threatened by development projects (e.g. planned luxury hotel development at Lake Tasitolu). Key sites Three sites (Lake Iralalaro, Lake Tasitolu and Lake Laga) were previously highlighted as significant sites for waterbirds and coastal seabirds in Timor-Leste (Trainor 2005a). Kupang Bay (West Timor) remains the single most important site on the island for migratory waders, although wader and tern numbers have clearly declined substantially since the survey by Andrew (1986). ■ Lake Iralalaro is best considered as part of a large wetland complex of international significance. The previous review (Trainor 2005a) included 16 wetland sites (of a total of 74) on the Fuiloro plateau (c.440 km2): this high rainfall (1,800-3,600 mm/yr) closed catchment has substantial populations of ducks, rails, darter, egrets, herons and night-herons, and seasonally hosts good numbers ofvisiting terns and migrant waders, most notably staging Oriental Pratincole and Oriental Plover. In the late dry season up to 4,000-6,000 individual waterbirds and coastal seabirds are present. 9 Five sites in the Sungai Clere Important Bird Area (Lake Modo Mahut, Lake Wailenas, Lake Wailada,Sahen River channel and the Lake Naan Kuro lagoon) have now been surveyed, albeit briefly. This extensive complex (422 km2: Trainor etal. 2007a) appears to have nationally significant populations of ducks, rails, darter, probably bitterns and night-herons, but further survey work is essential. H Lake Tasitolu has been visited on more than on 163 occasions since 2002. This is the most important saline lake for migrant shorebirds in Timor-Leste. Combined with data from colleagues a total of 60 waterbird and coastal seabirds have been recorded including30 Palearctic migratory shorebird species. The highest single Palaearctic migratory shorebird count has been only 345 birds in December 2003, but more than 1 00 individual birds are usually present in the migrant season (Figure 2f) , with very high turnover. ■ The Lifao, Loes and Secal estuaries are the most extensive along Timor-Leste’s north coast, and are important sites for migrant shorebirds, resident ducks, breeding Little Tern, Beach Thick- knee, Malaysian Plover and Royal Spoonbill. Suggestions for further study More detailed surveys are needed for Lake Iralalaro and the Fuiloro plateau complex, and in the Sungai Clere region of Timor-Leste. The Kupang Bay area in West Timor also needs further attention. The taxonomic and residence status remains poorly known or unclear for many species. Further study of the taxonomic status of the following bird species or bird groups would be valuable: Yellow Bittern, Red-capped Plover, Greater Painted- snipe and Gallinago snipes. Gull-billed Tern, and Little Tern; and further study of the residence status of the following species would be of value: Royal Spoonbill, Cinnamon Bittern, Yellow Bittern, Javan Plover, rails in general (but particularly Red-legged Crake, Spotless Crake and Baillon’s Crake), Greater Painted-snipe and Little Tern. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank Charles Darwin University for providing a PhD scholarship and office space. Additional funding was come from BirdLife International which has received support for work in Timor-Leste from Vogelbescherming Nederland (BirdLife Partner in the Netherlands), Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund and the Darwin Initiative. Specific acknowledgements for administrative and field support are listed in Trainor (2005a). Thanks to Andrew Black, Walter Boles, Nick Brickie, Mike Carter, Bram Demeulemeester, Rohan Clarke, Damian Cook, John Cox, James Eaton, David Fisher, Richard Grimmett, Pedro Leitao, Iwan Londo, Richard Noske, John Pilgrim, Craig Robson, Danny Rogers, Roger Safford and Mark Schellekens for providing records, identifications and/or clarifications ofwaterbird status. Thanks to Roger Safford and an anonymous reviewer who provided edits and suggestions, which improved the manuscript. REFERENCES Andrew, P. (1986) Notes on some birds of Timor. Kukila 2: 92-95. Baker, A. J„ Pereira, S. L., Rogers., D. I, Elbourne, R. & Hassell, C. J. (2007) Mitochondrial-DNA evidence shows the Australian Painted Snipe is a full species, Rostratula australis. Emu 107: 185-189. van Biers, M.(2008) Remote eastern Indonesia 4 October-1 November 2008, Tour report, http://www.birdquest.co.uk/pdfs/report. Bishop, K. D. (1992) New and interesting records of birds in Waiiacea. Kuk/ta 6: 136-141. Boon, L. (1 996) Some further new records of shorebirds from Lombok. Kukila 8: 148-149. Christidis, L. & Boles, W. E. (2008) Systematics and taxonomy of Australian birds. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publications. Coates, B. J. & Bishop, K. D. (1997) A guide to the birds of Waiiacea. Alderley, Queensland: Dove Publications. Dymond, N. (2011) First records of Red-legged Crake Railina fasciata on Timor, Nusa Tenggara, including evidence of breeding. Kukila 1 5: 89- 92. Hartert, E. (1904) On the birds of the South-west Islands of Wetter, Roma, Kisser, Letti and Moa. Novitates Zoologicae 11: 174-221. Hartert, E. (1906) On the birds of the island of Babber. Novitates Zoologicae 13:288-302. van de Hoek Ostende, L. W„ Dekker, R. W. R. J. & Keijl, G. O. (1997) Type- specimens of birds in the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden. Part 1. Non-Passerines. NNM Tech. Bull. 1: 1-248. del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. & Sargatal, J. (1992) Ostrich to Ducks. In Handbook of the birds of the world, 1 . Barcelona: Lynx Ediciones. Iqbal, M. (2008) Notes on the breeding records of the White-headed Stilt in the floodplain of Ogan Komering Lebaks, South Sumatra, Indonesia. Stilt 53:3-5. Jepson, P. & Ounsted, R. (1997) Birding Indonesia: a bird-watchers guide to the world's largest archipelago. Periplus Editions, Singapore. MacKinnon, J., & Philipps, K. (1993) A field guideto the birdsof Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Marchant, S. & Higgins, P. J., eds. (1 993) Hand book of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds, 2. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Mason, V. (1996) Baillon's Crake, a new species for Bali. Kukila 8: 1 57-1 58. Mauro, I. (1999) Preliminary report on birds recorded from Waiiacea: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Lesser Sundas. Unpublished report. McCrie, N. (1 995) First record of the Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus in Australia. Australian Bird Watcher 16: 91-95. McKean, J. L., Mason, I. J. & O'Connor, L. W. (1975) Birds not previously recorded from Timor. Emu 75: 62-64. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) The waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste: new site records 71 Mees, G. F. (2006) The avifauna of Fiores (Lesser Sunda islands). Zool. Med. Leiden 80(3): 1-261. Noske, R. A. & Ueda, K. (1996) First record of Cinnamon Bittern for Timor. Kukila 8: 158-159. Olsen, J. & Trainor, C. R. (2005) A first breeding record of the Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus for Wallacea and notes on other waders observed atTasi-tolu, Timor-Leste. Australian Field Ornithology 22: 1-4. Rogers, D. I. (2004) Sorting migrant Gull-billed Terns from residents. Wingspan 14: 22-25. Rogers, D. L, Collins, P., Jessop, R. E., Minton, C. D. T. & Hassell, C. J. (2005) Gull-billed Terns in north-western Australia: subspecies identification, moults and behavioural notes. Emu 105: 145-158. Schellekens, M. (2006) Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes in Flores: second record for Indonesia. Kukila 1 3: 69-70. Schellekens, M. (2009) First records of five shorebird species for Flores, Indonesia: Asian Dowitcher Limnodromussemipalmatus, Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, Ruff Philomachus pugnax, Eurasian Curlew Numeniusarquata and Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicolafalcinellus. Kukila 14:21-27. Taylor, P. B. & van Perlo, B. (1998) Rails: a guide to the rails, crakes, gallinules and coots of the world. Robertsbridge, East Sussex: Pica Press. Tebb, G., Morris, P. & Los, P. (2008) New and interesting bird records from Sulawesi and Halmahera. BirdingASIA 10: 67-76. Trainor, C. R. (2005a) Waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste (East Timor): status and distribution from surveys in August 2002-December 2004. Forktail 21: 61 -78. Trainor, C. R. (2005b) Birds ofTapuafu Peninsula, Roti Island, Lesser Sundas, Indonesia. Forktail 21 : 121-131. Trainor, C. R. (2010) Timor's fauna: the influence of scale, history and land- use on faunal patterning. PhD thesis, Charles Darwin University, Darwin. Trainor, C. R., Benstead, P., Martin, K„ Lesmana, D., Agista, D., Benstead, M. C„ Drijvers, R.&Setiawan, I. (2006) New bird records for Nusa Tenggara Islands: Sumbawa, Moyo, Sumba, Flores, Pulau Besar and Timor. Kukila 13:6-22. Trainor, C. R.&Leitao, P. J. (2007) Further significant bird records from Atauro Island, Timor-Leste (East Timor). Forktail 23: 1 55-1 58. Trainor, C. R., Santana, F., Rudyanto, Almeida, A. F., Pinto, P. & de Olivera, G. F. (2007a) Important Bird Areas in Timor-Leste: key sites for conservation. Cambridge: Bi rd Life International. Trainor, C. R., Coates, B.& Bishop, K. D. (2007b) A ves de Timor-Leste. Burung- burungdiTimor-Leste.ThebirdsofTimor-Leste.B'\rdL\fe\nternat\ona\and Dove Publications. Trainor, C. R., Santana, F., Pinto, P., Xavier, A. F., Safford, R. & Grimmett, R. (2008) Birds, birding and conservation in Timor-Leste. BirdingASIA 9: 16-45. Trainor, C. R„ Bauer, M., Schellekens, M„ Bos, B. & Marijnissen, T. (2009) First records of Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles for Timor and Flores, Lesser Sundas. Kukila 14: 71-73. Verbelen, F. (1996) Birding in Sumba and Timor: Lesser Sundas-lndonesia. Privately published. White, C. M. N. & Bruce, M. D. (1986) The birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas & Lesser Sunda Islands Indonesia): an annotated check-list. London: British Ornithologists' Union (Check-list No 7). Colin Ft. TRAINOR, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, Charles Darwin University 0909, Northern Territory, Australia. Email: colin.trainor@cdu.edu.au Appendix 1 New site records for waterbirds and coastal seabirds (n= 70 species) during 2005-2010 For site numbering and other details refer to Appendix 1 : Trainor 2005a, and Table 1 . Site records during 2002 Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper were omitted from Appendix 1 of Trainor (2005a) and are here included -2004forGreen Pygmy Goose, Terek in square brackets. Species New sites Species New sites Wandering Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arcuata 2, 77, 83 Co m m o n Sa n d p i per A ctitis hypoleucos 28, 75, 76, 77, 87, 92 Green Pygmy Goose Nettapuspulchellus [57, 65] 29, 63 Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes 5,6 Pacific Black Duck Anassuperciliosa 29,31,40, 75,81,93 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 11, 16,31,34,35,48, 49 Sunda Teal Anas gibberifrons 6,48 Asian Dowitcher Limnodromussemipalmatus 13 Hardhead Aythya australis 2, 8,14, 63 Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris 11,48, 49, 69,75 Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis 34,57 Sanderling Calidris alba 35,49 White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus 43,49, 78, 82,83,84, 92 Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta 2,11,16, 28,31 Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis 84 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata 28,45,75 White-browed Crake Porzana cinerea 84 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea [5, 11, 13,34] 16,31,35 Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 84 Ruff Philomachus pugnax 13,18 Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa 84 Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropuslobatus 13,16 Common Coot Fulica atra 63 Greater Painted-snipe Postratulabenghalensis 34 Swinhoe's Snipe Gallinago megala 82 Beach Thick-knee Esacus neglectus 29, 40, 45 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica 34,35 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 28,48,63,77 Little Curlew Numenius minutus 34 Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva 16, 23,40, 48,75, 80 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 10, 40,49, 87 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola 34, 45 Eurasian Curlew Numeniusarquata 11 Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus 28, 75 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 16, 75,85,88 Javan Plover Charadrius javanicus 11 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 28,31 40, 75,79,91 Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii 11,23,90 Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus [11,13,34, 45) 20,31 Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus 24, 49, 90 72 COLIN R. TRAINOR Forktail 27 (2011) Species New sites Species New sites Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii 24, 69, 75 Little Egret Egretta garzetta 6, 28, 29, 40, 49, 77, 83, 87, 88 Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 5,27,28,65 Pacific Reef Egret Egretta sacra 16, 24,31,86 Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus 5,60,80,89 Pied Heron Egretta picata 28, 48, 63 Australian Pratincole Stiltia Isabella 5,28,33,48,56,60,63,75,77,79,85 Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana 69, 73, 74, 86 Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii 24, 49, 90 Great Egret Casmerodius albus 6, 48, 63,77, 78, 83,84 Common Tern Sterna hirundo 69 Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia 28, 30, 63, 76 Little Tern Sterna albifrons 40, 75 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 8,63, 77 Whiskered Tern Chlidoniashybridus 6, 29, 75 Little Heron Butorides striatus 29, 83,84 White-winged Tern Sterna leucopterus 20 Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 29,83,84 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollls 35, 48,81 Rufous Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus 28 Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae 8 Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis 83,84 Australasian Darter Anhlnga novaehollandiae 10, 40,45,78,83,84 Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus 8,56,84 Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos 11,34,49, 75,83 Australian White Ibis Threskiornismolucca 5 Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 24, 63,75,83 Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia 29,34,48, 75 White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 13,19,31,48,77, 80 Australian Pelican Pelecanusconspicillatus 2, 9,31,63 FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 74-77 Group roosting in the Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus involving large numbers of shallow cavities MARTJAN LAMMERTINK The Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus is a small, short-tailed picid endemic to the Sundaic region, and one of two species in the genus Hemicircus which is sister to all other genera in the true woodpeckers (Picinae). I report the unusual roosting behaviour of Grey- and-buff Woodpeckers observed at two roost sites in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Stable groups of three and four woodpeckers roosted individually in nearby cavities, with respectively 34 and 17 cavities per group, the adult males frequently working on excavation of additional cavities. The cavities were stacked above one another in series of up to 1 8 in one branch, and were clustered in adjacent dead branches or dead trees. Individual woodpeckers typically switched cavities within a cluster every night. The cavities were only about 2.5 cm deep below the entrance, and the woodpeckers roosted on the floors of these shallow cavities. In contrast, other woodpecker species typically sleep vertically against the wall of a deep cavity that is often an old nest cavity, rarely roost socially, have only a small number of roost cavities, and use the same cavity during prolonged series of nights. I speculate that Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers (1 ) roost on cavity floors because they are unable to prop themselves with their short tails against vertical cavity walls, (2) mitigate elevated predation risk in shallow cavities by roosting in groups, and (3) make shallow cavities to discourage cavity usurpers. Large numbers of cavities combined with frequent cavity switching, may allow evasion of predators and of feather and skin parasites. INTRODUCTION All woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks roost overnight in holes during most if not all nights of their lives (Winkler & Christie 2002). Roost cavities offer protection against inclement weather and predators. Typically, roost cavities of woodpeckers are old nest holes, but occasionally woodpeckers excavate roost holes that are much like nest holes in shape and depth. Natural decay cavities in trees and next boxes are sometimes used as roosts as well. Most woodpeckers roost in the vertical position while perched against the interior wall of the roost cavity, propped by their specialised climbing tail, the head and bill tucked into the feathers of the upper body (Blume 1968, Villard 1999, pers. obs.). The majority of woodpecker species roost solitarily, but some group-living species roost with several individuals in a shared cavity, or individually in acluster of cavities in the same tree or nearby trees. Most woodpecker individuals use the same roost cavity for prolonged series of nights (Short 1982, Winkler et al. 1995, Winkler & Christie 2002). The Grey-and-buffW oodpcckcr Hemicircus concretus is a small woodpecker of c.30 g and c.14 cm length, endemic to the Sundaic region from southern Myanmar to Borneo and Java. It has a very short tail that does not offer much support in vertical perching. Instead this woodpecker often perches sideways on trunks and branches, or on the undersides of branches, like a nuthatch Sitta sp. It is an active forager, moving rapidly between substrates, and it hammers frequently and powerfully. It can be found foraging solitarily, in small groups, and in mixed-species flocks. Almost nothinghas been documented about its nestingand roosting habits (Winkler et al. 1995, Wells 1999). In West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, in 2000 I observed a group of Grey-and-buffW oodpeckers with roosting behaviour that was rather exceptional in many respects, including their excavating of a large number of cavities, the construction of these cavities specifically for use as roosts, the specialised shape of the cavities, the roosting posture of the birds, and the frequent switching of cavities within the cavity cluster by individuals. Whereas the exceptional roosting of this one group could be considered a fluke, in 2004 I observed another group of Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers in East Kalimantan with much the same roosting situation and behaviour, and brief observations have been reported that support the notion that these roosting sites and behaviours are typical for the species „ (Chasen 1939, Short 1973, Wells 1999). I report on observations made at Grey-and-buff Woodpecker group roost trees and discuss factors that may drive their exceptional roosting behaviour. METHODS While working for several years in Kalimantan on ecology and loggingresponsesofwoodpeckercommunities(Lammertink 2004a, 2004b, 2007, Lammertinker^/. 2009), two chance finds of roosting sites of Grey- and-buffWoodpecker were reported to me. One roost site was found by Eka, the teenage son of my chief field assistant Pak Nan, just outside the boundaries of Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan, near the settlement of Semanai at 0 1°1 8’5 1 "S 1 1 0°04'35 "E, elevation 1 0 m. At this site I made observations on 25 late afternoons between 13 July and 28 October 2000, on several days accompanied by Eka, U. Setiorini, D. Prawiradilaga or R. Otto. I made observations from ground blinds and later from tower blinds 8 and 11m off the ground, 4.5 m from the roost trees, built by Pak Nan and his team to allow observations and photography at eye level. I entered blinds c. 2 hours before sunset and left in total darkness c.50 minutes after the last woodpecker had settled for the night. I took photographs with a Leitz Telyt 6.8/400 mm lens and Nikon F3 camera on Kodachrome 200 slide film. For sound recordings I used a Sony TCD-D7 DAT Walkman and Telinga Classic microphone. The second roost site was found in Sungai Wain Protected Forest, East Kalimantan, in July 2004 by G. Usher, a birder then residing in Samarinda. Accompanied by G. Usher, G- Fredriksson and U. Setiorini, I made observations at this roost on 7 and 8 August 2004, and digiscoped photos with a Leitz Telyt 6.8/400 mm with custom-built prism and eyepiece and Nikon Coolpix 990 camera. The roost site was located along the main trail in the reserve at approximately 1°06'00"S 1 16°49'38"E, elevation c.95 m. At the West Kalimantan roost site I collected one branch with four cavities. I used the mean dimensions of the cavity entrances of this branch as a scale to measure diameters of other cavity branches in digital photos, using the ruler tool in Photoshop CS3 software (Adobe, San Jose, California). I estimated height of cavities and of trees in the field by counting in steps of an estimated 2 m up tree trunks. I obtained local sunset times from http:/ / aa.usno.navy.mil/ 74 MARTJAN LAMMERTINK Forktail 27(2011) data/docs/RS_OneYear.php and ran a Mann-Whitney U test at http://elegans.swmed.edu/~leon/stats/utest.html to contrast group sizes of Grey- and-buff Woodpeckers at roosts with group sizes encountered during daytime foraging. These latter figures derived from 21 occasions in West and East Kalimantan, between 21 February 1998 and 1 1 October 2000, from a transect effort of 1,529 km in 373 observer days by six observers (Lammertink2007). Means are given ± SD. RESULTS At the West Kalimantan site, roost cavities of one group of Grey- and-buffW oodpeckers were in two dead trees that stood 30 m apart. The roost trees were the only remaining trees in a flat open area with bare soil and ferns that had been burned repeatedly in previous years for clearing of agricultural land. The roost trees were c.150 m from a forest edge that formed the boundary of Gunung Palung National Park, with tall, lightly logged dipterocarp rainforest at the edge (Plate 3). Both roost trees were long dead with most of their bark missing, bleached white and dried out, with the base of the trees burned. One cavity tree was 9.0 m tall, 15 cm in diameter at breast height (DBH), andc.l 1 cm in diameter at cavity height. The tree had six completed cavities and one old, partly completed cavity. The cavities were between 6.8 and 8.0 m above the ground. The second nearby roost tree was 13.0 m tall, 21 cm DBH, 8-9 cm diameter at cavity height, with cavities between 10.5 and 12.0 m height. This tree had seven cavities in one branch and one cavity (later increasing to four cavities) in another branch. Thus the total number of completed cavities of this group was 17, divided between two trees and three branches. All cavities had oval entrances, taller than wide. In one collected branch, four cavity entrances measured 7. 8x3. 9, 7.4x4.5, 7. 2x3. 7 and 7. 7x3. 8 cm. From the lower lip of the cavity entrance to the bottom of the holes the depths were 2.5, 3. 1, 2.0 and 2.6 cm, i.e. they were shallow. From the postures and visibility of the woodpeckers after they entered the other cavities it was clear that all of the cavities were similarly shallow. In these cavity trees roosted a group of four Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers, composed of an adult male with a red crest, a juvenile male with an orange crest, and two females of unknown age (Plate 1). By 16 October the crest of the juvenile male was changing in colour, the tip of the crest turning red, the forehead still orange. The group arrived at the roost trees 29 ± 9 minutes ( n = 23) before sunset, coming in with kik flight calls, and uttering long chi-chi-chi¬ chi-chi calls and descending keyeew calls while perched on the trees (a recording of these individuals is available at http:// macaulaylibrary.org/audio/164240). Often the group called c. 1 5 minutes before arrival from 1 50 to 350 m away. Once on the roost trees, on two days the birds immediately entered cavities, but Plate 1 . A group of four Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers at a roosting tree. Juvenile male perched outside, adult male looking from uppermost cavity, and bills of females visible in lower cavity entrances. Semanai, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, September/October 2000 (M.Lammertink). Plate 2. Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers at roost cavities. Male perched outside lower cavity, female perched inside upper hole on the bottom of a shallow roost cavity. Semanai, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, October 2000 (M. Lammertink). Forktail 27 (201 1) Group roosting in the Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus 75 Plate 3. Wide-angle view from elevated blind showing two roost trees of a group of Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers. On the left roost tree four Grey- and-buff Woodpeckers are perched outside. On the right is a second roost tree also used by this group of woodpeckers, with a second elevated blind. In the background is the forest edge of Gun ung Pa lung National Park. Semanai, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, October 2000 (M. Lammertink). typically they spent c. 1 1 minutes (up to 3 1 minutes) climbing and flying around between the many cavities, entering and leaving cavities, and occasionally fighting over cavities with bill pecks and aerial clashes. On six of the 25 observation days, birds excavated at several of the cavities for a total of 74 minutes, with most of the work done by the adult male, and for three minutes by a female. Between 24J uly and 1 7 August two newly completed holes and one half- finished hole were made in one of the branches. After entering the roost holes, the Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers sat on the bottom of the shallow roost cavities, their upper body and head visible in Plate 4. Branch with 1 8 cavities in an active roost tree of Grey-and-buff Woodpecker. Sungai Wain Protected Forest, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, 8 August 2004 (G. Usher). the cavity entrance, facing outside (Plate 2). Occasionally they preened for several minutes in the cavities, and then tucked their heads in for the night, remainingvisible in the cavity entrances until dark. The last individual to enter a cavity was usually the adult male. When the last individual entered it was 16 ± 7 minutes (n = 16) before sunset on days with dry weather, whereas on two days with heavy rain birds were in their roosts 40 and 60 minutes before sunset. One day with a dark thunderstorm the group arrived 112 minutes before sunset and sat out the storm and rain in cavities, then after the storm, 35 minutes later, came out again and spent the next hour chasing around the cavities and excavating. On three days, single birds (two females, one unidentified) visited the roost trees respectively 18, 8, and 35 minutes in advance of the arrival of the group. Individual woodpeckers rarely used the same cavity on consecutive nights but instead switched around all the time, and most of the 17 cavities were used during the observation period. Sometimes the four birds slept in cavities close together, all in a row of cavities in one branch (Plate 1), while at other times they were spread out over the two trees and three branches with cavities. The roosting site in East Kalimantan had a total of 34 cavities spread out over five branches in the crown of a very large (105 cm DBH) standing dead bangkirai Shorea laevis. The tree was on a ridge in primary lowland forest, the cavity branches emergingin the canopy. All cavity branches had been dead for some time, with no leaves or twigs remaining, but still mostly covered in bark. One branch with a diameter of 18 cm had a row of 18 cavities (Plate 4) and was slanting at 40° angle from vertical, the cavity entrances facingthe forest floor 28 m below. Three other branches respectively 1 3, 1 1 and 17 cm in diameter had four, two and five cavities located between 31 and 34 m above ground, and were near vertical in the portions with cavities. The final fifth branch that was the active 76 MARTIAN LAMMERTINK Forktail 27 (2011) Plate 5. Group of three Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers at roost cavities in the same tree as the branch of Plate 4. Sungai Wain Protected Forest, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, 8 August 2004 (M. Lammertink). roost branch at the time of observation was 25 cm diameter and had five cavities 34 m up in a near-vertical orientation. In this branch roosted a group of three Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers composed of an adult male and two females (Plate 5). We observed this roost on 7 and 8 August 2004, and found the group arrived 39 and 47 minutes before sunset and settled in 19 and 23 minutes before sunset. On the two days the individuals settled in different holes among the five in a branch, and the adult male excavated for a few minutes at one hole on 8 August. The five cavities in this branch were shallow, as the woodpeckers remained visible in the cavity entrances when they slept. W e surmised that most of the 34 cavities in this tree were shallow roost holes, as many were distributed in closely stacked rows (Plate 4) which left little space for deep excavations to be possible. G. Usher (pers: comm.) observed three Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers roosting in these branches on several days 2-3 weeks before my visit. The group sizes of foraging Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers that my team encountered on 21 occasions during fieldwork in Kalimantan consisted of solitary birds on nine occasions, two individuals on ten occasions (two of the duos were in mixed species flocks), and three individuals on two occasions. These group sizes of Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers encountered during daytime were significantly smaller than the two described roostinggroups (Mann- Whitney U=41, z = 2.2, n t =21, n =2, P = 0.03). DISCUSSION The roost cavities and roosting behaviour of Grey-and-buff W oodpecker observed were rather different from other woodpecker species. Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers roosted perched on the bottom of shallow holes instead of against the wall of a deep hole as in most other woodpeckers (Figure 1 ). They roosted in groups, and made many more holes than apparently necessary for the size of the groups. They habitually returned to a roost site, but frequently switched cavities within the cavity cluster at a roost site. The perching at cavity bottoms by roosting Grey-and-buff W oodpeckers is probably explained by their short tails, as extended overnight perching against a vertical wall may not be possible without a tail prop. Potential advantages of shallow cavities are that they may ( 1 ) offer better ventilation in a warm and humid climate, (2) be less prone to becoming usurped by secondary cavity users, and (3) take less effort to excavate. However, other woodpecker species use deep roost cavities despite the potential advantages of shallow roosts. Predation risk is probably higher in shallow cavities, but in the Grey-and-buff Woodpecker that risk might be offset by the extra vigilance and defence offered by group roosting. It is not clear why these woodpeckers make such large numbers of roost cavities at each roosting site; possible explanations include display behaviour, group bonding, and visual territory demarcation. Alarge number of cavities combined with frequent cavity switching probably results in reduced predictability for predators, and also in less accumulation and reduced survival of feather and skin parasites that infest cavities. It is uncertain whether the groups of Grey-and-buff W oodpeckers seen at roosts spend the daytime together foraging as a group, or break up during daytime to reunite again near the roost sites. Group sizes encountered during daytime were significantly smaller than the two roosting groups, and this leads me to believe Figure 1. Schematic cross section through roost trees showing two woodpecker roost situations. A typical woodpecker (left) roosts solitarily, perched vertically against the wall of a deep cavity. Grey-and- buff Woodpeckers (right) roost in small groups, in clusters of large numbers of nearby cavities, perched on the bottoms of shallow roost cavities (E. Hernandez Fernandez). Forktail 27 (2011) Group roosting in the Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus 77 that roost groups may break up during daytime. This would also explain the three occasions when I observed solitary birds visiting roost trees 8-35 minutes in advance of the arrival of the group. Often groups can be heard calling several hundred metres from roost sites c.15 minutes before arriving, and perhaps that is where and when group reunite before returning to the roost sites. When Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers arrived to roost they were always with the full group. Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers have been reported by other observers with rows of cavities similar to these roost sites. Chasen (1939) cited a note received from A. T. Edgar who observed two Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers exiting from two different cavities in a row of four near the top of a dead stump c.lOm tall. Short (1973) observed on one occasion a group of three Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers, a male and two females, at a row of four cavities, the male excavating for several minutes at the upper cavity, in the top of a 30-m dead tree in Peninsular Malaysia. Wells (1999) observed a pair at a row of eight holes, the male excavating on two days. None of these reports mentions the time of day of the observations. The occurrence of rows of cavities at all sites indicates these may have been group roosts, and demonstrates that cavity rows are common in this species. I have not been able to find any information about the roosting behaviour of the Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicircus canente , the only other species in the genus. Photos of Heart-spotted Woodpeckers at nests (http://orientalbirdimages.org) show oval cavity entrances similar in shape and size to those of Grey-and-buff Woodpecker. Group roosting, either in cavity clusters or in a shared cavity, is rare among woodpecker species. It is found both in cooperative breeders such as Acorn 'Woodpecker Melanerpesformicivorus (shared cavities) and Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis (cavity clusters) as well as in monogamous breeders with their offspring (Winkler & Christie 2002). For instance, Magellanic Woodpecker CampephiLus magellanicus groups are composed of pairs with offspring from several years and these groups often roost in shared cavities (Chazarreta & Ojeda 2011). In Asia, Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus roosts in groups of up to five individuals spread individually over rows of cavities, in trees with up to seven deep cavities (Short 1973). Grey-and-buff Woodpecker is distinguished from other known group roosters by the large numbers of its roosts, its frequent changes of roost holes, and the shape of the cavities. The shallow holes it makes are probably exclusively roost holes, as nest holes in this species probably need to be deeper to accommodate eggs and young, although this remains to be confirmed. A nest hole of the related Heart-spotted Woodpecker was 17 cm deep below the entrance (Wells 1999). The exceptional roosting behaviour of the Grey-and-buff Woodpecker is of note in light of a recent molecular phylogeny which included one specimen of H. canente (Fuchs etal. 2007). The study indicated that Hemicircus is sister group of all other genera of true woodpeckers (Picinae, i.e. the Picidae without wrynecks and piculets). Molecular clock estimates suggest Hemicircus has been evolving independently from other woodpeckers for c.14 million years (Fuchs et al. 2007). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS f thank Eka and Graham Usher for finding and reporting the two roost sites, and Pak Nan and his team for constructing blind towers. Utami Setiorini, Dewi M. Prawiradilaga, Gabriella Fredriksson, Graham Usher and Roger Otto joined woodpecker watches. Evaristo Hernandez Fernandez prepared Figure 1 at short notice. Raman Kumar and Julio Perez-Canestro commented on the manuscript. The project in Kalimantan was supported by the Netherlands Science Foundation (NWO) Biodiversity in Disturbed Ecosystems programme and by Universiteit van Amsterdam. REFERENCES Blume. D. (1968) Die Buntspechte. Wittenberg Lutherstadt: A. Ziemsen Verlag. Chasen, F. N. ( 1 939). The birds of the Malaysian Peninsula, 4. London: H. F.&G. Witherby. Chazarreta, M. L. & Ojeda, V. (2011) Magellanic Woodpecker ( Campephilus magellanicus). Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, editor). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Fuchs, J.,Ohlson,J.I., Ericson,P.G.P.&Pasquet, E. (2007) Synchronous intercontinental splits between assemblages of woodpeckers suggested by molecular data. Zoologica Scripta 36: 1 1 -25. Lammertink, M. (2004a) A multiple-site comparison of woodpecker communities in Bornean lowland and hill forests. Conserv. Biol. 18:746-757. Lammertink, M. (2004b) Grouping and cooperative breeding in the Great Slaty Woodpecker. Condor 106: 309-319. Lammertink, M. (2007) Community ecology and logging responses of Southeast Asian woodpeckers (Picidae, Aves). PhD thesis, Universiteit van Amsterdam. Lammertink, M„ Prawiradilaga, D. M., Setiorini, U., Zaw Naing, T., Duckworth, J. W. & Menken, S. B. J. (2009) Global population decline of the Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus). Biol. Conserv. 142: 166-179. Short, L. L. (1 973) Habits of some Asian woodpeckers (Aves, Picidae). Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 1 52: 253-364. Short, L. L. (1982) Woodpeckers of the world. Greenville: Delaware Museum of Natural History. Villard, P. (1999) The Guadeloupe Woodpecker. Brunoy, France: Societe d'Etudes Ornithologiques de France (SOEF). Wells, D. R. (1999) The birds of the Thai-Malay Pen insula A. Non¬ passerines. London: Academic Press. Winkler, H., Christie, D. A. & Nurney, D. (1 995) Woodpeckers — a guide to the woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks of the world. Robertsbridge, Sussex, UK: Pica Press. Winkler, H. & Christie, D. A. (2002) Family Picidae (woodpeckers). Pp.296-555 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & J.Sargatal.eds. Handbook of the birds of the world, 7. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Martjan LAMMERTINK, Cornell Labof Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, U.S.A. Email: jml243@cornell.edu Website: www.pbase.com/PicidPics FORKTAIL 27 (2011): 78-82 New records of birds for the Gigantes Islands, Iloilo Province, Philippines ABNER A. BUCOL, LEONARDO T. AVERIA, ANGEL C. ALCALA & LIRIO CORDOVA From December 2009 to May 2010 we visited the Gigantes Islands, Philippines, and associated islets to conduct a thorough survey of the vertebrates including the avifauna. Of the 77 bird species thus far known in the Gigantes, 52 are residents (seven Philippine endemics) and 25 are migrants. Seventy-two bird species were recorded during our visits, 42 of which are new records for the Gigantes. INTRODUCTION The Gigantes Islands off north-eastern Panay in the western V isayan Sea primarily consist of karst islands formed by volcanic activities, and serve as a land-bridge between the Pleistocene islands of Panay, Cebu, Negros and Masbate (Brown & Alcala 2000). Early collections and studies primarily focused on the amphibians and reptiles (Brown & Alcala 1970, 1978, 1980, Brown & Alcala 2000, Ferner etal. 2000, Alcala & Alcala 2005 ) . Birds have been mainly collected by Silliman University biologists (specimens deposited in Silliman University-Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural Fdistory in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental). Among the earliest accounts known to us are Rabor (1938) and Alcala & Sanguila (1969), and the information in them was incorporated in Dickinson et al. (1991) and Kennedy et al. (2000). Other groups, including birdwatchers, may have visited the islands but reports are either unavailable or not published in peer-reviewed journals (e.g. FFI 2006). Thus we relied on Kennedy etal. (2000) as a baseline. Gigante Sur (48 1 ha; population 6,096) is composed primarily of karst forests on the east with patches of ipil-ipil Leucaena leucocephala. The rest of the island is cogonal with a few areas of scrub and agricultural areas planted with fruit trees and coconuts. In the north is an extensive fishpond, a large portion of which used to be an extensive mangrove forest. This island was visited on the following dates: 13-19December2009; 13-20 January 2010; 21- 28 February 2010; 14 April 2010; and 15 May 2010. Islets associated with Gigante Sur were also visited on the dates indicated below: Bantigui (2 ha; population 5-10) on 15 January 2010; Cabugao Dako ( 1 0 ha; transient population c. 5) and Cabugao Gamay (c. 7-8 ha) on 1 6 January 2010; Balabagon (5-6 ha; transient population c. 15) and Pulupandan on 15-16 January 2010. Gigante Norte (599 ha; population 6,919) was visited on the following dates: 16-21 December 2009; 21-24 February 2010; 1 March 20 10; and 13-l6May2010.Theisletsof Gigantillo (< 1 ha) and Gigantuna (< 1 ha), located about 0.7 km east of Asluman, Gigante Norte, and north of Bulubadiang islet (c. 1.5 ha; transient population c. 10) and UayDahon Islet (2 ha; population c. 5, resort workers) were visited on 17 January 2010. Birds were identified and counted with the aid of binoculars and Kennedy et al. (2000). Online databases such as those of the Oriental Bird Club (www.orientalbirdimages.org) and the Internet Bird Collection (ibc.lynxeds.com) were also visited for further confirmation. Mist-nets (6x4 m and 6x 12 m) were also used to capture birds during our first survey in December 2009. Fiowever, mist-netting in small, degraded forests was not found to be productive, and was also risky in steep karst terrain, so we decided to focus on direct observations. Netted birds that are new island records are indicated in the species list. Most of our records are based on sightings, supplemented with photographs where possible. In addition, audio recordings were made using digital and tape recorders to document some species. H owever, a detailed analysis ofvocalisations cannot be presented at this time. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Thus far, a total of 77 species of bird are known in the Gigantes and associated islets. During our surveys in 2009 and 2010, 72 species of bird were recorded, 42 of which are new records for the Gigantes, while 35 species were listed earlier by Kennedy et al. (2000). We did not encounter five species listed by Kennedy et al. (2000) for the Gigantes, namely: Blue-breasted Quail Coturnix chinensis , Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopus maculatus , Mangrove Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra. White- vented 'y/\\\st\eiPachycephala homey eri and Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea. The remaining forests of the Gigantes are found on karst and are partly degraded owing to harvesting of firewood and charcoal production, especially in accessible areas. Scrub habitats in non¬ karst areas are now converted to agriculture. It is therefore desirable to take conservation measures in this group of islands, which are the home not just of the birds listed here but also of the endemic and globally Vulnerable Gigante Narrow-disked Gecko Gekko gigante and the Critically Endangered Island Forest Frog Platymantis insulatus (Alcala & Alcala 2005; IUCN 2010). In the following accounts, GN = Gigante Norte, GS = Gigante Sur. DETAILS OF NEW ISLAND RECORDS Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas A single bird was captured by a fisherman a few metres off Uay Dahon Islet, near GN on 1 3 December 2009 and another was seen flying between GN and GS on 20 December 2009. Distinguished from other shearwaters by a streaked head and neck, greyish-horn bill with black tip and feet flesh-pinkish in colour. Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis Seen in mangroves near a fishpond in Gabi Bay, GS, on 1 3 December 2009, 24 February 2010 and 1 5 May 20 1 0. Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus A male (upperparts cinnamon, lacking mottling on the scapulars) was flushed by AB and LA near a fishpond and Rhizophora mangroves at Gabi, GS, on 15 May 2010. Striated Heron Butorides striata Seen in the mangroves and mudflats at Gabi Bay, GS, on 13-16 December 2009, 13 January 2010, and 22-24 February, 1 March 2010 and 15 May 2010. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) New records of birds for the Gigantes Islands, Iloilo Province, Philippines 79 Pond-heron Ardeola sp. A maximum of five non-breeding birds were observed and photographed by AB in a rice field at Gabi Bay, GS, on 1 3 December 2009, 24 February and 1 March 2010 in a fishpond at Gabi. Identification to species level was not possible due to the similarity of immatures of A. bacchus andH. speciosa in the field. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Flocks of 3-8 birds were consistently seen in the grassland and mudflats of Gabi, GS, on 13-16 December 2009, 13-16 January 2010, 14April2010and 15 May 2010. Photosofbothbreedingand non-breeding birds were taken by AB in the grassland plain at Gabi on 15 May 2010. Little Egret Egretta garzetta Observed on both islands, usually gleaning on the mudflats on 1 6- 20 December 2009 in Asluman, GN, and 13-15 January 2010 and 15 May 2010 in Gabi Bay, GS. Pacific Reef Egret Egretta sacra Two pairs were seen on the mudflats of Asluman, GN, on 1 6 and 1 9 December 2009, all dark morphs. Great Frigatebird Fregata minor A juvenile frigatebird was observed flying over Uay Dahon on 17 January 2010. It was distinguished by its whitish head, brownish breast-band, elliptical/ egg-shaped white belly-patch, lack of axillary spurs, and narrow brown-buff alar bars, confirming identification as this species (James 2004). Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus A single adult bird (easily distinguished by its white head, upper back, throat and upper belly but rufous lower belly, undertail and underwing-coverts) was seen over Lantangan, GS, on 13 January 2010. Barred Rail Gallirallus torquatus Recorded throughout the survey period (13-21 December 2009, 13-20 January, 21 February 20 10, 1 March 20 10 and 15 May 20 10) in both GS and GN. It was also heard calling on Bantigui on 15 January 2010 and seen on Balabagon on 16 January 2010. White-browed Crake Porzana cinerea Seen three times among grasses on the edge of a fishpond in Gabi, GS, on 22-24 February 2010 and 15 May 2010. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Seen foraging in fishponds at Gabi Bay, GS, on 13-16 December 2009, 13 january 2010, 23-24 February 2010 and 14 April 2010. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva A single bird was observed by AB and LTA near a fishpond at Gabi Bay, GS, on 13 January 2010. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Five non-breeding birds were seen on an exposed sand-bar near Bantigui on 1 5 J anuary 2010. Another bird was observed in a dried portion of a fishpond at Gabi Bay, GS, between 22-25 February 2010. The bill was not observed in detail but appeared uniformly dark. Together with the white forehead of both birds, this suggests that they were of the subspecies curonicus. Snipe Gallinago sp. Seen by LA in a small stream near karst with grasses in the late afternoon of 15 December 2009 in Gabi, GS. Because views were poor, and bearing in mind the difficulty in separating G. hardwickii , G. stenura and G. megala in the field, we only list the genus. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Observed on exposed intertidals and mangroves from 13-21 December 2009 and 13-20 January 2010 on both GS and Norte, and once on the small islet of Pulupandan near Balabagon on 16 January 2010. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Two birds were observed by AB on exposed sand in a fishpond in Gabi, GS, on 24 February 2010. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Three birds were seen at Asluman beach, GN, on 16 December 2009. The species was also observed on 1 3- 1 5 December 2009 at Gabi Bay, GS, and on 1 5 January 20 1 0 at Antonia, GS, and on Bantigui Islet. Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes A single bird was photographed by AB on the side of a fishpond at Gabi Bay, GS, on 14 December 2009 and a group of four birds were feedingon a muddy intertidal adjacent to the mangroves at Asluman on 18 December 2009. Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii „ Three individuals were seen on 15January2010probablyinbreeding plumage as the crown appeared black but not streaked with white as described by Kennedy etal. (2000). Other features noted include forked tail, yellow bill, white forehead and face including rest of underparts and grey upperparts except the tips of primaries, which were darker. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida About 10-20 individuals were seen off Lantangan, GS, on 13-20 January 2010. Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Common on hillsides and areas planted with fruit trees in GS and Norte on 13-21 December 2009, and 13-20 January, 22-25 February, 1 March and 15 May 2010. Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica Observed three times; near Lapus-lapus cave in Asluman, GN, on 18 December 2009, on Balabagon on 15 January 2010 and on GS on 15 May 2010. Pied Imperial-pigeon Ducula bicolor Two birds were seen by LA and five more members of the team in Lantangan, GS on 16 December 2009. Grass Owl Tyto capensis A single bird was flushed by AB from cogon-dominated grassland on Lantangan, GS, on 28 February 2010. Philippine Hawk-owl Ninox philippensis Heard once near Pawikan cave on 14 April 2010 at about 20h30 hours by AB and others. The call was a series of distinctive bo-cow- cow-cow. An owl probably belonging to the same species was heard calling at night on two occasions (17 and 19 January 2010) from a steep karst cliff at Granada, GN. The unrecorded call was a low- toned, slightly harsh bow-cow-cow repeated up to 3-4 times, typical of the species. Philippine Nightjar Caprimulgus manillensis Two birds were flushed from scrub on I4january2010 at Lantangan GS. Another bird was flushed at night (19h00) from the entrance 80 ABNER A. BUCOLefa/. Forktail 27 (2011) wall of Langub cave on GN on 17 January 2010. A pair was also flushed from a dry slope with ipil-ipil plantation in Antonia, Gabi, GS, on 01 March 2010 at about 09h00. While in flight, the white round spots on each tail-tip were observed. Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga Seen flying near karst in GS and GN between 13-16 December 2009 and 1 3- 1 7 January 20 1 0. A pair was also captured in a coastal cave in Antonia, Gabi, GS, on 15 January 2010. On 15 May 2010, 14 nests with one or two hatchlings each were found by AB and others in another coastal cave (Looc cave) in Lantangan, GS. This species was distinguished from Uniform Swiftlet Collocalia vanikorensis in having a light rump contrasting with generally dark upperparts (Kennedy et al. 2000). Five abandoned nests (half-cupped) were found attached to walls in the same cave, while 1 4 nests with hatchlings were seen in Santos- santos cave on Lantangan, GS. The nesting materials consisted of pure saliva, hardened in some abandoned nests. Those of Uniform Swiftlet consist of both saliva and soft plant materials and often remain wet. Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis Seen at Lantangan, GS, on 24 February 2010 and 1 March 2010. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Observed in mangroves at Gabi Bay, GS, on 1 3- 17 December 2009 and on 13 January 2010. In a fishpond at Gabi, a single bird was observed by AB feedingon cultured tilapia Oreochrom is niloticus on 24 February 2010. Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda Seen once by LA in a karst forest at Asluman, GN, on 1 9 December 2009. Golden-bellied Flyeater Gerygone sulphured Commonly heard in mangroves (13-20 December 2009, 13-20 January 2010 and 1 6 May 20 1 0) on both islands. Calls were recorded by AB in mangrove forest at Gabi Bay, GS, on 14 January 2010. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Seen twice at Lantangan, GS, on 2 1 February 20 1 0 and three times at Gabi, GS, on 22-24 February 2010. Relatively larger than H. tahitica, with generally white underparts and a long forked tail. Striated Swallow Hirundo striolata Seen by AB and others on 15 May 2010 at Lantangan, GS. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Commonly seen on 13-21 December 2009, 13-20 January 2010, 24 February- 1 March 2010 and 1 5 May 20 1 0 on both GS and GN. A single bird was mist-netted in Gabi Bay, GS, on 15 December 2009. Calls were recorded by AB on 1 March 2010. Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica Observed on both islands during the entire duration of the study (13-20 December 2009 and 13-20 January 2010). Seen also on Balabagon on 15 January 2010. Calls were recorded byAB on 14 December 2009 and 13 January 2010. Bright-capped Cisticola Cisticola exilis Seen by AB in the cogon-dominated grassland in Lantangan, GS, on 1 Mar 2010. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis Seen in mangrove forest dominated by Avicennia marina in Gabi Bay, GS, on 23 February 2010 and 1 March 2010. Blue Rockthrush Monticola solitarius A male (distinguished by blue upperparts including throat and breast with chestnut belly and undertail-coverts) was photographed in a Sonneratia alba tree on 14 December 2009 at Gabi Bay, GS. At Lantangan, GS, another individual was photographed on a galvanised roof on 16 January 2010. The latter bird appeared intermediate between male and female, so was probably an immature male: it had dark shaft-streaks, especially on the breast and belly, but the lower belly appeared light chestnut. Another male was also observed at Barangay Granada, GN, on 17 January 2010 amongst rocks and cliffs. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Common in areas of human settlement and agricultural areas of the two islands on 13-20 December 2009, 13-20 January 2010, 24 February-1 March 2010, and 14-16 May 2010. This species has probably arrived via boat from adjacent islands. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Two birds were observed on a pond near a rice paddy in Gabi, GS, on 13 December 2009. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Foundation for the Philippine Environment ( FPE) funded our surveys in the Gigantes Islands under the Natural Resource Assessment Project administered by PROGRESO Inc. We are also thankful to the Protected Area, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Section (PAWCZMS) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region VI (DENR- VI) for facilitating research and collection permits necessary for this study. The assistance of PROGRESO staff and volunteers during the fieldwork at Gigantes is deeply appreciated. Desmond Allen and two anonymous reviewers greatly helped in clarifying species identification and improving an earlier version of this manuscript. The Municipal Government of Carles through the Honorable Mayor Arnold C. Betita (also the Chairman of PROGRESO Board of Directors) and the Barangay officials of Lantangan, Gabi, Asluman and Granada warmly accommodated us throughout the study. REFERENCES Alcala, A. C. & Sanguila, W. M. (1969) The birds of small islands off the eastern coast of Panay. Silliman J. 1 6: 375-383. Alcala, E. L. & Alcala, A. C. (2005) Aspects of ecology and threats to the habitats of three endemic herpetofaunal species on Negros and the Gigante Islands, Philippines. Silliman J. 46: 1 69-1 94. Brown, W. C. & Alcala, A. C. (1 970) A new species ofthe genus Platymantis (Ranidae) with a list ofthe amphibians known from South Gigante Island, Philippines. Occas. Pap. California Acad. Sci. 84: 1 -7. Brown, W. C. & Alcala, A.C. (1978) Philippine lizards ofthe family Gekkonidae. Dumaguete City, Philippines: Silliman University Press (Silliman University Natural Sciences Series No. 1). Brown, W. C. & Alcala, A. C. ( 1 980) Philippine lizards ofthe family Scincidae. Dumaguete City, Philippines: Silliman University Press (Silliman University Natural Sciences Series No. 2). Brown, R. M. & Alcala, A. C. (2000) Geckos, cave-frogs and small land- bridge islands of the Visayan, Sea. Haring Ibon 2: 1 9-22. Dickinson, E.C., Kennedy, R.S.&Parkes, K.C.(1 991 ) The birds of the Philippines. Tring, UK: British Ornithologists' Union (Check-list No. 12). Ferner, J. W., Brown, R. M., Sison, R. V. & Kennedy, R. S. (2000) The amphibians and reptiles of Panay Island, Philippines. Asiatic Herpetological Res. 9: 1-37. FFI (2006) An assessment ofthe native flora and fauna of Sicogon Island, Panay, Philippines: a consolidated report. Unpublished report to Fauna & Flora International. Forktail 27 (2011) New records of birds for the Gigantes Islands, Iloilo Province, Philippines 81 IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of threatened species. Version 2010.4. Kennedy, R. S„ Gonzales, P. C., Dickinson, E. C., Miranda, H. C. Jr. & Fisher, T. H. (2000) A guide to the birds of the Philippines. Oxford: Oxford University Press. James, D. J. (2004) Identification of Christmas Island, Great and Lesser Frigatebirds. BirdingASIA 1: 22-38. Rabor, D. S. (1938) The avifauna of the Gigante Islands. Philippine J. Sci. 66: 267-274. Appendix Checklist of bird species known from the Gigantes Islands R = resident, M = migrant, PE = Philippine endemic (resident) Abner A. BUCOL, Leonardo T.AVERIA and Angel C. ALCALA, Silliman University Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management (SUAKCREM), Dumaguete City, 2nd Floor, SU-Marine Laboratory Building, 6200 Dumaguete City, Philippines. Email of first author: abs_evodevo@yahoo.com Lirio CORDOVA, Panay Rural Organizing for Social Reform (PROGRESO), Bacos Compound, 5017 Estancia, Iloilo Province, Philippines English name Scientific name Status Kennedy etal. (2000) This study Philippine Megapode Megapodiuscumingii R X X Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas M X Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis R X Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus R X Rufous Night Heron Nycticorax caiedonicus R X X Striated Heron Butorides striata R X X Pond-heron Ardeolasp. M X Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis R X Pacific Reef Egret Egretta sacra M X Little Egret Egretta garzetta M X Great Frigatebird Fregata minor R X Brahminy Kite Haliasturindus R X White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus ieucogaster R X X Barred Rail Gallirallus torquatus R X White-browed Crake Porzana dnerea R X Blue-breasted Quail Coturnix chinensis R X Barred Buttonquail Turnixsuscitator R X X Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus M X Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva M X Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius M X Snipe Gallinago sp. M X Whimbrel Numeniusphaeopus M X Wood Sandpiper Tringa gl areola M X Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos M X Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes M X Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii M X Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida M X Island Collared Dove Streptopelia bitorquata R X X Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis R X Emerald Dove Chalcophapsindica R X Peaceful Dove Geopelia striata R X X Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans R X X Pied Imperial Pigeon Ducula bicolor R X Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyxfugax R X Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus M X X Philippine Coucal Centro pus viridis PE X X Grass Owl Tyto capensis R X Philippine Hawk Owl Ninoxphilippensis PE X Philippine Nightjar Caprimulgusmanillensis PE X 82 ABNER A. BUCOL etal. Forktail 27 (2011) English name Scientific name Status Kennedy ef al. (2000) This study Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta R X X Pygmy Swiftlet Collocalia troglodytes PE X X Uniform Swiftlet Collocalia vanikorensis R X X Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga R X Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis R X Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda M X Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris R X X Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis M X Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos maculatus PE X Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulpharea R X White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus R X X Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica M X Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica R X X Striated Swallow Hirundo striolata M X Pied Triller Lalage nigra R X X Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus M X Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis R X X Large-billed Crow Conus macrorhynchos R X X Pied Fantail Fthipidura javanica R X White-vented Whistler Pachycephala homeyeri R X Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis R X Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier R X X Philippine Bulbul Ixos philippinus PE X X Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis R X X Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris R X X Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis M X Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis R X X Coleto Sarcops calvus R X X Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis R X X Blue Rockthrush Monticola solitarius M X Mangrove Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra R X Pygmy Flowerpecker Dicaeum pygmaeum PE X X Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis R X X Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus R X Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca R X X Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava M X Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea M X Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi M X X Total number of species 77 35 72 Forktail 27 (201 1 ) SHORT NOTES 83 Globally threatened Sunda Blue Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus : synthesis of global records and recent records from Sumatra FANGYUAN HUA, WILLIAM MARTHY, DAVID LEE & MUHAMMAD NAZRI JANRA The Sunda Blue Flycatcher (or Large-billed Blue Flycatcher) Cyornis caerulatus is endemic to Borneo and Sumatra and classified as globally Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2011). Its ecology remains poorly known, although it is characterised as an insectivorous lowland rainforest specialist occupying the mid-strata, usually recorded up to 500 m asl (BirdLife International 2001, Myers 2009). There are also suggestions that it is generally uncommon, rather patchily distributed, with a strong preference for primary forest habitat and highly sensitive to forest disturbance such as logging and fragmentation (Lambert 1 992, BirdLife International 2001 , Slik& van Balen 2005). Current records are heavily clustered in Borneo (particularly north Borneo), with only six published records from Sumatra, of which onlytwoarepost-1 930 (BirdLife International 2001). Here we synthesise records of the Sumatran subspecies C. c. albiventer, including field reports from conservation/forestry organisations and birdwatchers, as well as records from museum collections. We also report on six recent records of this species from fieldwork in southern Sumatra. Fieldwork was conducted in the Harapan Rainforest ecosystem restoration site, which spans the border between Jambi and South Sumatra provinces. Itisthefirst ecosystem restoration concession in Indonesia and covers 98,554 ha of post-logging secondary lowland rainforest (Burung Indonesia, Royal Society for Protection of Birds and BirdLife International 201 0). Previous logging activities have left a mosaic of secondary forest habitats in different stages of regeneration. Surveys took place in 2008 and 2010, and focused on recording birds of different secondary forest habitats within Harapan. Surveys were conducted using point counts and mist-netting, and followed standard protocols for these methods (Bibby etal. 2000, Buckland et at. 2001). Between June and August 2008, 165 mist-netting hours (over 1 5 days) with 200 metres of nets, plus 1 20 points along transects, were used to sample birds across three locations. Between March and November 201 0,231 points along transects were surveyed across anotherthree locations (some points were revisited, resulting in 387 total point counts). In December 201 0, 1 98 mist-netting hours (over 1 8 days) with 360 metres of nets were completed across two locations. While some of these survey locations were near each other, none overlapped. In all cases, points along transects were spaced at least 200 m apart, mist-nets were set up in a continuous line, and any parallel net lines were spaced at least 130 m apart. Captured birds were ringed and measured according to standard procedures (Redfern & Clark 2001 ). The vegetation structure of points along transects and mist- netting locations was measured according to established protocols (BBIRD 2008). Vegetation measurements were recorded in 5 m radius circular plots centred on each transect point and mist-net pole location. The following measurements were taken: canopy height and cover; understorey density (measured as the percentage of a 50 x50cm plate held 2 m vertically above the ground at the plot centre that was covered by understorey vegetation, as observed from four directions 1 0 m away); leaf-litter depth; ground cover (measured as the percentage of ground covered by vegetation at 0-50 cm above ground); and the number of trees in four size classes (diameter at breast height [dbh] < 8 cm, 8-23 cm, 23-38 cm, and > 38 cm) within 10 m of the plot centre. A search for published, unpublished and museum specimen records of C. caerulatus resulted in many records from Borneo (data not shown). The vast majority of these came from the Malaysian state of Sabah in north Borneo, particularly Danum Valley Conservation Area and neighbouring areas. However, we could find only 1 1 records of the subspecies albiventer, which is restricted to Sumatra (Table 1). These include five museum records (on seven specimens) collected before 1920, out of more than 70 specimens of C. caerulatus collected in many museums; and six observation records, with only one record out of 40 birdwatching trip reports from Sumatra. Additionally, this Table 1 . Records of Sunda Blue Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus from Sumatra. IBA = Important Bird Area; ZMA = Zoological Museum Amsterdam. Location Year Details Source Batangkuis, North Sumatra 1915 One specimen, adult male. Collected at 3°372 N 98°482 E in April. Currently in ZMA BirdLife International 2001; ZMA 201 1 Muara Kiawai, Ophir, North Sumatra 1913-1917 Possibly one specimen BirdLife International 2001 Sungai Tasik, Langkat, North Sumatra 1919 Three specimens, all adult male. Collected at 3°492 N 98°T 52 E between October and December. Currently in ZMA. BirdLife International 2001; ZMA 201 1 Palembang Residency, South Sumatra 1920 One specimen, adult male. Collected at c.2°-4°S 103— 106°E. Currently in ZMA. ZMA 2011 Bukit Ketji, South Sumatra 1920 One specimen, adult female. Collected at 4°442 S 1 04°1 1 2 E. (Probably a miswriting of 'Bukit KeciT.) Currently in ZMA. ZMA 2011 Way Kambas National Park, Lampung 1989 One pair, observation in June BirdLife International 2001 Gunung Kerinci, Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bengkulu 1991 One male observation, in June, 'at lowest forest'. (Note: probably not at Gunung Kerinci but lowland areas of the national park.) BirdLife International 2001 Sungai Bukit Batu, Riau 1992 One observation in lowland peat swamp forest Nick Brickie pers. comm. 2009 Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bengkulu 2006 One observation, probably in Tapan Road lowland forest area of the park Hutchinson 2006 Andalas Merapi Timber Logging Concession, Solok Selatan, West Sumatra 2008 One observation record of four individuals Kemp 2008 Palembang, South Sumatra No date - BirdLife International 2001 Bukit Bahar — Tajau Pecah, Jambi - In the species list for this IBA Burung Indonesia 2011a Bukit Baling, Riau - In the species list for this IBA Burung Indonesia 2011b Hutan Batang Toru Blok Barat, North Sumatra - In the species list for this forest site Tropical Forest Conservation Action 201 1 Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bengkulu, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Sumatra - In the species list for this IBA. More records may be retrieved from the field notes of the local bird guide Subandi. Burung Indonesia 2011c; Subandi pers. comm. 2010 84 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) Table 2. Details of C. caerulatus captured in mist-nets at Harapan Rainforest. Date Location Sex Age Ring number Wing length (mm) Bill length (mm) Head length (mm) Tarsus length (mm) Tail length (mm) Weight (g) Brood patch 1 July 2008 2°06'45"S 103°18'08"E 54 m asl Male Adult 08F100002 67.0 17.1 36.2 19 49.8 19.5 No 28 July 2008 2°07'06"S 103°18'03"E 69 m asl Male Adult 08F100151 69.0 13.7 35.5 16.2 60.1 16 No 12 December 2010 2o10'16"S 103°22'27"E 65 m asl Male Adult 02A002067 71.20 14.18 35.30 16.00 60.30 16.5 No subspecies also appears in the species list of six forest sites (national parks, forest reserves and/or Important Bird Areas), which may or may not be redundant with existing museum/observation records (Table 1). We obtained six records of C. c. albiventer during our fieldwork in Harapan: two were from point count surveys, three were mist-netted, and one was a casual observation. All records were in forest that was regenerating following selective logging. One bird was heard but not seen at a transect point on 1 8 July 2008 at 95 m asl (2°1 1 '26.2"S 103°09'43.4"E). On 19 April 2010, another calling bird, a male, was seen at a point count station on flat ground at 51 m elevation (2°09'1 5. 1 "S 1 03°21 '24.7"E). This bird was perched 7 m above the ground and about 14 m from a 5 m-wide stream. The individual casually observed was a female on 1 May 2008, perching about 3 m above the ground, 30 m from a 3 m-wide stream. Two male birds were mist-netted from one location in July 2008, out of a total of 454 captures over the field season (0.4% of total capture). The first individual was caught about 40 m from a 3 m-wide forest stream. A third male bird was netted from a different location in December 2010, out of a total of 223 captures (again 0.4% of total capture). This bird was captured about 25 m from a tiny forest stream. Further details of captured birds are given in Table 2. Together, our records suggest that the species may have an affinity with forest near streams, although it was previously suggested it may be avoiding forest along rivers (del Hoyo etal. 2006). Areas where C. caerulatus was recorded had last been commercially logged about 30 years ago, but were being disturbed by illegal small-scale logging activities. The resulting habitat was early-regeneration secondary forest characterised by a low closed canopy (typically IQ- 15 m, mean = 12.0m), a dense understorey (75%), and a predominance of young saplings (mean of 26.3 trees of dbh < 8 cm; 7.4 of 8 > dbh < 23cm; 0.9 of 23 > dbh < 38cm; and 0.1 of dbh > 38cm). The vast majority of records of C. caerulatus come from Borneo, notably a handful of 'hotspot' locations in the Malaysian state of Sabah. It has previously been suggested that this pattern may be due to a patchyand low-densitydistributionofthespeciesin Kalimantanand Sumatra (Bird Life International 2001). However, we think it likely that the pattern is at least partly due to field survey and birdwatching effort, which is much higher in suitable lowland habitat in Borneo, particularly in DanumValley.Oursurveysandothers(Slik&van Balen 2005, Ansell etal. 2010) suggest that C. caerulatus occurs at relatively low densities, even in undisturbed forest. However, one mist-netting study found it to be reasonably frequent in primary forest in Sabah (10 birds out of 406 total bird captures: Lambert 1992). Ansell etal. (2010) showed reduced capture rates of the species in regenerating forests following selective logging (1.1% in naturally regenerating forest, 0.7% in rehabilitated regenerating forest, and 1 .9% in primary forest), and noted that this species is among the top ten that contributed to avian community differences between unlogged and regenerating forest. Our mist-net capture rates, in heavily disturbed forest, were even lower. Lambert (1992) did not find this species in selectively logged forest, and Slik& van Balen (2005) found the same for fire-disturbed forest in Borneo. Most other records we found were from primary forest. However, it is worth noting that 1 9 of 41 capture records of C. caerulatus by Ansell et al. (2010) came from regenerating forest (about 20 years after intensive selective logging), while all six records from ourfieldwork were from early to middle-stage regenerating forest. To our knowledge, these are the only records so far from disturbed forest. This may be due to the nearby presence of small, unlogged oradvanced secondary forest patches acting as refuges (Lambert 1992). Alternatively, this species may be able to persist in disturbed forest habitats, albeit at relatively low densities. More data are needed before wecan safely establish the toleranceofthisglobally threatened species to habitat disturbances. It is believed that C. caerulatus has undergone a steep population decline in Sumatra during the past few decades owing to habitat degradation and destruction, which is likely to continue given the huge pressures lowland Sumatran and Bornean forests are facing (BirdLife International 2001, FWI/GFW 2002, Sodhi et al. 2004). Conservation of this globally threatened species requires reliable estimates of population and greater information on its ecology — particularly its ability to persist in degraded habitats. More field data are sorely needed, particularly for Sumatra and southern Borneo. Researchers and birdwatchers should be encouraged to contribute their findings. Acknowledgements We are grateful to the Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology (RISTEK) and the Ministry of Forestry for approving our field research. We thank the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) for overseeing our mist- netting efforts and providing standard bird rings, Burung Indonesia for sponsoring our research, and the management authorities of Harapan for critical logistical support. We are grateful for the assistance from the following colleagues: Bas van Balen, Nick Brickie, Kathryn E. Sieving, Dewi Prawiradilaga, Wilson Novarino, Mohammad Irham and Hultera. We also thank our field team members for arduous fieldwork: Emma Yustikasari, Belry Zetra and Simba Chan. Last but not least, we thank James Eaton, an anonymous reviewer, and in particular John Pilgrim for insightful comments and meticulous editing that enabled us to improve the manuscript. References Ansell, F. A., Edwards, D. P.& Hamer, K.C.(2010) Rehabilitation of logged rain forests: avifaunal composition, habitat structure, and implications for biodiversity-friendly REDD + . Biotroplca DOI: 1 0.1 1 1 1/j.l 744- 7429.201 0.00725.x (early view online). BBIRD (2008) Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. Accessed in November 2009. Bibby, C J., Burgess, N.D., Hill, D. A. &Mustoe,S. (2000) Bird census techniques. Second edition. London: Academic Press. BirdLife International (2001 )ThreatenedbirdsofAsia:theBirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife International. BirdLife International (201 1) Species factsheet: Cyornis caerulatus. Accessed in February 201 1. Buckland, S. T., Anderson, D. R., Burnham, K. P., Laake, J. L., Borchers, D. L. & Thomas, L. (2001) Introduction to distance sampling: estimating abundance of biological populations. New York: Oxford University Press. Burung Indonesia, Royal Society for Protection of Birds and BirdLife International (201 0) Harapan Rainforest, Accessed in November 2010. Burung Indonesia (2011a) IBA factsheet: SID 39 Bukit Bahar-Tajau Pecah (Jambi). Accessed in February 201 1. Forktail 27 (201 1) SHORT NOTES 85 Burung Indonesia (201 1 b) IBA factsheet: SID 14 Bukit Baling (Riau). < http:/ /www.burung.org/detail_iba.php?id = 1 4&op=iba> Accessed in February 201 1. Burung Indonesia (2011c) IBA factsheet: SID 23 Kerinci Seblat (Jambi, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera) Accessed in February 201 1 . Burung Indonesia (201 Id) IBA factsheet: SID 09 Malampah Alahan Panjang (Sumatera Barat) Accessed in February 2011. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (2006) Handbook of the birds of the world, 1 1 . Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. FWI/GFW (2002) The state of the forest: Indonesia. Bogor, Indonesia and Washington DC: Forest Watch Indonesia and Global Forest Watch. Hutchinson, R. (2006) Sumatra and West Java, Indonesia, July 29th- August 20th 2006 trip report, Accessed in February 2011. Kemp, N. (2008) List of birds recorded during the PT AMTHCVF Assessment, Sumatra Barat, Indonesia, 26th July - 4th Aug 2008. Internal report to Andalas Merapi Timber Logging Concession. Lambert, F. R. (1992) The consequences of selective logging for Bornean lowland forest birds. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London B 335: 443-457. Myers, S. (2009) Birds of Borneo: Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak, and Kalimantan. Princeton, U.S.A.: Princeton University Press. Redfern, C. P. F. & Clark, J. A. (2001 ) Ringer's manual. Thetford, U.K.: British Trust for Ornithology. Slik, J. W. F. & van Balen, S. (2005) Bird community changes in response to single and repeated fires in a lowland tropical rainforest of eastern Borneo. Biodiversity and Conservation 1 5: 4425-4451. Sodhi, N. S., Koh, L. P., Brook, B. W. & Ng, P. K. L (2004) Southeast Asian biodiversity: an impending disaster. Trends Ecol. Evol. 1 9: 654-660. Tropical Forest Conservation Action (2011) Factsheet on forest site Batang Toru. Accessed in February 2011. Wetlands International (2011) Factsheet on Way Kambas National Park. Accessed in February 201 1. ZMA (2011) Zoological Museum Amsterdam bird collection. < http:// nlbif.eti.uva.nl/zma3d/detail.php?id=399&sort=alphabet&type=family> Accessed in February 2011. Fangyuan HU A, 110, Newins-Ziegler Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 326 1 1, USA. Email: huamay@ufl.edu William MARTHY, Jalan Dadali No. 32, Bogor 16161, West Java, Indonesia. Email: serambirds@yahoo.com David LEE, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds., SG192DL, UK. Email: David.Lee@rspb.org.uk Muhammad Nazri JANRA, Andalas University, Jin. Kampus Unand - Limau Manis, Padang, West Sumatra 25163, Indonesia. Email: mnjanra@gmail.com Some significant avifaunal records from Bangladesh, including first record of Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala SAYAM U. CHOWDHURY Bangladeshisornithologicallyoneofthe least well studied countries in Asia. This short note presents some noteworthy observations from Bangladesh between March 2008 and December 2009, including one new speciesfor the country. These observations came from a number of surveys and opportunistic birdwatching trips to different parts of Bangladesh. Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus Dilip Das and I observed a total of 1 0 individuals and found one nest of Black Francolin during 14-15 September 2009 in Kazipara (26°29'21 ,04"N 88°20'1 0.77"E),Tetulia, Panchagarh, in the far north¬ west of Bangladesh, along the international border with India. The habitat used by this population in Tetulia is chiefly cultivated land: a combination of maize, sugarcane and sesame fields, grasslands and patches of scrub dotted with small bamboo patches, along with tea gardens and their environs. The national status of this bird is Critically Endangered (IUCN Bangladesh 2000). Records away from this Tetulia population are limited to a female found in Modhupur forest in January 1 999 and one in Sangu valley in 2006 (Thompson & Johnson 2003, Siddiqui etal. 2008). Presently, Kazipara in Tetulia probably holds the largest population of the species in Bangladesh. Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus One Woolly-necked Stork was observed (and photographed) flying south-east over Jamtala Khal, Katka, Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary (21 °51 7.01 "N 89°46'27.39"E) ata height of c.200 m at 1 4h28 on 10 October 2009 by Enam Talukdar, Gertrud Denzau, Helmut Denzau, Monirul Khan, Ronald Haider, Sirajul Hossain, Zamiruddin Faisal and myself. The most recent confirmed record of this stork from Bangladesh was in 1888 in Sylhet division (Siddiqui etal. 2008). Sight records reported by Sharif Khan from Bagerhat in 1970 and Satkhira in 1989 (M. M. H. Khan in litt. 2011) were discounted as unreliable. Spot-bellied Eagle Owl Bubo nipalensis Farhad Pavel and I observed a Spot-bellied Eagle Owl at 1 7h1 5 on 7 August 2008 in the north-eastern part (24°1 9'37. 1 4"N 91°47'33.02"E) of Lawachara National Park, Srimangal, Moulvibazar. The bird's large size, deep black bars on pale white breast, and light yellow bill were the key field marks used to identify this species, which is a rare resident in Bangladesh (Siddiqui etal. 2008). Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala Three Black-headed Buntings were located on 1 0 October 2009 at Katka, Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary (21o51'13.20"N 89°46'55.45"E), by Ronald Haider, Zamiruddin Faisaland myself.The three birds were observed perching on a Phyllanthusemblica tree at Katka meadow for five minutes (1 7h00— 1 7h05), using 10x42 binoculars. In addition, photographs were taken by each observer. The birds exhibited a distinctive bunting profile, with longer tails and stubby, conical bills, and were immediately identified as an Emberiza species. Absence of a submoustachial stripe and streaking on breast, breast-sides and flanks separated the birds from the four Emberiza species hitherto recorded in Bangladesh — Yellow¬ breasted Bunting E. oureo/a, Chestnut-eared Bunting E. fucata, Little Bunting £. pusilla and Black-faced Bunting E. spodocephala (Rashid 1 967, Husain 1 979, Khan 1 982, Harvey 1 990, Thompson et at. 1 993, Grimmett etal. 1998, IUCN Bangladesh 2000, Grewal etal. 2002, Thompson & Johnson 2003, Khan 2008, Siddiqui et al. 2008). Separation of non-breeding and female plumages of Black-headed Bunting and Red-headed Bunting E. bruniceps is difficult but the observers are confident that the birds were Black-headed Buntings 86 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) because they showed: a relatively long, conical bill; heavily chestnut- tinged uppertail-covertsand rump; and a darkcrown. All three birds were aged as immature on account of their pale yellow undertail- coverts,fawn underparts and worn yellowish flanks. Earlier published checklists for Bangladesh list four Emberiza species (see above), but none mentions E. melanocephala; hence it can be considered a new species for Bangladesh. Black-headed Bunting breedsinthewesternPalaearcticand Iran. It winters mainly in cultivated fields in southern Pakistan, west and central India and infrequently eastern Nepal and eastern India, with a few recent records from Jalpaiguri, West Bengal (S. Sen pers.comm. 2011). It has a known tendency to vagrancy further east with records from South-East Asia in north-west, central and southern Thailand, Singapore, northern Laos, northern Vietnam (Byers et at. 1995, Rasmussen & Anderton 2005, Robson 2008), southern China, Japan and northern Borneo (Dymond 1999). Acknowledgements I am extremely thankful to Paul Thompson, Nick Dymond and Alex Lees for their comments on the Black-headed Bunting photos to confirm identification and for their comments on the draft of this paper. I am also thankful to Sumit Sen for providing current information on West Bengal and Assam. I am grateful to Farhad Pavel, M. Abdullah Abu Diyan, Ronald Haider, Shimanto Dipu, Zamiruddin Faisal, Samiul Mohsanin, Saniar Rahul, Enam Talukder, Shama Hoque, Enam Ul Haque, Mayeen Uddin, Sirajul Hossain, Monirul Khan and Dilip Das for their wonderful company in the field. Special thanks are due to all my colleagues at Bangladesh Bird Club and Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh for their support and encouragement. References AM, S. & Ripley, S. D. ( 1 987) Compact handbook of thebirdsof India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Second edition. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Byers, C., Olsson, U. & Curson, J. (1995) Buntings and sparrows. Sussex: Pica Press. Dymond, N. (1999) Two records of Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala in Sabah: the first definite occurrence in Malaysia and Borneo. Forktail 1 5: 1 02-1 03. Grewal, B., Harvey, B. & Pfister, O. (2002) Birds of India including Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. London: Christopher Helm. Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C.& Inski pp, T. (1 998) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. London: Christopher Helm. Harvey, W. G. (1990) Birds in Bangladesh. Dhaka: University Press. Husain, K.Z. (1979) Birds of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Government of Bangladesh. IUCN Bangladesh (2000) Red book of threatened birds of Bangladesh. Dhaka: IUCN. Khan, M. A. R. (1982) Wildlife of Bangladesh: a checklist. Dhaka: University of Dhaka. Khan, M. M. H.(2008) Protected areas of Bangladesh: a guide to wildlife. Dhaka: Nishorgo Program, Bangladesh Forest Department. Rashid, H. (1967) Systematic list of the birds of East Pakistan. Publication no. 20. Dacca: Asiatic Society of Pakistan. Rasmussen, P. C. & Anderton, J. C. (2005) Birds of South Asia: the Ripleyguide. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona, Spain: Smithsonian Institute and Lynx Edicions. Robson C. (2008) Birds of South-East Asia. London: New Holland Publishers, Ltd. Siddiqui, K. U., Islam, M. A., Kabir, S. M. H., Ahmed, A. T. A., Rahman, A. K. A., Haque, E. U., Ahmed, Z. U., Begum, Z. N. T., Hassan, M. A., Khondker, M. & Rahman, M. M., eds. (2008) Encyclopedia of flora and fauna of Bangladesh, Vol. 26. Birds. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Thompson, P. M., Harvey, W. G., Johnson, D. L., Millin, D. J., Rashid, S. M. A., Scott, D. A., Stanford, C. & Woolner, J. D. (1993) Recent notable bird records from Bangladesh. Forktail 9: 1 2-44. Thompson, P. M. & Johnson, D. L. (2003) Further notable bird records from Bangladesh. Forktail 19: 85-102. Sayam U. CHOWDHURY, House- 1 (B-3), Road-7, Sector-4, Uttora, Dhaka-1 230, Bangladesh. Email: sayam_uc@yahoo.com Autumn migration of an Amur Falcon Falco amurensis from Mongolia to the Indian Ocean tracked by satellite ANDREW DIXON, NYAMBAYAR BATBAYAR & GANKHUYAG PUREV-OCHIR Introduction Amur Falcons Falco amurensis breed in the Eastern Palearctic from Transbaikalia, Russia, and central Mongolia east to Ussuriland (south¬ eastern Russian Far East) and south to the Qinling Mountain range in central China (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). This small falcon undertakes one of the most notable migrations of any bird of prey, migrating between its east Asian breeding range and its southern African wintering range. Amur Falcons depart their breeding areas in late August and September and form large migratory flocks, moving south through China skirting the eastern edge ofthe Himalaya to reach north-east India and Bangladesh, wherethey settle temporarily tofatten before embarking on the latter stage ofthe migration through the Indian subcontinent and across the Indian Ocean to equatorial Africa (Clement & Holman 2001, Bildstein 2006). The journey of 3,000 km across the Indian Ocean typically takes place in late November and December, aided by the prevailing easterly winds (Bildstein 2006, Anderson 2009). The Amur Falcon is not uncommon across most of its breeding range, although detailed information on its population status and trends is lacking (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). It is a common breeding species in the major river valleys ofthe forest steppe zone of central and eastern Mongolia, where it typically occupies old nests of Eurasian Magpies Pica pica for breeding. Currently there are no major conservation concerns for the species, although it is known to be harvested for food during autumn passage through north-east India (Naoroji 2006). Satellite telemetry allows the routes of migrating raptors to be mapped (Meyberg & Fuller 2007), whilst the recent development of lightweight transmitters (<9.5 g) has enabled the technology to be applied to small migratory falcons such as Eleonora's Falcon F. eleonorae (Gschweng etal. 2009, Lopez-Lopez etal. 2009) and Hobby F.subbuteo(Meyburgetal. 201 1). In this paper we describe the autumn migration pathway of a single Amur Falcon fitted with a satellite transmitter at its breeding site in central Mongolia as part of a pilotstudyforimplementingtheactivitieslisted intheConvention on Migratory Species (CMS) African-Eurasian Migratory Birds of Prey Memorandum of Understanding. Methods An adult female Amur Falcon was trapped on 21 July 2009 at its nesting site (47°39'43.0"N 105°51'53.8"E, altitude 1,378 m) in the Khustayn Nuruu National Park, Tov Province, central Mongolia. We fitted a 9.5 g solar-powered satellite transmitter (PTT-1 00, Microwave Telemetry Inc., Columbia, MD, USA) by means of a Teflon ribbon harness (Kenward 2001 ). The duty cycle ofthe satellite transmitter was programmed for 1 0 hours on and 48 hours off. The total weight of the PTT and harness was 1 1 g. The bird weighed 199 g when Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 87 trapped, so the PTT and harness represented c.5.5% of its body weight. Its wing length was 228 mm (maximum chord), tarsus 30.9 mm, tail length 1 1 9 mm, wingspan 690 mm, and total body length 282 mm. After release at the capture site, the bird made several circles overhead and landed on a hill opposite from where we were standing. After resting and making an apparent effort to get rid of the transmitter for about five minutes, ittookoff and flew towards its nest site. Satellite data was provided in DIAG format by Argos, extracted using the MTI Data Parser and plotted in Google Earth. Results The coverage period for our satellite tracking lasted 131 days from the date of deployment on 21 July to the last transmission on 28 November 2009. During this time, we received 58 locations on 29 days (selected data in Table 1 ). The accuracy of the location data, based on Argos location classes, was generally low (Table 2). Despite the low frequency and quality of location data, we were able to plot the migration pathway of the bird from Mongolia to the Indian Ocean (Figure 1). Location data came from within the breeding area in the Khustayn Nuruu National Park until late August, when the bird shifted some 65 km north, between 21 and 31 August. It remained in this post-breeding settlement area until at least 1 2 September. It was located 350 km south-east in Dundgovi Province by 14 September and the next location came from Inner Mongolia, China, on 22 September. The bird remained inthis part of Inner Mongolia until at least 1 1 October before being located 680 km SSE in Henan, central China, on 180ctober. There were no further location data received from the PTT until 1 November, by which time the bird was near Hanoi, Vietnam, 1 ,650 km SSW of its location two weeks earlier. Three days later it was located 960 km W near Mandalay in central Myanmar. By 9 November, it had crossed the plains of the Irrawaddy and Chind win River systems to reach the Chin Hills and crossed the Indian border into Manipur by 1 1 November. It remained in north-east India until 21 November, from where it headed south-west to the Bay of Bengal Table 1. Location, timing, distance and direction of female Amur Falcon movements tracked by satellite from 1 2 September to 28 November 2009. Distance/ Location Lat (N)/Lon (E) Date/Time (UTC) Direction Tov Province, Mongolia 48°117105°48' 12Sep/13:04 na Dundgovi Province, Mongolia 45°277107°50' 14 Sep/21 :29 340km/152° Inner Mongolia, China 40°3971 10°02' 22Sep/03:09 510 km/1 61° Inner Mongolia, China 40°4071 10°02' 11 Oct/1 4:39 55 km/1 56" Henan, China 34°4671 1 2°06' 18 0ct/13:51 680km/163° HaTay, Vietnam 29°587105°37' 01 Nov/22:57 1650 km/204° Mandalay, Myanmar 21°33796°25' 04 Nov/10:28 960km/275° Manipur, India 23°58793°33' 11 Nov/20:10 390 km/313° Mizoram, India 24°14793°00' 21 Nov/15:24 65 km/296° Bay of Bengal 19°42787°51' 24 Nov/01 :20 730km/227° Andhra Pradesh, India 16°21779°28' 26 Nov/1 1:44 960 km/248° Indian Ocean 12°23765°36' 28Nov/16:19 1,555 km/255 O Indian Ocean 12°03763°32' 28 Nov/23:28 225 km/260° Table 2. PTT data for the female Amur Falcon tracked from Mongolia to the Indian Ocean . Location classes (LC) assigned by Argos are radial error distances: LC3 <250 m, LC 2 250-500 m, LC1 500-1,500 m, LC0 >1,500 m, LCA and LCB unbounded. LCZ invalid. Loc. Days Locations days LC3 LC2 LC1 LCO LCA LCB LCZ July 11 4 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 August 31 4 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 September 30 10 8 0 0 0 0 5 5 0 October 31 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 November 28 38 13 0 2 1 15 9 10 1 TOTALS 131 58 29 0 5 2 15 16 17 3 and along the eastern seaboard of India to reach Andhra Pradesh by 26 November. The final location data received for this bird came some 63 hours later on 28 November, after it had travelled a further 1 ,780 km WSW. It was last located above the Indian Ocean 1,1 80 km off the coast of Goa. In total, the bird was tracked along a pathway of 8,1 45 km over a period of 78 days (1 2 September to 28 November), hence moving an average of 1 04 km a day. Kazakhstan > 12 Sep Mongolia Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan V:-, L - - -C'V-- \ 14 Sep \ iSL- ■- Turkmenistan Afghanistan rajlWstan„ - • 22 Sep -11 Oct % '-T v 1 China > , , i~- - A; ,• L/nited Arab Emvates Bhutan >•' - v yfa'- ~f 31Not „v _ 11 Nov India • IS Oct 26 Nov 28 Nov 01 Nov ljvwn’lvuj Thailand Vietnam Cambodia Hong Kong Philippine Figure 1. Autumn migration pathway of adult female Amur Falcon tracked from its breeding territory in central Mongolia to the Indian Ocean from 12 September to 28 November 2009. safe Malaysia 88 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) The movement from the post-breeding settlement area in central Mongolia to north-east India covered a pathway of 4,585 km and took 60 days. During this first stage of the autumn migration the bird utilised at least one stopover site in Inner Mongolia, where it remained for 1 7-32 days. It arrived in north-east India sometime between4and 1 1 Novemberand leftthe region between 21 and 23 November. On leaving north-east India from 21 to 28 November, it travelled 3,470 km in 1 76 hours (average 473 km/day). At this stage, it was also migrating at night, with location data obtained during a flight over the sea in the Bay of Bengal from 02h49 to 08h20 (local time UTC + 7 hrs) on 24 November, when the bird was c.140 km offshore. Over a period of 60 hrs from 26 to 28 November, the Amur Falcon covered a distance of 1 ,785 km, travelling at an average speed of 30 km/h. Discussion Prior to embarking on its autumn migration this satellite-tagged Amur Falcon shifted from its breeding territory to a post-breeding settlement area in late August, where it remained for at least two weeks, before embarking on its south-bound journey after 12 September. The early stages of migration through China were slow with at least one prolonged stopover in Inner Mongolia. Amur Falcons feed mainly on insects, especially grasshoppers, which are often extremely abundant on the grazed steppe grasslands of Mongolia and northern China (Le& Yonling 2008). The slow rate of passage in the early phase of migration suggests that much of the time the bird was foraging to build up energy reserves. This slow progress was unlikely to be related to moulting patterns as Amur Falcons completely moult their flight feathers in their African wintering grounds (Symes & Wood borne 201 0), although some may begin moult in their breeding areas (Schafer 2003). In the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, a related species that also migrates from Mongolia to Africa, moult begins in the breeding area, is suspended during migration and recommences two weeks after arrival in the wintering grounds (McCann 1994). Information on the migratory behaviour of Amur Falcons has previously come from observations of migrating flocks, which have provided a fairly well-described migration pathway, despite the fact that the migration routes of the species occur in remote and poorly watched areas of South-East Asia. Tordoff (2002) reviewed autumn records in South-East Asia, reporting movements through northern Laos in October, Chiang Mai province, northern Thai land, in October and November and northern Vietnam in October, including over 1,400 passing through the Hoang Lien Nature Reserve in Lao Cao province from 13-24 October 1997. Claims of wintering Amur Falcons in Yunnan, China (Li 2004), could possibly be attributed to passage birds in this province during November. These observational records suggest that Amur Falcons migrate on a broad front, perhaps extending c.1,000 km from the Hengduan Shan to the Gulf of Tonkin, although some birds may cross the Himalayas in central Nepal (Bildstein 2006) and further west in Uttarakhand province, India (Naoroji 2006). The female Amur Falcon in our study made a detour not just around the eastern edgeoftheTibetan Plateau, but also around the extensive north-south mountain chains of western Yunnan. By avoiding crossing the Gaoligong and Wuliang mountain ranges, the route taken by this individual involved an extended southward journey to northern Vietnam followed by a westward movement to north-east India, before crossing the Indian subcontinent to reach the Indian Ocean near Goa; a total distance of 6,935 km. The direct (great circle) flight line from central Mongolia to Goa is 4,690 km; theobserved pathwaytaken byoursatellite-tracked individual was thus 48% longer. This circuitous route is probably not unusual, given the records of Amur Falcons in this part of South-East Asia (Tordoff 2002). Observations of migrating flocks indicate that most migrating Amur Falcons avoid crossing the Himalayas, presumably because to do so would present a great physiological challenge to the birds, with limited foraging opportunities along the route. After avoiding the Himalayas, Amur Falcons must head westwards or north-westwards, depending on how far south they have travelled in South-East Asia, through Myanmar to north-east India and Bangladesh. Passage through Myanmar and north-east India is slow (this satellite-tagged bird took 17 days to cover a distance of 455 km) and huge numbers congregate in the region during October and November (Naoroji 2006, Choudhury 2009). This slow progression presumably enables Amur Falcons to build up fat reserves, by feeding on termites, ants and other insects for the long-distance movement across India and the Indian Ocean to Africa (Ali & Ripley 1978, Naoroji 2006). Observational recordssuggestthat AmurFalcon migrationtakes places over a relatively broad front across the Indian continent (Naoroji 2006). This bird moved along the eastern seaboard and then west through Andhra Pradesh to the Goa/Karnataka coast, and out into the Indian Ocean. It is probable that the Amur Falcon died during this long-distance sea crossing, although PTT failure cannot be ruled out especially given its intermittent performance over the whole tracking period. We can only speculate about the location of landfall on the African continent. The route taken suggests that the bird was heading towards the coast of Somalia, a minimum distance of 2, 590 km from its coastal departure point in India. From Andhra Pradesh to its last location the falcon travelled 1 ,780 km in 60 hours (c.30 km/h). The ocean crossing would have taken approximately 87 hours to complete at this speed. It is possible that Amur Falcons can feed on migratory dragonflies that also fly across the Indian Ocean from India to East Africa, possibly utilising north-easterly tail-winds within and behind the Inter- tropical Convergence Zone, at altitudes over 1,000 m (Anderson 2009) . Stable isotope analysis of juvenile feathers has been used to determine that Amur Falcons wintering in South Africa originated from a wide area of their Asian breeding range (Symes & Wood borne 2010) , although none of the 39 birds sampled appeared to have originated from the region west of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. In addition, a recent satellite telemetry study tracked five adult Amur Falcons from their wintering grounds in South Africa to their breeding grounds in north-eastern China (Meyburg & Meyburg 2010). It is possible that Amur Falcons originating from northern Mongolia may winter north of South Africa. Acknowledgements Funding for this study was provided by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, UAE, and was undertaken within the framework of a MoU with the Ministry of Nature, En vironment and Tourism, Mongolia. We wish to thank Amarkhuu Gungaa, Mohammed al Bowardi, Salim Javed, Anthony van Zyl and Jevgeni Shergalin. We thank David Buckingham and two anonymous referees for improving an earlier version of this manuscript. References Ali, S. & Ripley, S. D. (1978) Handbookofthe birds of India & Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, 1 . Second edition. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Anderson, R. C. (2009) Do dragonflies migrate across the western Indian Ocean? J. Trop. Ecol. 25: 347-358. Bildstein, K. L. (2006) Migrating raptors of the world: their ecology and conservation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Choudhury, A. (2009) Significant recent ornithological records from Manipur, north-east India, with an annotated checklist. Forktail 25: 71-89. Clement, P. & Holman, D. (2001) Passage records of Amur Falcon Falco amurensis from SE Asia and southern Africa including first records from Ethiopia. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 121: 222-230. Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D. A. (2001) Raptors of the world. London: Christopher Helm. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) SHORT NOTES 89 Gschweng, M., Kalko, E. K. V., Querner, U., Fielder, W. & Berthold, P. (2008) All across Africa: highly individual migration routes of Eleonora's Falcon. Proc. R. Soc. B 275: 2887-2896. Ken ward, R. E. (2001) A manual for wild life radio-tagging. London: Academic Press. Le, K. & Yonglin, C. (2008) Dynamics of grasshopper communities under different grazing intensities in Inner Mongolian steppes. Insect Science 2:265-281. Li, X. (2004) Raptors of China. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House. Lopez-Lopez, P., Liminana, L., Mellone, U.& Urios, V. (2009) Autumn migration of Eleonora's Falcon Falco eieonorae tracked by satellite telemetry. Zoological Studies 48: 485-491 . Meyburg, B.-U. & Fuller, M. R. (2007) Satellite tracking. Pp. 242-248 in D. M. Bird & K. L. Bildstein, eds. Raptor research and management techniques. Surrey, BC, Canada: Hancock House Publishers. Meyburg, B.-U. & Meyburg, C. (20 10) Tracking the intercontinental migrations of small falcons. Microwave Telemetry Inc. Tracker News 1 1 (2): 2. Meyburg, B.-U., Howey, P. W., Meyburg, C. & Fiuczynski, K. D. (201 1) Two complete migration cycles of an adult Hobby tracked by satellite. British Birds 104: 2-15. McCann, K. I. (1 994) Habitat utilization and time-energy budgets of the Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni'm its southern African non-breeding range. MSc thesis. University of Witwatersrand. Naoroji, R. (2006) Birds of prey of the Indian subcontinent. London: Christopher Helm. Schafer, S. (2003) Studie an einer mongolischen Brutpopulation des Amurfalken (Falco amurensis Radde, 1863). Dipl. Biol. Thesis. Halle/Saale, Germany; Martin-Luther Universitat Halle-Wittenberg. Symes, C.T.& Wood borne, S. (2010) Migratory connectivity and conservation of the Amur Falcon Falco amurensis: a stable isotope perspective. Bird Conserv. Internatn. 29: 1 34-1 48. Tordoff, A. W. (2002) Raptor migration at Hoang Lien Nature Reserve, northern Vietnam. Forktail 1 8: 45-48. A. DIXON, International Wildlife Consultants (UK) Ltd., PO Box 19, Carmarthen, SA33 5YL, United Kingdom. Email: falco@falcons.co.uk NYAMBAYAR B. & GANKHUYAG P„ Wildlife Science and Conservation Center, Undram Plaza Office 404, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar 5 1, Mongolia. Email:nyambayar@wscc.org.mnandgankhuyag@wscc.org.mn The recent increase of the Red-billed Starling Sturnus sericeus in the Republic of Korea CHANG-YONG CHOI, JONG-GIL PARK, NIAL MOORES, EUN-MI KIM, CHANG-WAN KANG, HYUN-YOUNG NAM & SEOG-MIN KIM The Red-billed Starling Sturnus sericeus is considered to have a stable population (BirdLife International 2009), and is mapped largely as resident in mainland East China (Brazil 2009). The species has, however, undergone a remarkable change in status in the Republic of Korea (ROK) during the past decade. It was first recorded on 16 April 2000 on Ganghwa Island, Gyeonggi Province (37°36'N 1 26°28'E) (Jin-Man Kim in litt. 2000, Kim & Choi 2007). The second record of the species followed within two weeks, on Gageo Island in Jeonnam Province (34°04'N 125°06'E), and there were further records in autumn 2000 and again during spring and autumn 2001 (N. Moores unpublished data). As a result of these records, Park (2002) suggested that the Red-billed Starling was likely to proveto be a regular migrant on islands along the west coast of the Korean Peninsula. Since then, the species has been found at many more locations, including during the breeding season. There is some possibility that the species might have been previously overlooked, as the same decade also witnessed a rapid increase in ornithological activity in ROK, especially in coastal areas and on islands in the Korean West Sea (Yellow Sea), resulting in a corresponding increase in records of previously unrecorded or nationally scarce species (e.g. Moores 2007). Furthermore, prior to 2000, only a few observers in ROK were familiar with the Red-billed Starling. Has the increase in observer coverage and familiarity with the species been the main cause of its apparent increase of in ROK? To help answer this question, we first compiled and reviewed observation records of the Red-billed Starling in ROK between 2000 and 2008. In the absence of a formal national process of record collation, this required gathering records from unpublished and published sources, including personal count data, survey and ornithological reports, media articles and specialised birding websites. We also contacted other experienced photographers and observers to confirm details of their observations (basically with photographs), including the date, location and number of birds picture taken and observed. To begin to identify possible trends in abundance and distribution we then grouped and sorted these records into three periods, each of three years: 2000-2002, 2003-2005 and 2006-2008, and mapped them by three-year period and province. To date we have collected 98 records of a total 531 Red-billed Starlings observed in ROK between 2000 and 2008. Based on our shared experience, we are confident that these include the majority of records during this period, even though later records became harder to recover as the species became less noteworthy for observers.This suggests that the rate of increase in the species might be even greaterthan ourdata indicate. Thetotal to date consists of 10 records comprised of 26 individuals in 2000-2002; 24 records comprised of 51 individuals in 2003-2005; and 64 records comprised of 454 individuals in 2006-2008 (Fig. 1). Between 2000 and 2002, Figure 1. Changes in number of Red-billed Starlings observed in ROK (number of records a: 2000-2002, b: 2003-2005, c: 2006-2008). Observations in June and July were summed due to the prolonged existence of breeding populations. 90 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) themean number ofbirdsper observation was2.6±3. 7 (n=10). While most records consisted ofoneortwo birds, this also included the first flockofthe species recorded in ROK ( 1 3 birds on Jeju Island in February 2002: Kim & Choi 2007). Between 2003 and 2005 the number of records increased but the mean number of bird per observation remained rather similar: 2.1 ±1.8 (n=24). The period between 2006 and 2008 then saw the largest increase in the number of records and the mean number of birds per observation also increased rapidly to 7.0±1 5.7 (n=64). Between 2000and 2008 too, thegeographical distribution of records also expanded, with many more records in the east of the country in later compared to earlier years (Fig. 2). Figure 2. Observation (filled circles) and breeding (open circles) records of the Red-billed Starling in ROK (records from a: 2000-2002, b: 2003- 2005, c: 2006-2008). (a) IN w^> o 1 individual O 2-9 ind. O 10-49 ind. O >50 ind. ( ! S ir 100 200 km (b) N W E S O 1 individual O 2-9 ind. O 10-49 ind. O >50 ind. O v* c&4 O •44 o r1 O Cb &0 100 200 km (c) N W E S O 1 individual O 2-9 ind. O 10-49 ind. O >50 ind. o i 5 ° 'CP '4_ 4 4^'r' W \ - 4 ^ 4 • . m * o o <9cP 100 200 km The earliest records were largely during the main migration periods shared with many other migrant species (namely March- May and August-November). Subsequent records included birds in winter and also during the summer, and Red-billed Starlings were documented nesting forthefirsttime in 2007, in two well-separated areas: Hallim-eup, Jeju City, Jeju Special Self-governing Province (33°24'N 1 26°1 5'E; Kim & Choi 2007), and Tanhyun-myeon, Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (37°46'N 126°42'E; Seog-Min Kim unpublished data). Moreover, in August 2007, a flock of Red-billed Starlings with more than one newly fledged young wasalso observed on Yeongjong Island, Incheon Metropolitan City (37°30'N 1 26°32’E; Cheon-Sik Shin in litt. 2007). The following June and July 2008, approximately 50 pairs were observed nest-building in Gangseo-gu, Busan Metropolitan City (35°1 2'N 1 28°58'E; Sam-Rae Jo in litt. 2008). The recent increase in records of Red-billed Starling has not been confined to ROK. Duckworth (2004) noted that the first record of Red-billed Starling in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was in August 2001 and that it is also spreading in north-east China. In Hong Kong, where the Red-billed Starling has long been regular in winter (Carey et ol. 2001), the species increased substantially during the 1993-1994 winter, and breeding was proven for the first time in 2007 (P. J. Leader in litt. 2010). The population trend is perhaps less clear in Japan; however, since the first fully documented record in 1979 it has probably occurred annually (Brazil 1991), and less than twenty years later it could be described as a scarce to rare migrant or winter visitor to Japan, sometimes found in small flocks (Brazil 2009). The first breeding record in Japan, apparently involving a mixed Red-billed x White¬ cheeked Starling Sturnus cineraceus pair, has now also been documented (Sato etal. 2010). Reasons for the Red-billed Starling's increase remain unclear. In general, starlings (traditionally included in the family Sturnidae) show marked plasticity in habitat use, and they are thus highly successful and adaptable species in various habitats (Feare & Craig 1 998, Lin 2001 , Shieh etal. 2006, Sontag & Louette 2007). Of seven starling species so far recorded in ROK (OSK 2009) only White¬ cheeked Starling is a widespread breeding and overwintering species. Although it was first recorded nesting on the Korean Peninsula in the nineteenth century, it too appears to have increased as a breeder, especially since the 1960s (Duckworth & Moores 2008). It frequently associates with Red-billed Starling, and the increase in both species could be related to unspecified changes in their preferred habitats. Human-induced climate change might also be a mechanism leading to the increase, even though Red-billed Starling has recently bred in Hong Kong south of the breeding range mapped in Brazil (2009) as well as north of it. Between 1904 and 2000, the annual mean temperature in ROK increased by 1 ,5°C(Kwon 2005), approximately double the mean global temperature increase of 0.74°C during the same time period (IPCC 2007). Of interest, two other species that are also more or less confined toeastern China havealsoshowna rapid increasein ROKsince2000. These are Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis and Yellow- bellied Tit Parus venustulus. Light-vented Bulbul was first recorded in ROK in October 2002 on a West Sea island (Moores 2007) and has subsequently been found breeding on at least three islands, with records now in all months, including individuals in winter on the mainland east to Busan (OSK 2009, N. Moores & Jong-Gil Park unpublished data). Yellow-belfied Tit was also first recorded on a West Sea island in October 2005 (Moores 2007), and we now already know of more than 20 records of this species in ROK, including birds overwintering on the mainland as far east as Busan (OSK 2009, N. Moores & Jong-Gil Park unpublished data). This short note reveals that between 2000 (when first recorded) and 2008 there has been an increase in the frequency of observations, mean flock size, and geographical spread of the Red¬ billed Starling in ROK. Its rapid increase in mainland Korea, which Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 91 has been regularly and repeatedly monitored over the past century, implies genuine and dramatic changes in number and distribution. Further research and exchange of information will, we suggest, be helpful in better understanding the causes for the genuine population increase and range expansion of the starling and perhaps of these two other species. References BirdLife International (2009) SpeciesfactsheetSR/musser/ceus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/3/2010 Brazil, M. (1 991 ) The birds of Japan. London: Flelm. Brazil, M. (2009) Birds of East Asia: China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Russia. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Carey, G. J., Chalmers, M. L., Diskin, D. A., Kennerley, P. R., Leader, P. J„ Leven, M. R., Lewthwaite, R. W„ Melville, D. S., Turnbull, M. and Young, L. (2001 ) The avifauna of Hong Kong. Flong Kong: Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. Duckworth, J. W. (2004) Eight birds new to DPR Korea. Forktail 20: 1 16-120. Duckworth J. W. & Moores, N. (2008) A re-evaluation of the pre-1 948 Korean breeding avifauna: correcting a 'founder effect' in perceptions. Forktail 24: 25-47. Feare, C. & Craig, A. (1998) Starlings and mynas. London: Christopher Helm. IPCC (2007) Climate change 2007: synthesis report. Geneva, Switzerland: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Kim, E. M. & Choi, C. Y. (2007) First breeding record of the Red-billed Starling (Sturnus sericeus) in Korea. Korean J. Orn. 14: 1 53-156. (In Korean.) Kwon,W.T. (2005) Current status and perspectives of climate change sciences. J. Kor. Meteorol. Soc. 41 : 325-336. (In Korean.) Lin.R.S. (2001) The occurrence, distribution and relative abundance of exotic starlings and mynas in Taiwan. Endemic Species Research 3: 13-23. Moores, N. (2007) Selected records from Socheong Island, South Korea. Forktail 23: 102-124. OSK (2009) Checklist of the birds of Korea. Seoul: Ornithological Society of Korea. Park, J. Y. (2002) Current status and distribution of birds in Korea. Ph.D thesis, Kyung Hee University. (In Korean.) Sato, S., Kimura, H„ Hirata, S. & Okai, Y. (2010) A record of interspecific hybridization of the Grey Starling Sturnus cineraceus and the Red-billed Starling Sturnus sericeus in Sukumo, Kochi Prefecture. Japanese J. Orn. 59: 76-79. (In Japanese.) Shieh, B. S., Lin, Y. H., Lee, T. W., Chang, C. C. & Cheng, K.T. (2006) Pet trade as sources of introduced bird species in Taiwan. Taiwania 51: 81-86. Sontag Jr., A. E. & Louette, M. (2007) The potential of particular starlings (Sturnidae) as indicators of habitat change./. Orn. 148: S261-S267. Chang-Yong CHOI, Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Jin-ri, Heuksan-myeon, Shinan County, Jeonnam Province 535-917, Korea. Email: subbuteo@hanmail.net Jong-Gil PARK, Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Jin-ri, Heuksan-myeon, Shinan County, Jeonnam Province 535-917, Korea. Email: tit4242@hanmail.net Nial MOORES, Birds Korea Office, 1 108, Samick Tower Apt 3-Dong., 148-22, Namcheon-dong, Suyoung-gu, Busan 618-762, Republic of Korea. Email: nial.moores@birdskorea.org Eun-Mi KIM, Jeju Wildlife Research Center, 865-2, Hogeun-dong, Seogwipo City, Jeju Special Self-governing Province 697-090, Korea. Email: kptta@naver.com Chang-Wan KANG, Jeju Wildlife Research Center, 865-2, Hogeun- dong, Seogwipo City, Jeju Special Self-governing Province 697-090, Korea. Email: jejubirds@hanmail.net Hyun-Young NAM, Migratory Birds Center, National Park Research Institute, Jin-ri, Heuksan-myeon, Shinan County, Jeonnam Province 535-917, Korea. Email: stern0223@lycos.co.kr Seog-Min KIM, Hannae Elementary School, 882 Daehwa-dong, llsan-gu, Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province 41 1-802, Korea. Email: taurus 1 97 1 @hanmail.net First record of Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica in Wallacea S. (BAS) van BALEN & H. H. (ERIK) EGGENKAMP During a binding trip in March 2006 along the northern peninsula of Sulawesi, we observed a number of Red-rumped Swallows Hirundo (Cecropis) daurica, which were then unknown to occur on Sulawesi, or indeed in Wallacea. On 6 March, between 06h30 and 07h20, we saw several hirundines behind the Pulisan Jungle Beach Resort, near Pulisan village (01°40'N 125°8'E, Likupan district, Minahasa Utara regency, Sulawesi Utara province) in the far north-east of Sulawesi. The birds had very pale underparts, one with discernible streaks at the breast- sides at most, and another with a slightly buffy-rufous wash on the throat. At 08h30 on 8 March at least four more birds were seen above cultivated fields in land from Pulisan village; apart from a pale rufous rump, their black vents, stocky appearance, rather elongated body and slower wing-beats with much gliding distinguished them from Barn Swallow Hirundorustica.a nd their long forked tails from Pacific Swallow H. tahitica, both of which were also present. The pale, only faintly streaked underparts distinguished them from most races of Striated Swallow H.striolata, which are always boldly streaked (Carter 2000), and of which resident populations occur in the Philippines and Greater and Lesser Sundas (Coates & Bishop 1 997, Turner 2008). The only faintly streaked local race of Striated Swallow in the region, the Malay race badia, has deep rufous underparts (Turner & Rose 1 989), and is even treated as full species, Rufous-bellied Swallow, by Turner (2008). The presence (in Red-rumped) or absence (in Striated) of a chestnut collar could not be assessed because the flying birds were seen mostly from below. However, in both Red- rumped races daurica and japonica the collar can be incomplete and loses its value as a specific distinction. No Red-rumped Swallows were seen in the same area during a visit by SvB in March 2007. Owing to problems with field identification, the status of Red- rumped and Striated Swallows in the region is unclear. On Sumatra both species are poorly known (van Marie & Voous 1 988, Holmes 1996), on Borneo only Red-rumped has been recorded with certainty (Mann 2008), while on Java only Striated has been recorded until now (MacKinnon & Phillipps 1993,Sukmantoroefo/. 2007). Barn Swallow is the only migratory swallow previously known to occur on Sulawesi (Coomans de Ruiter 1 954, Sukmantoro et at. 2007). However, the presence of Red-rumped was to be expected, sincethespeciesisa regularvisitortoAustralia (Carter2000), where the first birds were recorded as recently as 1983. In Papua New Guinea the first Red-rumped Swallow was recorded in 1974 (Filewood 1 974), with a subsequent increase in numbers, while the first record for Indonesian New Guinea was in 1 994 (Coates 1 990, Gregory etal. 1996). The presence of both Red-rumped races daurica and japonica, winter visitors from Central and East Asia, has been confirmed in 92 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27(2011) Malaysia (Wells 2007) and Australia (Palliser 2002, Higgins etal. 2006). The faintly streaked and partly buffy-rufous underparts of the present birds suggest daurica rather than japonica, which is heavily streaked but without buff below (Turner 2008). Whether the increase in records of Red-rumped Swallow is indicative of an actual increase of numbers, or solely due to an increased number of birdwatchers in the area, is uncertain. This is a distinct species, although confusion may have occurred with the superficially similar Tree Martin Hirundo (Petrochelidon) nigricans, of which wintering (from the southern hemisphere) and resident populations are found in the Moluccas, Lesser Sundas and New Guinea (Coates 1990, Coates & Bishop 1997). Interestingly, Pilgrim &Tordoff (201 0) recorded an expansion of the breeding range of H. d. japonica in a southerly direction into Vietnam. References Carter, M. (2000) Identification of Red-rumped and Striated Swallows Hirundo daurica and H. striolata in Australasia. Australian Birding 6(2): 9-18. Coates, B. J. (1990) The birds of New Guinea, 2. Alderley, Australia: Dove Publications. Coates, B. J. & Bishop, K. D. (1997) A guide to the birds of Wa/lacea. Alderley, Australia: Dove Publications. Coomans de Ruiter, L. (1 954) Trekvogels in Sulawesi (Celebes). Penggemar Alam 34: 67-96. Filewood. L. W. (1974) A new bird for Papua New Guinea (the Red-rumped, Daurian or Mosque Swallow). PNG Bird Soc. News I. 1 04: 3-4. Finch, B. W. (1979) Second Australasian record of Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica. PNG Bird Soc. Newsl. 1 5 1 : 2, 5. Gregory, P., Burrows, I., Burrows, R. & Burrows, G. (1 996) Red-rumped Swallow at Manokwari, a new species for Irian Jaya. Kukiia 8: 1 53. Higgins, P. J., Peter, J. M. & Cowling, S. J., eds. (2006) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds, 7. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Mann, C. F. (2008) The birds of Borneo. Peterborough: British Ornithologists' Union & British Ornithologists' Club (Checklist 23). van Marie, J. G. & Voous, K. H. (1988) Birds of Sumatra. Tring, U.K.: British Ornithologists' Union (Checklist 10). Palliser, T. Submission No 336: Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica Newell's Beach, Near Mossman, QLD. 5th January 2002 (Unpublished). Submitted by; David James. http://www.tonypalliser. com/barc/ summaries/SUMM336.htm. Accessed on 1 1 May 2010. Pilgrim, J. D. & Tordoff, A. W. (2010) First nesting record of Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica in South-East Asia. Forktail 26: 140. Sukmantoro, W., Irham, M„ Novarino, W., Hasudungan, F., Kemp, N. & Muchtar, M. (2007) Daftar burung Indonesia No. 2. Bogor: Indonesian Ornithologists' Union. Turner, A. (2008) Family Hirundinidae (swallows and martins). Pp. 602-685 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott &D. A. Christie, eds. Handbook of the birds of the world, 9. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Turner, A. & Rose, C. (1989) A handbook to the swallows and martins of the world. London: Christopher Helm. Wells, D. R. (2007) The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, 2. London: Christopher Helm. S. (Bas) van BALEN, Roompotstraat 44, 6826 EP Arnhem, The Netherlands. Email: bvanbalen001@hotmail.com H. H. (Erik) EGGENKAMP, Weteringdreef 179, 2724 GX Zoetermeer, The Netherlands. Email: h.h.eggenkamp@hetnet.nl Nesting record of Blood-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum sanguinolentum in Gunung Merapi National Park, Yogyakarta, Indonesia IMAMTAUFIQURRAHMAN Blood-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum sanguinolentum can be found in hill and montane forest, and forest edge, mostly from 800 to 2,400 m (MacKinnon & Phillipps 1993) on Java, Bali and the Lesser Sundas (MacKinnon & Phillipps 1 993, Sukmantoro etal. 2007). The nest was hitherto unknown (Cheke & Mann 2001 ). The only recorded clutch had one white egg (Hoogerwerf 1949), although two is probably normal (MacKinnon 1 991 ). In West Java, the species has been recorded laying in January, August, October (Cheke & Mann 2008) and December (MacKinnon 1991). Here I report my observations of the nest, chicks and nesting behaviour of the species. On 25 March 2008, around 1 2h30, at 966 m on Turgo hill, Gunung Merapi National Park, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia (7°35'18.58"S 1 1 0°25'26.90"E), I saw a male Blood-breasted Flowerpecker frequently flying to and from a tree. It aroused my curiosity, so I decided to get closer, being careful to avoid any disturbance. From one spot, I could see that the bird was visiting its nest. I had insufficient time to observe the contents of the nest but activities suggested that there may have been chicks. Four days later, on 29 March 2008, 1 returned to the location and watched for about three hours, from 09h14to 1 2h 1 0. Although it was cloudy, I was still able to observe clearly the activities at the nest tree, from a distance of c.7 m. The nest was suspended 6-7 m up on a leafy twig of an Acacia tree growing in a villager's front yard. The nest was small and egg- shaped, with an entrance that faced west. The structure was c. 20 cm long, about 1 5 cm across, and apparently made from grass and ferns (Plate 1 ). It contained two chicks, with dark blue upperparts, yellow underparts and black or dark-coloured heads. One chick appeared to be bigger, and had a bright yellow bill with a black tip to the lower mandible. The other chick was, overall, similar in appearance but lacked the black tip to the lower mandible. Based on their unfeathered appearance and closed eyes, I inferred that the chicks were not more than five days old. During the three hours of observation, I did not seethe female attend the nest. This seems to be unusual, because in the related Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker Dicaeum trochileum both male and female nurturethe chicks (K. Baskoro/n litt. 2008). The time between feeds varied from twice in one minute to an interval of 40 minutes. During my observations, the chicks were fed 26 times. The food was taken from an arboreal parasitic plant that grew on a tree not far from the nest, and appeared whitish-green: perhaps the inner part of the flower. When feeding the young, the male adopted two positions. Mostly, it hung onto the outside of the nest by its feet so that it could face the chicks directly. This feeding position lasted for c.2- 5 seconds each time. The other position, used only once, involved the male perching above the nest on the twig from which it was suspended, and putting its head into the nest. This lasted for about 1 5 seconds. After the male departed, the chicks would often wait in front of the entrance with their bills out. Sometimes, although the male was not present, the chicks would stick out their heads and open their mouths wide in a begging behaviour. It seemed that this behavior was exhibited when the nest swayed in the wind. Defaecation was also observed. The chick positioned its back in the entrance with the cloaca facing outwards. The faecal matter was long, brown and straw-like. Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 93 Plate 1 . Empty nest of Blood-breasted Flowerpecker, Gunung Merapi National Park, Java, 5 April 2008. Photograph:Adhy MarulyTampubolon. My observations ended when it started to drizzle. When I returned to the nest a week later, on 5 April 2008, it was empty, and neither the male northe chicks were seen. It seems that the chicks had fledged. Acknowledgements I thank the Gelatik Jawa Project for the telescope used to observe the nest, Sunaring Kurniandaru for the camera used to record it, and Adhy Maruli Tampubolon for taking the photo. I should also thankCahyadi, Swiss Winasis and Febyanti Aquina who accompanied me during the visits.Thanks are also due to Yayasan Kutilang Indonesia, Mr Mehd and Mrs Lena Halouate for providing references abouttheflowerpecker, Mr KaryadiBaskoro of Semarang Bird Community for his comments on parenting behaviour, Siti Cholifah Kuwatno for preparing the manuscript in English, Mr Ign Pramana Yuda of Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta for reviewing it, and Andrew 'Jack'Tordoff and two anonymous referees for helping to finalise the manuscript. References Cheke, R. A. & Mann, C. F. (2001) A guide to the sunbirds, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters and sugarbirds of the world. London: Christopher Helm. Cheke, R. A. & Mann, C. F. (2008) Family Dicaeidae (flowerpeckers). Pp.350- 389 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds. Handbook of the birds of the world, 1 3. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Hoogerwerf, A. (1949) Een bijdrage tot de oologie van het eiland Java [A contribution to the oology of Java.] Buitenzorg: Koninklijke Plantentuin van Indonesia. (In Dutch.) MacKinnon, J. (1991 ) A field guide to the birds of Java and Bali. Yogyakarta: Universitas Gadjah Mada Press. MacKinnon, J.&Phillipps, K.(1 993) A field guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sukmantoro, W., Irham, M., Novarino, W„ Hasudungan, F., Kemp, N. & Muchtar, M. (2007) Daftar burung Indonesia no. 2 [Indonesian birds list no. 2]. Bogor: Indonesian Ornithologists' Union. (In Indonesian.) Imam TAUFIQURRAHMAN, Kelompok Pengamat Burung Bionic Universitas Negeri, Yogyakarta, Karangmalang, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia. Email: orny_man@yahoo.com A predation attempt by an Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus on Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps nestlings MASAYOSHI KAMIOKI, NORITOMO KAWAJI, KIMIKO KAWAJI & KEISUKE UEDA Introduction Avian brood parasites inflict fatal damage upon their hosts in various ways. Cuckoos and cowbirds remove or eat the host eggs when they parasitise nests, while, their nestlings usurp host parental care (Davies 2000). Moreover, adult cuckoos and cowbirds sometimes predate eggs and/or nestlings even when they do not parasitise nests (Wyllie 1981). Until the past decade, such predatory behaviour has only been observed (e.g. Alvarez 1995, Kinoshita & Kato 1995) or surmised (e.g. Bibby & Thomas 1985, Davies & Brooke 1 988, Arceseefo/. 1996) but not electronically recorded. Accordingly, there is insufficient data to discuss the ecological significance of predatory behaviour. This lack of data could be because brood parasites visit host nests only occasionally and for a short time (Davies 2000). In recentyears, however, because of technological advances in videography, the availability of video evidence has been increasing, especially in cowbirds (e.g. Elliott 1999, Pietz&Granfors 2000, Stake et al. 2004). In cuckoos, nevertheless, video evidence of such predatory behaviour is still rare (but see Kim & Yamagishi 1999, Briskie 2007). Moreover, most reports on predatory behaviour are limited to the Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrusaterand Common Cuckoo Cuculuscanorus. Hence it is important to accumulate reliable and verifiable video data of various species to elucidate why such predatory behaviour has evolved in avian brood parasites. To our knowledge, so far only three video recordings of predatory behaviour in Oriental Cuckoos C. optatus towards their hosts have been reported (Kawaji 2009, Chen et al. 2009, this paper). In 1 996, Kawaji (2009) video-taped a case of Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps nestling removal by a rufous morph adult female Oriental Cuckoo in Sapporo, Hokkaido (the video is available on the website of Movie Archives of Animal Behavior, data number: momol 10208cs03a, URL: http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail- e.php?movieid=momo1 1 0208cs03a&flv=1 ). In 2007, Chen et al. (2009) recorded an Oriental Cuckoo killing three three-day-old Grey¬ cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe morrisonia nestlings in central Taiwan. In 2010, we observed a similar case to Kawaji (2009) in the exact same area (c.50 m away from the 1996 nest-site) during an ecological study of Asian Stubtail. Here, we report a video-recorded predatory attempt by an Oriental Cuckoo on Asian Stubtail nestlings, which led to premature fledging. Materials and methods We conducted the study in a 0.32 km2 plot in the Hitsujigaoka Experimental Forest of Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (42°59'N 141°23'E; altitude 100 m) from 21 April to 16 July 2010. This deciduous forest is dominated by white birch Betula platyphylla and Mongolian oak Quercus mongolica ; most of the undergrowth consists of two bamboo grass species, Sasa kurilensis and S. paniculata. The Oriental Cuckoo was previously considered a subspecies of the Himalayan Cuckoo C. saturatus but recently has been separated on vocal evidence (King 2005, Lindholm & Linden 2007). In Central Hokkaido, the main host of the Oriental Cuckoo is the Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone (Higuchi 1 998). However, the Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus is the main host in the Hitsujigaoka forest located in Western Hokkaido, because of the low population density of Japanese Bush Warbler (Kamioki et al. 201 1). The Asian Stubtail and the Oriental Cuckoo arrive at our study site for breeding in late April and early May, respectively (for breeding ecology of Asian Stubtail see Kawaji et al. 1 996). During the study period, we found 20 nests of seven potential host species, including eight nests of Asian Stubtail and one nest of 94 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) Eastern Crowned Warbler. Once located, the nests were monitored almost every day. One nest each of Asian Stubtail and Eastern Crowned Warbler was parasitised by Oriental Cuckoo. These parasitised nests and the nest in question were all located within a 75 m radius. A digital video camera (GZ-MG330, JVC, Japan) attached to a long-lasting battery (VU-V856KIT, JVC, Japan) was placed in front of all nine nests of Asian Stubtail and Eastern Crowned Warbler for recording activity from sunrise to sunset (c. 1 2 h) every few days until the fledging period. The total recording timeforall nine nests was c.405 hours. Observations We found a nest of Asian Stubtail under construction on 1 6 May; it was at this nest that we observed a predation attempt by Oriental Cuckoo. The female laid the first egg on 22 May and completed her clutch (six eggs) on 27 May. The nestlings hatched on 9 June and were reared by their parents and an extra-pair male. An Oriental Cuckoo approached the nest on 18 June at 13h21, just one day before the expected fledging date. The parents and the extra-pair male were absent at that time since they were foraging for their nestlings. When the cuckoo approached the nest, the nestlings crouched tightly. The cuckoo looked into the nest for few seconds and then appeared to attack the nestlings with its bill. All six nestlings flushed outgiving distress calls immediately after the approach of the cuckoo (Figure 1 ). This behavioural sequence video is available at the website of Movie Archives of Animal Behavior (data number: momol 10607co01 b, URL: http://zoo2.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ethol/ showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo1 10607co01 b&flv=1). Afterthis premature fledging, the male and extra-pair male visited the empty nest a few times with food. All the sixfledglings survived and received parental care during the post-fledging period, at least until 20 June. No other case of cuckoo attack was observed at the other nests. Figure 1. Predatory behaviour sequence of the Oriental Cuckoo on 18 June 2010. (a) A male Asian Stubtail feeding the nestlings, (b) An Oriental Cuckoo visiting the nest, (c) The cuckoo attacking the nestlings, (d) The male visiting the empty nest with food. Video footage is available at URL: http://zoo2.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ethol/showdetail- e.php?movieid=momo1 1 0607co01 b&flv=1 . Discussion Why do cuckoos attack host nests? There are some possible explanations for this predatory behaviour. The nutritional benefits from egg-eating have been proposed (e.g. Davies & Brooke 1 988), but recent studies on cowbirds indicate that nutrition is not the primary cause (e.g. Granfors etal. 2001 ). Zahavi (1979) hypothesised that parasites destroy eggs or hatchlings to enforce the acceptance of parasite eggs by those hosts that eject parasitic eggs. This 'mafia¬ like' retaliatory behaviour may indirectly contribute to positive feedback by the host, thereby increasing compliant hosts; it has been confirmed in two avian brood-parasites, Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamatorglandarius (Soler 1 999) and Brown-headed Cowbi rd (Hoover & Robinson 2007). Another possible explanation is that the parasitic birds depredate non-parasitised host nests, which are discovered too late in the breeding cycle; this 'farming' behaviour thereby enforces renesting attempts of those hosts and enhances future parasitic opportunities. This behaviour has been systematically confirmed in the Brown-headed Cowbird (Hoover & Robinson 2007), but there is no direct evidence of it in cuckoos so far. The aim of the predatory behaviour of the cuckoo observed in our study was apparently not nutrition. Moreover, we observed that the focal nest was unparasitised during the egg-laying period, thereby opposing the 'mafia' behaviour theory as well. Thus far, egg rejection behaviour in the Oriental Cuckoo's hosts, except for Japanese Bush Warbler (Higuchi 1989), has not been reported, indicating that this species is unlikely to experience selection for 'mafia' behaviour. In our study, the cuckoo sought to predate the host's nestlings one day before fledging. Nest predation by cuckoos in the late breeding stage seems not very effective to enforce host's renesting attempt. Additionally, at this study site, the parasitism rate of the Oriental Cuckoo on the Asian Stubtail is very low: only one of 67 nests has been parasitised by the cuckoo in a total of eight years (Kamioki et al. 2011). Furthermore, we could not confirm renesting in our case, although the hosts do renest when nests fail (Kawaji etal. 1 996). Therefore, we do not have sufficient evidence to support the 'farming' behaviour. In general, cuckoos' brood-parasitism involves some sophisticated behaviour; they lay eggs in their hosts' nests at an appropriate time (Davies 2000), and their egg-laying cycle is highly synchronised with their hosts (Moskat etal. 2006). Additionally, they show habitat and host preferences (Gibbs et al. 2000, Vogl et al. 2002). These characteristics seem to limit the time, area and host choices of cuckoos. We therefore suggest that the predatory behaviour of cuckoos, rather than being a form of 'farming', might be an adaptation whereby they adjust the host breeding cycle to their own in a home range. Acknowledgements We thank MasaoTakahashi, Graduate School of Science, Rikkyo University, for providing us with video equipment, and KihokoTokue and Sachiko Endo for their critical comments on the manuscript. References Alvarez, F. (1995) Cuckoo predation on nests of nearest neighbours of parasitized nests. Ardea 82: 269-270. Arcese, P., Smith, J. N. & Hatch, M. I. (1996) Nest predation by cowbirds and its consequences for passerine demography. Proc. Natn. Acad. Sci. USA 93:4608-4611. Bibby, C. J. &Thomas, D. K. (1985) Breeding and diets of the Reed Warbler at a rich and a poor site. Bird Study 32: 19-31 . Briskie, V. J. (2007) Direct observations of shining cuckoos ( Chrysococcyx lucidus) parasitising and depredating grey warbler (Gerygone igata) nests. Notornis 54: 15-19. Chen, W.-J., Lee, P.-F.& Lin, R.-S. (2009) The first record of a Himalayan Cuckoo (Cuculussaturatus)kWUng nestlings in a potential host's nest. End. Species Res. 11:63-67. Davies, N. B. (2000) Cuckoos, cowbirds and other cheats. London: T & A. D. Poyser. Davies, N. B. & Brooke, M. de L. (1988) Cuckoos versus Reed Warblers: adaptations and counteradaptafions. Anim. Behav. 36: 262-284. Elliott, P. F. (1999) Killing of host nestlings by the Brown-headed Cowbird. J. Field Orn. 70: 55-57. Gibbs, H. L., Sorenson, M. D., Marchetti, K., Brooke, M. de L., Davies, N. B. & Nakamura, H. (2000) Genetic evidence for female host-specific races of the common cuckoo. Nature 407: 183-186. Granfors, D. A., Pietz, P. J. & Joyal, L. A. (2001 ) Frequency of egg and nestling destruction by female Brown-headed Cowbirds at grassland nests. Auk 118: 765-769. Forktail 27 (201 1 ) SHORT NOTES 95 Higuchi, H. (1989) Responses of the Bush Warbler Cettiadiphone to artificial eggs of Cuculus cuckoos in Japan. Ibis 131: 94-98. Higuchi, H. (1998) ['Host use and egg color of Japanese cuckoos.'] Pp. 80-93 in S. I. Rothstein & S. K. Robinson, ed. Parasitic birds and their hosts: studies in coevolution. New York: Oxford University Press. Hoover, J. P. & Robinson, S. K. (2007) Retaliatory mafia behavior by a parasitic cowbird favors host acceptance of parasitic eggs. Proc. Natn. Acad. Sci. USA 104: 4479-4483. Kamioki, M„ Kawaji, N„ Kawaji, K. & Ueda, K. (2011) Reddish cuckoo eggs found on the Asian Stubtail Urosphena squameiceps and the Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopuscoronatus nest in Hokkaido. 5fr/x 27:97- 103. (In Japanese with English summary.) Kawaji, N. (2009) Removal of Short-tailed Bush Warbler's Urosphena squameiceps nestlings by the Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus.Jpn.J. Orn. 58: 1 1 8-120. (In Japanese.) Kawaji, N., Kawaji, K. & Hirokawa, J. (1996) Breeding ecology of the Short¬ tailed Bush Warbler in Western Hokkaido. Jpn. J. Orn. 45: 1-15. Kim, C.-H. & Yamagishi, S. (1999) Nestling crow-tits Paradoxornis webbiana ejected from their nest by common cuckoo Cuculus canorus. Raffles Bull. Zool. 47: 295-297. King, B. (2005) The taxonomic status of the three subspecies of Cuculus saturatus. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 1 25: 48-55. Kinoshita, M. & Kato, C. (1995) Killing nestlings Stonechats by the Common Cuckoo. Jpn. J. Orn. 44: 99-100. Lindholm, A. & Linden, A. (2007) Some notes on the distribution and songs of two Oriental Cuckoo taxa, Cuculus ( saturatus ) saturatus and Cuculus ( saturatus ) optatus. Forktail 23: 1 2-1 6. Moskat, C„ Barta, Z„ Hauber, M. E. & Honza, M. (2006) High synchrony of egg laying in common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) and their great reed warbler ( Acrocephalus arundinaceus) hosts. Ethol. Ecol. Evol. 18: 1 59— 167. Pietz, P.J.&Granfors, D. A. (2000) Identifying predators and fates of grassland passerine nests using miniature video cameras. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 64: 71- 87. Soler, J. J. (1999) Change in host rejection behavior mediated by the predatory behavior of its brood parasite. Behav. Ecol. 10: 275-280. Stake, M. M„ Faaborg J. & Thompson, F. R. (2004) Video identification of predators at Golden-cheeked Warbler nests. J. Field Orn. 75: 337-344. Vogl, W., Taborsky, M., Taborsky, B., Teuschl, Y. & Honza, M. (2002) Cuckoo females preferentially use specific habitats when searching for host nests. Anim. Behav. 64: 843-850. Wyllie, I. (1981) The Cuckoo. London: Botsford. Zahavi, A. (1979) Parasitism and nest predation in parasitic cuckoos. Amer. Nat. 1 13: 157-159. Masayoshi KAMIOKI and Keisuke UEDA, Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Graduate School of Science, Rikkyo University, Nishi-ikebukuro 3-34-1, Toshima, Tokyo 1 71-8501, Japan. Email: kamioki@gmail.com Noritomo KAWAJI, Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Hitsujigaoka-7, Toyohira, Sapporo, Hokkaido 062-8516, Japan. Email: kawajin@ffpri.affrc.go.jp Kimiko KAWAJI, Nishioka 2-11-20-18, Toyohira, Sapporo, Hokkaido 062-0032, Japan Heuglin's Gull Laws heugiini on Wetar island, Banda Sea: the first Indonesian record COLIN R.TRAINOR, IMANUDDIN& JON WALKER Gulls are a not a regular feature of the avifauna of insular South-East Asia. Five species have been recorded in Indonesia (Sukmantoro et al. 2007, Marc Gardner pers. comm. 2009). Only one, the Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, has been recorded from Wallacea, with several records in northern Sulawesi since 1986 (White & Bruce 1 986, Coates & Bishop 1 997). The other species are likely to occur as vagrants during the Palaearctic winter. H. Kuhn observed a gull on Wetar Island during a September-October 1 902 visit, but did not collect a specimen (Hartert 1 904). It was speculated that Kuhn had probably seen Common Black-headed Gull (Bruce 1987). Remarkably, this is the only published gull record for the Lesser Sundas (covering the islands from Lombok in the west through to the Tanimbar archipelago). During a 45-day survey (26 September to 9 November 2008) of the north and west of Wetar, Maluku province in the Banda Sea, we visited (on 12 occasions) a small estuary on 'Sungai Besar', about 400 m east of Lurang village (7°40'36"S 1 26°20'35"E) (seeTrainor et al. 2009). Although the estuary is small, with c.2-3 ha of mangrove, lagoons, river mouth and stones and cobble, it supported a regionally rich array of Palearctic migrant shorebirds (18 species) including five species that are rare to uncommon in the Nusa Tenggara and Maluku regions (White 1975, White & Bruce 1986, Trainor 2005): Little Ringed Plover Charadriusdubius, Oriental Plover C. veredus, Little Curlew Numenius minutus, Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris and Sanderiing C. alba. On 30 October 2008, a gull (see photo BirdingASIA 1 2, p.85, Plate 1 ) was observed to fly over our (CRT & Imanuddin) heads and land on rocks near the mouth of the estuary. At the time we were unable to identify it, but between 07h30 and 08h30 we took about 20 photographs down to 1 5 m from the bird, and these were later sent to several gull experts to assist with identification. The gull was silent and thirsty — it drank freshwater from the stream about 15 times. It flew off twice — after about 20 minutes, and again after 40 minutes of observation — and was not seen during two subsequent visits to the estuary on 31 October and 8 November. Based on the bird's large size, bare part coloration (with pale yellow legs), and plumage (combining a dark grey adult-type 'saddle' with worn brown wing-coverts and tertials, and an unmarked white head), the gull appeared to be in third-year type plumage (Ruud Altenburg pers. comm.), and it was eventually identified as a Heuglin's Gull Larus heugiini (following Inskipp et al. 1996), here defined to include nominate heugiini and subspecies barabensis and ta/rnyrens/s.Theplumageshown in Plate 1 inTrainorefa/.(2009) is typical of immature faster-moulting large gulls, which include Heuglin's and also Mongolian Gull L. mongolicus (N. Moores pers. comm.). Heuglin's Gull is currently treated as a species by OBC (OBC 2009) but the IOC (http://www.worldbirdnames.org/names.html) include it with Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus and Bi rd Life International include it with Herring Gull L. argentatus (BirdLife International 201 0). Many gaps remain in our understanding of these (and other closely related) taxa, so its exact subspecific identity may remain unknown (Nial Moores pers. comm.). Nominate Heuglin's Gull breeds in western Siberia, on the Kanin Peninsula and Pechora Delta of the eastern Arctic (Liebers et al. 2001); taimyrensis on the Taimyr peninsula (Brazil 2009); and barabensis in south-west Siberia to south-east Urals, Barabaandthe Kulunda Plains(Olsen&Larsson2003).Ofthethree,onlyfa/my/'ens/s is regular and locally numerous in East Asia. However, the saddle of the Wetar Island bird appears darker than typical taimyrensis, and both the white-headedness of a third-year bird and the bill shape 96 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (201 1 ) and coloration also appear unusual. In the Inner Gulf of Thailand, Heuglin's Gull is a regular visitor in small numbers of up to 20 birds (Round etal. 2009), and there are also a few records of Slaty-backed Gull L. schistisagus, Mongolian Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull (N. Upton and P. Round pers. comm.) The nearest records of Heuglin's Gull sensustricto are from Peninsular Malaysia (Anon. 2006), where it has also been recorded as a vagrant, and there is an unconfirmed record from Singapore of a Herring-type gull which may have been Heuglin's (Wells 1 999). The nominate form of the rather similar (but darker-mantled) Lesser Black-backed Gull has been recorded as far south-east as the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Olsen & Larsson 2003). Description: A large gull of c.60 cm body length. Head white and unstreaked. Upperparts overall dark in appearance; primaries dark brown, and primary coverts and alula showing substantial white; scapulars, mantle, lesser coverts, median coverts and greater coverts dark grey. Underparts white (and unstreaked) on neck, chest, belly and vent. Tail all white above when viewed in flight. Legs light yellow; bill shortish, stout, extensive yellow on distal upper mandible and dark red and black on gonys, with a pale base. Difficult to judge primary moult score but an old primary five (p5) feather present. The following possible confusion species in third-year plumage can be excluded: Slaty-backed Gull, ruled out at any age owing to the yellowish tone to the legsoftheWetar bird; Vega Gull L. vegae, which in its third year would show brown streaking on the head and nape; Mongolian Gull, which in its third winter shows paler grey rather than dark grey wings; and Caspian Gull L. cachinnans and Lesser Black- backed Gull, which would show a substantially darker mantle. Acknowledgements The Wetar survey was supported financially by Birdfair/Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Research Fund for Endangered Birds, Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund and the Oregon Zoo Foundation's Future for Wildlife Conservation Fund. Research visas and permits were obtained through Kementerian Riset dan Teknologi (RISTEK), with the support of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Dewi Prawiradilaga of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LI PI). David Bakewell and Nial Moores reviewed the article and provided important clarifications on the identification of the gull, and criticisms, which improved the article. Thanks to Ruud Altenburg (Gull Research Organisation), Nick Brickie (Wildlife Conservation Society), Klaas van Dijk, James Eaton (Birdtour Asia) and Theo Musse for taking time to view the photographs and comment on the identity of the gull. Nina Cheung, David Bakewell and David Li provided details of the Malaysian sighting; Yong Ding Li and Alfred Chia provided information on the Singapore record; Nick Upton and Philip Round provided a summary of Herring Gulls from Thailand and Marc Gardner provided details of his Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae observation on Bali. References Anonymous (2006) New gull species in Malaysia? Heuglin's Gull Larus heuglini. Suara Enggang 14(1): 26. Bird Life International (2010) The Bird Life checklist of the birds of the world, with conservation status and taxonomic sources. Version 3. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/ Brazil, M. (2009) Birds of East Asia: China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Russia. Oxford: Princeton University Press. Bruce, M. D. (1987) Additions to the birds of Wallacea 1 . Bird records from smaller islands in the Lesser Sundas. Kukila 3: 38-44. Coates, B. J. & Bishop, K. D. (1997) A guide to the birds of Wallacea. Alderley, Queensland: Dove Publications. Hartert, E. (1904) On the birds of the south-west Islands of Wetter, Roma, Kisser, Letti and Moa. Novitates Zoologicae 1 1: 174-221. I nskipp, T., Lindsey, N. & Duckworth, W. A. (2001 ) Checklist of the birds of the Oriental Region. Oriental Bird Club. (Web address: www.orientalbirdclub.org /publications/checklist.) Liebers, D., Helbig, A. J. & de Knijff, P. (2001) Genetic differentiation and phylogeography of gulls in the Larus cachinnans-fuscus group (Aves: Charadriiformes). Molecular Ecology 10: 2447-2462. Olsen, K. M. & Larsson, H. (2003) Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. London: Christopher Helm. Round, P.D., Kongtong, W„ Narungsri W. & Sutibut S. (2009) Birds ofLaem Phak Bia. Bangkok: Laem Phak Bia Environmental Research and Development Project. Sukmantoro, W„ Irham, M„ Novarino, W„ Hasudungan, F., Kemp, N. & Muchtar, M. (2007) Dafter Burung Indonesia No. 2. Bogor: Indonesian Ornithologists' Union. Trainor, C. R. (2005) Waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste (East Timor): status and distribution from surveys in August 2002-December 2004. Forktail 21 : 61-78. Trainor, C. R., Imanuddin, Firmann, A., Verbelen, P. & Walker, J. S. (2009) The birds of Wetar, Banda Sea: one of Indonesia's forgotten islands. BirdingASIA 1 2: 78-93. Wells, D. R. (1999) The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, 1. Non-passerines. London: Academic Press. White, C. M. N. (1975) Migration of Palaearctic waders in Wallacea. Emu 75: 35-39. White, C. M. N. & Bruce, M. D. (1986) The birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas & Lesser Sunda Islands Indonesia): an annotated check-list. London: British Ornithologists' Union (Check-list No 7). Colin R. TRAINOR, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Charles Darwin University 0909, Northern Territory, Australia. Email: colin.trainor@cdu.edu.au IMANUDDIN, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Natural Resources, Conservation and Ecotourism, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Bogor, Indonesia. Email: imutoro@yahoo.com Jonathon S. WALKER, Columbidae Conservation, Unit 1 (OpenSpace), Old Birley Street, Manchester, Ml 5 5RF, UK. Email: jon@columbidae.org.uk Status of vultures in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India THARMAUNGAM RAMESH, KALYANASUNDARAM SANKAR & QAMAR QURESHI India harbours nine species of vultures, and of these White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Indian Vulture G. indicus and Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus are classified by IUCN as Critically Endangered (Bird Life International 2008). Their sudden decline in the Indian subcontinent in the last decade was attributed to disease, poisoning and reduction in food availability, although diclofenac poisoning is now widely regarded as the principal cause in India (Prakash etal. 2003, Green etal. 2004, 2007, Shultz etal. 2004, Swan et al. 2006). Apart from their own threatened status, vultures are ecologically important in human-dominated areas, as scavengers at primitive slaughterhouses and carcass dumps (Satheesan 1 989, Mundy et al. 1992), and in natural areas, as scavengers on animal carcasses of large mammals killed by carnivores (Houston 1974, Hunter etal. 2007, Majumder etal. 2009). As most of the studies on vultures have been restricted to the northern, western, eastern and central states of India (Prakash etal. 2003), baseline studies are needed in southern India to understand the status and dynamics of the populations there. Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 97 We recorded opportunistic sightings of vultures in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve from 1 March 2006 to 30 April 201 0, as part of a study on large carnivores. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (1 1°32'-1 1°43'N 76°22'-76°45'E) is situated in the Western Ghats of India. This 321 km2 reserve is bounded by Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary on the west, Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the north and Nilgiri North Forest Division in the south. The sampling covered all the forest beats of the reserve. According to Champion & Seth (1 968), the vegetation types in Mudumalai are classified into Southern Tropical Dry Thorn Forest, Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest, Southern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest, Southern Tropical Semi Evergreen forest, Moist Bamboo Brakes and Riparian Forest. While conducting sign surveys for carnivores, walking line transects or driving vehicle transects in order to estimate ungulate densities, we noted any sighting of a vulture, the number of individuals of each species and the major vegetation type within 50 m radius. Efforts were also made to locate vultures around villages near livestock carcass dumps. Observations were made all year, with the exception of the July-August monsoon in 2006 and 2007. In total, 29 independent observations of vultures were made during the study in 1,493 hours of observation. Among the three species of vultures, White-rumped Vulture (WRV) was sighted the most (n=242), followed by Red-headed Vulture (RHV) (n=48) and Indian Vulture (IV) (n=15). Most of the vulture sightings were recorded in open scrub (35%) followed by dry deciduous (25%), moist deciduous (1 7.5%), riverine (1 7.5%) and interspersed patches of swampy ricefield in the semi-evergreen habitat (5%). Multiple species groups of WRV-IV (n=1), WRV-RHV (n=8) and WRV-IV-RHV (n=2) were seen feeding on large carnivores kills. Overall vultures were observed feeding on 20 chital Axis axis, six gaur Bos gaurus and two sambar Rusa unicolor carcasses of large carnivore kills. The maximum number of individuals observed in each sighting was 40 WRV, 1 2 IV and 5 RHV. Our observations of nests were all on the top of live trees along Sigur River at Chemmanatham. Two nests of WRV, built on Terminalia arjuna, had three nestlings each, and two nests of LBV, built on Dalbergia lanceolaria, had two nestlings.Theobservations with three nestlings are unusual, as Gyps vultures usually have only one or two (Grossman & Hamlet 1 964). Nesting in trees is also unusual for the species: IV nests have been reported rarely on trees in India (Majumder etal. 2009). On 1 5 April 2006, five unoccupied nests of WRV were also seen along with its active nests in the same area. Subsequently 12 nests (nine active and three unoccupied) of WRV and RHV (two active nests) were seen in the same location and a nearbyareaon 1 January 2010, althoughatthattimewewereunable to check the number of nestlings. During the present study vultures were sighted only on kills of large mammalian predators. Although vulture nesting sites were observed 2 km from Masinagudi village, where livestock carcasses are dumped, no vultures were sighted on such carcasses during the study. Hence, while acknowledging that less sampling effort was made in human-dominated areas, we believe that the vultures of Mudumalai are dependent on large carnivore kills. Similar observations have been made by Majumder ef al. (2009) on vultures feeding on predator kills in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Houston (1974) and Hunter et al. (2007) reported that vultures in Africa were also dependent on large carnivore kills for survival. Feeding on a single carcass by two or three species of vultures together, as recorded during the study, has also been reported in other parts of India (Ali & Ripley 1 968-1998, Majumder etal. 2009). Use of diclofenac in the villages around the park should be monitored as it has caused large-scale mortality in vultures in different parts of the country and could well be a cause of the low number of vultures sighted in the park. We hope this baseline study will encourage long-term monitoring of vulture populations in southern India, and further research on breeding habits and resource availability for the species in the region. Acknowledgements We thank the Director, Wildlife Institute of India, and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department for giving permission to work in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Special thanks to Riddhika for her comments on the draft manuscript. We are indebted to our field assistants M. Kunmari, C. James, M. Kethan, S. Mathan and T.M. Manpan for their extensive help in the field. References Ali, S.& Ripley, S. D. (1968-1998) Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Bombay: Oxford University Press. Birdlife International (2008) Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. Champion, H. G. & Seth, S. K. (1968) A revised survey of the forest types of India. New Delhi: Government of India Publication. Green, R. E., Newton, I., Shulz, S., Cunningham, A. A., Gilbert, M., Pain D. J. & Prakash. V. (2004) Diclofenac poisoning as a cause of vulture population declines across the Indian subcontinent. J. Appl. Ecol. 41 : 793-800. Green, R. E., Taggart, M. A., Senacha, K. R., Rag ha van, B., Pain, D. J., Jhala, Y. & Cuthbert, R. (2007) Rate of decline of the Oriental White-backed Vulture population in India estimated from a survey of diclofenac residues in carcasses of ungulates. PLoS ONE 8: 1-10. Grossman, M. L. & Hamlet, J. (1964) Birds of prey of the world. New York: Bonanza Books. Houston, D. C. (1 974) The role of griffon vultures Gyps africanus and Gyps ruppellii as scavengers. J. Zool. 1 72: 35-46. Hunter, J. S„ Durant, S. M. & Caro, T. M. (2007) Patterns of scavenger arrival at cheetah kills in Serengeti National Park Tanzania. Afr. J. Ecol. 45: 275- 281. Majumder, A., Basu, S., Sankar K. & Qureshi, Q. (2009) Some observations on vultures in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. J. Threatened Taxa 1 : 627-628. Mundy, P., Butchart, D., Ledger J. & Piper, S. (1992) The vultures of Africa. Randburg, South Africa: Acorn Books. Prakash, V., Pain, D. J., Cunningham, A. A., Donald, P. F„ Prakash, N„ Verma, A., Gargi, R., Sivakumar, S. & Rahmani, A. R. (2003) Catastrophic collapse of Indian White-backed Gyps bengalensis and Long-billed Gyps indicus Vulture populations. Biol. Conserv. 109: 381-390. Satheesan, S. M. (1989) Birds at vulture feeding sites in Agra. Vulture News 21:25. Shultz, S., Baral, H. S., Charman, S., Cunningham, A. A., Das, D., Ghalsasi, G. R., Goudar, M. S., Green, R. E., Jones, A., Nighot, P., Pain, D. J. & Prakash, V. (2004) Diclofenac poisoning is widespread in declining vulture populations across the Indian subcontinent. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 271 (suppl. 6): S458-S460. Swan, G. E., Cuthbert, R., Quevedo, M., Green, R. E., Pain, D. J., Bartels, P., Cunningham, A. A., Duncan, N., Meharg, A. A., Oaks, J. L„ Parry-Jones, J., Shultz, S., Taggart, M. A., Verdoorn, G. & Wolter, K. (2006) Toxicity of diclofenac to Gyps vultures. Biol. Let. 2: 279-282. Tharmalingam RAMESH, Habitat Ecology, Wildlife Institute of India, P.0 Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001 , Uttarakhand, India. E-mail: ramesh8 1 ngl@gmail.com Kalyanasundaram SANKAR, Habitat Ecology, Wildlife Institute of India, PO Box # 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001, Uttarakhand, India Qamar QURESHI, Landscape Ecology, Wildlife Institute of India, P.0 Box# 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001, Uttarakhand, India 98 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) Farmland foods: Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus prey items in an agricultural landscape K.S.GOPI SUNDAR Introduction Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus is a resident stork species in India, with the largest breeding population found in unprotected agricultural landscapes (Sundar 2003). It is the rarest resident large waterbird in the Gangetic floodplains (Sundar 2004, 2005, 2006), and is suspected to be declining due to habitat deterioration (Elliott 1992, Hancock etal. 1992). Black-necked Storks are entirely carnivorous (Elliott 1992, Hancock et al. 1992) and require nearly 1 kg of food each day (Maheswaran & Rahmani 2002). Studies in protected, managed wetlands in India and Australia showed that Black-necked Storks were piscivorous (Dorfman et al. 2001, Maheswaran & Rahmani 2002). Other observations, however, reveal that Black-necked Storks are capable of taking a much wider range of prey. These include birds, such as Little Grebe Tachybaptusruficollis (Sundar &Kaur 2001), Australasian Grebe T. novaehollandiae (Clancy 2008), Indian Pond HeronArdeo/agray/7(Breeden&Breeden 1 982), Common Coot Fulica atra (Breeden & Breeden 1982, Verma 2003, Ishtiaq etal. 2004), Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata and Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus (Ishtiaq etal. 2004), sea turtle hatchlings (Whiting & Guinea 1 999), Eastern Long-necked Tortoise Chelodina longicollis (Gancy 2008), eggs of riverine turtles (Chauhan& Andrews 2006), crabs, molluscs, insects and other arthropods, and various species of lizard and snake (Elliott 1 992, Hancock etal. 1 992, Dorfman etal. 2001, Ishtiaq etal. 2004, Clancy 2008). Stomach content analyses of nine storks in Australian wetlands also confirmed their breadth of diet, with the storks having consumed a variety of insects (grasshoppers and beetles), amphibians, reptiles and birds, as well as plastic, cattle dung, plant material and pebbles (Clancy 2008). Outside protected and managed wetlands, Black-necked Storks in western Uttar Pradesh in north-central India use a variety of habitats, including crop fields, fallow fields and irrigation canals (Sundar 2005). Their diet in such conditions is undocumented but is important to understand, given imminent intensification of cultivation and the species's apparent population decline. In this paper, I provide a list of prey items Black-necked Storks were observed eating in different habitats and seasons in an extensively cultivated landscape of the Gangetic floodplains. This paper adds to the very sparse literature on this rare and seldom-studied waterbird, and is the first documentation of its prey items outside protected wetland areas. Study area and methods The observations were made in the area bordering Etawah and Mainpuri districts, Uttar Pradesh, north-central India. Agriculture is the main occupation in these districts, and the landscape is a mosaic of human habitation, crop fields, wetlands (lakes, ponds, shallow marshes and reed beds), linear marshes along roads (formed by rain- filled ditches dug during road construction), alkaline wastelands and irrigation canals.Three seasons were identified, based on temperature and rainfall regimes. Monsoon (July-October) was the primary rainfall season, with flooded rice paddies being the dominant crop in the landscape. The relatively drier winter (November-February) had wheat and mustard as the primary crops. Fields were kept wet but not flooded during this season. During the hot dry summer (March- June) fields were fallow and very few were planted with fruits and vegetables. In mid-and late June, fields were flooded in anticipation of the monsoon prior to the planting of paddy rice. I carried out ad hoc observations of prey items consumed by Black¬ necked Storks. Twenty-nineterritorial breeding pairs were identified, based on location and number of chicks (details in Sundar 2003). Observations were carried out between 1998 and 2010 while traversing road routes that covered territories of all the identified pairs. Territories were scanned each year to determine breeding success of pairs, and feeding observations were made during these surveys. After being located, storks were observed only for a few minutes, and the observations presented in this paper were completed in less than 50 hours. Fieldwork was intensive during 1 999- 2002, with constant seasonal coverage, and c.70% of the data are from this period. Visits were less intensive during 2003-2010 and seasonal coverage during these infrequent visits was also similar. The total number of stork observations was c.1, 000, and prey-catches were recorded during about 1 0% of the observations. For this paper, habitats are categorised into crop fields (comprising rice, wheat and fallow fields), wetlands (comprising perennial lakes and seasonal marshes), roadside ditches, and irrigation canals. Black-necked Storks preferentially used wetlands in all seasons and flooded rice paddies in the monsoon (Sundar 2005). Irrigation canals were always used in proportion to their availability in all seasons, and non-rice-crop fields were used to different extents across seasons (Sundar 2005). Although plumage characteristics can be used to distinguish Black-necked Storks of different ages (Sundar et al. 2006), 85% of prey-catch observations were of adult birds; thus the data are not segregated by age. Prey-catch observations of younger birds were only from winter and summer but included all habitat categories. Prey items were identified to broad taxonomic group only, and no statistical analyses were used since the data were not collected systematically. Results A total of 1 05 prey-catches were observed, of which the prey could be identified in 77 instances (73%). Prey-catches were seen equally in all three seasons (Table 1). Observations of prey-catches were mostly from crop fields, roadside ditches, wetlands and canals, in that order (Table 2). The largest numbers of unidentified items were from crop fields because of the smaller size of prey items. Fish and frogs were the most frequently taken prey items, the former mostly from wetlands and the latter mostly from roadside ditches. Small fish and frogs were swallowed immediately on capture, while larger ones were shaken violently and placed on the ground and beaten with the bill before being swallowed whole. Both juvenile and adult storks were seen capturing frogs. Molluscs were the next most frequent prey item, taken mostly from canals, and only by juvenile birds (n = 11, Table 2). Crabs and insects were taken infrequently, and mostly from crop fields. Two of the three insects were Table 1 . Prey items of Black-necked Storks (broad taxonomic units, in alphabetic order) taken in different seasons observed at Etawah and Mainpuri districts, Uttar Pradesh, India between 1998 and 2010. Prey Summer Monsoon Winter Total items Bird 0 0 1 1 Crab 0 , 4 1 5 Fish 6 6 12 24 Frog 13 5 9 27 Insert 3 0 3 6 Lizard 1 0 0 1 Mollusc 5 0 6 11 Snake 0 1 1 2 Unidentified 8 11 9 28 Total 36 27 42 105 Forktail 27 (201 1) SHORT NOTES 99 Table 2. Prey items of Black-necked Storks (broad taxonomic units, in alphabetic order) taken in different habitats observed at Etawah and Mainpuri districts, Uttar Pradesh, India between 1998 and 2010. Prey Canal Fallow field Rice Wheat Roadside ditch Wetland Total items Bird 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Crab 0 0 3 1 1 0 5 Fish 1 0 0 0 3 20 24 Frog 2 0 1 1 19 4 27 Insect 0 3 0 3 0 0 6 Lizard 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Mollusc 10 0 0 1 0 0 11 Snake 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 Unidentified 1 6 9 7 2 3 28 Total 14 10 13 14 26 28 105 orthopterans (grasshoppers), and one was a beetle taken from drying cow-dung in a fallow field. Many of the unidentified prey were probably arthropods. Snakes were observed being taken twice: once each from a wetland and a roadside ditch. Both appeared to be Chequered Kee\backXenochrophispiscator,a very common water snake in the region. Snakes were caught in shallow water and killed by violent shaking and pecks. One snake tore into two pieces during the process, while the other was swallowed whole. One bird, a Little Grebe, was taken in a wetland (shallow marsh): it was shaken violently and beaten with the bill several times before being swallowed whole. One lizard, probably the common and widespread Changeable Lizard Calotes versicolor, was taken from a fallow field that bordered scrub with low Prosopis juliflora vegetation. Discussion Despite its unsystematic nature, this is the first dataset on the diet of Black-necked Stork in an unprotected, cultivated area. In this landscape, wetlands are not managed for waterbirds but nevertheless sustained impressive populations of several largewaterbird species, including Sarus Crane Grus antigone, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Asian Open bill Anasfomusosc/fans and Woolly-necked Stork C/con/a ep/'scopus (Sundar 2003, 2004, 2009). Concomitant with the diversity of habitats, Black-necked Stork prey items in Etawah and Mainpuri werefar more diverse than those observed in managed wetlands in northern Uttar Pradesh (Maheshwaran & Rahmani 2002) and Australia (Dorfmanef a/. 2001) but were similar to those taken in other managed wetlands where the species exhibits generalist feeding (Elliott 1 992, Hancock etal. 1992, Ishtiaq etal. 2004). None of the prey items at the broad taxonomic level is new to the known diet of Black-necked Stork. No small mammals or turtles were seen being taken, though they are known to feature in the species's diet (Elliott 1992, Hancock etal. 1992, Clancy 2008). Crop fields dominated the landscape, and most prey-catches observed were from this habitat. The relatively wet nature of the primary crops in this area in two of the three seasons is clearly conducive to Black-necked Stork persistence. Wetlands and roadside ditches (which closely resemble wetlands) provided good prey resources, matching habitat use observations in the same area (Sundar 2004). Prey sizes were much larger in these habitats, also suggestive of a higher quality of resources available in wetlands despite a larger number of prey-catches in crop fields. As evidenced by number of observations, they also appear to be the most important feeding habitats for Black-necked Stork. Since roads were used for surveys, the apparent importance of roadside ditches may be exaggerated. However, some of the roads also ran alongside canals, where feeding bouts were relatively rare, suggesting that the observations help provide general indications of important foraging habitats for the species. Past information has suggested that the species requires undisturbed, large wetlands (Luthin 1987, Elliott 1992, Hancock etal. 1992), and such prominent use of crop fields and roadside ditches, as well as irrigation canals by juvenile Black-necked Storks for feeding, was unknown. Farmers in the study area are generally tolerant of waterbirds, even those that damage fields by nest construction (Sundar 2009). After habitat destruction, human disturbance and capture for zoos are suspected to be the biggest threats to Black-necked Storks (Elliot 1992, Hancock etal. 1992). Favourable attitudes of farmers may, therefore, bean important aspect responsible for the persistence of Black-necked Storks. The geographical extent to which such favourable attitudes exist is not understood. A thorough study of prey availability, the dietary habits of Black-necked Storks and farmer attitudes toward the storks in the various habitats in this agricultural area will greatly help understand how this large, declining and relatively rare species can be retained in agricultural landscapes. In addition, understanding threats to important foraging habitats to attempt to reduce wetland attrition is critical to the species in this landscape. Despite the area having a high human population density (>800 people/km2; Office of the Registrar General of India 2011) and a high degree of cultivation, the landscape appears to retain prey diversity and density at levels adequate for a large species such as Black-necked Storkto maintain a healthy, breeding population (see Sundar 2003). In the study area, unmechanised cultivation techniques, cultural practices of maintaining community wetland patches, absence of targeted persecution, availability of nesting trees, and the lowest intensity of cropping (percentage area under cultivation) in Uttar Pradesh (pers. obs.) may be combining to provide conditions conducive for waterbird persistence. This situation appears to be unique for large storks anywhere (Elliott 1 992, Hancock et al. 1 992, Benn et al. 1 995). Acknowledgements Major funding was provided by the Bell Museum of Natural History's Avian Conservation Fellowship; International Crane Foundation; James Kushlan Research Award in Ciconiiform Research and Conservation (through the Waterbird Society); National Geograph ic Society's Conservation Trust Grant; University ofMinnesota (Dayton Natural History Fellowship, Dayton-Wilkie Natural History Fellowship, James W. Wilkie Natural History Fund, and Thesis Research Grant); and Wild life Institute of India. For other support I thank the International Crane Foundation, Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Institute of India, and Wildlife Protection Society of India. I also thank S. Kittur for administrative and other support. Finally, thanks are due to J. A. Kushlan, L. Shyamal and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on earlier drafts. References Benn, G. A., Kemp, A. C. & Begg, K. S. (1 995) The distribution, size and trends of the Saddlebill Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis population in South Africa. S. Afr.J. Wildl. Res. 25: 98-105. Breeden, S. & Breeden, B. (1982) The drought of 1979-1980 at the Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary, Bharatpur, Rajasthan .J. Bombay Nat. Hist.Soc. 79: 1-37. Chauhan, R. & Andrews, H. (2006) Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus and Sarus Crane Grus antigone depredating eggs of the three- striped roofed turtle Kachuga dhongoka. Forktail 22: 1 74-1 75. Clancy, G. P. (2008) Ecology, conservation and management of the Black¬ necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus australis. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. Dorfman, E. J., Lamont, A. & Dickman, C. R. (2001 ) Foraging behaviour and success of Black-necked Storks (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) in Australia: implications for management. Emu 101: 145-149. Elliott, A. (1992) Family Ciconiidae (storks). Pp.436-465 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & J. Sargatal eds. Hand book of the birds of the world, 1 . Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Hancock, J. A., Kushlan, J. A. & Kahl, M. P. (1992) Storks, ibises and spoonbills of the world. London and San Diego: Academic Press Limited. 100 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27(2011) Ishtiaq, F„ Rahmani, A. R„ Javed, S. & Coulter, M. C. (2004) Nest-site characteristics of Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus ) and White-necked Stork ( Ciconia episcopus) in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 101: 90-95. Luthin, C. S. (1987) Status and conservation priorities for the world's stork species. Colonial Waterbirds 10: 181-202. Maheswaran, G. & Rahmani, A. R. (2002) Foraging behaviour and feeding success ofthe black-necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) in Dudwa National Park, Uttar Pradesh, India. J. Zoo/. 258: 189-195. Office of the Registrar General of India (201 1 ) Population of states/union territories by sex and percentage share of population in total population: 201 1. http://www.censusindia.gov. in/201 1-prov-results/DATA_FILES/ Final%20PPT%20201 1_12.PDF (accessed April 201 1). Sundar, K. S.G. (2003) Notes on the breeding biology of Black-necked Storks Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus in Etawah and Mainpuri districts, Uttar Pradesh, India. Forktail 19: 1 5-20. Sundar, K. S. G. (2004) Group size and habitat use by Black-necked Storks Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus in an agriculture-dominated landscape in Uttar Pradesh, India. Bird Conserv. Internatn. 14: 323-334. Sundar, K. S. G. (2005) Effectiveness of road transects and wetland visits for surveying Black-necked Storks Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus and Sarus Cranes Grus antigone in India. Forktail l-!: 27-32. Sundar, K. S. G. (2006) Flock size, density and habitat selection of four large waterbird species in an agricultural landscape in Uttar Pradesh, India: implications for management. Waterbirds 29: 365-374. Sundar, K. S. G. (2009) Are rice paddies suboptimal breeding habitat for Sarus Cranes in Uttar Pradesh, India? Condor 111:61 1-623. Sundar, K. S. G„ Clancy, G. & Shah, N. (2006) Factors affecting formation of flocks of unusual size and composition of Black-necked Storks ( Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) in Australia and India. Emu 106: 253-258. Sundar, K. S. G. & Kaur, J. (2001 ) Distribution and nesting sites ofthe Black¬ necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 98: 276-278. Verma, A. (2003) Feeding association of Marsh Harrier ( Circus aeruginosus ) and Black-necked Stork ( Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) in Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur, India). Aquila 1 09-1 1 0: 47-50. Whiting, S. D.& Guinea, M. L. (1 999) Nocturnal foraging by the Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus on sea turtle hatchlings. Emu 99: 1 45- 147. K. S. Gopi SUNDAR, Conservation Biology Program, University of Minnesota, 180 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA, and International Crane Foundation, El 1376, Shady Lane Road, Baraboo, Wl 53913, USA. Email: gopi@savingcranes.org Taxonomic notes on some Asian babblers (Timaliidae) N.J. COLLAR A reconsideration ofthe taxonomy of Asian babblers (Timaliidae) (Collar 2006) indicated that much work remains to be done. Here I briefly pursue various issues, for which I examined specimens of birds in the American Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH), Natural History Museum, Tring, UK (BMNH), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris (MNHN), Philippine National Museum, Manila (PNM), National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC (USNM), and Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Caramillo, California (WFVZ), following a system for assessing species limits outlined in Collar (2006), modified and advanced by Tobias et al. (2010). Differences between taxa in morphological characters are graded such that an exceptional one scores 4, major 3, medium 2, minor 1, and scoresare allowed for a maximum of three morphological characters (others are mentioned, with the letters 'u' for 'unscored', but with the putative score I judge appropriate in square brackets), two vocal characters, two biometric characters (assessed for effect size using Cohen's d where >0.2 triggers minor, >2 medium, >5 major and >1 0 exceptional) and one behavioural or ecological character. A total score reaching or exceeding the threshold of 7 qualifies the taxon for species status (further details in Tobias etal. 2010). An online calculator (http://www.uccs.edu/~faculty/lbecker/) was used to determine Cohen's deffect sizes. Measurements (bill tip to skull, wing curved) were taken in millimetres, and differences between taxa were compared using two-tailed t-tests. Rhinocichla ( mitrata ) treacheri as a species Judgement on the validity of this split came too late for inclusion in Collar (2006), and it was made without supporting justification in Collar & Robson (2007). The form treacheri (Borneo) differs from nominate mitrata (Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra) in its orbital ring being yellow and incomplete, not white and complete (3), ear-covert and nape chestnut, not grey (2), upper submoustachial and interramal area chestnut, not black, and greater extent of chestnut on chin (2), underparts ochreish and with shaft-streaks (u [1 ]), narial feathering, lores and superciliary area paler chestnut (u [1]), and forecrown- blaze greyer (u [1 ]), total 7. Mensural differences are very slight (1 0 of each taxa examined). Photographs in Pilgrim etal. (2009: 30) show the most salient of these characters well. Liocichla ( phoenicea ) ripponi as a species Again, judgement of the specific status of L. ripponi came too late for presentation in Collar (2006), and the split in Collar & Robson (2007) was without justification. The form ripponi (with wellsi) differs from nominate phoenicea (with bakeri) in having the crimson of the face and black lateral crown-stripe replaced by much brighter scarlet extending clearly over the eye, onto the lores and over the malar area onto the chin (3), crown grey (2), upperparts greyer (u [1 ]), underparts markedly paler and buffy-greyer (2), undertail buffy-grey with an orange wash (wher e phoenicea is bronzy-red) (u [1 ]), and a longer tail ( phoenicea / bakeri mean 100.3±3.31,n = 10 phoenicea, 10 bakeri; ripponi/wellsi 107.3 ± 3.58, n = 10 ripponi, 1 1 wellsi; effect size = 2.05) (2), total score 9. (While all phoenicea material was unsexed and most wellsi, which is rare in collections, were male, the sample for bakeri and ripponi consisted of five males and five females, and while females averaged smaller than males the differences were too slight to suggest that sexual bias in the other taxa could have affected mensural comparisons.) Delacour (1 933: 88) reported that specimens in BMNH indicate that the forms ripponi and bakeri intergrade in the 'Kauri-Kachin tract' in Upper Burma. I have checked the Myanmar material held in BMNH and can find only a single skin, 1905.8.16.156 (taken by G. Rippon in the said tract; undated)„which might be interpreted as an intergrade, owing to its rather poorly differentiated crown and underparts: indeed its facial and undertail colours and patterns are as in ripponi (whether the red meets on the throat cannot be judged as this area is abraded to the skin) while its measurements are those of bakeri (tail 99 mm). It is difficult to know what to make of this specimen, which is in very poor condition, but a zone of hybridisation or intergradation is allowed for by Tobias etal. (20 10); species status for ripponi is not invalidated. Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 101 Jabouilleia naungmungensis as a subspecies By comparison with Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler J. danjoui, 'Naung Mung Scimitar Babbler' was found to possess a 'longer bill, tarsus, hallux, and hallux nail...; single, thick, black malar stripe, rather than two thin dark stripes separated by a white stripe; absence of rufous breast band; brown rather than rusty sides and flanks'; and was consequently accorded species status (Rappoleefo/. 2005). However, the measurements of J. naungmungensis in Table 2 of Rappole et al. (2005) were at variance with those given in the text for the holotype (holotype: bill '33.5', tarsus '30', wing 78', tail '52'; range of measurements of naungmungensis material in Table 2: bill '38.2-39.2', tarsus '33.3-44.0', wing 70.5-77.7', tail '40.2-47.6'), the data on hallux and hallux nail were nowhere presented, and the 'malar stripe', as illustrated on the cover of the issue ofAu/ccontaining the description, proved to be a thick black moustachial line above a white submoustachial stripe and a very narrow black malar line, a configuration found in J. danjoui parvirostris (Collar & Pilgrim 2007). Because of these confounding factors, and given the considerable similarity of the taxa, Collar & Robson (2007) preferred to place naungmungensis as a subspecies of J. danjoui (using the genus Rimator). I have examined and measured two specimens (including the holotype; both female) of J. naungmungensis available in USNM and compared them directly with three specimens of nominate danjoui in the same museum. The new form is certainly darker and colder in upperpart and flank coloration than nominate danjoui. The blackish moustachial and malar lines, separated by a narrow whitish submoustachial, are stronger and bolder than in danjoui, where they are mid-brown and pale buff respectively, although the photograph of a live specimen of naungmungensis in Martens & Bahr (2007), reproduced in Collar& Pilgrim (2007), suggests that the markings are not as heavy as depicted on the cover of Auk (also reproduced in Collar & Pilgrim 2007) or in the illustration in Collar & Robson (2007). The bill and legs appear more blackish and the bill is somewhat more decurved. However, the measurements given in Table 2 of the type description are indeed seriously awry (so much so that I sought independentconfirmation of myown measurements). Rappoleefa/. (2005) wrote: The main differences between the two. . . are in body shape. . . naungmungensis has a longer, more decurved bill. . ., a longer wing, a shorter tail [and] a longer tarsus...' In reality, however, naungmungensis is mensurally very close to danjoui: Table 1 shows my sample of two specimens nesting inside the ranges of 1 1 danjoui for bill, tarsus and wing, and with an overlap in tail length. There is no doubt that naungmungensis is darker than other taxa in danjoui (score 1 , which includes bare-part differences), with stronger-marked moustachial and indeed malar lines (1), and a faint ochreish breast-band (but this is a soft-edged wash, variable in intensity, in danjoui, not a sharply defined, obviously consistent feature) (2, which is perhaps generous). However, a score of 4 is insufficient to achieve species status for naungmungensis. Newly published vocal evidence and some revised mensural data on naungmungensis do not affect this assessment: Rappoleefo/. (2008) acknowledged that a published description of J. danjoui 'sounds quite similar to what we heard from J. naungmungensis' , and their measurements for the first reported male naungmungensis (bill 32, tarsus 32, wing 74, tail 55) show it to be largely consistent with the range I found for J. d. danjoui (Table 1 ). Table 1. Means and range (in parentheses) in mm of Jabouilleia naungmungensis (2 specimens in USNM; both female) and 1 1 J. danjoui danjoui (3 in USNM, 2 from Museum of Comparative Zoology on loan to AMNH, 4 in BMNH and 2 in MNHN; six males, five females). Bill Tarsus Wing Tail J. naungmungensis (n=2) 40 (40, 40) 31(31,31) 70.5 (70,71) 57 (55,59) J. danjoui danjoui (n=1 1 ) 36.3 (30-41) 30.1 (29-32) 73.3 (67-80) 61.8(57-67) A new subspecies of Siva cyanouroptera All seven specimens in BMNH and MNHN assigned to Siva cyanouroptera orientaiis from the Bolaven (Bolovens) Plateau in Laos (BMNH 1932.5.14.131, 159, 161; MNHN 1933.131, 132, 195, 196) are morphologically distinguishable from specimens of orientalisfrom Annam in adjacent Vietnam. Siva cyanouroptera wirthi subsp. nov. Diagnosis. — Very like S. c. orientaiis but with an ochre-tinged buff wash to the back, rump and uppertail-coverts (thus rather warmer than the cold pale mouse-brown of orientaiis), and mensurally somewhat smaller (Table 2). Table 2. Measurements (mean ± standard error in mm) of 5/Vo cyanouroptera wirthi and 5. c. orientaiis. Sample of wirthi involved four males, one female and two unsexed; of orientaiis three males, five females and two unsexed. Taxon Bill Tarsus Wing Tail wirthi (n=7) 14.9 ±0.34 22.3 ±0.29 62.4 ±0.65 72.6 ±1.48 orientaiis (n=10) 16.3 ±0.30 23.9 ±0.38 64.6 ±0.73 76.4 ±0.79 t 3.18 3.40 2.22 2.28 P 0.0069 0.0039 0.043 0.047 Type specimen. — BMNH 1932.5.14.159, male, from 'Thateng', Bolaven Plateau, Laos; taken 11 December 1931 by J. Delacour. Remarks. — Delacour(1 932) himself considered thatthe Bolaven Plateau birds were slightly different from those ( orientaiis ) of the Langbian Plateau in Vietnam, in having (my translation) 'their plumage perhapseven morewashed-out,thefringesoftheremiges slightly less bluish and the crown with less violaceous reflections'. These features are difficult to be confident of; but the ochreish wash, which Delacour missed, is consistent in all specimens I have examined. Localities on the Bolaven Plateau at which these specimens were taken are 'Thateng', 'Paksong', 'Phou Kong-Ntoul' and 'Pakhout'. Etymology. — Roland Wirth, director of the Zoologische Gesellschaft fur Arten- und Populationsschutz, has dedicated his life to the conservation of neglected species, subspecies and populations of higher vertebrates, especially in Indochina. Without his unswerving commitment, good-natured advocacy and encyclopedic knowledge, deployed now over three decades, many taxa would very probably now be extinct, and I salute him in the hope that S. c. wirthi is never added to his list of target animals. Lore colour in Ophrydornis albogularis From his work in Sabah, Borneo, Sheldon (1 987) reported that in the fieldtheWhite-throatedorGrey-breasted BabblerO. [Malacopteron] albogularis'hasa bright white superciliary line and yellow lores that render its facial appearance reminiscent of some of the fantails Rhipidura', but that in skins 'this eyeline is faded and unremarkable'. Dutson etal. (1991) responded that 'Barito UluandTanjung Puting birds had white, not yellow, lores'. This apparent difference in the loral colour of northern vs central and southern Bornean birds was mentioned in Collar & Robson (2007), and the possibility that it might be subspecific in nature needed to be checked. It is not. Specimens from various parts of the range of the species, viewed in BMNH and WFVZ (Sheldon's birds), are inconsistent on this feature. Wells (2007), in a more accurate account of the phenomenon than any other, reached the same conclusion: 'Supercilium from bill-base... white, and broadest over the lores where upstanding feathers are variably tinged tawny orange (in some individuals not at all)'. The specimen evidence indicates that the difference is not sexual, but perhaps there will prove to be an age or seasonal factor. 102 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) A reassignment of Trochalopteron ( erythrocephalus ) woodi In revising the highly variable Garrulax [Trochalopteron] erythrocephalus complex, Collar (2006) allocated the form woodi, with some uncertainty, to the newly restricted species G. [T.] erythrocephalus, but in Collar & Robson (2007) woodi was reassigned, without explanation, to G. [T.] chrysopterus. This was because, on reconsidering the specimen evidence, geographical relationships and a newly described taxon, ailaoshanensis from central Yunnan, it was felt that woodi more appropriately fits with the taxa in chrysopterus (absence of black on throat, plain silvery ear-covert pattern, dirty olive shade to scapulars and lower back). In reality, however, the taxa in the erythrocephalus complex between and including Assam and Yunnan need considerably more study in order to arrive at a more definitive judgement about their separability into two species. I suggest maintaining the status quo of Collar & Robson (2007) for the time being, but accept this is very likely to change. An island range extension for Robsonius sorsogonensis During a visit to PNM in April 2007 I found that one (register no. 16656) of three specimens there of Grey-banded Babbler R. sorsogonensis (formerly Napothera rabori: see Collar 2006, Collar & Robson 2007) was collected by P. C. Gonzales at 'camp 1 ' on the island of Catanduanes on 6 March 1988. Despite Gonzales's co-authorship of Kennedy et al. (2000), this notable record is omitted from that work. It is, however, difficult to imagine that the label is erroneous in the provenance it gives, so Catanduanes appears in the range for the species, previously known only from Luzon, in Collar & Robson (2007). Nothing in the plumage or morphometries of this specimen, a male, suggests geographical variation. Acknowledgements I am most grateful to Paul Sweet (AMNH), Robert Prys-Jones (BMNH), Eric Pasquet (MNHN), Lourdes Alvarez (PNM), James Dean (USNM) and Linnea Hall and Rene Corado (WFVZ) for access to specimens in their care, and to Helen F. James for confirming my measurements of J. naungmungensis, Craig Robson, Lincoln Fishpool and Swen Renner for their counsel, Marie Stafford for driving me to and from WFVZ, Jorn P. W. Scharlemann for statistical advice, David Wells, Alice Cibois and Craig Robson for their helpful comments as referees, and Stuart Butchart for his guidance as editor. References Collar, N J. (2006) A partial revision of the Asian babblers (Timal i idae). ForArfo/7 22:85-112. Collar, N. J. & Pilgrim, J. D. (2007) Species-level changes proposed for Asian birds, 2005-2006. BirdingASIA 8: 14-30. Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. (2007) Family Timaliidae (babblers). Pp. 70-291 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds. Handbook of the birds of the world, 1 2. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Delacour, J. (1932) Etude systematique de quelques oiseaux nouveaux ou interessantsobtenus par la VI0 Expedition en Indochine.O/seauefR.F.O. 2: 419-438. Delacour, J. (1933) [A specimen of Liocichla omeiensis Riley, and... remarks on the genus.] Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 53: 85-88. Dutson, G., Wilkinson, R.& Sheldon, B.( 1991) Hook-billed Bulbul Setorniscriniger and Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteron albogulare at Barito Ulu, Kalimantan. Forktail 6: 78-82. Kennedy, R. S., Gonzales, P.C., Dickinson, E.C., Miranda, H.C.& Fisher, T.H. (2000) A guide to the birds of the Philippines. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Martens, J. & Bahr, N. (2007) Dokumentation neuer Vogel-Taxa — Bericht fur 2005. Vogelwarte 45: 1 1 9-134. PilgrimJ.D., Inskipp, T. P.& Collar, N.J. (2009) Species-level changes suggested for Asian birds, 2007-2008. BirdingASIA 1 2: 18-35. Rappole, J. H„ Renner, S. C„ Nay Myo Shwe & Sweet, P. R. (2005) A new species of scimitar-babbler (Timaliidae:Jobou/7/e/o) from the sub-Himalayan region of Myanmar. Auk 1 22: 1 064-1069. Rappole, J. H., Rasmussen, P. C., Thein Aung, Milensky, C. M. & Renner, S. C. (2008) Observations on a new species: Naung Mung Scimitar-Babbler Jabouilleia naungmungensis. Ibis 1 50: 623-627. Sheldon, F. H. (1987) Habitat preferences of the Hook-billed Bulbul Setornis crin/gerandtheWhite-throated Babbler Malacopteron o/bogu/ore in Borneo. Forktail 3: 17-25. Tobias, J. A., Seddon, N„ Spottiswoode, C. N„ Pilgrim, J. P„ Fishpool, L. D. C. & Collar, N. J. (2010) Quantitative criteria for species delimitation. Ibis 152: 724-746. Wells, D. R. (2007) The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, 2. London: Christopher Helm. N. J. COLLAR, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK, and Bird Group, Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Herts HP23 6AP, U.K. Email nigel.collar@birdlife.org Eating aliens: diet of the Grey-headed Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus in Singapore DING LIYONG Introduction Three species of large piscivorous raptors (family Accipitridae) are resident in the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Wells 1999). The genus Ichthyophaga is represented by two closely related and similar¬ looking species (Grey-headed Fish-eagle I. ichthyaetus, Lesser Fish- eagle I. humilis ), both of which occur by large forested rivers and lakes (Wells 1999), sometimes sympatrically, and also exhibiting similar distributions across tropical South and South-East Asia (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). Both species were historically known to occur on Singapore Island, but there are no recent records ofthe Lesser Fish-eagle/, hum/7/sand it iscurrently considered locally extinct (Gibson-Hill 1 950, Lim 2009). The Grey-headed Fish-eagle /. ichthyaetus presently occurs on a number of Singapore's inland and coastal reservoirs, but its population is presumed to be small and suspected to be in decline; therefore it is considered 'critically endangered' in the Red Data Book of Singapore (Davison etal. 2008, Lim 2009). Globally, it is listed as Near Threatened on basis of a declining population due to habitat loss and degradation across its range (Tingay et al. 2006, Birdlife International 201 1 ). The Grey-headed Fish-eagle is ecologically sympatric with the widespread White-bellied Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster in Singapore. On Singapore's inland reservoirs, there is much evidence of ecological overlap, leading to direct competition between the two species in diet and possibly nesting sites (Lee T. K. in lift. 2009). Compared to the White-bellied Fish-eagle, the distribution of the Grey-headed Fish-eagle is more/estricted, with relatively fewer records from coastal areas. Most records of Grey-headed Fish-eagles originate from inland reservoirs within the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), Singapore’s largest protected area, and from flooded, disused quarries (e.g. Bukit Gombak). Few recent records are from coastal reservoirs (e.g. Kranji, Sarimbun, Serangoon) and mangrove swamps (e.g. Sungei Buloh) (see Wang & Hails 2008, Lim 2009). Despite the ease of observations owing to their conspicuousness and the accessibility of many local sites (e.g. reservoir parks), a review Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 103 of the published literature showed that no prior attempts have been made in Singapore or Peninsular Malaysia to study the diet of this species or other resident piscivorous raptors in detail, and Wells ( 1 999) only generically mentions that the species consumes 'large fish'. Here I document prey items identified from the diet of three Grey-headed Fish-eagles in Singapore and suggest that the proliferation of alien fish species in Singapore's water bodies may in fact be benefiting the species and encouraging its local spread. Observations and discussion From 2009 to 201 1, I collected information on the prey items of Grey-headed Fish-eagles observed at three widely separated locations (Figure 1) through field surveys, and hence probably representing three different individuals in their respective territories. Where birds were seen with prey items, photographs or video stills were taken for visual identification using relevant literature (e.g. Kottelat etal. 1 993, Ng & Tan 2010), which were then confirmed by expert opinion (Lim K.K.P in lift. 201 1). Two of the locations, the Upper Seletar and MacRitchie Reservoirs, are large man-made inland reservoirs fringed largely by young to tall secondary lowland forest (over 90 years old), and remnant patches of primary forest. The third site, Bukit Gombak quarry, is a small flooded quarry surrounded at its fringes by secondary scrub dominated by simpoh air Dillenia suffruticosa, non-native albizia Paraserianthes falcataria, acacia Acacia auriculiformis, and open grassy areas adjacent to an urban residential area. A total of six different prey items were identified, including at least five different fish species and one species of reptile (Table 1 ). Of the fish species, four have alien origins and were not part of the Figure 1 . Localities of observation sites in Singapore. Inset: location of Singapore in South-East Asia; A: Upper Seletar Reservoir; B: Bukit Gombak quarry; C: MacRitchie Reservoir. original fish fauna (Baker & Lim 2008, Ng & Tan 2010). While information on the origins of these fish species is anecdotal, field evidence indicate that these have established populations in many of the large water bodies in Singapore. Some are likely to have been introduced as food fish (e.g. Pangasius nasutus, PangasiusspA) while others were deliberately introduced for sport fishing (e.g. Cichla orinocensis) or are established populations of released, breeding individuals from the pet trade (e.g. Geophagus altifrons). Given the near-absence of historical records (see Gibson-Hill 1 950, Lim 2009), present evidence suggests that the Grey-headed Fish-eagle population in Singapore is increasing, for a number of likely reasons. Ironically, one is the ready availability of prey items in Singapore's inland and coastal reservoirs, especially large fish, many of which have been introduced into reservoirs (e.g. Channa micropeltes) (Ng &Tan 2010). My observations identified four alien fish species in the Grey-headed Fish-eagle's diet. Two are large¬ bodied cichlids of South American origin, Geophagus altifrons and Cichlaorinocensis, while the others, Pangasius nasutus and Pangasius sp.1 are large-bodied catfish of South-East Asian origins (Lim K.K.P. in litt. 201 1). My limited observations are indicative that alien fish species, which are common in Singapore's reservoirs (Ng&Tan 2010), form a regular and possibly even dominant component of their diet. Other common large alien fish species occurring (e.g. Channa micropeltes, Oreochromis mossambicus), whilst as yet undocumented, are very likely to be prey. Furthermore, non-fish prey has also been documented, and one fish-eagle was seen taking a young Malayan water monitor Varanussalvator(Remah\ 2008). In Cambodia.Tingay etal. (2006) reported watersnakes as regular prey items, but this has not been documented in Singapore, although it is likely given the abundance of some homalopsine species (e.g. Cerberus ryn chops). The Grey-headed Fish-eagle's ability to forage in waterbodies near urban areas (Table 1), tolerate heavily degraded habitats such as young secondary scrub dominated by non-native trees (a widespread habitat in Singapore), and feed on possibly abundant alien prey species suggests that a trend of population increase in the short term is highly likely. An unexpected yet potentially beneficial ecological consequence of this is a natural population check on the populations of some alien fish species (e.g .Geophagus sp.) in reservoirs, while allowing the fish fauna in Singapore's reservoirs to be sampled at the same time. On present evidence, I recommend that a revised threat status of 'nationally vulnerable' might more accurately reflect the current status of the Grey-headed Fish-eagle in Singapore. However, large predators in general are good indicators of environmental conditions (Sergio etal. 2008), and thus a close monitoring of present and future population trends of this raptor is necessary. Lastly, a species such as the Grey-headed Fish-eagle, being large, charismatic and easily identifiable by the public, has excellent public appeal which will aid its long-term conservation. Table 1 . Observed prey items of Grey-headed Fish-eagle in Singapore. All prey was identifiable up to genus level at least. Species Local status Possible reason for introduction Location Coordinates Vegetation Fish Channa striatus Native — Bukit Gombak 1 °21 '25N 103°45'20E Young secondary forest Pangasius nasutus Non-native human food Bukit Gombak 1°2V25N 103°45'20E Young secondary forest Pangasius sp. 1 Non-native human food MacRitchie 1°20'38N103°49T0E Tall secondary forest Cichla orinocensis Non-native sport fishing Upper Seletar 1°24'21N103°47T7E Parkland, scrub Geophagus altifrons Non-native pet trade MacRitchie 1°20'38N103°49'10E Tall secondary forest Reptiles Varanus salvator Native — Bukit Gombak 1°2T25N 103°45'20E Young secondary forest 104 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (201 1) Acknowledgements I thank Alfred Chia, Lee Tiah Khee, Lim Kim Chuah and Lim Kim Seng for generously sharing their observations. Thanks also go to Kelvin Lim and Tan Heok Hui atthe Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, and Albert Low in helping to identify fish species. I am grateful to Ruth Tingay and Benjamin Lee for providing useful inputs during the preparation of this manuscript. Lastly, I thank Todd E. Katzner and Clive Briffett for their comments which improved the manuscript greatly. References Baker, N. & Lim, K. (2008) Wild animals of Singapore. Singapore: Draco Publishing Pte Ltd and Nature Society (Singapore). Birdlife International (2011) Species factsheet: Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/01/201 1. Davison, G. W. H„ Ng, P. K. L.& Ho, H. C., eds. (2008) The Singapore Red Data Book. Second Edition. Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.A. (2001) Raptors of the world. New York: Houghton Mifflin. Gibson-Hill, C. A. (1950) A checklist of the birds of Singapore Island. Raffles Bull. Zoo!. 21: 132-183. Kottelat, M„ Whitten, A.J., Kartikasari, S.N. & Wirjoatmodjo, S. (1993). Freshwater fishes of western Indonesia and Sulawesi. Hong Kong: Peri plus Editions Ltd. Lim, K. S. (2009) The avifauna of Singapore. Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). Ng,H.H.&Tan,H.H. (2010) An annotated checklist of the non-native freshwater fish species in the reservoirs of Singapore. Cosmos 6(1 ): 95-1 1 6. Remahl.U. (2008) Grey-headed fish-eagle at "Little Guilin". Singapore Avifauna 22(7): 9-10. Sergio, F„ Caro, T., Brown, D„ Clucas, B., Hunter, J„ Ketchum, J„ McHugh, K. & Hirauldo, F. (2008) Top predators as conservation tools: ecological rationale, assumptions and efficacy. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Evol.&Systematics 39: 1-19. Tingay, R. E., Nicoll, M. A. C.& Sun Visal (2006) Status and distribution of the grey-headed fish-eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) in the PrekToal core area of Tonle Sap lake, Cambodia. J. Raptor Res. 40: 277-283. Tingay, R. E„ Nicoll, M. A. C., Whitfield, D. P„ Sun Visal & McLeod, D. R. A. (2010) Nesting ecology of the grey-headed fish-eagle at PrekToal, Tonle Sap lake, Cambodia. J. Raptor Res. 44: 165-174. Wang, L. K. & Hails, C. J. (2007) An annotated checklist of the birds of Singapore. Raffles Bull. Zool. Supplement No. 15: 1-1 79. Wells, D.R. (1999) The birds of theThai-Malay peninsula, 1 .London: Academic Press. Ding Li YONG, Nature Society (Singapore), 510 Geylang Road, The Sunflower # 02-05 Singapore 38946. Email: zoothera@yahoo.com Status of Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus in Bangladesh ALEXANDER C. LEES, JEREMY P. BIRD, SAYAM U. CHOWDHURY & ROBERT W. MARTIN Bangladesh remains one of the least heavily ornithologically inventoried countries in Asia, although this situation is now being reversed by a growing band of experienced local ornithologists under the auspices of the Bangladesh Bird Club and other organisations. JPB, ACL and RM spent most of March 201 0 in coastal regions of Bangladesh undertaking an extensive survey for wintering Spoon-billed Sandpipers Eurynorhynchus pygmeus (Bird eta! .2010). Between 16 and 19 March SUC, RM, JPB and ACL surveyed intertidal habitats around the Feni River estuary in the extreme north-east of the Bay of Bengal. On the evening of 1 7 March JPB and ACL were making their way back to the road across coastal grazing marshesatCharFakura(22°47'N91°21 'E) when ACL found two Red- throated Pipits Anthus cervinus (images available on request) creeping through cattle pasture. The two observers were afforded prolonged views of the two birds (one of which was in adult-type plumage with a rusty-red breast and face). Aware that the species has rarely been recorded in Bangladesh, ACL obtained a number of digiscoped images to document the event. The birds were not associating with any other species although a single Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus, five Richard's Pipits A. richardi, 10 Oriental Skylarks Alauda gulgula and 1 50 Pacific Golden Plovers Pluvialis fulva were present in the vicinity. ACL returned to the site after summoning SUC but the observers only managed to obtain brief flight views of the two birds. The following day RM, JPB and ACL visited Char Chandia (22°48'N 91°24'E) and encountered another 15 Red-throated Pipits associated with a large flock of 350 'Eastern' Yellow Wagtails Motacilla [flava] tschutschensis and 80 Short-toed Larks Calandrella brachydactyla.witb smaller numbers of Citrine Wagtails M. citreola, Oriental Skylarks, Richard's Pipits and Pacific Golden and Little Ringed Plovers Charadrius dubius also present in the same fields. Identification A small, compact, relatively short-tailed pipit about the same size as Olive-backed Pipit A. hodgsoni. Winter-plumaged individuals were relatively nondescript: creamy-buff/-white underparts with dark streaks and quite heavily streaked buff-and- black mantle, a streaked rump and crown. Although the first two individuals were located visually, many subsequent individuals were detected by the species's distinctive call, a squeaky, drawn-out psssih. Separation from other similar birds was relatively straightforward, the chief confusion species present in the region being Rosy Pipit. The two are separable at all times of year by Red- throated's short thin bill with a pale yellow base, as opposed to the robust, all-dark bill of Rosy Pi pit; the narrower supercilium and pale lores of Red-throated Pipit, in contrast to Rosy's longer, more prominent supercilium with a 'drop'atthe rear. The mantleof Red- throated Pipit was less heavily streaked than those of western populations with which we were familiar (see Alstrom & Mild 2003) and consequently more similar to Rosy Pipit, which is a more 'heavily built' bird overall. The summer-plumaged birds differed from summer-plumaged Rosy Pipits in their reddish (rather than pale pink) throat, upper breast and supercilium. Behaviour The choice of habitat is typical for Red-throated Pipits, which preferentially forage in areas of short turf browsed by ungulates and, as here, often form mixed assemblages with flava wagtails (Cramp 1988, Alstrom & Mild 2003, pers. obs.) The birds typically foraged singly, presumably to avoid competition with both conspecifics and allospecifics. On several occasions they were observed feeding on larval insects, apparently cranefly larvae (family Tipulidae), which have previous been recorded as an important item in the species's diet from both breeding and wintering areas (Cramp 1988). Status in Bangladesh Although considered likely to occur by Rashid (1 967), there are just four previous published records of Red- throated Pipit from Bangladesh (totalling eight individuals), all recorded during wetland surveys in the north-eastern haors during February-March 1992 (Thompson et al. 1994). Considering the abundance of suitable habitat in the delta region and the ubiquity of migrant flocks of flava wagtails, the 1 7 individuals we found may well represent the 'tip of an iceberg' of the number of individuals potentially passing through the region. Our records suggest that the Feni River delta may be a regionally important wintering or Forktail 27(2011) SHORT NOTES 105 passage site for a species that is uncommon to rare anywhere in the west of the Indian Subcontinent (Grimmett et at. 1 998). Red-throated Pipit is one of many Siberian passerines with a significant migratory divide; despite breeding right across the Palaearctic tundra, there are no regular wintering areas between the Middle East and Myanmar (Alstrom & Mild 2003, Irwin & Irwin 2005). We encountered large migrant/wintering flocks of flava wagtails regularly during March in the Cox's Bazar region at the beginning of the month, and at Nijhum Dweep at the end of the month, but did not encounter any other Red-throated Pipits. It is perhaps significant that the large flock on 1 8 March were also associating with Short-toed Larks, as this is itself classified as a 'rare winter visitor' to Bangladesh (Siddiqui 2008), suggesting that flocks of both species may be transients rather than winterers. These areas at the western corner of the Meghna River Delta are poorly surveyed at any time of year, and especially so after February, when increasingly inclement weather makes surveying difficult. Thus it seems most likely that these groups of Red-throated Pipits (and Short-toed Larks) representtransientindividualson a previously unrecognised migration route from their nearest westernmost regular wintering areas in Myanmar, through eastern Bangladesh to breeding grounds at high latitudes. The scant Subcontinent records from northern India, Nepal and Pakistan (Grimmett etal. 1998) are suggestive of a return route north-westwards avoiding the hostile topography of theTibetan Plateau. Further surveys at peak migration periods will be required to understand the status of this species properly both in Bangladesh and further afield. Acknowledgements ACL, JPB and RM would like to thank the Oriental Bird Club, the Lincolnshire Bird Club, Birdguides, Ecology Consultants and the SevenoaksRSPB Members Group for providing funding for the expedition. We are extremely grateful for the support and counsel of Enam Ul Haque, Paul Thompson, Dr Ronald Haider, Indranil Kishor, Farhad A. Pavel, M. Abu Yousuf and members of Bangladesh Bird Club during ourtime in Bangladesh. References Alstrom, P. & Mild, K. (2003) Pipits and wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America. London: Christopher Helm. Bird, J. P., Lees, A. C., Chowdhury, S. U., Martin, R. & Ul Haque, E. (2010) A survey of the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus in Bangladesh and key future research and conservation recommendations. Forktail 26: 1-8. Cramp, S., ed. (1 988) The birds of the Western Palearctic, 5. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Grimmett, R„ Inskipp, C.& Inskipp.T. (1 998) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Irwin, D. E. & Irwin, J. H. (2005) Siberian migratory divides. Pp. 27-40 in R. Greenberg & P. P. Marra, eds. Birds of two worlds: the ecology and evolution of migration. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Rashid, H. (1 967) Systematic list of the birds of East Pakistan. Publication no. 20. Dacca: Asiatic Society of Pakistan. Siddiqui, K. H., ed. (2008) Encyclopaedia of flora and fauna of Bangladesh, 26. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Thompson, P. M., Harvey, W. G., Johnson, D. L., Millin, D. J., Rashid, S. M. A., Scott, D. A., Stanford, C. & Woolner, J. D. (1993) Recent notable bird records from Bangladesh. Forktail 9: 1 3-44. Thompson, P. M.& Johnson, D. L. (2003) Further notable bird records from Bangladesh. Forktail 1 9: 85-1 02. Alexander C. LEES, Dept, of Zoology, Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Caixa Postal 399, CEP 66040-170, Belem - Para, Brazil. Email: alexanderlees@btopenworld.com Jeremy P. BIRD, 36 Thoday Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 3AS, UK. Email: Jezbird@gmail.com Sayam U. CHOWDHURY, House-1 (B-3), Road-7, Sector-4, Uttora, Dhaka-1230, Bangladesh. . Email: sayam_uc@yahoo.com Robert W. MARTIN, 82GladstoneStreet, Norwich, NR23BJ, UK. Email: punkbirder@hotmail.com What is Psittacus borneus ? ROSEMARY LOW Walters (1998) made the case for replacing Eos bornea with E. rubra as the scientific name for the Red Lory. Psittacus borneus was the name that Linnaeus gave to a parrot depicted in a 1751 plate by George Edwards entitled 'Long-tailed Scarlet Lory' (reproduced on the cover of Forktail 13). Walters wrote that 'For many years Psittacus borneus puzzled authors', since its plumage coloration did not adhere exactly to that of the Red Lory, then called Eos rubra. However, after Count Salvadori suggested it might be a variety of that species, Lord Rothschild seized on the idea favourably and thereafter the accepted name of Red Lory was Eos bornea, since Linnaeus's name preceded rubra by 30 years. Walters (1998) consulted me about the Red Lory when he was preparing his paper, but I was unable to give him any information relating to the bird shown in Edwards's plate. However, after recently re-reading his paper I believe that I can now answer the question: what is Psittacus borneus ? As a lory keeper of nearly 40 years' experience, during the past four years I have acquired four Black¬ winged Lories Eos cyanogenia, two of which hadabnormallycoloured pi umage which included small areas of green, especially in the wings, and had a generally dull appearance. In this respect they resembled Edwards's plate of the 'Long-tailed Scarlet Lory'. These two birds were suffering from nutritional deficiencies when I received them, but at the next moult changed into fine specimens with normal, vibrant plumage. I therefore think it highly likely that Salvadori was right and that Edwards's plate depicts a Red Lory, but one which had received a poor diet. Although I feel confident that this insight solves the question over the identity of Edwards's 'Long-tailed Scarlet Lory', I do not venture to say whether the Red Lory should again revert to the name Eos bornea, and leave that for students of nomenclature to consider. Reference Walters, M. (1998) What is Psittacus borneus Linnaeus? Forktail 13: 1 24— 125. Rosemary LOW, P. O. Box 100, Mansfield, Notts NG20 9NZ, U.K. Email rosemary.low@virgin.net 106 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) Observations on the 2009 southbound migration of three bee-eater species at Radar Hill, Thailand ROBERT DeCANDIDO, CHATUPHON SAWASDEE, DAMIAN SMITH, CHUKIAT NUALSRI and DEBORAH ALLEN Introduction In Thailand and Malaysia, primarily from mid-August until mid- November, two bee-eater species have been regularly observed in southbound migration: Blue-tailed Merops philippinus and Blue- throated M. viridis. These continental migrants are returning to overwinter in Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and elsewhere (Wells 1 999, Round 2008). However, still unclear are the migration timing, number of additional A/lerops species, populations and total number of individuals involved, as well as their ultimate destination(s). In autumn 2009, we participated in a survey of migrating raptors at Radar Hill, an inland raptor watch site in peninsular Thailand, c.61 km north of our spring raptor and Merops watch site, Promsri Hill (Figure 1). We were particularly interested in studying southbound bee-eater migration here through the Isthmus of Kra, the narrowest portion of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. To date, the only comprehensive studies of migrating bee-eaters in Asia have been during northbound (spring) migration (DeCandidoefa/.2004a, 2004b, 2010). Materials and methods From 1 9 September until 8 November 2009 we made daily counts of bee-eaters, migrating raptors and other birds from the top of Radar Hill (1 0°59'29"N 99°21 '59"E; elevation 195 m), c.5 km north of the small town of ChairatinpeninsularThailand,andc.400 km south- south-west of Bangkok. The start and end dates of the study were selected to coincide with the annual raptor migration count that is held here. We typically madeobservationsfrom c.06h45 until 1 8h00 daily. However, if we suspected that birds might be migrating after 1 8h00, we remained until we were sure all southbound movement had ended fortheevening.Ontwodays,30ctoberand 1 1 October, Figure 1 .The location of Radar Hill on the Isthmus of Kra in peninsular Thailand, in relation toother migration count sites, the Gulf of Thailand and Myanmar. no observations were made because rain prevailed all day. During periods of steady rain we found that bee-eaters did not migrate, and it was difficult, if not impossible, to locate the few migrants that might be on the wing. Radar Hill is almost 2 km due east of the Khao Pho Service Area on the southbound side of the main road, also called Phetkasem Road or Highway 4. The flat summit is easily reached by car or by footon a well-paved road.Theobservation hill is part ofthe Isthmus of Kra, the narrowest portion of Thailand. To the north, Radar Hill overlooks a large unnamed valley where oilpalm and rubber plantations have replaced the lowland hill evergreen forest. Some 1 5 km to the east the Gulf of Thailand can be seen on most days, while to the west the hills of Myanmar (Burma) are visible. Radar Hill is leased and maintained by theTelephone Organization ofThailand. Two towers (rising c.25 m above the summit) have been built near thetop. Vegetation higherthan 1 m is regularly removed from most of the hill, providing excellent 360° views of the surrounding landscape. All three species of bee-eaters observed, Blue-tailed, Blue- throated and Chestnut-headed M. leschenaulti, were counted in migration using 8x and 1 0x binoculars. We recorded data in hour- long blocks. We also counted individuals of 23 raptor species in migration, primarily Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes, Chinese SparrowhawkAcc/p/ferso/oens/sandOriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus (for more information about raptor migration at Radar Hill, see: www.thairaptorgroup.com). We measured wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure with a hand-held weather station (Kestrel 4000, Nielsen-Kellerman corporation, U.S.A.). Wind direction was determined with a compass. Early in the season (until 9 October) winds were light from the south-west (< 1 0 km/h) in the morning, typically becoming more westerly and increasing slightly in intensity in the afternoon. From 25 September until 7 October the weather was often unsettled with frequent light mist to drizzle. From 10 October until 28 October it was calm: light morning southwesterly winds usually became easterly (south-east to east) in the afternoon. From late October until 8 November winds were strong (1 3-24 km/ h) from the north-east on most days. Throughout the observation period, barometric pressure rose in the morning until c.1 1 hOO, and then decreased for the remainder ofthe day as coastal air replaced continental air that was rising rapidly on strong thermals. To locate migrants, observers scanned primarily to the north, east and west for oncoming birds. Bee-eater flocks usually migrated just over the tree-tops in the valley below us. We usually detected migrants when they passed just below the observation site along the ridge heading to the south-west or south-east. We did not attempt to age or sex migrants because nuances of plumage d ifferences seemed impossible to detect given the distance we saw most ofthe birds, their relatively small size and the brief time-frame we observed them in. Even 50 m distance makes bee-eaters difficult to see in certain light conditions. To determine the seasonal, peak migration period for M. philippinus, we used the highest consecutive seven-day count. Since we saw many fewer M. leschenaulti and M. viridis, we did not compute a peak passage time for these two species. We used a Chi-square test (with one degree of freedom) to test whether significantly more bee-eaters were counted when winds had an easterly component vs a westerly component. We hypothesised that because bee-eaters are known to drift with prevailing winds, at Radar Hill easterly winds would be likely to be associated with greater numbers of migrants Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 107 passing this inland count site, while westerly winds would probably push migrants towards the coast and out of our field of view. Results We counted a total of 7,240 bee-eaters, averaging 1 3.0 birds/hour. These included 6,909 M. philippinus (95.4% of all Merops); 14 M. viridis (0.2%); and 21 M.leschenaulti (0.3%). We also tallied 296 unidentified Merops individuals (4.1% of the total counted bee-eater flight). Most bee-eaters were observed migrating north to south within 50 m of the watch site. The first day of the survey, 1 9 September 2009, revealed flocks of migrating M. philippinus, but the first M. viridis was not observed until 4 October, while the first flock of this species was seen on 6 October. The first M. leschenaulti were seen on 29 October. Small flocks of M.philippinus were seen on migration at Radar Hill until the penultimate day of this survey, 7 November. Almost all bee-eaters were travelling in flocks, although a handful of lone migrant M. philippinus (eight) was observed, and on one occasion (1 2 October) a single A/7, viridis was seen in migration. Fewer than five times were lone individuals of M. viridis seen migrating within flocks of M. philippinus, and never vice versa. There were no resident Merops in the area. Figure 2. Total number of bee-eaters of three species counted per day during the 2009 southbound migration at Radar Hill, Thailand. Date 2009 Figure 3. Average number of Merops individuals counted per hour in migration at Radar Hill, Thailand, from 19 September until 8 November 2009. 25.0 -i 06h00 OShOO lOhOO 12h00 14h00 16h00 18h00 Time Figure 4. Average number of bee-eaters vs raptors counted per hour during the 2009 southbound migration at Radar Hill, Thailand. Time The highest single-day count of migrating Merops in this study was 501 on 9 October (Figure 2). The peak seven-daytime-frame of their migration occurred during 4-10 October, averaging 298 migrants/day. During this time, for M. philippinus, the mean flock size (of 3 1 0 flocks) was 6.5 birds (standard deviation [s.d.] = 5.0), and the rate averaged 25.9 migrants/hour. The largest flockof migrant M. philippinus was 65 that passed the watch site between 17h00 and 18h00 on 10 October. We counted many fewer M. viridis (14 total; three flocks; 6- 10 October) and M.leschenaulti (21 total; three flocks; 30 October-2 November). Figure 2 suggests that, overall, Merops migration in this area of eastern peninsular was completed by around 1 0 November. Bee-eater migration was not significantly greater when winds had an onshore easterly (north-east, east or south-east) component than when winds were from other directions. Most (59.8%) bee-eaters were seen from 1 1 hOO to 1 6h00, with 1 2h00 to 1 3h00 being the peak hour for migrants (1 3.2% of all bee- eaters counted) (Figure 3). The highest hourly total occurred from 1 1 hOO to 1 2h00 on 20 September when 1 82 bee-eaters passed the watch site. In the morning, migration activity for both bee-eaters and raptors began at about 07h00 (Figure 4). Bee-eater migration increased gradually until 12h00. By comparison, raptor activity peaked during 08h00-1 OhOO, primarily Chinese Sparrowhawk and Oriental Honey-buzzard until mid-October, and then mostly Black Baza from late October until early November. In the afternoon, both bee-eater and raptor totals peaked at 1 5h00 and then declined for the remainder of the day. No bee-eaters or raptors were counted in migration after 1 8h00 at our watch site; indeed, bee-eater passage seemed exceptional after 1 7h30. Discussion Our study provides the first detailed information about the southbound migration of three bee-eater species through peninsularThailand: Blue-tailed (6,909; 95.4% of all bee-eaters), as well as considerably fewer flocks and individuals (<1% each) of Blue- throated and Chestnut-headed. The survey provides the first evidence that M. leschenaulti is migratory in southern South-East Asia. Previously, Fuchs et al. (2007) demonstrated seasonal movement of M. leschenaulti in northern South-East Asia, although they did not directly observe it. Our study is consistent with the hypothesis of Wells (1999) that this species makes local (<100 km) dispersal movements within the Thai-Malay Peninsula, but the possibility that some M. leschenaulti were undertaking longer migration cannot be ruled out. By comparison, M. philippinus is returning from breeding potentially as far north as 27°N, while M. viridis is believed to breed as far north as 30°N (Duckworth et al. 1999, Carey etal. 2001, Evans 2001, Liu etal. 2008, Wu etal. 2009). At Radar Hill, migrant raptors and bee-eaters pass close to the hill itself because these birds use deflection wind currents to conserve energy. The hill also serves as a landmark- a point in the distance to head towards. For bee-eaters, because the hill has vegetation, insects can be found here at the approximate level the birds are migrating. Figure 2 suggests that peak bee-eater migration through peninsularThailand is during the first half of October. This accords with Wells's (1999) suggestion of a peak migration time of mid- October for M. philippinus on the west coast of Malaysia, estimating a sustained rate of 1 50-200 birds/hour crossing from the mainland to Sumatra. Further north in Hong Kong, Carey etal. (2001) also showed the second week in October as the peak migration time for M. philippinus. During the peak migration time at Radar Hill over 4- 1 0 October, we counted an average of 25.9 bee-eaters per hour of observation time, which excluded daylight hours of minimal passage, such as towards dusk and days of heavy rain. Future multi¬ year migration studies in the region might show that different 108 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) Merops populations (and different species) proceed south at varying rates each year, reflecting inter-annual differences in meteorological conditions. Currently, the timing and degree of Merops using an offshore migration route through the South China Sea from Taiwan to the Philippines are not well known. Compared with a spring 2007-2008 study of northbound bee- eaters (DeCandido etal. 2010) at a site c.61 km to the south-west, these autumn data from Radar Hill show that (a) the average flock size was smaller; (b) on average considerably fewer birds were counted per hour; and (c) many fewer bee-eaters in migration were counted over the surveyed part of the season. The observed difference between spring and autumn migration counts suggests that the bulk of the southbound Merops migration may have passed elsewhere through the Isthmus of Kra, and that we therefore observed only a small part of the total southbound flight at our inland watch site. Alternatively or additionally, it might be that significant numbers passed outside the observation period before we began our study on 19 September. Casual observations in autumn 2009 (made by the authors and colleagues during this survey, but without impeding the effective coverage of Radar Hill) at a coastal site c.40 km to the east-south-east (Figure 1 ), adjacent to the Gulf of Thailand, known locally as Pencil Hill (Khao Dinsor), supported the first possibility. There we noted larger flocks and greater numbers of all three Merops species, and these were seen in migration at least into mid-November 2009 when our observations ended at that coastal site. In autumn 201 0 at Pencil Hill, we confirmed that Merops migration is well underway at least by early September along the coast. Indeed, casual observations by one of us (CN) indicate that bee-eaters can be seen in migration over Chumphon by mid-August each year. Future studies will confirm whether M. leschenaulti is a regular coastal (vs rare inland) migrant in Thailand, as well as provide information about other diurnal migrants commonly seen at Pencil Hill along the east coast including Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus, Black Drongo Dicrurus mocrocercus, Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis, Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis as well as Brown- backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus and White-throated Needletail H. caudocutus. Each of these was an uncommon to rare migrant at Radar Hill during autumn 2009. Finally, the pattern of bee-eater vs raptor migration observed at Radar Hill in autumn 2009 was very different from that in our spring 2007-2008 study, where we observed a significant relationship between wind direction/speed and Merops (as well as raptor) migration. During spring northbound migration in this area of Thailand, flocks of bee-eaters and raptors drifted inland as onshore easterly winds increased through the day. In the present southbound migration study, we found no significant relationship between numbers of migrants and wind direction or speed. For example, during the peak bee-eater migration in October, we counted the highest Merops totals between 1 1hOOand 1 5h00 (Figs. 3 and 4) as westerly winds prevailed, even though our site was 1 5 km from the coast. In the future, we hope that long-term studies of bee-eaters and raptors be initiated at several sites from east to west across the Isthmus ofKra.Wewillthen havea better understanding if most of the continental bee-eater migration takes place along the east coast of Thailand, and if this is true for the entire season. By mid- November, when strong north-east winds prevail on the Isthmus of Kra, does most of the southbound Merops and raptor migration drift to the west coast of Thailand? Where does the bulk of the M. viridis migration pass? Future studies will also determine the degree to which M. leschenaulti is migratory in southern Thailand. We strongly encourage multi-year, long-term migration studies to understand how numbers of migrants observed at particular watch sites vary from year to year in relation to meteorological conditions, breeding success and other factors. From a conservation point of view, further studies are needed to identify important stopover sites for foraging (if any), and critical staging areas (if any) throughout the region. Acknowledgements WethankChaiyan KasorndorkbuaoftheThai Raptor Group for contributing data to our study, as well as insights into bee-eater and raptor migration at Radar Hill. This study would not have been possible without the kind and patient assistance of Mr Praphin and Mrs Anchali Buasong, who made sure we were well looked after in the best of Thai hospitality. We are especially grateful for the help at Radar Hill by Mr Praphin ('Noi') Buasong, who spent hours with us counting migrants, and making autumn 2009 a special experience. Finally, much logistical help was provided by Edmund Pease and Nuraklsrasena in Bangkok — thank you. Philip Round critically read and commented upon the manuscript, and we thank him for his ideas and advice. References Carey, G. 1, Chalmers, M. L„ Diskin, D. A., Kennerly, P. R., Leven, M. R., Lewthwaite, R. W., Melville, D. S., Turnbull, M. & Young, L. (2001) The avifauna of Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. DeCandido, R., Allen, D. & Yosef, R. (2004a) Merops migration at Tanjung Tuan, Malaysia: an important spring bee-eater watch site in South-East Asia../. Yamashina Inst. Orn. 36: 15-21. DeCandido, R., Allen, D., Yosef, R. & Bildstein, K. (2004b) A comparison of the spring migration phenology of bee-eatersand Oriental Honey-buzzards at Tanjung Tuan, Malaysia 2000-01 . Ardea 92: 1 69-174. DeCandido, R., Nualsri, C. & Allen, D. (2010) Mass northbound migration of two bee-eater species in southern Thailand, spring 2007-2008. Forktail 26: 42-48. Duckworth, J. W., Davidson, P. & Timmins, R. J. (1999) Birds. Pp. 69-1 59 in J. W. Duckworth, R. E. Salter & K. Khounboline, compilers. Wildlife in Lao PDR: 1 999 status report. Vientiane: I UCN-The World Conservation Union / Wildlife Conservation Society / Centre for Protected Areas and Watershed Management. Evans, T. D. (2001 ) Ornithological records from Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR, January-July 1997. Forktail 1 7: 21-28. Fuchs, J., Cibois, A., Duckworth, J. W„ Eve, R., Robichaud, W. G., Tizard, T. & van Gansberghe, D. (2007) Birds of Phongsaly province and the Nam Ou river, Laos. Forktail 23: 22-86. Liu, Y., Zhang, Z.-W., Li, J.-Q., Zhang, Y„ Lu, S. & Ruan, X.-F. (2008) A survey ofthe birds of the Dabei Shan range, central China. ForktaiHA: 80-91. Round, P. D. (2008) The birds of the Bangkok area. Bangkok: White Lotus Press. Wells, D. R. (1999) The birds ofthe Thai-Malay Peninsula. London: Academic Press. Wu, Z.-R., Han, L.-X. & Kuang, Z.-F. (2009) Breeding behaviors of Blue-tailed Bee-eater of Nujiang Valley. Zoological Research 30: 429-432. Robert DeCANDIDO, 1831 Fowler Avenue, Bronx, New York 10462 U.S.A. Email: rdcny@earthlink.net Chatuphon SAWASDEE, Potisarn Pittayakorn School, 14/2 Phutthamonthonl Rd. Bangramad Talingchan Bangkok, 10170 Thailand. Email: Chatuphon.S@gmail.com Damian SMITH, Research Centre for Urban Change, School of Environment and Life Sciences, Peel Building, University of Salford, Greater Manchester M5 4W,T, United Kingdom. Email: D.J.Smith@edu.salford.ac.uk Chukiat NUALSRI, Nathung Administrative Organization, 99 Mu3 Nathung sub-District, Muang Chumphon, Chumphon, 86000 Thailand. Email: bnternstar@gmail.com Deborah ALLEN, P.O. Box 1452 Peter Stuyvesant Station, New York, New York 10009, U.S.A. Email: DAIIenyc@earthlink.net Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 109 Podoces ground-jays and roads: observations from theTaklimakan Desert, China TIZIANO LONDEI Introduction The ground-jays are Central Asian desert birds forming a genus with four species: the Iranian Ground-jay Podoces pleskei endemic to Iran, Turkestan Ground-jay P. panderi, Mongolian Ground-jay P. hendersoni and Xinjiang Ground-jay P. biddulphi, the last endemic to north-western China. These corvids have obvious specialisations to ground-living in deserts (e.g. Londei 2004). Their typical habitat is barren ground interspersed with scrub, as they need some vegetation for the seeds and small animals that form their diet, as well as for shelter and nesting. Their water sources are little known. They are still little-studied birds and their conservation status is generally poorly known, except for the assumption of a common decrease in numbersowing to habitat degradation (Marzluff 2009). As usual with animals of habitats difficult for humans to access, the status of these birds has mainly been assessed by roadside counts. However, roads may affect the abundance of animal populations, and if so, the inference of their regional status by this method may be biased by their local patterns. In a review of 79 quantitative studies of the effects of roads on animal abundance across various taxa (Fahrig & Rytwinski 2009), the documented negative effects, essentially from habitat loss and traffic mortality, outnumbered the documented positive effects, from increased resources and decreased predation, by a factor of five. However, the authors acknowledged that their estimate might be biased by researchershaving purposely selected study species and situations in which they expected a negative effect. An opposite example is ground-dwelling birds that benefit by roads in desolate regions (Li Zhong-qiu et at. 2010). The positive effects of roads on animal abundance may more easily be detected in deserts than in more productive biomes, because along a road animals may find important resources that are scarce elsewhere in the desert, such as food and water aimed at human use. The attraction of ground-jays to roads is probably of ancient origin, at least since the various routes of the so-called Silk Road were established. In the nineteenth century, Scully (1876) noticed the habit of Mongolian Ground-jays coming down to the path along which the horses had gone, to feed on the dung (probably to obtain both grains and beetles). He also reported on a local name of this species, 'Kilyurgha, which has reference to the bird running in the trail of horses'. A 'definite preference for caravan paths' has also been reported for Turkestan Ground-jays feeding on dung, garbage and dropped grains (Dementiev & Gladkov 1954), while Iranian Ground-jays have been observed in the early morning and late afternoon running in search of spilt grains on roads between villages (Hamedanian 1 997). Here I report an exploratory study that might make the basis for more structured studies aiming at both the status of the ground-jays and their possible use in road ecology. Study area and methods Attendance at a road of recent construction has been observed in the Xinjiang Ground-jay, found around temporary car parks, garbage stations and road maintenance camps along the Tarim Desert Highway (Ma Ming & Kwok Hon Kai 2004). This highway, which crosses the Taklimakan Desert for about 500 km, was constructed from 1993 to 1995, and between 2003 and 2005 it was provided with a vegetal multi-belt protection against sand drift (Li Sheng-yu etal. 2008). The planted genera (Calligonum.Haloxylon and Tamarix ) are irrigated through a continuous system served by a number of water-pumping stations set at regular intervals. During a tour by bus in August 2009, 1 surveyed two major-road transects (Figure 1 ) where, respectively, Mongolian and Xinjiang Ground-jays were expected to occur based on a map of relatively recent (1 983-2003) distribution of both species (Ma Ming 2004). A further reason for choosing these transects was to include the presumably best times in a day, early morning and late afternoon, when the birds would be expected to be most active. Thus the first road transect (inset A: 125 km from Yutian to Minfeng on the southern rim of the Taklimakan) was surveyed on 1 5 August from 1 5h30 to 19h00 local time (GMT+6hr). The second road transect (inset B: 250 km along the cross-desert highway from Tazhong northwards to the end of the desert near the Tarim River) was surveyed in two days: on 1 6 August from 17h00 to 18h30, and after a night's rest at a water¬ pumping station, on 17 August from 07h00 to 08h30. Only those birds seen on the very margins of the road, or on the road itself, were considered for counts, because maintenance work along the southern road — in fact the construction of a new road beside it — and the well-grown vegetal belts along the cross-desert highway hampered observation further away from the road-line. This count Figure 1. Locations of the Mongolian and the Xinjiang Ground-jays around and in the Taklimakan Desert, as mapped in Ma Ming (2004) from the records obtained by various observers in 1983-2003. Insets: locations recorded during the present study, 15-17 August 2009. no SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (201 1 ) restriction also served to minimise possible effects of variation in speed of the vehicle (although such variation was fairly low). The data were collected en route following the methods of Londei (2010). Results and discussion I observed a total of eight Mongolian Ground-jays in seven locations from 36°44'N 82°05'E to 36°53'N 82°32'E along 1 04 km of the first road transect (inset A), equating to 7.7 birds per 100 km, and 12 Xinjiang Ground-jays in nine locations from 39°17'N 83°46'E to 40°44'N 84°1 7'E along 1 88 km of the second road transect (inset B), equating to 4.8 birds per 1 00 km. The foraging birds, mostly in adult plumage, showed little fear of approaching vehicles and road workers (Plate 1); Xinjiang Ground-jays also attended the rubbish dumps behind the water-pumping stations, and early in the morning I found a bird drinking from the irrigation system (Plate 2). As far as the number of recorded locations was concerned (Figure 1 ), only the Mongolian Ground-jay showed an increase compared with previous records. However, comparable recent counts of the number of birds only exist for the Xinjiang Ground-jay. Ma Ming & Kwok Hon Kai (2004) listed 34 observation transects of 500-m fixed width and specified length between specified locations, driven (oroccasionally walked) along various routes in and around the Taklimakan. I assigned 22 of these transects, for a total of 3,865 km, to 'major Plate 1. A Mongolian Ground-jay Podoces hendersoni feeding on a stretch of main road under repair on the southern rim of the Taklimakan Desert, August 2009. Photograph: T. Londei. Plate 2. A Xinjiang Ground-jay Podoces biddulphi drinking from a pipe of the shelterbelt irrigation system along the cross-desert highway, August 2009. Photograph: T. Londei. roads' (see Figurel) and 1 2, totalling 1,263 km, to 'minor roads' (from secondary roads to tracks). A detailed recent map of the region (Gizi Map: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 1 :2, 000, 000; 2005) served this purpose. Despite the observations being influenced by variation between years (1988-2003), season, time of day, number of observers, and speed of travel, there was a significant difference between the number of birds (mean ± SE per 100 km) observed on major (3.4± 1 .0) and minor roads (19.0±9.8) (two-tailed Mann- Whitney U test: l/=45, P-0.002). Slower traffic and fewer vehicles on minor roads probably offers the ground-jays more food and less disturbance. The encounter rate for Xinjiang Ground-jay on the cross-desert highway falls between the estimates for major and minor roads, but my transects were much narrower. If I had been able to survey transects as wide as these authors, my result would probably have been closer to the estimates for minor roads. Since the years of its construction, the cross-desert highway may have increased the population density of Xinjiang Ground-jays in its vicinity by offering drinking water from the irrigation system, plus shelter and nesting sites in the planted vegetation. The present encounter rate for Mongolian Ground-jay is rather high compared with that from less heavily altered desert (Londei 2000), but the cause is probably different: in 2009 the southern road probably provided temporary attraction to an unusually high number of Mongolian Ground-jays because the maintenance works resulted in increased food for the birds, owing both to the garbage produced by numerous road workers and to increased spillage from the vehicles, this due to the temporarily poor condition of the road. Overestimating animal abundance in deserts may be a risk when making counts along new major roads, as well as on minor roads in general, as these roads appear to attract animals. On the other hand, the following comparison of the status of Mongolian Ground-jays in past and present times suggests that long-standing major roads involve the opposite risk. Always a peripheral species as far as the Taklimakan is concerned, the Mongolian Ground-jay used to be common on both northern and southern rims, and indeed it was more frequently reported from the north (references in Hellmayr 1929, Ludlow & Kinnear 1933) and this is perhaps the reason why Cheng (1 987), although mentioning Shache(=Yarkand) as the type locality, omitted any other reference to the southern rim of the Taklimakan. However, while counts made by Scully (1876) along the southern rim, totalling 35 birds between Sanju and Karghalik (=Yecheng, a minimum distance of 120 km), are reasonably still comparable with my count on the southern main road, the once- frequent records (unfortunately with no bird count) on the northern rim have no correspondence with the recent complete failures to find this species along the northern main road (Grimmett & Taylor 1 992, Londei 2000, pers. obs. from Kucha to Korla in August 2009). This change may be attributable to the northern main road now traversing a more heavily altered desert in a zone of more advanced economy than its southern counterpart. As less heavily altered desert still exists further away from the road-line (pers. obs.), counts along the northern main road might now underestimate regional ground- jay abundance. Being emblematic animals for desert conservation, ground-jays might help high light the possibility that initially positive road effects on the abundance of animals in deserts change to negative effects as human settlements multiply along the road and these animals lose their basic habitat requirements over an increasing area. Acknowledgements Giuliana Marzi provided substantial assistance during bird recording. Jen Johnson, through the Association of Field Ornithologists' program of editorial assistance, improved the English of the first draft of the manuscript, and Stuart Butchart, Nigel Collar, Will Duckworth and an anonymous referee contributed to ameliorate its substance. Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 111 References Cheng Tso-hsin (1987) A synopsis of the avifauna of China. Beijing: Science Press. Dementiev, G. P.& Gladkov, N. A., eds. (1954, English translation 1 972) Birds of the Soviet Un/on, 2. Jerusalem: Israel ProgramforScientificTranslations. Fahrig, L. & Rytwinski, T. (2009) Effects of roads on animal abundance: an empirical review and synthesis. Ecology and Society 14: Art. 21 . Http:// www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss1/art21/. Grimmett, R. & Taylor, H. (1992) Recent observations from Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China, 16Juneto5 July 1988. Forktail 7: 139-146. Hamedanian, A. (1 997) Observations of Pleske's Ground Jay Podoces pleskei in central Iran. Sandgrouse 1 9: 88-91 . Hellmayr, C. E. (1929) Birds of the James Simpson-Roosevelts Asiatic Expedition. Field Mus. Nat. Hist. - Zool. 1 7: 27-1 34. Li Sheng-yu, Lei Jia-qiang, Xu Xin-wen, Wang Hai-feng, Fan Jing-long, Gu Feng,Qiu Yong-zhi,Xu Bo, Gong Qing& Zheng Wei (2008) Topographical changes of ground surface affected by the shelterbelt along the Tarim Desert Highway. Chinese Sci. Bull. 53, supp. 2: 8-21. Li Zhong-qiu, Ge Chen, Li Jing, Li Yan-kuo, Xu Ai-chun, Zhou Ke-xin & Xue Da-yuan (201 0) Ground-dwelling birds near the Qinghai-Ti bet highway and railway. Transportation Research Part D:Transportand Environment 15: 525-528. Londei, T. (2000) Observations on Henderson's Ground Jay Podoces hendersoni in Xinjiang, China. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 1 20: 209-212. Londei, T. (2004) Ground jays expand plumage to make themselves less conspicuous. Ibis 146: 158-160. Londei, T. (2010) How the most widespread African crow, the Pied Crow Corvus albus, depends on man. Ostrich 81 : 243-246. Ludlow,F.&Kinnear,N.B. (1933) A contribution to the ornithology of Chinese Turkestan. Part 2. Ibis 13(3): 440-473. Ma Ming (2004 )XinjiangGround Jay Podoces biddulphi: an endemic species in Taklimakan Desert. Urumqi: Xinjiang Science and Technology Publishing House. (Text in Chinese.) Ma Ming & Kwok Hon Kai (2004) Records of Xinjiang Ground-jay Podoces biddulphi in Taklimakan Desert, Xinjiang, China. Forktail 20: 121-124. Marzluff, J. M. (2009) Genus Podoces. Pp. 609-61 1 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds. Hand book of the birds of the world, 1 4. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Scully, J. (1876) A contribution to the ornithology of Eastern Turkestan. Stray Feathers 4: 41-205. Tiziano LONDEI, Via San Vincenzo 20, 20123 Milano, Italy. Email: londeit@tin.it Records of Black-breasted Parrotbill Pamdoxornis flavirostris from Manas National Park, Assam, in north-east India ANWARUDDIN CHOUDHURY The Black-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis flavirostris is a globally threatened bird and is listed as 'Vulnerable' owing to a small population, inferred to be declining rapidly as a result of extensive loss and degradation of grasslands (BirdLife International 2009). It is also a 'restricted range' species (Stattersfield etal. 1 998). Its known historic range was restricted to the plains of the Brahmaputra and Barak Rivers in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and northern West Bengal in India and north-eastern Bangladesh (BirdLife International 2001 ). Recent records come from a handful of sites only: Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, northern West Bengal (BirdLife International 2001), Dibru- Saikhowa National Park, Assam (Choudhury 1 994), D'Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh (Singh 1 999) and Kaziranga National Park, Assam (BirdLife International 2001). The occurrence of Black-breasted Parrotbill in Manas National Park was not reported in BirdLife International (2001, 2009). However, Choudhury (2006) reported a secondary record of two birds seen in 1997, south of Mathanguri (Bibhuti Lahkar, pers. comm.). I here report recent observations on the species from Manas National Park in western Assam (Figure 1). On 26 May 2007, while negotiating tall elephant grass jungle on the banks of a shallow river formed by the Doimari and Rabang nullahs, in the Bhuyanpara Range area of Manas National Park, I heard the call of Black-breasted Parrotbill at 1 6h 55 (c. 26°45'N 91°04'E). The site was west of Kanchanbari Forest Camp and south¬ west of Makhibaha Forest Camp. Since I was familiar with its distinctive call (heard in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park), it took no Figure 1. Map of Manas National Park showing the sites of observation of Black-breasted Parrotbill (marked A, B, C, D, E, F). BHUTAN MANAS NATIONAL PARK ■ ^ 26°48 ■ Makhibaha. _ • - at -^^^Koklabariz ^ ^ D = Fann =T^ Koklaban C F f?/ ^ flLo- v >- Bhuyanpara I'ii* Agrang FV Fatemabad TE O /} Panban BAKSA DISTRICT 26 36 N ♦ o km Boundary, International — Boundary, National Park Grassland Patrol road Human habitation 55 and Encroachment ?? Forest Camp • Range Office O 112 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) timefor me to identify the source of the call. I took the riding elephant to near the call, where one bird was seen. Its large, thick, parrot-like bill, black patches on head-sides and throat and the extensive black area on its upper breast were conspicuous. The rest of its body was uniform brownish-rufous. I spent 1 5 minutes in the area and could see4-6birdsontheleftbankofthe shallow, 50 m wide river. I obtained video footage for a few minutes. I also played back the prerecorded call (kindly given by Desmond Allen) and at least one bird responded and came nearby twice. At around 1 7h 1 0, while still observing this group, another group started calling from the opposite bank of the river, c. 150 m from thefirst group. With the help of a pair of binoculars, I could see two birds and a lot of grass movement, indicating the presence of more birds. While returning after these observations, one more group was encountered c.1 km south of the first group, on the right bank of the river at around 1 7h30.This group could not be seen as they stopped calling when we were close and possible rain forced us to rush for the range headquarters. These sites are marked respectively A, B and C on the map (Fig. 1 ). That particular day was extraordinary for grassland birds, as on a three-hour elephant ride I observed six (possibly seven) threatened and two Near Threatened birds in the area (Choudhury 2007). On 15 November 2009, while mist-netting for the elusive Manipur Bush Quail Perdicula manipurensis.a Iso in the Bhuyanpara Range area of Manas National Park but in a easterly location near Kanchanbari Forest Camp, I heard callstotheeastataround 09h30 (c.26°45'N 91°06'E). There were several birds (at least three as surmised from their calls). After a short while, another group started calling from the south. These sites are marked D and E on the map (Figure 1). On 3 April 201 0, 1 again visited the site on the banks of the same river (formed by the Doimari and Rabang nullahs). To my utter surprise I found that the habitat had changed: the Arundo donax has been replaced by Sachharum spontaneum and the riverbed had become dry. This was because of a natural diversion of the river towards the east. At Kanchanbari Forest Camp there was no sign of the parrotbills as the entire grassland had been burnt as part of the park's management. There was no suitable habitat in the form of tall grass at that time in the area. However, while returning to Bhuyanpara, I heard a call from a small patch of tall grass at 1 7h1 5 (c.26°44'N 91°06'E) (marked F on the map; Figure 1). The sites where the parrotbills were seen and heard were dominated by Arundo donax grass. During January-February every year, the bulk of the grassland is burnt as part of the park's management, and the parrotbills vanish temporarily from these sites. This must be a major limiting factor for the species and I have requested that the local ranger burns the grass in patches so that areas dominated by such reeds may be left out. Acknowledgements During the field visits, I was given considerable support and assistance from many government officials, NGOs and villagers, relatives and friends, and I thank them all collectively. For their assistance in the field, I thank L. K. Ramchiary (Range Officer, Bhuyanpara) and his staff. Desmond Allen supplied a recording of the call. References Bi rdLife International (200 1 ) Threatened birds of Asia. Cambridge, UK: Bird Life International. BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Paradoxornis flavirostris. Downloaded from httpsVwww. birdlife.org on 16/1/2010. Choudhury, A.U. (1994) A report on bird survey in Dibru-Saikhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India. Report to the Oriental Bird Club, UK. 71 pp+maps. Choudhury, A.U. (2006) Birdsof Manas national park. Guwahat'i: Gibbon Books & The Rhino Foundation for Nature in North-east India. Choudhury, A.U. (2007) A day of the grassland birds: a first hand report from Manas National Park. Mistnet 8(3): 4-5. Singh, P. (1999) Bird survey in selected localities of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Dehradun: Wildlife Institute of India. Stattersfield, A. J„ Crosby, M. J„ Long, A. J. & Wege, D. C. (1998) Endemic Bird Areasof the world: priorities for biodiversity conservation. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International. Anwaruddin CHOUDHURY, The Rhino Foundation for Nature in North¬ east India. House No. 7, IslampurRoad, Guwahati 78 1 007, Assam, India. Camp: D. C. 's bungalow, North Lakhimpur 78700! , Assam, India. Email: acbadruS6@gmail.com Acrobatic copulatory display in the Black-crowned Barwing Actinodura sodcmgorum J. del HOYO&N.J. COLLAR The Black-crowned Barwing Actinodura sodangorum is a recently described species of babbler from the highlands of central Annam, Vietnam (Eamesefa/. 1999), and is currently listed as IUCN Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2011). On 27 April 2008 JdH, Uthai Treesucon and a local Vietnamese guide tape-lured a pair of Black-crowned Barwings at Loxo Pass, Annam, Vietnam, 1 5.1871 75°N 1 07.74601 °E, elevation c.1 ,000 m, in scrubby roadside vegetation amidst a mosaic of farmland and secondary wood lots. Thefirst response wasfrom the presumed male (hereafter'male'), who came into theopen and replied to the taped song with his own rendition of it, a mellow whistled widididididi-dyuuuurrr-dyuuuurrr. Soon hewasjoined bya presumed female (hereafter 'female'), and the pair then hopped and flew about together, in and out of view, at the edges of dense low vegetation. The taped song was only played a couple of times initially, to stimulate a response from the birds in the wild, but after their first appearance nearby the pair continued to react to the now silent 'intruder' not in an overtly aggressive way but rather with behaviours which presumably reinforced the bond between them. They moved together between small branches in the shrubbery, perching close to or up against each other, the male frequently raising his crest and half-fanning his wings and tail (inthemannerofafantail), the female remaining sleeker, never raising her crest and less frequently opening her wings, but often leaning steeply forward over her perch, sometimes with tail raised, as if ready to drop to a lower position. At the same time, both birds briefly and very rapidly preened, allopreened and pecked lightly at each other, changing position with each other in an animated (but not agitated) fashion, the male once hopping over his mate in a leap-frog that involved landing for a split- second on her back. In one sequence of this behaviour the pair apparently copulated, oralmost copulated, inafast,intricatemovementthatinvolved both birds swinging in a full circle around a branch. The sequence began with the female pecking at the male, who then swung head-first below the perch and came up on the other side of her in a smooth, rapid movement. Then immediately both birds swung, head-first below the perch and up again, this time rather more haltingly, with the female slightly ahead of the male, both birds twisting their upperparts away from each other so that their tail-bases briefly crossed and apparently touched, possibly with cloacal contact, in the course of the downward manoeuvre.Thefemale (her momentum Forktail 27 (201 1) SHORT NOTES 113 Plate la-d. 'Perch-swing' copulatory movement in Black-crowned Barwing Actinodura sodangorum: stills taken from video sequence (others too blurred to be informative), (a) Female (left) slightly precedes male in initiating forward loop, (b) Female begins upward swing just after bases of tails appeared to make contact, (c) Female finishes movement, male commencing upswing (note his right foot almost gripping hers), (d) Pair on perch after the display, male with crown and throat feathers erect, wings slightly fanned. unchecked) continued through the loop to return immediately to the normal perch position while the male hung for a split second upside-down before also, with a scrambling effort, bringing himself uprightto perch again beside her. This sequence was caught on video and can be viewed as one of a series taken at the time and posted at ibc.lynxeds.com/species/black-crowned-barwing-actinodura- sodangorum, but JdH witnessed at leasttwo other such 'perch-swing' copulatory movements while watching this pair. Videograbs show key points in the display sequence (Plate la-d). Apparent copulatory display ofthis type appears to be unreported in barwings (genus Actinodura) and indeed among the babblers more generally. However, there is a record of a captive male Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta completing a song by rotating forwards and downwards on his perch, wings and tail fully spread, hanging upside down, then swinging back up in a full circle (Painter 1 965; also Collar & Robson 2007: 1 22). This suggests that 'perch-swinging' may be a commoner component of sexual display in theTimaliidae than has been documented to date. References BirdLife International (201 1) Species factsheet: Actinodura sodangorum. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 21/06/2011. Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. (2007) Family Timaliidae (babblers). Pp. 70-291 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds. Handbook of the birds of the world, 12. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Eames, J. C., Le Trong Trai, Nguyen Cu & Eve, R. (1999b) New species of barwing Actinodura (Passeriformes: Sylviinae: Timaliini) from the western highlands of Vietnam. Ibis 141: 1-10. Painter, W. J. (1965) Notes on the breeding behaviour of black-chinned yuhinas (Yuhina nigrimentum). Avicult. Mag. 71: 83-84. Josep del HOYO, Lynx Edicions, Montseny 8, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain N. J. COLLAR, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ONA, UK 114 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) Preliminary survey of the avifauna at Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserves, Dong Nai province, Vietnam LE MANH HUNG, MARK B. ROBBINS, NATHAN H. RICE, ERICK A. GARCIA-TREJO, STEVEN M. ROELS & SARAH A. BODBYL-ROELS Introduction Asa result of intenseanthropogenicactivity overmillennia, most of the original vegetation in Vietnam has been greatly reduced. Estimates of remaining forest range between 1 5 and 25% (includes mangroves) and most of the extant forest is degraded (MacKinnon 1997, Sterling et al. 2006). Military conflicts during the 1960s and 1970s accelerated deforestation, especially in the southern half of the country, resulting in entire areas being denuded and other large swathes of natural vegetation being reduced to heavily impacted secondary forest (Sterling era/. 2006). Government policy in the years following the war favoured agricultural expansion and led to extensive forest loss. Instead of being allowed to recover, impacted forest was converted to cash crops or cleared to make way for people who were resettled from the north. In southern Vietnam, the c.72,000 ha Cat Tien National Park was established to protect a number of threatened and endangered species (Tordoff etal. 2004), and in 2001 it was recognised as a World Biosphere Reserved Zone (UNESCO World Hertiage Center, http:// whc.unesco.org). Abutting this park, a new reserve, Vinh Cuu Natural and Historical Reserve, Dong Nai province, was officially mandated in December 2003 (Tordoff etal. 2004). Prior to the establishment of this reserve the area had been governed by several independent entities and, as a result, different resource management regimes. Since 1997, access to the area has been controlled and there has been considerable recovery of the highly impacted lowland evergreen and lowland semi-evergreen forest. Vinh Cuu and Cat Tien are two of six protected areas within the Dong Nai River Basin Conservation Landscape that have been identified as essential for the continued existence for several species across broad taxonomic groups (Pilgrim etal. 2007). In July 2010, Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve was renamed Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserves (Decision No. 2208/QD-UBND, 27 August 201 0 of Dong Nai People Committee). Herein we present preliminary results from avifaunal surveys conducted during April 2010 at two sites within Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserves. Study area and methods Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserves (hereafter Dong Nai Reserves) is c.6 1,625 ha and was established on 3 December 2003; it wasformed primarily from the former Ma Da and Hieu Liem State Forest Enterprises (Pilgrim etal. 2007). The northern boundary abuts the Nam Cat Tien sector of Cat Tien National Park, which provides a critical connection of continuous forest (see Google Earth). Within the reserves, two sites (1 1°22.853'N 1 07°03.750'E, 125 m; 1 1°15.896'N 1 06°59.265'E, 100m), c.12kmapart,weresurveyed from 5-25 April 2010. The first site was worked from 5-15 April and the second from 15-25 April. Both sites were in secondary lowland evergreen forest that was subjected to aerial bombing during the 1960s and early 1970s. Canopy height was quite variable, especially at the first site, where small patches of taller forest were interspersed with large swaths of young secondary forest. Bamboo was in scattered patches within 2-3 km of the first camp, and was the dominant vegetation a few km to the north-east of this camp. Bamboo was much less extensive at the second camp. At both, most streambeds were dry and leaf-litter was relatively deep. There was extensive cultivation (e.g. cashews) several km west of our second camp. Mist-net effort (12 m nets, maximum of 35 nets at first site; maximum of 25 nets at second site; opened for daylight hours only) was concentrated within 2-3 km of our campsites. Daily surveys, primarily from pre-dawn to mid-morning, were made up to several km from each camp. The only precipitation during the survey was limited to a light rain for c. 5-20 minutes during the afternoons of 1 9, 22 and 23 April. MBR's digital sound recordings are available online at the Macaulay Library (ML), Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, USA. Taxonomy and nomenclature follow Inskipp et al. (2001), except for Black-browed Fulvetta Alcippe grotei and White- bellied ErpornisErpom/szanfbo/eucawherewefollowCollar&Robson (2007). Results and discussion A total of 1 40 species were recorded (see Appendix). Despite the hot dry conditions, most species were vocalising; specimen data and behaviour confirmed that many species were in the initial stages of breeding.Atotalof 1 3 migrant species were recorded (see Appendix). Although we did not note the number of migrants netted/day by marking individuals, it was clear that the relative abundance of one species, Siberian Blue Robin Lusclnla cyane, decreased during the course of our inventories. We obtained the first Cochinchina record for Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica and documented the southern most Vietnam record for Silver-breasted Broadbill Ser/7ophus lunatus. Most noteworthy, was the prolonged observation of two adults of the rapidly declining Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda. We were pleasantly surprised at the diversity and abundance of phasianids at both camps; we presume this is a reflection of the prohibition of hunting since establishment of the reserve. It is possible that a fourth phasianid was present, the Orange-necked Partridge Arborophiladavidi, but wefailed to detect the species. If this partridge was present it must have been vocalising infrequently as it appears not be present in even the background of 406 MBR sound recordings made throughout the duration of our fieldwork (ML). Apparently this partridge has a very short season for calling, but it may actually have been absent in the flat relief forest that we surveyed as it may be a slope specialist (J. C. Eames In litt.). We also encountered three different troops (two at the first camp; one at the second), each consisting of several individuals, of the Black-shanked DoocPygathrix nigrlpes (IUCN status Endangered) (Francis 2008). Long-tailed Macaques Macaca fasclcularls were recorded almost daily at the first camp, with some troops numbering greater than 20 individuals. Buff¬ cheeked Gibbons Nomascus gabriellae (IUCN status Endangered) were heard at our first camp on two occasions. One small group of Asian Elephants Elephas maxlmus (IUCN status Endangered) was recorded within a few km of our first camp. Apparently Asian Black Bear Ursus thibetanus (IUCN status Vulnerable) is still regularly encountered (fide park rangers), but the last definitiveTigerPanf/iera tigris (IUCN status Endangered) record was in 1 986 (park ranger, pers. comm.). Squirrel diversity and density were quite high at both camps. Several Black Giant Squirrels Ratufa bicolor (IUCN status Near Threatened) were observed at both camps and a single Indian Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista philippensis was photographed at the second camp. , We surveyed only a small portion of the reserve and several habitats were not covered (e.g. riparian forest, agricultural areas) during our dry-season visit; thus additional surveys during other seasons are warranted to document both resident and migratory bird species that use this reserve. Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis Single individuals were seen at two sites in taller forest at our first Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 115 camp. Hopefully, with forest maturation in Dong Nai Reserves and a sizeable population in the contiguous Cat Tien National Park, this species (IUCN status NearThreatened) will recolonise the area and increase in abundance. Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda On 5 April two adults in full alternate plumage were observed under a clear sky for about an hour, c.1 2h00-1 3h00,asthey independently (no interaction between them being observed) flew back and forth along the length of the Tri An Reservoir within the reserve. The identification was based on the Sferno-like shape and proportions, white throat and upper breast and solid black mid-belly and abdomen. There appeared to be a narrow, ill-defined grey area between the upper belly and the extensive black underparts, i.e. there was not a sharp demarcation between the white and black underparts. The bills appeared orange and the caps were entirely black. At the time of the observation, LMH, who immediately made the identification, remarked on the significance of the record, and the individuals were clearly quite different in shape (e.g. being much longer-winged) and plumage from the two alternate-plumaged Whiskered Terns Chlidonias hybrida that were present. Because both individuals had nearly the same plumage pattern (one had some white mixed in the black belly) the possibility that birds were oiled ventrally was also eliminated. This tern has declined throughout much of its range and its status in southern Vietnam was considered uncertain (Robson 2005).. Recently it was declared extirpated as a breeder in Cambodia; the last definite nesting record occurred there when a pair hatched two chicks on a sandbar in the Sesan River, Ratanakiri province (Goes et at. 2010). Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammiea A single individual was recorded at our first camp. On 12 April, a presumed male sang from c.03h00 until 03h30 (ML 163025). This same individual was heard at least a couple of other mornings prior to dawn. Apparently this represents the first record forCochinchina (Robson 2005). Silver-breasted Broadbill Serilophus lunatus Atourfirstcamp MBRflushed an adult carrying nesting material on 1 0 April. The nest appeared to be nearly complete and was located c.3.5 m above the ground along a c.5 m wide secondary forest trail (photos by LMH). Acknowledgements We are very grateful to Dong Nai Reserve personnel, especially Nguyen Hoang Hao and Nguyen Due Tu, who granted permission and provided logistics for our surveys. Cao Kim Dung, Le Dinh Thanh and Cao Thanh Phong from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Hanoi, were instrumental to our work. Craig Robson kindly identified species in several sound recordings, and John Pilgrim provided references and comments on the manuscript. Nigel Collar, Jonathan Eames and an anonymous reviewer also provided comments that improved the manuscript. References Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. (2007) Family Timaliidae (babblers). Pp. 70-291 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds. Handbook of birds of the world, 12. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Francis, C. M. (2008) A guide to the mammals of Southeast Asia. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Goes, F., Claaseen, A. & Nielsen, H. (2010) Obituary to the black-bellied tern. Cambodian J. Nat. Hist. 1 :5-6. Inskipp.T., Lindsey, N. & Duckworth, W. (2001 ) An annotated checklist of the birds of the Oriental Region. Sandy, U.K.: Oriental Bird Club. MacKinnon, J. (1997) Protected areas systems review of the Indo-Malayan realm. Canterbury, U.K.: Asian Bureau for Conservation. Pilgrim, J. D., Vinh, N. X., Dang, N. X., Polet, G„ Truyen, T., Tordoff, A. W., Manh, T. H. & Peters, J., eds. (2007) Biological assessment of the Dong Nai River basin conservation landscape, Vietnam. Final report, 19 October 2007. Robson, C. R.(2005 ) Afield guide to the birds of South-East Asia. London: New Holland. Sterling, E. J., Hurley, M. M. & Minh, L. D. (2006) Vietnam: a natural history. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. Tordoff, A. W., Tran Quoc Bao, Nguyen DucTu & Le Manh Hung, eds. (2004) Sourcebook of existing and proposed protected areas in Vietnam. Second edition. Hanoi: BirdLife International in Indochina and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. LE Manh Hung, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, 1 8 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam. Email: Hungniltava@gmail.com Mark B. ROBBINS, University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, 1345 Jay hawk Blvd., Lawrence, Kansas 66045, U.5.A. Nathan H. RICE, Academy of Natural Science, 1 900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, U.S.A. Erick A. GARCIA-TREJO, Museo de Zoologia 'Alfonso L. Herrera', Department de Biologia, Apartado Postal 70-399, Mexico, D.F. 045 1 0, Mexico. Steven M. ROELS, University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, 1345 Jay hawk Blvd., Lawrence, Kansas 66045, U.S.A. Sarah A. BODBYL-ROELS, University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, Kansas 66045, U.S.A. Appendix List of birds recorded in Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserves, 5-25 April 2010 RA = relative abundance; C = common (more than 20 individuals/day); F = fairly common (5-20 individuals/day); U = uncommon (present in small numbers; <5 individuals/day); R = rare (only occasionally encountered in small numbers); X = single record. Doc = documentation; C = collected; P = photographed; S = sight record only; V = voice recorded. Status column indicates 'm' = migrant. Species name RA Doc Status Species name RA Doc Status Scaly-breasted Partridge Arborophila chloropus F V White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis U V,P Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus F V, P Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus X S Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi F P Greater Yellownape Picus flavinucha R P Germain's Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron germaini U V Laced Woodpecker Picus vittatus U C,P White-browed PiculetSos/o ochracea R S Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus U C,P Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus R V,P Common Flameback Dinopium javanense U V 116 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) Species name RA Doc Status Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus U V Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis R C,P Black-and-buff Woodpecker Meiglyptesjugularis U V, P Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulmulentus R V Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata U s Green-eared Barbet Megalaima faiostricta F C, P Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis F V Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris C V, P Great Hornbill Bucerosbicornis R s Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes oreskios F V,P Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus F c Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis U V, P Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis R s Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus F C,P Banded Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella F C,P Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda R p White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis U C,P Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon plleata R V Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis athertoni R p Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus X s Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus U V Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus R s Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris R V Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis F V, P Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis U V Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis F V Vernal Hanging Parrot Loriculus vernalis U V, P Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri u V,P Germain's Swiftlet Collocalia germani u s Silver-backed Needletail Hirundapus cochinchinensis u s Fork-tailed SW\hApuspacificus u s Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena F V,P Spot-bellied Eagle Owl Bubo nipalensis X V Brown Wood Owl Strixleptogrammica X V Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei R s Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides F V, P Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata F V Great Eared Nightj a rEurostopod us macrotis F V Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus F V Oriental Turtle DoveStreptopeliachinensis U s Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica R C,P Thick-billed Green Pigeon Treroncurvirostra F V, P Green Imperial Pigeon Duculaaenea U V,P Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleuca X s Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellusindicus U V, P Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum X S m S m Species name RA Doc Status Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida X S m Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes X S m Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernisptilorhynchus X S Black Kite Milvus migrans X S Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornischeela U V, P Crested Goshawk Accipitertrivirgatus R P Shikra Accipiter badius X V,P Besra Accipiter gularis R p Collared Falconet Microhierax caerulescens R s Grey Heron Ardea cinerea X s Purple Heron Ardea purpurea X s Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus X s Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta soror U p Bar-bellied Pitta Pitta elliotii F V Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis X p m Dusky Broadbill Corydon sumatranus U V Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos U p Banded Broadbill Eurylaimus javanicus F V, P Silver-breasted Broadbill Serilophuslunatus X p Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis F V,P Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons F V Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus R S,P m Indochinese Green Magpie Cissa hypoleuca U c Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda X s Racket-tailed Treepie Crypsirina temia U p Dark-throated Oriole Oriolus xanthonotus U V Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei R V Black-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos R V Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus F V Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus U p Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus F V Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus F V, P Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus R s Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus C c Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea C c Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi F C, p Common lora Aegithina tiphia U V Great lora Aegithina lafresnayei F V,P Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis gularis U V White-throated Rock Thrush Monticola gularis U C,P m Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina X s m Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica u s m Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula parva R s m Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides X c Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae F c Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane F c m White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus F C,p Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 117 Species name RA Doc Status Species name RA Doc Status Golden-crested Myna Ampelicepscoronatus R P Buff-breasted Babbler Pellorneum tickelli F C Hill Myna Gracula religiosa R S Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps F C Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis U P Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteron cinereum F C,P Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus F c Large Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus hypoleucos U P Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni F C,P Striped Tit Babbler Macronous gularis F c Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier R s Grey-faced Tit Babbler Macronous kelleyi F C,P Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi U P Black-browed Fulvetta Alcippegrotei F C, P Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus F C,P White-bellied Erpornis Erporniszantholeuca F c Grey-eyed Bulbul lolepropingua F C,p Yellow-vented Flowerpecker Dicaeumchrysorrheum X s Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens U V Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum U s Common Tailorbird Orthotomussutorius F V Ruby-cheeked Sunbird Anthreptessingalensis U C,P Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis U V Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum F C,P Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi X s m Purple-throated Sunbird Nectarinia sperata F V Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides F c m Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis F V White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulaxleucolophus F C,p Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja F p Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulaxmonileger U s Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra F C, P Abbott's Babbler Malacocinda abbotti F C,P Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi X p Predation by leopards of Black-necked Cranes Grus nigricollis in Bhutan TSHERING CHOKI, JIGMETSHERING,T5HEWANG NORBU, UTE 5TENKEWITZ & JAN F. KAMLER Introduction The Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN, owing to its single small and declining population (BirdLife International 2009). Population declines are thought to be due to loss of wetland habitat and agricultural changes in both its breeding and wintering grounds (BirdLife International 2009). Breeding grounds occur mainly in the Qinqhai-Tibetan plateau, China, with small populations in adjacent areas. Wintering grounds primarily include southern Tibet and the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau in China, and Bhutan (BirdLife International 2009). Owing to the high elevation, remoteness and low human population in most of its range, little is known about the ecology of the Black-necked Crane. Although interest and research has increased recently on the species (Lhendup & Webb 2009, Liu etai 2010), virtually nothing is known about its natural predators, especially for adult birds. In Ladakh, India, free-ranging dogs Canis familiaris and Common Ravens Corvus corax were identified as major predators of eggs and chicks (BirdLife International 2001 ). Although no predators of Black-necked Cranes have been identified in China, potential predators were thought to be raptors, Common Ravens, domestic dogs, foxes Vulpes, Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx, wolves Canis lupus and bears Ursus (Dwyer et at. 1 992). In Bhutan, natural predators were thought to be jackals Canis aureus and red foxes Vulpes vulpes, although this was never confirmed (Dorji 1 987). In other crane species, predation on eggs and chicks by a variety of mammal species is commonly reported (Desroberts 1 997, Ivey & Scheuering 1 997, Bergeson etal. 200 1 ), although predation on adult cranes is rarely reported. However, for the Critically Endangered Whooping Crane Grusamericana predation on juveniles and adults was so severe in some populations that it significantly inhibited recovery efforts (Nesbitt et ai 2001). Therefore, identification of predators of adult Black-necked Cranes is important: not only to gain better insights into their ecology, but also to assist conservation efforts that aim to increase long-term populations. In Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan, predation on adult cranes was reported as far back as the 1980s (BirdLife International 2001), although predation seemed to increase in recent years. From 2007 to 2010, >5 cranes per winter were killed by mammalian predators, although their identity was not established. Based on previous literature, we thought domestic dogs would be the most likely predator, although several local villagers we interviewed suggested that leopards Panthera pardus killed cranes. Our goal was to decrease predation events, but we first needed to identify the predatory species in order to implement preventative measures. Here we provide data that confirmed leopards kill adult Black-necked Cranes in Bhutan, and discuss the implications of this for crane conservation. Methods The Phobjikha Valley is located in west-central Bhutan (27°23-30'N 90°10-14'E). Altitude ranges from 2,800 m a.s.l. on the valley floor to 4,000 m on the surrounding mountaintops. Vegetation on the valley floor consists of pastureland dominated by, dwarf bamboo Yushania microphylla, whereas the surrounding mountains consist of coniferous forests dominated by blue pine Pinuswallichiana. The valley contains the largest population (c.300) of wintering Black¬ necked Cranes in Bhutan, with a large part of the area protected in the Phobjikha Conservation Area (163 km2). Our research focused in the northern part of the valley floor, which contained a large roosting site of c. 100 cranes during the study. The distance from the edge of the roost to the closest forest edge was 1 00 m. The Black-necked Cranes were monitored regularly by staff of the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, which manages the conservation area. Cranes were observed using spotting scopes several times per week before they left the roost in the morning. If feathers or carcasses were observed after cranes have left the roost, researchers walked out to the roost to collect remains and record evidence. All dead cranes appeared to have been killed by a 118 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (2011) mammalian predator because they had puncture wounds, broken bones, and were almost completely consumed. However, predators could not be identified because prints could not be discerned on the thick mat of dwarf bamboo. Therefore, to determine the predator responsible for killing cranes, six Cuddeback camera traps (Cuddeback Digital, De Pere, Wl, USA) were set up in random spots around the roost during the winter of 2008-2009. During the winter of 2009-2010 nine camera traps were used and placed in strategic spots, such as game trails and depressions leading from the nearby forest to the roost. Results The minimum numbers of cranes killed in the roost were nine in the winter of 2007-2008, five in 2008-2009 and seven in 2009-2010. Both adult and yearling (<1 yr) cranes were predated, although the age of most cranes killed was unknown due to the nearly complete consumption of carcasses. During the winter of 2008- 2009 no predators were photographed by the camera traps, but during the winter of 2009-2010, four photographs of leopards were taken by camera traps. From 4-1 0 January 2010 one camera trap photographed a leopard heading towards the roost from the nearby forest. On 12 January 2010, another camera trap photographed a leopard dragging a dead crane away from the roost and towards the forest (Plate 1). We could not determine if the photographs were of the same leopard. During the period of these two photographs, remains of at least three cranes were found near the roost closest to where the leopards were photographed. On 9 February 2010 a different leopard (based on pattern of spots) was photographed dragging a dead crane from the roost (Plate 2). On 4 March 2010, another photograph was taken of a leopard dragging a crane away from the roost, although we could not determine if this was one of the leopards from the previous photographs. Interestingly, no remains of other cranes were found near the roost during the period of the last two photographs. Additionally, no remains were found of the three cranes that were dragged away by the leopards, indicating carcasses were probably carried >100 m into the nearby forest before being consumed. Discussion Our results showed that leopards can be predators of cranes, and provide the first confirmation of any predator of adult Black-necked Cranes. Previous authors speculated on potential predators of the species, although the leopard was never suggested (Dorji 1987, Bird Life International 2001 ). However, our results supported claims by several local villagers who stated that leopards killed cranes at night in Phobjikha Valley. Leopards in Africa have been known to prey on medium- to large-sized birds, including Helmeted Plate 1. Camera trap photograph of a leopard dragging a dead Black-necked Crane away from a roost in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan, on 1 2 January 20 10. Photo copyright Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Thimpu, Bhutan. Guineafowl Numida meleagris, korhaans Eupodotis and Common Ostrich Struthio camelus (Hayward et at. 2006); thus it is not too unusual that leopards preyed on cranes in our study. Among other crane species, Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos have been reported to prey on adults in flight (Thiollay 1 979, Munoz- Pulido etal. 1993, Ellis etal. 1999), although predation on adults in roosts was rarely reported. An exception was for captive-born Whooping Cranes introduced into several areas of the south-eastern United States. Among these crane populations, predation from bobcats Lynx rufus was a major cause of mortality (Nesbitt et at. 1997, Urbanek etal. 2010, Cole etal. 2009). In fact, bobcats killed at least 85 of 208 captive-born Whooping Cranes that were introduced between 1 993 and 2000 as a non-migratory population in Florida, causing serious problems for the recovery programme (Nesbitt et at. 2001). Bobcats primarily killed naive captive-born cranes that often roosted in thick vegetation rather than open water (Nesbitt ef al. 2001); thus others concluded that cranes must roost in water >6 m from shore to be safe from predation by bobcats (Urbanek et al. 2010). In our study, all cranes were wild-born and roosted in open water, although the latter did not prevent predation. Leopards entered shallow waterto kill cranes in ourstudy, and such evidence can be seen in the photograph which shows mud on the belly and legs of the leopard (Plate 1). However, a defence mechanism for cranes in our study appeared to be the movement of roosts, because we observed that after one or two predation events the large roost would beabandoned for several weeks in favour of several smaller, more scattered roosts. An alternative explanation is that the crane carcasses were scavenged by leopards in our study site. However, we feel this was unlikely because crane carcasses were not observed in the roosts prior to the leopards being photographed. Also, the only known causes of death for cranes in the roosts during the past five years were from predation, indicating other causes of death (e.g., disease, starvation) were unlikely. It is also unlikely that leopards scavenged cranesthat were killed by other predators, because crane carcasses in the photographs appeared intact with no evidence of previous feeding by other predators. Conservation Our results showed that predators killed at least 5-9% of cranes from the large roost annually, or c.2-3% of the entire crane population wintering in Phobjikha Valley. However, no remains were found of the three cranes that were dragged away by the leopards, indicating that more predation events occurred than were observed. For example, the photographs indicated almost twice as many cranes were killed than were recorded based on carcass surveys. The leopards probably carried the carcasses into the nearby forest before feeding on them, and consequently we are not sure of the Plate 2. Camera trap photograph of a second leopard dragging a dead Black-necked Crane away from a roost in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan, on 9 February 2010. Photo copyright Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Thimpu, Bhutan. Forktail 27 (2011) SHORT NOTES 119 total extent of leopard predation on cranes that winter in Phobjikha Valley. Although total deaths from predation could not be determined on our study site, we feel that predation may not be too severe because of the apparent abandonment of roosts after predation events, which probably prevented excessive killing of cranes by leopards. Also, other factors such as habitat loss and suitability probably have a bigger impact on crane populations than predation. If predation by leopards is determined to be excessive for the crane population, preventative measures could include trapping and relocating the offending leopards, as is done with bobcats in Florida to reduce predation on cranes (Urbanek etal. 2010). Predation by leopards might be an important mortality factor for Black-necked Cranes wintering in Phobjikha Valley, and other areas of central Asia, at least where roosts are adjacent to forests containing leopards. We recommend future research that investigates the spatial and temporal extent of predation on wintering cranes in Bhutan, and the behavioural responses of flocks toward predation events. We caution other crane biologists that some predation events are not easily detected if leopards or other predators are killing at night and carrying carcasses far from roosts before feeding on them. Acknowledgements We thank the staff at Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park for loaning us the camera traps. We also thank the WWF Bhutan Program and the Nature Conservation Division, Royal Government of Bhutan, for providing logistical support. References Bergeson, D. G„ Johns, B. W. & Holroyd, G. L. (2001) Mortality of Whooping Crane colts in Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, 1 997-99 .Proc. North Amer. Crane Workshop 8: 6-10. BirdLife International (2001 ) Threatened birdsofAsia:theBirdLifelnternational Red Data Book. Cambridge: BirdLife International. BirdLife International (2009) Grus nigricollis. In IUCN 2010. IUCN red list of threatened species. Version 2010.4 Cole, G. A., Thomas, N. J., Spalding, M., Stroud, R„ Urbanek, R. P. & Hartup, B. K. (2009) Postmortem evaluation of reintroduced migratory Whooping Cranes in eastern North America.! Wildl. Dis. 45: 29-40. Desroberts, K. J. (1997) Survival and habitat use of greater Sandhill Crane colts on Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, California. Proc. North Amer. Crane Workshop 7: 1 8-23. Dorji, P. J. (1 987) Bhutan's Black-necked Cranes. Oryx 21 : 71-72. Dwyer, N. C., Bishop, M. A., Harkness, J. S. & Zhong, Z. Y. (1992) Black-necked Cranes nesting in Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Proc. North Amer. Crane Workshop 6: 75-80. Ellis, D. H„ Clegg, K. R., Lewis, J.C.& Spauldnig, E. (1 999) Golden Eagle predation on experimental Sandhill and Whooping Cranes. Condor 101: 664-666. Hayward, M. W., Henschel, P., O'Brien, J., Hofmeyr, M., Balme, G. & Kerley, G. I. H. (2006) Prey preferences of the leopard (Panthera pardus). J. Zool. (Lond.) 270: 298-313. Ivey, G. L. & Scheuering, E. J. (1997) Mortality of radio-equipped Sandhill Crane colts at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. Proc. North Amer. Crane Workshop 7: 14-1 7. Lhendup, P. & Webb, E. L. (2009) Black-necked Cranes Grus nigricollis in Bhutan: migration routes, threats and conservation prospects. Forktail 25: 125-129. Liu, Q., Yang, J., Yang, X., Zhao, J.& Yu, H. (2010) Foraging habitats and utilization distributions of Black-necked Cranes wintering at the Napahai Wetland, China. J. Field Orn. 81 : 21-30. Munoz-Pulido, R., Alonso, J. C. & Alonso, J. A. (1993) Common Crane (Grus grus ) killed by Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos). Vogelwarte 37: 78-79. Nesbitt, S. A., Folk, M.J., Spalding, M.G., Schmidt, J. A., Schwikert,S.T.,Nicolich, J. M., Wellington, M„ Lewis, J. C. & Logan, T. H. (1997) An experimental release of Whooping Cranes in Florida — the first three years. Proc. North Amer. Crane Workshop 7: 79-85. Nesbitt, S. A., Folk, M. J„ Sullivan, K. A., Schwikert, J. A. & Spalding, M. G. (2001 ) An update of the Florida Whooping Crane release project through June 2000. Proc. North Amer. Crane Workshop 8: 62-73. Thiollay, J.-M. ( 1979) La migration desgrues a traversl'Himalaya etle predation par les aigles royaux. Alauda 47: 83-92. Urbanek, R. P., Fondow, L. E. A., Zimorski, S. E., Wellington, M. A. & Nipper, M. A. (2010) Winter release and management of reintroduced migratory Whooping Cranes Grus americana. Bird Conserv. Internatn. 20: 43-54. Tshering CHOKI, Jigme TSHERING and Tshewang NORBU, Royal Society for Protection of Nature, PostBox325, Thimphu, Bhutan. Email: tchoki@rspnbhutan.org Ute STENKEWITZ, Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Post Box 325, Thimphu, Bhutan; present address: Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland Jan F. KAMLER, WWF Bhutan Program, Post Box 2 1 0, Thimphu, Bhutan; present address: Wildlife Conservation Society-Lao PDR Program, P.O. Box 671 2, Vientiane, Lao PDR Email: jan.f.kamler@gmail.com Nesting notes of the White-browed Tit Parus superciliosus in alpine scrub habitats in Qinghai and Tibet, China XINLU&JOCHEN MARTENS The White-browed Tit Parus superciliosus is endemic to alpine scrub and edges of adjacent treeline forest of south-western China. Most of its range falls in the Tibetan plateau, in at least three provinces. The birds were thought to breed in alpine shrub forests at 3,200- 4,235 m altitude, placing their nests in rock crevices or old rodent burrows (Harrap & Quinn 1996, Gosler & Clement 2007) based on Martens & Gebauer ( 1993). This is the only information described in the species account of Gosler & Clement (2007). For a long time the species was believed to build closed nests with a side entrance, presumed to reflect its occupation of treeless habitat. Although Pleske (1890) had already reported that the Russian explorer N. Przewalski saw birds entering holes in the ground, the view of a free-nest breeder was maintained for about a century. Field researchers of the last century working in central Asia, e.g. Hugo Weigold, Walter Beickand Ernst Schafer, supported this view (details in Martens & Gebauer 1 993). However, an active nest was never found, so the breeding behaviour of P. superciliosus remained open to question. Doubts that the species really did build its nests in open Caragana jubataor Berberis bushes were expressed by Martens & Gebauer (1993), who reported P. superciliosus carrying nesting material (sheep wool and feathers) into old small-mammal holes south of Qinghai lake (Koko Nor; east Qinghai). These holes were situated in loess cliffs partly opened by erosion. Observed early in the breeding season, these sites were not investigated in detail. Here we describe the first nests of this species ever found. These were in alpine scrub close to Qinghai lake, east Qinghai, and in the Lhasa mountains, south Tibet: they span nearly the northern- and southernmost parts of the species's range. 120 SHORT NOTES Forktail 27 (201 1 ) In the south Koko Nor mountains of Qinghai, Nan Shan lies c.5 km south of the southern shore of Qinghai lake (Koko Nor), near the village of Heimahe (36°42'N 99°46'E; 3,280-3,600 m in altitude). Fieldworkwas carried outduring 1 1-23June 1996onthesouthern lake shore, the plains between the shore and Heimahe, and further south in the Nan Shan to about 3,700 m.The whole area is treeless today, but high-stem Juniperus trees certainly occurred there in ancient times as they still do today in a few remote side valleys south-west of the study site at similar altitude. The area is heavily grazed, in parts even overgrazed, by yaks. The first nest, found on 1 5 June 1 996, was situated at 3,350 m, in loess above a steep 2-3 m high rock slope. Below this rocky slope was a creek, with bushes nearby of willow Salix, barberry Berberis and peashrub Caragana jubata. On 19 June, the nest contained seven chicks, with feather quills just started to open. The nest was 50 cm deep in this hole, its entrance c.1 5 cm wide, the tube diameter c.5 cm wide, the cavity with the nest c.20 cm wide; the voluminous nest was entirely built of animal wool (present at the locality were Woolly Hare Lepus oiostolus, marmot Marmota, pika Ochotona and various livestock). In the underside of the nest a few fruit parts from the plant family Compositae were built in, but there was no grass, moss or blades. The second nest, in the same area, was up another side valley at 3,300 m, found on 17 June 1996. It was in a steep loess slope, the slope c.2.5 m high, with the nest entrance 20 cm below the upper edge of the slope. A creek ran atthe base of the slope. Adults were feeding young in the nest. We did not examine the nest directly. The third nest, in the same side valley, at 3,280 m, was also found on 1 7 June 1 996. It was in the fissure of a rockface 70 cm above the ground, close by a small watercourse. The rockface at this place was c.1 00-1 50 m high. The adults were feeding young in the nest. The pair's foraging area was c.1 00-200 m upstream InSalixandCaragana bushes. In Tibet, fieldwork was carried out in the Xiongse valley near Lhasa (29°27'N 9 1°40'E; 3,900-5,600 min altitude). Because the study area is located inside the valley, natural scrub vegetation is well developed. Predominant species include roses Rosa sericea, barberries Berberis hemleyana and Wilson's Juniper Sabina pingi on the south-facing slopes, and spiraces Spirace alpina, willows Salix sclerophylla and rhododendrons Rhododendron n/Va/e on the north¬ facing slopes. No forests are present. The study area is described in detail in Lu (2008): in its alpine habitats, White-browed Tits are present throughout the year, but uncommon (Lu etal. 2007). During long-term ornithological survey in the Xiongse valley, only three White-browed Tit nests were found. They were all in cliff holes between 4,200 and 4,650 m altitude, on south-facing slopes. The nesting holes were 17-25 cm long. Nest materials consisted almost entirely of hair of Woolly Hare; a few bird feathers and moss were also incorporated. External diameter of the nests was 121 — 1 25 mm, internal diameter 65-73 mm, depth 40-43 mm, height 62- 68 mm, and weight 19-20 g. When found, one nest contained four eggs (4 June 2001) and the remaining two each had four nestlings (1 2 and 15 June 2001). The four eggs, which were white with light brown spots, were measured as 1 7.3 (SD ± 0.9, 1 6.1 -1 8.0) x 1 2.9 (SD ± 0.1, 12.8-13.0) mm. One nestling weighed 12 g, having a body length of 66.0 mm, tail 1 5.1 mm, wing 27.6 mm, tarsus 17.0, and bill 5.1 mm. Additionally, on 23 June 2002 a White-browed Tit was watched delivering food to its nest at 4, 1 00 m, and on 1 3 July 2003 the parents of a White-browed Tit family attracted fledged young to feed from their bill by lowering and flapping their wings. Based on these observations, the first-egg dates were estimated to fall in mid-late May. The birds preferred to forage in bushes during the breeding season. Afterfledging, family flocks were frequently seen to exploit the Lepidoptera larvae developing within leaf buds of Berberis hemleyana, as did Great Tit Parus major, Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides and Pink-rumped Rosefinch C. eos. No interspecific aggression was observed, even when more than one species fed at the same bush. In conclusion, Parus superciliosus is definitely a hole breeder, like other congeneric tits. The few nests found so far were located between 3,280 m (Qinghai) and 4,650 m (Tibet) altitude. Rock cliff fissures and old mammal burrows in loess cliffs seem to be the preferred nesting sites. The breeding season is May-June, with young leaving the nest in late June and/or early July, probably independently from altitude of nesting site. Acknowledgements X.L. wishes to thank X. S. Wu for his assistance in the field. Financial support to X.L. was provided by National Sciences Foundation of China (Grant 30425036). J.M. was sponsored by Feldbausch Foundation and Wagner Foundation, both at Fachbereich Biologie,JohannesGutenberg-Universitat, and by Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft (Ch ina grant to J.M., A. Gebauer andM. Kaiser). J.M. heartily thanks the institutions mentioned and A. Gebauer and M. Kaiser for constant encouragement during our studies in Qinghai in 1996. References Gosler, A. G.& Clement, P. (2007) Family Paridae (tits and chickadees). Pp.662- 750 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie, eds .Handbook of birds of the world, 12. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Harrap, S. & Quinn, D. (1996) Tits, nuthatches & treecreepers. London: Christopher Helm / A & C Black. Lu X. (2008) Breeding ecology of an Old World high-altitude warbler, Phylloscopus affinis. J. Orn. 1 49: 41-47. Lu X., Zhang L. Y. & Zeng X. H. (2007) Comparisons of the alpine bird communities across habitats and between autumn and winter in the mid-Yalong Zangbo River valley, Tibet. J. Nat. Hist. 41 : 251 1-2527. Martens, J. & Gebauer, A. (1993) Bemerkungen zur Biologie, Stimme und Verwandtschaft der WeiBbrauenmeise (Parus superciliosus). Zool.Abh., Staatl. Mus. Tierk. Dresden 47: 213-222. Pleske, T. (1890) Wissenschaftliche Resultate der von N.M. Przewalski nach Central-Asien unternommenen Reisen auf Kosten einer von seiner Kaiserlichen HoheitdemGrossfurstenThronfolger Nikolai Alexandrowitsch. Zoologischer Theil., Band II. Vogel 81-144, pll. II, IV— VI. St. Petersburg: Commissionaires de I’Academie Imperiale des Sciences. Xin LU, Department of Zoology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China, E-mail: Iuxinwh@l63.com Jochen MARTENS, Institut fur Zoologie, Johannes Gutenberg- Universitat, D-55099 Mainz, Germany, E-mail: martens@uni-mainz.de Forktail 27 (2011) Guidelines for contributors Forktail publishes original papers in the English language treating any aspect of the ornithology (e.g. distribution, biology, conservation, identification) of the region bounded by the Indus River to the west, the Russian Far East, Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Lydekker's Line (i.e. the eastern boundary of Wallacea) to the east, the Chagos Archipelago, Lesser Sundas, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands to the south (see map in Oriental Bird Club Bull. 3 1 :7). Submissions are considered on the understanding that they are being offered solely for publication by the Oriental Bird Club, which will retain copyright. 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