PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH INTERNATIONAL HORNBILL CONFERENCE SINGAPORE 22nd-25th March 2009

Editor: Geoffrey Davison, Assistant Editor: Cheryl S. W. Chia

CONTENTS

• The Singapore Hornbill Project: A great but simple idea. Tuan-Wah Wong.
• Re-introduction of the Oriental Pied Hornbill in Singapore, with emphasis on artificial nests. Marc Cremades, Huimin Lai, Tuan-Wah Wong, Soon-Kiong Koh, Raja Segran & Soon-Chye Ng.
• A note on the minimum viable population of Oriental Pied Hornbills in Pulau Ubin. Jinghui Huang.
• Breeding observations on the Oriental Pied Hornbill in nest cavities and in artificial nests in Singapore, with emphasis on infanticide-cannibalism. Soon-Chye Ng, Huimin Lai, Marc Cremades, Mark Tee-Sin Lim & Sadali bin Mohammed Tali.
• Citizen science and the monitoring of hornbills in Singapore. Yeow Chin Wee.
• Action plan for conservation of hornbill species in Irangi Forest, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Robert Byamana Kizungu.
• Participatory conservation and monitoring of Great Hornbills and Malabar Pied Hornbills with the involvement of endemic Kadar tribe in the Anamalai Hills of Southern Western Ghats, India. Amitha Bachan K. H., Ragupathy Kannan, S. Muraleedharan & Shenthil Kumar.
• Status survey of the Malabar Pied Hornbill in the Dandeli region, Northern Western Ghats, India. Vijayakumar Sneha & Priya Davidar.
• Vegetation features and restoration initiatives in the Indian Grey Hornbill habitats in Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary, Eastern Ghats, India. Paramasivam Balasubramanian, Easwaran Santhoshkumar & Chinnasamy Anbarasu.
• Breeding behaviour of Indian Grey Hornbill in Central India. Pravin Charde, Raju Kasambe & Jeevan L. Tarar.
• Nest sanitation in Indian Grey Hornbill in Central India. Pravin Charde, Raju Kasambe, Anil Pimplapure & Jeevan L. Tarar.
• Preferential dispersal of Malabar Pied Hornbill from Himalayas to Western Ghats in through the Satpuda Hills, Central India. Gajanan A. Wagh, Jayant S. Wadatkar & Kasambe Raju.
• Installation of artificial nest cavities for the endangered Great Hornbill: A pilot study in Southern India. Douglas A. James,
  Amitha Bachan K. H. & Ragupathy Kannan.
• Distributional status of hornbills in Sri Lanka, 1993 – 2009. Sarath W. Kotagama, Chinthaka Kalathota & Chandralal Kumara.
• An assessment on artificial nest construction for hornbills in Budo Su-Ngai Padi National Park, Thailand. Chakorn Pasuwan, Sura Pattanakiat, Charlie Navanugraha, Vijak Chimchome, Sittichai Madsri, Phuvanart Rattanarungsikul, Preeda Thiensongrusamee, Teerasak Boonsriroj & Pilai Poonswad.
• Wood decay fungi in hornbill nest cavity in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. Sirirak Supa-Amornkul, Suthep Wiyakrutta & Pilai Poonswad.
• Feeding overlap and seed dispersal efficiency between sympatric hornbills and gibbons in Thailand. Tommaso Savini & Chution Kanwatanakid-Savini.
• Food consumed by Great Hornbill and Rhinoceros Hornbill in tropical rainforest, Budo Su-Ngai Padi National Park, Thailand. Sukanya Chaisuriyanun, George A. Gale, Sittichai Madsri & Pilai Poonswad.
• Characteristics of hornbill-dispersed fruits in lowland dipterocarp forests of Southern Thailand. Shumpei Kitamura, Siriporn Thong-Aree, Sittichai Madsri & Pilai Poonswad.
• Enumerating the ethno-ornithological importance of Philippine Hornbills. Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez.
• Observations on the breeding biology of the Helmeted Hornbill in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. Mike H. N. Chong.
• Homes for Sumatran hornbills. David Lee & William Rombang.
• A survey on mass movements of the vulnerable plain-pouched hornbill in the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex, Peninsular Malaysia. Ravinder Kaur, Teresa Ong, Kim Chye Lim & Chin Aik Yeap.

Twenty years ago, the German researcher Harald Pieper discovered fossil remains of a small nocturnal bird of prey in Madeira, which, until now, had not been studied in depth. The international team of palaeontologists has shown that the remains belong to a previously unknown extinct species of scops owl, which they have called Otus mauli.

“It has long legs and wings slightly shorter than the continental European scops owl from which it derives” Josep Antoni Alcover, one of the authors of the study and researcher at the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA), a mixed centre of the university of the Balearic Islands and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), said.

The result of the analysis of the proportions of the remains found, which has been published in the journal Zootaxa, reveals that Otus mauli could be a land inhabiting species that ate invertebrates and “occasionally lizards or birds.”

“It is likely that their extinction is linked to the arrival of humans and the fauna they brought with them,” Alcover explains. He also points out that their disappearance formed part of a pattern of extinction of the island’s species, which occurred in virtually all the islands of the world.

According to researchers, amongst the causes of extinction of this scops owl, the destruction of its habitat is highlighted, as Madeira had a lot of serious fires during the seven years that followed the Portuguese arrival. Furthermore, humans brought new birds with diseases that were unfamiliar to the native species, as well as rats and mice that could prey on eggs of animals that had nests close to the ground.

Exclusive to Madeira?

The same or a similar species has been investigated in Porto Santo, another island of the archipelago of Madeira. “This is extremely interesting” the researcher says, “but difficult to assess because the materials found are limited and fragmented.”

“If the scops owls of Madeira and Porto Santo were different species, it would mean that the Otus’ flying ability is much more limited than continental scops owls. The distance between the two islands would be enough to isolate them” Alcover points out.

The homogeneity of the scops owls’ measurements on the two islands, as well as the differences compared to European scops owls suggests that they were genetically isolated from the European populations. The distance between the continent and the island was enough to explain the difference in the species.

On this island they expect to discover new species of birds in the near future “which will report a world that disappeared just a few hundred years ago.” “The same thing will happen in the Azores islands where there is already evidence that a scops owl different to the ones in Madeira and Europe that is also extinct” the scientist says.

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com

On their epic journeys spanning thousands of kilometres, migratory birds connect continents, cultures and people along their migration routes. World Migratory Bird Day 2012 and this year’s theme Migratory birds and people – together through time highlight the vital relationship between birds and people.

Considering the cultural, social, historic, economic and spiritual connections we have with birds, it becomes clear that migratory birds and people are inseparably connected in many different ways and on many different levels. At the same time, many human activities including excessive land use and unsustainable hunting, as well as the impacts of climate change, fishing by-catch and pollution gravely threaten migratory bird populations around the world.

Support migratory birds through an event!

Join the celebration of a great natural wonder on World Migratory Bird Day! We invite everyone to join us to celebrate, protect and raise awareness of migratory birds on 12-13 May 2012 by organizing bird-watching events, educational programmes, lectures, art exhibitions, competitions and other public events. However you decide to participate, your contribution will help make a difference!

We encourage all event organizers to register their events on the WMBD website so we can add them to the WMBD Event Map at: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org

]]> http://burung-nusantara.org/news-and-events/the-world-migratory-bird-day-team-is-excited-to-present-to-you-the-2012-website/feed/ 0 http://burung-nusantara.org/news-and-events/6th-east-asian-%e2%80%93-australasian-flyway-partnership-meeting-establishment-of-sembilang-national-park-as-migratory-waterbirds-site-network/ http://burung-nusantara.org/news-and-events/6th-east-asian-%e2%80%93-australasian-flyway-partnership-meeting-establishment-of-sembilang-national-park-as-migratory-waterbirds-site-network/#comments Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:32:28 +0000 BuNu Admin http://burung-nusantara.org/?p=5972 The Flyway is home for 50 million migratory waterbirds from 250 population, including 28 globally endangered species.]]> Jakarta – International cooperation along migratory birds flyway is very important as migratory birds protection and conservation considering the width of stop-over area.

East Asian – Australasian flyway is one of important flyways (the Flyway) of migratory waterbirds. The Flyway extends from within the Arctic Circle in Russia and Alaska, southwards through East and South-east Asia, to Australia and New Zealand in the south, encompassing 22 countries.

The Flyway is home for 50 million migratory waterbirds from 250 population, including 28 globally endangered species. These migratory waterbirds usually fly south to north or otherwise, and includes Anatidae, Crane, shore birds and sea birds.

These birds truly depend on wetlands and mudflat sites while migrating along the flyway. These natural productivities are really important for stop over, especially for feeding ground before continue their journey. However, the wetlands habitat in East Asian and South East Asia is decreasing due to area conversion and economy development. These threats affect migratory waterbird using the area as stop over location, resting and protection.

Indonesia is one of important countries in the Flyway because it has several potential location as migratory waterbird stop over location, its geographical position connects north and south and it has one of widest coastal line in the world. Wasur National Park in Merauke District, Papua is one of stop over area established as Flyway Network Site since 2006.

On 19-23 March 2012, 6th East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) Meeting will be held in Palembang, South Sumatra. Ministry of Forestry, Mr. Zulkifli Hasan and Governor of South Sumatra, Alex Nordin, are scheduled to open the meeting. This meeting will discuss EAAFP work programs on 2012 – 2017 period and other important issues regarding migratory waterbird and habitat conservation.

During this meeting, EAAFP will establish Sembilang National Park as 108th Flyway Network Site. The Ministry of Forestry will announce the formation of Migratory Bird and Habitat Conservation Partnership as Indonesia’s commitment in sustainable migratory waterbird and habitat conservation.*

The review—based on BirdLife International’s data and assessment for the IUCN Red List—reveals that seabirds are now more threatened than any other group of birds. Of the 346 seabird species, 97 (28%) are globally threatened and a further 10% are close to being so. Nearly half of all seabird species are known or suspected to be experiencing population declines. The albatross family is especially imperilled with 17 of the 22 species currently threatened with extinction.

“Seabirds are a diverse group of worldwide distribution and as top predators they also provide a valuable indicator of wider marine health”, said Professor John Croxall, Chair of BirdLife’s Global Seabird Programme, and the paper’s lead author.

Human activities lie behind these declines. At sea, commercial fisheries have degraded fish stocks and caused the deaths of innumerable seabirds through accidental bycatch, whilst on land the introduction of invasive species has extirpated many breeding colonies.

There may still be time to reverse these declines and the review is clear on the actions that need to be taken. The sites where seabird congregate—both onshore breeding colonies and offshore feeding grounds must be protected. BirdLife has already identified many Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for seabirds on land and is about to publish the first inventory of marine IBAs in the high seas. It is hoped that these will help develop a global network of Marine Protected Areas and assist the implementation of new approaches to the management and protection of marine systems.

Invasive species, especially introduced rodents, must be removed from major seabird colonies. Several successful restoration projects have already taken place and BirdLife is currently collaborating with Island Conservation and the University of California, Santa Cruz to compile a list of priority sites for future eradication operations. There is also a need for more research to fill existing knowledge gaps and address emerging threats such as aquaculture, energy generation operations and climate change.

Sumber: www.birdlife.org

The man died on 3 March after being treated at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, the capital of the province, since 29 February.

The man was suspected of suffering bird flu as he had been treated for bird flu symptoms. So far there have been no confirmation from two laboratory tests as a requirement for bird flu attacks. Spokesman for avian flu control with the hospital, Primal Sudjana, said that the patient suffered multiple organ failure as his kidneys, respiratory system and liver malfunctioned.

The patient had been treated previously at two other hospitals in the capital province before he was shifted to Hasan Sadikin hospital, the spokesman was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying.

Should the laboratory test confirm the man was positive on H5N1, his death would be the fifth bird flu death in the country this year, putting the total fatality to 155 out of 187 cases since 2005.

It was not clear yet whether the man had contact with animal. But, contact with poultry, particularly chicken, is the common cause of fatality in Indonesia.

Indonesia had been hit, the hardest, by H5N1, several years after the virus attacked the country seven years ago, but then the attacks had been slowed and have started to reoccur since last year by killing 9 people, including two children.

Sumber: http://www.thepoultrysite.com

Their study was published on 1 March 2012 in the scientific journalPLoS ONE. Science journalist Michael Balter also writes about their research in the 1 March 2012 issue of Science.

Nearly all birds belonging to the corvid or crow family hide food underground, storing it for later. However, when fellow corvids see something being buried, they enjoy stealing it. The Western scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica), a blue-grey jay home to the southern USA, is well known for its smart little tricks to avoid being robbed.

Social intelligence

The scrub jay trick is as follows: if it notices other birds watching, it buries its worms as far away as possible and keeps recaching, over and over again, as if attempting to confuse the spies. As soon as it is on its own, it recaches its worms one more time. This behaviour appears so smart that speculation has it that the scrub jays are able to put themselves in another scrub jay’s position, and that they are able to come up with a line of reasoning on what others see and know, for instance: ‘If my fellow scrub jay knows where I’ve hidden the worm, I need to hide it again, somewhere else.’ This would be very special, as this is an ability only attributed to humans and perhaps some monkeys.

Stress

Van der Vaart and her supervisors, however, have developed an alternative theory which explains the birds’ behaviour without making much reference to social behaviour: a scrub jay may know from experience that its worms are safest if they are hidden far away from any other birds. If other birds are watching while a scrub jay hides its food and if it then keeps recaching it, this may very well not be due to the fact that it is trying to mislead the other birds, but because it is becoming stressed by their presence. It may perhaps be thinking: ‘I need to hide more worms for later!’ When at last the scrub jay is on its own again, it turns out that the jay itself is the one really confused by all the moving: many worms are no longer where the jay expects them to be. The result is that the bird becomes even more stressed and continues to move worms.

Virtual bird

Van der Vaart developed this theory using a corvid computer model that she had designed earlier to study corvid memory and learning behaviour. In essence, she created a ‘virtual bird’. The PLoS ONE article describes how in experiments this virtual bird displays the same recaching behaviour as a real jay, and of course without any extensive insight into what other jays are thinking. Science reports that empirical researchers are planning to test the predictions made by the computer model. This should ultimately lead to true understanding of the so often admired scrub jay intelligence.

Sumber: http://www.sciencedaily.com