Greetings all. 13th May 2023, another Global Big Day event held by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Bird watchers from all over the world will be reporting their observation on that particular day via eBird site.
I manage to do an hour of bird watching at a nearby park, just less than 100m away from my house. Most are common garden birds plus two "not seen before" species around this place. Both are new entries to my neighborhood bird list, making a total of 53 birds now. Those two new entries are Golden Bellied Gerygone and Paddyfield Pipits.
Javan Myna
The African Tulip Trees here were blooming, so it attracts the sunbirds and the Javan Mynas to feed its nectar. This time there were two types of sunbirds; Olive Backed Sunbird (1 adult male and an immature male) and Brown Throated Sunbird (1 adult female and an immature male).
Olive Backed Sunbird - Immature Male
Olive Backed Sunbird - Male
Brown Throated Sunbird - Immature Male
A pair of Black Naped Orioles were also foraging for insects on the surrounding trees, along with a curious male Oriental Magpie Robin.
Black Naped Oriole
Black Naped Oriole
Black Naped Oriole
Oriental Magpie Robin
I heard an odd call from the rain trees, and saw a small yellowish bird foraging for insects. It was fast, made my gear's AF struggling to focus. It was a Golden Bellied Gerygone, which I think usually seen at the mangroves.
Golden Bellied Gerygone
As I was approaching those rain trees, I accidently flushed a pair of Paddyfield Pipits, as I did not noticed at all it was there. As far as I know, I never seen this species here before.
Yellow Vented Bulbul
Ashy Tailorbird
Asian Koel
Swiftlet, probably an Edible Nest Swiftlet
House Crow
After an hour of observation, I went back to update the details in the eBird site.
Name: Lesser Adjutant Scientific Name: Leptoptilus javanicus Tamil Name: சிறிய போதா நாரை(Siriya Poathaa Naarai)
Malay/Local Name: Burung Botak Kecil
Lesser Adjutant wading at the intertidal mudflats in Jeram, Selangor.
For those who are not familiar to this stork species, its certainly a weird bird with an eerie look. Lesser adjutant is the smallest member of the Adjutant family, which at seen foraging at the intertidal mudflats and rice fields. It is a large bird with bare neck and head and comes with a big dagger like bill. Its genus, "Leptoptilus" means "delicate feather", probably describing the delicate hair like feathers on its bare head and neck. Its species name, "javanicus" indicates the location where the first specimen was described. The Malay name was derived from its obvious characteristics and described for being the smallest among the three species of Leptoptilus storks.
Lesser Adjutant from Sungai Balang Rice Field, Johor.
Description:
Adult adjutant appears with a blue-black upperpart and white underpart, with pinkish bare skin on the head and neck, which are barely covered with scattered hair like feathers. Bill is horn-colored and legs are grey. Eyes are bluish. Despite of its larger size and heavier bill, the male adjutant looks similar to the female in plumage. Juveniles appears as the duller version of the adults, with more feathers on its nape. During its breeding season, the bare part of its head and neck of the breeding adults turns brighter. A full grown Lesser Adjutant stands about 1.1m to 1.2m tall, with a wingspan up to 2.1m. Hybridization do occur in nature due to overlapping breeding range as well as in captivity, with Painted Storks.
Closer look of Lesser Adjutant
Status and Distribution:
Common to scarce resident of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. In Peninsular Malaysia, Lesser Adjutants are can be seen at coastal mangroves of Perak (Kuala Gula, Kuala Sepetang, Bagan Datok, Ulu Dedap rice filed), Selangor (North Central Selangor Coast),Johor(South Western Coast, Sungai Balang, Bukit Gambir), Pahang (Pekan) and Penang (Teluk Air Tawar). In East Malaysia, the bird can be seen on North-Eastern and North-Western coasts of Sabah; Pulau Beruit and Maludam National Park of Sarawak.
Some sightings of Lesser Adjutant by our local birders.
Lesser Adjutant just landed at the intertidal mudflats of Jeram, Selangor
Lesser Adjutant prowling at the Jeram mudflats, Selangor
Lesser Adjutants from Kemang Tasik Rice Field, Johor. [Photo Credit: Ahmad Taufik]
Confusion Species:
None
Geographical Variation:
None
Behavior:
Forages alone or in small loose groups at the intertidal flats adjacent to coastal mangroves and rice fields. Lesser Adjutants feeds on fish, frogs, snakes, large invertebrates, and other smaller water birds. Also picks on carcasses. Hunting is done by both visual and non visual methods. As for the visual hunting method, the bird seen to pursue moving preys on the surface of the mudflat while using its wings to balance itself. The prey is grabbed with its beak and tossed before swallowing. For its non-visual hunting, it captures its prey by repeatedly probing its slightly gapped bill into to the mud. Sometimes it plunges the whole head and partially its neck into the mud and this may indicate its strong neck anatomy. Observed continuously gnawing the mud as well to extract prey items. The captured prey is tossedand swallowed whole. Also observed to wash mud covered prey before consuming. Often seen thermaling above its habitat, sometimes along with other storks or raptors. Mostlysilent; bill clattering, hissing and moaning sounds have been noted at the nests.
Lesser Adjutant with a catch at Sungai Muar, Johor. [Photo Credit: Ahmad Taufik]
Lesser Adjutant with an eel at Jeram mudflats, Selangor
Lesser Adjutant gulping a White Breasted Waterhen, at Wasan Rice Field, Brunei. [Photo Credit: Husini Bakar]
Lesser Adjutant about to land on the Jeram mudflats, Selangor.
Lesser Adjutant thermaling above Parit Jawa coast, Johor
Habitat: Coastal wetlands, freshwater wetlands, and rice fields.
Breeding:
In Peninsular Malaysia, breeding season are recorded between January to June. It breeds once a year. Lesser Adjutants are tree nesters and prefer tall (even dead) emerging trees in secluded mangroves and freshwater swamps. It also nest at abandoned plantations, forming a small scaled colony. Its nest are large yet rather flimsy looking, made with sticks and lined with smaller twigs and green leaves. Nests are re-used by adding more sticks to it.
Nest is constructed by both male and female adjutants. Courtship is lengthy; starts 3 months before the first egg is laid. Male selects the nesting spot; indicating the spot by carrying a twig. Two to four (mostly three) white eggs are laid in 1 to 3 days intervals and incubated by both male and female for 28 to 30 days. The parent birds had been seen to shade the young by spreading their wings and to bring water to the chicks during hot weather. The young birds fledge in 47 to 52 days, and will be fully independent at 5 months old.
Hybrids:
Recorded in both nature and captivity. with Painted Stork. The hybrid had the look and size of a Painted Stork along with greyish body and dark grey wings, which resembles the Lesser Adjutant.
Conservation Status:
Lesser Adjutants are classified as "Vulnerable" under IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with lessthan 250 individual birds surviving in Peninsular Malaysia. Although globally its facing population decline due to habitat loss, overhunting and human disturbance, Lesser Adjutants in Malaysia are facing threat due to the degradation of habitat and habitat loss primarily. Large, open trees in the mangroves are chosen by the adjutants for nesting and for high tide roosting. When large trees are logged in the mangroves, it will take time for those smaller trees to grow to that useful size for the adjutants to nest or to roost. The situation goes even worst when logging is done illegally. It will gradually reduce the number of large trees and thus reduce the number successful breeding of this adjutant.
When this happens, the adjutants may move away from that habitat to find new potential breeding grounds, which is will reduce its number in the original habitat. There are records of nesting had been made much further away from the coastal mangroves in an abandoned rubber estate in the state of Johor. This may had happened due to lack of suitable trees in the mangroves. There is a study done on nesting characteristics of Lesser Adjutants in Nepal, which mentions the species makes choices based on the tree characteristics instead of the tree locations. When the adjutants started to nest near to human settlements, there are chances for it to be exposed to new threats, i.e., nesting trees can be removed by people in response to the nuisance of nesting birds. The coastal mangroves also face threats from land reclamation for water front developments as well.
I had found some things lacking about the Lesser Adjutant conservation here in Malaysia:
Lack of latest data on population and population trend for the past 10 years for Lesser Adjutant.
No national level programs related public awareness of conservation of Lesser Adjutants, at least to those who are living closer to its habitat. Such programs are not documentedand followed up properly, if it has been executed.
No cost and manpower related data proposed for the conservation measures of Lesser Adjutants, for a much realistic and workable solution. Continuity is lacking.
A much positive approach need to be planned by the authorities and NGOs to save these birds. Most bird enthusiasts emphasized on one point as a plan to save this bird: "Protect the mangroves!".
References:
Katuwal H. B., Sundar KS. G., Zhang M., Rimal B., Baral H. S., Sharma H. P., Ghimire P., Hughes A. C. and Quan R. C. (2022) Factors Affecting the Breeding Ecology of the Globally Threatened Lesser Adjutant, Avian Conservtion and Ecology.
Subaraj R. and Lok F. S. L (2009) Status of Lesser Adjutant in Singapore, Nature In Singapore
BirdLife Internation - Data Zone (2023), Lesser Adjutant, http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/lesser-adjutant-leptoptilos-javanicus/text
I started this write up on 9th October 2018, due to lack of information I had to halt it for sometime...
Here it goes!
I never know peafowls existed in Malaysia until I read a book titled as "Malayan Animal Life" written by J.L. Harrison and M.W.F Tweedie (1970), in the year 1997. Sadly not much information been shared in their writings. They mentioned that peafowls once found in the coastal flats of Terengganu and Pahang. Then by coincidence I came across a newspaper article on extinct animals of Malaysia, and found that Green Peafowl is one of them. Lets look further about the Green Peafowls.
Green Peafowls (Pavo muticus) are once found from North Eastern India to the Malay Peninsula, as well as in Java. Green peafowl were indicated with "Pavo laponensis" as their scientific name. This is due to some paintings from Japan. The Japanese had imported Green Peafowls from South East Asia for hundred of years, and these birds were frequently depicted in their paintings. This had made, Carl Linneus to classify these birds under the species name of "Laponensis", means "habitat in Japan". Green peafowls are not native birds of Japan. They were kept by the emperors and now they are no longer occur.
Painting of Green Peafowls in pair by Maruyama Okyo (1781). [Credits: Wiki]
Green peafowls were further classified under three subspecies:
1. Pavo muticus muticus(Classified in 1766), Javan Peafowl - Formerly found throught Malay Peninsular and Java. Now endemic to Java.
2. Pavo muticus imperator (Classified in 1949), Indo Chinese Peafowl - Found in IndoChina and Yunnan Province.
3. Pavo muticus spicifer (Classified in 1804), Burmese Peafowl - Found in Burma and South Western Thailand. Formerly found in Bangladesh and Northern Malay Peninsular.
So how to distinguish them in the field? Seriously...no idea, since there are few variation of size and plumage within its subspecies, based on the region that it came from. Any sightings in Malaysia? Yes...1! According to EBird, there is a sighting recorded by someone named "Stephen Carter" at Pulau Pangkor Laut on 15th March 2006. Two green peafowls were found, and Stephen doubt it could feral or introduced. Furthermore it is not a validated record. I believe it could be a hybrid Indian peafowl which has a green plumage instead of the usual blue, which do look similar to an actual Green Peafowl. I have seen such peafowl at Kuala Lumpur Bird Parks ago. Those are not the real Green Peafowls that we are looking for.
A hybrid Indian Peafowl with green plumage at KL Bird Park. (6th Oct 2018)
The Green Peafowl once sighted in 1956 and 1958 by John Corder, the co-vice president of World Pheasant Association (WPA) at the coastal area of Terengganu. The last sighting was recorded before 1965, along the river margin of Besut (Terengganu). According to WPA, the birds faced habitat loss during the 60s due to the extensive clearing of forest to make way for oil palm plantation. Then they move to the river valleys and adjacent flatland, which made them more vulnerable to hunting. Peafowls were hunted for their meat, feathers and eggs.
In order to reintroduce the green peafowl, Malaysia's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), initiated a program in 1990 by collaborating with WPA. Four pairs of green peafowls were given to PERHILITAN by WPA. These birds were distributed to Malacca Zoo and Sungkai Wildlife Breeding Centre (Perak). Second batch of birds came in the year 2004, about a dozen of young birds aslo from WPA. PERHILITAN claimed that the reintroduction will be done in 3 years (means in 2007), when the second batch of birds starts to adapt themselves in a semi wild environment and starts to reproduce. PERHILITAN really want to make sure the reintroduction not to be disrupted by the (previous) extinction factors again.
Another source told that the reintroduction was pending for long just for finding a suitable location for reintroduction. Earlier PERHILITAN mentioned to release the birds at Kuala Tahan (Taman Negara, Pahang) once the birds are able to reproduce. However no information found for such activity so far. If they had reintroduce the birds, some of the birders might had sighted them in Taman Negara. I did checked with many senior birders, yet no sightings recorded so far for green peafowls in the wild.
WPA did carried out a study on the first batch of birds at Malacca Zoo. They have been breeding and flying out of the zoo to feed on the grass at the nearby golf course. A total of 13 birds were claimed to be sighted in this area, which includes 4 chicks and 2 females. This was during 2006. I am unable to get any information on its current status, unless I make a visit.
On 12th April 2023, a friend of mine, Yoganathan, posted in our Whatsapp group chat, that the green peafowls were released at Taman Negara Sungai Relau, based on a Facebook post by Endemicguides. This has got my attention and I quickly contacted Mr. Ismail of PERHILITAN for further info. He did mentioned to me that 4 peafowls (3 males and 1 female) were released at Taman Negara Sungai Relau by PERHILITAN on 4th April 2023, as a trial of reintroducing the peafowls back to the wild. Mr Ismail further updated that second batch of release will be done if the first trial is successful. The second batch will be released in different location if in case the first trial fails. Another bird enthusiast, Apiq Sulaiman, shared me a photo of the green peafowl from Sungai Relau taken by his friend, Sabrie, who is serving as a bird guide in Taman Negara Sungai Relau.
A male Green Peafowl from Taman Negara Sungai Relau (Merapoh, Pahang). Photo credit: Sabrie Zoo.
I wish to share some information on the Blue or Indian Peafowls from a temple at Dengkil. At Mayuranathar Temple of Dengkil, they had brought in 10 blue peacocks (Pavo cristatus) and they are reared openly. No cage! They are free to roam around the oil palm plantation surrounding the temple without any harm, even with human presence. They successfully breed as well, since chicks were found with the female birds. 3 years back there were 18 birds in total. Some of these peafowls roam as far as Paya Indah Wetland of Dengkil as one of the bird photographer, Mr Tim Looi, had seen it perching on a tree at this location (Feb 2023). Therefore peacocks are breedable in case there is no human interference such as hunting, trapping or egg collecting activities.
Indian Peafowl (male) at Paya Indah Wetland. Photo by: Tim Looi (19th Feb 2023)
I hope PERHILITAN's effort will be successful and the Green peafowls will roam again in the wild as they used to be many decades ago.. It could be an added jewel to Malaysia's list of natural treasures.
Black Faced Spoonbill is a species water bird belongs to the ibis and spoonbill family (Threskiornithidae). It has the most restricted distribution of all six species of spoonbills. As it name implies, it has a spatula shaped bill.
Black Faced Spoonbill (Sub-adult)
Description:
Non breeding adults are white with black facial skin, bill and legs. Breeding spoonbills have chest washed with yellow, as well as with yellow markings at its eyes and long plumes. Subadults looks alike the non breeding adults, however their primaries are tipped with black, which is visible during flight.
Black Faced Spoonbill in breeding plumage, from Shenzhen, Guangdong Province (China). Photo credits: Mengti Yang (Taiwan)
Black Faced Spoonbill in breeding plumage, from Shenzhen, Guangdong Province (China). Photo credits: Mengti Yang (Taiwan)
Status and Distribution:
Vagrant.
Black Faced Spoonbills are confined to the coastal region of East Asia. Breeds on the West coast of Korean Peninsular, Liaoning Province (China) and East coast of Khankha Lake (Russia). It winters (October to April) at Taiwan (Tsengwen Estuary), Hong Kong (Deep Bay), coastal area of South China, South Korea (Jeju), Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines. It is considered as passing migrant at East coast of Korean Peninsular, Japan and coastal region of East China.
It was sighted on 19th November 2019 for the first time in Malaysia at North Central Selangor Coast, IBA MY011, by Ong Kang Woei, Chin Choong Liung, Low Kok Hen, Jacelyn See and Yeap Chin Aik during a boat survey. One individual (sub adult) observed flying towards South. It was distinguished as a Black Faced Spoonbill by comparing its leg projection during flight with other possible spoonbill species (Eurasian Spoonbill).
A sub-adult Black Faced Spoonbill sighted in 2019 at IBA MY011- First Record for Malaysia. Photo credits: Ong Kang Woei (UPM, Malaysia)
.
It was later sighted for the second time on 15th December 2020 at Teluk Air Tawar - Kuala Muda Coast IBA MY003 by Dr Nur Munirah of Shorebirds Peninsular Malaysia Project. It was a sub adult spoonbill, seen feeding at Sungai Penaga tidal flats. The bird was last seen feeding at this spot on 29th Dec 2020 (morning). It was believed had flew away to other location. SPMP team tried to relocate the bird along the coast, yet the it was not seen again.
A sub-adult Black Faced Spoonbill from Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda coast - 2nd record for Malaysia.
Another individual was sighted at Kota Belud (Tempasuk rice field) on 6th Jan 2021 onward. It was seen feeding on freshwater shrimps.
3rd sighting of Black Faced Spoonbill for Malaysia, from Tempasuk rice field (Kota Belud, Sabah). Photo credits: Boris Soon (Sabah)
Black Faced Spoonbill (sub-adult), from Tempasuk rice field (Kota Belud, Sabah). Photo credits: Vui Kun (Sabah)
Black Faced Spoonbill (sub-adult), from Tempasuk rice field (Kota Belud, Sabah). Photo credits: Vui Kun (Sabah)
Black Faced Spoonbill (sub-adult), from Tempasuk rice field (Kota Belud, Sabah). Photo credits: Vui Kun (Sabah)
There were 3 sightings recorded for spoonbills at Sabah in the 1960s (22nd Feb 1962 and 11th Sept 1968 - Papar, 12th Jan 1968 - Tempasuk), yet the actual species were unable to be determined and tagged as "Uncertain". It could be either a Black Faced Spoonbill or a Eurasian Spoonbill.
Confusion Species:
Both Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia leucorodia) and Black Faced Spoonbill are similar looking birds and also forage together. Eurasian Spoonbills can be distinguished from Black Faced Spoonbill by its yellow tipped black bill and the lack of black facial skin.
Eurasian Spoonbill (non breeding plumage) from Chambal River, Rajasthan, India. Photo credits: Sunil Singhal (Rajasthan, India)
Eurasian Spoonbill (non breeding) from Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Photo credits: Mengti Yang (Taiwan)
Geographical Variation:
None. Monotypic.
Behavior:
Forages in flock. It feed on fish, shrimps and large aquatic insects, that were caught by sweeping the partially opened bill in the turbid water preferentially during dawn and dusk. The bill will be opened wider if most preys are large. It was not clear on how the bird gauges the width of its opening; it could be the bird sensed or encountered larger prey, or by observing the prey size caught by other individuals.
Black Faced Spoonbill (sub-adult), from Teluk Air Tawar - Kuala Muda coast, IBA MY003
Once the bill partially immersed in the water, the bird sweeps the bill in the water from side to side. The flatness of the mandibles minimizes the drag and turbulence while the bird sweep its bill looking for its prey. This reduces the chances of prey to get disturbed in advance and flee due to turbulence. Closer analysis of its bill revealed that there are numerous pits found on the tip of its mandibles. The pits are relatively more dense on the laterals and insides of the bill. These pits are most likely spaces for the sensory receptors. Therefore its bill construction explains well for its lateral feeding movements. Once the prey is captured, the bill is taken out from the water and prey is tossed and swallowed whole. From field observation, it do not raise its bill tip above the horizontal when it handles and swallows the prey.
Compared to storks, Black Faced Spoonbill's "sweepings" are observed to be much faster, probably due to the bill's structure and larger number of receptors. These receptors also enable the bird to hunt in turbid water and during night time, with minimal visual clues.
The bird advances with a step forward at the end of every sweeps. Steps are paused when prey is captured and handled for swallowing. The spoonbill also sweeps without stepping forward when the water is too deep to walk about and prey concentration is relatively high. The bottom structure of foraging area and occurrence of obstacles also hinder its move-about during feeding.
Breeds in colony along with other water birds (i. e. Grey Heron, cormorants and gulls). Male spoonbill will initiate the courtship by preening the female's cheek, head and neck. Female will respond with preening too. After few minutes, the male spoonbill will raise its plume and grasp the female's bill, then proceeds to copulate. The courtship and copulation will continue until the day before last egg is laid. Some birds tend to change their mate in different years. Nest is build with sticks; more sticks will be added during incubation and brooding. Male bird will bring the sticks and passes to the female where it places sticks on the nest. It also been observed to re-use old nest, including those old nests of other birds, i.e. Grey Heron nest.
Two to three eggs (white with small brown spots) are laid. Incubation period is approximately 26 days. Both male and female take turn to incubate the eggs. Eggs are turned in between incubation shifts. Night incubation is done by female bird itself.
Brooding period is about 40 days. The nestlings initially will have pointed bill tip, which turn into more rounded shape later. The spoon shaped bill appears in approximately 2 weeks time after hatched. The breeding plumage of the adults will disappear and plumes will shed about 30 days after the chicks hatched. Chicks will fledge in 40 days.
Hybrids:
Hybrids between a male Eurasian Spoonbill and a female Black Faced Spoonbill were recorded between year 2012-2015 at Incheon, South Korea. A total of 11 eggs were laid during these period, which produced 9 successful hybrid offspring. The hybrids had intermediate morphology between Black Faced and Eurasian Spoonbill; with larger body, longer bills and legs than Black Faced Spoonbills. Hybrids also lacks the black facial skin and have much smaller, paler yellow patch under its lower mandible. There is a variation in the portion of black markings on the facial skin among the hybrid individuals.
Conservation Status:
Classified as "Endangered" under IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is a totally protected species in its breeding regions. Its conservation actions was initiated in the 1990s where back then it was evaluated as "Critically Endangered" species globally. In the end of 1990s, the Black Faced Spoonbill had become one of the best known conservation stories in East Asia. In ten years, the effort really made a change in the local attitude to the conservation of this bird. Second conservation planning were initiated in 2005 in Japan, for those birds population in Russia, East coast of China and South Korea.
It was initially listed as "Threatened" species under World Checklist of Threatened Birds by International Council for Bird Preservation (now known as Birdlife International) in the late 1988. Six years later, it was listed as "Critically Endangered" in the revised edition as more details had been known regarding its population and threats at its wintering grounds. In the late 1990s, its status was re-evaluated since it could not meet the "Critically Endangered" criteria due to some increase in its population and reduction of its threats as well. Therefore the Black Faced Spoonbill was classified as "Endangered" after that and its status was remain unchanged till now.
Based on the International Black Faced Spoonbill Census done in 2021 by Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS), 5222 wintering individuals had been recorded from Korean Peninsular, Japan, coastal area of China and Philippines.. This number show an increase (of 7%) in the population compared to year 2020 (4864 individuals recorded). However regionally, significant drop in the population had been recorded between 2020 and 2021 (Mainland China, Deep Bay area of Hong Kong and Shen Zen, Republic of Korea and the Philippines).
Population trend of Black Faced Spoonbill at wintering region. Source: International Black Faced Spoonbill Census 2021.
Habitat loss and degradation is the greatest threat for the Black Faced Spoonbills throughout its range since tidal flats reclamation (for agriculture, aquaculture, industries and urban developments) is considered severe at both of its breeding and wintering grounds. This is further contributed by the high human population density and rapid economic growth of East Asian countries.
Pollution, which is contributed by industries and settlement adjacent to its habitat, is another threat for this species, since it reduces the available food source at the tidal flats. Hunting and egg collection also reduces its numbers in the wild. This species also disturbed by other human activities such as fishing, shellfish collection, bird watching and photography, especially at its breeding sites. According to a research done in 1999 at Xing Ren region of China revealed that shellfish collectors, photographers and powerboats are the major sources of disturbance causing the Black Faced Spoonbills to abandon its nests.
Since habitat loss and degradation contributes mostly to the population decline of this bird, important sites need to be identified and legally designated as protected areas or protected through proper land use planning and management at those sites. Proper enforcement also needed to reduce human interference at these protected areas to ensure successful breeding which may boost the its population.
References:
1. Ueta. M, Kurosawa. R and Allen. D (2000) Conservation and Research of Black Faced Spoonbills and Their Habitat, Wild Bird Society of Japan.
2. Swennen. Cornellis, Yu Y.T. (Jan, 2009) Food and Feeding Behavior of the Black Faced Spoonbill, Ecological Studies of Endangered Black Faced Spoonbill.
3. Yu Y.T, Li, C.H., Tse, I.W.L. and Fong, H.H.N. (2021) International Black Faced Spoonbill Census 2021, Black Faced Spoonbill Research Group, The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society & BirdLife International.
4. In-Ki Kwon, Ki-Sup Lee, Ji-Yeon Lee, Jong-Hyun Park and Jeong-Chil Yoo, Hybridization between the Black Faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) and Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) in South Korea, Waterbirds, 40(1), 77-81, (1 Mar 2017).
5. MNS Records Committee, https://sites.google.com/site/mnsbccrecordscommittee/Home/latest-news
Special Thanks for those who contribute photographs and information:
1. Dr Nur Munira, Shorebirds Peninsular Malaysia Project.
2. Dave Bakewell
3. Premala Arulampalam-Gehri & Adrian Gehri (Kota Kinabalu, Sabah)
Local (Malay) Name: Burung Botak Upih / Burung Upih / Upih Bakau
Measurement: 91 - 97 cm
Milky Stork is a stork species mainly found at the coastal mangroves of some South East Asian countries. Earlier was grouped under the genus "Ibis", later it was placed under the genus "Mycteria" as for their similarities with other stork species in the genus. The term "Mycteria" means snout or "nose" in Ancient Greek; "cinerea" means "ashy coloured" in Latin, which is rather confusing as this stork appears white. There are cases whereby the term "cinerea" being used for describing "whitish" colours of some plants and animals as well.
"This species was first known to me through in 1996 my first bird guide book "Pengenalan Burung-Burung Malaysia" published by World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (1989). It was described that the population of Milky Stork is rapidly declining and the last strong hold is Kuala Gula sanctuary. At that time, I was in doubt whether I would be able to see this bird in the wild before its too late."
Description:
Milky Storks are slightly smaller than Painted Storks. Adult storks appear in white with black flight feathers and tails. Bare facial skin is orange-red with irregular black blotches. Bill is yellow. During breeding season, the facial skin appears in wine red color, which fades to its original color soon after the courtship. Bill turns into deep yellow and legs will be in deep magenta during the courtship. Immature birds look similar to those of Painted Storks. Head, neck and wing coverts are pale brown, with darker flight feathers and tail. Hybridization due occur, mostly recorded in captivity. The hybrids of Milky and Painted storks, with some black markings on their upper wing coverts and lacks the pinkish tinge on its tertial and inner secondary feathers. Some has much paler upper wings compared to those Painted Storks.
A free ranging Milky Stork at Taiping Lake Garden
Immature Milk Stork
Status and Distribution:
Uncommon localized resident of Peninsular Malaysia. Kuala Gula (Perak) sanctuary was its stronghold once. Free ranging Milky Storks can be seen at Taiping Lake Garden (Perak), as a result of successful breeding program done by Taiping Zoo. Milky Storks are also seen in small numbers (mostly flock along with Painted Storks) at Johor (Tanjung Piai, and Sungai Danga), Selangor (Shah Alam Lake Garden), Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Malacca (Sungai Putat).
Confusion Species:
Milky Storks can be at times confused with its close relative, the Painted Stork. This was seen in some recorded observation in some webpages. Milky Storks lacks the black markings on its wing coverts and the pinkish tinge on its tertial feathers of Painted Storks. Underwing plumage also different from those Painted Storks; Painted Stork's flight feathers are black, with black and white markings on lesser and median underwing coverts which cross over its chest. As for Milky Storks, the lesser and median underwing coverts are white. In side by side comparison, Milky Storks appear smaller than Painted Storks.
Comparison between the underpart of Milky Stork (Top) and Painted Stork (Bottom)
Geographical Variation:
None. Monotypic
Behavior:
Moves and forages in flocks. Also flocks along with Painted Storks. Fish is their main diet. Those Milky Storks occurs along coastal mangroves are recorded to consume mainly on mudskippers. The storks found at Taiping Lake Garden were seen taking fish along with small snakes and frogs. Preys are captured by sense of touchand also by visual searching. Hunting mechanisms of Milky Storks that had been observed are:
1. Groping - It walks slowly through shallow water while the bill is submerged partially in the water, often draw its bill in an arc side to side. It then rapidly shuts the mandibles as soon as the prey touches the groping bill. This typical hunting method is also known as "active tactolocation". Sometime the stork stands stationary, waiting for the prey to make contact with its opened mandibles, which is termed as "passive tactolocation".
2. Direct Probing - With partially opened mandibles, the bill is directly probed into holes on mudflats to capture prey in the mud.
3. Prey Herding - Milky Storks also cooperatively flush prey into shallower water in flocks, which adds more success rate in their hunt. It uses its feet to "agitate" and drive out the fish from its hide at the water edge, which later captured in between its gaped bill.
Once captured, the prey is swallowed whole after some tossing.
Groping for prey
A Milky Stork stirring the grasses with its feet at the water edge to drive the prey out from its hide
Habitat:
Coastal mangroves with tidal mudflats, and estuaries.
Breeding:
Breeding typically occurs from April to November. In Taiping, free ranging Milky Storks are recorded to breed from March to August. It breed colonially, along with other species as well at the matured mangroves. Tall, dead mangrove trees (mostly Avicennia sp.) are chosen for nesting. Courtship display is done by bowing and bill raising. Nest is built with medium live sticks of mangrove species. Typically 2 to 3 eggs are laid, incubated for 30 days. It takes approximately 50 days for the chicks to fledge.
Hybrids:
Recorded to breed with Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala) and Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) in captivity. 2 to 3 hybrids (Milky Stork x Painted Stork) found at Tanjung Ketapang coast of Johor by Ahmad Taufik on October 2022
Milky Stork x Painted Stork Hybrid at Tanjung Ketapang, Johor. (Photo by: Ahmad Taufik)
Conservation Status:
Classified as "Endangered" under IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Census for Milky Storks were started in 1983 at Matang Mangrove Forest. Perak Forestry Department classified two areas within Matang Mangrove Forest; Pulau Kalumpang Lake and Pulau Terong Lake as main conservation ground for the Milky Storks. Despite of all effort taken by the government, the population of Milky Stork rapidly declined, from 150 individual in 1980s to less than 10 storks, in 20 years. In 1935, a breeding colony of these storks existed in Pulau Ketam (Selangor), which later wiped out by human interference (i.e. poaching). Currently, only 5 wild Milky Storks had been seen so far at Matang Mangrove Forest and it has become more and more uncommon now. Among the factors that had contributed to its population decline in the wild were:
a. unsuccessful breeding due to the decrease of larger, matured trees at the coastal mangroves.
b. higher population density of predators, which leads to higher chances of egg and nestling predation (i.e. Brahminy Kite, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Asian Water Monitor, Common Palm Civets, Long Tailed Macaque).
c. human interference, through mangrove wood harvesting, pollution and the presence of human itself at the habitat/nesting site of the storks (due to fishing, hunting and other forestry activities), since Milky storks are very sensitive to disturbance.
d. migrated to other locations due to lack of prey items and suitable nesting area
Population Trend of Milk Storks at Matang Mangrove Forest from 1983 to 2006
As a respond to the declining population of Milky Storks, PERHILITAN along with Zoo Negara and Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) initiated "Milky Stork Breeding and Reintroduction Program" in the late 1980s. This is to achieve a free flying population of Milky Storks at Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) and also to re-establish the storks at other sites at the coastal mangroves of Selangor. The program was made into two phase:
a. Phase 1 (between 1987 to 1996) - to build up stock of breeding storks in Zoo Negara.
b.Phase 2 (between 1996 to 2004) - to release the storks (2nd generation) in the on-site aviary built in KNSP.
A total of 10 storks (3 males and 7 females) were obtained from Zoo Negara and released in the aviary of KNSP. Nests were seen but the breeding was unsuccessful (eggs hatched but no young fledged). It was decided to release all the storks after one of them escaped the aviary through a tear in the aviary netting.
The free flying storks later began courtship and 3 nest were found within a Grey Heron colony at KNSP. From a total of 6 eggs, 5 chicks hatched. 3 dies within few days, and the last 2 were killed when the nest was toppled by storm. As in 2004, 4 storks were regularly seen at coast of Sungai Buloh by bird watchers so far.
The program later was discontinued due to lack of funding to maintain the aviary as well as to feed and monitor the storks. Lack of expertise in behavior and breeding biology of those storks is mentioned to be another reason for the program to be unsuccessful.
Even though the wild population had decline rapidly, the number of captive and free ranging Milky Storks has steadily risen. Zoo Negara had over 224 individuals in 2007, resulted by captive breeding program initiated in the year 1987 (Phase 1 of "Milky Stork Breeding and Reintroduction Program"), with 10 Milky Storks.
Currently we can see a good population of Milky Storks wandering around Taiping Lake Garden, as a result of successful breeding of free ranging storks at Taiping Zoo. The lakes adjacent to the zoo provides food for these free flying birds. However the storks still has to return to the zoo for nesting. Tall trees within the zoo compound provides a safer nesting area for the storks, against predation. So far there are 34 free flying Milky Storks around Taiping Zoo area.
Another issue that can lead Milky Storks to extinction is hybridization. When an endangered species hybridizes with closely related species, it might get absorbed into that species. There is record of the Milk Stork x Painted Stork hybrids escaped from captivity into the wild and interbred with wild birds. Therefore, the population of "pure" Milky Storks in the wild will be lesser as time goes on, until it is totally extinct. As for this, strict removal of hybrids from the wild along with the introduction of genetically pure Milky Storks ensures the species survival.
References:
1. David Li Zuo Wei, Siti Hawa Yatim, John Howes and Rahmah Ilias (2006) Status Overview and Reccomendations for the Conservation of Milky Strok Mycteria cinerea in Malaysia, Wetland Internation & Dept of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia.
2. Wikipedia, 2017. "Milky Stork". Last Modified March 4, 2017.
3. Dr. Kevin Lazarus (Taiping Zoo and Night Safari), Nov 16, 2021.
.jpg)
%20(1).jpg)
