Birds

This article was originally published on my blog but given the positive response I decided to share it here. It’s a personal account of struggles with photographing Pearl Kite over the years; of course according to the laws of nature I ran into another Pearl Kite only days after snagging the image in this post. When I realised that there were other strange people like myself who would journey into areas devoid of humans to get a chance to breathe and bask in nature, I was already set on an entirely different trajectory. The year was 2010, and it was the year I discovered there was a word for the thing I would do on weekends, while driving, through the office window, basically anywhere and any time I could: birding. I remember the first time I laid eyes on the T&T field guide; a mix of awe and annoyance flooded my brain. How long had this treasure trove been hidden from me? After living on these islands for upwards of two decades and literally cutting class to stare at Magnificent Frigatebirds, how was I only now finding out about this? Nevertheless, I leafed through the pages and pored over the illustrations. In doing so, several species jumped out at me. They were charismatic in their own way, whether by plumage, novelty, or oddity. The deep scarlet breast of the Collared Trogon took me on a journey that lasted a couple of years before I laid eyes on one, at the crack of dawn at the absolute highest point one could drive on Trinidad. The upside-down bill of the Streaked Xenops (as well as its name, what’s not to love in a name that starts with ‘x’?) completely enthralled me – to this day I rejoice each time I spot one of these tiny acrobats. Many people obsess over raptors, but I’ve never been completely smitten by the family. They’re impressive, yes. Imposing, definitely. Most times I see them soaring as vultures do, but having spent so much time observing frigatebirds as I mentioned earlier, they seemed tethered to thermals during the heat of the day and to sturdy stumps otherwise. Of course as the years progressed, I’ve since learned much more about them and have come to understand how incredibly well adapted they are for their unique way of life. While I can appreciate this, I still struggle when writing about raptors – a stark contrast to how effusive I am over shorebirds. There have been a few raptors that truly stood out to me from that embryonic stage, however. Few can argue over the undeniable appeal of an adult Ornate Hawk-Eagle – a large, mostly white bird with fine black bands across its entire underside, feathers going all the way down to massive, powerful talons. Its broad wings and long tail are slate grey, and specially designed for manoeuvrability. But its crowning glory surely is its orange face and black mohawk-esque crest; at the very least it is indeed an ornate creature. Another bird of prey that had caught my eye was the equally beautiful yet surprisingly diminutive Pearl Kite. Size is never something that is apparent from illustrations in a field guide. Sure enough, there are inklings if one is attentive enough to read the accompanying text. But 20cm doesn’t seem to ring any bells until there’s the realisation that a Great Kiskadee is 24cm. Yes, Pearl Kites are tinier than most of our garden birds. In fact, they are the smallest raptor in the entire Neotropics. Little did I know that loving this bird was going to end up in a very lengthy and growingly frustrating journey to actually photograph it. Between 2010 and the present day, I have encountered Pearl Kites several times – and most folks who are unlucky enough to broach the topic of Pearl Kite with me will know by now that it’s been my bogey bird. The first time I saw a Pearl Kite, it was a female sitting in a nest about 30m away. Although it was just above eye level, the nest itself was a confusing cornucopia of twigs set in the middle of an equally twiggy tree. I strained to hold my camera steady, and then focus on the top of her head as she occasionally looked around. I never shared that image, and subsequently lost it in any one of the five hard drive crashes I’ve had. Which crash exactly is inconsequential. The fact is I lost the only photo I had of the species. While Pearl Kites are routinely spotted in Trinidad, they are often seen in suburbs or even city areas with some level of greenery. My problems therefore stem from my aversion to these habitats. In 2014 I had just exited a government office freshly liberated from some bureaucracy, and as I made my way back to the jeep, sharply pointed wings and a pure white underbelly directly overhead confirmed that yes, a Pearl Kite was riding the wind currents between buildings to hover so closely that I could’ve probably tossed it my keys. Three years later, while visiting my parents a Pearl Kite paid us a visit. It perched on a utility wire close enough for me to discern its slate-grey cap and rufous forecrown and cheeks without any optical aids. Which was fair, as I had neither binoculars nor camera with me at the time. Jumping roughly a year onward from that point, the characteristically powerful and direct flight of a Pearl Kite crossed my path while delivering a calendar to a longtime friend. This time, although my camera was secure at home, I was equipped with binoculars. I spent a few minutes admiring it as it clutched to the very tip of a tall bamboo stalk, its feathers ruffling as the stalk bent and swayed in the wind. Its wholly raptorial gaze, however, never wavered in its intensity and ferocity. By this point it was becoming a sort of joke. Thoughts…

By Wenyi Zhou Wenyi is a graduate student at the University of Florida, studying how plantation forestry affects bird communities in southwestern China. He became interested in birding in 2015 after encountering his spark bird—the Steller’s Jay. Birds form flocks—sometimes with members of their own species and sometimes with completely different ones. If you’ve birded in the tropics, you’ve probably seen this firsthand. In the Neotropics, for example, it’s common to find antshrikes, antwrens, woodcreepers, and foliage-gleaners foraging together. These birds move through the dense understory in coordinated groups, connecting with each other through constant contact calls. To me, watching mixed-species flocks is always the best part of birding. But it raises an interesting question: Why do different species flock together? The short answer comes down to two things: foraging efficiency and predator avoidance. First, when flocking with others, birds can learn and share the location of food resources through “social learning” (Krebs 1973). This process helps individuals locate food patches more effectively. At the same time, having others around means more eyes watching out for danger (the “many-eyes effect”; Ale & Brown 2007) and reduces the likelihood that any one bird will be caught by a predator (the “dilution effect”; Foster & Treherne 1981). These foraging and anti-predation advantages go hand in hand: the less time a bird spends scanning for danger, the more time it has to feed. But why join a mixed-species flock instead of sticking with your own kind? Don’t the concepts above apply to single-species flocks as well? Yes, but it turns out that mixed-species flocks can offer foraging and anti-predation benefits in more specialized ways. In terms of foraging, certain mixed-species flock species act as “beaters”: They stir up insects or other prey as they forage, which other flock members can then snatch up (Swynnerton 1915). While traveling in Madagascar last summer, I encountered a group of White-breasted Mesites (Mesitornis variegatus) turning over leaf litter on the forest floor. Following them was a Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus), sallying out to catch prey flushed by the mesites. In this two-species association, the aerial forager (drongo) is taking advantage of the foraging movement of the ground forager (mesite). It’s a classic example of the beater-sallier dynamic, where one species creates foraging opportunities for another. And when it comes to avoiding predators, mixed-species flocks often include species that are very good at detecting predators and sounding off alarms (Goodale & Kotagama 2008). These are particularly vigilant birds that give early warning calls when they detect danger. In southwest China, for example, the Yunnan Fulvetta (Alcippe fratercula, see cover photo) often plays this role in mixed-species flocks. Its alarm-calling ability makes other flock participants feel safe. When I approach a flock, the fulvetta is usually the first to sound the alarm, alerting all the other birds of my presence. The next time you see a mixed-species flock, take a moment to watch what each bird is doing. Is it leading the movement? Acting as a beater? Giving alarm calls? These flocks are more than just random groups of birds. Instead, they’re dynamic and cooperative networks, with each member playing an important role.References: Ale, S., & Brown, J. (2007). The contingencies of group size and vigilance. Evolutionary Ecology Research, 9(8), 1263-1276. Foster, W., & Treherne, J. (1981). Evidence for the dilution effect in the selfish herd from fish predation on a marine insect. Nature, 293(5832). Goodale, E., & Kotagama, S. W. (2008). Response to conspecific and heterospecific alarm calls in mixed-species bird flocks of a Sri Lankan rainforest. Behavioral Ecology, 19(4), 887-894. Krebs, J. R. (1973). Social learning and the significance of mixed-species flocks of chickadees (Parus spp.). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 51(12), 1275-1288. Swynnerton, C. (1915). Mixed Bird parties. Ibis, 57(2), 346-354.

What is your favorite bird species? Trogons Whitehead’s Trogon What is your name, and where do you live? Andrew J. Sebastian, Malaysia What are the main regions or locations you cover as a bird guide? Malaysia, Borneo, Indonesia, and West Papua How long have you been a bird guide? 24 years How did you get into bird guiding? A Red-headed Trogon turned up in front of me one day – and no looking back since! Black-crowned Pitta What are the aspects of being a bird guide that you like best? Which aspects do you dislike most? The thrill on the faces of the clients when we hit target birds! Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise What are the top 5-10 birds in your region that are the most interesting for visiting birders? Black-and-yellow Broadbill Black-crowned Pitta  Blue-banded Pitta Bornean Banded Pitta  Blue-banded Pitta Can you outline at least one typical birdwatching trip in your area? Please briefly describe the locations, the key birds, and the approximate duration of such a trip Day 1: KOTA KINABALU-KINABALU PARK Meet at Kota Kinabalu airport. Head to Tanjung Aru (a 10-minute drive) to target coastal birds, especially the Blue-rumped Parrot along with Green Imperial Pigeons, Collared Kingfisher, White-breasted Wood-swallows, etc. Drive 1.5 hours to Kinabalu Park for evening birds. Overnight Perkasa Hotel (or similar). Day 2: KINABALU PARK, FULL DAY Target Birds: Mountain / Kinabalu Serpent Eagle (E), Black-sided Flowerpecker (E), Whiteheads Spiderhunter (E), Mountain Barbet (E), Bornean Bulbul (E), Bornean Treepie (E), Sunda Laughing-thrush (E), Whiteheads Trogon (E), Whiteheads Broadbill (E), Chestnut-crested Yuhina (E) etc Day 3: KINABALU PARK – TAMBUNAN  Spend most of the day at the park, check out from the hotel, and drive 2 hours to Tambunan town for 2 nights. Check in at Paddy View Guesthouse.  Day 4: TAMBUNAN Early drive 45 minutes to Trusmadi Hide. We spend almost the full day here at a comfortable hide with megastar birds. Lunch at the hide.  Targets: Bulwer’s Pheasant (E), Bornean Banded Pitta (E), White-crowned Shama (E), Crested Partridge etc. Return to Paddy View, Tambunan. Bornean Banded Pitta Day 5: TAMBUNAN – TELUPID   Check out Tambunan, 1-hour drive to Gunung Alab. Upper montane bird hide for close views of some amazing endemics. Targets: Crimson-headed Partridge (E), Red-breasted Partridge (E), Hooded Laughingthrush (E), Sunda Laughingthrush (E) etc. Depart Gunung Alab for Kota Kinabalu (2 hours) with lunch along the way and get dropped off at the Kota Kinabalu Airport or a hotel in the city. END OF TOUR. Rhinoceros Hornbill What other suggestions can you give to birders interested in your area? The best season is between mid-February to April and from July to early November. Black-and-yellow Broadbill If any reader of 10,000 Birds is interested in birding with you, how can they best contact you? Email at ajsebastian@hotmail.com or on my FB at https://www.facebook.com/andrew.j.sebastian/  or IG at https://www.instagram.com/andrewjsebastian/?hl=en

Much as I try to write posts about certain groups of birds of a specific location (“Woodpeckers of Hokkaido”, “Boring Birds of Northern Germany”), there are usually some species left. Rather than not showing you these species at all, they tend to end up in posts such as this one. And at least some of them are well worth showing. In most people’s opinion, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow is probably not among these birds. Of course, they are wrong. But then, humans often are. But even those wrong about the sparrow would probably agree that the Purple-winged Roller is worth a look. It is endemic to Sulawesi and some smaller islands around it. The link to the sparrow is a slightly gruesome one: while Purple-winged Rollers mainly feed on insects and lizards, there is one paper describing a roller killing and feeding on a Eurasian Tree Sparrow on Sulawesi (“Predation of a small passerine by the Purple-winged Roller Coracias temminckii, an endemic species of Sulawesi”, Marc Argeloo, James Fitzsimons, Kukila, 15, 115-117). The scientific name temminckii refers to Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858), a Dutch ornithologist who is commemorated in about 20 bird names (both scientific and common ones). Must have been one hell of a guy.  Of course, I could have prepared a separate post titled “Woodpecker of Sulawesi”, as I only saw one woodpecker species: The Ashy Woodpecker. But that would have been slightly weird. Like the roller, it is endemic to Sulawesi and some surrounding islands. The scientific genus name Mulleripicus (full name: Mulleripicus fulvus) refers to a German, namely Salomon Müller (1804-1864), a German explorer and collector in the East Indies. He was sent there by Temminck to collect specimens, resulting in what must be the ultimate humiliation for a German: having to publish in Dutch, resulting in titles like “Reizen en onderzoekingen in den Indischen archipel, gedaan op last der Nederlandsche Indische regering, tusschen de jaren 1828 en 1836, 1857”. As common for woodpeckers, the red bits on the head indicate a male individual. Another indication of gender inequality: Male Ashy Woodpeckers do about 75% of the excavation of the nest hole, at least according to one observation (source: Cornell). Several of the Tangkoko birds can also be found in Shanghai, so I will only mention them rather briefly: Black-naped Oriole … … Hair-crested Drongo … … Purple Heron … … and Scaly-breasted Munia. Unsurprisingly, a few species are named after the island: the Sulawesi Babbler … … which is described rather uncharitably as a “smallish, relatively featureless babbler” by Cornell … … the Sulawesi Myna … … which Cornell calls “distinctive”, probably so as to not be accused of prejudice against the island … … and the Sulawesi Hanging Parrot … … which apparently now should be called Great Hanging Parrot. I usually pretend not to have seen species that I only got bad photos of, but I will make an exception for the Pale Blue Monarch … … (which is probably a different species than the Black-naped Monarch) … … and the Philippine Megapode, a burrow nester using decaying tree roots or stumps of very large trees (source: Cornell). It is easier to get decent photos of the Sooty-headed Bulbul. But not quite as satisfying. The Buff-banded Rail has a huge range that includes The Philippines, large parts of Indonesia as well as Australia … … and a matching large number of subspecies (21 according to Cornell). Note to parents of annoying teenagers: adult Buff-banded Rails evict their chicks when they are about 5–9 weeks old. My photos also do not quite do the Yellow-billed Malkoha justice. While the scientific name Rhamphococcyx calyorhynchus sounds like the bird had a small role in Jurassic Park, the calyorhynchus highlights the beautiful bill of the species (kalos beautiful; rhunkhos bill). The lack of information on this species is clear in the Cornell profile stating “Common in suitable habitat in Dumoga-Bone National Park in mid-1980s”, information that surely is rather irrelevant in 2024. While Malkohas are cuckoo species, it does not seem to be clear whether this one is a brood parasite, as indicated by the sentence “Although apparently a nesting species, a juvenile was fed by a Crimson Sunbird”. And yes, it is another Sulawesi endemic. Finally, a few nonbirds. Yes, they exist, though I usually try hard to ignore them.

Which bird species do you think is the biggest attraction to visitors to your lodge (please name only one species)? Resplendent Quetzal What is the name of your lodge, and since when has your lodge been operating? Savegre Hotel– Since 1973 How best to travel to your lodge? It is reached via the Interamerican Highway What kind of services – except for accommodation and food – does your lodge offer to visiting birders? Birding tours, walking trails, viewpoints, spa, and bird photography spots. What makes your lodge special? Our nature reserve of more than 25 km of trails makes it a paradise for bird lovers. In addition, our customer service and infrastructure are very good. What are the 10 – 20 most interesting birds your lodge offers good chances to see? Resplendent Quetzal Flame-throated Warbler Black Guan Collared Trogon Black Vulture Blue-gray Tanager Flame-colored Tanager Lesser Violetear Talamanca Hummingbird Spotted Wood-quail Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher Acorn Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Black-faced Solitaire Sulphur-winged Parakeet Tufted Flycatcher Ruddy Pigeon Rufous-collared Sparrow Yellow-thighed Brushfinch Lesser Violetear What is the best time to visit your lodge, and why? For birding, all year round is good, the best time to enjoy the birds is from 5:15 am to 8:00 am. Flame-colored Tanager Is your lodge involved in conservation efforts? If yes, please describe them. The lodge is part of a private nature reserve, where no trees are cut down. We do/use recycling, solar panels, LED lighting, and wastewater treatment. What other suggestions can you give to birders interested in visiting your lodge? If you are a birdwatcher interested in visiting our hotel, here are some recommendations on what to bring to make the most of your experience: Good quality binoculars – Essential for observing birds from a distance and appreciating their details. Camera with a telephoto lens – Ideal for capturing images of birds without disturbing them. Layered clothing – The weather can be cool in the morning and warmer by midday. Wear a light, waterproof jacket. Hiking boots or shoes – Trails may be wet or slippery. Hat or cap and sunscreen – Although there is forest, some areas have sun exposure. Field notebook or bird app – To record the species you observe. Other advice: Learn about local species – San Gerardo de Dota is famous for the Quetzal, but there are many other birds to discover. Check the weather before you come – So you can pack what you need for your comfort. Consult our specialized guides – We have expert guides who can help you find specific species. Plan to get up early – Birds are most active in the early hours of the day. Respect nature – Avoid loud noises and sudden movements to avoid scaring the birds. Talamanca Hummingbird Do you have activities for non-birders? If so, please describe. Of course, we offer hiking tours, horseback riding tours, spa, and trails! If any reader of 10,000 Birds is interested in staying at your lodge, how can they best contact you? Of course, it would be to the email: Ventas@savegre.com. Or go to Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve & Spa – Home