Sea eagle with a snake

BIRDS of Southeast Asia

This section features the birds of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, including Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), the Malaysian Peninsula, and Langkawi Island.  Southeast Asia (including Indonesia) is home to over 3,000 species of birds, many of which are endemic (meaning they occur in one region, and no where else).  More than 1,500 of those occur in Indonesia alone.

An interesting thing about Indonesia is that it is divided into 2 very distinct ecological regions as defined by the 19^th century naturalist Alfred Wallace, namesake of the "Wallace Line".  He observed that in the eastern part of Indonesia (including Papua and most of East Nusa Tenggara west through Lombok), the birds and plants more closely resemble (and are related to) those of Australia than those of Asia.  To the west and north through all of Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), Borneo and the Malay Peninsula the birds, animals and plants are more closely related to those of Thailand and the rest of Asia.

An excellent field guide which we use is the New Holland Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia by Craig Robson.  This book limits its scope to those birds found in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.  Other books are needed to cover the birds of Borneo (including Kalimantan) and Indonesia.

We saw and heard some lovely birds in Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, Indonesia.  Perched on the Nipa palms and mangroves bordering the meandering rivers we saw the large Stork-billed Kingfisher Halcyon capensis with its huge red bill, buff chest and blue wings and tail.  Like other kingfishers it is able to hover above the water while it searches for fish.  A frequent sight was that of the large black and chestnut Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis which moved from tree top to tree top with its mournful call.  We watched both the Black Kite Milvus migrans and the Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrbatus soaring above the rainforest canopy.  Sandpipers, magpies and tailorbirds were all common.

The White Bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster is a constant companion to those of us at anchor on the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.  Feeding on fish and snakes (see above!) it circles over the water using its incredible eyesight to find its next meal.  The fish (or sea snake) is grasped in talons and taken ashore to a roosting spot for consumption.  These sea eagles may travel inland in search of food.  Their white bellies and head are unmistakable in flight or as they soar with wings held in an upright V.  They are very large birds, up to almost 3 feet (85 cm) from head to tail.

The magnificent Brahminy Kite Haliaster Indus with its white head, neck and chest and cinnamon-bronze colored wings is a common sight in both the Malaysian and Thai islands where it is a resident.  These birds often scavenge around harbors but are also found well inland.  They are relatively small (up to 48 cm or 19 inches long) and fly with swift kite-like flight pattern.  They feed on small rodents, snakes and carrion.  Brahminy kites are found all across SE Asia, and west to the Indian sub-continent.

Both the Great Frigatebird Fregata minor and the Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel are commonly seen soaring over the coasts of SE Asia.  In fact, these 2 species of frigate bird have been with us all across the Pacific Ocean!  It is sometimes hard to get a field ID because you have to see the color of the underwing.  Frigatebirds are almost prehistoric looking with their sharply angled wings and split tails.  Great Frigatebirds reach 1 meter (40 inches) in length, while the Lesser Frigatebirds are about 20 cm (8 inches) shorter.  Both species are aggressive and attack smaller birds such as terns to steal their fish.  They are related to pelicans, boobies and cormorants.

Feeding terns often fill the air around the Thai islands (and fishing boats!) as they scour the ocean surface for schools of small fish.  These were a bit hard to identify on the wing, but with the dark crest and some gray on the wing, they could be Lesser Crested Terns Sterna bengalensis or Great Crested Terns Sterna bergii.  Terns most often nest on the ground with at most a few sticks for the nest.  They are related to gulls, and are found world-wide, but especially in the tropics.

Stunningly marked with its black body, pale belly, white and blue facial markings and unmistakable bill, the Oriental Pied Hornbill Antbracoceros albirostris is common on the islands near Langkawi, Malaysia.  They are found in most of SE Asia, and perhaps south into Kalimantan where we think we saw them flying over the jungle.  These birds are noisy and gregarious, bustling about the trees, rooftops and rocky shoreline in small to large flocks.  Hornbills nest in large holes in trees, and once the eggs are laid the male seals the female into the hole using mud and saliva, feeding her through a small hole.  The large protuberance on the upper bill of the Oriental Pied Hornbill is called a "casque" and appears in some others of the hornbill species.

Common throughout SE Asia and south into Bali is the lovely Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis.  This bird has an unmistakable necklace of black with white spots, a buff-gray head and back with a pale chest and belly.  About 30 cm (1 foot) long, the spotted dove is found in gardens, parks, open woodland, open areas and scrub from sea level up to 2,000 meters (6,600 feet).  This dove has been successfully introduced in California.

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