-BANDING A JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGICAL INYESTIGATION

VOL. XXXV JULY, 1964 No. 3

AVIAN BIONOMICS IN MALAYA: THE AVIFAUNA ABOVE 5000 FEET ALTITUDE AT MOUNT BRINCHANG, PAHANG By H. Elliott McClure

INTRODUCTION Early ornithologists in Malaya, both amateur and professional, made extensive studies of the of the uplands and mountain peaks. In order that the heat of the lowlands could be escapedrest houses were built on peaks such as Penang Hill, Kedah Peak, Cameron Highlands, Maxwell's Hill, and Fraser's Hill and birds on these peaks became available for easy observation. Resident and migrant mountain birds were listed and nesting recorded, Bromley (1949), Newman (1955), Allin and Edgar (1948), Allen (1952, 1953, 1957). Robinson (1909) lists records of collections on Malayan mountain peaks from 1886 to 1908 and he summarized the bulk of information known about the montane speciesin his monograph publishedin 1928. Sincethat time nestsof most resident speciesand the nesting habits of some specieshave been described.

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In 1953 a radio relay station was built at the top of 6600 foot Mount Brinchang in Pahang and the road to it makes this the high- est peak in Malaya to which there is easy access. The present study of birds above 5000 feet on this peak was begun in September 1958 and intermittent observations covered 12 weeks between that date and March 1963.

HABITAT Mr. Brinchang is in the main range at 4030' N. latitude by 101ø30' East longitude, with an altitude of 6660 feet. It is not an isolatedpeak sincethe generalaltitude in this area is over 4000 feet and several similar peaks are visible from it to the north and south. It is on the western edge of the range and its western slope drops steeply with but few foothills to the coastal plain. To the east is the rolling highland plateau. The western slopehas not been deforestedand montane and sub-- montane forestsextend along the range, but the eastern slopesup to 5000 feet have been deforested for tea plantations and truck crop farms. Above 5000 feet the forest is a mixture of montane speciesin the wetter vales, and banana thickets where the has been dis- turbed, giving way to the dominant ericaceousspecies of the cloud forest at the ridge. In the protected valleys trees reach heights of 80 feet but on the ridges they are gnarled and stunted with bolesand limbs encasedby mossesand lichens. The dominant tree include Rhododendronmalayanum (deep red bell-like flowers), R. wrayi (white flowers tinged with

Fig. 2. Within the low ericaceouscloud forest at 6500 feet showingthe densemass of vegetation. Vol.1964xxxv ArianBionomics inMalaya [143 pink), R. ja•miniflorum (pink flowers),Eugenia stapfiana (purplish new leaves), Baeckia frutescens(short needle-like leaves), Leuco- pogonmalayanurn (sessile strap-like pointedleaves clustered around the twigs), Vaccinium spp, and at the peak Leptospermumflavescens (fiat lanceolateleaves with • inch white flowers). Mosses,Sphag- num spp., coverthe groundand tree trunks, pitcherplants Nepenthes spp. hang from the limbs and boles,and there are densepatches of dwarf bambooBambusa elegans and giant mountainsedge, Gahnia tristis. Ferns abound,Gleichenia spp., Matonia pectinataand Dip- teris conjugata. All of the vegetationis a massof spongygrowth dripping from the almost continuousfog and rain. In the deeper valleys the stream sides are choked with a mass of banana and tree ferns tangled with vinesand low shrubs. For further descriptionsof this type of Malayan forest see Symington 1936, Strugnell and Mead 1937, Fitzgerald 1940. The temperature rangesfrom the fifties into the eightieswith the daily range about the same as the yearly range. The usual weather is for a clearing dawn sky with a beautiful sunrisefollowed by a morningof partly cloudyskies gradually denseningat mid-day. By noon or soon after the mountain is encompassedin clouds which usually bring rain during the afternoon or evening. From October until March the xvindsare from the east and from April into October they blow from the west. The top of the mountain was leveledto permit constructionof the buildings but the vegetation extends up to the edge of the fenced compound. The slopeson three sidesof the station drop away at an angie greater than 45ø and the road approachesalong a ridge from

Fig. 3. Forest at 5500 feet showingtaller trees and invasion of wild bananasin open gully. 144] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly ' Vol.1964XXXV ArianBionomics inMalaya [145 146] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandinsJuly the north. The buildings have been attractive to a few House Swifts that nestthere, the wiresare usedas roostsby Barn Swallows, and the towers have been of some hazard to migrating or passing species.Up until 1960 ten brilliant floodlights burnedeach night attracting thousandsof moths,beetles and other insects. When the lights were reducedto three, the numbersof insectsattracted to them were greatly reduced. This had an effectupon the birdsvisit- ing the peak for very few cameto gleaninsects in 1962where many had comebefore. The numbersof birds netted droppedproportion- ately.

PROCEDURE Upon arrival at the peak the netting laneswere clearedand nets erected. This usually took the afternoon of the first day and the better part of the second. As quickly as nets were up they were serviced as often as possible. This was usually at one or two hour intervals dependingupon the number of birds beingcaptured. The number of nets in operation varied from 17 to 27, but was usually around 25. They were placed in identical positionsused previously, Table 1, except where old lanes were abandoned becauseof poor collections. The net locationswere selectedso as to sample most of the . Becausethe sidesof the mountain were precipitousnot many level areas were available limiting the number of nets that could be effectively serviced. The nets were left up from Monday until Saturday morning and servicing continued from an hour after dawn until after sundown.

Fig. 4. A netssettingamong wild bananasin a location such as shown in Fig. 3. Vol.1964xxxv ArianBionomics inMalaya [147

Two sizesof Japanesemist nets were used; 12 meters long by 2.4 m. wide, four panels,with 36 mm meshfor the smallerspecies, and similar sized nets of 61 mm mesh for the larger forms. They werenot placedin'the net lanesin any pattern,but wereused as they were available. Many bats were caught and they seriouslydamaged the nets, sometimesruining new nets in the period of a week. Other accidentsto the nets occurred when large owls or nocturnal mammal predatorsbecame entangled in and brokethrough them. Coincidentwith the netting activities,daily lists of all speciesand their numbers were recorded. ß During the entire study each bird that was caught was banded, weighed,and a bloodsmear taken from a toe clipping. Lat-erin the study the tarsal diameter, tarsal length, bill length, and lengths of wing, tail and overall were.recorded. Ectoparasiteswere collected by dusting the with the commercial silicon insecticide "Dri-die 67" and brushingout the stupefiedinsects and mites.

FAUNISTIC LIST One hundred and four specieswere either seen or netted during the study. These are listed in Table 2 and the months of observation indicated. Observingthe birds in this ericaceousforest presented the sameproblem that it did in the denselowland dipterocarp forest, the birds could not be seenreadily. Therefore, no numericaltally of any accuracy was possible. Although severalspecies of birds breedingin the north overwinter in Malaya or Sumatra, they do not arrive in great numbers,nor are there extensively used flight routes. By the time the birds reach this

Fig. 5. Bandinga migratory Grey-headedThrush, showing equipment used. 148] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly

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¸ ¸ Vol.1964xxxv ArianBionomics in Malaya [163 latitude their numbers have been thinned until they infiltrate the habitats rather than sweep through them. There appears to be con- siderable movement along and across the main range, but the radio towers of Mr. Brinehang, buried in fog most of the time, were not hazardous to the migrants. Table 3 lists the few birds that were picked up beneath the towers over the three years. Of the 15 species recorded l0 were probably migrants.

SPECIES NETTED The netting results for the twelve trips are given in Table 4. The netter is beset by many problems in this type of habitat. The popu- lation is not a denseone and the birds do not establish flight patterns as seen in the temperate zone. Netting is strictly a blind operation for there is no way of knowing if the local birds will pass near a given net or not. Some nets may take a fexv birds regularly, but others will be sporadic in the take. Further, since there is generally no flow of birds through the habitat, exceptwhen a bird wave passes, the first and second days of netting will be the best days of yield. Once the local birds have been caught they avoid the location and the take immediately drops. Had there been alternate netting lanes to be used the nets would have been shifted regularly, but the pre- cipitous slopes and dense vegetation made this difficult. It is be- causeof these problemsthat only 1413 birds of 65 specieswere taken. One hundred and seventy-eight or 12.5 percent of these were re- captured bringing the number of birds taken per net per day to .9. The kinds and number of birds netted at each of five altitudes are shown in Tables 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. At the 5000 foot level where nets were in dense thickets amid tree ferns and fruit bearing trees the average take per l0 nets per week was 55 birds. Highest take was in November 1960 when the trees were heavily laden with berries. Twenty-seven specieswere represented here. Five hundred feet higher in a banana blanketed valley with dense thickets of low trees 44 specieswere captured and the population fluctuated from a low of 28 birds per ten nets in February 1960 to a high of 82 per ten nets in March 1963 with an average catch of 51 birds. At 5700 feet nets were placed on a crest amid dense ericaceous shrubs and along a streamside beneath bananas and shrubs. Here 28 specieswere collected and the population density varied from as low as 20 per ten nets in December 1961 to 95 per ten nets in March 1962. The average was 50 birds. At 6200 feet the nets were put on a crest of ericaceous shrubs above which they extended several feet and along paths under a canopy of gnarled trees. More birds were taken at the crest where they swooped low over the vegetation than in the forest corridors and 28 specieswere collected. In March 1962, 28 Gray- headed Thrush were netted at the crest making this the highest take for one net for the five-year study. Without the March 1962 and 1963 totals the take here averaged 28 birds per l0 nets per week. With the March totals it was 50. 164] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly Vol.1964XXXV Arian Bionomicsin Malaya [165 16'6] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly

TABLE 10. AVERAGE NUMBER OF BIRDS TAKEN AT EACH ALTITUDE ON MT. BRINCHANG, INDICATED AS TAKE PER 100 NETS. "W" INDICATES WINTER RESIDENTS ONLY.

Altitude 5000 5500 5700 6200 6600 1. Asiatic Sparrow Hawk (W) 12 i -- 6 -- 2. Mr. ScopsOwl 15 5 6 16 -- 3. Golden-throated Barber 19 19 -- 23 45 4. Fire-tufted Barber 4 12 -- 6 3 5. Barn Swallow (W) ------3 20 6. Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo 4 7 3 19 8 7. Mr. Streaked 76 59 28 106 35 8. Streaked Wren Babbler -- 2 9 6 -- 9. Grey-throated Tree Babbler 35 22 22 -- 7 10. Golden Tree Babbler 4 8 3 -- 8 11. Chestnut-capped Laughing Thrush 8 7 -- -- 10 12. Red-headed Laughing Thrush 42 28 34 6 32 13. Silver-eared Mesia 19 21 46 -- -- 14. Black-eared Shrike Babbler -- i 19 -- -- 15. Chestnut-headed Nun Babbler -- 13 6 -- 33 16. Mr. Nun Babbler 31 36 65 19 49 17. Chestnut-tailed Siva -- 19 31 34 140 18. Long-tailed Sibia -- 9 3 19 32 19. White-throated Fantail Flycatcher 23 7 31 3 2 20. Niltava 53 39 43 • 18 21. Blue and Orange Flycatcher -- 8 -- 16 18 22. Rufous-breastedBlue Flycatcher 4 9 13 -- 10 23. Mugimaki Flycatcher (W) 4 4 -- • 5 24. Little Pied Flycatcher -- 3 7 -- -- 25. White-tailed Blue Robin 46 2 • -- -- 26. Lesser Shortwing 4 7 12 -- -- 27. Slaty-backed Forktail -- -- 50 • -- 28. Grey-headed Thrush (W) 84 40 -- 132 50 29. Siberian Ground Thrush (W) 35 57 3 19 7 30. Yellow-breasted Flycatcher-warbler -- 2 7 • 3 31. Green Leaf Warbler 4 4 -- -- 2 32. Black-breasted 4 4 9 -- 25 33. Streaked 23 23 19 9 --

Nets were placed just below the peak around the radio station and the largest seriesof birds was taken here. This did not reflect the resident population for the birds came up the mountain each morning to glean the insects about the floodlights. Thirty-nine specieswere taken, with an averageof 61 birds per 10 nets per week. The number of birds visiting the area dropped from an average of 68 per 10 nets during the three observationsin 1959 when 10 lights were in operation to 32 per 10 nets in 1960 when only 3 lights were operating. In 1961 the number returned to 61 per 10 nets and in March 1962 intercepted flocks of thrushes and Chestnut-tailed Sivas increasedthe take to 117 per 10 nets, highest numbers for the study. The altitude preferencefor 33 speciescaptured regularly is SLllll- marized in Table 10. The positionsof the nets may have introduced an error in this method of summary, for nets favorably placed may take more individuals in one location even though the actual popu- Vol.1964XXXV ArianBionomics inMalaya [167

lation may be lower. The Golden-throated Barber was more abundant below the peak than at it, but nearly twice as many in- dividuals were taken there than lower down becausethey canheto the peak for berries. The Chestnut-tailed Siva came to the peak for insects. In other cases the numbers netted is indicative of the population, i.e. the White-tailed Blue Robin reachesits altitudinal limit at 5500 feet and very few were found higher. Txvcnty-two specieswere distributed over the entire peak.

SPECIES MEASUREMENTS Robinson and Chasen (1927, 1928, 1936, 1939) summarized the measurementsof all the Malayan species. Because ring sizes ade- quate for Malayan birds have not been established, measurements were made of the tarsal diameter or width along its longest axis and tarsal lengths from hallux to the ankle joint (knee). Measurements of 54 speciesare given in Table 11. Body, wing, and tail lengths are given in inchessince wear of the feathers precludesaccurate measure- mont. The more permanent tissues, tarsal diameter, tarsal length, and bill length from gape to tip are given in millimeters.

WEIGHTS

No summary of the weights of Malayan birds has come to the author's attention. Most of the birds trapped during the study were weighed on a metric balance in the field. Because of the variables such as length of time in the net, time since last feeding, passageor retention of fcccs, etc., the weights were recorded to the nearest gram. The weights for 64 speciesare given in Table 12. Some species were captured during several periods of observation and \vhcrc more than three per month were taken the averageweight for that period was determined. These are given in Table 13. Only two of the 17 specieslisted here were migrants, the Gray-headed and Siberian Ground Thrushes. Both species were lighter in November and showed weight gains in March before returning north. Soon after leaving the nest juvenile passerinc birds attain weights similar to those of adults. Therefore, months of reducedweight averagesneed not indicate periods when the population was saturated with juveniles. It is probably not justifiable to draw any conclusionsfrom these weight data since the observations are scattered over a four-year period. However, periods of maximum weight appear to fall in the quarter December, January, February for the Golden-throated Barber; March, April, May for the Mr. Streaked Bulbul, Red- headed Laughing Thrush, Chestnut-tailed Siva; June, July, August for Mr. Nun Babbler, Niltara, Streaked Spiderhunter; and during September, October, November these species appeared to be of average or below average weight. Table 13. 168] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly ¾ol. XXX¾ 19o4 AvianBionomics in Malaya [16 9 170] H.Elliott McClure Bird-BandingJuly

TABLE 12. SOME WEIGHTS OF LIVING BIRDS AT MT. BRINCHANG

Ave. Number Weight Weight Weighed Ranges Grams

1. AsiaticSparrow Hawk F 2 103/133 118.0 M 4 94/100 98.0 2. Bare-throatedTree Partridge I 320 -- 3. Wedge-tailedGreen Pigeon I 205 4. Barred Cuckoo Dove 2 153/172 162.5 5. Lesser Cuckoo Dove 3 74/88 80.0 6. Drongo-cuckoo I 29 7. Mr. ScopsOwl 16 60/77 67.5 8. PygmyOwlet 3 50/52 50.6 9. House Swift I 25 -- 10. Red-headedTrogon 4 75/84 80.0 11. Golden-throatedBarber 54 50/73 63.5 12. Fire-tufted Barber 18 115/149 129.1 13. LargeYellow-naped Woodpecker 3 120/130 124.0 14. BayWoodpecker 4 114/122 116.7 15. Barn Swallow 13 12/17 15.0 16. Brown Shrike I 33 -- 17. LesserRacquet-tailed Drongo 19 40/50 43.1 18. White-ventedGraybird 8 87/102 93.3 19. Black and White Bulbul I 31 -- 20. CrestedBulbul I 43 21. Mr. StreakedBulbul 126 25/40 32.5 22. Black-crestedYellow Bulbul 3 25/33 28.3 23. AshyBulbul 5 31/34 32.6 24. Hardwick's Leafbird 2 27/35 31.0 25. FairyBluebird 3 51/60 56.3 26. LargeScimitar Babbler 3 79/82 80.0 27. StreakedWren Babbler 10 14/22 19.5 28. PygmyWren Babbler I 13 -- 29. Gray-throatedTree Babbler 42 13/20 15 8 30. GoldenTree Babbler 13 7/10 90 31. Chestnut-cappedLaughing Thrush 17 51/70 62 0 32. Red-headedLaughing Thrush 68 62/95 71 7 33. Silver-earedMesia 41 24/36 28 4 34. Curia 2 46/52 49 0 35. Red-wingedShrike Babbler I 33 -- 36. Black-earedShrike Babbler 7 12/15 13.3 37. Chestnut-headedNun Babbler 41 11/20 12.5 38. Mr. Nun Babbler 90 13/20 15.8 39. Chestnut-tailedSiva 111 16/22 19.2 40. Blue-wingedSiva 9 16/19 17.4 41. Long-tailedSibia 29 35/49 42.4 42. White-throatedFantail Flycatcher 24 11/15 12.9 43. Niltara 4 24/40 32.0 44. Blueand OrangeFlycatcher 24 17/24 20.0 45. Little PiedFlycatcher 5 7.5/12 9.1 46. Rufous-breastedBlue Flycatcher 19 6/12 8.2 47. MugimakiFlycatcher 9 10/14 11.7 48. GreenLeaf Warbler 5 7/9 7.8 49. Yellow-breastedFlycatcher-warbler 9 5/7 6.4 50. SiberianBlue Robin I 13 -- 51. Rufous-headedRobin I 18 52. •Vhite-tailedBlue Robin 13 26/30 27.8 53. LesserShortwing 15 13/18 15.8 54. Slaty-backedForktail 13 25/38 31.0 55. Gray-headedThrush 136 45/80 62.6 56. SiberianGround Thrush 76 62/90 75.5 Vol.1964XXXV Avian Bionoraics in Malaya [171

TABLE 12. SOME WEIGHTS OF LIVING BIRDS AT MT. BRINCHANG

Ave. Number Weight Weight Weighed Ranges Grams

57. Orange-headed Thrush 1 60 -- 58. Malayan 5 87/105 99.2 59. Tree Pipit 2 21/23 22.0 60. Oriental White-eye I 9 -- 61. Black-breasted Sunbird 22 3/7 5.3 62. Little Spiderhunter 2 14/15 14.5 63. Lesser Yellow-eared Spiderhunter 1 23 -- 64. Streaked Spiderhunter 34 23/35 30.7 65. Brown Bullfinch 2 20/23 21.5 Total 1278 49.6

BREEDING No systematicsearch for nestswas made, but severalfledglings or juveniles were netted or observed. The observations of nesting activities are summarized in Table 14. The greatest number of juveniles, fledglings,or parents carrying food to nestlingswas noted during the May 1961 trip. This suggestedthat April was peak month of nesting for the mountain. There was evidenceof nesting for 21 speciesand 15 of these observationswere made during the May trip, 4 in March 1962, and only 6 in earlier or later months.

TERRITO RIALITY Recordsfrom individual birds showeda strong tendency in many speciesto remain in very restricted areas. "Territory" here refers to the area where the individual was repeatedlycaptured. Table 15 lists the information by individuals. In every instanceexcept where a changeof altitude is indicated the bird was caught in identical or adjacent nets at each recapture. Records are given for 28 species and 143 individuals. A mountain scopsowl moved over an altitude of 500 feet and a distance of nearly a mile. Two Silver-cared Mesias moved a distance of 1/4 mile and 200 feet altitude. The Mountain- streaked moved about the mountain in small flocks and were not restricted to such small rangesduring the year. Seven of 21 birds recaptured were taken in nets at different altitudes and distancesfrom one another, varying from a few yards apart to the entire distance from the peak to 5500 foot level. Two White-tailed Blue Robinshad shifted about 1/2 mile from 5000 to 5500 feet. One White-throated Fantail Flycatcher made a similar shift. Only one of 12 Niltavas movedfrom its point of originalcapture. The Spider- hunters shifted from 5000 to 5500 feet between clumps of wild banana. A female Blue-and-OrangeFlycatcher ringed at the peak was collectedthere in May 1963 and the band was reported. A few individuals of the larger more conspicuousspecies were colorbanded in 1959. Observationsof thesebirds providedfurther evidence of their restriction to limited territories. Color marked birds are indicated in Table 15. 172] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly Vol.1964XXXV AvianBionomics in Malaya [173 174] H. Elliott McClure Bird-BandingJuly Vol. XXXV 1964 ArianBionomics in Malaya [175 176] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly

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SURVIVAL The survival rate of the speciesin this habitat appeared to be high. Low population densitiesper speciesand reducedreproductive potential (most specieslaying only two eggsper clutch) would tend to support the suggestion that environmental pressures are low. Individuals of 28 specieswere rotrapped at intervals up to 40 months and these data are summarized in Table 16. The data presented in this Table can be misleading becausethe length of time since first capture is not considered. Two types of correction for this are pre- sentedin Table 17 which comparesthe survival basedupon the num- ber of birds marked for the period given with the survival basedon the number of birds known to be in the area for at least a month following first capture. The average for the eleven speciessuggests that about one-sixth (15.8 percent) of the birds remained in the area in which the nets were set. When only these "resident" birds are consideredthe survival rate appears to be high (B of Table 17) for 65 percent of them were still in their areas six months after initial trapping and for 3 species7 percen• remained after 3 years. Golden-throated Barber: This is a common resident of the hill country. Like other barbersit is wide-rangingfollowing the ripcning of fruits. Those individuals which were recaptured xvcrcprobably retracing routes that they had previously followed. Mountain-streaked Bulbul: These bulbuls traveled in noisy flocks of up to 20 individuals and ranged over the whole peak. Banded individuals were captured at various altitudes. The flocks tended to useregular routesof travel sothat individuals were recapturedup to 3 years after banding. Red-headed Laughing Thrush: This is a ground babbler which rarely flies and which has restricted territories. Color marked in- dividuals at the radio station divided the area around •hc lights among themselves and did not encroach upon other territories with- out a scuffle. They were among the first birds to begin feeding each morning and during the breeding seasonbrought fledglingswith t•hcm. One marked with red was regularly seen at the peak over a three-year period. It was a male which did not changehis territory for two years. During the third year his original territory was taken over by another male and he was restricted to an adjoining one. Because of these strong territorial affinities nearly a third of the birds were recaptured. Silver-cared Mcsia: These beautiful birds traveled over the mountain in small flocks. The flocks appeared to have daily routes of •ravcl but these were changed as fruit and insects became avail- able. That they were not recaptured at intervals past a year sug- geststhat they did not utilize the same areas regularly. Chestnut-headedNun-babbler: Like the previousspecies this one travels in flocks, usually intermingled with Mountain Nun-babblers and Chestnut-tailed Sivas. These Nun-babblers are a tiny delicate specieswhich may not have a long period of life. Only one was re- captured over a period as great as 18 months. 182] H. ElliottMcClure Bird-BandingJuly

Mountain Nun-babbler: Another small specieswhich travels in mixed flocks. Individuals remained long periods in the same ter- ritories. The specieswas widely distributed over the mountain but among our observation areas was concentrated at the peak and at 5500 feet. They appeared to be long lived with a good rate of survival. Chestnut-tailed Siva: The third regular constituent of feeding flocks was this siva which was in approximately the same abundance as the Mountain Nun-babbler and had similar feeding habits. Both speciesfeed through low shrubbery seekingout small insects. They were regular morning attendants at the lights of the station and were recaptured often. Long-tailed Sibia: This large babbler traveled in family groups or flocks including several families and a flock ranged over the entire peak above 5000. Individuals were color marked and were noted at a distance from the station. The flock came up the mountain each morning to glean insectsabout the lights and returned to lower levels after feeding. They are probably long lived but so wide ranging that they were not caught repeatedly. Niltara: Although this luminescentblue flycatcher was always present it was not abundant during summer months. They nested on the peak and juvenile birds were netted in June and July. In- dividuals repeated in the nets up to two years after banding. Slaty-backed Forktail: These beautiful black and white birds were limited to the stream beds and did not reach the peak. The population was about a pair to each watershed tributary, but they were very nervous birds and deserted the streams where we were netting. Streaked Spiderhunter: This species was most restricted in its habitat requirements and was limited to the areas of wild banana. Wild banana is a secondaryinvader in disturbed forest and occurred up to 6000 feet wherever the road construction had denuded the soil. Streaked were most difficult to remove from the nets and struggled until they died of exhaustionunless quickly re- moved. They are probably long lived for one of those recaptured regularly was still alive at 2 1/2 years.

SUMMARY The birds of the upper 1600 feet of the 6600 foot peak, Mt. Brin- chang, in western Pahang, Malaya, were under observationfor 12 one-week intervals between September 1958 and March 1963. Of the 104 speciesnoted 65 specieswere netted and 1413 individuals banded. Data are presentedconcerning the weights, measurements, ranges, and survival of these marked birds.

LITERATURE CITED ALLIN, E. K. and EDa•, A.J. 1948. Notes on the nesting of some birds of the Malayan mountains.Malayan NatureJr., 3: 51-57. Vol.1964XXXV Avian Bionomics inMalaya [18 3

ALLEN,F. G. 1952. Somenotes on birds nestingat Fraser'sHill, Malayan Nature Jr., 7: 84-90. 1953. Further notes on birds nesting at Fraser's Hill. Malayan Nature Jr., 8: 16-22. 1957. Somenotes on the birds of Cameron Highlands, Malayan Nature Jr., 11: 39-41. BRO•tLEZ,E. H. 1949. Notes on the birds of someparts of Kedah, Bull. of Ra2•es Mus., 19: 120-132. 1952. A note on birds seenat Maxwcll's Hill, Pcrak, April 1950 and February 1951. Bull. Ra•es Mus., 24: 199-218. F•TZGERAnD,D.V. 1940. The ascentof GunongKorber from Kclantan. Malay Forester, 9: 119-122. MADoc, G. C. 1960. A visit to GunongTahan. Malayan Nature Jr., 14: 95-107. NEW•tAaK, G.H. 1955. Birds seen at Maxwell's Hill, April 1955. Malayan Nature Jour., 10: 9-12. ROBtNSON,H. C. 1909. The birds at present known from the mountains of the Malay Peninsula, Jour. Fed. Malay StatesMus., 2: 164-222. ROBtNSON,H. C. 1928. The birds of the Malay Peninsula,Vol. II, the birdsof the hill stations. H. F. & G. Witherby, London. STRUGNEnn,E. J. and MEAD, J.P. 1937. An ascent of Gunong Tahan. Malay. Forester,6: 131-140. SYMtNaTON,D.F. 1936. The flora of GunongTapis, Pahang; with notes on the altitudinal zonation of the forestsof the Malay Peninsula. Jour. Malay. Br. Asiat. Soc., 14: 335-364.

U.S. Army Medical ResearchUnit, Institutefor Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, Malasia (currentaddress: Migratory Animal Patho- logicalSurvey, Box 6119, APO 323, San Francisco,Calif.)

Received January, 1964.