ýýý\ý ý ýý ýýýý `ýý ý"" f7 r ýý\ýýý. ý" , 'ý'. '1`'ý' ý..ý 'ýºý.ý ýºý''"ýý''ý,ý `ý_ ý,ý'/. T T1.ýý- d. A1:. S;:. ýý 'I1% _ý; . ._ _.. -! w r xRI» ý)F 1 N-O E :i IS . äNC ýº TýI 'C- LAN An Annotated Checklist Demo (Visit http://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) ý.it. JA ki3 J Uni tc , r'31-,ui °,mi! y 7 .. QL \\\t ý 694 M3 ý1F G822 icýý= I ý ('( )N'1'EIN'1'ti Page Acknowledgements 1 Introduction 2 Types of Habitat In Kedah And Perlis 2 Map of Kedah and Perlis Showing Locations Mentioned in the Checklist 4 Bird-Watching Locations 5 Equipment 7 Demo (Visit http://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) Techniques 7 Observations 8 Field Guides 9 Bibliography 9 Systematic List 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7 hours in field in This checklist has resulted from many the each week Perlis, Kedah and Langkawi over the period 1991-1993. Many people have Malaysia, including contributed information on the birds of north-west Special farmers and fishermen, boatmen and foresters. thanks go to Encik Harun bin Ngah Abdullah and the Forestry Section of Universiti Utara Malaysia, Mr. Prithwi Raj, Mr. Chee Yu Chow and others who have assisted in mist-netting and banding in forests and mangroves; to Encik Ahmad Omar bin Hasan, Director, Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia, Mata Air Field Station, for advancing my research at his Wildlife establishment; to Ms Siti Hawa Yatim of the Department of and National Parks for facilitating my participation in the national bird- banding scheme; and to Dr. David Wells of the Zoology Department, Universiti Malaya, for his assistance in identifying uncommon species and his comments on species' occurrence. Demo (Visit http://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) Richard Gregory-Smith Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation Universiti Malaysia Sarawak September 1995. 1 INTRODUCTION This checklist is compiled from personal observations of the birds of Perlis and Kedah, including the islands of Langkawi over the years 1991-93 together with data obtained from the available literature. Common and scientific names and the taxonomy used follow those of Sibley and Monroe (1990). The columns P, K and L refer to species recorded in Perlis, Kedah and Langkawi respectively, Langkawi records not being included with those of Kedah. This publication is designed to be used with a field guide for species identification and suggested titles are given below under `Field Guides'. The status and distribution accorded to each species is relevant to the area studied and not necessarily to the species throughout its range. For less common species, locations are indicated in which they have been observed. In the case of species frequenting forest, mangrove or secondary growth the storey or storeys in which they feed are defined. Where they range through several storeys, their level of feeding is not stipulated. Migrant species are mainly those which leave their breeding grounds to avoid the northern winter and to find food supplies in the south. Migrants may spend the winter period in this area or may be staging on passage to destinations both. Migrants are usually present more southerly orDemo (Visit http://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) during the period September to April, although species such as Barn Swallows arrive in July and waders in August. Apart from Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and possibly some Pittas, all migrants are non-breeding. TYPES OF HABITAT IN KEDAH AND PERLIS Northwest Peninsula Malaysia may be divided into seven major types of habitat based on vegetation zones: Mangrove forest and mudflats; Freshwater swamp and padi fields; Lowland evergreen rainforest; Semi-evergreen rainforest; Limestone hill and karst vegetation; Lower montane rainforest; and Urban and rural land. 2 In addition there is a small area of upper montane forest shared with Perak on the south-eastern border in Kedah. Mangrove forest remains along the Sungai Merbok where a forest reserve has been declared, at the estuary of Kuala Sanglang on the Kedah-Perlis border and at three locations on the Langkawi islands. At mainland locations are extensive mudflats supporting overwintering wader populations, but on Pulau Langkawi the mangrove shores mostly shelve too rapidly for mudflats to be exposed. Mangroves range from 10 meters in height inland on wider belts to three meters at the sea edge. On the landward side Nipa palms, Nypa fruticans back onto the mangroves in brackish water. There is little freshwater swamp, but the vast areas of rice padi and their margins provide habitats for many waterbirds, in particular ardeids and rails. The freshwater swamps support the introduced Sago palm, Metroxylon sagu and paperbarks, Melaleuca sp.. Lowland evergreen rainforest covered dry areas, but has mostly receded to the Main Range to give way to cultivation and replacement by rubber and oil palm. The main tree species are dipterocarps; from sea level to around 350 metres being lowland species and from 350-750 metres hill species. Semi-evergreen rainforest occurs north of a line extending from Kangar Demo (Visit http://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) in Perlis to Pattani in Thailand. The climate here is sub-monsoonal, resulting in a distinct dry season in January and February. Bamboos flourish in this zone. Limestone karsts are dotted over northern Kedah and Perlis, while limestone hills occur in northern Perlis and on Pulau Langkawi. Limestone supports a rich vegetation and accentuates aridity during January and February, in which time there is considerable leaf fall. Lower montane rainforest occurs above 800 metres on Gunung Jerai and along the range to the east of Kedah that extends along the border with Perak into southern Thailand. The montane oak forest of the main range is replaced on Gunung Jerai with myrtaceous forest. Along the Main Range occur outcrops of upper montane rainforest. 3 Demo (Visit http://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) xx International boundary 0 50Km 1--ý J " State boundary ý Map. 1: KEDAH AND PERLIS SHOWING LOCATIONS MENTIONED IN THE CHECKLIST 4 BIRD-WATCHING LOCATIONS There are 900 hectares of lowland tropical and semi-deciduous secondary forest with small areas of primary forest in the grounds of Universiti Utara Malaysia. These back on to large areas of forest reserve. Amongst the 207 species of birds observed here, (Gregory-Smith, 1995), are Golden-spectacled Warbler, Narcissus Flycatcher and dry- season migrant, Black-hooded Oriole. The Mata Air Forest Reserve is the only remaining area of lowland semi-deciduous monsoon forest in Perlis. It is discontinuous, there being a small area of primary forest near the Forest Research Institute Malaysia research station and more at Wang Kelian, extending with secondary forest to the border and the Thai Thaleban National Park, which acts as a gene bank. Limestone predominates in the Reserve: species found in this type of habitat include Streaked Wren-Babbler, Blue Whistling-Thrush, Striated Swallow and Dusky Crag-Martin i The area around Bukit Wang includes forested ranges south of the Thai Demo (Visit http://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) border between Sintok and Jitra. Some primary forest exists, but much has been logged and replaced by secondary forest. A number of small rivers and some waterfalls are in the area. Bat Hawk, Dusky Broadbill and Banded Kingfisher are present. Ui!MzL3H=- This hill system rises to over 500 metres and is a reserve of logged primary and secondary forest. Migrants including Hodgson's Hawk- Cuckoo and Mugimaki Flycatcher are found in the area. lll! MmD-q= This lone uplift from the Kedah plains rises to 1220 metres and lower montane rainforest occurs above 800 metres. The upper regions of Gunung Jerai are too small to support a montane fauna and consequently found only some wide-ranging species from lower altitudes are there. Ashy Bulbuls are common at higher elevations and a Blue Rock-Thrush was seen on the summit. A Chestnut-winged Cuckoo was seen in scrub at 600 metres. 5 Later i 1(ngkuang Lowland and hill rainforest occur here and although the area has been logged it provides a habitat in south-eastern Kedah for a number of uncommon species including Orange-breasted Trogan, Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher and Blue-and-white Flycatcher. L111rn1 This area includes two reservoirs where the Sungai Muda and Sungai Pedu have been dammed to provide water supplies for rice-growing. Entry is restricted and permits to enter should be obtained from police district headquarters. The road passes through primary rainforest, secondary forest and belukar. Birds observed include Black Eagle, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Blue-banded Kingfisher and Straw-headed Bulbul. r%mnq-mEu= Flanking the broad river are mangrove forest reserves in which are found Mangrove Pitta and Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher. To the north and south are extensive padi-fields, in which many waders occur on passage and some, including Wood Sandpiper, remain for the northern winter. URMEB!IU= To the north of the Sungai Merbok estuary lie broad open mudflats. On flats Common these many species of ploverDemo (Visit andhttp://www.pdfsplitmerger.com) sandpiper occur and and Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank and Rufous-necked and Long- toed Stints are seen each year. rAlliffilamor= A fishing village on the Perlis-Kedah border, with mangroves and mudflats extending north and south from the estuary. Mangrove species and waders may be studied from the land or by hiring a fishing boat to view the mudflats from the sea. Many waders occur here including large numbers of Great Knot. Sometimes seen on the mudflats are Grey and Purple Heron and Gargany, while migrants in the mangroves include Dusky Warblers. RMT-Mhm= Eight kilometres of mudflats lie beyond a fringe of mangroves, behind which are a containing bund, swamp and padi-fields. Large numbers of waders are found here, including Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits and Broad-billed Sandpiper.