Birdwatching Tips In Tropical Rainforest

Birdwatching Tips in Tropical RainForest

Vary your birding approaches, search different components of the habitat, and-once you get to know an area-try to be in the right place at the right time. Generally, the hour before dawn is when owls and froghmouths call most, and first light is the best time to see ground thrushes. The early morning activity drops off quite quickly, 2-3 hours after dawn; sometimes there is a brief resumption in the late morning, but the next significant period activity is not until late afternoon, when birds are preparing to roost.

A favourite topic of discussion among rainforest birders is the merits of walking quickly or slowly and quietly means you will pick up more calls and movement and, because you will not be sweating with exertion, your concentration will be better. But striding out and covering ground will increase the number of mixed species flocks you encounter and improve your chances of seeing thinly-distributed species. It also offers the likelihood of surprising some of the forest’s real gems-pittas, pheasants and rail babblers-feeding out on the trail. Obviously, the best strategy is to your pace, but to spend more time covering ground quickly when you first arrive at sites, as this will enable you to identify places to return to and work more intensively.

Taken from birding Indonesia, Periplus Publishing, Singapore

Birdwatching In Keraton Jogjakarta (Jogjakarta palace)

Keraton jogja one of most destination choice who is visited all domestic and foreign tourism. Located in center city and center heritage of Javanese culture is easy to reach them. For complete this location see on http://www.wikimapia.com with keywords search "keraton Yogyakarta"

For birdwatching activity, this place offer little interest place. Mostly a species of birds had been found is common bird in anywhere like:

1. Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius)~small, rufous crown, white throat, amount bird who can be seen 1 individu.


2. This species difficult to identify, I still doubt with my diagnostics. I just get some notes and probably they name species. Ashy Tailor bird (Orthotomus sepium) or maybe Sunda Flycatcher Warbler (Seicercus grammiceps). My diagnostic: rufous sides of head, body small, voice pleasing song. I found pair on branch Gamal (Gliricidea sp) trees.


3. Javan Munia (Lonchura leucogastroides). I had calculated 12 individus. But maybe more. Sometime in 2-3 colonized.


4. Eurasian Tree-sparrow (Passer montanus). 7 individu had been seen.


5. White bellied Swiftlet (Collocalia esculanta). 2 individu had been seen


6. Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola speciosa). 3 times had been seen in highlight sky. They fly from north to south. This bird usually appear in wetland area (pond, paddy field, lagoon, swampt).

Method to watching this birds; I use walking in line transect from South square to North Square Keraton Jogjakarta. I calculate all this birds by checklist. To watch all this birds I use nude eyes. So, it maybe many species loss from my monitor. To identified all the birds I compared my sketch, my notes with Field Guide to the Birds of Java and Bali book. I do birdwatching on Sunday, 14 May 2007. flora have been recorded Gamal (Gliricidea sp), Jambu (Eugenia sp), Beringin (Ficus sp), Sawo kecik (Manilkara kauki), Gayam (Inocarpus sp), Sawo manila (Achras zapota), Glodogan, Tanjung (Mimusop elengi), kere payung, Keben (Baringtonia asiatica).

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)

Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus)

Indonesian : Burung Gereja

The tree sparrow has spread widely in Krapyak Wetan Jogjakarta. This birds good for fill pioneer fauna in urban or suburban city. Eurasian tree sparrow seem cosmopolitan birds for any where place. If you build buildings maybe firstly to see the birds is Eurasian tree sparrow and then Javan Munia. The colour this birds not attractive, not bright, tend dark. I’m not interest with this bird. But it is not means I freely disturb or hunt this birds. I love and care them.

Birdwatching tips in Indonesia Tropical Rainforest

The golden rule for successful forest birding is to wear dull colours. Walking around in bright T-shirts (white is the worst) severely handicaps your ability to approach unnoticed, and caucasian birders should remember that white arms and legs are similarly conspicuous. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers will also help you to avoid scratches and bites.

Tomorrow, we will birdwatching in keraton jogjakarta area. Start at 05.30 until finished. You can join with me! We meet in Alun-alun Kidul (South square Jogja Palace).

White-Headed Munia (Lonchura maja)

White-Headed Munia (Lonchura maja)
Indonesian- Bondol Haji, Emprit Khaji
It’s easy to watch this birds in any region this country. Until up to 1500 m you can see this bird. When I saw this bird in Krapyak Wetan it make surprisingly for me, because this bird slightly have economic value. I ever had seen this bird had been sold in birds market (Ngasem, Jogjakarta). And sometime I saw somebody hunt this bird in around my live.

In my opinian this birds is beautifull and have attractive colour. So don’t miss it although it’s easy to find it in anywhere.

Birdwatching tips in Jogjakarta Tropical Rainforest
Not all rain forests are full of birds-the nutrient-poor forest on limestone and ultrabasic soils that cover large areas of thousand mountain Gunungkidul Jogjakarta hold relatively few species. Lowland forests on sedimentary soils or hill forests on rich, volcanic soils support the highest bird densities-and therefore the best birdwatching. Sub montane forest, at around 1,000 m, can be especially species-rich, like kaliurang resort, plawangan turgo hill, as here there is an overlap between lowland and montane species.
So, lets to birdwatching!

Birdwatching Tips in Indonesia Rainforest

Birdwatching tips In Indonesia rainforest.
For birders used to tempered habitats, finding birds in the Indonesian rainforest can seem daunting prospect. The massive, multidimensional structure, enormous leaves and dim light all conspire to keep birds well hidden. To get good views, you need to hone your fieldcraft skill to the special challenges that rain forest presents-but this is what makes rainforest birding so satisfying.