Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia. Morten Strange
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river estuaries, nearer to the coast, during winter. Swims and dives for aquatic plants and insects. A strong flier, like other diving ducks, with a rapid, direct flight. Runs across water surface before lift-off. Dabbling ducks take off vertically.
MANDARIN DUCK
Aix galericulata 48 cm F: Anatidae
Description: Male unmistakable. Female (behind) has diagnostic white 'spectacle'. Captive photo.
Voice: Soft whistle.
Habits: Frequents lakes and pools that are often surrounded by deciduous forest. Also found along flowing rivers, and has a preference for little islands in streams. Feeds by dabbling through the surface water for vegetable food and aquatic invertebrates. The pair forms a strong bond. The nest is built inside a cavity in a tree.
COTTON PYGMY GOOSE
Nettapus coromandelianus 33 cm F: Anatidae
Description: Note diagnostic white head of male (left). Female is pale brown.
Voice: Soft, melodic quacking.
Habits: Not related to and does not resemble a goose, in spite of its name. This small duck frequents lakes and vegetated ponds, where it grazes on floating vegetation. A retiring and shy bird, it is not easy to view clearly. Sometimes seen perching on branches. Nests inside tree-hollows.
WHITE-WINGED DUCK
Cairina scutulata 75 cm F: Anatidae
Description: A large duck with unmistakable plumage and pale head. In flight displays prominent white wing coverts. Captive photo.
Voice: Short honks.
Habits: A shy and retiring duck rarely seen in the wild. Total world population may number less than 1,000 birds. Found around forested ponds and streams in the lowlands and at submontane elevations. Feeds mainly at night and spends the day among dense vegetation along banks.
OSPREY
Pandion haliaetus 55 cm F: Pandionidae
Description: Long, narrow wings, pale underparts and dark mask across eyes are diagnostic.
Voice: Usually silent, but near its nest, a loud, plaintive whistle.
Habits: Only member of family. A successful species specialising wholly in catching live fish, often diving spectacularly into the water from a great height. Fishes in the sea, but also in freshwater sources. Avoids montaneous regions.
JERDON'S BAZA
Aviceda jerdoni 46 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Note broad wing shape and barring under wing and body. At rest, long wings and crest combined with rufous barring are diagnostic.
Voice: A soft, airy pee-weeow.
Habits: Occurs in primary forest and along forest edges. Seems to prefer low hills, although it has been recorded to 1,400 metres during migration. A low-density species, not often observed, although sometimes seen soaring low over the forest. Perches in large trees and pounces on small prey, mainly large insects, on the ground; some frogs and reptiles are also taken.
BLACK BAZA
Aviceda leuphotes 33 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Note diagnostic rounded wings and black band across breast. Long, thin crest visible when perched.
Voice: A soft, airy 1- to 3-noted scream.
Habits: Frequents open woodlands, often perching in large trees near clearings and villages. Gregarious during migration and forms scattered flocks in winter quarters. Flies low with flapping wings when hunting insects and small vertebrate prey; soars high when shifting location.
ORIENTAL HONEY-BUZZARD (Crested Honey-buzzard)
Pernis ptilorhynchus 50 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: Plumage varies from dark brown to almost white; look instead for flight silhouette with diagnostic long neck and tail, small head and fairly long wings.
Voice: Silent during migration; a high-pitched call during breeding.
Habits: Occurs in all types of forested habitat, from submontane rainforest (residents) to open woodlands (migratory birds). Moves about singly, but will form flocks during peak migration. Has a unique preference for raiding beehives and feeding on the larvae inside.
BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE (Black-winged Kite)
Elanus caeruleus 30 cm F: Accipitridae
Description: A small, elegant raptor. Plumage and behaviour are unmistakable.
Voice: Short, soft whistle.
Habits: Frequents open woodlands, savanna and forest edges, where it sits on an exposed perch. Patrols the terrain, flying low with lifted wings or hovering low over the ground before dropping into the grass to catch insects and small vertebrate prey. The nest is built of sticks in a tree, at a height of 2 to 20 metres.
BLACK KITE
Milvus migrans 65 cm F: Accipitridae