Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia. Morten Strange
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collection of photographs, acquired during fieldwork over the past fourteen years, were not enough for a monumental project like this, I appealed to my fellow photographers for help, and the response was overwhelming. Nearly forty percent of the photographs in this volume were produced by these wildlife photographers. Each frame has been selected to show the species in the best position possible, hence every shot used in this book is significant. All required considerable time and effort to produce, so I would like to thank these photographers for their most generous and valuable contributions.
I would like to single out a few people for special mention. One of the few women in the business, Ong Kiem Sian, has produced an impressive photographic collection of bird species, through extensive fieldwork in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. I much appreciated being allowed to tap into her outstanding collection. Apart from an impeccable technique, Sian has an unusual eye for composition and aesthetics in her photography. This is the first time a major selection of her pictures has been published, but it surely will not be the last.
It is particularly rewarding when local ornithologists take the trouble to photograph birds encountered during their travels to remote locations. In this way others may share their experiences and learn from their sightings. Alan OwYong, Allen Jeyarajasingam, Uthai Treesucon, Samson So, Atsuo Tsuji and others fall into this category, as does Dr. Pilai Poonswad of the Asian Hornbill Network. I would especially like to commend Dr. Poonswad for her dedication to the protection of Asian hornbills and to thank her for allowing me to work with her.
Some Western scientists and birdwatchers, whether on birdwatching visits to Southeast Asia or residing in the region, also produce rare and valuable photographs. They are well represented here and I would especially like to mention Pete Morris, a talented and hard-working young Briton with a remarkable insight into tropical birds and a photo collection to match. Tim Loseby from England, and Bernard van Elegem and some of his friends from Belgium, travel to this region especially to photograph birds and have produced some stunning images.
The gifted artist and scientist Kelvin Lim is surely destined for bigger things; his illustrations are a significant contribution to this volume.
Lim Kim Keang put his complete personal library of Southeast Asian ornithological references at my disposal during the information research phase of this book, and I thank him sincerely for that.
And many thanks to my long-time birding buddy Lim Kim Seng, himself an accomplished author on Southeast Asian birds, for checking through the manuscript for errors, and to my good friend Dr. Clive Briffett, who gave invaluable advice on format and content at the planning stage.
My special friend Ng Bee Choo, Managing Director of Nature's Niche in Singapore, provided contact with photo contributors, input on the content, and assistance through all the production stages. I particularly appreciate her vital support.
INTRODUCTION
The joy of birdwatching
Birds fascinate us more than any other group of fauna, perhaps because birds are found everywhere. They have colonised all corners of the earth, from the most inhospitable Arctic and Antarctic regions to bone-dry subtropical deserts and remote oceanic islands. Their dazzling power of flight never ceases to amaze us, and, perhaps most important of all, they are relatively easy to observe, since birds are usually active by day and thrive in our near surroundings. Also, their senses are much like our own—they rely mainly on eyesight and hearing—and therefore react much like we do and are easy for us to identify with.
You can watch birds from your window wherever you live. When you walk out into the nearby park or field there will be more birds to see. If you observe closely you will begin to recognise new species; some you see each time you go out, while others are rare and only turn up once in a while or at certain times of the year. Most birdwatchers develop a local patch where they go regularly. When you travel to another habitat, region, country, or even another altitude, you will find different birds to watch. It is this wonderful diversity that makes birdwatching so exciting.
Even though birds have been studied more thoroughly than any other class of animal, new information still surfaces every year. In 1991 a group of young Danish scientists found a new species of pheasant, the Udzungwa Forest-partridge, deep in the forests of Tanzania in Africa. This pheasant turned out to be related to the Arborophila hill-partridges of Southeast Asia, and was placed in its own monotypic genus when described in 1994. For details see del Hoyo et al. Vol 2 (1994). Other new species still turn up once in a while, adding to the 9,704 species already recognised by Collar et al (1994). And since taxonomic studies are on-going (see How to Use This Book) more discoveries and changes can be expected in future years.
The study and interpretation of bird behavior and habits also continues. For a marvellous worldwide collection of new and astonishing information see David Attenborough's television series, The Life of Birds, produced by the BBC and the associated book, Attenborough (1998).
In our region, outstanding research has been conducted by the Asian Hornbill Network based at Mahidol University in Thailand, see Poonswad and Kemp (1993). After intensive initial research in Khao Yai National Park and later in Huai Kha Khaeng National Park in west Thailand, the project expanded into south Thailand, part of the Sunda subregion. During the 1998 breeding season, an astonishing 80 occupied hornbill nests, representing 6 different species, were observed in this area alone—a staggering number considering the huge and remote primary forest terrain that had to be covered. The observations and documentation of this network has completely transformed our insight into one of the most fascinating rainforest bird families of all. The network is currently expanding into other Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar and Indochina.
Birding techniques
Birdwatching can be enjoyed without much equipment, but a good pair of binoculars definitely helps. The technology is simple. Binoculars are described by two sets of numbers, the first being the magnification, and the second the front lens diameter in millimetres. In other words, looking at a bird through a 10x40 pair of binoculars makes a bird 10 metres away appear as if it were one metre in front of you, and the four-centimetre lenses should give a reasonably bright image. A 7x42 pair will produce a smaller, but significantly brighter, image.
Since binoculars have few mechanical parts; a pair will last you a long time—probably a lifetime, unless you lose them, since the top brands give a 30-year guarantee. Therefore it pays to select the best pair you can possibly afford, so that you won't waste money upgrading later. Selecting the appropriate pair can be difficult, because so many brands and types are available on the market. Consult an experienced birdwatcher or a dealer that you trust. Optical quality varies enormously; good resolution, clarity and colour reproduction is vital. As with most other things you get what you pay for, so pick a pair that is a little more expensive than what you had in mind and you will be happier in the long run.
A telescope, while slower to operate since a tripod is required to keep it steady, has the advantage of interchangeable eyepieces, allowing for different magnifications. Quality telescopes have fixed magnifications in the range of 20-30 times, and some zoom to 60x, but then the image is not as clear. A 'scope' is useful in open country and on remote mudflats, and can help pick out stationary forest birds. It is especially useful in group birdwatching as it allows more people to observe the bird once it is in the frame.
Birdwatching is a social exercise. Go with someone more experienced than yourself in the beginning, join a nature society and attend their outings, in this way you will be introduced to the best locations in your area. It is best to remain quiet and respect those in the group who take this hobby rather seriously. If you do go on your own, take a small note pad and make notes on any bird that you do not recognise. Look for diagnostic features such as bill and tail shape and distinct colour bands on head or wings, and write down details of what you see. You can always consult your field guide later, once the bird has flown off.
As you become more experienced you will find that bird identification is often done quickly, using the so-called 'jizz' of the bird. This slang expression used by birders is derived from 'gis', an achronym for General Impression and Shape, in US Air Force terminology. The jizz of that small garden bird hopping through the bushes lets you