The Kingfishers of Borneo

I was going through my external hard drive yesterday and found some old photo collections of Kingfishers that i have kept. A majority of this photos were taken with my previous Nikon D80 and ever trusted 70-300mm VR lens. Location wise - the photos were shot in the Sepilok Forest Reserve and also my favourite 'hunting' ground which is at the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

Kingfishers have always attracted me because of thier beautiful plumage's and strikingly bright colours and this is very much evident in species such as the large stork billed kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis). It is always a great joy to see one flying past by with great speed, only managing to catch sight of a lightning tinge of bright blue or red. Thier shy and elusive behaviors have made them a difficult bird to photograph in the wild, with the best bet of photographing them is to have an intimate knowledge of thier daily movements and the patience to approach them silently. So far, i have only managed to photograph 6 of the 12 kingfishers found in Borneo. Hopefully i will be able to slowly document the rest.

Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis). Largest of all Kingfishers in Borneo. Distinctive large reddish bill with an approximate body size of 35 cm long. Found quite commonly along Borneo's major rivers, mangroves and coastline. Status: Least Concerned (IUCN 2010). Photographed in Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

Rufous-collared Kingfisher (Actenoides concretus borneana) - Male. Distinctive sexual dimorphism between Male and Female as seen on this two photos. Body size approximately 23 cm long. Found mainly in dense lowland rainforest and sometimes at secondary forest generally far away from water sources. Status: Near Threatened (IUCN 2010). Photographed in Sepilok Forest Reserve.

Rufous-collared Kingfisher (Actenoides concretus) - Female. 

Ruddy Kingfisher (Halycon coromanda). A medium sized kingfisher reaching approximately 25cm long. Has very large bright red bill with equally red legs. Body generally rufous red but turning violet at the tail end. It is a migratory species of kingfisher - with birds from the Northern Range (South Korea and Japan) migrating southwards to Borneo during the winter. Some might have taken resident in the Northeastern part of Sabah. Rarely found too far away from the sea although they have also been recorded in forested areas. Status: Least Concerned (IUCN 2010). Photographed at Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary in October 2008.

Banded Kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella melanops) - Male. Approximately 20 cm long in body size. Disinctive sexual dimorphism between male and females - with females generally brownish with black bands and white chest. Found mainly in forested area - ranging from lowland up to sub montane forest. Status: Least Concerned (IUCN 2010). Photographed in Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

Blue-eared Kingfisher (Alcedo meninting). A very small kingfisher with an approximate length of 16 cm. This bird is frequently sighted along Borneo's major rivers, streams and lakes where it perches hunting for small fishes. Status: Least Concerned (IUCN 2010). Photographed in Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

Borneo Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca or rufidorsa?) - sub species motleyi. Another very small but bright and colourful kingfisher. Found in lowland rainforest up to 1,500 metres a.s.l. This species was photographed in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. I am very much intrigued but at the same time confused on the exact name of this kingfisher. There is i believe still an on going debate on the exact taxonomy of this species, as based on the new borneo bird field guide - one by Susan Myers and one by Quentin Phillips - both seem to treat the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher quite differently but one recognizing the presence of both species, Black-backed Kingfisher (Cexy erithaca) and Rufous-backed Kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsa) in Borneo. A debate i read on bird forum (http://www.birdforum.net/archive/index.php/t-166649.html) suggested by James Eaton is that :

erithaca - is an Indochinese breeder which winter down to the Malaysian Peninsula and Sumatra

rufidorsa - is a Sundaic breeder (Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Flores, Kalimantan, Sarawak and Palawan)

ssp motleyi  - found in Sabah only and edging into Sarawak and Labuan

Would like to have more info on this if anyone have an opinion? 

Borneo Bird Photography Competition 2010

The hunt for the best bird photo at the 2nd Borneo Bird Festival 2010 has started since 4 days ago. Avid bird photographers and wildlife enthusiast will hope to 'Nail" thier best wild bird photo shot taken throughout Sabah before the dateline on the 17th of October 2010. With the lucrative prize money that is being offered to the best wild bird photo shot this year,  it will certainly add to the excitement of all that is participating. But, wild bird photography is not easy. In order to get the best shot, a photo with a 'WOW' factor in it - you will have to spend a lot of time and effort on the field and hope that the bird might give you a dose of luck such as at least a pose and also hope that the weather and other factors might play in your hands right as you release the shutter of your camera.

My only hope is that all photographers should respect the birds and not go to the extreme to disturb thier nest or use to much excessive repeated flash just to get the shot that they want. I believe that the right moment will come if we learn to understand the birds behaviour and respect their right of space whenever we are photographing them on the field.

This are the two Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) photos that i submitted for the bird photo competition last year albeit a very last minute entry. The first photo won me a consolation prize. Hopefully- finger crossed, i will fare better this year. Wish me Luck!

The Flight of the Rhinoceros Hornbill on the moment of landing as it approaches a fruiting Fig tree

The Rhinoceros Hornbill perching on a dead stump looking for insects and termites

All photos taken with a Nikon D300 + 70 - 300mm VR lens with iso 500, f 5.6 at 280mm at the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on the 10 of November 2009. (N 05. 27' 401" E 118. 13' 904")

The 'Snake Bird'

The Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster), sometimes called the 'Snake Bird' is a waterbird of tropical South Asia and South East Asia. It is a small family of only four species of cormorant-like birds, one in the Neotropics, one in Africa, one in Australia and one in Asia. The Anhingas chase fish and prawns underwater and spear them with thier beaks before eating them. Unlike the cormorants, the darters have straight dagger shape bill and very long and slender neck which makes them look very snake like. This is particularly very evident when the anhingas 'poke' out thier heads from the water - They have the ability to reduce thier buoyancy really very well so that only the head comes out of the water but because of thier whole body feathers are waterlogged, has difficulty running and flapping over the water to get airborne.. The anhingas have to spend a lot of time on low branches or logs spreading out thier wings to dry because of this.

This Oriental Darter photo is taken in an ox-bow lake along the Lower Kinabatangan River and important feeding and breeding ground for this Near-Threatened species. (IUCN Red List Category 2010)

Photo taken on 23rd of July 2010 using a Nikon D 300 + 70 - 300 mm VR lens at iso 400, f 8 at 300mm.

The Helmeted Hornbill (Buceros vigil)

"Imagine being on the tropical island of Borneo and drifting quietly down a steam in a dug-out canoe. The giant trees of the rainforest rise on each bank like cathedral spires, and the creepers which festoon them form cloisters that conceal the dark damp interior. Raindrops pattering on the foliage and distant rumble of a retreating thunderstorm form a backdrop of sound, though which penetrates a single mournful hoot. More hoots follow at intervals, accelerating in tempo until they break suddenly into peals of maniacal laughter. Two huge birds then burst across the dome of the sky, their naked red heads extended and metre-long tail feathers trailing behind. Cackling loudly, they ram into one another like mountain sheep’s… Male Helmeted Hornbills are busy in defense of their territorial boundaries."

(Alan Kemp from his book HORNBILLS -1995)

The Helmeted Hornbill has captured the imagination of a lot of people since it was first discovered in written science by the early explorers to the tropical rainforest of Asia in the early days. The unmistakable size of this hornbill, reaching up to more than 1 metre plus its long elongated centrail tail feathers, its distinctive reddish yellowish casque which is Solid and its interesting hooting to eventual laughing call makes this species of hornbill unique in its own way. 54 species of hornbills occur in the world with 8 of them being found here in the island of BORNEO. The 8 are the Oriental Pied Hornbill, The Asian Black Hornbill, The Bushy Crested Hornbill, The Wreathed Hornbill, The Wrinkled Hornbill, The Rhinoceros Hornbill and also the Helmeted Hornbill.

This species are considered to be a rarity of sightings these days as their numbers have significantly dropped due to the loss of its natural habitat ie the lowland dipterocarp forest. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the helmeted hornbill is evaluated as Near Threatened. If you do see one, you will realized that it is not an easy proposition to photographed this bird as they rarely descend lower from the canopies of most trees. They are also very shy and wary, a behavior which have most likely developed due to the pressure of hunting for its casque and feathers not so long ago. This are some photos of this rare hornbill which I hope to get a better photograph one day. Wish me Luck!! :P

Photos taken along the main Kinabatangan River, (N 05 32. 118' E 118 17. 442'/Pangi Forest Reserve - Fig Tree) Sukau Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife sanctuary on 16 June 2009.

Nikon D300 + 70-300mm VR at 300mm F 8 ISO 500

Our Gentle Giant : The Bornean Pygmy Elephants

I was thinking of what to post on my blog to kick start its inaugural edition when it suddenly came into my mind that i should start it out with posting wildlife images of the BORNEAN PYGMY ELEPHANTS. For me personally, the pygmy elephants are a real joy to observed in the wild and i can definetely sit or even hide for hours just to observe and photographed them in thier natural behaviour. The best moment for me will be when you see these elephants going down to the river to swim and cool off. It is just simply amazing! 

A big herd of pygmy elephant having a SPLASH in the river.

The Bornean Pygmy Elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis) is the smallest of all Elephant species in the world. But don't get fool by its name though, as the pygmy elephants are by no means small. They are GIANTS indeed. An adult male pygmy elephant can grow up to about 2.5 metres high while females to about 2.0 metres in height. In a day this giants can eat up to 150 kg of vegetation, feeding mostly on a wide variety of palms, grasses, tree bark, roots, leaves and wild bananas. Studies have shown that the elephants diet consists of at least 162 species of plants (in 49 families), including several dipterocarp tree species.  This giants also require up to about 200 litres of water to drink in a day and needs supplementary minerals, which they will obtain from natural salt licks. 

 Pygmy elephants feeding on the elephant grasses (Saccharum spontaneum)

The Borneo Pygmy Elephants has just recently been classified as a subspecies of the Asian Elephants. Its nearest of cousins are the Sumatran Elephants (Elephas maximus sumatrensis) found in Sumatra, Western Indonesia, the Indian Elephants (Elephas maximus indicus) found in South Asia with distributions in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Western Myanmar and also the Sri Lankan Elephants (Elephas maximus maximus) found in the South west of Sri Lanka. The pygmy elephants are only found in the island of Borneo but in restricted ranges on the Northeastern part of the island. The highest concentration of these elephants are in the pockets of tropical lowland rainforest of Eastern and Southeastern Sabah and the Northern part of Kalimantan Indonesia. Estimates are around 1200-1500 in the wild but their numbers could be much lower than this.

Pygmy elephants traveling on their ancient migratory route.

The origins of the Pygmy Elephants has always been debated by scientist all around the world. Until recently the pygmy elephants of Borneo were believed to be a remnant population of a domesticated herd (suspected as the now already extinct Javan elephants) abandoned on the island by the Sultan of Sulu in the 17th century. But a 2003 DNA analysis carried out by WWF, Columbia University, Sabah Wildlife Department and Local Researchers proved that the pygmy elephants  are genetically distinct from other Asian elephants, thereby recognizing it as a likely new subspecies and emphasizing its conservation priority. According to the DNA evidence, these elephants were isolated about 300,000 years ago from their cousins on mainland Asia and Sumatra. These subspecies currently living in Borneo possibly became isolated from other Asian elephant populations when land bridges that linked Borneo with the other Sunda Island and the mainland disappeared after the Last Glacial Maximum. Isolation may be the reason that these elephants has evolved to become smaller, more rounder with relatively larger ears, longer tails, and straighter tusks. The evolutionary history of Borneo's elephants justifies their recognition as a separate evolutionary significant unit (ESU).

The pygmy elephants migration.

The pygmy elephants play a very important role as "architects of the rainforest." This is because the elephants create large clearings in the forest where they gather at highly rich in minerals salt lick and preferred drinking spots. After hundreds and even thousands of years of continuous elephant trampling and digging, some of these clearings may reach several hundred metres across. The elephants keep these clearings open by trampling young colonizing plants and also by feeding on the new leaves. These clearings attract other species of animals which drink at the water hole and allows carnivores to hunt prey exposed in the open area. The pygmy elephants, by feeding on young leaves in the forest, also allow more light to penetrate the canopy and reach down through the gloomy rainforest floor. They not only clear areas, but also contribute to tree dispersal, in that several species of seed will only germinate after passing through an elephant's digestive system.

A matriarch female with a satellite collar.

In July 2005, five pygmy elephants were darted and outfitted with satellite collars by the Sabah Wildlife Department with WWF assistance, after tracking the elephants on foot through the dense jungle proved to be too difficult over long periods. Since elephants live in matriarchal societies, only adult female elephants were collared so that each elephant collared represents a whole herd's movements. Each of this collared elephants belongs to a herd of about 30-50 elephants but they often split off into smaller groups for days or weeks at a time. The collars sent GPS locations to a WWF computer via satellite as often as once a day. This was the first long-term study done on the Bornean Pygmy Elephants. Satellite data revealed that the remaining herds of Borneo elephants prefer jungles on flat lowlands and in river valleys, the same areas preferred by loggers and for oil palm plantations. Human activity has pushed elephants to unsuitable swamp areas and restricted their ranges to narrow corridors. Over the last four decades, about 40% of the forest cover in Sabah has been lost to logging, plantations and human settlements.

A "HORNY" full grown adult male pygmy elephant.

So how we can help in conserving this gentle giants are by being more observant anytime we come across the pygmy elephants in any nature areas that we visit. Being more observant means that we have to keep and eye and look real carefully at each individual elephant to see if there is any signs or visible injuries on thier bodies, to take note of any unusual behaviour seen and also the whereabout location of where the herd is travelling or feeding. Why this is important is because the location on where we have seen this elephant migrating or feeding is a good indicator of what might be a traditional elephant migratory route and by recording this down or even better the GPS co ordinates of this area, we will be able to share this data with relevant organizations who will use it to convince stakeholders of the land not to destroy or develop the land as it is an important elephant migratory pathway. Taking photos of each elephants are also important as we will be able to help elephant researchers on the field to identify each individual elephant and from which herd it might come from. All of this data will come in handy to conservation bodies such as WWF or goverment department like the Sabah Wildlife Department.

Lucky visitors observing the pygmy elephants feeding along the river.

In Borneo, these giants are located in areas stretching from Sebuku Sembakung in north-east Kalimantan through to Maliau, Danum, Kinabatangan and Tabin on the eastern side of Sabah. The best place to see them will be in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary especially during thier migratory season. This is when large herds of the pygmy elephants will come together along the river and at times reaching up to more than 6o individuals in a large congregation. Most of this photos are taken in the Kinabatangan. Enjoy and lets help out these gentle giants, one of our Natural Wonders of BORNEO.

A herd of pygmy elephants.

A young pygmy elephant suckling its mum.

Just cooling off.

A sub adult pygmy elephant male enjoying his time in the river.

Pygmy elephants are "HEAVY DRINKERS."

Pygmy elephants are BIG WILD animals so always keep a safe distance!