Hobi Melihat Burung di Semenanjung Malaysia

Aktiviti melihat burung atau singkatnya "memburung" adalah satu hobi yang sihat dan manfaat. Tua dan muda semuanya boleh menceburi hobi ini. Kalau isteri / suami yang jenis adventurous, boleh juga bawa sekali. Hobi melihat burung dalam ertikata sebenar secara umumnya merangkumi 3 process:

i) memerhati burung

ii) mengenalpasti burung

iii) mencatat burung yang dilihat

i) MEMERHATI BURUNG

Sehingga kini terdapat sebanyak 785 species burung yang telah dikenalpasti di Malaysia (sumber: MyBIS.gov.my, 2016) dan 1,375 species di seluruh dunia (sumber: Birdlife International, 2015). Kumpulan burung-burung yang dilihat pula secara umumnya boleh dibahagikan kepada 3 jenis:

i) burung tempatan

ii) burung hijrah (migrant)

iii) burung perantau (vagrant)

Burung-burung di Semenanjung Malaysia boleh ditemui di beberapa habitat. Antara habitat yang paling umum ialah di sekitar taman rekreasi yang berdekatan ataupun di pinggiran hutan di kawasan luar bandar. Lain-lain kawasan yang boleh diterokai ialah seperti hutan simpan kekal di Taman Negara, kawasan gunung, tasik, persisiran pantai dan luatan.  Bahkan sawah padi juga terdapat kepelbagaian species burung yang menakjubkan. Peralatan asas untuk melihat burung adalah seperti berikut:

i) teropong (binoculars)

ii) skop pemerhati (spotting scope)

iii) kamera DSLR

Peralatan di atas boleh membantu anda untuk mengenalpasti burung yang dilihat selain daripada melihat keindahan alam. Waktu yang paling sesuai untuk melihat burung adalah di waktu pagi - sejuk dan nyaman.

ii) MENGENALPASTI BURUNG

Mengenalpasti burung adalah satu process yang paling penting dalam aktiviti memburung. Untuk mengenalpasti burung yang dilihat secara tepat, terdapat beberapa sumber rujukan yang boleh digunakan. Walaupun kebanyakan sumber adalah dalam bahasa Inggeris namun nama saintifik burung biasanya jarang berubah. Misalnya nama saintifik untuk Punai Kericau (Pink-Necked Green Pigeon) adalah "Trevon vernans", Itik Belibis (Lesser Whistling Duck) adalah "Dendrocygna javanica ", dan sebagainya. Sumber tempatan yang boleh anda rujuk secara percuma buat masa ini ialah melalui laman "mybis.gov.my". Walaupun laman tersebut masih dalam proses penambahan species namun ia adalah satu-satu sumber yang sedia ada di mana nama burung-burung tempatan dan nama saintifiknya boleh ditemui. Biasanya, pengemar melihat burung akan membuat "cross-reference" dengan buku panduan burung di lapangan (field guide) sebelum mencatatkan burung yang dilihat. Sumber lain untuk mendapat maklumat dengan lebih cepat ialah dengan menyertai kursus melihat burung atau mengikut para pengemar melihat burung yang berpengalaman. Ada setengah pengemar melihat burung pula mengenalpasti burung dengan menggunakan gambar yang dirakam oleh kamera DSLR. Kaedah ini dikatakan dapat mengenalpasti jenis burung yang dilihat dengan lebih tepat.

iii) CATATAN BURUNG YANG DILIHAT
Untuk mencatat burung-burung yang telah dikenalpasti, terdapat beberapa cara yang biasa digunakan oleh para pengemar burung di lapangan. Antara kaedah yang kerap dan paling mudah ialah dengan menulis nama burung di buku nota. Selain daripada nama burung, tarikh dan lokasi di mana burung dilihat juga perlu dicatatkan. Ada setengah pengemar melihat burung pula menggunakan gambar yang dirakam oleh kamera DSLR sebagai sumber catatan. Dengan kemajuan yang dicapai dalam bidang sains, anda kini boleh memasukkan nama burung-burung yang dilihat secara atas talian dengan menggunakan applikasi (app) yang boleh dimuat turun kedalam telefon bimbit.

Tak kira tua atau muda, semua boleh menyertai hobi ini.

Penglibatan kaum wanita di semua bidang sudah semakin ketara - dari sukan lasak seperti motor cross sampai lah aktiviti melihat burung. Sampai sanggup tinggal pinggan mangkuk untuk melihat keindahan alam.

Selepas menyelami dan memahami 3 proses asas aktiviti memburung di atas, anda sudah bersedia masuk ke lapangan untuk menikmati hobi baru anda. Ingin dijelaskan di sini bahawa terdapat perbezaan yang ketara di antara hobi melihat burung dengan hobi mengambil gambar burung (bird photography). Para jurugambar burung biasanya memiliki peralatan kamera yang lebih canggih dan mahal. Mereka ini biasanya cuma berminat mengambil gambar burung tanpa menghirau sangat tentang tabiat burung, masalah penjerat burung, dan kesan kegiatan manusia dan ekologi terhadap kepupusan setengah burung tempatan misalnya burung merak hijau.


Berikut adalah beberapa jenis burung yang masih boleh ditemui di beberapa habitat di Semenanjung Malaysia:

Itik Belibis

Punai Kericau (betina di kiri, jantan di kanan)

Takur Tukang Besi (Megalaima haemacephala) Jantan di kiri, Betina di sebelah kanan

Gembala Kerbau (Acridotheres tristis)

Helang Ular Berjambul (Spilornis cheela)

Helang Siput (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

Burung Tekukur (Streptopelia chinensis)

Tekukur Merah (Streptopelia tranuebarica)

Pekaka Kerdil (Ceyx erithaca)

Burung Layang-Layang Pasifik (Hirundo tahitica)

Burung Rapang (Vanellus indicus)

Burung Camar (Caspian) - (Hydroprogne caspia)

Burung Rapang Emas Pasifik (Pluvialis fulva)

Berek-berek Ekor Biru/Sawah (Merops philippinus)

Kedidi Hutan (Dendronanthus indicus)

Pekaka Rimba (Alcedo euryzona)

Punai Daun (Treron olax)

Sambar Biru Bakau (Cyornis rufigastra) - jantan

Sambar Biru Bakau (Cyornis rufigastra) - betina

Sambar Siulan Bakau (Pachycephala cinerea)

Merbah Kapur (Pycnonotus goalivier)

Ta Dah !

Sekian Terima Kasih dan Selamat Menikmati Keindahan Alam Semulajadi khususnya burung-burung di Semanjung Malaysia.

The Difference Between a Twitcher and a Birder

It was reported that sometime in February 1989, an estimated 2500 birders and bird photographers descended onto Kent just to watch a "Golden-winged Warbler" (Source: www.bristishbirds.co.uk). You might probably have known who are those bird photographers are. Over in this region they would often sit on a folded chair with their menacing looking camera system inside a hide or a camouflage shade in some muddy and mosquito infested jungle waiting patiently for their precious birds to drop in. Many people, however might find it a bit difficult to identify themselves as either a birder or a twitcher.  I did some research and here is what i have discovered.

Apparently the word "twitcher" is a British term (who else ?) which carries the meaning of observing a previously located rare bird. Twitchers are only interested in looking for rare birds to add on to their list of birds seen. Through their intel network, they would travel at any available time and usually covering large distances just to see a rare bird. Nevertheless it has also been said that any serious birdwatcher will take great exception to being called a twitcher, really? Birders on the other hand will make careful notes of the birds they see regardless whether if they are a common or dull looking birds. Here are some of the birds which i have seen so far (2018) - both common and rare ones included.

Mangrove Pitta

When i first saw this bird, it was together with a bird photographer, Mr JT Cham from PJ as he introduced himself. He drives an old car which looks destined to a scrap yard. I thought he might just be a push-over. So i begin to tell him about bird watching etc. Then he went to his car and took out a camera set which cost more than his junk and my camera combined. I kept very quiet the entire day thereafter.

This is a resident bird which is reported to have no recognised subspecies (monotypic) at the moment. It has been reported to be "Near Threatened" since 1988 (ref: IUCN Red list). Here you can see its thin black median stripe on its forehead.  

Lesser Whistling Duck

The one on the right i believe could be a male.

Several pairs were observed here. 

(Note the black streaks on their necks. It could be sign of breeding mood)

Little Grebe

Looks like this male Little Grebe is also into breeding colors. 

Watercock (Male)

Swamp dwelling water birds are interesting to see especially a male watercock in breeding colors. (field notes: red frontal lobe and blackish colors). Although locally common here but to see one preening out in the open is exceptionally pleasing. Apparently this is also a monotypic species.

Pied Fantail

You do not need a 800mm to shoot this bird. A normal P&S camera will get the same results.

Forest Wagtail

This is one of the few migrant wagtails which frequent this region. It departs very late indeed.

I really can't make out what species the above bird belongs to but i reckoned it could just be some juvenile bulbul species.

Note: local experts here reckoned that it could be a "Rufous-Fronted Babbler"

An adult female Common Iora

Field note: pale body colors and wing bars

Red Collered Dove

This should be an adult male identified from its pale bluish-grey head and pinkish-red body colors. Also note its darker colored legs instead of pink legs as depicted by some field guides.

These Red Collared Doves appears to be more common in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. The ones seen as far down in Malacca were probably escapees or introduced birds.

The one in the background with brownish body color could be a female.

Could this be a Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus)?

Nowadays it could be quite difficult to ascertain whether these chickens are the domesticated ones or
are they from the wild as the ones seen here have almost all the features of the wild Gallus gallus. They could have hybrid with their local cousins but retained most of their wild genes or they could have just migrated from the jungle to become domesticated.

The above could be a Germain's Swiftlet as it has the typical overall paler/ashy colors and it appears bulkier than the edible bird nest swiflets.

The above is a juvenile Jungle Myna (A.fucus)

Field note: light brown with pale bluish eyes.

Mangrove Blue Flycatcher (female)

Mangrove Blue Flycatcher (Male)

I think not many birders have seen a pale yellow throat patch displayed by a male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher.

Dollar Bird

At the moment it was reported that Dollar Bird has 10 subspecies. The one which is a resident here is E.o. orientalis which is reported to have a dark brown to greenish head with bluish streaked throat.  The ones which winters here i.e E.o. abundus is reported to have darker black head and head sides which appears like a hood. Not sure which subspecies does the above bird belongs to though.

Abbott's Babbler

The above photo clearly shows the distinctive field marks of an Abbott's Babbler i.e longer tail, clear supercilium and deeper rufescent color near its vent as compared to a Horsfield's Babbler.

Mangrove Whistler

Apparently there are only 2 recognised subspecies and in Malaysia it is represented by P.c. cinerea. which is reported to be much browner as compared to its Phillipines cousins. When it sings the entire mangroves lights up.

  Despite its dull colors, its a popular bird amongst the bird photographers.

One of the distinguish field marks of this bird is its pale grey legs which can be seen from the above photo.

Puff-Throated Babbler

Despite its common status over here, this was the first time i have seen this babbler.

Rufous-backed Kingfisher

I believe the above kingfisher is a resident kingfisher as compared to Black-backed Kingfisher.

Blue-banded Kingfisher

Yup i just have to be there to see my second lifer for this year. The temptation was too great to resist. I was sandwiched between those big frightening lenses but it was fun together with them.

Note: check out its Syndactyl toes arrangement i.e 3 toes in front and 1 behind which is usually associated with kingfishes

Summary

So do you now consider yourself a birder or a twitcher? I believe everyone of us would have a bit of this and a bit of that. What defined us individually are those traits or characteristics which we embraced most.

Here is a definition of happiness:

"A person just need 3 things to be happy: i) someone to love ; ii) something to do ; and iii) something to hope for" by Tim Bodott

HAPPY BIRD WATCHING !