THE STATE OF MALAYSIA’S BIRDS

A total of 852 species of birds are known from Malaysia, since records began. Of these, about 719 have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia, 566 in Sarawak and 619 in Sabah. At least 545 species (64%) have resident populations while about 211 are migratory, and a further 160 have been recorded as vagrants. Eight species are endemic or largely restricted to Malaysia. Only nine or so species (e.g. Green Peafowl Pavo muticus) are extirpated, and these were never historically more than peripheral to the Malaysian avifauna. Among seabirds, at least eight species are known to have breeding populations in Malaysian waters. Based on the latest IUCN Red List assessment, 13 species are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’, 18 species ‘Endangered’ and a further 49 species ‘Vulnerable’, of which the majority are either lowland rainforest dependent or coastal wetland species. Lowland forests, particularly lowland dipterocarp forests and freshwater swamp forests, support the highest diversity of (breeding) resident species in Malaysia, but are also the most threatened vegetation types, and remain at high risk of conversion to plantation agriculture (e.g. oil palm, rubber, durian). Whilst little surveyed, peat swamp forests have now been reduced to a few large patches, mostly in Pahang and Sarawak, threatening key species such as Storm’s Stork (Ciconia stormi) and Wrinkled Hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus). Coastal wetlands and associated habitat such as mudflats are used by a high diversity of migratory waterbirds in both Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo but are at high risk of conversion and degradation due to competing land uses, whilst major gaps in protection persists. Trapping of wild birds to supply regional and local markets for pet birds further threatens at least 15 species, including the Straw-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus) (Critically Endangered), magpie-robins (Copsychus spp.) and all leafbirds (Chloropsis spp.). Improving the conservation of bird species in Malaysia may be achieved through a combination of targeted species recovery programmes alongside efforts to secure the conservation of key habitats in protected and managed areas, in collaboration with local communities. There is also scope to strengthen the conservation of birds in agricultural landscapes such as rice fields, as already practiced elsewhere in the region. There are ongoing work to track the population of Malaysia’s avifauna through monitoring programmes, with existing initiatives in place for raptors, waterbirds and urban birds but there is opportunity to expand such programmes through the use of citizen science and IUCN Red listing.