Biodiversity at PT Socfindo

Birds in Oil Palm Estates

J.Ch. Jacquemard

April 2005 – March 2006

The described birds have been observed regularly on the Aek Loba Estate in different
environments: immature and mature plantations, tracks, marshes, pond, ditches, nursery and
garden.

The identification has been realised following “Birds of Southeast Asia” by Ben King, Martin
Woodcock and E.C. Dickinson (Periplus Nature Guides, Periplus Ed., 1998). The
corresponding references are indicated.

The comments on usual range and the habitat come from this source as the selected
illustrations (Martin Woodcock©)

To date, 38 different species of birds have been identified

 Some birds observed in PT Socfindo estates

Ardeidae:
Great Billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) – 24 pl
11

Observed at Aek Loba Estate surrounding large

ditches
Usual range: Nicobars; Greater Sundas and
Philippines to Australia
Habitat: mangroves, islands

Cattle Egret (Bulbucus ibis) – 31 pl 11

Observed with cattle at Aek Loba Estate, frequently with

breeding plumage,
Usual range: nearly worldwide.
Habitat: paddy fields, pasture, marshes.

Accipitridae:

White – Bellied Sea Eagle

(Haliaeetus leucogaster) -103
pl 4

Observed in transit at
Seunagan Estate
Usual range: India; Nicobars; SE China; Hainan; Philippines and Greater Sundas to Australia
Habitat: sea – coasts, large lakes, rivers.
Phasianidae:

Bar – Backed Partridge (Arborophila atrogularis) –

168 pl 9
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in young mature and
mature blocks running from ferns early morning
Usual range: SW China; Greater Sundas
Habitat: forest

Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus) - 186 pl 8

Observed at Aek Loba Estate in young mature
blocks; call frequently listen early morning.
Usual range: NW Himalayas to S China; Hainan;
Philippines; Sumatra; Java; introduced Celebes;
Lesser Sundas; Oceania
Habitat: forest, second growth, scrub, rice stubble

Turnicidae:
Barred Buttonquail (Turnix suscitator (javanica)) - 199
pl 9
Observed at Aek Loba in young mature and mature
blocks running or flying from ferns
Usual range: India; Japan; S. China; Taiwan; Sumatra;
Java; Lesser Sundas; Celebes; Philippines
Habitat: scrub, grass, cultivation

Jacanidae:
Bronze – winged Jacana (Metopidius indicus) - 224,
pl 10
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in low land and large
ditches
Usual range: India; SW China; Sumatra; Java
Habitat: marshes, lotus pond
Columbidae:
Red – Turtle Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica) - 342 pl
21
Observed some of them at Aek Loba Estate, frequently
on the tracks and TPA for feeding oil palm fruits
Usual range: Andamans; India; China; Hainan; Taiwan;
Philippines
Habitat: open country, scrub, second growth

Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) – 343 pl 21

Observed at Aek Loba Estate very frequently on
tracks and oil palm circle for feeding oil palm fruits
Usual range: India; China; Hainan; Taiwan; Greater
Sundas; Palawan
Habitat: open country, scrub, second growth

Peaceful Dove (Geopelia striata) - 344 pl 21

Observed at Aek Loba Estate very frequently on tracks
and oil palm circle for feeding oil palm fruits
Usual range: Philippines and Sundas to Australia
Habitat: open country, scrub, cities, gardens

Cuculidae:

Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis) –

383 pl 25
Observed at Aek Loba Estate early
morning or after rainfall in immature or
young mature planting
Usual range: India; Andamans;
Nicobars; S China; Hainan; Greater
Sundas; Philippines
Habitat: scrub, second growth,
grassland, mangoves
Strigiformes:
Barn Owl (Tyto alba) - 385 pl 26
Observed at Aek Loba Estate, used for the control of
pests like rats in all Southeast Asia
Usual range: nearly worldwide; India; Andamans;
Java;
Introduced in Southeast Asia Oil Palm Estates
Habitat: usually buildings and cultivated areas, cities

Caprimulgidae:
Malaysian Eared Nightjar (Eurostopodus temminckii) – 416
Listen at night at Aek Loba Estate, observed at Sungei Liput Estate, furtively observed after
sunset on tracks
Usual range: Sumatra; Borneo
Habitat: open country adjacent to forest

Apodidae:
Swiftlets are observed surrounding buildings specially equipped to attract them for their saliva
nests (Aek Kanopan). The corresponding species are using echolocation. The direct
identification is not easy. The most probable specie seems to be Edible – Nest Swiftlet
(Collocalia fuciphaga) – 423.

Alcedinidae:
Stork – Billed Kingfisher ( Pelargopsis
capensis) - 454 pl 24
Observed on phone wired at the aviation
field close to Suso (West Aceh)
Usual range: India; Andamans; Nicobars;
Philippines; Sundas; Celebes
Habitat: Wooded streams, mangroves, paddy
fields, rivers, swamp forest, open country

White – Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon

smyrmensis) - 457 pl 24
Observed at Aek Loba Estate perching on telephone wires, sticks, etc
Usual range: Middle East to S China; Hainan;
Taiwan; Philippines; Andamans
Habitat: rather open areas near fresh water

Black – Capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) -

458 pl 24
Observed at Aek Loba Estate perching on palms
and sticks close to the tracks
Usual range: India to China; Taiwan; Hainan;
Korea; Philippines; Andamans; Nicobars; Borneo;
Sumatra; Celebes
Habitat: wooded areas, mangroves, coastal areas,
sometime paddy fields

Picidae:
Grey – Capped Woodpecker (Picoides canicapillus) - 535 pl 33
Observed at Aek Loba Estate on old Pine trees
Usual range: W Pakistan to Manchuria; China; Hainan; Taiwan;
Sumatra; Borneo
Habitat: Wooded areas

Rufous Woodpecker
(Micropternus brachyurus)
505 pl 31
Observed dead at Aek Loba
Estate after a thunderstorm
Usual range: Himalayas and India to S China; Hainan;
Greater Sundas
Habitat: open woods, second growth

Hirundinidae:
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) - 570, pl 34
Observed at Aek Loba Estate up to mill ponds and POME
Usual range: nearly worldwide; India; China; Borneo;
Philippines
Habitat: marshes, rivers, sandbanks

Picnonotidae:
Sooty – Headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) - 620 pl 36
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: S China; Java; Introduced Sumatra
Habitat: second growth, gardens, scrub, open forest
Yellow – Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) 624 pl 36
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: Greater Sundas; Philippines
Habitat: second growth, coastal scrub, gardens, cultivation,
mangroves

Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes madagascariensis leucocephalus) - 644

pl 36
White - headed race observed at Aek Loba Estate in
gardens
Usual range: Malagasy; India; S China; Hainan; Taiwan
Habitat: forests, second growth, gardens

Paridae:
Great Tit (Parus major) - 690 pl 49
Observed at Aek Loba Estate on pine trees in gardens
Usual range: Palearctic; India; China; Taiwan; Sundas
Habitat: wooded areas, often pines

Turdidae:
Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis) – 879 pl 58
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: West Pakistan to S China; Hainan;
Philippines; Andamans; Greater Sundas
Habitat: gardens, cultivated areas, brush, cities,
mangroves
 Sylvidae:
Ashy Tailorbird (Orthotomus ruficeps) – 977 pl 52
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: Greater Sundas; Palawan
Habitat: scrubs, mangroves

Dark Necked Tailorbird (Orthotomus

atrogularis) – 976 pl 52
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in
gardens
Usual range: Sikkim to SW China;
Philippines; Sumatra; Borneo
Habitat: undergrowth and thickets in
forests and open country

Muscicapidae:
White – Throated Fantail (Rhipidura albicolis) - 1048 pl 57
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in old mature blocks and
subcanopy
Usual range: West Pakistan to S China; Hainan; Borneo;
Sumatra
Habitat: evergreen forest

Spotted Fantail
(Rhidipura
periata) - 1050 pl 57
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in subcanopy
Usual range: Greater Sundas
Habitat: evergreen forest and subcanopy

Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica) 1051 pl

57
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in subcanopy
Usual range: Greater Sundas; Philippines
Habitat: mangroves, second growth, open wooded country, gardens
Mottacilidae:
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) - 1063 pl 59
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: Africa; Eurasia; Alaska; India;
Andamans; Nicobars; China; Taiwan; Greater
Sundas and Philippines to Australia
Habitat: marshy areas, open cultivation, paddy
fields, roost in flocks in reeds, mangroves

Sturnidae:
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) - 1093 pl
61
Observed isolated at Aek Loba Estate in mature
block, probably escaped
Usual range: Afghanistan to SW China;
Introduced Andamans; Nicobars; Hawaii;
Australia; New Zealand; S Africa; many tropical
islands
Habitat: open country, cultivation, gardens, cities

Nectariniidae:
Plain Sunbird (Anthreptes simplex) - 1100 pl 62
Observed at Aek Loba Estate on Hibiscus and Peacock Flower in
gardens
Usual range: Sumatra; Borneo
Habitat: forest, second growth

Brown – Throated Sunbird (Antreptes malacensis) - 1101

pl 62
Observed at Aek Loba Estate on Hibiscus and Peacock
Flower in gardens
Usual range: Sundas; Philippines; Celebes
Habitat: coastal scrubs, mangroves, second growth, gardens,
coconuts

Ploceidae:
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) - 1140 pl 64
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens and open fields
Usual range: Eurasia; India; China; Hainan; Taiwan; Greater
Sundas
Habitat: villages, cities, gardens, cultivations
White – Rumped Munia (Lonchura striata) - 1151 pl 60
Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: India; Andamans; Nicobars; S China; Taiwan;
Hainan; Sumatra
Habitat: second growth, scrub, cultivation, paddy field

Scaly – Breasted Munia (Lonchura ponctulata) - 1154 pl 60

Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: India; S China; Hainan; Taiwan; Java; Sumatra; Lesser
Sundas; Celebes; Philippines
Habitat: cultivation, second growth, scrub, grass, paddy fields,
gardens

White – Headed Munia (Lonchura maja) - 1156 pl 60

Observed at Aek Loba Estate in gardens
Usual range: Sumatra; Java
Habitat: second growth, cultivation, grass, marshes,
Paddy fields, gardens, reed beds (roost)