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     Cattle Egret                           Photo by Stijn De Win

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Asia birding news

 

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Thailand

  Khao Yai & the North

   23^rd December 2008 - 4^th January 2009

Khao Yai - Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve-

Huai Hong Krai - Doi Pha Hom Pok -

Doi Ang Khan - Doi Pui - Doi Inthanon-

Chiang Saen - Doi Lang - Chiang Dao

 

General news useful for birdwatching in Asia.

 

June 2008 : Xeno-canto Asia goes online!

Free downloadable sounds have long been unavailable for the Oriental region.  This has

changed recently with the launch of xeno-canto Asia, sister site of the excellent bird

sounds database for the Americas.  With a start in June 2008, they have already more

than 900 bird species covered.     http://www.xeno-canto.org/asia/

 

May 2008 : Birdlife International Red List Criteria updated for several

Asian bird species.

All species recognised by Birdlife International were checked against the IUCN Red List

and this led to 52 Asian bird species having their status revised and category changed. 

It must be said however that most of these changes follow the incorporation of taxonomic

changes of different authors and can’t be seen therefore as genuine up or down listing.

In fact, for those birders who don’t like to follow several different authors to compose

their life list, question is how interesting most of the stuff remains to be.  The most widely

used checklist, ‘Clements 6’ does not recognise most of the species yet.

The most interesting and genuine changes are;

Common name	Scientific name	2007	2008	Reason for change	Best sites to see the species in Asia.
Swan Goose	Anser cygnoides	EN	VU	Better knowledge	China Poyang Hu
Baer's Pochard	Aythya baeri	VU	EN	Genuine uplisting  due to decline of the species.	Thailand-Chiang Saen China-Poyang Hu etc
Bengal Florican	Hoebarobsis bengalensis	EN	CR	Genuine uplisting due to decline of the species.	Cambodia Stung&Kampong Thom grasslands
Andaman Crake	Rallina canningi	DD	NT	Better knowledge	Andamans
Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	LC	NT	Genuine uplisting	widespread
Long-billed Curlew	Numenius americanus	NT	LC	Better knowledge	widespread
Spoon-billed Sandpiper	Eurynorhynchus pygmeus	EN	CR	Genuine uplisting due to recent decline of the species	Thailand Pak Thale
Mindoro Imperial-pigeon	Ducula mindorensis	VU	EN	Better knowledge	Philippines Mountains of Mindoro
Gurney's Pitta	Pitta gurneyi	CR	EN	Discovery of territories in Myanmar	Thailand Khao Nor Chuchi
Collared Crow	Corvus torquatus	LC	NT	Better knowledge	Southern China and Hong Kong
Black-browed Babbler	Malacocincla perspicillata	VU	DD	Lost species, only single specimen known	To be discovered in Indonesia-Kalimantan
Sichuan Treecreeper	Certhia tianquanensis	VU	NT	Better knowledge	China-Sichuan
Chestnut-capped Thrush	Zoothera interpres	LC	NT	Better knowledge	Malaysia Taman Negara…

Click for the full report. (all world species)

 

Another note to these updates is the rather incomprehensible lack of the inclusion of

Black-bellied Tern.  The species is currently still listed as near-threatened but it is in

serious decline at it’s few last strongholds while already absent from most of it’s former

range.  There’s been an extensive discussion on the species in the Birdlife threatened

birds forum though.  If Black-bellied Tern doesn’t get the attention it deserves quickly, it

is likely to skip some categories in the very near future to strand at endangered or even

critical at once!!!

Please note that Birdlife International is doing some great work on conservation and

certainly deserve full support.  Visit our links page to go to the Birdlife website.

 

 Birding news with focus on a specific country.

 

Aug 2008, Thailand : Birdwatching site to disappear.

Construction of a new holiday resort is taking place at Thai Muang marsh.

Thai Muang lies 40 km north of Phuket in Thailand’s south and the marsh and wet paddies

have been an excellent birdwatching site which was holding a number of scarce wintering

species such as Grey-headed Lapwing and Lanceolated Warbler.  Malaysian Plover was

found occasionally on the beach nearby and breeding species included Black Bittern (rare

for the South!),Slaty-breasted Rail and Blue-breasted Quail.

I guess we have to say goodbye once this marsh has been filled in completely.

Stijn has been lucky enough to bird this site several times a week during September-

December 2006 with lots of nice sightings.  Click for the full bird list of Thai Muang.

 

Aug 2008, Philippines : Subic Bay gets detailed site information!

Luzon’s best lowland rainforest birdwatching site has never seen much birding info

on the internet.  Things change, as the site has now been honoured to be the first one

to get covered on Birding 2 asia.  Please have a look at the birding maps and info,

directions, bird list, accommodation and food info…

 

Jan-April 2008, Thailand : Slaty-backed Gull added to the Thai list.

Seen first in January, it took till April when a gull expert by accident saw photographs of

this species first believed to be a Heuglin’s Gull.

See this article for the full story. 

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