Birding Bali: Nusa Penida Island with exotic Seabird

Seabirds in the strait
One the way over from Bali, keep an eye open for seabirds such as Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Wedged-tailed Shearwater and Red-necked Phalarope. The main island, Nusa Penida, is now more or less ringed by road; wheter exploring by push-bike, on foot or by public transport, be prepared for some discomfort. There is seldom any shade, and it is very hot.


On arrival at Toyapakeh or Sampalan, look out for at least two species which are common here but not seen on mainland Bali: Red chested Flowerpecker and Black faced Munia. Along the coast (and on hight ground where there is some dry rice cultivation) you may be surprised to see White-faced Heron, a typically Australian bird at the very northern limit of its range.


Given limited time, two day long excursions are recommended the first to Batumadeg on the southern slopes of Bukit Mundi (Mundi hill), from where you may walk south to the remote Temiling Valley. This spectacular gorge, surrounded by the only jungle on the island, is home to many forest birds, notably imperial pigeons, drongos and flycatchers. The trail leads on to kolam dedari, the angel’s pool-a wonderful spot to cool off. Inspect the nearby Cliffside temple, pura segara, and see White-tailed Tropicbirds nesting in the 200-m chalk heads. Another route home starts with the rockhewn staircase above the pool.


The second excursion is to Tanjung Abah (Abah cape), via the incredible Karangsari cave. From Sampalan take the east coast road to Suwana (from where it is a long, hard, scenic walk) or karang (a short, rugged trail) to Tanjung Abah. White-bellied sea-eagles still nest on the limestone stacks at Abah, and the view here is stunning. There is also a good chance of seeing Osprey and Peregrine Falcon-and if you see any other tourists, they are bound to be birdwatchers!

Birding Bali: Nusa Penida Island

Nusa Penida: island of bandits
First known to Portuguese seafarers as Nusa pendita, this island has always had an unsavoury reputation. Many sailing ships have been wrecked and plundered on its coasts, and still today the place is wild and inhospitable. Lacking any ground-water, it is unsuited to tourist development, and thus an excellent place for birds. It can be explored in 1 2- or 3-day trip.

Accessible by charted outrigger (jukung) from sanur or by a regular passenger service from Kusambe, what appears to be a solid formation is in fact three islands. The nearest, lembongan, has been adopted by the surfing and pleasure-boating crowd. It could make a convenient base and is certainly worth a visit to see the peculiar man-made underground labyrinth at Jungutbatu. At low tide one can wander over to interveting Ceningan island to see the spectacle of a host of cave dwelling edible-nest swiftlets. The soup made from their mucus nests is delicacy in Hongkong and Taiwan, and the nests are harvested commercially here.

Birding Bali: Shorebirds on the Sand-flats

Shorebirds on the sand-flats
Ask the boatman to drop you halfway down the 11/2-km strand and walk the rest of the way. Or land at the usual disembarkation point, inspect the village and temple, and then take the clearly defined and well-shaded path that dissects the island north to south.

The main birding attraction is the vast expanse of exposed reef and sand-flat at the south end of the island that provides a feeding ground and a roost for migrating terns and waders as well as local herons. As you walk along the beach, observe parties of Sanderlings, pairs of small Malaysian Plovers and the odd Common Sandpiper. Rounding a bend in the beach and a shallow inflet, the extent of the flat becomes apparent, dotted with white egrets and an evenly-spaced line of dark, angular purple herons. Less obvious at first glance are the large numbers of Javan Pond Herons: wheter in breeding or non-breeding plumage, they blend in with their background.

Even more difficult to see are the flocks of plovers and sandpipers, all brownish, which are collectively known as waders. The easiest of this group to spot are the curlews, both Eurasian and far eastern-the former with white rumps like the numerous whi,mblers, obvious by their sheer size. Grey plover are fairly plentiful and are easely distinguished by their black axillaries (“armpits”) in flight. Not so the flocks of golden plover, which are almost impossible to detect against the mud. Calling for equally close scrutiny are the flocks of Mongolian plover, interspersed with the odd greater sandplover, grey-tailed tattler, rufous-necked stint, and sharp-tailed and curlew sandpipers. Redshanks are usually much in evidence, with a few greenshanks and ruddy turnstones. And look out for some of Bali’s more infrequent visitors, such as black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, terek sandpiper, longbilled dowitcher and great knot.

During the spring and autumn passage, thousands of birds congregate here (though it is a rewarding site at any time). Most numerous af all are the terns-great, pied swathes of them, comprising mainly great crested terns with lesser numbers of gull-billed, common and little. But now it is time to hurry back: the tide is getting low and the boatman becoming impatient….

Birding Bali: Serangan Island

Birding Bali: Serangan Island
Shorebirds an outrigger ride from Sanur
Most people go to turtle island to see the important temple, Pura Sakenan, with its beautifully sculpted coral gates and shrines. During the ten days following the Galungan/kuningan (all saints/all souls) festival, tens of thousands of pilgrims, together with their sacred icons, come here in resplendent procession. But for the birdwatcher, Serangan island is the best site in Bali for shorebirds.

The nicest way to get there is by dug-out outrigger (prau) which may be hired by the hour from Sanur beach. A leisurely half-hour’s sail along the lagoon should yield an assortment of terns-predominantly common, little and great crested- and the odd white-phase reef egret; and from about April to November, squadrons of mixed frigatebirds-great and lesser (but watch out for the odd chrismast frigatebirds, too)-cruise north above the coast, note the extensive belt of protected mangrove, home to a profusion of herons, turtle-doves, kingfishers, bee-eaters, warblers, sunbirds, weavers and munias.

The Threat Maleo

The threat maleo
The size of the egg makes it in attractive source of food for humans and maleo nesting beaches have probably been explotted since man first arrived on Celebes. Unfortunately, however, over-exploitation has been a common phenomenon: for example, the beach at the batuputih just north of the present Tangkoko-Batuangus reserve, where Alfred Wallace watched maleo nesting in 1859, was at one time visited by egg collectors in an apparently more or less sustainable manner, but within six years at a settlement being established at batuputih in 1913, maleos no longer visited the beach (MacKinnon 1978). In 1947 about 10,000 eggs were laid in 2 ha of the panua Reserve on the coast near Marisa, Gorontalo (Uno 1949), but the present total less than 10% of this (Anon. 1982a). the total number of breeding hens is between 25% and 67% of the total 40 years ago (Wiriosoepartho 1980).

The largest site, at bakiriang, is only a few kilometers away from a transmigration site. The lowland forest the birds depend on behind the beach is being felled an unless this is protected the demise of this populatin seems almost certain. The Bakiriang site is so special that, until 50 years ago, the raja of Banggai, on Peleng island 100 km away, determined who should collect the eggs and he received a revenue from the eggs collected. The first 100 eggs were sent to the Raja and only after he had approved these could they be consumed by local people. Although the Banggai Rajas were notorious pirates and unacceptable in many ways, they were among Indonesia’s first resource managers. Now, however, eggs are taken despite legal prohibition and they can be found, wrapped in individual palm-leaf baskets, in the markets of ujung Pandang and even Jakarta.

Experiments by the head of the Gorontalo Forest service in the mid-70s showed that maleo eggs could be collected and reburied in a cage so that predation was avoided, and then hatched with significant rates of success (MacKinnon 1978). This was tried again in the Tangkoko-Batuangus Reserve and a hatching rate of 78% was achieved. This technique, together with the control of pig and lizard predators and the clearing of undergrowth to increase the area with a suitably high soil temperature, could make a significant contribution to increasing maleo populations.

Work is currently being conducted in Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park on the management of an inland of maleo birds and results are awaited with interest.


Bibliography

Guillemard, F.H.H. 1889. the cruise of the Marchesa to kamschatka and New Guinea with notice of Formosa, Liu-liu, and various islands of the Malay Archipelago. London: murray

Wathley, R.J. 1983a. Ornithological notes from sulawesi. Emu

1983b. Sandbox incubator. Anim Kingdom june/July

Wiriosoepartho, A.S. 1979. Pengamatan habitat dan tingkah laku bertelur maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) di kompleks hutan dumoga, Sulawesi Utara, Laporan no. 315 Bogor: lembaga Penelitian Hutan

Wallacea, A.R. 1869. the malay Archipelago. The land of the orangutan and the birds of paradise. A narrative of travel with studies of man and nature . London: macMillan. Republished 1962 by dover, New York

Wiriosoepatho, A.S. 1980. penggunaan habitat dalam berbagai macam aktivitas oleh macrocephalon maleo sal. Muller di Cagar alam Panua, Sulaweai Utara. Laporan no. 356 Lembaga Penelitian Hutan. Bogor

MacKinnon, J.R. 1978. sulawesi megapodes. World Pheasant Assoc

Uno, A. 1949. het natuurmonument Panoea (N. Celebes) en het maleohen (Macrocephalon maleo Sall. Muller) in het bijzonder. Tectona

Anon. 1982a. National Conservation Plan for Indonesia vol.v. sulawesi, FAO: Bogor

MacKinnon, J.R. 1981a. methods for the conservation of maleo birds, Macrocephalon maleo on the island of sulawesi, Indonesia. Biol. Conserv

The Struggle Chick Maleo From Predators

The struggle chick maleo
Maleos are communal nesters and on the largest known site at Bakiriang on the south coast of the north-east peninsula, more than 600 birds nest early in the year with the holes only two or three metres apart. Two hundred of the birds nest on just 1 ha of sand (Watling 1983).

The surface of a sandy beach can become extremely hot, over 50 celcius degree and 80 celcius degree on white and black sand respectively (MacKinnon 1978), yet just a few centimeters below the surface, the temperature is relatively stable at about 36 celcius degree. It seems as if most eggs, on beachs or elsewhere, are laid in positions where the temperature is between 32 celcius degree and 38 celcius degree (MacKinnon 1978, Wiriosoepartho 1980). The depth of the hole might be thought to be critical, and it has been suggested that the bare head of the maleo is efficient at sensing temperature but, in reality, the exact depth and temperature (within certain limits) are not so critical. Instead it seems that the eggs are laid as deep as possible for protection against predators.

Hatching takes about three months and if the chicks survive the one or two day scramble to the surface, for ants are a major predator of chicks in the ground (R. Dekker pers. Comm.), they are able to fly away immediately, already having adult plumage the manner in which they ‘explode’ from the sand and rush away is probably an adaption to avoid the attention of predators (Watling 1983). The great size of the egg is related to the need to produce a chick strong enough to struggle up to the surface (Guillemard 1889).

Maleo Birds (Macrocephalon maleo)

Maleo birds
The maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) is a member of small family of mound builders, or incubator birds (megapodiidae), which with one exception is confined to eastern Indonesia, new Guinea, Australia and Polynesia. The maleo itself, however, is found only in north, central and southweast Celebes. It is about the size of a domestic hen, weighing around 1,6 kg (Guillemard 1889), with striking black and rose-white plumage, an erect tail, and a head with a bare, helmeted cranium which may serve to keep the brain cool when it is on hot beaches 9watling 1983).

The bill is pale green and red at the base. Maleo are primarily inhabitants of forest, but only lay eggs where the ground is sufficiently hot for incubation-that is near hat springs (Wiriosoepartho 1979), near volcanic vents, or on sandy beaches. The megapodes and the Egyptian plover (Pluvianus aegyptius) are the only living birds which do not use the heat of their own for incubation.

Pairs arrive at a nesting area the night before eggs are laid. The following morning, amid much duck-like quacking and turkey-like gobbing, the birds examine holes and make trial digs. When a suitable spot is found, both male and female start digging, throwing earth or sand behind them using their strong legs and claws. The toes are slightly webbed at the base which must help when scratching away loose sand (Wallace 1869). As the hole becomes cleeper, so the birds take it in turns to dig and drive away other maleos that venture too close.

This digging can take over three hours, particularly where the sand is loose, after which the female lays her enormous egg, 11 cm long and 240-270 egg g in weight (Guillemard 1889), in the bottom of the pit. Subsequent eggs are laid and is lengthened by the digging of false pits near the real one to divert predators such as monitor lizard and pigs. Against human who value maleo eggs as a delicacy, however, these precautions are of little use. During the nesting period the maleos seek food such as figs, and fruit of macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) and Dracontomelum (Anacardiaceae) in the beach forest and roost primarily in Casuarina (Casuarinaceae) trees (Wiriosoepartho 1980).

The Best Place to Watch Shorebirds in Celebes Coast

The best place to watch shorebirds in Celebes Coast.
In addition to the waders, other common large birds of the coast include the white-bellied sea eagle (Heliacetus leucogaster), the osprey (Pandion haliatus) and Brahminy kite (Haliastur Indus) all of which fish in the shallow waters and scavenge food along undisturbed beaches. There also various stork, herons, egrets and ducks seen around the shore and roosting sites for seeing these birds (Uttley 1986). The milky stork (Ibis cinereus) is of particular interest because until a few years ago it was though to be quite rare. Large numbers have now been found in Sumatra (Silvins et al. 1985) and they have also been observed, some in breeding plumage, in the Tiworo straits between Muna island and the mainland of southeast Celebes (L. Clayton pers. Comm..), near Ujungpandang and in the Cenrara River delta (Uttley 1986).


Such fish-eating birds might occasionally encounter venomous sea snakes in the shallow waters of mudflats. One species, the yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platurus), is the most widely distributed species of snake, being found from south Siberia to Tasmania, and from the west coast of America to the Indian Ocean. It is about I m long and is often found near the water surface and eats mainly rabbitfish and mulletlike fish (voris and voris 1983). Young, hand-reared with and without their tails. The tails of sea snakes are very distinctive. The birds were most frightened by the yellow-bellied sea snake, even if its tail had been removed. This indicates a genetically-based response; they could not have learned that the snake was dangerous from experience (Caldwell and Rubinoff 1983).

Bibliography
Grant, . 1984. sediment microtopography and shorebird foranging. Mar. ecol. Prog.

Barnard, C.J. and Thompson, D.B.A. 1985. Gulls and Plovers: the ecology of mixed species feeding groups. London Croom Helm.

Uttley, J. 1986. survey of Sulawesi Selatan to asses the status of wetlands and to identify key sites for breeding and migratory waterbirds. Preliminary report, Kuala Lumpur

Voris, H.K. and voris, H.h. 1983. Feedign strategies in marine snakes : an analysis of evolutionary, morphological, behavioural and ecological relationships. Amer. Zool.

Caldwell, G.S. and Rubinoff, R.W. 1983. Avoidance of venomeous sea snakes by naïve herons and egrets . Auk 100: 195-198

The Behavior Shorebirds

The behavior Shorebirds on mudflat in along Celebes coast
The penetrability of a beach sediment depends on its water content. This may be reason that some shorebirds can be seen running along the water’s edge on the ebbing tide pushing their bills into the thixotropic (fluid) sand. A careful examination of bill marks made in tidally formed sand ripples by dowitchers, a wading bird similar to godwits, showed that more marks were found on the crests than in the water-logged troughs.

Neither the distribution of prey nor sediment grain size showed only difference between crests and troughs, but penetrating the crests required only 50%-70% of the force required to penetrate the troughs. Thus, concentrating effort on the crests reduce energy expenditure. Ripple crests are sites of active sediment transport and the arrangement of the grains is relatively unstable. This larger volume of pore space allows a higher water content and offers less resistence to penetration. Although the differences in water content between crest and trough are small, minor differences in pore volume can produce major changes in the reaction of sand grains to a shearing force (Grant 1984).

Wading birds are often seen in mixed-species flocks which might be thought to be disadvantageous to the individuals by virtue of increased competition. In fact, more often than not, the birds are taking different foods and being together has the advantage that the more birds present the more likely it is that a predator, such as a bird of prey, will be seen. One particular species is usually first to settle on a certain stretch of beach having used visual clues to make its choice. Other species follow when it is clear that food is being found. A few species act as pirates taking food have to spend more time feeding to compensate for the loss, but here are advantages in that feeding birds have their heads down searching for food whereas the pirates generally keeps its head up and serves an early warning of the approach of predators (Barnard and Thompson 1985).

Trekking until Birding Bali Mountain

Up into the hills
Now it is time to head for our first night’s destination, Bedugul in the central highlands- a mere 1 to ½ hour’s drive. An alternative more leisurely option is to make a whole day of the next stage of the journey with a detour via the amazing jungle temple, Pura Luhur, on the southern slopes of Mt Batukau. This will take you through the most spectacular landscape on the island-weather permitting.

Taking the Jl. Ngurah Rai bypass road, go straight across the crossroads in Tohpati and come out north of Denpasar on the road to Tabanan. In Tabanan pay heed to the one-way system, taking a right turn after the market and doubling back so as to reach the road leading north to Penebel. Half way to Penebel, take a left turn to Yehpanas (hot springs), continuing north to the Pura Luhur. At Tengkudak pause briefly to visit astonishing church- a brick, syncretic folly elaborated with Balinese sculpted angels and demons-before proceeding to Wangagadege (Wangaye for short), where the jungle begins. The road climbs more steeply now, and it is worth stopping to examine one or more of the vast, wayside fig trees for imperial and green pigeons, fruit-doves, minivets and barbets. The distribution of the latter in Bali, their last oriental outpost, is strange: here, in central Bali, orange-fronted, blue eared and coppersmith Barbets can be seen together in the same tree.

Some doubtless well-intentioned “improvements” to the temple precints have recently been made and the old rustic spirit of the sanctuary has to some extent now been lost. Even the lake has been cleaned up. But no matter, there are still birds in abundance. Mugimaki, little Pied and Grey-headed Flycatchers, Black-naped Monarchs, Whiterumped Warblers, Black-winged Hemipus, and orange-bellied and Blood-breasted Flowerpeckers will all be found here. You are almost bound to see the striking, pied White-crowned Forktail. Look for it in the feeder streams to the shrines and pond or, failing there, in the tumbling river-bed, which nay be gained by taking the forest path on the left before the temple.

After a bathe in the river, which is icy and so clean that you can drink from it, it is time to return to Wangaye, from where you turn left on to the pot-holed road to Jatiluwih. Drive slowly along this road, not because it is bad, but so as not to miss the wonderful landscape. There are various contenders for the most scenic route in Bali, but this one surely takes the prize. Pied Bushchats and Javan Kingfishers are everywhere-and keep an eye to the heavens for Black Eagle. Break the journey at Jatiluwih (the name means “lovely view”) and over a picnic lunch gaze in awe at the unfolding panorama of rolling rice terraces…and go on gazing. And on at length to the hamlet which is listingly Senganan Kanginan, then left on a slightly better road which joins the main road to Bedugul at Pacung.

If you do not take a packed lunch, the restaurant Mutiara Sari in Baturiti has a fine bill of fare and, amazingly, fresh milk from the local dairy herd. If it is a nice day, sit out in the ornamental garden; the view here also grand. What is that peculiar liquid twitter, followed by a shushing sound? Here are the first Brown Honeyeaters of the tour.

Resorts, Accomodation Around bali

A day around the resorts
A great many visitors, choose to stay in the tourist resort of Nusa Dua, so here our tour begins bright and early one weekday morning. It is always better to avoid traveling at the weekend as there is more traffic. Most people tend to shun sewage farms, but to bird-watchers they are a veritable Mecca, and the one in Nusa Dua is no exception. The decantation ponds are situated in Celu, and the main entrance is exactly opposite the northern entrance to the hotel complex containing Club Med. Usually the gate is open and you but it is better to park and walk. Here, on a series of large ponds dotted with heavily vegetated islands, is one of the most impressive arrays of large waterbirds to be seen in Bali. October to March (during the wet season) is a particularly good time to visit, as many species are nesting then.

The raised embankments dividing the ponds are now gated to reduce disturbance, but good views of the birds can be enjoyed from a wander round the perimeter. Note the huge population of herons, especially breeding Purple and Black-crowned Night-herons. Also breeding are little Pied Cormorant, and Suspected Oriental Darter and Glossy Ibis. A pair of Lesser Adjutants may also be taking up permanent residence.

Both Black-throated and Red-throathed Little Grebes have been spotted here, and, although of the ducks only Sunda Teal is always present, both Lesser and Wandering Whistling-ducks, Pacific Black Duck and even Palaearctic migrants may be expected. In the encircling mangroves, look out for Small Blue Kingfisher and White Shouldered Triller. Sightings of Yellow-crested Cockatoos have been reported on several occasions, so they may be trying to established a feral population. Given proper protection of this oasis, almost anything might choose to make its home here.

Whilst still in Nusa Dua, be sure to check out the reef between the two peninsulas for a good selection of waders; also both white-phase and black-phase Reef Egret. On the main “island” is healthy population of Striated Grassbirds and Common Pipits; Long-tailed Shrikes abound.

Our next stop is Sanur, where you go directly to the district known as Merta Sari, just south of the hotel called Travelodge. Park under the magnificient suar (white oak) trees adjacent to the exquisite coral temple. If the tide is out, a vast expanse of sand-flats stretches almost to the horizon. Invariably you will see an excellent selection of waders just of-shore. If the tide is in, walk 200 m north of the temple through the coconut plantation to the as yet unspoilt southern end of Sanur Beach, then head south along the beach and, before the mangrove begins, check out the mangrove, you will find Island Collared Dove, Sacred and Collared Kingfishers, Sunda Woodpecker, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Pied Fantail and Streaked Weaver.

source: Birding Indonesia. Periplus Publishing. Singapore

Birding Bali: Bali island

Bali Bird Tour
An unforgettable Fusion of Birds, Culture and Landscape
Bali’s diverse attraction-tropical beaches, vibrant hindu culture, scenic rice terraces and beach resorts-have made the island one of the world’s premier tourist destinations. However, the island has much to offer the bird-watcher too: a wide range of birds and many other attractions can be enjoyed in a fabulous 5- to 7-day tour starting in the south, and going up over the mountains to the unspoilt northwest coast.

There is no need to attempt the whole tour in one fell swoop. It can be done piecemeal, with one or more stages as side-trips, or mostly in reverse if you arrive at Gilimanuk on the ferry from Ketapang in east Java. Ideally, to make the most of your time and allow the greatest degree of flexibility, it is best to have your own wheels, but all destinations are attainable by public transport.

source: Birding indonesia. Periplus Publishing. Singapore

Spot-Billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)

Indonesian: Undan paruh totol

Description: very large (150 cm) grey, pink-billed pelican. Grey plumage and blue-spotted pink bill distinctive. Wings darkish grey. Bill pouch is purple. Iris –pale brown; naked skin round eye –pink; bill –pink; feet –brown.

Voice: husky, hissing calls only during breeding period.

Distribution and status: breeds in Persian gulf, Sri lanka and Burma. Visits S. Asia and Philippines. Rare vagrants have reached Java.

Habits: lives in large flocks which cooperate in hunting by driving fish to a shallow corner of a lake or estuary then dip in a sweeping motion to scoop them into the pouch. Flies in V-formation or long lines. Sometimes plunge dives on fish from mid air. Inhabits sheltered coastal bays, estuaries, lakes and large rivers.

Diet: large fish

White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)

Indonesian – Undan putih

Description: huge (170 cm) white pelican. Plumage white except for black primaries and secondaries. There is a small crest on back of head, a tuft of yellow on the breast. Immature birds are brown. Iris –red; bill –purplish; naked pouch –yellow; naked facial skin-pink; feet-pink.

Voice: Generally silent

Distribution and status: breeds in south Europe, Africa, and Central Asia rare winter strays have reached Java.

Habits: Typical of family with cooperative fishing, flying in formation and plunge-diving. Frequents lakes and large rivers.

Diet: Large fish

Pelicans-Family Pelecanidae

Pelicans – Family Pelecanidae

a small family of eight species of unmistakable huge waterbirds with very large bills and large distentisible pouches stretching the full length of the bill. Pelicans are generally in parties and cooperate in scoop-net fishing by side sweeping of their beaks. They can also fish by plunge diving in flight. The flight, with neck recurved, looks laboured but is powerful and several species make long migrations.
No pelicans are resident in Java but three species have been recorded as visitors.
Key to Javan Pelicans
Overall plumage grey, bill pinkish…………………..Pelecanus philippensis
Overall plumage white and black……………………………………….(2)
Back black, tail with black tip…………………………P. conspicillatus
Back and tail white…………………………………….P. onocrotalus

Red-Tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Indonesian – Burung buntut satek merah

Description: largish (46 cm excluding tail streamers) white or pinkish tropicbird. A white and pink form occur. Adults can be distinguished from White-tailed Tropicbird by orange bill, less black in plumage and red tail streamers (very difficult to see from a moving boat). Immature distinguished by black bill. Iris –dark; feet –blue with black webs.

Voice: Ratchet-like “pirr-igh” call in flight, and loud screams at nest.

Distribution and status: tropical and sub-tropical Indian and Pacific oceans. Does not breed in our area but occasional vagrants may be brought close to the Javan by bad weather.

Habits: keeps well to sea. Flight similar to white-tailed Tropicbird. Partly nocturnal.

Diet: Squids and fish.

Race: P.r. westralis