The Wallacea area is known to be home to more than 800 bird species or 45% of the total bird species in Indonesia, with more than 300 of them endemic. The geographical condition of Wallacea which consists of a group of large and small islands allows the threat to endemic species to increase.
The Red-and-blue Lory (Eos histrio), which is an endemic bird of the Talaud Islands in North Sulawesi is now under the status of Endangered (EN) because its natural habitat is increasingly being marginalized due to land conversion, unsustainable plantation practices, and the need for settlements. Meanwhile the Maleo (Macrochephalon maleo), one of Sulawesi's endemic species, is still facing threats from unsustainable egg-picking practices and land conversion.
In the east, to be precise in North Maluku, the capture of various types of parrots has been going on for decades. In 2018 Burung Indonesia recorded approximately 7,012 parrots were subjects for trading each year. The types of birds that are often traded were the White Cockatoo (Cacatua alba), the Chattering Lory (Lorius garrulus), the Violet-necked Lory (Eos squamata), and the Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus).
In 2019, at least 629 parrots from Maluku and North Maluku were confiscated. The Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis), the Purple-naped Lory (Lorius domicella), the Red Lory (Eos bornea), and the Tanimbar Corella (Cacatua gofniana) were very often targeted for capturing and trading.
While parrots were being hunted in Maluku, the species that inhabit the islands of Nusa Tenggara were also under the same threat. The Flores Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus oris) were often hunted and became targets of shooting without specific purposes. The eagle’s habitat was also decreasing.
The many threats faced by various birds and their habitats in Wallacea indicate the need to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge about the population, habitat, and uniqueness of birds in this area to the public. A field guide book is certainly needed to assist these efforts, for example for education and research purposes, as a guide for bird watchers, conservationists, and tourists.
The Birds of Wallacea Field Guide by Brian J. Coates and K. David Bishop are now available at Burung Shop
