The forests, which occupy one third of the Earth's surface, are home to more than 80 percent of the land's flora and fauna starting from bush-flying insects, canopies-perching birds, to humans. The message on how vital forests are to biodiversity and the lives within should be continuing to be delivered.
Birds are one of the animals whose existence is very sensitive to forest conversions, in particular on oil palm and rubber estates. The defunct forest stands and bushes lead to the loss of locations for nesting, sheltering, and foraging for many bird species, whereas they hold an essential role in the ecosystem relations.
Naturally, birds are pollinators, seed dispersers and pest controllers. Therefore, bird biodiversity not only reflects forest biodiversity, but also becomes an indicator of forest quality. Birds can exist on a variety of habitat types, from primary forest to estates, agroforestry areas to idle land.
The number of bird species in Indonesia is increasing. By 2017, recorded by Burung Indonesia, 1769 bird species have been identified in the country from the previous number of 1672. The rise is caused by species split due to morphological, voice or genetic distinctions based on latest research. Unfortunately, out of thousands of bird species, only 435 of them are statused as protected by the government.
Read also: The State of Indonesia Birds 2015
The number of endemic birds is now 512, which was previously 427 species. The number of endemic birds is now 512, which was previously 427 species. Similarly, 395 species identified as limited in distribution now have a growing number of 448. Based on the threatened status, Indonesia is hosting 160 endangered bird species consisting of 92 species with VU/Vulnerable status, 40 species with Endangered (EN/Endangered) status, and 28 species with Critically Endangered (CR/Critically Endangered) status.
Yellow-spectacled White-eye—Zosterops wallacei (Photo: Burung Indonesia)
Aside from encroachment and forest conversion, deforestation is a very influential factor to the threat status of bird population in the wild. An example of the species affected is the Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil). The unceasing of habitat damage and forest encroachment since 2015 has soared its status to Critical to date. In addition to the cause of its population loss, the Helmeted Hornbill is subject to international trading and hunted massively on its natural habitat.
The Javan Green Magpie (Cissa thalassina) is facing the same fate. The population of this endemic bird of Java has been declining to 80% for the past 10 years and has been declared on Critical status down to date. One of the causative factors is threat to its natural habitat due to the increasing development around the forest area, exacerbated by poaching and illegal trading of songbirds.
There are at least 19 songbirds with sharp increase of threatened status in Asia, six of them are statused Critical—the last level before being declared as globally extinct. Including in the list are these birds: the Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush (Garrulax rufrons), Nias Hill Myna (Gracula robusta), and four mynas: the Black-winged Myna (Acridotheres melanopterus), Grey-backed Myna (Acridotheres tricolor), Black-winged Starling (Acridotheres tertius), and Javan Pied Starling (Gracupica jalla). All of these birds are endemic species to Indonesia.
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