A Swansea University student had a unique experience capturing images of a rare bird during an educational trip to Borneo.
Zoology student Lewis Ferguson was taking part in this year’s Tropical Ecology and Conservation field course when he took the photos of a spectacled flowerpecker.
The spectacled flowerpecker, one of Borneo’s endemic species, is an elusive member of the flowerpecker genus Dicaeum that was first discovered in 2009 in the Danum Valley Conservation Area – where the third-year zoology course was taking place.
Since then, there have been very few recorded sightings across the island, with just seven registered on eBird, an international platform for bird records.
The species was only described to science in 2019, when a research expedition to the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, managed to capture a specimen. This specimen became the holotype for this new species which was called Dicaeum dayakorum in honour to the Dayak people of Borneo.
The bird was first spotted by Dr Miguel Lurgi, one of the lecturers in the course, who noticed a rare bird during field activities and the team had to research exactly what it was. After the initial sighting, Dr Lurgi sought the help of Lewis and fellow student Joseph Lidgett to track down the bird and obtain photographic evidence.
Lewis said: “As someone who is passionate about bird behaviour and photography of birds within the UK, this bird posed a lot of challenges. Its small body size and quick movements alongside its choice of dense tree made capturing the bird extremely difficult.
“Thankfully after a lot of patience and missed opportunities I was able to capture a distinct identifying photo. I am thankful for Dr Lurgi’s expertise in providing such an unforgettable experience.”
After spotting the bird feeding on epiphytic mistletoe, a lowland forest canopy plant which is one of the observed staple resources of the flowerpecker, the group was able to confirm the finding.
Joe said: “After hearing of the possible sighting, Lewis and I decided to set out early in the morning to confirm it. After waiting at the epiphytic mistletoe, we both managed to finally confirm the flowerpecker’s presence where we witnessed the bird flying down from the canopy and feeding from the mistletoe tree a couple of times.”
Dr Lurgi added: “This observation constitutes an interesting and rare finding that adds to the much-needed information on a Data Deficient species in the IUCN red list. These observational efforts are crucial to determine their conservation status.
“We are delighted that our findings will be published in the December edition of BirdingASIA.”
Borneo is a cradle of biodiversity, well-known for its unique tropical ecosystems, such as lowland dipterocarp forests, and an abundance of endemic species. More than 600 species of birds have been recorded in Borneo, and around 61 of endemic to the island.
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