The Birds of Borneo

Borneo, the world’s third largest island and the biggest land mass in the Malay Archipelago, has a rich avifauna (622 species), where 70% of the recorded bird species are dependent on the Southeast Asian lowland tropical rain forest for their survival. In recent years, severe new challenges have arisen, such as fire, drought and forest loss. This edition of a book first produced in 1960 carries newly written chapters on the Borneo environment for birds, migration, conservation, and cave swiftlets, and re-introduced from the first edition those classic chapters on birds and man, bird augury and the Iban hornbill ritual. It will provide invaluable insights as it sets the avian scene for the massive changes likely to occur in Borneo over the next few decades. There are 57 plates, illustrating 394 species, including the 45 colour and 4 monochrome plates from the first edition. Recent information about behaviour, occurrence, habitat and nesting has been incorporated, as well as an update of the history of Borneo ornithology.

• Foreword ix
• Preface xi
• Introduction by G.W.H. Davison 1
• The Bornean Province by B.E. Smythies and G.W.H. Davison (with a contribution by Derek Holmes) 5
• Bird Migration to Borneo by G.W.H. Davison 39
• Birds and Men in Borneo by Tom Harrisson 45
• Cave Swiftlets by Earl of Cranbrook and Lim Chan Koon 75
• Iban Augury by J.D. Freeman 103
• A note on the Gawai Kenyalang or Hornbill Ritual of the Iban of Sarawak by J.D. Freeman 123
• Bird Conversation in Borneo by G.W.H. Davison 129
• Family PODICIPEDIDAE: Grebes 145
• Hydrobatidae Petrels 146
• Procellariidae Shearwaters 146
• Pelecanidae Pelicans 149
• Sulidae Gannets and Boobies 149
• Fregatidae Frigatebirds 151
• Phaethontidae Tropicbirds 154
• Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants 154
• Anhingidae Darters 156
• Ardeidae Herons, Egrets and Bitterns 158
• Ciconiidae Storks 175
• Threskiornithidae Ibises and Spoonbills 178
• Anatidae Ducks 180
• Accipitridae Hawks and Eagles 186
• Pandionidae Osprey 208
• Falconidae Falcons 209
• Megapodiidae Megapodes 214
• Phasianidae Quails, Partridges and Pheasants 216
• Rallidae Rails, Moorhens, Gallinules and Coots 231
• Jacanidae Jacanas 240
• Rostratulidae Painted Snipe 242
• Charadriidae Plovers 243
• Scolopacidae Snipes and their Allies 251
• Recurvirostridae Stilts 272
• Phalaropodidae Phalaropes 273
• Burhinidae Stone-Curlews 274
• Glareolidae Pratincoles 275
• Stercorariidae Skuas and Jaegers 276
• Laridae Gulls 278
• Sternidae Terns 279
• Columbidae Pigeons and Doves 290
• Psittacidae Parrots 308
• CucuIidae Cuckoos 313
• Tytonidae Barn Owls 335
• Strigidae Owls 337
• Batrachostomidae Frogmouths 346
• Caprimulgidae Nightjars 351
• Apodidae Swifts 356
• Hemiprocnidae Treeswifts 367
• Trogonidae Trogons 368
• Alcedinidae Kingfishers 373
• Meropidae Bee-Eaters 383
• Coraciidae Rollers 387
• Upupidae Hoopoe 388
• Bucerotidae Hornbills 388
• Megalaimidae Barbets 397
• Picidae Woodpeckers 403
• Indicatoridae Honeyguides 416
• Eurylaimidae Broadbills 417
• Pittidae Pittas 424
• Alaudidae Larks 432
• Hirundinidae Swallows 433
• Motacillidae Wagtails and Pipits 437
• Campephagidae Cuckoo-Shrikes, Triflers and Minivets 443
• Laniiclae Shrikes 451
• Artamidae Woodswallows 454
• Aegithinidae Ioras, Leafbirds and Bluebirds 455
• Pycnonotidae Bulbuls 460
• Turdidae Robins, Forktails, Chats and Thrushes 475
• Timaliidae Babblers 492
• Pardalotidae Gerygones 519
• Sylviidae Warblers 520
• Muscicapidae Flycatchers 534
• Pachycephalidae Whistlers 561
• Paridae Tits 563
• Sittidae Nuthatches 563
• Dicaeidae Flowerpeckers 564
• Nectariniidae Sunbirds and Spiderhunters 574
• Zosteropidae White-eyes 592
• Fringillidae Finches 598
• Sturnidae Starlings 600
• Cracticidae Bell-Magpies and Relatives 606
• Passeridae Old World Sparrows 608
• Estrildidae Munias 609
• Dicruridae Drongos 617
• Oriolidae Orioles 623
• Corvidae Jays, Magpies, Treepies, Crows 626
• DISTRIBUTION TABLE 634
• HISTORY OF BORNEAN ORNITHOLOGY 650
• BIBLIOGRAPHY 670
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 704
• B.E. SMYTHIES 707
• PLATES 711
• INDEX TO TOPICS 826
• INDEX TO COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES 829