Birds from North Borneo Part 2

This species was seen on three dates: August 17 at Karindingen Island, where 30 were observed feeding along the mangroves bordering the island; on November 24, on the same island, where a specimen was taken from a flock of 30 birds that had been feeding on the coral sand and reef; and on November 30 when a single bird landed at the small reservoir at the Cocoa Research Station and began to feed in the shallow water. Only four specimens appear to have been recorded earlier (Smythies, 1957:561), although Smythies (1963:270) lists additional sight records.

_=Egretta garzetta=_ (Linnaeus): Little Egret.--On November 24 at Karindingen Island, I observed several mixing freely with individuals of _E. sacra_ on the coral sand beaches and reefs.

_=Egretta eulophotes=_ (Swinhoe): Chinese Egret.--_Specimen_, 1: Ka-Karis, Kinabatangan River, 200 feet: [Male], October 20, 1963, ADG 326.

This is the only record known to me of this species from North Borneo. Smythies (1960:126) lists 11 specimens from other parts of Borneo.

_=Egretta sacra=_ (Gmelin): Reef Egret.--The species was observed at Karindingen Island on August 17 and November 24, 1962, and was the most common egret on the island. One compact flock of 50 was seen at high tide. No white-phased birds were in the flock.

_=Bubulcus ibis coromandus=_ (Boddaert): Cattle Egret.--_Specimen_, 1: TonG.o.d: [Female], October 21, 1963, ADG 328.

Individuals were observed daily at Tuaran with cattle at the Agricultural Research Centre. I saw them on December 9 when I arrived at Tuaran and again on January 13, when I departed.

_=Ardeola bacchus=_ (Bonaparte): Chinese Pond Heron.--_Specimen_, 1: 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Female], October 26, 1962, MCT 3151.

The specimen was brought to our camp by a local boy who obtained it on a stream that ran through his kampong (village) near our sulap (hut). The stream was a small one that ran out of the primary forest, through the village, and back into secondary forest.

_=Butorides striatus=_ (Linnaeus): Little Green Heron.--_Specimens_, 2: Telipok: [Female], March 10, 1963, TM 67; s.e.x?, December 13, 1962, TM 6.

This heron was seen at Karindingen Island on August 17, 1962, in a small swamp near the Tawau airport on September 16, and on the reef at Siamil Island on September 18. The specimens collected at Telipok were not identified to subspecies.

_=Ixobrychus cinnamomeus cinnamomeus=_ (Gmelin): Chestnut Bittern.--_Specimen_, 1: Tuaran: s.e.x?, December 24, 1963, SCFC 32.

This specimen was probably taken in the paddy around the Agricultural Research Centre, where I saw Chestnut Bitterns in January 1963.

_=Leptoptilos javanicus=_ (Horsfield): Lesser Adjutant Stork.--_Specimen_, 1: Karindingen Island: [Male] testis small, November 24, 1962, MCT 3311.

My first observation of this species was at Karindingen Island on August 17, when approximately 100 birds were seen feeding on the coral sand and reefs. I saw them also within a mile of Semp.o.r.na along the s.h.i.+p channel, usually in the vicinity of fish traps. On August 31 two birds flew high overhead at Quoin Hill, proceeding in the direction of Cowie Harbor. On November 24, large numbers at Karindingen Island were sitting in mangroves and feeding on the reefs around the island. Two birds were caught by the rising tide while feeding on the reef and were unable to take off. One of these was shot in approximately six to seven feet of water; its feathers were completely waterlogged. Interestingly the flaky skin of the crown had blue-green algae growing on it. These birds were heard calling many times on the reef and in the mangroves; the call is much like the deep growl of a dog.

Sims, Banks, and Harrison have found the storks common in this area (Smythies, 1957:569). Although I could find no evidence of it, possibly Karindingen Island is a nesting locality.

_=Anas querquedula=_ Linnaeus: Garganey.--_Specimen_, 1: Kg. Banjar: s.e.x? November 13, 1963, ADG 329.

This teal obtained by Garcia is our only record of any duck from North Borneo.

_=Haliastur indus=_ (Boddaert): Brahminy Kite.--This common resident of the Cocoa Research Station was observed almost daily while I was in the field. It seemed to prefer the cleared areas replanted to cocoa and oil palm and was common also at Tawau, Semp.o.r.na, and Karindingen Island.

_=Accipiter trivirgatus microstictus=_ Mayr: Crested Goshawk.--_Specimens_, 2: Pintasan Agriculture Station: [Male], October 17, 1963, ADG 314. Cocoa Research Station: [Male], April 30, 1963, ADG 89.

_=Spizaetus cirrhatus limnaetus=_ (Horsfield): Changeable Hawk-eagle.--_Specimen_, 1: Tiger Estate: [Male], April 28, 1963, ADG 74 (Specimen in black phase).

_=Hieraetus kienerii formosus=_ (E. Geoffroy): Rufous-bellied Hawk-eagle.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] imm., July 10, 1962, MCT 2615. Tiger Estate: [Female], July 13, 1962, MCT 2621.

The presence of an immature bird of this species in North Borneo lends support to the suggestion of Smythies (1957:580) that this species breeds in Borneo.

_fHaliaeetus leucogaster=_ (Gmelin): White-bellied Sea Eagle.--This eagle appears to be fairly common along the coast in the Tawau-Darvel Bay area. I saw it around Cowie Harbor, Tawau, Semp.o.r.na, and Siamil Island.

_=Spilornis cheela=_ Latham: Crested Serpent Eagle.--I saw this eagle but once, circling overhead at the Cocoa Research Station on September 26, 1962.

_=Microhierax latifrons=_ Sharpe: White-fronted Falconet.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 41.2 gm., July 6, 1962, MCT 2600. Tiger Estate: [Female] oviduct regressing, old brood patch, December 1, 1962, MCT 3418.

This species was first seen at the Cocoa Research Station. The specimen taken there bobbed its head in the manner of various other falcons. On two occasions individuals were observed sitting in a low tree in the front yard of a home in Kalabakan.

These records extend the known range of this species south from Darvel Bay (Smythies, 1960:161) to Cowie Harbor.

_=Falco peregrinus j.a.ponensis=_ Gmelin: Peregrine Falcon.--_Specimen_, 1: Kampong Kuamut: [Male], October 20, 1963, ADG 327.

_=Coturnix chinensis=_ (Linnaeus): Painted Quail.--_Specimen_, 1: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 8 5 mm., September 6, 1962, MCT 2881.

This specimen is intermediate between _C. c. lineata_ and _C. c.

caerulescens_, tending slightly toward the latter in having more rufous coloring on the tertials. R. E. Kuntz took a male at Ranau (USNM 472504) that was also intermediate in its characters but was referable to _C. c. lineata_. These two specimens, when compared with series of specimens from the Philippines and Sumatra, fitted into a clinal progression of increasingly rufous tertials toward Sumatra. Peters (1934:96) united _C. c. caerulescens_ with _C. c.

palmeri_, but Amadon (in _litt._) retains _C. c. caerulescens_ (Smythies, 1957:588). No clear-cut distributional pattern is yet discernible in North Borneo and the arrangement of Amadon (MS) should probably be reviewed again when more specimens become available.

These birds were observed several times at the Cocoa Research Station but were difficult to collect. They were abundant in the gra.s.slands on the Brantian Estate.

_=Rollulus roulroul=_ (Scopoli): Crested Green Wood Partridge.--It was observed once along the Apas River at the Cocoa Research Station, in primary forest.

_=Haematortyx sanguiniceps=_ Sharpe: Crimson-headed Wood Partridge.--Frederick Dunn saw one fly across the padang at the Cocoa Research Station rest house on September 9.

_=Lophura ignita=_ (Shaw and Nodder): Crested Fireback Pheasant.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], molting, July 20, 1962, MCT 2624. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Female], November 4, 1962, MCT 3206; [Male], November 7, 1962, MCT 3216.

This pheasant was taken in native snares from primary forest.

_=Lophura bulweri=_ (Sharpe): Bulwer's Pheasant.--_Specimens_, 3: 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: [Female], December 25, 1962, MCT 3534; [Male], December 27, 1962, MCT 3539; [Female], December 27, 1962, MCT 3540.

This bird was first taken in a snare 12 miles north of Kalabakan.

Unfortunately, the specimen was stolen and only its tail feathers were brought in by the trappers. Mr. Comber of Sapong Estates in Tenom said this species comes in numbers with the wild-pig migration and that he had observed this at least three times. He has also seen three-quarters grown young at Tenom, so they seemingly nest there. They were found only in primary forest.

These specimens const.i.tute the first records of the species for the west coast of North Borneo (_cf._ Smythies, 1957:593).

_=Argusia.n.u.s argus grayi=_ (Elliott): Great Argus Pheasant.--_Specimens_, 6: 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male], October 14, 1962, MCT 3034; [Female], October 22, 1962, MCT 3121; [Male], October 23, 1962, MCT 3130; [Male], October 27, 1962, MCT 3166; [Female]?, October 29, 1962, MCT 3307. 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: [Female], December 19, 1962, MCT 3464.

This species is a common resident of the primary forest at Kalabakan and in the lower areas around Tenom (J. A. Comber, pers.

comm.). It is found only in primary forest.

_=Rallina fasciata=_ (Raffles): Malaysian Banded Crake.--_Specimen_, 1: Tiger Estate: [Male], July 11, 1963, ADG 193.

_=Amaurornis phoenicurus javanicus=_ (Horsfield): White-breasted Waterhen.--_Specimens_, 3: Tuaran: s.e.x?, March 1, 1963, ADG 5. Telipok: [Female], February 2, 1963, TM 23; [Male], February 2, 1963, TM 24.

This species was commonly observed in marshes near Tawau and on the Brantian Estate.

_=Gallicrex cinerea=_ (Gmelin): Waterc.o.c.k.--_Specimen_, 1: Tiger Estate: s.e.x?, December 17, 1962 (taken on dry gra.s.sland).

_=Squatarola squatarola=_ (Linnaeus): Black-bellied Plover.--On September 2 I saw a flock of 12 plovers on the Tawau golf course. They were in a mottled plumage indicating extensive molt and feather growth.

Later in the day a bird in almost complete breeding plumage flew overhead.

_=Charadrius peroni=_ Schlegel: Malay Sand Plover.--On September 15, one was sitting on the Tawau Airport runway. Another was observed on November 20, feeding near a water buffalo wallow on the Brantian Estate.

Smythies (1960:191) lists sandy beaches as the only habitat.