Avifaunal survey of Mengilan Forest Reserve and its surrounding areas in Pensiangan, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

An avifaunal survey was carried out at Mengilan Forest Reserve. The MacKinnon List method was used to assess species diversity. The three-day survey recorded a total of 18 lists with 486 individuals detected. Seventy-five species from 33 families were recorded, with H=3.86 and E_H=0.62. True species richness was estimated (using SuperDuplicates® online calculator) to be approximately 91 species, with approximately 16 species not detected. The seven Bornean endemics detected were: Black-crowned Pitta, Bornean Leafbird, Bornean Black Magpie, Bornean Necklaced Partridge, Dusky Munia, White-crowned Shama and Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker. Pellorneidae (jungle babblers) and Pycnonotidae (bulbuls) were the most speciose families with six species. Nectariniidae (sunbirds and spiderhunters) and Cuculidae (cuckoos) each had five species. Timaliidae had four species. Apodidae (swifts), Pycnonotidae and Cisticolidae (warblers) had the highest percentages of individuals detected with 10.7%, 9.7% and 8.4%, respectively. The five species with the highest relative abundance index were Silver-rumped Spinetail (0.084), Dusky Munia (0.058), Yellow-bellied Prinia (0.045), Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot and Green Iora (both 0.043) and the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (0.039). The majority of the species detected (68) were forest-dependent species. Of these, 55 species were strictly forest birds. Insectivores made up the most dominant dietary guild, i.e., a total of 46 species (from 21 families) with 41 species in 18 families being strict insectivores.