Some birds of the Wallace Line

Part 1. Wallace Line east

The Wallace Line goes through the Malay Archipelago (Wallacea) - the largest grouping of islands on earth. This invisible yet physical bio-geographical boundary coincides with the centre thread of the Lombok strait, a 250m-deep trench that separates the continental shelves of Sunda (Asia) and Sahul (Australia). Wallace Line delineates the sudden change of species composition to its west (Indo-Malayan) and east (Australian) ecozones. The line also separates marine life between the Asian and Australian landmasses. Understanding the Wallace Line leads to understanding biodiversity, geology and evolution. Wallace Line was named after Alfred Russell Wallace, the co-founder of natural selection. In his travels in 1856, Wallace first observed the different birds, then the divergent animal species on either side of the 12km to 35km-wide Lombok Strait. This led him to discover his ‘Wallace line’. The line extends from Bali, in Indonesia, to the Celebes Sea just south of the Philippines.

On a whim I thought to follow Wallace’s footsteps. The journey to see the more than 17 thousand islands of Wallacea starts with visiting just one. I set my very first footstep on Bali in the Lesser Sundas. From there I also visited Lombok, Flores and Komodo islands in East Nusa Tenggara. That’s a great start- only 17,496 islands to go. I think it’s easier to do the Philippine Archipelago, there’s only 7,123 islands there.

But back to Wallace and birds- 23 new species and subspecies were named after Wallace. Some of these birds are on the list below. Except for two species from Komodo Island, all these birds were found and photographed in mainland Flores. These 20 birds are endemic to just one island or two, or a few or all of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Most are rare and endangered throughout their native range. They generally inhabit subtropical and tropical forests at all altitudes from the mountains to sea level. Some birds persist in agricultural areas but like most wildlife, are threatened by pesticides and toxic products. However, their rapid population decline is mostly due to the pet trade.

Mbeliling. This list starts in Gunung (Mount) Mbeliling in the land of the Manggarai. Mbeliling is the highest mountain in the west of the island of Flores. Its forested slopes and surrounding foothills is the home and sanctuary of at least 125 species of birds. Ten of the total 25 species seen in the Mbeliling area are on this list.

1.    Wallacean Drongo is a red-eyed, glossy-black bird with a heavy bill and shallow-forked, fanned tail.

2.       Golden-rumped Flowerpecker. This nondescript, short-tailed stub-billed songbird only exists on two small Sunda Islands, Sumbawa and Flores. 

3.       Flame-breasted Sunbird is native to Indonesia and Timor Leste, but only exists in a relatively small geographical area from the island of Sumbawa East to Timor.

4.       Tenggara Paradise-Flycatcher. I only caught a fleeting blur of this breeding male’s trailing long streamers that are almost double the length of his body.

5.       Dark-crowned Heleia. Sometimes called “dark-eye” due to its unusual plumage, shape, and eggs all different from other White-eye species.

6.       Flores Heleia. A gray-and-white songbird with a diagnostic head pattern.

7.       Yellow-spectacled Heleia. A small green songbird with a bright yellow head and a distinctive orange forehead smudge.

8.       White-rumped Kingfisher. Distinctive purplish-blue upperparts, white underparts and a bright orange-red bill.

9.       Flores Minivet. This smallish minivet only exists in Sumbawa and Flores. It prefers forest habitats and is generally uncommon.

10.   Wallacean Cuckooshrike. Widespread in the Lesser Sundas and some adjacent Indonesian islands according to classifications. Common in Flores but much rarer on some other islands.

Cibal. The hillsides of Cibal range (north of Ruteng, Manggarai Regency) is the habitat of some spectacular birds. 23 species seen here.

11.   Wallace’s Hanging-Parrot. Endemic to Flores and inhabiting a limited range, this arboreal parrot is also known as the Flores hanging parrot.

12.  Black-fronted Flowerpecker. Small but spectacular short-tailed songbird. This male exhibits its bright red throat and dark gray cheeks.

13. Black-backed Fruit-dove. A large fruit-dove with a black breast band, black upperparts and pale underparts.

 

14. Pale-shouldered Cicadabird. Typical male exhibits mostly dark gray with a pale shoulder.

Danau Ranamese. Danau (Lake) Ranamese is a mountainous nature reserve in East Manggarai regency. The 21m-deep lake itself sits at 1220m above sea level. It is barricaded and surrounded by dense forests, ideal habitat for various birds. Total 18 species.
 
15.   Brown-capped Fantail. A little forest bird that only exists on Sumbawa, Flores and Lembata.

16.   Chestnut-backed Thrush. A striking ground bird with a black-and-white head pattern, a chestnut back, prominent white wing markings. This species is rapidly declining if not nearly extinct.

17.   Wallace’s Scops Owl. Endemic gray-brown scops-owl restricted to Flores and Sumbawa. Seen in the late evening, can barely make out black streaks on gray underparts, dark brown upperparts and white wing markings.

 

Golo Lusang. At 1750m altitude, Golo Lusang saddle is in the Waso mountains of Langke Rembong, south of Ruteng. This mountain lookout offers magnificent views of Sumba Island and Savu Sea. There’s also a small matter of great birdwatching. Nine species seen here including the Warbling White-eye and Leaf Lorikeet.

 
18.   Sunda Honeyeater. Plain olive-plumaged honeyeater with a slender typical downcurved black bill.

19.   Bare-throated Whistler. Usually solo, this olive-coloured, black-faced and black-headed male sports its diagnostic red patch of bare skin on its throat.

20.   Eyebrowed Heleia. A small olive songbird with a bold whitish eyebrow and eye-ring. Restricted to Flores and Sumbawa.

Labuan Bajo. Gateway to Komodo Island, the town of Labuan Bajo is on the west coast of Nusa Tenggara. 22 species.
 21.   Ornate Pitta. A multi-coloured plump, short-tailed, long-legged, and primarily terrestrial bird. It sometimes gets on a perch to call, which allowed for a chance of photos in this instance. This bird has somehow persisted within secondary forest and small patches near residential areas. However, there is doubt of its tolerance of the degrading habitat due to pressures caused by human activity.

22.   Great-billed Parrot. Green parrot with a large red bill and distinctive yellow markings on its wings.

Komodo Island. 22 species.
 23.   Barred Dove is a long-tailed dove with distinctive orange eye ring and barring all over its body.

24.   The rare and endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo is all-white with a yellow-orange crest. It pays its dues in the food chain with its eggs and chicks serving as prey for Komodo dragons, and two birds of prey: the Spotted Kestrel, and the White-bellied Sea-eagle.

Flores island. General areas.

25. Tenggara Swiftlet. A tiny swift that gathers in flocks in both open and forested habitats. This bird is restricted to the western Lesser Sundas. Seen in most of the spots visited in Flores.

26. Flores Crow. Confined to the island of Flores. A forest bird like the Large-billed Crow but smaller-bodied and smaller billed.

27. Short-tailed Starling. Red-eyed glossy starling with glossy purple head and glossy green body. Its range overlaps with similar Asian Glossy Starling in Java, Bali, central Sulawesi, and Mindanao. Found this bird in rural forests in Bali.

28. Tenggara Whistler. A typical Golden Whistler, and a songbird endemic to the Lesser Sundas and far eastern Java. This bird was seen in the forests of Bali, Puarlolo and Komodo. Also heard calling singing its typically loudish, lively, rising song.

29. Red-cheeked Parrot. High-pitched squeaks similar to Australian King-Parrot. Medium-sized green parrot of wet forests in Cape York and lowlands of New Guinea. Found this male (violet crown and rosy pink-red face and upper mandible) in Puarlolo, west Flores.

30. Helmeted Friarbird. Large brown honeyeater with bare black facial skin and a long, pointy black bill with a small rounded horn on top. Range extends to tropical Queensland and Northern Territory coasts.

The 30 birds above are only some of 70 bird species seen in the east of the Wallace Line in Flores and Komodo Islands (East Nusa Tengarra) over a five-day period earlier this year.