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4.4 BIRDS A line transect involves travelling a
predetermined route and recording birds on
Birds are a group of warm-blooded either side of the observer. It can be done
vertebrates characterised by feathers, continually or at regular intervals along the
toothless beaked jaws, the laying of transect. All birds seen or heard can be
hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a recorded continually or at a predetermined
four-chambered heart, and a strong yet time ranging from 2 to 20 minutes. With a
lightweight skeleton. Bird species groups can minimum of 200 m between counting
be divided into several main groups according stations, line transects can be adaptable for
to habitat types, such as urban birds, forest different habitat types: survey seabirds from
birds, shorebirds, and waterbirds. In ships/boats and waterbirds and seabirds from
Peninsular Malaysia, a total of 670 bird species the air.
from 88 families comprising 438 resident
species, 157 migratory species and 66 vagrant Point counts are in which the observer
species have been recorded (Malaysian performs the count in a 360º around a fixed
Nature Society, 2015). In Peninsular Malaysia, survey station. Point counts are also usually
six bird species are classified as Critically conducted for a pre-determined and fixed
Endangered, nine Endangered, 20 Vulnerable, period of time, usually after allowing for the
and 94 Near Threatened under the IUCN Red bird to come to settle before the count begins.
List of Threatened Species. Approximately Observers could randomly select individual
85% of total bird species recorded in points at a minimum of 400 m (for more than
Peninsular Malaysia are categorised as Totally 500 ha project size) between counting
Protected Species and 2% as Protected stations. Recommended a 5- or 10-min count
Species under Wildlife Conservation Act 2010. period plus an initial settling time of one min.
For the longer period, we suggest that birds
4.4.1 Field Methods recorded in the first and second five minutes
are noted separately (to avoid double
Observations
counting). Point counts are especially useful in
Two observation techniques are commonly difficult terrain where it is impossible to
used in bird surveys; line transect and point
establish practical transects. This method may
count. In the case of line transects, bird
more likely detect shy species that would
recording occurs continually or at regular otherwise hide and escape using the active
intervals along the route and for a given
line transect approach.
duration at each point, while point counts (>
500 ha project area) include survey stations
that are randomly located throughout the
study area (Table 4.4). These methods can be
combined within the same survey. A minimum
of three visits per plot/station and three
observers per visit are recommended (e.g.,
one spotting and identifying birds, one acting
as a data recorder and one as a
photographer).
20 GUIDANCE DOCUMENT ON WILDLIFE
IMPACT STUDY FOR IN ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA)
