Thai Raptor Group has organized a birding trip to survey and estimate a population of globally near-threatened White-rumped Falcon. This residential small, forest falcon is found year-round in Thailand and is currently and locally classified as vulnerable to extinction due to habitat loss or degradation. The falcon is sexually dimorphic since the female is more colorful than the male, which is unique in the bird world. The falcon nests in tree holes, built by woodpeckers and barbets. The main prey types are insects, small birds and reptiles, which are hunted by the method of perch-and-hunt technique, that is when the falcon spots a prey it will fly to catch it on tree trunks or the ground. The site is a small patch (less than 10 km2) of deciduous forest that has been encroached with agricultural fields, broadleaved evergreen forest, and a water reservoir. The event is aimed to count individuals of the falcon species, and record other residential raptor and non-raptor species.
Forty birders attended the trip, comprised 2 birder-wannabe kids, 9 university students (from Chulalongkorn, Kasetsart, and Mahidol Universities) and 29 adults. Most birders enjoyed the forest birding walk with cool weather after a downpour in the evening of 16 June, and multiple prolonged and pleasant views of the falcons in the morning of 17 June. Seven species resident raptors were sighted. Eight White-rumped Falcons were observed with 1 adult female, 5 adult male and 2 juvenile. Thus, it is likely that, at least, one brood of fledglings from a single breeding pairs is successful this year. Other raptor species found during the trip were Black-shouldered Kites, Rufous-winged Buzzards, a Black Baza, a Shikra, Collared Falconets and a juvenile Rufous-bellied Eagle. Seventy-seven species of non-raptor species were recorded. Highlights included 5 Oriental Darters, Grey-capped Woodpeckers (the tiniest Dendrocopos woodpecker in Thailand), Fulvous-breasted Woodpeckers, a fast-flying flock of Red-breasted Parakeets, graceful flight of Crested Treeswift, foraging flocks of Chestnut-bellied Nuthatches (of which its plumage is aligned with subspecies Sitta castanea neclecta), and White-browed Fantails showing the routine “steps” of tail fanning and “ flycatching dance” on tree branches and the ground.
Thai Raptor Group feels thankful to all trip-attending birders and is grateful to Leica for financial support for the trip organization and for providing attending birders its high-quality birding optics.
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