The Missing Wings

Indonesia is the country with the fifth-most bird species in the world. More than 1,600 species of bird live in the archipelago, and 380 of them are native to nowhere else. Of those endemic species, 13 are critically endangered. Jihad, a staffer of Burung Indonesia Bird Conservation, said many of the birds lived in especially small areas, making them more vulnerable to habitat disruption. "Birds that are only distributed on Sangihe Island like anis bentet (shrike thrush) face the high risk of extinction when the island is subjected to land conversion," he said.

The other factor is hunting. Jalak putih (black-winged starling), for instance, is hunted for its melodious song. Hawk-eagles are sought for their prestige. In fact, birds serve as an important indicator to determine nature conservation priority regions. If a variety of bird species live in a zone, its biological diversity is in good shape.

November 4, 2014