How to use Bird I-Witness

Here is the step-by-step guide on how to register and use Bird I-Witness website to enter bird data:

1. If you have not used Bird I-Witness before, you will have to register by clickong on the "Are you a new user?" link that appears underneath the log-in box.

2. Enter your personal details in the User Registration form.

-Create a username for Bird I-Witness (recommend to use your name as username for easy identification by your fellow birdwatchers)
-Provide an email address for the password to be sent to you.
-By default the “Select/Display species by” uses BirdLife Common name, which sometimes differ from the Malaysian checklist. Please select National Common Name.

3. Once you have registered you will be sent an email with a system-generated password. Use the username you’ve created and the password to log in.
-Go to “My Details” (at the top bar) and change your password or other particulars.
-The home page highlights the top 10 Visits and top 50 Species sighted recently.

4. To enter data, click on “Add New Visit” on the left bar. That opens up the data entry screens with four parts to fill.

Note: To avoid data duplication, nominate only one person in your group to submit sightings. You can share the sightings with your fellow observers by keying in their names or linking to their Bird I-Witness usernames.

5. Click on “Where did you go birding?”. That will bring a search box for the location. For Region/State, choose either Peninsular or East Malaysia. For Location, type in part of the location name to search for matches eg. Petaling.



6. If the location you need to enter the data does not appear in your list of locations, click “New Location” and enter the details of the location. Select the region, then enter the name (start with the street name or name of the park, then housing estate, town, and lastly the state) and the GPS coordinates (mandatory field).

-You can also use the “Map/Google” button to create the new location via a map, the longitude and the latitude will be generated automatically.
-To edit the location you have entered, go to “My Locations” on the left hand bar.
If you encounter problems, contact the administrator at worldbirds.malaysia@gmail.com

7. Click on “When did you go birding?”
-Please note that the date is a mandatory field and it defaults to today’s date, so you must change that. Add in the start and end time of your count, and the number of minutes of actual birding time.

-For “Purpose” section, select from the pull down list the purpose of your visit eg. General birdwatching, Bird photography, etc.

8. You can add other observer (s) that has conducted the count with you, by clicking on “Who did you go with?” . You will be able to add them provided they are registered users (obtain their BIW username).

-For other users taking part in the visit but are not registered users, go back to section “When did you go birding” (point 7) and add their names in the “Other notes for the visit” section.


9. Under “What did you see?” you enter your data.
-For the full Malaysia checklist, use the “Blank species list” option.

-Type the partial name of the species and select the species from the drop down list, eg. dove.

Note: For new species, select “New Country Species”, type in the species name, plumage and observation details in the note section. You will be requested to submit written report to the MNS-BCC Records Committee.

10. Click “ ? ” to add observation notes eg. sex of birds, plumage, behaviour etc.

Sightings with full observation species list and details (with number seen and observation descriptions) are more valuable than ad hoc data.

-Click the dustbin button to remove any unwanted species.
-After entering all the species seen, remember to click “Save” at the bottom of the page.

-Only enter the species that you can positively identify.

11. If you need to edit, click “My Visits” (on the left hand bar). All the visits you have entered will have a dustbin button at the end; you can remove the unwanted ones.
-To edit just select the name of the visit location to make amendments.

Note: Only the observer who entered the visit has the access right to edit or delete. Visits that do not have the dustbin icon at the end indicate data entered by your fellow birders, and the lists were shared with you.


12. On the top bar, there is an “Off-Line Tool”. This is an option for you to enter data while off-line, which saves your online internet time. You will need to download the software first, follow the instructions on how to use this tool

13. To search or analyse data, you can use the “Reports”, “Species Checklists” or “Top 50” functions on the left hand bar.

14. MNS-BCC Records Committe or the Bird I-Witness Validation Team may request for written report and supporting eg. photos, video or voice recording for rare and new species. To obtain the form visit http://www.mns.org.my/ Publication-Suara Enggang Section or http://birdiwitness.blogspot.com/ or email worldbirds.malaysia@gmail.com

Note: All data will be reviewed by the Validation Team which composed of experienced birders and committee members of MNS-Bird Conservation Council and MNS-BCC Records Committee.

15. For enquiries on Bird I-Witness matters, contact worldbirds.malaysia@gmail.com .

By sharing your sightings you play a part inthe conservation of birds and their habitats. Enjoy online storage of your sightings, information on worldwide IBA sites, and down-loadablemaps for birding destinations in Malaysia!

Check out BIW Slide Show!

Update on Bird I-Witness Usage

All past data in Enggang and Suara Enggang were uploaded to the system!

Since the launch on 15 March 2008, the number of users has grown as well as their observation submissions. It's encouraging that some users are submitting their old sightings, but valuable data, that have not been submitted to Suara Enggang.

Please remember to enter not only the bird species you've seen, but also the number of birds seen and other details like sex, age and behaviour.

Past Records

At the launch of the site, only 1 year of old data (1988) were seeded into the system.

To ensure data integrity and accuracy, the Validation Team has been reviewing all the past data before they were passed to Worldbirds team to plough as seeding data.

Sightings recorded in Enggang and Suara Enggang from 1989-1999 are now uploaded to the database. Data analysis by location or species will be more meaningful.

The team is still working on the 2000-Feb. 2008 data. When all the back data is uploaded later this year, it will be a complete data analysis of all past & current sightings.

Birds of Malaysia (NEW!)

Photo Credits: Chan Kin Fatt, Lai David & Ooi Beng Yean.

Roadshow

The Bird I-Witness is live after the official launch on 15 March 2008 at Raptor Watch Week.

There were roadshows to spread the news and to encourage more birders to use the website, the project team went to various states to introduce the site and live demonstration on how to use the website:



11 April Terengganu
12 April Penang
12 April Johor
26 April Selangor
17 May Kuching, Sarawak
23 May Perak
31 May Miri, Sarawak

Bird I-Witness Officially launched at RWW08 Illham Resort, Tanung Tuan on 15 March 2008

The Official Launch of Bird I-Witness took off on 15 March 2008 at Illham Resort, Tanjung Tuan; in conjunction with the Raptor Watch Week 2008. The launch was officiated by MNS Vice President Datuk Dr. HashimAbdul Wahab.

Your birdwatching sightings will contribute to the preservation of the birds and its environment. Keep inputing your bird sightings to Bird I-Witness!

Getting to Know bird i-witness (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Who can submit sightings and use the data in the bird i-witness Malaysia?
Ans. Anyone who has done birding in Malaysia can submit his/her sightings. Just register with the site and the administrator will email you your username and password.

2. Who should submit the sighting if it is observed by a group?
Ans. Nominate one person to submit the sighting. This will avoid data duplication. If the rest of the observers are registered, the data can also be linked to all observers by checking their names in the "other observers" section. Otherwise, their names can be mentioned in the "Note" section.

3. Should I submit 1-2 sightings or the full list from by visit?

Ans. Full Checklists for sites will be more beneficial and provide better quality data than ad hoc data.

4. I saw a glimpse of the bird, but not sure of the ID. Should I submit the sighting?

Ans. To maintain the database to its highest quality and credibility, please only enter sighting that you have definite identification.

5. Some bird species' names and/or scientific names are different from the "A Checklist of the Birds of Malaysia" (2005)?

Ans. Yes. The Taxonomic sequence has been changed and updated in the Worldbirds lists. There are additions, deletions and changes that will differ from the 2005 A Checklist of Birds of Malaysia. The Worldbirds list also includes escapee and feral populations. The checklist will grow as sightings of rare/new birds are submitted.

6. Since I'm submitting the bird sightings to bird i-witness Malaysia, do I still need to submit to Suara Enggang?
Ans. No. The editor of Suara Enggang will download the sightings from the bird i-witness Malaysia worldbirds site. The editor will highlight interesting sightings and analyse the data and publish reports in the bulletin. However, please send your photos or drawings to the editor.

7. Do I still send field trip reports, birding sites article, bird ID article, etc to Suara Enggang?
Ans. Yes. Please continue to send in your write-up. The quality of the bulletin is what you BIRDERS want it to be.

8. How about rare and new bird species sightings? Who should I submit to?
Ans. When you enter the species, type "New Country Species" and [Tab]. This function allows you to enter new species in the note section. You will also be requested by the Records Committee to submit a new record form together with supportings eg. field notes, photographs, drawings, voice recordigs. Please email to the administrator via the Contact Us (or email to worldbirds.malaysia@gmail.com ) or the Records Committee Secretary mnsrc.rc@gmail.com ; the Validation Team and Bird Conservation Council-Records Committee will decide whether or not the species should be added to the list. If the species is accepted, Birdlife we will add it with the relevant BirdLife codes etc. You can still enter and save the other species for a visit...when the new species is accepted and added in the site, you can then edit the visit at a later date.

For the submission guidelines please go to http://birdiwitness.blogspot.com/ or http://www.mns.org.my/ Publication-Suara Enggang section for details.

9. Can I download and use the data from the bird i-witness Malaysia site?

Ans. The use of data from this system is encouraged for conservation purposes. Individual contributors and the system administrator reserve the right to comment on the accuracy and interpretation of data. Any commercial use of the data should result in a financial contribution to the maintenance and development of this system. In using data from this system you should follow good practice:
a) all users should acknowledge Bird I-Witness and its contributors.
b) if more than 10% of the data you are using comes from a single contributor or user group, then that contributor should be acknowledged.
c) if more than 40% of the data you are using comes from a single contributor or user group, then you should contact that contributor or group to ask for permission to use the data and offer to add their name to any publications.
d) you should inform the administrators of Bird I-Witness on the uses of the data. The administrators and contributors to the system take no responsibility.

10. Is the data submitted verified? By whom?

Ans. All data will be reviewed by the Validation Team which is composed of experienced birders and some committee memebrs of MNS Bird Conservation Council and MNS-BCC Records Committee. The Records Commitee's responsiblities in reviewing rare/new records still remain.

11. How do I edit a location that I have created?

Go to My Locations where you have the option to list all the sites you have entered (List All). You can edit your locations by clicking on the name and changing the information.

12. How do I extract and view data?

A range of different reports are available that allow you to view, download or print data. Select Reports to display the list of options; you can find out more about locations and species, and display data on a map.

13. I want to know which species have been recorded at a specific location?

Use the Location report.

14. If I visit X location, what is the likelihood of seeing Y species?

Use the Location Summary report, which retrieves a summary of observations for a location.
I want information on all the places where a species has been recordedUse the Species report, which provides a full list of observations for a species.

15. I would like to see X species, where am I most likely to observe it?

Use the Species Summary report.

16. How do I display all locations where observations have been made?

Use the Coverage reports and choose to map all observations or just those for the current year.

17. I would like to know what birds I can see at a location.

Use the Checklists to view/extract a variety of different lists: for the whole country, for a specific location, birds that you have recorded, and birds you have not yet recorded. A checklist for a location is revised each time new observations are added to it.

18. How will my observations be used?

This is a global approach to getting people involved in data collection – a vast source of bird and environmental information, generated by birdwatchers and professionals alike. Your observations will broaden our knowledge on species range and distribution, as well as making a valuable contribution to conservation by providing us with a clearer picture of the state of the world’s birds.

19. Can I keep any of my records private?

The aim of the system is to make data widely and freely available to all users, so we encourage you not to restrict access to your observations. However, we do realise that there is a need to keep some records confidential, so there is a facility to make locations and any observations you add private. Private records can only be viewed by the person who added them and by administrators of the system.

20. Are some data hidden from me?

Only extremely rare and sensitive records are automatically hidden from all users, except the person entering them and administrators. You cannot see records that other users have themselves decided to hide, but we encourage full sharing of all non-sensitive data.

21. Who owns the observations collected?

Users who submit observations own their records, but by providing them to the database they agree to their use by other users and by country conservation organisation(s).

22. Groups of birders often go out together and record what they see. Will this lead to problems with replication of data if everyone within that group submits their observations?

Duplicate records should be identified and highlighted when observations are checked by the administrators. For analytical purposes, a user can discard any duplicated records and reduce the data to a day list of species at a particular location. However, to prevent replication of records, groups of birders are encouraged to select one person from the group to enter the data listing all those observers associated with the visit. All observers who are users of the system can view these records. Groups of birders with a contingency of regular members should consider adopting a group user ID.

23. What happens if I edit my records, will this affect validation?

You can edit your observations at any time but in doing so will cause that observation, if already validated, to be automatically flagged for a second checking.

24. Can I enter observations I have recorded in the past?

Yes, and we actively encourage you to do so as historical records are extremely useful for us to look at changes in species range and distribution over time. However, please check that you have not submitted to Enggang or Suara Enggang. Past sightings submitted to the publication will be uploaded to the site by the Administrator.

25. I have unreliable Internet connectivity, can I still add my records efficiently?

The system has a desk-top version that can be downloaded to your PC. This can be used for adding and editing data, which can be imported quickly and easily when on-line again. Choose the Off-line Tool option.

26. I have problems with the site, who should I enquire?

Ans. You can email us by clicking "Contact Us" or send to worldbirds.malaysia@gmail.com

bird i-witness Submission Guidelines. (What are the data required in the worldbirds?)

Inside the website, there are TWO highlights and FIVE sub-sites for data input and retrieval:

1. Latest news – Visits highlights
a) Location highlights - top ten most recent visits submitted. Information on Location, last visited date and observer.
b) Species Highlights - top twenty most recent rare or unusual bird observations (highly sensitive records are excluded). Information on Species, location, visit date, observer

2. My visits – the sub-site to enter your sighting. The fields of data are:
a) Location* - type in key word of the location, select from a pull down menu of a list of locations. If your visit site is not listed, please enter new location information in “My Location” sub-site. The Validation Team will validate the site detail before acceptance.
b) Date*
c) Duration Time : start to end time
d) Actual time spent birding * Hrs Mins
e) Enter the number of observers
f) Did you record all birds seen/heard? Tick the box if yes
g) Were no birds seen? Tick the box if yes
h) Species name* - pull down list of the Malaysian Checklist. If you saw a new species, you can type "New Country Species" then [Tab]; then enter the detail in the notes section. You will still be required to submit a new record form to the Records Committee.
i) Did weather, visibility, disturbance etc affect your counts? Tick the box if Yes.
j) Purpose (if for a particular project) eg. MNS Bird Group visit, MNS expedition
k) Other notes for the visit – indicate weather situation that has an effect on your visit, habitat and vegetation status, other observer’s name (only for those not a registered user of the system).
l) Who did you go with – Click the question to submit other observer’s name here, this applies only if they are also a registered user of the system. Type a word and a pull down list for you to choose from. This will make your visit information available to other registered users by adding their user name here.
m) Total species observed during visit - You can enter data simply as a list of species, or associate further information with each observation. The more information collected, the more useful the record is.
Please indicate the plumage, behaviour, whether it’s breeding; whenever you feel of importance. If there is a sub-species or various morphs, please also indicate.
You can enter the number of birds seen or zero to indicate that you looked for a species but did not see/hear it (a null count).
For presence only, leave the count field blank.You can mark observations as being only available to yourself and other registered users associated with this visit by ticking the private box. However, we strongly urge you to avoid using this facility as one of our guiding principles is open access to data for everyone. Locations of highly sensitive species are automatically obscured.

* indicates mandatory fields


3. My Locations – enter a new location not listed in the database. Please collect as much information on the location as possible – is it under an IBA site; GIS information and GPS co-ordinates; site name and address; site size; land use type by % (agriculture, ex-mining, reserve, etc). Latitude and longititude co-ordinates are mandory fields, can you obtain them from the map or google earth function. If you still do not manage to get the co-ordinates, enter 1 to both fields.


4. Reports – to generate analysis of the database. You can also obtain information on all IBA sites. Maps are also available for certain locations.
a) Location report - a full list of observations at a location.
b) Location summary report - a summary of species recorded at a location
c) Location summary report, full checklists - a summary of species recorded at a location, full checklists only.
d) Species report - a full list of observations for a species.
e) Species summary report - a summary of locations where a species has been seen.
f) Coverage: All data - map of all locations visited
g) Coverage current year – map of locations visited current year


5. Species Checklist
a) Country checklist - a checklist for all species in the country.
b) My country checklist - a checklist for all species you have recorded.
c) A checklist for all species you have not yet recorded
d) Location checklist - a checklist of species associated with one or more locations, based wholly on existing data


6. Top 50 List
a) Top 50 locations - 50 locations with the most visits
b) Top 50 species - 50 species with the most observations
c) Top 50 users - 50 users with the most visits to locations
d) Top 50 observations - 50 users with the most observations of species


7. My Details – to change personal details. You can also change your species name display option: Malaysia common name, Scientific name or Birdlife common name.


8. At top bar, there’s an option to work offline. You will need to download the software first. You will be able to add bird data, but sites must already exist in the on-line version and cannot be added or edited off-line.

Code of Birding Ethics (Birding Etiquette)

The interests of birds come first

Birds respond to people in many ways, depending on the species, location and time of year.
Disturbance can keep birds from their nests, leaving chicks hungry or enabling predators to take eggs or young.
During cold weather or when migrants have just made a long flight, repeatedly flushing birds can mean they use up vital energy that they need for feeding. Intentional or reckless disturbance of some species at or near the nest is illegal in Britain.
Whether your particular interest is photography, ringing, sound-recording or birding, remember that the interests of the bird must always come first.

Promote the welfare of birds and their environment.
1(a) Support the protection of important bird habitat.
1(b) To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording, or filming.
1(b)(i)Avoid chasing, repeatedly flushing, excessive use of squeakers, "pishing" and recordings, especially during nesting season.
1(b)(ii) Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas, or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, or of Special Concern, or is rare in your local area;
1(b)(iii) Repeatedly playing a recording of bird song or calls to encourage a bird to respond can divert a territorial bird from other important duties, such as feeding its young. Never use playback to attract a species during its breeding season.
1(b)(iv) Keep well back from nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas, and important feeding sites to avoid disturbance and exposure to predators. In such sensitive areas, if there is a need for extended observation, photography, filming, or recording, try to use a blind or hide, and take advantage of natural cover.

How to Recognise Stressed Bird Behaviour
· Birds try to attract your attention by flying in front of you.

· Birds try to lure you away from a position.
· Birds carrying food, perched at one position for a long time.
· Birds carrying nesting material, perched at one position for a long time.
· Birds giving alarm call – it’s important to learn your calls!

1(b)(v) Birds, nests, or eggs must not be handled except for recognized research.
1(b)(vi) Use artificial light sparingly for filming or photography, especially for close-ups. High intensity spot lights should not be shone directly on a bird, but at an oblique angle, when carrying out night photography.
1(c) Before advertising the presence of a rare bird, evaluate the potential for disturbance to the bird, its surroundings, and other people in the area, and proceed only if access can be controlled, disturbance minimized, and permission has been obtained from private land-owners. The sites of rare nesting birds should be divulged only to the proper conservation authorities and trusted source.
1(d) Stay on roads, trails, and paths where they exist; otherwise keep habitat disturbance to a minimum.
1(e) Be an ambassador for birding.
1(f) Send your sightings and support species and site conservation and build the ornithological history eg. MNS-BCC Suara Enggang Bulletin, MNS-BCC Records committee.
1(g) Think about your fieldcraft. Disturbance is not just about going too close - a flock of wading birds on the foreshore can be disturbed from a mile away if you stand on the seawall.
1(h) You can get involved in monitoring schemes.

Respect the law, and the rights of others.
2(a) Do not enter private property without the owner's explicit permission.
2(b) Follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing use of roads and public areas, both at home and abroad.
2(c) Practise common courtesy in contacts with other people. Your exemplary behavior will generate goodwill with birders and non-birders alike.
2(d) Being quiet is simple courtesy. In residential areas, before 9 a.m., keep voices low, vehicle noises to a minimum.
2(e) Never stop your vehicle in a traffic lane to view birds. Always pull completely onto the shoulder to conduct short-term or long-term viewing. No shoulder? Don't stop.

Group birding, whether organized or impromptu, requires special care.
Each individual in the group, in addition to the obligations spelled out in Items #1 and #2, has responsibilities as a Group Member.
3(a) Respect the interests, rights, and skills of fellow birders, as well as people participating in other legitimate outdoor activities. Freely share your knowledge and experience, except where code 1(c) applies. Be especially helpful to beginning birders.
3(b) Minimize unnecessary talk and noise to avoid disturbing birds so that they can be seen by all participants.
3(c) Follow the leaders' pace to allow special sightings to be shared by the entire group.
3(d) If you witness unethical birding behavior, assess the situation, and intervene if you think it prudent. When interceding, inform the person(s) of the inappropriate action, and attempt, within reason, to have it stopped. If the behavior continues, document it, and notify appropriate individuals or organizations.
Group Leader Responsibilities [amateur and professional trips and tours].
3(e) Be an exemplary ethical role model for the group. Teach through word and example.
3(f) Keep groups to a size that limits impact on the environment, and does not interfere with others using the same area.
3(g) Ensure everyone in the group knows of and practises this code.
3(h) Learn and inform the group of any special circumstances applicable to the areas being visited (e.g. no tape recorders allowed).
3(i) Acknowledge that professional tour companies bear a special responsibility to place the welfare of birds and the benefits of public knowledge ahead of the company's commercial interests. Ideally, leaders should keep track of tour sightings, document unusual occurrences, and submit records to appropriate organizations.

MNS-Bird Conservation Council
December 2006

Reference:
1. The American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics. website http://americanbirding.org/
2. The Ten Commandments of Birding by New Jersey Audubon Society
3. Birding Ethics of The Naturalists' Club of Broome County
4. RSPB Birdwatchers' Code of Conduct

Special Submission (Rare sightings and Breeding Record)

For rare, new bird species sighting and breeding records, please continue to submit your report to the MNS-BCC Records Committee.

Guidelines for the Submission of COUNTRY Records:

There is a need for supporting evidence to be presented before a new or rare record can be verified and accepted. It is therefore important that detailed notes and relevant sketches accompany descriptions of a new or rare sightings. The Records committee will deliberate on whether a record should be accepted or rejected based on the evidence and details submitted by the observers. Listed below are the guidelines for submission of new or rare records to the Records Committee.
· Name(s) of the observer(s) and witnesses
· Observer(s) and witnesses’ contacts (address, telephone and email, if any)
· Name of the species seen (common and scientific names)
· Date of observation
· Time of day (24-hrs)
· Location (include a relevant sketch map and GPS readings, if possible)
· Include details of optics used (binocular or spotting scope)
· The habitat, including the estimated elevation
· Light and weather conditions
· Estimated distance between observer and bird
· Detailed description of the bird, including size, jizz, details of plumage, and soft parts colours
· Behavioural notes on associated species if any
· Supporting evidence such as fieldnotes, colour photograph, video recordings, and sound recordings of voice where possible
· Additional notes

Below is the standard form, you can also download from MNS-website http://www.mns.org.my/article.php?aid=105

Please submit to:
Records Committee Secretary, c/o MNS-Bird Conservation Council, Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641, Jln Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-22879422 Fax:03-22878773 Email: mnsrc.rc@gmail.com or email to BIW administrator worldbirds.malaysia@gmail.com




BREEDING RECORD CARDS

Objectives
1. To compile, collate, and disseminate comprehensive data on the breeding biology of all resident birds in Malaysia. This includes referred nesting sites and habitats, the timing of breeding, clutch and brood sizes, hatching and fledging success.
2. To make available all collated information to those interested, such as scientists, birdwatchers, students, etc.

CONSIDERATIONS & PRECAUTIONS
1. Keep disturbances to a minimum. Birds are highly likely to abandon nests at the egg stage rather than when there are nestlings.
2. To look at eggs, make the visit very brief and only ONCE. Do this when the bird is not sitting. DO NOT deliberately flush birds sitting on nest.
3. To record further details of nest material used, do this only after all broods have been fledged and the nest is no longer in use. Do not remove an empty nest as it may be used again.
4. Observe from a safe distance.
5. Do not remove the vegetation surrounding the nest as this will expose the nest to potential predators.
6. When making a visit to examine nest contents, spend only 1-2 minutes once or twice each day (or not at all if the bird is unduly stressed).


Instructions
1. Record only active nests (nests containing eggs and young). If bird species was observed nest building, record the date/dates.
2. Use ONE card for each nest and each clutch of eggs, with appropriate cross-reference where necessary. Record information briefly. If there are a lot of details, attach extra cards or sheets of paper.
3. Identify the bird correctly. Do not submit cards unless identification of the species is 100 percent certain.
4. Write with permanent ink or send in soft copy.
5. Complete initial details for each nest: observer, species, year, locality (as accurately as possible), altitude above sea level, habitat (eg. primary or logged forest, mangrove forest, degraded mangroves, scrub, gardens, disused mining pools, reedbeds, limestone cliff, oil-palm plantation, etc).
6. In the field for nest site, describe it briefly, eg. the fork of a small sapling, 3m above ground, on the side of a gully, beside a stream. Give details of the shape, size & composition of nest (eg. compact cup, 9 cm across & 3 cm deep, moss and plant fibre, externally felted with cobwebs).
7. In the field for notes on eggs, describe shape, size, and colour of eggs if possible (eg. oval, 2.5x2.3 cm, pale blue lightly speckled buff).
8. In the field for Notes on Juveniles, describe colour of juveniles as they develop.
9. In the column for behavioural notes record nesting or feeding behaviour eg. the co-operation of both parents in feeding young & removing the faecal sac. Also record types of food given to young.
10. Fill in details for each visit, including date, time, whether a parent is on the nest (male or female if distinguishable). Note the incubation period of the eggs. Note the age of the young, if this can be determined (stage of feather development of young can roughly indicate age). If nest has been under observation from egg stage, note the fledging period of the young from the time the eggs hatch.
11. If a nest fails for any particular reason, note this, eg. blown down during a rain storm or by strong winds. In the case where the eggs or young have been predated, note the predator species if known.
12. If a cuckoo parasitises the nest while under observation, ascertain its identity and note the egg laid. Use a NEW CARD to record details of the young cuckoo, especially the plumage colour and pattern as well as the tail pattern to facilitate identification. The voice of the young cuckoo at this stage is of little help. Please indicate the appropriate cross-reference on each new card.
13. If successive broods are reared by the same pair, use a new set of cards and state the appropriate cross-reference.
14. Attach supporting photos or drawings.
Send the cards or soft copy to MNS-BCC Records Committee, (c/o Yeap Chin Aik), JKR 641, Jln Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-22879422 Fax:03-22878773 Email: hod.conservation@mns.org.my

Articles & Bird Sighting Submissions Guidelines to Suara Enggang

Field notes, reports, bird articles, announcements and other write-up submission guidelines:

1. Title of article in bold capitals, with Bird’s Common Name in bold capitals, Scientific Name in bold Title case italics. (Nomenclature follows: MNS-Birds Conservation Council. 2005. A checklist of the Birds of Malaysia – Conservation Publication No. 2. Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Nature Society.)
2. Dates in the description eg. 3 May 2005 or 03/05/2005
3. Dates for list of birds in day/month/year. Two digits for day and month. Eg. 03/12/2005.
4. Credits if there is photo/drawing.
5. Numerics: For numbers below 10 please put in words eg. One, two. For numbers from 10 onwards please put in figures eg. 1, 2.
6. Altitude sightings eg. 1,000 m asl.
7. Measurements & distance in metric system eg 3 m, 10 km
8. Time in 24-hours format eg. 0730 hrs, 1130-1530 hrs.
9. Estimates eg. ca. 200 km
10. Voice/Calls of birds in italics eg. “kek kak”
11. Quoting reference: Please use the following format. Author’s surname in full, coma, then first name in short form. Italics for the name of the book. Year of publication follows by a full stop punctuation. Then the country of publication, colon punctuation, and then the publisher’s name.
Eg.
Reference:
· Jeyarajasingam, A. and Pearson, A. 1999. A Field Guide To The Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore. London: Oxford University Press.
· Birdwatch website http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/website/

Send to compiler: LIM KIM CHYE, 45 Lorong 25, Taman Lake View, 34000 Taiping, Perak. Email: kcyian@tm.net.my


"Recent Sightings" submission:

Since March 2008, all sightings should input directly to Bird I-Witness database. The editors of Suara Enggang will retrieve interesting and rare sightings from the site. However, please continue send in your bird photos, illustrations or voice recording to Nina Cheung, c/o Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641, Jln Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Email: chy_nina@yahoo.com