Burung Indonesia and Indonesian ministries have launched new bird stamps Zoom In

News in Brief

13-08-2009

Stories in this News in Brief: Sumatran Treasure stamps launched; All the news from the BirdLife Indochina programme; Friends for Change; Nature Iraq breeding bird survey results; Houbara Bustard hunting in Iraq

Sumatran Treasure stamps launched - Burung Indonesia (BirdLife Partner) has teamed up with the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information and the Ministry of Forestry to launch an Indonesian bird stamp series: The Treasures of the Sumatran Forest. The stamp series highlights six unique and threatened birds: White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata, Storm's Stork Ciconia stormi, Great Argus Argusianus argus, Rufous-collared Kingfisher Actenoides concretus, Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus and Red-naped Trogon Harpactes kasumba.

All the news from the BirdLife Indochina programme - The 30th edition of The Babbler is now available online and includes masses of news and updates from the BirdLife Indochina Programme including articles on: changes in the threat status of Indochinese species, an update on Guney's Pitta population and the threats facing Mekong Dolphins. To read the full edition click here

Friends for Change - BirdLife and Haribon (BirdLife in the Philippines) have been awarded $50,000 to help protect endangered tropical forests in the Philippines through Disney's Friends for Change project. Different projects were voted for by children and the most popular received funding. Disney's Friends for Change focuses on a key environmental theme each quarter, which began with "climate". The program now enters the "water" phase, and children are being asked to take simple actions to conserve this resource, and will help decide where to donate the next round of charitable funds. To learn more visit www.Disney.com/projectgreen

Nature Iraq breeding bird survey results - Most extensive breeding bird of survey of Iraq ever has been completed by Nature Iraq (BirdLife in Iraq), showing that the country is globally important for its avifauna. The 2009 Key Biodiversity Area summer survey extended the known breeding range of over 80 species. Highlights include:

Land Birds: Iraq's three near-endemic species - Iraq Babbler Turdoides altirostris, Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus and the Endangered Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis had all extended their known breeding ranges.

Waterbirds: The Vulnerable Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris was discovered breeding at 13 sites, and over 1,000 birds were counted. Two duck species were recorded breeding in Iraq for the first time, and in considerable numbers: Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina and Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (Near Threatened). Slender-billed Gulls Larus genei were present at over ten sites in the south and two in Kurdistan, where one colony held over 2% of the world population.

Birds of Prey: The high densities and range of species of birds of prey in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq was impressive: 17 species breeding or probably breeding. The Endangered Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was found at 20 sites, totalling over 70 individuals, and Vulnerable Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni was observed at 14 sites, with over 110 birds recorded.

Houbara Bustard hunting in Iraq - The open shrubby steppes and flat arid habitats in Iraq are favoured wintering grounds of the migrant Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii. This species is classified by BirdLife on behalf of the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable because it has undergone rapid population declines over three generations (20 years) owing largely to unsustainable hunting levels. Because of the absence of wildlife protection legislations under the newly established Iraqi Government, many areas around the country are witnessing over-hunting activities.

“A recent hunting expedition in Iraq reportedly killed over 100 Houbara Bustard alone”, said Omar Fadil from Nature Iraq. As a result, Nature Iraq are calling for (i) restrictions on the transport of hunting birds entering or leaving Iraq; (ii) that the Iraqi Government should enact wildlife protection legislation and establish hunting limits and/or bans for specific species like Houbara Bustard; and, (iii) more support and education to help the Iraqi security forces actively control hunting activities.