TRK as a potential IBA

Let's start from that which should be appropriate too ... that we acknowledge that urban open green spaces like parks should also be recognised as IBAs or Important Bird Areas.  Why?

"An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International."

So why shouldn't parks be recognised as IBAs too? Parks ARE important for the conservation of birds, i.e. garden birds and to a greater extent, migrant birds.  I like the description of parks as 'urban wilderness', that its biodiversity should be conserved too, or else the only place in future that urbanites will get to see birds will be at a bird park!

Take Taman Rimba Kiara as an example.  It's absolutely unique by virtue of its location, close to a hill and by a river which is why it so easily attracts such a diversity of bird species.

The local bird species count is easily more than 50 and add the migrant species, we get more than 90 species.  Common or resident birds have continued to breed and reside in the taman including raptors like brahminy kites and crested goshawks.  The park has proven over the years to be a strategic stop-over for both passage as well as winter migrants like warblers, flycatchers and shrikes which are seen to stay the entire duration while the winter passes up north.

brahminy kite chicks ...

... and they fledged successfully

crested goshawk chick ...

... grew to fledge too

Stripe-throated bulbul breeds throughout the year here, seen with nest material

Zebra dove brooding ...

... then there were two

Meanwhile more nests seen ....