Bird Survey Report on the Empowerment of Local Communities for Sustainable Eco-Tourism Development in Seberang Perai Utara

Introduction

Seberang Perai holds an unusually wide range of wetland habitats: man-made paddy fields, detention and retention ponds, rivers and their basins, and — most significantly — a coastal Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). This is the Teluk Air Tawar–Kuala Muda Coast IBA, commonly abbreviated to TAT–KM Coast IBA and listed by BirdLife International as MY-03.

The Penang State Government intends to nominate this IBA as a Flyway Site under the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). The Forestry Department will lead the submission, with the Malaysian Nature Society — including the Penang branch — assisting. MNS participates in the EAAFP as an international NGO partner through BirdLife International.

Objectives

Conduct a comprehensive survey of all bird species within the IBA and its surrounding areas, including the coastal mudflats and the shoreline extending roughly 1.5 km seaward from the mangroves, out to the offshore mussel posts.

Count the total number of shorebirds and waders using the IBA.

Identify the bird species present in the mangroves, the adjacent scrubland, and the surrounding paddy fields.

At the heronry, record the waterbird species nesting there, their total numbers, the breeding season, and general heronry activity — together with any other nesting birds in the area and the location of their nesting grounds.

Update the bird list for the Teluk Air Tawar–Kuala Muda Coast IBA.

Please download the rest of the report below (PDF File)