Talk to discuss conservation of migratory birds

KUCHING: The talk ‘Southeast Asia and Migratory Birds – How Can We Better Conserve Them?’ will be held at the Islamic Information Centre ( Lower Baruk), Jalan Ong Tiang Swee on June 29.

A press release said the free talk will be conducted by Yong Ding Li – author of ‘The 125 Best Bird Watching Sites in Southeast Asia’, which is expected to be released in August.

Yong will discuss the phenomenon of bird migration in Southeast Asia, with a special focus on Borneo.

He will also speak on the threats faced by migratory birds, some of the work led by BirdLife to conserve migratory species, and why migratory birds create new opportunities for wildlife conservation and ecotourism in Sarawak.

“Southeast Asia is a region steeped in exceptionally high levels of biodiversity, including charismatic animals ranging from the orangutan to the hornbills. Less known to many people are the migratory birds,” said the press release.

“Many of these migratory birds arrive in the region every year from August onward, adding colour and life to forests, coasts and even many of the paddy fields that dot the region. Many of these birds, including hawks, shorebirds and flycatchers, would have travelled many thousands of kilometres to get here.”

Before completing his doctoral work on conservation biology at the Australian National University, Yong was involved in a number of bird research and conservation projects in Malaysia (Terengganu, Sabah), Indonesia (Sumatra, Sulawesi), the Philippines (Mindanao), and Singapore.

Yong oversees migratory bird conservation work at BirdLife International’s Asia regional office, where he works closely with the Malaysian Nature Society and other BirdLife partners on bird conservation projects, particularly on shorebirds.

He has authored four books and 40 peer-reviewed papers.