University student Amira Nor Sabrina Ambran, 21, who was among the participants, said that it was her first birdwatching activity. “Each time we hear the sound of a bird, we would try to detect the direction the sound is coming from and then use our binoculars to take a better look at the bird’s physical shape and figure out its species.
He said so far 86 bird species are known to exist in Paya Burung, including four new species identified by the participating group that day. The diversity and abundance of food sources, greenery and humid environment are the main factors that make Paya Burung an ideal habitat for birds. Through such projects, FRIM hopes to enhance public awareness, especially among schoolchildren, on the importance of recognising and identifying natural resources such as birds, which are indicators of the richness of an area’s flora and fauna, explained Ahmad Azaruddin.
Meanwhile, FRIM Ecotourism and Urban Forestry Programme researcher Norsham Yaakob said birdwatching is not only for nature and wildlife lovers but also for families to participate in.