Birding and Wildlife Watching: Mambruk Bird

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Mambruk Bird

Burung Mambruk is the common name of bird that people in West Papua use to refer to Crowned-Pigeon. In field guide book Birds of New Guinea by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler, there are 3 species of them, i.e. Western-crowned Pigeon, Victoria-crowned Pigeon and Southern-crowned Pigeon.

Bird tour in West Papua with Charles Roring

Western-crowned Pigeon shot by a friend of mine Kostan Magablo

I saw the Western-crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata) for the first time in northwest region of Manokwari in 2011 in Dopi river. I was guiding a Duh wildlife photographer Herman and his wife Elizabeth. The bird was bigger than the other pigeons such as Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Pied Imperial Pigeon or the Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon. I did not have a telephoto camera at that time. I was at the beginning years of my career as a birding guide. Herman took pictures of the bird and gave me some that I used for promoting my bird tour in the internet.

Western-crowned Pigeon in Manokwari forest

Burung Mambruk

At that time, I only had a pocket camera, and a pair of cheap binoculars. I saw a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) sitting on the branch of a tree through a window of leaves. So, I decided to shoot the bird with these simple devices. And I did it although the picture was not sharp, it could be used for identification purposes. Later, Herman said that the photography technique that I had just practiced was similar to digiscoping. However, in the digiscoping technique, the digiscope was mounted on a tripod which was static and stable. Actually, holding a camera and binoculars by hands and at the same time shooting a bird were more difficult.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) shot through binoculars using Panasonic Lumix FT3 pocket camera.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo shot through binocular using a pocket camera

Since then I have seen the Mambruk bird during my tours in Klasow valley, Raja Ampat and Tambrauw. As a matter of fact, Western Crowned Pigeon can be found in West Papua province of Indonesia especially in Manokwari, Wondama regency, Raja Ampat, Tambrauw, Sorong, Bintuni, Fakfak and Kaimana.

Because of its size, Burung Mambruk has become the source of protein. e indigenous people like to hunt the bird for its meat. Rapid deforestations of tropical rainforest for human settlements, road constructions, and massive palm plantation and farming areas have significantly reduced the natural habitat of this beautiful bird.

If you are interested in taking a bird tour in West Papua province of Indonesia and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.