The Breeding Ecology of the Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala in Central Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

The Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) populations in Putrajaya and Shah Alam, Peninsular Malaysia, have increased by almost 10%–13% every year. If this trend continues, it is believed that habitat overlap may occur between this species and the Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea), which is currently threatened with extinction. Habitat overlap could lead them to compete for food and other necessary resources, and consequently, one species would outcompete another. However, little is known about the breeding ecology of the Painted Stork in Peninsular Malaysia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the breeding ecology of the Painted Stork and examine its nesting characteristics and their effects on breeding success. Direct observations were made of colonies in the Upper Bisa Putrajaya Wetland (UBPW) and Tasik Shah Alam (TSA) during the breeding season from March to September 2016 and 2017. The peak of the breeding season was in June, and no differences were found in nesting colony parameters between study sites, including the nest diameter and nest building period, except for nest height. The average height above the ground level of TSA nests was higher than in UBPW. Human activities near the nesting site in Shah Alam may have led to the birds constructing nests higher to prevent disturbance and predation. Nest diameter and nest building period were influenced by the number of nestlings raised by parents. These findings provide new information that may be used in management programs to control Painted Stork populations and can be useful for conserving threatened species, particularly the Milky Stork.