An expedition to Damar Island, South West Maluku, Indonesia

by Colin Trainor, OBC Bulletin 36, December 2002

Shaped like a dinosaurs head, with a steaming fumarole emitting discrete clouds of sulphur through a hypothetical nostril, the island of Damar has lain in wait for birders for over 100 years. That is, until recent work in August 2001 by BirdLife International to rediscover the Damar Flycatcher Ficedula henrici.

Damar, like many islands in eastern Indonesia is remote more than 100 km to the nearest similarly sized islands of Romang and Babar. It is one of a string of volcanic islands starting with Java in the west and ending with the Banda Islands, south of Ambon. Damar is only about 198 km2, however it has a distinctive avifauna with its single endemic, the Damar Flycatcher Ficedula henrici and two endemic sub-species, Rufous-sided Gerygone Gerygone dorsalis kuehnii and Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis dammeriana. Fifteen restricted-range species have also been recorded, including the near threatened Blue-streaked Lory Eos reticulata (perhaps introduced from the Tanimbar Islands), Green-cheeked Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx rufomerus (a South-west island endemic), Orange-sided Thrush Zoothera peronii (a Timor-group endemic) and Cinnamon-collared Kingfisher Todiramphus australasia (widespread in the Lesser Sundas). Prior to their rediscovery in 2001, the Damar Flycatcher was first and last recorded in 1898 and the Green-cheeked Bronze Cuckoo (endemic to Damar, Romang, Kisar, Leti, Moa and Babar) in 1902. Damar is perhaps also the easiest place to see the other restricted-range species listed above. Combine this with extensive and scenic forest, coastal landscapes, and two spectacularly intact small islands to the south teeming with turtles, extensive fringing reef and Beach Thick-knees, Damar offers much for guests during a 7-10 day visit.

View to Wurlali volcano
(Colin Trainor)

Damar is, however, desperately undeveloped and has no electricity, no telephones, cars, motorbikes, hotels or losmen though hot running water is available from volcanic springs! Its isolation has maintained a particularly strong culture with tight social control managed by village heads. A total of 5000 people lives in seven villages, most of whom rely on the cash sale of coconuts and cloves together with subsistence crops (banana, cassava, chilli, tomato and papaya) and fishing for their livelihoods. Local transportation involves walking (23 h) or chartering motor boats (Johnsons) to other villages (30-90 min), which are all along the coast. Damar is best visited between July and October when the seas are calmer (especially September) and likelihood of rain lower. There are two separate local languages with the villages of Wulur through to Kumur having different local names for birds compared to the two westernmost villages of Batumerah and Kwai. Manu is the word for bird in the Wulur language.

Access and accommodation
Getting to Damar is difficult. Damar is accessible by public transport from Ambon and Saumlaki (Tanimbar Islands) and with greater difficulty from Kupang via Kisar Island (contact author for details). The most comfortable option would be to charter a yacht from Bali at about $US1500 per person/week. Access is perhaps easiest from Ambon, however this needs to be weighed against the ongoing civil unrest in this area (1998present). About every 20 days a kapal perintis ship, either the Iliana or Mentari 2 (but not both) departs Ambon on a route including Damar as the first port of call after about 26 h of travel (400 km). The ship is owned by PT Pelayanan Mentari Sejati Perkasa Ambon. Tickets cost only c. $US 2, however it is much more comfortable to arrange a cabin and bed ($US 10-15/night per bed). From Saumlaki, Tanimbar, the same ships are available at the other end of their route (ticket $US 34, bed as above), but travel to Damar takes 56 days via the islands of Babar, Sermata, Moa, Leti, Kisar, Wetar and Romang. Depending on your perspective, this is either wasted time or an opportunity to see some seabirds and get a look at some very remote and poorly known islands many without bird records for more than 100 years! From Kupang, West Timor, the ship Iramuar travels past the coast of Timor stopping a couple of times on Wetar, then on to Kisar (after c.48 h), where it will be necessary to disembark and wait for a boat continuing on to Damar. The Iramuar continues on to the Tanimbar Islands.

Wulur area
The village of Wulur is the largest on the island (c.1000 people) and all major ships stop in the Solat Bay between Wulur and Kehli making it the best base for birding on Damar. Stay with the kepala desa or village head Sigrandus Romode (until the year 2006) who can assist with arranging guides and other logistical aspects. Giving $US 23 per person/night for the accommodation and food will make any village stay more friendly and comfortable. Although there is much secondary forest and interesting mangroves and sago swamp at the mouth of the bay, it is best to head straight to the primary semi-evergreen forest about 2 km southwest of the village (a one hour walk) (ask to go to Yan Lutruwowans garden). This can be done as a day walk, or it is easy to arrange to camp in the garden, which is adjacent to primary forest.

Ashy-bellied White-eye
(Colin Trainor)

After leaving Wulur, the White-tufted Honeyeater Lichmera squamata (known locally as Sunusopa) is the most abundant species, using all habitat including the canopy of mangroves, coconut trees and in shrubs. The Rufous-sided Gerygone Gerygone dorsalis (Lapitis) is also very common and particularly confiding when foraging in grass or low shrubs. Other common birds in the coastal woodland and mangroves near Air Panas include Pacific Reef Egret Egretta sacra (Sulit), Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus (Manu apruru the name given for all raptors), Variable Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae, Spotted Kestrel Falco molluccensis, Blue-tailed Imperial Pigeon Ducula concinna (Walur/pombo), Pink-headed Imperial Pigeon D. rosacea (also Walur), Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica (Imuan/pau pau) Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris (Aratilu), Black-faced Cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae, White-bellied Whistler Pachycephala leucogastra, Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris (Loi loi papa), Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons (Loi loi) and Ashy-bellied White-eye Zosterops citrinellus (Manu malar). As you begin the gradual climb from Air Panas Spectacled Monarch Monarcha trivirgatus will likely be seen in secondary woodland along streams. In banana and vegetable gardens Green-cheeked Bronze Cuckoo will be calling constantly but getting good views will be more difficult.

Within Yans garden the surrounding forest is a cacophony of sounds dominated by the abundant, small-island specialist Blue-tailed Imperial Pigeons urrauw call, uttered continuously through the day. The density of this pigeon reaches 2070 individuals/ha, and it can be observed feeding on Nutmeg fruits, the dominant forest tree, from July to September along with another abundant frugivore, the Black-backed Fruit Dove Ptilinopus cinctus. However, Pink-headed Imperial Pigeon and Rose-crowned Fruit Dove (Towo towo) are less confiding. The Green-cheeked Bronze Cuckoo is easily seen here as it frequently perches on stumps and logs where it gleans caterpillars and other insects from chilli bushes and the ground. Two other restricted-range species the Cinnamon-collared Kingfisher and Orange-sided Thrush are also relatively easy to see at the forest edge. The song of the thrush can be heard through most of the day, whereas the kingfisher calls either early morning or late afternoon (often duetting with its raucous ch-whee call).

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