Population status of the oriental pied hornbill in oil palm landscapes with a conserved natural habitat in Runtu Village, West Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan

Abstract

Oriental Pied Hornbill is a member of the Bucerotidae family that can use rather changing habitats, including a forest fragment in Runtu, Central Kalimantan. The objective of this study is to evaluate the population status of Anthracoceros albirostris in an oil palm concession with a conserved natural habitat at Runtu, Kotawaringin Barat, Central Kalimantan. Habitat profiling for oriental pied hornbill is important to understand its role in supporting the population growth and sustainability of oriental pied hornbill in the area in question. The method to measure the size of the oriental pied hornbill’s population was a strip transect, and the habitat profile was evaluated using a combination of single plot methods. In total, there are 35 plant species belonging to seven families which serve as sources of food for hornbills identified to occur in the study area. The research shows that the oriental pied hornbill frequently and consistently visits Ficus variegata, F. aurata, F benjamina, Polyalthia xanthopetala, and Baccaurea bracteata during the observation period. The appearance of the oriental pied hornbill was found to be higher in the morning than the afternoon, with 4.37 ± 2.729 and 4.68 ± 6.03 individuals respectively. This study also found that the male and female ratio was 3: 4 with clustered dispersal patterns.