Watching The Black at a South Slope of Garuda Peak

Bird observation sometime can become a quite pleasant tourism. Moreover, when the bird we are going to observe is rare and an endemic in the area. Without spending much money, we can enjoy this natural tour by visiting a small countryside at the south slope of mount Merapi, named Kinahrejo, Sleman sub-province, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The bird which becomes observation object is Javanese Eagle (Spizaetus Bartelzi).

Java eagle is a bird that inspire Indonesian official symbol. The eagle lives on one of Merapi peaks, called Garuda peak. There are only four Java eagles living on the peak. (Kutilang Indonesia, 1999).

Below is a story narrated by Kristianto Muladi, a student of forestry faculty, Gadjah Mada University. He is also a member of Kutilang Indonesia's Birdwatching Club:

Today watching bird is not only the activities of biologists. Above all, Java eagle has other attractive power. Perceiving this rare bird becomes a pride to all bird watcher.

We left Jogja city at seven p.m and we went directly to base camp in the countryside Kinahrejo. The air was very cold like ice. After we reached Kinahrejo, which located at the foot of Merapi, we lodged in the base camp. While we waited the morning coming, some of us were sleeping, and the others were talking about each other. The discussion sometimes came to a serious matter such as the government plan to make this area as Merapi Mount National Park

“The term of national park is just government’s statement. Fo all of us who live here, we feel it no difference,” said Mr. Udi, a Kinahrejo local people.

Searching for the Eagle

At six o’clock in the morning, we left the base camp. We walked through a footpath which went towards Pinus forest. Java hawk is usually appeared at the forest area looking for food. The bird that stated by the government in 1993 as a National Bird usually eats partridge, bat, fox, squirrel, mouse and even monkey child.

Although we had not yet seen the eagle as far as we were walking, we were happy enough because we along the path, we heard the voices of Kepodang bird (Oriolus Chinensis), Sepah Hutan (Pericrocotus flammeus), Kutilang (Pygnonotus Aurigaster), dan Tekukur (Streptopelia Chinensis).

We also enjoyed the warbles of Kacamata Gunung birds (Zosterops Montanus), Kacamata Biasa birds (Zosterops palbebrosus), kerak kerbau birds (Acridotheres javanicus), Sikatan Bodoh birds (Ficedula Hyperythra), Bentet birds (Lanius schach) dan Betet birds (Psitacula Alexandri). Their beautiful song forced us to halt and rest for a while. This joy makes us not tired in our long journey.

After two hours walk, suddenly we saw above us a black hawk (Ictinaetus malayensis) soaring over the sky. Its wing spread out with its ends like a finger. The big eagle often eats walet bird and other birds. Mackinnon (1995) noted that this bird likes eating other bird eggs.

The black eagle continued flying until it disappeared at the back of the hill in front of us. We also continued to climb the hill. The grass on the footpath we passed began rather thick when we arrived to the area where person rarely went there. Valleys at left and right of us, although steep, are thick with grass for resident livestock.

Suddenly there was a bird flying quickly, rotating and then alighting on a dry tree at hill on our left side. Immediately we directed all of our binoculars to the bird.

“Cauldron Hawk, man!” shouted Sidik loudly.

Its body seems strong, its underside has dull white color with black stripes at its chest. Soft lines adorns its stomach, thigh, and tail. The eagle’s upper body is dark and its cheek is chromatic black. Cauldron Hawk (Falco peregrinus) is known as quickest bird in the world. Its family which is life in North Asia often immigrates to big Sunda area (Sumatera, Java, Bali and Kalimantan, including Sabah, Serawak and Brunei Darussalam) at winter, during the month of October till February.

We had not yet satisfied in perceiving the eagle that its name is used as the name of one of American warplanes i.e F16 when suddenly flying above us an eagle with black-brown color adorns its upper body. She flew gracefully and silently, and then alighted at a branch of Dadap tree (Erythrina Variegata). I proudly said to all loudly, “Our fellow, we present here in front of you … Our Eagle, our country’s national symbol.” Actually it was Java Eagle, the bird we awaited its coming. Unfortunately, no one was interested with my joke. All of them likely impressed with the gallantry of the eagle.

Exhibiting its excellence, Java eagle erected its black crest, with white color on its end. Its head was deep brown, with dark crown, streaky at the end of its young brown feather. Its color nape was like gold when it hit by sunshine. Its eye looks sharp observing surrounding area. From its throat until stomach had white-brown color. Its throat till chest aslo adorns with bold oval spots and there was deep brown horizontal lines on its stomach. The eagle which is only existed in Java Indonesia reaching its period of adult in 5 to 6 years. And she has just one baby bird in every period.

Java eagle is like us. She depends mainly on natural forest. She needs forest area of 12 -30 km2s to get food and breed, whereas we need forest to absorb rain water in order not to become flood. The amount of Java Eagle is now predicted remain pairs of 141 till 204 (Van Ballen dkk,1999 in Resit Zozer dkk, 1999).

The dearth of Java eagle should become a warning for us to be more care of forest existence in Java island. Taking care of Java eagle existence in its habitat is similar with our effort to prevent us from disaster.