Rapid assessment on the abundance of bird species utilising the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre mangroves

Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre (KKWC) mangroves have an essential role as a green ecosystem in Kota Kinabalu. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of mangrove areas as a site for birdlife by estimating the number of bird species and family, and the population density of bird species. The most frequent bird groups found in KK Wetland Centre were waders (14.70%) followed by herons, storks and bitterns (12.59%), raptors (8.15%) and bulbuls (7.41%). The population density of bird found in KKWC was between 12 – 17 birds/km2. The result shows an estimated population of 3526 individuals from 83 species of birds covering an area of 24 ha. As a conclusion, this area is important as an urban bird habitat in Kota Kinabalu. Conservation of adequate and contiguous suitable mangrove habitat may provide a sanctuary for bird to live and feed between their territories. Ecological improvements of green mangrove ecosystem could be of immediate benefit to the bird population.