Feeding and nesting trees of birds of Bucerotidae in Tahura Pocut Meurah Intan, Aceh Indonesia

Abstract

Taman Hutan Raya Pocut Meurah Intan is a natural conservation area located in Aceh Province and functions as research and learning sites. However, the area has been interfered by human activities such as illegal logging, forest conversion, wildlife hunting, and forest burning. These have affected on the availability of feeding and nesting sites of birds belonging to family Bucerotidae. This study was aimed to determine the types of feeding and nesting trees for the hornbill birds in the conservation area. The method used in this research was explorative survey. The trees as feeding and nesting sites of the birds were observed by direct observation in the field. The locations and the types of trees were determined according to footsteps or food residues derived from the bird activities. Data analysis was carried out qualitatively by describing the spesies of feeding and nesting plants of the birds. The data was displayed by tables and figures. The results showed that there are 9 potential tree spesies as as feeding and nesting sites for Bucerotidae family birds which belong to Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae and Phyllanthaceae.