Jalak Bali, Endemic Fauna which is only found on Bali

Indonesia is a country which is rich with it beautiful nature and flora/ fauna. In Bali, we know Jalak Bali Bird or Bali Starling Bird ( Leucopsar Rothschildi ), which is endangered endemic of Bali. In Bali, it is the symbol of Bali province. You would never found this fauna in any other place except West Bali National Park, in the northern part of Bali island.

History of Jalak Bali Birds

Jalak Bali first discovered was reported by Dr. Baron Stressmann, The British Ornithologist, on March 24^th 1911. By 1925, Dr. Baron Victor Von Plessen conduct advanced research and found the spread of Jalak Bali bird right from Bubunan until Gilimanuk.  The widespread deployment is approximately 320 km2. In 1928, five tail of Jalak Bali birds brought to England and successfully bred in 1931. The next research result, Jalak Bali birds was bred in San Diego Zoo, USA in 1962.

Endemic Bird which is endangered

Jalak Bali, The endemic fauna of Bali is one of most endangered animal in the world. You would never find this fauna in any other place, except Taman Nasional Bali Barat or West Bali National Park especially Great Peninsula Prapat ( exactly Kelor Gulf and Brumbun Gulf ), their last habitat. Since 1966, IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ) has list Jalak Bali into Bali Starling Data Book. Bali Starling Data Book is the book that contain species of flora and fauna which threatened lost. In The International Trade Convention for The Bodies od Illegal CITES ( Convention on International Trade Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna ), Jalak Bali is included on Apendix I group, which is the group of threatened extinction and prohibited for trade.

In Indonesia it self, The Government issued a decree of The Minister of Agriculture No. 421/Kpts/Um/8/70 at August 26^th 1970 declare that Jalak Bali is being protected by Indonesian Law.

In other writing statement, Indonesia Government also mention Jalak Bali as the wildlife  laws, which is declare on Appendix of PP ( Peraturan Pemerintah/ Government Rule ) No. 7 Year of 1999 and Laws No. 9 year of 1990 :

1.    Anyone with deliberately capture, injure, kill, keep, own, maintain, transport, and trade protected animals alive; (Article 21 paragraph (2) letter a), punishable by a maximum imprisonment of 5 (five) years and a fine maximum of Rp. 100,000,000.00 (one hundred million rupiah) (Article 40 paragraph (2)).

2.     Anyone who purposely keep, own, maintain, transport, and trade protected animals in a state of death (Article 21 paragraph (2) letter b) shall be punishable with imprisonment of 5 (five) years and a maximum fine of Rp. 100,000,000.00 (one hundred million rupiah) (Article 40 paragraph (2)).

3.    With deliberately trade, store or have skin, body, or other parts of protected animals or goods made from these parts or removing it from somewhere in Indonesia to other places within or outside Indonesia; (Article 21 paragraph (2) letter d) shall be punishable with imprisonment of 5 (five) years and a maximum fine of Rp. 100,000,000.00 (one hundred million rupiah) (Article 40 paragraph (2)).

Classification, Characteristic & Morphology

Kingdom          : Animalia
Phylum                        : Chordata
Class               : Aves
Order               : Fasseriformes
Family             : Sturnidae
Genus             : Leucospar
Species                       : Leucopsar rothschildi (Stressmann 1912)

Local Name    : Bali Starling, Curik White, White Bali Starling

In a glance, Jalak Bali or Bali Starling Bird is looks like similar with White Starling and Suren Starling, but in a close distance Jalak Bali has special characteristic. Jalak Bali has beautiful dark brown eyes and the area in it eyelids are not hairy with a dark blue colour. Most of it feathers are purely white except tip of tail feather and black wings. Both male and female starling has a beautiful crest, and they also have gray-blue foot with four fingers. The starlings  usually have long pointy beak about 2-5 cm, with a distinctive form in which the elevation of the top there is a flattened upright. It’s not easy to distinguish the size of Bali starling bird bodies of males and females, but in general the males slightly bigger and has a longer ponytail. Bali Starling has egg-shaped bluish-green oval with the longest average diameter of 3 cm and the smallest diameter of 2 cm. Naturally, Jalak Bali would be breeding in the period of rainy season or ranging in November through to May.

So When you come to Bali, you should never miss the opportunity to see this bird.