Pulau Ling: an important seabird hotspot on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Pulau Ling is a small rocky island located to the south of Pulau Redang, forming with other southeast small islands, the Redang Archipelago, in the state of Terengganu, Malaysia. The island was highlighted in the early 1950s as an important seabird site, although little was then known on the status of seabirds on the island. Field visits were made between May 2015 and September 2015 to assess the importance of this small island to seabird species. Four tern species were identified: two of them, black-naped tern Sterna sumatrana and bridled tern Onychoprion anaethetus, were found to breed there, while the other two species, great crested tern Thalasseus bergii and roseate tern Sterna dougallii were found to use the island as a stopover site without any evidence of breeding. Furthermore, the Pacific Eastern Reef egret Egretta sacra (the black morph), was also found to breed on the island. Other species encountered included white-bellied sea eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster (recorded once in June 2015, soaring over the island). These preliminary data show the importance of such small rocky outcrops for tropical breeding and migrating seabirds, where food availability and lack of disturbance may be the two main drivers for diversity and survival.