Animals of Nusa Tenggara: species, threatened and protected

Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus). Ashy drongos vary across populations in grey tone and movement; photographs and dates improve the interpretation of sightings.

Asian Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica). The Asian emerald dove uses tropical forest floor and edges; its iridescent green wings are easier to judge in good light.

The Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) is a native Indonesian honey bee that nests in cavities, pollinates plants and is kept for honey.

A large semi-aquatic lizard living near rivers, swamps, mangroves and some human-used areas. As both predator and scavenger, it connects aquatic and terrestrial food webs.

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). The barn swallow has blue upperparts, pointed wings and a deeply forked tail; Indonesian records may include seasonal visitors.

The black rat (Rattus rattus) is a long-tailed climbing rat that nests in ceilings and walls and can spread leptospirosis to people.

Black-naped Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus melanospilus). Male black-naped fruit-doves have a pale grey head, dark nape and mostly green body; females may look different.

Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea). The black-naped monarch is a slim, agile flycatcher; sexes differ, and its dark nape band informs the English name.

Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis). The black-naped oriole occupies wooded Asian landscapes; its dark nape pattern and voice help separate it from other yellow birds.

Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike (Hemipus hirundinaceus). The black-winged flycatcher-shrike belongs to a debated woodshrike lineage; citing the scientific name and taxonomic source avoids a misleading family label.

Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). The blacktip reef shark has dark tips on several fins, especially the first dorsal fin; it differs from the whitetip reef shark.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus). The blue-tailed bee-eater catches flying insects, and some populations move seasonally; a dated record is more informative than an undated sighting.

Bluespotted Fantail Ray (Taeniura lymma). The bluespotted fantail ray inhabits Indo-Pacific reefs; blue spots should be checked with disc and tail shape to separate similar maskrays.

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus). The brahminy kite is an accipitrid raptor often associated with coastal landscapes; its pale head and breast contrast with a reddish-brown body.

Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta). The brown honeyeater is a meliphagid with a brush-tipped tongue adapted to nectar; flower visits should not automatically be counted as pollination.

Brown-banded Bamboo Shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum). The brownbanded bamboo shark is an Indo-Pacific bottom-dweller; banding is particularly noticeable in young animals and changes with age.

Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis). The brown-throated sunbird uses semi-open Southeast Asian habitats; flower visits and bill shape can be observed without assuming every visit pollinates a plant.

Cave Swiftlet (Collocalia linchi). This swiftlet occurs on Java, Bali and Lombok (with nearby islands such as Madura, Bawean, Kangean and Nusa Penida) and in parts of Sumatra; species accounts describe woodland foraging and cave nesting.

Cerulean Kingfisher (Alcedo coerulescens). This Indonesian kingfisher is metallic blue and white; size and pattern matter because other kingfishers also appear blue.

Chalky Percher (Diplacodes trivialis). The chalky percher is often seen low to the ground; mature males can differ in colour from females and young individuals.

A blue-green kingfisher with a white collar, often seen in mangroves and on coasts. Numerous subspecies make older names worth checking carefully.

Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia). The common iora uses scrub and forest edges; plumage varies among populations, so a photograph from one region may differ from another.

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos). This small sandpiper uses water edges and moves between regions; an Indonesian sighting does not by itself indicate local breeding.

Common Wolf Snake (Lycodon capucinus). The common wolf snake is named for enlarged front teeth, not kinship with wolves; building encounters are often misidentified.

Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus). The coppersmith barbet has a red forehead and throat; its repeated metallic-sounding call may be noticed before the perched bird.

Diadem Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros diadema). The diadem roundleaf bat belongs to Hipposideridae, not Rhinolophidae; nose shape matters, but a single photograph may not settle identification.

Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis). The Oriental dollarbird has rounded blue wing patches visible in flight, the field mark behind its English name.

Domestic Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Water buffalo are domesticated bovids with a long Asian husbandry history; Indonesian records should not be mapped as an original wild-buffalo range.

Emerald Tree Skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina). The emerald tree skink is a bright green arboreal skink; green colour alone cannot distinguish it from other green lizards.

A small bird with a chestnut crown and a black spot on each white cheek. Its proximity to people makes it easy to notice, but sighting records do not measure its population.

The Flores hawk-eagle (Nisaetus floris) is a white-headed forest eagle endemic to Nusa Tenggara, from Lombok to Alor, and listed as Endangered.

Freckle-breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos analis). The freckle-breasted woodpecker is a picid; Indonesian records should use head and wing pattern plus locality to distinguish lookalikes.

Golden-bellied Gerygone (Gerygone sulphurea). The golden-bellied gerygone is a small acanthizid occurring in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries; the English name describes its belly.

Gray-cheeked Green-Pigeon (Treron griseicauda). The grey-cheeked green-pigeon is Indonesian-endemic; cheek and nape colour help separate it from other green-pigeons in fruiting trees.

Gray-rumped Treeswift (Hemiprocne longipennis). The grey-rumped treeswift belongs to Hemiprocnidae rather than the true swift family and may be seen perched as well as flying.

Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii). The great crested tern forages over coastal sea and nests in colonies on coasts and islands; disturbance at a colony can affect many nests.

Great Egret (Ardea alba). The great egret is a widespread large white heron; compare body size, bill shape and leg colour with smaller egrets.

Green Imperial Pigeon (Ducula aenea). The green imperial pigeon is a large forest pigeon; its size and green wings help separate it from smaller green-pigeons.

Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius). The green junglefowl is a junglefowl of Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara; males are more conspicuous than females, and domestic chickens should be distinguished.

Hair-crested Drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus). The hair-crested drongo is a dicrurid formerly grouped with another drongo; record the taxonomy and region used by each source.

A pointed-beaked turtle closely associated with coral reefs. Shell trade, accidental capture, and habitat loss connect human choices with its future.

Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides). The helmeted friarbird belongs to the honeyeater family Meliphagidae; its helmet-like head does not make it a hornbill.

House Swift (Apus nipalensis). The house swift is an apodid spending much time on the wing; wing shape and nesting context are safer clues than unverified claims about flight physiology.

Javan Lutung (Trachypithecus auratus). Javan lutungs are usually glossy dark as adults, while young may be orange; age-related colour should not be mistaken for another species.

Javan Munia (Lonchura leucogastroides). The Javan munia occurs in southern Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok, while some populations elsewhere reflect human introduction.

Javan Pond-Heron (Ardeola speciosa). The Javan pond-heron forages in shallow freshwater and coastal wetlands, taking small fish, insects and crabs.

Javan Porcupine (Hystrix javanica). The Javan or Sunda porcupine is an Indonesian rodent with defensive quills; it is endemic to Java, Bali and the Lesser Sunda Islands and lives mainly in lowlands, including secondary and degraded habitats.

The Javan spitting cobra (Naja sputatrix) is a venomous spitting cobra of Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara that often turns up around homes.

The largest living lizard, native to a small group of islands in East Nusa Tenggara. Explore its links with prey, dry habitats, and island-specific conservation.

Large Flying-fox (Pteropus vampyrus). The large flying fox is a Southeast Asian fruit bat; its size and fruit-feeding ecology differ from many smaller insect-eating bats.

Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis). The lesser coucal often uses dense low vegetation, including marsh edges; brief distant views can be confused with other coucals.

Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel). The lesser frigatebird is relatively small for a frigatebird and spends much of its time airborne above tropical seas.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta). The little egret is smaller than the great egret; wetland identification benefits from checking size, bill and leg characters together.

The loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) is a big-headed sea turtle that is very rare in Indonesian waters and fully protected by law.

A social primate using forests, riversides, mangroves and settlement edges. Food and human encounters vary by place; frequent sightings do not describe the condition of the whole population.

Malaysian Pied-Fantail (Rhipidura javanica). The Malaysian pied-fantail is a rhipidurid; a fanned tail and black-and-white pattern aid identification around forest edges and gardens.

Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris). Under the BirdLife/IUCN and Burung Indonesia taxonomy, Rhipidura rufiventris is the Timor fantail of Timor and nearby islands in Nusa Tenggara; fantails of Maluku and Papua once included in it (such as the northern fantail, R. isura) are now separate species, although the IOC list still lumps them as the northern fantail. A fanned tail identifies the family but not the species by itself.

Oceanic Manta Ray (Mobula birostris). The giant oceanic manta ray differs from Indonesia's reef manta; size, habitat and body characters should be considered together rather than the word 'manta' alone.

A relatively small turtle that travels through open seas and returns to beaches to nest. Not every population performs its famous mass-nesting behaviour.

Olive-backed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sepium). The olive-backed tailorbird is now placed in Cisticolidae rather than the older broad Old World warbler grouping; names should follow current taxonomy.

Pacific Reef Heron (Egretta sacra). The Pacific reef heron uses rocky coasts and reefs; pale and dark colour forms make habitat and shape important in identification.

A small swallow that catches insects in flight and builds a mud nest. Its scientific name matters because Pacific swallow taxonomy has changed.

Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata). The pied bush chat uses open country; male and female plumage differs, so black-and-white appearance alone does not describe every bird.

Pink-necked Green-Pigeon (Treron vernans). The pink-necked green-pigeon is a green pigeon often noticed in fruiting trees; its English name refers to the pink neck, not a parrot.

Plaintive Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus). The plaintive cuckoo is a widely distributed Asian cuckoo; voice and place are valuable because several small cuckoos look alike.

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). The purple heron is a long-necked heron associated with marsh vegetation; brownish colour alone is insufficient without checking shape.

Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus). The rainbow bee-eater catches flying insects and is well known from Australia and nearby regions; Indonesian records need locality and movement context.

Red-cheeked Parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi). The red-cheeked parrot is a stout parrot of eastern Indonesia and New Guinea; subspecies labels should not be treated as evidence for every population's range.

A large ray that filters zooplankton and uses coastal and reef areas. Learn its identity, feeding behaviour, and why observation needs to leave it space.

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia). Rock pigeons include wild-type birds and free-living domestic descendants; an urban record need not represent an original wild population.

The Rote Island snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) is a freshwater turtle of Rote Island, NTT, left Critically Endangered by the pet trade.

Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus). The sacred kingfisher uses mangroves, open woodland and river valleys; movement in some populations makes date and locality useful.

Sahul Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus). The Sahul brush cuckoo belongs to Cuculidae; voice, plumage and locality matter because common names and species limits in this group change.

Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata). Adults show scale-like marks across the breast and belly, a brown back and a stout dark bill; young birds are plainer.

Scarlet Skimmer (Crocothemis servilia). Scarlet skimmers are native to East and Southeast Asia with introductions elsewhere; red males do not represent every age or sex.

Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trochileum). The scarlet-headed flowerpecker is an Indonesian-endemic dicaeid; the male's red head is a clue, making sex and age relevant to identification.

The southern red muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak) is a small deer with short antlers and tusks, found in Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali and Lombok.

Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Spinner dolphins are known for rotating leaps, but each leap need not have the same function; vessel encounters should maintain distance.

A small, long-tailed dove with white spots on a black neck patch. It uses open land, gardens and forest edges while searching for seeds.

Striated Heron (Butorides striata). The striated heron is a small heron often using mangrove edges and shallow water; its current name distinguishes it from the American green heron.

The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a large striped shark that eats almost anything and is among the sharks most often involved in bites on people.

A plant-eating deer using grasslands and wooded areas. Population origins matter because people have introduced this species to many locations.

The largest living fish, with distinctive spots and filter-feeding behaviour. Its protection involves ocean movements, boats, fisheries, and tourism.

White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). The white-bellied sea eagle has a white head, rump and underside with dark-grey upperwings; it uses coasts and major rivers.

White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus). This waterhen has a dark body and conspicuously white face and breast; records should include the waterside vegetation where it was seen.

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchos). The accepted scientific name is Artamus leucorynchus (used by BirdLife Australia and eBird); GBIF uses the variant spelling leucorhynchos. Its white chest contrasts with a dark-grey head.

White-headed Munia (Lonchura maja). The white-headed munia uses wetlands and grassy places; the adult's white head helps identification, while young birds are harder to separate.

White-lipped Island Pitviper (Trimeresurus insularis). The Sunda island pitviper is venomous; older sources treated it as a white-lipped pitviper subspecies, so taxon names need checking.

White-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus). The edible-nest swiftlet makes a nest largely of hardened saliva; nest harvesting is a human activity separate from the bird's own life cycle.

White-shouldered Triller (Lalage sueurii). The white-shouldered triller is a campephagid of Indonesia and Timor-Leste; its white wing markings should be read alongside body shape.

Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus). The whitetip reef shark often rests near the reef bottom; white tips on the dorsal and tail fins separate it from blacktip reef sharks.

Wild Boar (Sus scrofa). Wild boar have both native and human-transported populations; wild, domestic and feral animals must not be combined into a single population claim.

A white, yellow-crested cockatoo whose island populations need careful distinction. Feeding, nesting, and roosting trees complement efforts to prevent harmful trade.

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina). The yellow-lipped sea krait has dark-and-light bands and uses both sea and land during its life cycle; it is venomous and should not be handled.

A songbird with a conspicuous yellow vent that often uses gardens, parks and forest edges. Local studies document fruit and insect feeding.

Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata). This small dove has a relatively long tail, fine black-and-white barring over grey-brown plumage and a soft repeated coo.

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis). The zitting cisticola uses open grassy cover; its repeated short call in flight can reveal it before plumage details are clear.