Populasi dan Habitat Kakatua-Kecil Jambul-Kuning di Bentang Alam Mbeliling Bagian Barat, Kabupaten Manggarai Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur

Abstract

Cacatua sulphurea parvula or yellow-crested cockatoo were spread distributed at Sunda Kecil Archipelago, Nusa Tenggara, except at Sumba Island. This species amount in the nature is very small, caused by the illegal hunting and trading. The purpose of this research is to get the information about population and habitat of the cockatoo in Flores, especially at the western part of Mbeliling Landscape. Cocatoo census was conducted by look-down method at vantage points when cockatoo flew passed by. Habitat analysis was carried out with vegetation analysis. The census showed that there were two groups of cockatoo, consisted of 69 cockatoos in Tao hill and 15 cockatoos in Nggoer River. Flight pattern of each group ranged 0-100 meters above the sea level and crossed mangrove forest, savanna, monsoon forest and cultivation plant vegetation. The vegetation analysis resulted Ceiba petandra or silk-cotton tree as the tree that most used by cockatoo and had the highest TIV (Tree Importance Value), 47,48%. Cockatoo’s foods which observed were crown flower (Calotropis gigantea), and Moringa olifera. The population of Cockatoo which observed at western part of Mbeliling Landscape was estimated came from Rinca Island, Komodo National Park. It can be concluded that the location might be only used by rhe cockatoo came from Rinca Island as their daily exploration area for foraging.