Avian data from Kenyir rainforest trail

This data article is constructed using avian (bird) counts from a recently identified trail in Kenyir rainforest, East Peninsular Malaysia. Avian chirps and naked eye visual were simultaneously used to locate the birds. After visual binocular and digital image inspection, identification of avian species were carried out using reference books. Data tabulation are divided by monsoon seasons and months before interpret using Shannon and Evenness indices. The highlights like feeding guilds, nativity, iconic species and statuses in the wild are presented with the data to increase its value. Within these, a total of 457 avian individuals from 36 avian family groups were recorded from which, 25 of these avian species occur as near threatened, vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered in the wild. Having these, the tabulated data becomes a calendar for seasonal availability of avian species which considers the 1.0 km trail suitable for bird watching, scientific study and ecotourism purposes.


a b s t r a c t
This data article is constructed using avian (bird) counts from a recently identified trail in Kenyir rainforest, East Peninsular Malaysia. Avian chirps and naked eye visual were simultaneously used to locate the birds. After visual binocular and digital image inspection, identification of avian species were carried out using reference books. Data tabulation are divided by monsoon seasons and months before interpret using Shannon and Evenness indices. The highlights like feeding guilds, nativity, iconic species and statuses in the wild are presented with the data to increase its value. Within these, a total of 457 avian individuals from 36 avian family groups were recorded from which, 25 of these avian species occur as near threatened, vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered in the wild. Having these, the tabulated data becomes a calendar for seasonal availability of avian species which considers the 1

Value of the data
The data becomes an avian species calendar at Kenyir rainforest, Hulu Terengganu. This tabulated data highlights avitourism potential at the newly identified 1.0 km trail. The avian species records becomes an electronic database that supports other findings especially when applied towards single-species or iconic species spatial-temporal distribution.
Availability of this data reduces study-overlaps at the national park area within states Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang in Peninsular Malaysia.

Data
The data is constructed using 457 avian individuals sighted at the Kenyir rainforest trail. In this 5 months opportunistic find, a total of avian 113 species from 36 bird family groups were transformed into a calendar to indicate seasonal avian occurrences. Additional information like statuses, feeding guilds, locality and diversity measurements (Shannon and Evenness indices) are compiled with the data to highlight iconic and treasured avian species available in Kenyir rainforest.

Experimental design, materials and methods
Experience in Kenyir rainforest were used as basis for location selection, transect construction and avian watching period [1,2]. Pilot attempts were carried out along Pengkalan Utama road during June 2017 to identify possible birding trail having optimum visibility and with highest avian records. Hence, the present avian database construction begun in July 2017 at a 1.0 km stretch on the aforementioned road. In the (1000 m Â 2.5 m) 2500 m 2 transect, avian counting were carried out onceper-month for period of 5 months in two daily frequencies between 0700-1000 and 1630-1900.
Avian chirping and naked-eye visual were used to locate avian positions whereas binoculars (7 Â 50 ¼ 350 mm) and DSLR camera with 400 mm lens were used to improve data capture. Avian species were identified using coloration and patterns on the crown, nape, throat, wing, rump, belly, breast and tail from guide books [3,4] and experiences [5] before presented as family groups with feeding guild, statuses in the wild and locality (Table 1). With consideration to good visibility and dry conditions during Southwest monsoon, iconic avian counting had better yield than it were during the wet and gloomy Inter-monsoon and Northeast monsoon periods (Table 2). Additional information like total family and species counts are presented together with biodiversity measurements prepared using Shannon and Evenness indices from Paleontological Statistics Software Package -PAST v.3 (Table 3). Table 2 Selected iconic avian species form Kenyir rainforest, their local names, statuses in the wild and counts.