Wings Above Wilderness: Diversity and Ecological Significance of Winged Vertebrates in Nusa Barung Island Wildlife Reserved, East Java, Indonesia

Nusa Barung Island is a small conservation area at one of Indonesia borders in the Indiana Ocean. There is limited data on biodiversity due to the accessibility and the freshwater sources availability. Data on bird species at this location is still limited; even bat data is completely absent. This study aims to identify the bird and bat species and their ecological roles. We conducted bird surveys using point count and sound recording methods and captured bats using mist and sweep nets. We found 389 individuals in 32 birds, with a diversity index (H') value ranging from 2.23 to 2.58. The Pycnonotus plumosus, Chalcophaps indica, and Collocalia esculenta recorded having wide distribution and high abundance. We identified 10 species from 141 captured bats, while Pteropos vampyrus colonies were directly observed. The H’ index of bat species ranged from 0.46 to 0.78. The Rousettus amplexicaudatus were most captured. The ecological role of birds and bats includes trophic interactions in food webs and ecosystem services (insect control, seed dispersal, prey population controlling, and pollinator). The diversity of bird and bat species is relatively moderate and low, respectively, but their role in maintaining ecology is essential. The study included new records of all bats found and ten previously unreported bird species that are a basis for improving area protection.