Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx Xanthorhynchus in the Andaman Islands

46 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 2 (Publ. 15 May 2017)

Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus in the Andaman Islands

Bhanu Sridharan, Nitya Prakash Mohanty, Krishna Anujan & Swapna Nelaballi

Sridharan, B., Mohanty, N. P., Anujan, K., & Nelaballli, S., 2017. Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus in the Andaman Islands. Indian BIRDS 13 (2): 46–50. Bhanu Sridharan, Nature Conservation Foundation, 3076/5, IV Cross, Gokulam Park, Mysore 570002, Karnataka, India. E-mail: [email protected] [Corresponding author] Nitya Prakash Mohanty, Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ Environmental Team, Wandoor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Krishna Anujan, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10027, USA. Swapna Nelaballi, Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Manuscript received on 07 August 2016.

Introduction Methods The Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus is distributed We regularly observed Violet Cuckoos, in the study area, during throughout South-east Asia: Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, September-November 2014. We recorded the date, and time the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam; and the Indian of observation, and the age, sex, and behaviour of the species Subcontinent: Bangladesh, Bhutan, parts of north-eastern India, during these sightings. We also compiled all sightings of Violet and the Andaman Islands (Ali & Ripley 1981; Rasmussen & Cuckoos from published sources, the global database—eBird Anderton 2012). Taxonomists generally accept two distinct races (www.eBird.com), and the unpublished sightings of birdwatchers. of Violet Cuckoos (Dickinson & Remsen 2013). The nominate is We analysed these records to understand seasonal patterns in reported from north-eastern India, south-eastern Bhutan, north- Violet Cuckoo movements in the Andaman Islands. eastern Bangladesh, Myanmar, south-central China (Yunnan), Thailand, Indochina, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Malay Peninsula, the Greater Sundas, and south-western Philippines (Palawan), while the race amethystinus is restricted to parts of the Philippines. The species is found in varied habitats, including low elevation tropical rainforests, secondary evergreen, deciduous, and mangrove forests, and human habitations, such as gardens and plantations (Robson 2008a; Payne 2016). Despite its widespread distribution, the status of the species (whether resident, migratory, or vagrant) is not clear in parts of its distributional range. Though it has been reported from the Andaman Islands, information on its distribution and seasonal movement is patchy. Grimmett et al. (2011) describe it as a vagrant to the Andaman Islands; Payne (2016) treats southern populations, in which Andaman birds are presumably included, as residents. Rasmussen & Anderton (2012) suggest that Violet Cuckoos may be summer visitors, or residents at least on South Andaman Island. In this paper, we describe the temporal patterns of Violet Cuckoo occurrence in the Andaman Islands based on our observations, historical records, and information reported on various ornithological databases.

Study Area The Andaman archipelago (10.50°N–13.67°N, 92.17°E–93.17°E) is located in the Bay of Bengal. The region comprises terrestrial habitats such as mangrove forests, rainforests, littoral forests, and human-modified areas. Our primary observations of Violet Swapna Nelaballi Cuckoos came from North Wandoor village (11.58°N, 92.61°E) of South Andaman Island [61, 62, 63]. The secondary observations we’ve compiled came from various locations on the South-, and North Andaman Islands, and from smaller islands near these areas. 61. An adult male Violet Cuckoo. Sridharan et al.: Violet Cuckoo 47

64. Violet Cuckoos fed on this handmaiden moth Amata species (Family Arctiidae).

Results Primary observations Between 27 September, and 28 October 2014, we observed two adult male Violet Cuckoos, one juvenile, one sub-adult male, and one female (Table 1). All sightings were between 0630 and 1042 hrs. Birds were consistently seen together, in combinations 62. A first-winter male Violet Cuckoo on a Ziziphus mauritiana tree. such as: two adult males and one juvenile, or one adult male and one sub-adult male. The birds were spotted on an electric wire, and occasionally on a Ziziphus mauritiana tree, close to human habitation at the edge of the Kanaidera forest. We also observed the birds feeding on a flush of the handmaiden moth (Arctiidae: Amata) [64], which congregated around the fruiting Z. mauritiana tree. The adult males, and the sub-adult male were observed sallying after the moths. They were perched close to one another on a wire, or on guava Psidium guajava, and papaya Carica papaya trees in the home gardens, adjacent to a road. We also observed a solitary female, in a multiple-windowed wooden cottage (into which it may have blundered), at the Andaman and Nicobar Environment Team field station, located in the same site. The habitat at the field station was characterised by planted rainforest tree species, and arecanut Areca catechu plantations. The bird remained in the cottage for approximately an hour.

Secondary information A total of 49 Violet Cuckoo records were found in published literature, online sources, and personal communication, reported between 2002 and 2016 (Table 2). Few published records were available prior to 2002 (Walden 1874; Ali & Ripley 1981; Davidar 1997). Most records (41) were from locations on South Andaman Island. Violet Cuckoos were recorded predominantly in winter, between November and March (Fig. 1), with maximum sightings reported in December (nine), and March (eight), followed by January and February (four records each). Two sightings were from May, two during the monsoon months of June and July, and Pics: Nelaballi Swapna 63. A juvenile Violet Cuckoo. three in August (Table 2; Fig. 2). 48 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 2 (Publ. 15 May 2017)

Table 1. shows Violet cuckoo sightings primary observations between 27 September and 11 November 2014 in North Wandoor village (11.582°N, 92.610°E), South Andaman Island Number of Age/Sex Habitat Observation date Observation start time eBird Checklist individuals 1 Adult male Forest edge 27 September 2014 — — 1 Juvenile Forest edge 10 October 2014 0630 hrs — 1 Adult Forest edge 11 October 2014 0645 hrs S30397205 3 Two adult males, and one immature Forest edge 12 October 2014 0800 hrs S30397356 2 Adult male, and immature Forest edge 13 October 2014 0800 hrs S30397462 3 Two adult males, and one juvenile Forest edge 14 October 2014 0730 hrs — 3 Adult male, sub-adult male, and juvenile Forest edge 15 October 2014 0645 hrs S30397521 1 Adult female Human settlement 28 October 2014 1400 hrs — 1 Adult male Forest edge 10 November 2014 0630 hrs —

Table 2. Violet Cuckoo sightings from the Andaman Islands with information relating to age/sex, location, and month, based upon information gleaned from literature, online databases, and unpublished observations of individuals. X = Presence reported without details.

Sl. No. Number Age/Sex Island Locality Habitat Month Date Reference

1. 1 Juvenile South Andaman - Evergreen forest May 5/ 5/ 1873 Walden 1874 2. 1 Female South Andaman Port Blair Evergreen forest July 14/ 7/ 1873 Walden 1874 3. 1 Sub-adult Male South Andaman Port Blair Evergreen forest July 23/ 7/ 1873 Walden 1874 4. 2 Sub-adult males South Andaman - Evergreen forest August - Hume 1874 5. X - South Andaman - - March - Ali & Ripley 1981 6. X - South Andaman - - May - Ali & Ripley 1981 7. X - South Andaman - - July - Ali & Ripley 1981 8. X - South Andaman - - August - Ali & Ripley 1981 9. X - NorthAndaman - - - 1992-94 Davidar et al. 1997 10. X - South Andaman - - - 1992-94 Davidar et al. 1997 11. X - Havelock Havelock - - 1992-94 Davidar et al. 1997 12. X - John Lawrence - - - 1992-94 Davidar et al. 1997 13. X - Long Island - - - 1992-94 Davidar et al. 1997 14. 1 - South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest February 23/02/2002 Prasad (2002) 15. 1 - South Andaman Chidiyatapu Evergreen forest April 16/04/2007 Hornbuckle (2007) 16. 1 Female Not Specified - - August 16/08/2007 Mukherjee (2007) 17. X - South Andaman Chidiyatapu Evergreen forest December 22-29, 2007 Rheindt (2007) 18. 1 - South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest December 22-29, 2007 Rheindt (2007) 19. 1 - South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest March 05/03/2008 Robson (2008b) 20. 1 - South Andaman Sippighat Wetland December 22/12/2008 Riding (2008a) 21. 1 - South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest December 23/12/2008 Riding (2008b) 22. 1 - South Andaman Sippighat Wetland December 26/12/2008 Riding (2008c) 23. X Female South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest December 15/12/2009 del Hoyo (2009a) 24. X - South Andaman Chidiyatapu Evergreen forest December 16/12/2009 del Hoyo (2009b) 25. 1 Adult Male North Andaman Chalis Ek Near sea shore February 15/02/2011 Korpade & Manchi 2013 Mount Harriet 26. 1 Sub-adult male South Andaman Evergreen forest September 2/09/2011 Kuriakose (2011) National Park 27. 1 Juvenile South Andaman Bichdera - March 26/03/2012 Praveen (2012) 28. X - Havelock Havelock Evergreen forest February 13/02/2013 Bhatia (2013) 29. X - Havelock Havelock Evergreen forest February 15/02/2013 Suvarna (2013) 30. X - South Andaman ANET mangroves Forest edge March 14/03/2013 Devarajan (2013) Jirkatang- 31. 1 - South Andaman - November 24/11/2013 Santosh B.S. (2013) Ferrargunj Sridharan et al.: Violet Cuckoo 49

Sl. No. Number Age/Sex Island Locality Habitat Month Date Reference

32. 1 - South Andaman Chidiya Tapu Evergreen forest November 29/11/2014 Mu-Chi Tsai (2014) 33. X - South Andaman North Wandoor Forest edge December 01/12/2014 Tasneem Khan, Pers. Comm. 34. 1 - South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest January 27/01/2015 Khan (2015) 35. 1 - South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest January 31/01/2015 Dey (2015) Human habitation/ 36. 1 - South Andaman North Wandoor March 21/03/2015 Quader (2015) Forest edge Human habitation/ 37. 1 Adult male South Andaman North Wandoor September 10/09/2015 Naveen Ekka, Pers. Comm. Forest edge Human habitation / 38. 1 Adult male South Andaman North Wandoor September 25/09/2015 Naveen Ekka, Pers. Comm. Forest edge Human habitation / 39. 1 - South Andaman ANET December 29/12/2015 Prabha Mallya, Pers. comm. Forest edge 40. 1 - South Andaman Namunaghar - January 19/01/2016 Russel (2016) 41. 1 - South Andaman Jirkatang Evergreen Forest January 24/01/2016 Sivakumar (2016) 42. 1 - South Andaman Chidiyatapu Evergreen Forest March 13/03/2016 Kumar (2016a) 43. 2 Adult male and female South Andaman Jirkatang Evergreen Forest March 14/03/2016 Kumar (2016b) 44. 1 - South Andaman Malapuram Evergreen forest March 15/03/2016 Kumar (2016c) 45. 1 Adult male South Andaman Mount Harriet NP Evergreen forest June 01/06/2016 Purushotham (2016) 46. 1 Adult male South Andaman Shoal Bay Forest edge June 02/06/2016 Anujan (2016) 47. 1 - South Andaman Chidiyatapu Evergreen forest September 04/09/2016 Singh (2016) Puducherry Sojitra (2016) 48. 1 - South Andaman Human habitation September 14/09/2016 University 49. 1 - South Andaman Chidiyatapu Evergreen forest September 18/09/2016 Reghuvaran (2016)

Habitat and behaviour the bird uses a variety of habitats ranging from primary forests to Our sightings of five individuals in a single location are unusual, human settlements. Such a flexibility of habitat choice has been as the bird (particularly male of the species) is usually known to noted earlier by Robson (2008). be solitary, or in pairs (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012). However, such congregations, around a flush of insects, have been reported Migratory status of the Violet Cuckoo previously (Payne 2005). Our observation of Violet Cuckoos From primary, and secondary, observations it is clear that the feeding on handmaiden moths adds to our knowledge of their birds have been recorded regularly in the Andaman Islands (Fig. diet, which is known to include ants, caterpillars, flies, beetles, 1). The contention, that the species is a summer visitor (Abdulali and fruit (Payne 2005). The Tables (1, 2) clearly indicate that 1965; Rasmussen & Anderton 2012), does not hold, due to the numerous observations from winter (October–March) (Tables 1, 2). The prevalence of records from those months may point to 10 the bird being a winter visitor. However, records also exist from 9 summer (April–August) (Table 2). We found more pre-2002 8 records from summer. The dearth of recent summer records might be attributed to a lack of birding activity at this time. For 7 instance, eBird shows only a few checklists were uploaded from s 6 the Andaman Islands during this season. In this region, heavy 5 rainfall during May–August hinders field-based research, including birding, which could be a reason for the reduced number of 4

No. of repo rt records of Violet Cuckoo during these months. 3 Given that the bird has been seen in all months, we infer a resident population exists in the Andaman Islands. Ali & 2 Ripley (1981) have hypothesized that the population on South 1 Andaman Island maybe a resident, and Rasmussen & Anderton 0 (2012) that it could potentially even be an endemic race of Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec No data slightly smaller size. Only the records from South Andaman Months of sighting Island, and the nearby Havelock Island span both seasons while Fig. 1. Monthly sighting records of Violet Cuckoo from the Andaman Islands, clearly showing the only record from North Andaman Island (with seasonal their occurrence throughout the year, with most sightings from winter. information) reports the species in winter (Table 2). However, 50 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 2 (Publ. 15 May 2017)

the predominance of records from South Andaman Island is also List. 9 (1): 034-041. [Website URL: http://www.checklist.org.br/getpdf?SL056-12.] expected, as most of the limited bird-watching on the Andaman Kumar, V. G., 2016a. Website: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S28377398. Islands is concentrated there. Thus, it is difficult to decide, based [Accessed on: 26 November 2016.] on available information, whether the species is locally migratory. Kumar, V. G., 2016b. Website: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S28461339. [Accessed on: 26 November 2016.] By compiling primary observations, historic records, and Kumar, V. G., 2016c. Website: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S28462460. citizen science information on Violet Cuckoos, we have provided [Accessed on: 26 November 2016.] evidence that its resident status in the Andaman Islands must be Kuriakose, J. 2011. Website: http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ considered. Observers should look out for any breeding evidence, ID=428&Bird_Image_ID=53365. [Accessed on: 26 November 2016.] particularly, instances of its young being fed by host species like Mu-Chi Tsai, 2014. Website: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S20950199. Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis. [Accessed on: 26 November 2016.] Mukherjee, D. 2007. Website: http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage. php?id=22032. [Accessed on: 26 November 2016.] Acknowledgements Payne, R. B., 2005. The Cuckoos. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pp. i–xxii, The authors thank Ashwin Viswanathan for useful suggestions and feedback on the 1–618. manuscript, and Mike Prince, and Craig Robson for their insights. We are also grateful Payne, R., 2016. Violet Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, to the Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team (ANET) for hosting us at their field A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A., & de Juana, E., (eds.). 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