168 Indian Vol. 12 No. 6 (Publ. 31 March 2017)

Acknowledgements Khan, M. A. R., 1982. Wildlife of Bangladesh: A Checklist. Pp. 1-174. Dhaka: University of Dhaka. We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation and help of Firoz Hussain of India, Ahsan Khan, M. A. R., 2015. Wildlife of Bangladesh: Checklist and Guide. Pp. 1-568. Dhaka: Uddin Chowdhury, and Sayam U. Chowdhury of Bangladesh for their comments in M. J. Alam, Chayabithi. confirming the identification of the from photographs. Khan, M. M. H., 2008. Protected Areas of Bangladesh- A Guide to Wildlife. Pp. 1-304. Dhaka: Bangladesh Forest Department. References Sarker, M. S. U., & Sarker, N. J., 1988. Wildlife of Bangladesh (a systematic list with Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 1983. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan status, distribution and ). Pp. 1-69. Dhaka: The Rico Printers. together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Pp. i- xiii, 1- Siddiqui, K. U., Islam, M. A., Kabir, S. M. H., Ahmad, M., Ahmed, A. T. A., Rahman, A. 737. Delhi: Oxford University Press. K. A., Haque, E. U., Ahmed, Z. U., Begum, Z. N. T., Hassan, M. A., Khondker, M. & BirdLife International, 2012. Streaked Wren Babbler Napothera brevicaudata. Website Rahman, M. M., (eds.) 2008. Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T22716075A39595073.en. Birds. 1st ed. Vol. 26 of 28 vols. Pp. i-xi, 1-662. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of [Downloaded on 05 November 2016.] Bangladesh. Grewal, B., Harvey, B., & Pfister, O., 2002.A photographic guide to the Birds of India Thompson, P. M., Chowdhury, S. U., Haque, E. U., Khan, M. M. H. & Halder, R., 2014. including Nepal, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Pp. Notable records from Bangladesh from July 2002 to July 2013. Forktail 30: 1-512. London: Christopher Helm. 50-65. Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., & Inskipp, T., 2011. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. 2nd ed. Thompson, P. M., Harvey, W. G., Johnson, D. L., Millin, D. J., Rashid, S. M. A., Scott, Pp. 1-528. London: Oxford University Press & Christopher Helm. D. A., Stanford, C. & Woolner, J. D., 1993. Recent notable bird records from Harvey, W. G., 1990. Birds in Bangladesh. Pp. 1-188. Dhaka: University Press Ltd. Bangladesh. Forktail 9: 12–44. Husain, K. Z., 1979. Birds of Bangladesh. Pp. 1-84. Dhaka: Films and Publication Thompson, P. M., & Johnson, D. L., (eds.) 1996. Birding in Bangladesh: a guide to bird Department, Government of Bangladesh. watching sites and a checklist of birds. Pp. i-ii, 1-51. Dhaka: Oriental Bird Club. IUCN Bangladesh, 2015. Red list of Bangladesh: A Brief on Assessment Result Thompson, P. M., & Johnson, D. L., 2003. Further notable bird records from 2015. Pp. 1-24. Dhaka: IUCN- International Union for Conservation of Nature. Bangladesh. Forktail 19: 85–10.

Records of Tibetan Blackbird Turdus maximus, and Himalayan Forest Zoothera salimalii from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, India Arun P. Singh

Singh, A. P., 2017. Records of Tibetan Blackbird Turdus maximus, and Himalayan Forest Thrush Zoothera salimalii from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, India. Indian BIRDS 12 (6): 168–169. Arun P. Singh, Forest Research Institute, P.O. New Forest, Dehradun 248006, Uttarakhand, India. E-mail: [email protected]. Manuscript received on 10 August 2016.

he Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary (Henceforth, PWS) is situated in eastern Sikkim, at the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, Tand China (27.09–27.22ºN, 88.35–88.51ºE), covering an area of 128 sq. km. High altitude wetlands/water bodies are found in and around the sanctuary, forming catchment for rivers. Important birds in PWS are found in the Zuluk–Bedang Tso–Natu La complex, and include eight Vulnerable, and three Near-threatened species (Islam & Rahmani 2004). Three short surveys were carried out in the north-eastern

parts of PWL, in the Zuluk–Kupup–Nathu La complex, during: 18 P. Singh Arun February 2011, 19–23 April 2011, and 12–23 July 2011. A total of 73 avian species were recorded (Singh 2011a, b), of which two records are worth mentioning. 177. Male Tibetan Blackbird Turdus maximus.

Tibetan Blackbird Turdus maximus not fly away when being watched from up close. My identification A flock of 15+ birds, of both sexes, was spotted on 18 February of the species is based on its black legs, and the lack of an orbital/ 2011, feeding on the ground along the roadside near Changu eye ring, as compared to other Turdus species (Collar 2005). Lake (c. 3700 m asl) enroute Nathula [176, 177], in south- Meinertzhagen (1926) included a specimen from Yumthang eastern Sikkim. The birds seemed habituated to humans, and did [=Yamtang, 27.83ºN, 88.68ºE; c. 4400 m asl], northern Sikkim, Singh: Tibetan Blackbird & Himalayan Forest Thrush 169

176. Female Tibetan Blackbird Turdus maximus Photo: Arun P. Singh. 178. Himalayan Forest Thrush Zoothera salimalii. Photo: Arun P. Singh. taken on 05 December 1925, and another, taken in January, References from the adjoining Chumbi Valley in southern Tibet, China, while Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 1987. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan describing the putative race buddae—though this is no longer together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: recognised (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012). Hingston (1927) Oxford University Press. Pp. i–xlii, 1 l., 1–737, 52 ll. reported them from Kishong [=Kyishong 27.75ºN, 88.47ºE, Alström, P., Rasmussen, P. C., Zhao, C., Xu, J., Dalvi, S., Cai, T., Guan, Y., Zhang, R., c. 4500 m asl), northern Sikkim, during the Mount Everest Kalyakin, M. V., Lei, F., & Olsson, U., 2016. Integrative of the Plain- expedition. Based on these records, Ali & Ripley (1987), and backed Thrush (Zoothera mollissima) complex (Aves, Turdidae) reveals cryptic Rasmussen & Anderton (2012) include Sikkim in its range. My species, including a new species. Avian Research 7 (1): 1–39. Collar, N. J., 2005. Family Turdidae (Thrushes). In: Handbook of the birds of the world. sighting is perhaps the only recent record from Sikkim. Volume 10. Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Christie, D., (eds.). Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. 10 of 16 vols. Pp. 514–807 [646]. Himalayan Forest Thrush Zoothera salimalii Hingston, R. W. G., 1927. Bird notes from the Mount Everest Expedition of 1924. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 32 (2): 320–329. On 15 July 2011, I spotted a single bird at the edge of a forest Islam, Z.-u., & Rahmani, A. R., 2004. Important Bird Areas in India. Priority sites for near Zuluk (c. 3200 m asl). It was feeding on the ground and then conservation. 1st ed. Mumbai: Indian Bird Conservation Network: Bombay coming up to perch on a dwarf bamboo growing on the roadside. Natural History Society and BirdLife International (UK). Pp. i–xviii, 1–1133 At that time, this taxon had not been split from the erstwhile [898–899]. Plain-backed Thrush (=Alpine Thrush Z. mollisimma). From the Meinertzhagen, R., & Meinertzhagen, A. C., 1926. Untitled [“Col. and Mrs. R. photographs [178], it can be identified by its longer bill, dark Meinertzhagen exhibited and described the following new forms of birds from lores, and subocular area/moustachial area, a relatively shorter the Himalayas and Kashmir...”]. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club XLVI (cccv): 96–101 [98–99]. wing and primary projection, and tail, and pinkish legs (Alström Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide. 2nd et al. 2016). An independent confirmation was obtained from Per ed. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. 2 Alström, who indicated that, “…although the photo is a bit distant vols. Pp. 1–378; 1–683. and grainy, I feel pretty sure that it shows a Himalayan Forest Singh, A. P., 2011a. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31685203. Thrush Z. salimalii. The habitat and elevation, in combination [Accessed on 06 October 2016.] with the date (breeding period) strongly supports this,” (Per Singh, A. P., 2011b. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31685282. Alström, in litt., e-mail dated 07 October 2016). Though there are [Accessed on 06 October 2016.] specimens of this species from Sikkim (see map in Alström et al. 2016), this adds to the site specific information of this species.

In Memoriam JAMES FERGUSON-LEES (1929–2017)