Vol. 13 No. 5

Tadoba Andhari Reserve South Andaman Island | Vol. 13 No. 5 13 | Vol. Sichuan Leaf Warbler Indian Indian BIRDS CONTENTS www.indianbirds.in Vol. 13 No. 5

Date of Publication: 16 October 2017

ISSN 0973-1407 A revised avian checklist of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), 113 Chandrapur, , Editor: Aasheesh Pittie Abhijeet Bayani & Nikhil Dandekar [email protected] Associate Editors: V. Santharam, Praveen J.

Editorial Board 125 community response to Tsunami-affected Maan Barua, Anwaruddin Choudhury wetlands of South Andaman Island, India Bill Harvey, Farah Ishtiaq, Rajah Jayapal, Girish Jathar Rajan P. & P. Pramod Ragupathy Kannan, Madhusudan Katti R. Suresh Kumar, Taej Mundkur, Rishad Naoroji Prasad Ganpule, Suhel Quader Harkirat Singh Sangha, C. Sashikumar 132 Heuglin’s Gull Larus fuscus heuglini in the Andaman Islands Manoj Sharma, S. Subramanya, K. S. Gopi Sundar S. Rajeshkumar, Jaison John, C. Raghunathan & Kailash Chandra

Layout & Cover Design: K. Jayaram ffice P. Rambabu O : Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus at Rualing, Lahaul, Himachal 133 Pradesh: A second record for India Raj Rawal, C. Abhinav & Manoj Sharma New Ornis Foundation Registration No. 314/2004 Founder Trustees 135 Vigors’s Sunbird Aethopyga vigorsii in Wildlife Sanctuary, Satpuda Zafar Futehally (1920–2013) Ranges, Maharashtra, India Aasheesh Pittie, V. Santharam Laxminarayan Sonawane, Prasad Sonawane & Gaurav Shinde

Trustees Aasheesh Pittie, V. Santharam, Rishad Naoroji, Taej Mundkur, S. Subramanya, Correspondence Suhel Quader, Praveen J. 136 Assemblages of White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus grandis in the Spiti Valley Aims & Objectives Harkirat Singh Sangha, Somendra Singh, Sahdev Singh & C. V. Singh • To publish a newsletter that will provide a platform to birdwatchers for publishing notes and observations Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida in Kalesar National Park, Haryana, India primarily on birds of South . Rajiv S. Kalsi, Suresh C. Sharma & Janak R. Choudhary • To promote awareness of birdwatching amongst the general public. Garden Warbler Sylvia borin in Hanle, Ladakh Ritvik Singh • To establish and maintain links/liaison with other associations or organized bodies in India or abroad An abberant Rusty-fronted Actinodura egertoni from whose objectives are in keeping with the objectives of the Trust (i.e. to support amateur birdwatchers with Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India cash / kind for projects in ornithology). Bharat Tamang, Dinesh Subba, Dambar Kumar Pradhan, Mangal Rai, Shambu Rai, Vikram Rai & Umesh Srinivasan

140 Letter to the Editor Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti missing in the Volume 13 onwards Indian BIRDS ‘India Checklist’ is only available as PDFs on Edward Vercruysse; Rajah Jayapal & Praveen J.; Jochen Martens www.indianbirds.in. Both, individual papers, and entire issues 140A Snapshot sightings can be downloaded free of cost.

Front Cover: Beautiful Sitta formosa

Photographer: Subrata Sanyal Address for correspondence: Back Cover: Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus New Ornis Foundation, 2nd Flr, BBR Forum, Rd. No. 2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500034, India. Photographer: Kallol Mukherjee Bayani & Dandekar: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve 113

A revised avian checklist of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India

Abhijeet Bayani & Nikhil Dandekar

Bayani, A., & Dandekar, N., 2017. A revised checklist of avifauna of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India. Indian BIRDS 13 (5): 113–124. Abhijeet Bayani, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: [email protected] [Corresponding author] Nikhil Dandekar, InSearch Outdoors, Ketan Heights, Rahulnagar Lane, Kothrud, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: [email protected] Manuscript received on 12 February 2017.

Abstract Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (henceforth, TATR) is one of the 50 Project Tiger areas of India. However, a meticulous and scientific documentation of its fauna, in recent years, is lacking. We documented avian diversity of TATR between 2010 and 2015. A total of 255 species were recorded during the study, five of which are endemic to India. We noted 17 species that are listed under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 66 species that recorded during 2003 to 2015 by various other visitors/observers, but were not seen by us are listed in Appendix 2. We recorded 20 species not previously reported from TATR. This report provides a revised checklist of the birds of TATR along with their patterns of occurrence and relative abundance.

Introduction Although it seems that the avian diversity of TATR has been Birds are one of the most diverse and predominant forms of well documented, most publications are of sight records, or life on Earth, occupying almost all kinds of habitats and biomes. comprise short-term studies specific to a particular season, or TATR is an important tiger reserve of central India. It is a Protected a specific area of TATR. Also, besides Mahabal et al. (2006) Areaunder The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, whereby no other studies provide estimates of relative abundance. In legal protection has been provided for the conservation of the essence, a long term, systematic study of the avifauna of TATR is habitat and its and plant diversity (Quereshi et al. 2014; lacking. We studied avian diversity in TATR for five years and here Bayani et al. 2016). It is also a tourist hotspot. Earlier studies of we provide a revised checklist of the birds of TATR along with their the avifauna of this region exist: A preliminary checklist prepared occurrence and seasonal (relative) abundance, including some by Forest Department, Chandrapur, in 2003 (available at the new records for the area. education centre of TATR), lists 238 species; Mahabal (2006) reports 192 species; while various others, made during casual, Study area short-duration visits to the area include Kurhade (2002), Andheria TATR (19.98º–20.48ºN, 79.18º–79.66ºE) lies in Chandrapur (2003), and Dhamankar (2004). Many individual sightings of District of Vidarbha region in eastern Maharashtra (India), and birds have also been reported from TATR (Dhamankar 2003; ; has vegetation that falls under to the classification: 5A-CI-1B Kasambe et al. 2005; Dhamakar 2006; Sirdesai et al. 2013). Southern tropical dry deciduous forest (Dubey 1999; Bayani 2016). The total area of TATR is 1727.59 sq km out of which 625.82 sq km is designated as the critical tiger habitat (core area), and 1101.77sq km as the buffer area (Fig. 1). The TATR forest is dominated by grandis, melanoxylon, and Terminalia elliptica, and patchily fragmented with thorny bushes and trees like leucophloea and A. nilotica. Its topography also supports diverse habitats, including open canopy grasslands, stony grasslands along the small hillocks, semi-deciduous riparian forest, perennial- and seasonal streams, wetlands, and agricultural lands. TATR harbours a wide range of faunal diversity including charismatic species like tiger Panthera tigris, P. pardus, Indian wild dog Cuon alpinus, Melursus ursinus; ungulates like sambar Rusa unicolor, spotted deer Axis axis, barking deer Muntiacus muntjak, Boselaphus tragocamelus, four-horned Antelope Tetracerus quadricornis; and lesser-known mammals like the Indian fox Vulpes benghalensis, rusty spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus, honey badger Mellivora capensis, small Indian civet Viverricula Fig. 1. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. Study area with details of sampling areas and important indica, etc., (Dubey 1999; Mahabal 2006; and authors’ personal sightings. observations). 114 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Methodology Table 2. Details of point counts for wetlands Areas were sampled in both, the buffer, and the core zone, though Sr. No. Season Total no. of point Total number of hours areas along the northern, western, and southern boundaries counts of observation were our major study sites. The study was conducted from 1 Winter 2010–2011 144 144 September 2010 to May 2015 during three main seasons, i.e., summer (March–June), monsoon (July–October), and winter 2 Summer 2011 100 50 (November–February), in all the habitats. Transect sampling 3 Monsoon 2011 120 40 (Forbes 1907; Robinette et al. 1974) was followed to census and 4 Winter 2011–2012 140 140 record the bird species in all areas except wetlands, where we followed a point-count method. In all we walked 344 transects 5 Summer 2012 90 40 (712 km total transect length; (Table 1). Transects were covered 6 Monsoon 2012 90 54 between fixed times of the day: 0700 and 0900 hrs, and between 7 Winter 2012–2013 144 144 1600 and 1800 hrs, in all the seasons. We covered 12 wetlands 8 Summer 2013 110 45 during all the seasons, visiting each one of them once a week between 0700 and 0900 hrs (Table 2). The number of species, 9 Monsoon 2013 60 32 and the number of individuals per species, were counted for 10 Winter 2013–2014 120 120 each transect, and every point count. Identification of most of the 11 Summer 2014 54 27 bird species was based on Grimmett et al. (2011), and Naoroji (2007). We compiled seasonal lists of all transects separately, 12 Monsoon 2014 72 30 and the data from one particular season, across consecutive 13 Winter 2014–2015 122 122 years, was pooled together for further analysis. Species were 14 Summer 2015 80 52 categorised according to occurrence, abundance, and their IUCN Red List status. Their classification into residents henceforth,( RE), or migrants (henceforth, M) is based on their occurrence in the study area. If a species was observed in all the seasons, records were pooled into ‘occurrence category’, which essentially it was assumed to be a RE in the area, whereas if one was comprise stray records. observed during a specific season, then it is assumed to be M to For every transect walked, and during every point count, we the study area. Migrants include summer migrants (henceforth, counted the number of individuals of all species, and calculated the SM) migrating from eastern Africa, and southern India; winter mean encounter frequency in terms of the number of individuals migrants (henceforth, WM) comprising birds migrating in a per hour of observation, and the standard deviation (henceforth, north to south direction, crossing the trans-Himalayan axis; and SD) for each species in each season (Appendix 1; Shahabuddin passage migrants (henceforth, PM) comprising species observed et al. 2017). It should be noted that mean encounter frequency only during autumn and spring (and therefore staying for a very was specific for a season (i.e., summer, monsoon, or winter), short period). Some species that did not occur consistently in and not all seasons pooled together. For instance, if a species all the seasons but otherwise known to be resident in India was observed during five winters between 2010 and 2015, the are given status of Resident Migrants (henceforth, RM). It is mean is calculated using observations from all five winters. We important to note here that, resident/migratory status of bird used this mean encounter frequency without accounting for species is specific to the study area only. Vagrant (henceforth, V) the SD to represent the relative abundance and categorised it on the ACFOR scale (Crisp & Southward 1958; Hiscock 1996). We assigned a range for each of the ACFOR categories, namely, Table 1. Details of transect surveys Abundant ‘A’ (> 5 individuals per hour), Common ‘C’ (1–5 individuals per hour), Frequent ‘F’ (0.5–1 individuals per hour), Sr. No. Season Total no. of Total length of Total no. of hours Occasional ‘O’ (0.1–0.5 individuals per hour), and Rare ‘R’ (<0.1 transects transects (km) of observation individuals per hour). The encounter frequencies for transects, 1 Winter 2010–2011 32 64 81 and those of point counts, were calculated separately. In this case, 2 Summer 2011 25 54 63.5 all the ducks, geese, sandpipers, curlew, stints, stilt, storks, egrets (except cattle egret), herons, cranes, cormorants, Darter Anhinga 3 Monsoon 2011 38 76 95 melanogaster, Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, and 4 Winter 2011–2012 35 75 88.5 Osprey Pandion haliaetus were observed exclusively on wetlands. 5 Summer 2012 21 42 52.5 And hence the encounter frequency for them is calculated using 6 Monsoon 2012 31 62 77.5 point count hours. We also had numerous ‘single’ records, which essentially represented opportunistic sightings of birds that were 7 Winter 2012–2013 27 54 68.5 either one-off or were stray birds in the study area. We added 8 Summer 2013 19 50 47.5 such records into the ‘rare’ category of the ACFOR scale. We did 9 Monsoon 2013 32 64 80 not calculate encounter frequency for nightjars Caprimulgus sp., since they were observed almost exclusively at night, when we 10 Winter 2013–2014 39 80 97.5 did not carry out any transect or point counts. 11 Summer 2014 15 31 37.5 We also referred to the earlier works on the birds of TATR, 12 Monsoon 2014 10 20 26 and the lists uploaded on eBird (www.eBird.org; up to December 13 Winter 2014–2015 13 26 33.5 2016) to capture the overall bird species diversity in our study area. This list, along with the cited literature, showed us the 14 Summer 2015 7 14 19.5 species that we did not record during our study. Bayani & Dandekar: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve 115

Results cattle carcass. Two more individuals were observed near We documented 255 species, representing 18 orders and 68 Chandankheda village (which is outside the TATR boundary) families (Appendix 1). Of these, 168 species (65.88%) were in the same year. RE, 5 (1.96%) RM, 69 (27.06%) WM, 01 SM, 02 PM, and 10 3. Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga: Vulnerable. We (3.92%) V (Fig. 2). This implies that TATR is home to nearly half of observed two individuals (one adult and one juvenile) of the species recorded from Maharashtra state (556) by Mahabal this medium-sized eagle in the winter of 2013, and one et al. (2011). We also recorded six species that are endemic to juvenile in 2014. However, during this period it was seen India (Jathar & Rahmani 2007; Tietze & Martens 2010; Praveen quite frequently near inland waterbodies on the western et al. 2016), and 17 species listed under The IUCN Red List boundary, in the buffer zone, near villages like Wadhala, of Threatened Species (02 Endangered, 04 Vulnerable, and 11 Viloda, Ashti, and Sonegaon. Near Threatened). We discuss below, the status and behaviour of 4. Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus: Vulnerable [162]. some important bird species. Individuals of this big stork were seen in forest areas with small pools and puddles, fringed with tall grass like Typha sp. in areas like Khatoda, Pandharpauni, Jamni, and Katezari. 65.88235294 We observed two adults near Katezari in all the seasons of 70 2012,70 2013, and 2014, and two adult individuals near Jamni in 2013 and 2015. We also observed two sub-adults near 60 Khatoda60 in 2013. 50 50

40 40 27.05882353 30 30 % no. species 20 20 3.921568627 1.960784314 10 10 0.392156863 0.784313725 0 0 RE RM SM WM PM V RE RM SM WM PM V Fig. 2. Distribution (%) of species as residents (RE), resident migrants (RM), winter migrants (WM), summer migrants (SM), passage migrants (PM), and vagrants (V).

Threatened species: 1. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis: Endangered [161].1 This eagle was observed at various places, throughout the winter, 162. Lessar Adjutant. in all five years of study, however in low abundance (one to three individuals every year). 5. Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus: Vulnerable. Seen migrating in winter to TATR regularly during five years of the study. 6. Common Pochard Aythya ferina: Vulnerable. This diving duck was spotted frequently during the winters of 2010– 2015 on the wetlands in the northern and western boundary buffer zones (near Sonegaon and Irai villages), though in congregations of 5–17 individuals. 7. Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthaaetus: Near Threatened. We consistently observed four individuals (all adults) in every season. They always associated with the fresh water lakes of Tadoba (in Tadoba range), and Telia (in Moharli range). Since we also observed the Grey-headed Fish Eagle consistently during our study, TATR could be an important refuge of this species. 8. Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera: Near Threatened. Pics: Nikhil Dandekar 161. Steppe Eagle. Uncommon, owing to its dubious distribution range in central India (Kazmierczak 2000; Grimmett et al. 2011). We observed it only once during five years, near Arjuni tukum in 2. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus: Endangered. November 2010. We spotted one juvenile Egyptian Vulture only once near 9. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus: Near Threatened. This is the Bembala village in January 2015. It was feeding on a first report of this species from the area. It was observed in winters of 2011–2015, in the meadows of Navegaon on 1 The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is available at: http://www.iucnredlist. the north boundary of TATR, and in abandoned rice fields org/ and small grassy patches on the western boundary, near the 116 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

villages of Ghosari, Villoda, Ashta, and Mudholi. We observed adult male, female, and juveniles as well. 10. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca: Near Threatened. This is a very distinctive duck that can be identified based on its overall dark brown plumage and white iris. It is not a regular winter visitor to the study area. We observed 13 males in December 2011 in the backwaters of Irai Dam and 11 (5 males, 6 females) on the Villoda village lake in January 2013. Similarly, in January 2015 we observed 2 males in the backwaters of the Chargaon Dam. 11. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa: Near Threatened. This was one of the few waders observed at all the waterholes we studied. We observed three to nine individuals every winter between 2011 and 2015. 12. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala: Near Threatened. We observed four to ten birds at Tadoba- and Telia Lakes throughout the study. We also recorded four individuals in the backwaters of the Irai Dam in September 2012, and 2013. A flock of six was observed in Ashta village, in the buffer area, during February 2014. 13. Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus: Near Threatened. This species was also regularly seen along all waterholes in the study area, along transects, and small village pools.

14. Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogastor: Near Threatened. Bayani Abhijeet Observed regularly only at the Tadoba- and Telia Lakes. We observed two to five individuals in every point count throughout the study period. 15. River Tern Sterna aurantia: Near Threatened. Noted in the 163. Besra. the western boundary buffer, near the Villoda village lake. We observed 6–13 individuals in 2013, 2014, and 2015. 16. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata: Near Threatened. A relatively uncommon wader in the area, this curlew was observed in north boundary buffer wetlands near the villages of Bembala, Nimdhela, Sonegaon, and Chargaon, and the Backwaters of the Chargaon Dam. We observed two to three birds in the winters of 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. 17. Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria: Near Threatened. Fewer numbers when compared with that of other Psittacula sp. Restricts itself to well-wooded parts of the forest. Interestingly, the Alexandrine Parakeet was never observed raiding crops, unlike its conspecifics, found in our study area. Other interesting observations:

1. Harriers: Five species of harriers are present in TATR. We Dandekar Nikhil observed both, adult males, and females of Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus regularly during the winters of 2010–2015 in the meadows of Navegaon, Jamni, and Tamshi ‘rith’ (compartment). Pied Harrier C. melanoleucos, 164. Indian Spotted Creeper. and Western Marsh Harrier C. aeruginosus were reported from TATR earlier. However, we observed one adult male Pied Harrier once in the winter of 2014 in an abandoned 3. Indian Spotted Creeper spilonota: [164] This is farm near Wadhala village. The Western Marsh Harrier (adult also an uncommon species in TATR and restricted to India male, female and juveniles) was sighted regularly around (Tietze & Martens 2010). We sighted two individuals in many inland waterbodies across the five years of the study. scrub forests in the western boundary buffer in the summer We report Hen Harrier C. cyaneus for the first time from of 2014 and 2015. This is a new record for TATR. TATR. One adult male was sighted once near Ghosari village, 4. Buntings: Both, the Red-headed Bunting Granativora situated in the western boundary buffer area. bruniceps, and the Black-headed Bunting G. melanocephala 2. Besra Accipiter virgatus: [163] This forest-dwelling were seen in huge flocks in the farmlands of various villages sparrowhawk is quite uncommon in the study area. We at the western boundary of TATR. These two species are observed it (an adult and a juvenile) only in thick forest noteworthy, since they are one of the main avian crop patches dominated by tall Terminalia elliptica at Khutwanda, predators in the area, potentially causing substantial damage and Agarzari. to wheat Triticum sp. by foraging on mature grains at the Bayani & Dandekar: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve 117

time of harvest (Abhijeet Bayani in prep.). list. For instance, in India, the confusion had been between C. 5. Demoiselle Crane Grus virgo: This species was also not macrurus macrurus and C. m. atripennis due to similarity in reported previously from TATR, however, we observed three plumage and much debated sympatry (Oberholser 1915, Davis individuals on inland waterbodies on the northern (near 1979, Ripley & Beehler 1987, Sangster & Rosendaal 2004). Since Bembala), and western boundary (near Irai) buffer zones previous workers who gave C. macrurus present in TATR did not during the winters of 2013 and 2014. provide any subspecies level identification it becomes difficult In this study we could not ascertain the presence of 66 to know which species did it refer to. Because of this reason we species recorded during 2003–2016 in TATR by various earlier provided the identification of the species up to their subspecies researchers and visitors (all the published checklists, sight level wherever possible. records, eBird lists, Oriental Bird Images, and records pooled TATR, is an important area with a variety of habitats from where together). These are not included in the final list (Appendix 1), we recorded most of the species new to TATR. As our sampling but provided separately (Appendix 2). However, we recorded 20 efforts were widespread during our five year study, in both, core, bird species not reported earlier from TATR. A few species such and buffer, areas, we could comment on the occurrence and as Jerdon’s Nightjar Caprimulgus atripennis, Tawny Pipit Anthus abundance of various bird species, including our new records, campestris, Black-breasted Weaver Ploceus benghalensis, Black- in different seasons. Our study substantiates the fact that TATR headed Bunting, Red-headed Bunting, Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila supports a good diversity of avian species. fasciata, Pallid Harrier, and Booted Eagle Heiraaetus pennatus (both pale and dark morph), which were seen regularly during Acknowledgements our study, were not recorded in any of the earlier lists. Finally, we provide a complete checklist of bird species sighted during the We acknowledge State Forest Department of Maharashtra and all the TATR forest authorities for the permits to work in buffer zone and providing us with a map of the study period along with their occurrence and seasonal relative study area. We also acknowledge Milind Watve for guiding us, and Vedant Thite for abundance status (Appendix 1). assisting us in field work.

Discussion References During our five year study we recorded 255 species of birds, of Amarna C., 2016. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32601962. which 20 were recorded for the first time from this area. Our [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] checklist (Appendix 1) not only confirms the occurrence of several Andheria, A., 2003. Birds of the Sahyadris [sic. = Satpuras] (Contd.). Newsletter for globally threatened species, but also provides their present status Birdwatchers 43 (2): 16–18. in TATR. This indicates that TATR could be an important refuge for Anonymous. 2003. Checklist of birds of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. Department of Forest, Maharashtra, Chandrapur division. many threatened bird species. Further, by studying the available Babre, A., 2016. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S29112809. literature, we found that 66 species were not observed during [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] our study. Interestingly, species like Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Bagda, G., 2015. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S25941625. Pterocles exustus, Painted Spurfowl Galloperdix lunulata, [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus, White-naped Bapat, G., 2015a. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S22980181. Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes festivus, and Verditer Flycatcher [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] Eumyia thalassinus, which are considered to be widespread, Bapat, G., 2015b. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S22978381. [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] could not be recorded despite the long duration of the study. Bayani, A., 2016. Crop depredation by wild herbivores at the western boundary of It is important to note that we could not substantiate the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). Chandrapur, Maharashtra, PhD Thesis. occurrence or absence of several bird species. Species like Bell, C., 2012. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S10663959. [Accessed Sarus Crane Antigone antigone and White-rumped Vulture Gyps on 30 January 2017.] benghalensis that were found frequently in TATR before 2006 Bhamidipati, S., 2016. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33092904. (Dhamankar 2003; Kasambe et al. 2005; Mahabal 2006) are [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] Chakravarty, R., 2015a. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S26348569. completely absent now. It is a well-known fact that these species [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] have been facing a continuous decline in their populations all Chakravarty, R., 2015b. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S26348580. over their respective distribution ranges (Prakash et al. 2008; Jha [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] & McKinly 2014). Absence of information on abundance and/ Chakravarty, R., 2015c. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S26348608. or occurrence of several species, reported earlier, could have [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] contributed to the fact that we did not observe them, e.g., species Chaudhari, S., 2016. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S29852764. like Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus, Green [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] Chavda, A., 2016a. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31074712. Munia Amandava formosa, and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] cristatus lack information on numbers, and absolute, or relative Chavda, A., 2016b. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S31074857. abundance. If they were vagrant to the study area then it is likely [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] that they may not be seen by others in the subsequent seasons/ Chethan, G. S., 2015. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S23557859. years, however, they may occur sporadically again in the same [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] area. Nevertheless, if the species were previously abundant in Chodankar, R., 2015. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S25216830. the area and not observed by other workers then it is of concern. [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] Craig, M., 2015a. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S22568560. Currently no such annotations can be provided for the species [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] that are not reported by us. Craig, M., 2015b. Website URL: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S22568569. Inadequate (or incomplete) reporting/identification of taxon, [Accessed on 30 January 2017.] especially to subspecies level, by earlier observers is perhaps Davis, L. I., 1979. Review of recent literature and tape discussions of nightjars. Pan another contributing factor for certain missing species in our American Studies 2: 20–35. 118 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

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Appendix 1. Revised checklist of birds of TATR. The additional new records are marked with dagger [†]. (Status: RE = Resident, WM = Winter Migrant, SM = Summer Migrant, PM = Passage Migrant, RM = Resident Migrant, V = Vagrant; R = Rare, O = Occasional, F = Frequent, C = Common, A = Abundant; E=Endemic to India). IUCN Status: EN=Endangered; NT=Near Threatened; VU=Vulnerable. Numbers in parentheses represent mean encounter frequency per hour and the standard deviation. Abundance No Species Status Winter Summer Monsoon 1 Lesser Whistling duck Dendrocygna javanica RE C (4.35±1.06) A (8.34±5.32) A (7.42±4.52) 2 Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus WM R - - 3 Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea WM O (0.20±0.06) - - 4 Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina WM O (0.24±0.14) - - 5 Common Pochard Aythya ferina WM/VU O (0.12±0.08) - - 6 Garganey Spatula querquedula WM F (0.59±0.34) - - 7 Gadwall Mareca strepera WM O (0.29±0.21) - - Bayani & Dandekar: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve 119

Abundance No Species Status Winter Summer Monsoon 8 Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata WM O (0.40±0.09) - - 9 Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope WM O (0.32±0.14) - - 10 Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha RE O (0.40±0.08) F (0.56±0.41) O (0.47±0.32) 11 Northern Pintail Anas acuta WM F (0.57±0.17) - - 12 Common Teal Anas crecca WM O (0.32±0.16) - - 13 Cotton Teal Nettapus coromandelianus RE O (0.38±0.03) F(0.64+0.19) F (0.96±1.15) 14 Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos WM R - - 15 Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca WM/NT R - - 16 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula WM O (0.26±0.09) - - 17 Rain Quail Coturnix coromandelica RE O (0.29±0.29) R C (1.30±0.60) 18 Jungle Bush Quail Perdicula asiatica RE C (1.79±0.54) C (1.84±0.96) C (2.50±0.38) 19 Rock Bush Quail Perdicula argoondah RE/E F (0.53±0.84) F (0.80±0.94) C (1.60±0.33) 20 Painted Francolin Francolinus pictus RE F (0.79±0.29) O (0.32±0.33) F (0.90±0.38) 21 Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus RE C (2.08±0.75) C (1.28±0.33) C (2.00±0.33) 22 Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii RE/E C (1.02±0.64) F (0.64±0.61) C (1.70±0.50) 23 Red Spurfowl Galloperdix spadicea RE/E F (0.54±0.47) F (0.64±0.46) F (0.50±0.20) 24 Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus RE C (2.92±1.48) C (2.64±0.83) A (6.10±0.50) 25 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis RE O (0.32±0.15) F (0.84±0.21) C (1.29±1.81) 26 Rock Pigeon livia RE F (0.82±0.49) C (1.12±0.33) C (1.10±0.38) 27 Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis RE O (0.32±0.33) O (0.16±0.22) O (0.10±0.20) 28 Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto RE C (3.36±1.61) C (3.28±1.31) C (3.00±1.24) 29 Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis RE A (8.28±4.14) A (8.64±1.37) A (8.70±1.19) 30 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis RE C (2.87±1.25) C (3.60±1.36) C (3.60±0.86) 31 Yellow-legged Green Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus WM C (3.75±2.31) - - 32 Painted Sandgrouse Pterocles indicus RE C (1.25±0.81) C (1.44±1.15) C (1.66±1.01) 33 Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus RE - - 34 Jerdon’s Nightjar Caprimulgus atripennis† RE - - 35 Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus RE - - 36 Savanna Nightjar Caprimulgus affinis RE - - 37 Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata RE O (0.42±0.69) C (1.44±1.04) C (1.40±1.01) 38 Indian House Swift Apus affinis RE C (4.30±3.74) C (2.72±1.86) C (4.30±2.27) 39 Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis parroti RE C (1.82±1.20) C (1.76±0.61) C (2.50±0.68) 40 Sirkeer Malkoha Taccocua leschenaultii RE F (0.59±0.64) O (0.48±0.66) O (0.30±0.38) 41 Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus SM - O (0.24±0.36) O (0.30±0.38) 42 Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus RE F (0.81±0.57) C (1.84±0.54) C (1.50±1.05) 43 Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus RM - F (0.88±0.44) O (0.30±0.38) 44 Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius RM - C (2.40±0.89) O (0.30±0.38) 45 Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus RM - C (1.12±0.44) O (0.30±0.38) 46 Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus PM O (0.32±0.44 O (0.16±0.36) 47 Ruddy-breasted Crake Zapornia fusca RE O (0.16±0.22) R O (0.30±0.38) 48 White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus RE F (0.56±0.35) F (0.64±0.46) F (0.80±0.33) 49 Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio RE O (0.37±0.11) F (0.82±0.18) F (0.70±0.46) 50 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus RE R R R 51 Common Coot Fulica atra RE O (0.39±0.21) C (1.01±0.42) C (1.04±0.39) 52 Demoiselle Crane Grus virgo† V R - - 53 Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus RE/VU R R R 54 Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala RE/NT R - R 55 Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans RE O (0.31±0.10) C (1.21±1.50) 56 Black Stork Ciconia nigra WM R - - 57 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus WM/VU R - - 120 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Abundance No Species Status Winter Summer Monsoon 58 Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax RE O (0.12±0.12) O (0.24±0.19) O (0.22±0.14) 59 Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus RE - R R 60 Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii RE O (0.39±0.20) F (0.79±0.31) F (0.69±0.34) 61 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis RE A (6.41±4.09) A (13.05±5.45) A (8.50±5.09) 62 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea RE O (0.11±0.08) O (0.48±0.43) F (0.54±0.36) 63 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea RE O (0.11±0.04) O (0.42±0.26) O (0.49±0.25) 64 Great Egret Ardea alba modesta RE R O (0.41±0.31) O (0.47±0.32) 65 Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia RE O (0.13±0.01) O (0.33±0.20) O (0.42±0.28) 66 Little Egret Egretta garzetta RE O (0.25±0.07) F (0.60±0.18) F (0.79±0.43) 67 Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus RE/NT O (0.14±0.09) F (0.63±0.36) F (0.54±0.47) 68 Indian Black Ibis Pseudibis papillosa RE O (0.29±0.11) F (0.87±0.44) F (0.82±0.50) 69 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus RE O (0.20±0.08) F (0.59±0.34) F (0.65±0.48) 70 Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia RE R R R 71 Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger RE O (0.42±0.36) F (0.64±0.10) F (0.67±0.63) 72 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo RE O (0.17±0.08) O (0.37±0.15) O (0.34±0.21) 73 Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogastor RE/NT O (0.11±0.03) O (0.29±0.06) O (0.24±0.15) 74 Eurasian Thick‐knee Burhinus oedicnemus RE F (0.91±0.48) F (0.94±0.47) C (1.27±0.73) 75 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus RE O (0.36±0.11) C (1.03±0.61) F (0.92±0.45) 76 Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius RE O (0.30±0.11) F (0.59±0.17) F (0.63±0.26) 77 Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus RE C (1.38±0.94) C (2.16±0.61) C (2.40±1.39) 78 Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus RE A (9.86±5.56) A (12.24±3.52) A (13.20±1.88) 79 Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis RE R R R 80 Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus RE O (0.23±0.12) O (0.48±0.39) F (0.78±0.36) 81 Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus RE O (0.34±0.09) F (0.52±0.22) F (0.66±0.22) 82 Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida WM O (0.12±0.08) - - 83 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica WM O (0.15±0.13) - - 84 River Tern Sterna aurantia RE/NT R O (0.13±0.21) O (0.13±0.20) 85 Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa WM/NT O (0.19±0.21) - - 86 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago WM O (0.26±0.18) - - 87 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos WM O (0.43±0.28) - - 88 Green sandpiper Tringa ochropus WM O (0.28±0.16) - - 89 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola WM O (0.25±0.18) - - 90 Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus WM O (0.23±0.09) - - 91 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia WM O (0.26±0.18) - - 92 Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata WM/NT R - - 93 Little Stint Calidris minuta WM O (0.26±0.09) - - 94 Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii WM O (0.21±0.03) - - 95 Little Pratincole Glareola lactea WM O (0.26±0.15) - - 96 Small Buttonquail Turnix sylvaticus RE F (0.62±0.37) F (0.86±0.45) O (0.44±0.16) 97 Yellow-legged Buttonquail Turnix tanki RE F (0.53±0.37) F (0.60±0.22) O (0.42±0.30) 98 Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelicus WM C (1.47±0.89) O (0.40±0.57) - 99 Osprey Pandion haliaetus WM R - - 100 Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus RE F (0.65±0.46) F (0.81±0.42) F (0.63±0.57) 101a Black Kite Milvus migrans govinda RE O (0.14±0.19) O (0.12±0.14) R 101b Black-eared kite Milvus migrans lineatus WM R - - 102 Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus RE R R R 103 Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus RE C (2.65±1.81) C (4.08±2.14) C (3.30±1.36) 104 Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela RE C (1.38±0.55) C (1.52±0.95) C (1.10±0.50) 105 Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus RE C (2.34±1.48) C (3.68±1.95) C (3.10±2.20) 106 Changeable Hawk Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus RE F(0.97±0.44) F (0.56±0.22) O (0.50±0.20) Bayani & Dandekar: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve 121

Abundance No Species Status Winter Summer Monsoon 107 Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis† V R - - 108 Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga† WM/VU R - - 109 Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis† WM/EN R - - 110 Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata† RE R R R 111 Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus† WM C (1.68±1.34) - - 112 Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus WM O (0.48±0.24) - - 113 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus† V R - - 114 Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus† WM/NT F (0.81±0.55) - - 115 Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos V R - - 116 Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus† WM F (0.80±0.55) - - 117 Shikra Accipiter badius RE C (2.33±1.66) C (2.13±1.68) C (2.60±0.23) 118 Besra Accipiter virgatus RE R R R 119 Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus nisosimilis WM R - - 120 Grey-headed Fish Eagle Icthyophaga ichthyaetus RE/NT R R R 121 White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa RE F (0.56±0.21) F (0.88±0.33) F (0.70±0.38) 122 Common Buzzard Buteo buteo† V R - - 123 Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus V/EN R - - 124 Common Barn Owl Tyto alba RE - - - 125 Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum RE F (0.51±0.08) O (0.19±0.13) O (0.23±0.13) 126 Spotted Owlet Athene brama RE C (2.02±1.08) C (3.58±0.77) C (2.90±1.15) 127 Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena bakkamoena RE R R R 128 Mottled Wood Owl Strix ocellata RE R R R 129 Indian Eagle Owl Bubo bengalensis RE R R R 130 Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis RE R R R 131 Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris RE C (1.59±0.81) C (2.48±0.59) C (2.00±0.46) 132 Common Hoopoe Upupa epops RE C (3.42±1.07) C (4.00±1.17) C (4.30±0.82) 133 Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla WM R - - 134 Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker Dinopium benghalense RE C (2.29±0.93) C (2.56±0.92) C (2.60±1.24) 135 Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos moluccensis RE C (1.83±0.63) C (1.68±0.52) C (2.00±0.33) 136 Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis RE C (1.23±0.52) C (1.76±0.73) C (1.30±0.20) 137 Brown-headed Barbet Psilopogon zeylanicus RE C (2.90±1.47) C (3.44±0.83) C (3.50±0.82) 138 Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus RE C (2.45±0.92) C (2.80±0.85) C (2.20±0.52) 139 Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis RE A (11.33±5.76) A (11.84±3.23) A (11.20±2.33) 140 Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis RE A (9.05±5.38 A (12.64±2.66) A (10.30±1.86) 141 Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis RE O (0.49±0.29) F (0.82±0.78) C (1.33±0.48) 142 Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis RE F (0.60+0.34) F (0.61±0.42) F (0.99±1.33) 143 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis RE C (1.00±0.41) C (1.95±1.41) C (3.16±2.62) 144 Stork-billed KingfisherPelargopsis capensis RE R R O (0.12±0.18) 145 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus WM C (1.13±0.76) O (0.24±0.36) - 146 Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera† V/NT R - - 147 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus peregrinator† V R - - 148 Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala RE A (6.76±2.90) A (8.24±1.54) A (9.80±1.65) 149 Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria RE/NT F (0.75±0.46) C (1.12±0.59) C (1.00±0.69) 150 Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri RE A (8.07±4.16) A (11.12±3.17) A (10.50±3.22) 151 Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura RM O (0.32±0.34) C (1.38±1.04) C (4.40±1.18) 152 Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus RE C (2.62±1.25) C (2.96±1.51) C (2.30±0.82) 153 Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus RE C (2.42±1.32) C (2.24±0.67) C (4.90±0.98) 154 Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo RE C (1.12±0.52) C (1.44±0.83) C (2.40±0.33) 155 Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus RE R R R 156 Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus RE C (1.71±0.69) F (0.88±0.33) C (1.40±0.52) 122 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Abundance No Species Status Winter Summer Monsoon 157 Common Iora Aegithina tiphia RE C (2.27±0.98) C (2.80±0.28) A (5.50±0.89) 158 Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus RE A (10.99±5.22) A (11.64±3.32) A (13.20±2.53) 159 Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus WM C (3.62±2.38) O (0.40±0.57) - 160 White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens RE C (1.23±0.97) C (1.44±0.61) C (1.80±0.95) 161 Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus RE C (1.06±0.84) O (0.41±0.21) F (0.57±0.46) 162 White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola RE F (0.81±0.48) F (0.72±0.33) C (1.00±0.52) 163 White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis albogularis RE C (1.13±0.50) C (1.12±0.72) C (1.00±0.52) 164 Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus RE C (1.41±0.51) C (1.68±0.72) C (2.00±0.46) 165 Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach RE C (4.09±2.16) C (4.64±1.37) C (4.60±0.95) 166 Great Grey Shrike Lanius exubitor RE O (0.27±0.35) R O (0.18±0.24) 167 Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda RE C (4.58±2.42) C (4.50±2.07) A (5.60±1.99) 168 House Crow Corvus splendens RE C (2.51±1.08) C (3.54±1.89) C (1.88±0.54) 169 Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos RE C (2.49±0.50) C (2.32±0.77) C (2.20±0.40) 170 Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea RE F (0.89±0.42) O (0.40±0.40) C (2.50±1.15) 171 Indian Paradise-flycatcherTerpsiphone paradisi RM O (0.42±0.25) F (0.56±0.22) C (3.60±0.98) 172 Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus RE A (11.15±5.16) A (12.64±2.11) A (11.80±1.86) 173 Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica RE A (5.94±3.23) A (7.68±1.31) A (6.90±1.05) 174 Thick-billed flowerpecker Dicaeum agile RE C (2.87±2.22) C (2.48±1.31) C (3.10±1.24) 175 Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos RE C (1.15±0.46) C (1.92±0.72) C (1.90±0.60) 176 Jerdon’s Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni RE C (2.11±1.12) C (2.72±1.31) C (2.38±1.11) 177 Black-breasted Weaver Ploceus benghalensis† RE R O (0.12±0.20) O (0.45±0.77) 178 Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus RE C (1.74±1.14) F (0.96±0.54) A (16.40±3.23) 179 Red Munia Amandava amandava RE C (1.82±0.96) C (2.16±1.15) C (2.70±0.38) 180 Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica RE C (2.01±0.78) C (1.84±0.54) C (2.10±0.60) 181 White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata RE F (0.68±0.51) F (0.69±0.27) C (1.21±0.99) 182 Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata RE A (7.21±4.85) A (7.03±2.06) A (8.48±2.40) 183 Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca malacca RE C (1.00±0.28) C (1.17±0.39) C (1.23±1.05) 184 House Sparrow Passer domesticus RE C (3.18±2.11) C (3.20±1.36) C (3.20±1.42) 185 Yellow-throated Sparrow Gymnoris xanthocollis RE A (11.32±5.96) A (15.04±2.27) A (5.70±1.83) 186 Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi WM C (1.21±1.07) - - 187 Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus RE C (2.31±0.88) C (2.16±0.67) C (2.00±0.73) 188 Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris† WM C (1.13±0.57) - - 189 Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni WM C (1.07±1.15) - - 190 Sykes’s Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava beema WM C (3.57±2.24) - - 191a Black-headedYellow Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg WM C (2.43±1.94) - - 191b Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola WM C (4.35±2.44) - - 192 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea WM C (1.16±0.60) - - 193 White-browed Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis RE C (1.46±0.42) C (1.44±0.61) C (1.90±0.76) 194 White Wagtail (white-faced) Motacilla alba alba WM C (1.71±0.69) - - 195 Common Rosefinch Erythrina erythrina† WM R - - 196 Crested Bunting Melophus lathami RE R R R 197 Red-headed Bunting Granativora bruniceps† WM A (7.80±4.27) A (5.36±2.20) - 298 Black-headed Bunting Granativora melanocephala† WM A (10.06±5.31) C (3.52±2.09) - 299 Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus RE F (0.76±0.45) C (1.20±0.49) C (1.50±0.50) 200 Rufous-tailed Lark Ammomanes phoenicura RE C (1.82±0.99) C (1.68±0.66) C (1.20±0.65) 201 Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Eremopterix griseus RE C (1.86±1.71) C (2.88±0.91) C (1.40±0.40) 202 Indian Bushlark Mirafra erythroptera RE C (3.40±1.68) C (4.72±1.31) A (5.00±0.23) 203 Singing Bushlark Mirafra cantillans RE F (0.74±1.06) F (0.88±0.91) F (0.80±1.35) 204 Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla V R - - 205 Sykes’s Lark Galerida deva RE/E F (0.74±0.36) C (1.35±0.58) F (0.90±0.29) Bayani & Dandekar: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve 123

Abundance No Species Status Winter Summer Monsoon 206 Oriental skylark Alauda gulgula RE C (1.27±0.67) F (0.80±1.13) C (1.00±(0.69) 207 Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis RE C (1.71±1.10) C (2.56±1.08) C (2.40±1.35) 208 Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii RE C (1.29±0.70) C (1.68±0.59) C (1.35±0.20) 209 Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica RE C (1.20±0.74) C (1.28±0.44) C (1.70±0.20) 210 Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis RE C (2.70±1.15) C (3.36±0.46) C (3.00±0.95) 211 Plain Prinia Prinia inornata RE C (1.60±0.68) C (1.44±0.22) C (1.30±0.20) 212 Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius RE C (4.97±2.36) C (4.64±0.67) A (5.30±0.60) 213 Booted Warbler Iduna caligata WM O (0.49±0.3) - - 214 Sykes’s Warbler Iduna rama WM F (0.66±0,64) - - 215 Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola WM C (1.61±1.40) O (0.48±0.66) - 216 Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica RE C (2.70±1.15) C (2.72±0.33) C (2.80±0.33) 217 Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii RE C (3.85±1.72) C (3.20±0.40) C (3.00±0.23) 218 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica WM C (2.60±1.16) - - 219 Dusky Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne concolor RE C (2.60±1.08) C (2.77±0.33) C (3.10±0.20) 220 White-browed bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus RE C (1.35±0.84) C (1.60±0.94) C (1.00±0.52) 221 Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer RE A (6.66±3.22) A (8.72±1.91) A (8.40±1.46) 222 Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus RE C (1.56±1.04) C (1.92±1.21) C (2.60±0.69) 223 Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita WM C (1.06±0.62) - - 224 Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus WM C (2.16±1.21) - - 225 Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis WM O (0.21±0.33) - - 226 Greenish Leaf Warbler Seicercus trochiloides WM C (1.44±1.11) - - 227 Eastern Orphean Warbler Curruca crassirostris WM C (3.53±1.81) - - 228 Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca WM C (1.53±1.01) - - 229 Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense RE C (1.49±1.27) C (2.80±1.02) C (3.00±1.62) 230 Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus RE C (4.48±2.30) A (5.04±1.15) C (4.60±1.55) 231 Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra hyperythra RE F (0.76±0.67) O (0.40±0.57) O (0.40±0.33) 232 Large Grey Babbler Argya malcolmi RE A (15.05±7.95) A (17.60±1.39) A (17.50±3.57) 233 Common Babbler Argya caudata RE C (2.25±0.90) C (1.76±0.54) C (2.60±0.52) 234 Jungle Babbler Turdoides striata RE A (12.15±7.44) A (14.40±2.10) A (14.00±3.88) 235 Indian Spotted Creeper Salpornis spilonota RE/E R R - 236 Rosy Starling Pastor roseus PM - C (3.92±1.84) - 237 Asian Pied Starling Gracupica contra RE C (1.61±0.92) C (2.32±1.04) C (2.50±1.05) 238 Brahminy Starling Sturnia pagodarum RE C (2.26±1.04) C (2.80±0.75) C (2.30±0.68) 239 Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica WM C (1.85±2.01) C (1.60±2.04) - 240 Common Myna Acridotheres tristis RE A (8.91±4.50) A (8.80±2.79) A (10.10±1.80) 241 Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus RE O (0.43±0.54) O (0.48±0.72) O (0.20±0.40) 242 Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus RE C (1.94±1.75) C (2.64±1.04) C (1.80±2.18) 243 Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus RE A (5.88±2.61) A (6.64±1.34) A (6.70±1.15) 244 Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis RE C (3.84±1.25) C (4.00±0.49) A (6.10±1.32) 245 Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae RE C (3.20±1.66) C (4.08±1.04) C (4.10±0.38) 246 Bluethroat Luscinia svecica† WM R - - 247 Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva WM C (3.01±1.74) - - 248 Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris WM O (0.10±0.20) R - 249 Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros WM C (2.04±1.18) - - 250 Blue-capped Rock Thrush Monticola cinclorhyncha WM R - - 251 Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius WM O (0.43±0.88) - - 252 Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus WM C (2.31±1.22) - - 253 Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata WM C (4.38±2.55) O (0.24±0.36) - 254 Brown Rock Chat Oenanthe fusca† V R - - 255 Orange-headed Thrush Geokichla citrina cyanota RE C (1.52±0.90) C (1.76±0.46) C (1.58±0.35) 124 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Appendix 2. Checklist of species recorded in TATR by other workers Appendix 2. Checklist of species recorded in TATR by other workers Species Reference Species Reference

1 Fulvous Whistling Duck Anonymous (2003) 34 White-naped Woodpecker Kesavabharathi (2010) Dendrocygna bicolor Chrysocolaptes festivus 2 Red Jungle Fowl Gallus gallus Anonymous (2003), Kumar (2016), 35 White-cheeked Barbet Anonymous (2003) Mujumdar (2015) Psilopogon viridis 3 Painted Spurfowl Galloperdix lunulata Wadatkar (2016), Chavda (2016a) 36 Blue-tailed Bee-eater Mahabal (2006), Bapat (2015b), Merops philippinus Chavda (2016a) 4 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006) 37 European Roller Coracias garrulus Phani (2015a) 5 Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea Bagda (2015), Chodankar (2015) 38 Black-capped Kingfisher Anonymous (2003), Kasambe (2009) 6 Mountain Harshith (2016) Halcyon pileata Ducula badia 39 Amur Falcon Falco amurensis Chaudhari (2016) 7 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Patil (1994), Menon (2015) Pterocles exustus 40 Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Chethan (2015) 8 Large-tailed Nightjar Anonymous (2003) 41 White-bellied Minivet Anonymous (2003) Caprimulgus macrurus Pericrocotus erythopygius 9 Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis Chakravarty (2015a), Sundaram 42 Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006), (2015) Nalawade (1994) 10 Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba Chavda (2016a) 43 Large Cuckooshrike Coracina javensis Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006) 11 Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo Amarna (2016) 44 Black-headed cuckooshrike Anonymous (2003) Surniculus lugubris Lalage melanoptera 12 Slaty-legged Crake Anonymous (2003) 45 Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus Chavda (2016a) Rallina eurizonoides 46 Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Kesavabharathi G.(2015) 13 Brown Crake Zapornia akool Anonymous (2003) 47 Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus Simic (2013) 14 Little Crake Zapornia parva Anonymous (2003), Dhanamkar 48 Loten’s Sunbird Cinnyris lotenius Anonymous (2003) (2004) 49 Golden-fronted Leafbird Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006), 15 Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla Dhamakar (2006) Chloropsis aurifrons Gupta (2016) 16 Watercock Gallicrex cinerea Mahabal (2006), Phani (2015c) 50 Green Munia Amandava formosa Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006) 17 Sarus Crane Antigone antigone Anonymous(2003), Mahabal (2006), 51 Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus Mehra (2014) Dhamankar (2003) 52 Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Chakravarty (2015b) 18 Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis Chavda (2016b) 53 Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Babre (2016) 19 Striated Heron Anonymous (2003), Hirway (2015) Butorides striata javanicus 54 Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis Chavda (2016a) 20 Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura Dhanamkar (2004) 55 Grey-headed Canary-flycatcer Mahabal (2006), Pradhan (2017) Culicicapa ceylonensis 21 Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator Chavda (2016b), Craig (2015a) 56 Black-lored Tit Anonymous (2003) 22 Little tern Sterna albifrons Bell (2012) Machlolophus xanthogenys 23 Black baza Aviceda leuphotes Bapat (2015a) 57 Crested Lark Galerida cristata Anonymous (2003) 24 White-rumped Vulture Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006), 58 Blyth’s Reed Warbler Menon (2015) Gyps bengalensis Dhanamkar (2004) Acrocephalus dumetorum 25 Indian Spotted Eagle Clanga hastata Fonseca (2015) 59 Streak-throated Swallow Bhamidipati (2016) 26 Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax vindhiana Anonymous(2003) Petrochelidon fluvicola 27 Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus Pranay Rao pers. comm. 60 Gray-throated Martin Riparia chinensis Craig (2015b) 28 Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata Kesavabharathi (2010) 61 Common Whitethroat Anonymous (2003) Curruca communis 29 Malabar Pied Hornbill Anonymous (2003) Anthracoceros coronatus 62 Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Mahabal (2006) Sitta castanea 30 Rufous Woodpecker Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006), Micropternus brachyurus Phani (2015b) 63 White-rumped Shama Tillotson (2015) Copsychus malabaricus 31 Lesser Yellow-naped Woodpecker Phani (2015b) Picus chlorolophus 64 Asian Brown Flycatcher Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006), Muscicapa daurica Chavda (2016b) 32 Scaly bellied Woodpecker Anonymous (2003) Picus squamatus 65 Verditer Flycatcher Eumyia thalassinus Anonymous (2003), Mahabal (2006), Chakravarty (2015c), Rathod (2014) 33 Greater Flameback Chavda (2016a) Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus 66 Tickell’s Thrush Turdus unicolor Anonymous (2003) Rajan & Pramod: South Andaman Island 125

Bird community response to Tsunami-affected wetlands of South Andaman Island, India

Rajan P. & P. Pramod

Rajan P., & Pramod, P., 2017. Bird community response to Tsunami-affected wetlands of South Andaman Island, India. Indian BIRDS 13 (5): 125–131. Rajan P., Sàlim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty Post, Coimbatore 641108, Tamil Nadu, India. E-mail: [email protected] P. Pramod, Sàlim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty Post, Coimbatore 641108, Tamil Nadu, India. E-mail: [email protected] Manuscript received on 26 August 2016.

Abstract The mega undersea earthquake, and the resulting tsunami of December 2004 in the Indian Ocean, inundated agricultural fields in the Andaman Islands of India, and created many natural wetlands through land subsidence, most of which, for all practical purposes, were abandoned by the people living there earlier. In a study undertaken five year later, between November 2009 and February 2010, it was observed that tsunami-affected changes of three wetlands on South Andaman Island provided new feeding ground for waterbirds, including migratory waders. Of the 63 species observed here, migratory birds comprised 23 species. Resident waterbirds preferred wetlands with more grass patches, as in Stewart Gunj, than the other wetlands. The Andaman Teal Anas gibberifrons albogularis has been reported to be declining at an alarming rate during the twentieth century, and this Vulnerable species was observed as relatively abundant in this study. This study recorded high human activities such as hunting of birds, fishing, and cattle grazing in these wetlands, which may have a negative impact on the birds and need to be monitored.

Introduction communities of three tsunami-created wetlands (ante agricultural The mega undersea earthquake of 26 December 2004, fields) on the South Andaman Island in relation to the degree of and the consequent tsunami, has changed the landscape of inundation five years after this major natural phenomenon that Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India). About 40 km2 of land, in has greatly changed the topography of the area. many locations, has been directly or indirectly affected by this event, resulting in a drastic change in land use patterns (Roy Study area et al. 2009). The subsidence of the South Andaman Island by Southern South Andaman Island is one of the most human- almost one meter had caused high tides that reached inland influenced areas in the Andaman & Nicobar archipelago. The and flooded the low-lying flatlands, including agricultural lands inundation of agricultural lands by the tsunami has led to them and human habitations (Chatterjee 2006). Prior to the tsunami, being abandoned by the people, as they have turned into local inhabitants utilised the tsunami-inundated areas of South wetlands (Malik et al. 2006). This study is restricted to three such Andaman Islands for agriculture. These inundated wetlands wetlands in the South Andaman Island (Fig. 1). Prior to inundation became opportunistic feeding grounds for migratory waders by the tsunami, rice, vegetables, and coconut were cultivated in and resident waterbirds. these areas (Malik et al. 2006). Large parts of these agricultural The occurrence of waterbird species varies along with the changing seasons and changes in water levels. Water saturation of freshwater wetlands of South Andaman Island depends on the south-western and north-eastern monsoons. Birds such as Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus use a wide variety of natural and human-made wetlands that may be ephemeral or permanent such as rivers, streams, canals, agricultural wetlands, occasionally brackish waters, and flooded pastures (Ritter & Savidge 1999). The Andaman Teal Anas gibberifrons albogularis is a race of Sunda Teal A. gibberifrons (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012; Praveen et al. 2016) and its population is estimated to be 500 to 1000 individuals (Rahmani & Islam 2008). It has also been recognised as a separate species Andaman Teal Anas albogularis and listed as Vulnerable under the Red-List of threatened species by the IUCN (BirdLife International 2017; del Hoyo et al. 2017). It is known that during the dry season, waterbirds change their habitat use depending on the availability of water sources (Kushlan 1986) and the colonisation of migratory birds, as well Fig. 1. Map of South Andaman Island depicting location of selected tsunami-affected study sites. as resident birds, is manifested by their dependence on a suitable (Source: Landsat map (processed in GRASS) – www.landcover.com; India and Andaman map – wintering habitat (Bensch 1999). This study explores the avian www.mapsofindia.com.) 126 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Table1. Characteristics of three tsunami-affected wetlands of South Andaman Island (Coordinates in Decimal Degree) Wetland Sippighat Stewart Gunj Ograbraj Location 11.61ºN, 92.69ºE 11.73ºN, 92.71ºE 11.66ºN, 92.67ºE Total Area 1.1411 sq km 0.3428 sq km 0.6348 sq km Submerged area 0.7186 sq km 0.2599 sq km 0.2473 sq km Description Grassland with stagnant water (~1m depth), Grassland, some parts grass with stagnant water. This Tidal mudflat, tsunami inundated area tidal mudflat (0.5m water depth during high tide) wetland is surrounded by human settlement. with dead trees, surrounded by human [168]. One side has mangroves and the Andaman settlement, mangrove. A road has Trunk Road borders the other. divided this wetland into two sections. Main Threats/poten- Illegal hunting of birds by local people with air guns Degradation of wetland quality by nutrient inputs Fishing, reclamation by local people for tial threats for birds and fishing activities. Reclamation by local people through cattle grazing and sprouting of exotic and inva- construction. for construction. sive plants like Mimosa eupatorium. This may pose a threat in the future, particularly if large numbers of cattle lead to major vegetation changes.

lands were inundated with saline water due to the tsunami-tidal Methodology waves. The subsidence of land because of tectonic movements Bird surveys during the tsunami resulted in permanent submergence of these Bird surveys were carried out at the three wetlands during the agricultural fields (Maliket al. 2006; Rajendran 2013). northern winter between November 2009 and February 2010. All The three study sites are close to Port Blair: Sippighat [165] surveys were carried out through a one-hour total count method and Stewart Gunj [166] are located about seven kilometers away, (Bibby et al. 2000) between 0600 and 0930 hrs, and 1500 while Ograbraj wetland [167] is c. 15 km away (see Table 1 for and 1730 hrs. Wetlands were visited once in two weeks and a site descriptions). total of 28 counts were made in the three wetlands. Twelve visits

165. Sippighat 167. Ograbraj wetland Pics: Rajan P. 166. Stewart Gunj 168. Sippighat during the high tide Rajan & Pramod: South Andaman Island 127

were made to Sippighat due the large size of the wetland and high bird species diversity, and with eight visits each were made to the other two wetlands. The maximum count recorded for a species across all visits is considered for the analysis. In addition, opportunistic observations were frequently made between July 2009 and March 2010 to create a more complete checklist and for an analysis of the bird community structure in the area (Hutto et al. 1986). Due to the unavailability of pre-tsunami data on birds of these sites, a comparative analysis with the present study could not be done.

Data analysis To study the distribution pattern of birds in the three wetlands, species were categorised into three groups, namely, migratory birds (henceforth, M), resident waterbirds (henceforth, RW), and other resident birds (henceforth, R). R comprised mainly terrestrial birds, and those adapted to different habitats for their daily activities (e.g., Common Myna Acridotheres tristis, House Sparrow Passer domesticus, and Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus). RW included herons, egrets, ducks, and crakes. Fig. 3. Relationship of bird species recorded in the three wetlands, South Andaman Though the White-bellied Sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster (Nov 2009 to Feb 2010) and various species of kingfishers (Alcedinidae) are resident waterbirds, they were included in the R category due to their widespread distribution in all other habitats of the Andaman Sippighat was significantly different from Ograbraj (Z = 3.47, P Islands. = 0.001), and Stewart Gunj (Z = 3.12, P = 0.002) wetlands. We used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the Friendman Though the microhabitat of Stewart Gunj and Ograbraj were test1 using SPSS 16.0 (SPSS Inc.) to understand the relationships topologically different (Fig. 2), species diversity of these wetlands of bird species composition at the wetlands; P values ≤ 0.05 was not significantly different Z( = 0.082, P = 0.935). Simpson were considered significant. We used the Simpson Diversity Index Diversity Index (1-D) for the three wetlands indicated the highest to compute species diversity in the wetlands. The three groups species diversity in Sippighat (0.920), followed by Stewart Gunj were plotted in a Venn diagram to demonstrate their distribution (0.687), and Ograbraj (0.531). patterns, and species compositions at each wetland. The highest numbers of bird species were recorded in the Satellite maps of South Andaman Island were downloaded Sippighat area (n= 58) (Fig. 3; Table 2). Sippighat was one of the from the website of Global Land Cover Facility (University of main tsunami-affected wetlands used by waders during the non- Maryland 2010) and processed in GRASS software to create a breeding period. A higher proportion of Lesser Whistling Duck map of the study area. To map the pre-tsunami (2000) and post- were observed in the flooded grassy area in Sippighat[169] , and tsunami (2010) land use/land cover change (about five years Stewart Gunj wetlands as compared to Ograbraj. after the event), the desktop version of Google Earth was used Lesser Whistling Duck (Abundance: 27.3%) dominated to digitise the area and the layers were saved as Keyhole Markup these tsunami-inundated wetlands followed by Andaman Teal Language (KML/.kml) files. These KML files were converted to (12.4%), Common Redshank Tringa totanus (6%), Little Stint shape files and later processed in open-source Quantum GIS Calidris minuta (5.2%), and Common Myna (5%) (Table 3). software (ver. 1.8.0) to create a landscape utilisation map of the study area. The main changes to the main habitat characteristics and landscape utilisation features of these areas, since the tsunami, are depicted in Fig. 2.

Results Sixty-three bird species were recorded at the three wetlands (Table. 1). All migratory species comprised waders, except for the Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus. Fifteen species were exclusive to the Sippighat wetland, three to the Ograbraj wetland, and three to the Stewart Gunj wetland. Nineteen bird species were common to all wetlands, including eight M species, seven RW species, and four R species (Fig. 3). The composition of the bird species across the three wetlands P. Rajan differed significantly (Friedman Test, χ2= 16.63, P = 0.001). Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed that species composition of 169. Flock of Lesser Whistling Duck at Sippighat.

1 Three wetlands are located close to each other and bird species assemblage of each wetland is highly correlated. Due to the dependency of the population, Friedman test and Wilcoxon Friedman test were used to test the difference in bird species assemblage of three wetlands. 0.05 kept as critical p value, which corresponds to a 95% confidence for the decision made. 2 SPSS reporting the p value as 0.000 when it very low. Here p value is less than 0.001 128 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Sippighat

Stewart Gunj

Ograbraj

Before Tsunami After Tsunami N Cultivation Human Settlement Trees Mudflat Mangroves Water Cocunut Trees A T Road Mud Path 250 m Figure 2: Habitat changes in three areas affected by the 2004 tsunami, South Andaman Rajan & Pramod: South Andaman Island 129

Table 2. Summary of bird species in each tsunami-affected wetland recorded of The bird species assemblages were different in each of the South Andaman Island (November 2009–February 2010) wetlands and depended on the diversity of the microhabitats Wetland No of species recorded Total number of these sites. The three inundated wetlands had their own Migratory Resident Resident Introduced of species microhabitats (Fig. 2; Table 1), but the highest species abundance general waterbirds was recorded in Sippighat as this wetland is interspersed with mangroves, tidal mudflat, grassy area, stagnant water,etc. Sippighat 18 19 18 3 58 Ograbraj 9 18 10 2 38 Discussion Stewart Gunj 9 7 12 1 29 The avifauna of Andaman & Nicobar Islands is one of the richest in India in terms of diversity of community assemblage (Sankaran & Vijayan 1993), which reflects a diverse range of habitats from Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata (1.2%) was the only Near evergreen forest to coastal areas. The southern part of South Threatened species recorded (BirdLife International 2016). This Andaman Island has many wetlands created and modified by study also, opportunistically, recorded a congregation of 300 the tsunami of December 2004. Submergence of agricultural Andaman Teal in Ograbraj. Slaty-breasted Rail Gallirallus striatus, fields, as explained above, has resulted in the creation of new Wood Sandpiper T. glareola, Malayan Night Heron Gorsachius feeding habitats for waterbirds, including migratory waders, and melanolophus, and Pacific Reef Egret Egretta sacra were only the Andaman Teal. recorded at Sippighat, whereas Green Sandpiper T. ochropus Although once abundant, the population of Andaman Teal was recorded exclusively at Ograbraj. Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus had dramatically declined during the twentieth century (Vijayan sinensis, Slaty-breasted Rail, and Yellow Bittern I. sinensis 2006) and presently the population is likely to exceed 1,000 were each spotted only once at Stewart Gunj. Introduced (or, individuals (Rahmani 2012), after the tsunami, with sizable naturalized) resident birds such as Common Myna, House numbers being seen in all three wetlands. Recently, researchers Sparrow, and House Crow Corvus splendens were observed in have reported that the Andaman Teal flocks totaling 400–500 all three wetlands (Lever 2005; Rajan & Pramod 2013). individuals from Ograbraj (BirdLife International 2013), which

Table 3. List of bird species recorded at three tsunami-affected wetlands of South Andaman Island (November 2009–February 2010). No. Common Name Scientific Name Status Max number of individuals recorded Abundance in all wetlands Sippighat Ograbraj Stewart Gunj (%) 1 Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica RW 500 4 397 27.3 2 Andaman Teal Anas gibberifrons RW 100 300 10 12.4 3 Cotton Teal Nettapus coromandelianus M 12 2 0.4 4 Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica R 10 2 14 0.8 5 Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta R 12 1 0.4 6 Brown Coucal Centropus andamanensis R 2 2 0.1 7 Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus R 1 <0.1 8 Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio RW 1 102 3.1 9 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus RW 18 1 72 2.8 10 Slaty-breasted Rail Gallirallus striatus RW 1 <0.1 11 White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus RW 9 1 0.3 12 Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus RW 1 2 <0.1 13 Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis RW 1 <0.1 14 Little Heron Butorides striatus RW 17 2 0.6 15 Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii RW 2 1 <0.1 16 Malayan Night Heron Gorsachius melanolophus RW 1 <0.1 17 Great Egret Casmerodius albus RW 49 72 6 3.9 18 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis RW 67 2 10 2.4 19 Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia RW 10 15 25 1.5 20 Little Egret Egretta garzetta RW 36 3 1.2 21 Pacific Reef Egret Egretta sacra RW 4 0.1 22 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola M 9 3 0.4 23 Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva M 55 3 2 1.8 24 Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii M 14 3 0.5 130 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Table 3. List of bird species recorded at three tsunami-affected wetlands of South Andaman Island (November 2009–February 2010). No. Common Name Scientific Name Status Max number of individuals recorded Abundance in all wetlands Sippighat Ograbraj Stewart Gunj (%) 25 Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus M 92 4 35 4 26 Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus M 76 2.3 27 Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus RW 2 <0.1 28 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus M 109 3.3 30 Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata M 36 2 1.2 30 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica M 1 1 <0.1 31 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos M 15 5 6 0.8 32 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea RW 3 15 0.6 33 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola M 3 <0.1 34 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus M 2 <0.1 35 Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus M 1 1 <0.1 36 Little Stint Calidris minuta M 170 5.2 37 Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta M 86 2.6 38 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago RW 19 1 2 0.7 39 Common Redshank Tringa totanus M 194 1 3 6 40 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia M 11 1 0.4 41 Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana RW 8 0.3 42 Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus R 3 3 0.2 43 White-bellied Sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster R 14 1 3 0.6 44 Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus R 2 2 1 0.2 45 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis R 19 2 3 0.7 46 Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis R 1 4 0.2 47 Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris R 2 1 <0.1 48 Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata R 1 1 <0.1 49 Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri R 2 <0.1 50 Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus M 4 1 4 0.3 51 Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos R 76 2.3 52 House Crow Corvus splendens I 9 0.3 53 Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis R 3 3 0.2 54 White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata R 1 <0.1 55 House Sparrow Passer domesticus I 16 7 0.7 56 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava M 5 0.2 57 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea M 4 0.1 58 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica R 3 1 1 0.2 59 Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus R 11 5 0.5 60 Common Myna Acridotheres tristis I 131 34 5 61 Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis R 3 5 1 0.3 62 Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis R 7 1 0.2 63 Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica R 1 1 1 <0.1 Total 58 38 29 R-Resident general bird; RW-Resident waterbird; M-Migratory species; I-Introduced species Rajan & Pramod: South Andaman Island 131

should be better managed to ensure it provides a secure habitat The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22727280A110106998. for this Vulnerable species. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22727280A110106998.en. Our results revealed that Sippighat, with its vast tidal mudflat [Downloaded on 14 August 2017.] and submerged area during high water, supported a large number Chatterjee, B., 2006. Satellite based monitoring of the changes in mangroves in South Eastern Coast and South Andaman Islands of India—A tsunami related of waders (Table 2). Whereas, the grassy habitat, with stagnant study. International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation, water, especially at Stewart Gunj, and some parts of Sippighat, Enschede, The Netherlands. Pp. 1–70. attracted many resident waterbirds. These differences may be del Hoyo, J., Collar, N., & Kirwan, G. M., 2017. Andaman Teal (Anas albogularis). In: del due to the availability of food in these wetlands, and preferences Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A., & de Juana, E., (eds.). Handbook of the species, as suggested for different feeding guilds of waders of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (Retrieved from http:// (Placyk & Harrinton 2004). The large numbers of Lesser Whistling www.hbw.com/node/ 467122 on 26 March 2017.) Duck were mainly recorded in the grassy wetlands of Stewart Fasullo, J. T., Nerem, R. S., & Hamlington, B., 2016. Is the detection of accelerated sea Gunj, and Sippighat. This species is known to feed on snails, level rise imminent? Scientific reports 6: 1–6. Findlay, C. S., & Houlahan, J. 1997. Anthropogenic correlates of species richness in worms, frogs, fishes, as well as plant shoots, and grains (Ali & southeastern Ontario wetlands. Conservation Biology 11 (4): 1000–1009. Ripley 2001) and it is likely that their preferred food types were Hutto, R. L., Pletschet, S. M., & Hendricks, P., 1986. A fixed-radius point count method available in these grasslands. for nonbreeding and breeding season use. The Auk 103: 593–602. All three wetlands have a direct, high degree of human Kushlan, J. A., 1986. Responses of wading birds to seasonally fluctuating water levels: presence and influence. These wetlands are divided by a road strategies and their limits. Colonial Waterbirds 9 (2): 155–162. and are surrounded by human settlements. Studies conducted Lever, C., 2005. Naturalised birds of the world. 2nd ed. London: T & A D Poyser. Pp. elsewhere have shown that a strong positive correlation 1–352. between wetland-size and species richness, and the fact that Malik, J. N., Murty, C. V. R., & Rai, D. C., 2006. Landscape changes in the Andaman and Nicobar islands (India) after the December 2004 great Sumatra earthquake and the construction of a paved road through the wetland resulted Indian Ocean tsunami. Earthquake Spectra 22 (S3): 43–66. in reduced species richness due to human interference (Findlay Placyk Jr., J. S., & Harrington, B. A., 2004. Prey abundance and habitat use by 1997; Web et al. 2010). Before the tsunami, most of these areas migratory shorebirds at coastal stopover sites in Connecticut. Journal of Field were used for agriculture. Currently, these wetlands are facing Ornithology 75 (3): 223–231. a serious threat from human activities, especially that of land Praveen J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2016. Checklist of the birds of South Asia (v2.0). reclamation. It is necessary to increase awareness among villagers Website: http://www.indianbirds.in/south-asia/ [Date of publication: 14 July, 2016]. living around these wetlands about the importance of these Rahmani, A. R., & Islam, M. Z.-u., 2008. Ducks, geese and swans of India: their status newly created wetlands for waterbirds, including threatened, and and distribution. 1st ed. Bombay: Indian Bird Conservation Network; Bombay Natural History Society; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; BirdLife endemic species, and to gain their support for their protection. International; Oxford University Press. Pp. i–x, 1–364. The 2004 tsunami offers a unique opportunity for a long- Rahmani, A. R. (2012) Threatened Birds of India – Their Conservation Requirements. term study to understand how a natural event of land subsidence, Indian Bird Conservation Network: Bombay Natural History Society, Royal which drastically changed the topography of these coastal sites, Society for the Protection of Birds and BirdLife International. Oxford, UK: Oxford and over time, how birds and other wildlife adapt to such University Press. changes. As global climate change, with its predictions of rising Rajan, P., & Pramod, P., 2013. Introduced birds of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, coastal sea levels (Fasullo et al. 2016) expected to impact these India. Indian BIRDS 8 (3): 71–72. areas in the future, it is hoped that our short-term study provides Rajendran, K., 2013. On the recurrence of great subduction zone earthquakes. Current Science 104 (7): 880–892. a baseline for long-term research work to understand year round Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide: habitat-usage by birds, and their adaptations to habitat changes, attributes and status. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian and land-use patterns by humans. Institution and Lynx Edicions. Vol. 2 of 2 vols. Pp. 1–683. Ritter, M. W., & Savidge, J. A., 1999. A predictive model of wetland habitat use on Guam by endangered Mariana Common Moorhens. Condor 101 (2): 282–287. Acknowledgments Roy, S. D., George, S., Sharma, K., & Krishnan, P., 2009. Brackish water aquaculture We thank the director, scientific staff, and research scholars of áS lim Ali Centre for in inundated areas of Andaman. Training manual on brackish water aquaculture Ornithology and Natural History for their support and encouragement. We are grateful in Andaman. Central Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, Andaman and to the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India for the financial support for Nicobar Islands. Pp. 4–7. our work. Sankaran, R., & Vijayan, L., 1993. The avifauna of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: A review and the current scenario. In: Bird Conservation: Strategies for the Nineties and Beyond. Verghese, A., Sridhar, S., & Chakravarthy, A. K., (eds.). Bangalore: Ornithological Society of India. Pp. 255–271. References University of Maryland. 2010. Website URL: ftp://ftp.glcf.umd.edu/glcf/ Landsat/WRS2/ Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 2001. Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with p134/ r052/ L71134052_ 05220100306. ETM-GLS2010/ - ETM+, WRS-2, Path 134, those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: (Sponsored Row 052, 2010-03-06. by Bombay Natural History Society.) Oxford University Press [Oxford India Vijayan, L., 2006. Ecology and conservation of the Andaman Teal. Journal of the Paperbacks.]. Vol. 1 of 10 vols. Pp. 2 ll., pp. i–lxiii, 1–384, 2 ll. Bombay Natural History Society 103 (2&3): 231–238 (2006). Bensch, S., 1999. Is the range size of migratory birds constrained by their migratory program? Journal of Biogeography 26 (6): 1225–1235. Bibby, C. J., Burgess, N. D., Hill, D. A., & Mustoe, S. H., 2000. Bird census techniques. 2nd ed. Academic Press, New York. Birdlife International 2013.http://www.birdlife.org/globally-threatened-bird- With the compliments of forums/2013/09/sunda-teal-anas-gibberifrons-is-being-split-list-a-albogularis-as- vulnerable G.B.K. CHARITABLE TRUST BirdLife International. 2016. Numenius arquata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened B-1/504, Marathon Innova, Ganapatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel, Species 2015:T22693190A84634058.http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015. Mumbai 400013. RLTS. T2269319 0A84634058.en. [Downloaded on 22 August 2016]. BirdLife International. 2017. Anas albogularis. (Amended version published in 2016) 132 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Heuglin’s Gull Larus fuscus heuglini in the Andaman Islands

S. Rajeshkumar, Jaison John, C. Raghunathan & Kailash Chandra

Rajeshkumar, S., John, J., Raghunathan, C., & Chandra, K., 2017. Heuglin’s Gull Larus fuscus heuglini in the Andaman Islands. Indian BIRDS 13 (5): 132–133. S. Rajeshkumar, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, Horticulture Road, Haddo, Port Blair 744102, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. E-mail: [email protected] (Corresponding author) Jaison John, Department of Environment and Forests, South Andaman Division, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. C. Raghunathan, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, Horticulture Road, Haddo, Port Blair 744102, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. Kailash Chandra, Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, West Bengal, India. Manuscript received on 16 January 2017.

euglin’s Gull Larus fuscus heuglini is a large white- Tarmugli Island (11.60°N, 92.55°E), located in the Mahatma headed gull with an unclear taxonomic position and Gandhi Marine National Park (henceforth, MGMNP), Wandoor, Hcomplex identification. Along with several other races, it South Andaman Island [170]. The bird was swimming near the is currently treated as a subspecies of the Lesser Black-backed seashore and then landed with a flock of Eurasian Whimbrel Gull Larus fuscus. The systematics and evolutionary relationships Numenius phaeopus on a small sand bar that was 25 m from of this group were revised by Collinson et al. (2008). Heuglin’s the shore area. We were unable to identify it at the time of the Gull breeds in the northern latitudes, from northern Siberia, sightings. The size of the bird, as noted by JJ, was larger than the Kola Peninsula eastwards to the Taymyr Peninsula, and the Anatids, particularly Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna winters from south-western Asia to eastern Africa, through the javanica, and Andaman Teal Anas gibberifrons albogularis, Indian Subcontinent, with records from South Africa, eastern which are commonly observed on the island. A few photographs China, South Korea, and a few scattered records from South- were sent to SR for identification. east Asia (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012; Burger et al., 2016). It The bird was initially identified as a Lesser Black-backed Gull has been recorded as a passage migrant in the Indian Peninsula based on the following morphological characters: Fairly large, (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012), with most birds wintering all white-headed, white-bodied gull, with heavy apple-green bill along the Indian coasts. Records exist from the Maldives (Ash slightly curved at the tip, black ring markings on both mandibles, & Shafeeg 1994), Sri Lanka (Lamsfuss 1996), and the Chagos the presence of a prominent gonys on the lower mandible, strong Archipelago (Carr 2016). The species is rare in South-east Asia, streaks and drops on the nape and neck, fine streaks around with records from Malaysia, Singapore, the Cocos (Keeling) the eyes, dull red orbital ring, long pinkish legs, wings mostly Islands, and (Trainor et al. 2011). The subspecies of dark grey and slightly brown and white at the tip of primaries. the Lesser Black-backed Gull that widely winters in India is the Dark grey mantle, some lesser coverts with brownish feathers Steppe Gull L. f. barabensis (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012). or edges, and bill with dark sub-terminal band: all this indicates Bourne (1996) stated that Heuglin’s Gull is the commoner of a Heuglin’s Gull. Steppe Gull usually shows a paler mantle than the large white-headed Gulls found in South Asia. According to this (but can be similar to a pale Heuglin’s), more rounded head, Rasmussen & Anderton (2012), the only dark-backed large gull and short yellowish legs. This individual had brownish feathers on noticed in South Asia is Heuglin’s Gull, being much darker than the lesser- and median coverts, and a few brownish feathers on the Steppe Gull. the scapulars too. In Heuglin’s- and Steppe Gulls, this is typical On 23 November 2016 at 1210 hrs, a single bird was of second winter birds. Most retained coverts and scapulars observed and photographed by JJ on the north-eastern side of have moulted by the third winter, and the birds are similar to adults, with dark primary coverts and a few dark-centered outer secondaries (Olsen & Larsson 2003). Amongst the rarer taxa of large white-headed Gulls, the Caspian Gull L. cachinnans is characterised by its long sloping forehead, long slender bill without curved tip, pale pinkish to yellowish legs, much lighter grey mantle, which was absent in this bird (Olsen & Larsson 2003). Mongolian Gull L. smithsonianus mongolicus would also be equally pale-backed, and would not show such a dark grey mantle as this bird (Olsen & Larsson 2003). This gull, probably in its second winter plumage, is unlike a Taimyr Gull L. f. taimyrensis, a form of Lesser Black-backed Gull but usually synonymised with Heuglin’s Gull (Dickinson & Remsen 2013; Praveen et al. 2016). At this age, a Taimyr Gull would show a paler, slate-grey mantle, and not a darker greyish mantle like this individual. The head markings in a Taimyr Gull are more pronounced, with streaking on the crown, concentrated fine streaking around the eyes (giving the effect of an ‘eye patch’)

Jaison John and rather extensive and coarse streaking on the hind neck, 170. Heuglin’s Gull at Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, South Andaman. Rawal et. al.: Bohemian Waxwing 133

which is lacking here (Olsen & Larsson 2003). Similarly Vega coasts of Asia. Sea Swallow 45: 86–91. Gull L. s. vegae, which at this age has even more extensive head Burger, J., Gochfeld, M., Kirwan, G. M., Christie, D. A., de Juana, E., & Garcia, E. F. J., and nape markings than a Taimyr Gull, can also be excluded. A 2016. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, second winter Vega Gull has a heavily streaked head, with dark J., Christie, D. A. & de Juana, E. (Eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. ‘blotches’ on its nape and sides of upper breast, and also on the Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (Retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/53986 on 27 December 2016). flanks, which is not seen here (Olsen & Larsson 2003). Carr, P., 2016. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus: a species new to the Chagos In India, large white-headed gulls are common on the Archipelago, British Indian Ocean Territory. BirdingASIA 26: 124–125. western coast, but taxonomic treatments are complex (Praveen Collinson, J. M., Parkin, D. T., Knox, A. G., Sangster, G., & Svensson, L., 2008. Species et al., 2014; Ganpule, 2016). The characters present in this bird boundaries in the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull complex. British Birds are enough to separate it from other large white-headed gull taxa. 101: 340–363. The present observation of a Heuglin’s Gull is the first report Dickinson, E. C., & Remsen, J. V. J., (eds.) 2013. The Howard and Moore complete for the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and is also a significant, off checklist of the birds of the world: 1. Non-. 4th ed. Eastbourne, Aves the mainland, record from the Bay of Bengal, including the South- Press. Vol 1 of 2 vols. Pp. i–l, 1–461. U.K. east Asian region. Ganpule, P., 2016. Observations of probable Taimyr Gulls Larus fuscus taimyrensis at Okha, Gujarat, India. Indian BIRDS 12 (1): 1–4. Lamsfuss, G., 1996. On the larger gulls as winter visitors to India and Sri Lanka. Ceylon Acknowledgements Bird Club Notes 1996 (May): 39–44. SR would like to thank the Department of Environment and Forest, South Andaman Olsen, K. M., & Larsson, H., 2003. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Division for support and also thanks to reviewer and editor for providing extremely Christopher Helm, London. useful comments that have improved the manuscript. First author would like to thank Praveen, J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2014. Notes on Indian rarities—2: Waterfowl, diving Dr. Christopher N. Gibbins for his clarification and suggestions. JJ would like to thank waterbirds, and gulls and terns. Indian BIRDS 9 (5&6): 113–136. forest guards and field assistants for their enormous support during visits. Praveen, J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2016. A checklist of the birds of India, Indian BIRDS 11 (5&6): 113–172. Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide. 2nd References ed. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. 2 Ash, J. S., & Shafeeg, A., 1994. Birds of the Maldive Islands, Indian Ocean. Forktail 10: vols. Pp. 1–378; 1–683. 3–34. Trainor, C. R., Imanuddin & Walker, J., 2011. Heuglin’s Gull Larus heuglini on Wetar Bourne, W. R. P., 1996. The larger white-headed gulls wintering around the southern Island, Banda Sea: the first Indonesian record. Forktail 27: 95–96.

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus at Rualing, Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh: A second record for India

Raj Rawal, C. Abhinav & Manoj Sharma

Rawal, R., Abhinav, C., & Sharma, M., 2017. Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus at Rualing, Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh: A second record for India. Indian BIRDS 13 (5): 133–135. Raj Rawal, Village Rualing, P.O. Lote 175133, District Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India. E-mail: [email protected] [RR] C. Abhinav, Village & P.O. Ghurkari, Tehsil & District Kangra 176001, Himachal Pradesh, India. E-mail: [email protected] [CA] Manoj Sharma, Village Shankarpur, Ramnagar 244715, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. E-mail: [email protected] [Corresponding author.] [MS] Manuscript received on 22 February 2017.

ahaul, located in Himachal Pradesh, is a remote high altitude these, and the description of the birds, they were identified as valley that receives heavy snow in winter. Rualing village Bohemian Waxwings Bombycilla garrulus. L(32.61°N, 76.93°E; c. 3200m asl) is located on a mountain Of the three species of waxwings occurring worldwide slope, surrounded by fields that are interspersed with juniper (Dickinson & Christidis 2014), the Bohemian Waxwing has a Juniperus sp., willow Salix sp., and apple Malus pumila. On 25 Holarctic range, occurring in North America and northern Eurasia January 2017, the weather was extremely cold and the area had (Vaurie 1959). Two races, B. g. pallidiceps, and B. g. garrulus received very heavy snowfall; the ground was covered with 01– represent the species. The latter breeds in northern Europe 1.5 m of snow. On 26 January 2017, at 1445 hrs, RR heard a and northern Asia, with its normal wintering range extending strange bird calling from the trees outside his house. From the from western Europe to central and eastern Asia (Dickinson & roof of his house he discovered a grayish-brown, starling-sized Christidis 2014). The nearest known wintering area, north of bird, with black on its head, a visible crest, white, yellow, and red India, is Kashgar (39.47°N, 75.98°E; c.1300 m asl) in Xinjiang, markings in its wings, and a yellow tail band. The bird was feeding China, (Cheng 1987), though recent records have only been on the berries of a juniper tree. Five more birds were seen in from further north at Urumqi (43.82°N, 87.60°E; c.840 m asl; the same tree, also feeding, moving from branch to branch. The China Ornithological Society 2006, 2007). flock was seen for 15 min before the birds flew; they were not There are a few records of the species from Pakistan (Roberts seen again. RR took some photographs [171, 172]; based on 1992; Rasmussen & Anderton 2012), where it was first recorded 134 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

on 11 and 16 December 1906 on the Samana Hills, north of Kohat (Whitehead 1907a,b). On 20 March 1907, an abnormally cold day, with a storm threatening from the north-east, Magrath (1907) shot a solitary male in a garden in Bannu (NHMUK1 #1908.11.12.26). Meinertzhagen (1920) shot a female, out of a pair, at Quetta, Balochistan, on 11 November1913 (NHMUK #1965.M.10227); however the provenance of this specimen has not been verified yet (Robert Prŷs-Jones in litt., e-mail dated 22 February 2017). Phillips (1947) recorded a flock of over 20 birds at the same locality on 01 March 1947. In February 1969, a small flock of five to six birds was seen at Karachi University (Roberts 1992). Interestingly, the most recent sightings are from Quetta: one bird was photographed while feeding on berries of Pyracantha sp., on 06 December 2016 (Kiyani 2016), and one in a dry mulberry tree on 15 February 2017 (Khan 2017). In Nepal, it has occurred only once, near Thare Pate, in the Gosainkund Lekh region, north of Kathmandu, where two birds were collected, out of a flock of four, on 16 December 1967; the ventriculi of both birds contained whole juniper berries (Fleming 1968; Fleming Jr. 1968). 172. Bohemian Waxwings. In India, the only authentic record of the species is from Kashmir, where a specimen was secured in the Dachigam Nala near Srinagar on 08 March 1907 (Ward 1908; Ali & Ripley The Bohemian Waxwing is known to be an erratic migrant 1972). It is held under the Whistler collection in NHMUK (Vaurie 1959), subject to periodic irruptions (Cramp et al. 1988). (NHMUK # 1949.Whi.1.14924; Robert Prŷs-Jones, in litt., e-mail Whitehead (1907b), referring to his record of December 1906, dated 22 February 2017). Praveen et al. (2016) have included and that of Magrath from March 1907 wrote, ‘it looks as if there the species in the India Checklist on the basis of a specimen had been an irruption of Waxwings in N.-W. India this winter.’ It (AMNH #709448) at the American Museum of Natural History, is worth noting that Ward’s Kashmir specimen was also collected USA, which is actually that of a Hawfinch Coccothraustes in March 1907. coccothraustes, and of another specimen (ROM #01.10.5.642) The present record is the first record of Bohemian Waxwing at Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, that cannot be traced. Praveen from Himachal Pradesh, and the second confirmed record from J. did confirm that the specimen numbers mentioned in Praveen India. et al. (2016) are incorrect (Praveen J., in litt., e-mail dated 18 March 2017). The species was erroneously listed within square Acknowledgements brackets as ‘unconfirmed’ in an annotated checklist of birds found The authors are grateful to Praveen J., and Robert Prŷs-Jones (The Natural History in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh (Srinivasan et al. Museum, London) for help with the specimen information. Aasheesh Pittie 2010), where the corresponding reference is missing. The first deserves a special word of thanks for compiling the online reference database www. author of that paper opined that ‘it is most likely a bogus record’ southasiaornith.in, without which it would have been difficult to gather information (Umesh Srinivasan in litt., e-mail dated 22 February 2017). about the past records.

References Ali, S., Ripley, S. D., 1972. Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Ceylon. Larks to the Grey Hypocolius. 5: i–xvi, 1–276. Cheng, T.-H., 1987. A synopsis of the avifauna of China.1st ed. Beijing; Hamburg and Berlin: Science Press; Paul Parey Scientific Publishers. Pp. i–xvi, 1–1222. China Ornithological Society, 2006. China Bird Report 2005. Beijing: China Ornithological Society. China Ornithological Society, 2007. China Bird Report 2006. Beijing: China Ornithological Society. Cramp, S., Brooks, D. J., Dunn, E., Gillmor, R., Hall-Craggs, J., Hollom, P. A. D., Nicholson, E. M., Ogilvie, M. A., Roselaar, C. S., Sellar, P. J., Simmons, K. E. L., Voous, K. H., Wallace, D. I. M., & Wilson, M. G., (eds) 1988. Handbook of the Birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa - The Birds of the Western Palearctic. New York: Oxford University Press. Vol. 5 of 9 vols. Pp. 1–1063. Dickinson, E. C., & Christidis L., (eds.) 2014. The Howard and Moore complete checklist of the birds of the world: 1. Non-passerines. 4th ed. Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. Vol. 2 of 2 vols.: Pp. i–l, 1–461. Fleming, R. L. Jr., 1968. The Waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus (Linnaeus), in Nepal. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 65 (2): 488–489. Fleming, R. L., 1968. Nepal birds: Supplement to Biswas’ list. Journal of the Bombay Pics: Raj Rawal Natural History Society. 65 (2): 326–334. 171. A flock of Bohemian Waxwings. Khan, M., 2017. Birds of Pakistan. Website URL: https://www.facebook.com/photo. 1 Natural History Museum, UK php?fbid=1252240794859989&set=pcb.1246172255503951&=3&theater. Sonawane et. al.: Vigors’s Sunbird 135

[Accessed on 07 March 2017.] Srinivasan, U., Dalvi, S., Naniwadekar, R., Anand, M. O., & Datta, A., 2010. The birds of Kiyani, A., 2016. Pictaram. Website: http://www.pictaram.com/ Namdapha National Park and surrounding areas: recent significant records and a media/1399360053471020414_1543661242. [Accessed on 07 March 2017.] checklist of the species. Forktail. 26 (August): 92–116. Magrath, H. A. F., 1907. Occurrence of the Waxwing (Ampelis garrulus) at Bannu, Vaurie, C., 1959. The Birds of the Palaearctic Fauna - A systematic reference (order N.W.F. Province. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 17 (4): 1037. Passeriformes). London: H. F. & G. Witherby Ltd. Vol. 2 of 2 vols. Pp. i–vii, Meinertzhagen, R., 1920. Notes on the birds of Quetta. Ibis. 62 (1): 132–195. 1–762. Phillips, T. J., 1947. Occurrence of the Waxwing [Bombycilla garrulus (Linn.)] in Ward, A. E., 1908. Further notes on birds of the provinces of Kashmir and Jammu Baluchistan. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 47 (1): 160. and adjacent districts. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 18(2): Praveen J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2016. A checklist of the birds of India. Indian BIRDS. 461–464. 11 (5&6): 113–172. Whitehead, C. H. T., 1907a. Untitled [“Lieut. C.H.T. Whitehead exhibited specimens of Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide. 2nd some rare species of birds from Kohat...”]. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ ed. 2 vols. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Club. XXI (cxxxvi): 18–19. Edicions. Pp. 1–378; 1–683. Whitehead, C. H. T., 1907b. Some additions to the birds of India. Journal of the Roberts, T. J., 1992. The birds of Pakistan - Passeriformes: pittas to buntings. 1st ed. Bombay Natural History Society. 18: (1) 190–191. Karachi: Oxford University Press. Vol. 2 of 2 vols. Pp. i–xxxvii, 1–617.

Vigors’s Sunbird Aethopyga vigorsii in Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Satpuda Ranges, Maharashtra, India

Laxminarayan Sonawane, Prasad Sonawane & Gaurav Shinde

Sonawane, L., Sonawane, P., & Shinde, G., 2017. Vigors’s Sunbird Aethopyga vigorsii in Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Satpuda Ranges Maharashtra, India. Indian BIRDS 13 (5): 135–136. Laxminarayan Sonawane, Vanyajeev Sanrakshan Sanstha, Jalgaon 425001, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: [email protected] [LS] Prasad Sonawane, Vanyajeev Sanrakshan Sanstha, Jalgaon 425001, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: [email protected] [PS] Gaurav Shinde, Vanyajeev Sanrakshan Sanstha, Jalgaon 425001, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: [email protected] [GS] Manuscript received on 02 April 2017.

arly in the morning on 26 January 2017 we visited Mandapnala (Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary, District Jalgaon, EMaharashtra) for bird watching. PS alerted LS to a bird that was restlessly calling from the branch of a mistletoe or ‘bandgul’ Dendropthoe falcata var. coccinea. After careful observation, and reference to Grimmett et al. (2011), and Kazmierczack (2009), we concluded that it was an immature male of either Vigors’s Sunbird Aethopyga vigorsii, or a Crimson Sunbird A. siparaja. It was difficult to establish species of this sunbird, as there was no conclusive evidence to rule out either. The bird had a scarlet throat and breast, uniform grey underparts, and uniform grey- brown wings. We were able to take a few photographs [173] and Sonawane Prasad Pics: a short video. We noted four individuals of this species from the same locality: two immature males, and two females. During subsequent visits to the area, in the hope of spotting a male of the species, we always found immatures and females of this sunbird, sipping nectar from the mistletoe flowers. On 21 May 2017 we found an adult male on a flowering Albizia tree in 173. Immature Aethopyga sunbird. 174. Male Vigors’s Sunbird. the same locality. It was sipping nectar from its flowers. PS took several photographs of this bird [174]. It had a scarlet throat and breast mixed with fine yellow streaking, uniform grey underparts, (20.91ºN, 73.72ºE), or in Khandesh (=Jalgaon, Dhule, and and uniform grey-brown wings. Yellow streaks on scarlet throat Nandurbar Districts; Ali & Ripley 1987; Grimmett et al. 2011; and breast ruled out the Crimson Sunbird, confirming it as Vigors’s Mahajan et al. 2013; Uzagare 2013; eBird 2016; Patil 2016)— Sunbird (Ali 2002; Kazmierczack 2009; Grimmett et al. 2011). barring a mention of Khandesh in the distribution section in We monitored this Vigors’s Sunbird for four months, details of Rasmussen & Anderton (2012), for which the original record which are given in Table 1. could not be traced. The table indicates that the species is at Vigors’s Sunbird is a resident, endemic species of the least regular in the area, either as a local migrant, or more likely Western Ghats (Rahmani et al. 2013: 168). There are no explicit as a resident in this sanctuary. It is an addition to the avifauna of historical records of its presence east of Purna Wildlife Sanctuary the Satpuda Range. 136 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

Table 1. Date-wise monitoring of Vigors’s Sunbird Aethopyga vigorsii No. Date Number of birds seen Activity Other birds seen in association with Adult Immature Female Vigors’s Sunbird male male 1 26 January 2017 00 01 00 Nectaring on D. falcata coccinea Jerdon’s Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni 2 Hovering and moving restlessly 3 February 2017 00 01 00 Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis among Bamboo stands 3 10February 2017 00 02 02 Nectaring on D. f. coccinea Oriental White Eye Zosterops palpebrosus 4 19 February 2017 00 02 00 Nectaring on D. f. coccinea Oriental White Eye Z. palpebrosus, Black-lored Tit Machlolophus xanthogenys Oriental White Eye Z. palpebrosus, Black-lored Tit M. xanthogenys, Common 5 27 February 2017 00 01 00 Nectaring on D. f. coccinea Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius 6 4 March 2017 00 00 00 …………………… Oriental White Eye Z. palpebrosus, Black-lored Tit M. xanthogenys 7 19 March2017 00 00 00 ……………………. Grey-breasted prinia Prinia hodgsonii, Oriental White Eye Z. palpebrosus Jerdon’s Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni; Oriental White Eye Z. palpebrosus; 8 9 April2017 00 00 00 ……………………. Black-lored Tit M. xanthogenys 9 14 May2017 00 00 00 ……………………. Jerdon’s Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni Perched on Albizia tree and Grey-breasted Prinia P. hodgsonii; Oriental White Eye Z. palpebrosus; 10 21 May 2017 02 00 02 nectaring on its flowers Black-lored Tit M. xanthogenys

Acknowledgements &ev=Z&mr=112&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2017. [Accessed on 01 April 2017.] We are thankful to Professor Sudhakar Kurhade for his kind help in preparing this short Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., & Inskipp, T., 2011. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. 2nd ed. note. We are also thankful to Balkrishna Devre, Ravindra Sonawane, Abhay Uzagare, London: Oxford University Press & Christopher Helm. Pp. 1–528. Rajendra Nannaware, Satish Kamble, Aman Gujar, Chetan Bhavsar and Deputy Kazmierczak, K., 2009. Birds of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh Conservator of Forests, S. S. Dahiwale, Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary officials for their and the Maldives. Reprint ed. Noida, India: Om Books International. Pp. 1–352. consistent support while exploring biodiversity of Satpuda of Jalgaon District. Mahajan, A., Jaware, S., Chaudhari, U., & Kasambe, R., 2013.Avifauna of Hatnur Dam and its adjoining forest including Ordnance Factory, Varangaon, Distt. Jalgaon, References Maharashtra. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 53 (2): 19–28. Patil A., 2016. Checklist of birds of Jalgaon District. Udan Pakshimitra Sanstha, Ali, S., 2002. The book of Indian birds. 13th (Revised) ed. Mumbai: Bombay Natural Amalner, Distt-Jalgaon. History Society & Oxford University Press. Pp. i–lvii, 1–326+7. Rahmani, A., Islam, Z., Kasambe, R., & Wadatkar, J., 2013. Important bird areasof Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 1987. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan Maharashtra. Bombay Natural History Society & Oxford University Press. together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: Pp.1–174. Oxford University Press. Pp. i–xlii, 1 l., 1–737, 52 ll. Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide: e-Bird. 2016. India: http://ebird.org/ebird/india/map/wecsun1?neg=true&env. attributes and status. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian minX=38.85118750000004&env.minY=4.107454588878537&env. Institution and Lynx Edicions. Vol. 2 of 2 vols. Pp. 1–683. maxX=126.74181250000004&env.maxY=39.318917750776976&zh=true&gp=false Uzagare, A., 2013. Checklist of birds and mammals of Jalgaon District. Jalgaon.

Correspondence

Assemblages of White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus While driving c. 80 km from Nako (3625 m asl), Kinnaur erythrogastrus grandis in the Spiti Valley District, to Kaza (3800 m), c. 85 birds, including approximately ten females, were counted along the road. Later, while based During a successful snow leopard Uncia uncia safari to at Kaza, we explored the accessible parts of the snow-bound Kaza (32.37ºN, 78.13ºE) and its environs in the Spiti Valley, Spiti Valley and found the species very common in valley-bottom Himachal Pradesh, from 20 to 23 February 2017, we observed thickets/ plantations of poplar Populus sp., and willow Salix sp., large concentrations of White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus with great partiality to sea buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides erythrogastrus grandis. It is the largest redstart of upper montane thickets as has been reported earlier (Ludlow 1950; Mallon areas of the Caucasus and Central Asia, to central China, breeding 1987; Collar 2005). In one such extensive sea buckthorn thicket above the tree line on open dry, rocky or barren hillsides, and along the Spiti River, measuring c. 1200 x 500 m, close to the wintering in similar habitats at lower altitudes (Clement & Rangrik Bridge, in Spiti Valley, their concentration exceeded 300 Rose 2015). In the Indian Subcontinent it is resident, subject individuals on a daily basis, reminiscent of numbers observed to altitudinal movements, and breeds in Chitral, Gilgit, Baltistan, in winter along the floor of the Indus Valley between Tikse and Ladakh, and along the northern Himalayan slopes (sporadic on Spituk, in Ladakh, by Mallon (1987), and near Tabo (30.05ºN, southern slopes), through Kumaon, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and 78.28ºE, 3280 asl) in Spiti Valley (Singh 2003). Arunachal Pradesh (Ali & Ripley 1997). While most of the birds were confined to the berry-bearing Correspondence 137

buckthorn thickets, a few were present in and around settlements with small plantations. Some White-winged Redstart males appeared to be holding territories as they frequently drove off other males. Barely five to ten percent of the birds encountered by us in the valley were females. There were no birds on the Gramphu–Batal–Kaza road up to Khurik. On 23 February 2017 we drove up to Chhidang in Pin Valley but encountered only three to four birds. At both these sites there was an absence of sea buckthorn bushes. During an earlier visit in June 2009 HSS and SS did not encounter the species, as it is only a winter visitor to the valley. While Pfister (2004) observed that throughout the year the bird was wary and shy in Ladakh, we found it quite tame in the Spiti Valley. In adjoining Ladakh (where it is a scarce breeder), the migrating birds possibly come from Tibet (Collar 2005). A 1981 study in Tikse, Ladakh, undertaken by members of the Southampton University, recorded the passage of a large number of White-winged Redstarts during November; when they ringed 175. Hooded Pitta in Kalesar National Park, Haryana. 941 birds, and trapped another 1543 (Beaman & Porter 1983). It is very likely that the birds we found in Spiti Valley also originated in Tibet.

References Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 1997. Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Warblers to redstarts. 2nd (Hardback) ed. Delhi: (Sponsored by Bombay Natural History Society.) Oxford University Press. Vol. 8 of 10 vols. Pp. i–xiv, 1–281, 8 ll. Beaman, M., & Porter, R.,1983. Expeditions. British Birds 76: 182–185. Clement, P., & Rose, C., 2015. Robins and chats. UK: Christopher Helm. Pp. 1–688. Collar, N. J., 2005. Family Turdidae (Thrushes). In: Handbook of the birds of the world. Volume 10. Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Christie, D., (eds.). Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Vol. 10 of 16 vols.: Pp. 514–807.

Ludlow, F., 1950. The birds of Lhasa. Ibis 92 (1): 34–45. Kalsi S. Rajiv Pic: Mallon, D. P., 1987. The winter birds of Ladhak. Forktail 3 (December): 27–41. Pfister, O., 2004.Birds and mammals of Ladakh. 1st ed. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. Pp. i–xxvii, 1–361. Singh, A. P., 2003. Birds of Tabo: A lesser known cold desert in the Western Himalaya. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 100 (1): 152–154. 176. Hooded Pitta in Kalesar National Park, Haryana.

– Harkirat Singh Sangha, Somendra Singh, Sahdev Singh & C. V. Singh branch of a short sal tree a few meters from the fire-line. We Harkirat Singh Sangha, B-27, Gautam Marg, Hanuman Nagar, retreated and waited patiently, and after a few minutes the bird Jaipur 302021, Rajasthan, India. E-mail: [email protected] flew back on to the leaf litter on the fire-line and started foraging. Somendra Singh, 154, Pratap Nagar, Jaipur 302021, Rajasthan, India. A few minutes later another, similar, bird was observed flying E-mail: [email protected] across the fire-line. We observed the birds for about an hour and took photographs. The species was identified as the Hooded Sahdev Singh, Suraj Nagar West, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Pitta Pitta sordida [175, 176] as it had a dark chestnut crown on E-mail: [email protected] black head, green breast and flanks, black patch on belly, scarlet lower belly and vent, and glistening, bluish lesser-covert patch C. V. Singh, Chandralok, Saheli Marg, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. and upper tail-coverts. In flight, the birds showed black primaries E-mail: [email protected] with prominent white patches. Both the birds called repeatedly: Received: 17 April 2017. a two-noted whistle vieuw-vieuw repeated three to four times at short intervals. The same pair was observed at that location for two consecutive days. We visited the same site for a further two Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida in Kalesar National Park, subsequent days, but did not see, nor hear, the species—mainly Haryana, India due to heavy rains. On a later visit, we re-sighted it on 30 July While birding in Kalesar National Park (30.30º–30.45ºN, 2017. 77.42º–77.58ºE; 180–700 m asl), in Yamuna Nagar District, The distributional range of the Hooded Pitta extends from Haryana, on 24 June 2017, we spotted a small, stub-tailed bird India through South-east Asia to south-central China, the that flushed from the leaf litter collected on the edges of a fire- Philippines, and New Guinea (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012). line between two sections of a sal Shorea robusta forest. The The western races, excluding the races from New Guinea, are bird was subsequently spotted hiding in the scrub at the base of sometimes split as Western Hooded Pitta; to which group the a small tree. While we observed, it flew and perched on a small Indian birds belong (Erritzoe & Kirwan 2017). In India, it has been 138 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

reported as a summer visitor from Himachal up to north-eastern After identifying it as the Great RosefinchCarpodacus rubicilla, India apart from an endemic population in the Nicobar Islands I noticed some warblers in the trees opposite the building. All (Ali & Ripley 1987; Rasmussen & Anderton 2012). The nearest of them were Tickell’s Leaf Warblers, except one, which looked published records, to the present sighting, are from Uttarakhand quite different. I started taking photographs haphazardly [177]. (Mohan & Chellam 1991; Mohan 1996; Singh 2000), and But since we were in a sensitive, military area, they stopped me, Himachal Pradesh (Jones 1943). This is the first reported sighting and by the time I had convinced them, it had vanished from the of a Hooded Pitta from Haryana. five to ten trees present there. As a result, I got only four to five photos of the bird. I could not spot it when we returned from References Hanle on 06 June 2017. The bird in the photographs looked like a plain warbler with Erritzoe, J. & Kirwan, G. M., 2017. Western Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida). In: del Hoyo, brown upperparts and dull white underparts as well as very short J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A., & de Juana, E., (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (Retrieved from http://www. supercillium. I thought it was either a Garden- or a Barred Warbler hbw.com/node/57570 on 9 July 2017). Sylvia nisoria but after referring to field guides (Kazmierczak Jones, A. E., 1943. On the occurrence of the Green-breasted Pitta (Pitta cucullata 2000; Grimmett et al. 2011), the Barred Warbler was eliminated Hartl.), at Simla. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 43 (4): 658. as it lacks the following features that were present on the bird in Mohan, D., 1996. Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India. Forktail 12 (August): 19–30. the photo: stout bill, black iris, unbarred flanks and undertail, and Mohan, D., & Chellam, R., 1991. New call record of Greenbreasted Pitta Pitta sordida grey-washed neck. (P.L.S. Muller) in Dehra Dun, Uttar Pradesh. Journal of the Bombay Natural The Garden Warbler is commonly found in Europe and History Society 87 (3): 453–454. western Asia where it breeds. It spends the winter in Africa and is Singh, A. P., 2000. Birds of lower Garhwal Himalayas: Dehra Dun valley and a vagrant on the Indian Subcontinent. The only other record from neighbouring hills. Forktail 16: 101–123. the Indian Subcontinent, prior to this, was of three juvenile birds – Rajiv S. Kalsi, Suresh C. Sharma & Janak R. Choudhary that were trapped and ringed at Tikse, Ladakh on 26 September Rajiv S. Kalsi, Department of Zoology, M.L.N. College, and 09 October 1980, and 10 September 1981 by the Yamuna Nagar 135001, Haryana, India. E-mail: [email protected] Southampton University Ladakh Expeditions of 1976–1982 . It is suspected that the bird I photographed might have been from Suresh C. Sharma, Gokul Nagar, Rohtak Road, the eastern population, which is sometimes treated as a separate Sonipat 131001, Haryana, India. subspecies, woodwardi, since it breeds in eastern Europe and E-mail: [email protected] temperate Asia, eastwards to western Siberia, and is more likely to pass through Ladakh on passage. Janak R. Choudhary, Janak Hospital, Opposite Dimple Cineplex, Yamuna Nagar Road, Jagadhari 135003, Haryana, India. I thank Abhinav Choudhary for his prompt re-confirmation, E-mail: [email protected] and Nitu Sethi for asking Martin to ID the bird. I also thank Krys K. for his inputs on the subspecies of the bird. I am grateful to Praveen J. for helping with the manuscript. Garden Warbler Sylvia borin in Hanle, Ladakh On a birding trip to Ladakh and Srinagar, with my family, I saw References and photographed a Garden Warbler Sylvia borin at Loma check Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., & Inskipp, T., 2011. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. 2nd ed. post (33.17°N, 78.82°E), enroute Hanle from Chusul on 04 June London: Oxford University Press & Christopher Helm. Pp. 1–528. Delany, S., Garbutt, D., Williams, C., Sulston, C., Norton, J., & Denby, C., 2014. The 2017 at 1325 hrs. The lone bird was seen in the company of Southampton University Ladakh Expeditions 1976–1982: Full details of nine Tickell’s Leaf Warblers Phylloscopus affinis on an unidentified species previously unrecorded in India and four second records. Indian BIRDS plant. 9 (1): 1–13. The driver had to stop the car at the check post for registration. Kazmierczak, K., 2000. A field guide to the birds of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, We were in the car and I noticed a species of finch on the top Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. 1st ed. London: Pica Press / Christopher of the office. So, I leisurely took out the camera to identify it. Helm. Pp. 1–352.

– Ritvik Singh House Number 9, Sector-40, Gurgaon, Haryana, India. E-mail: [email protected]

An abberant Rusty-fronted Barwing Actinodura egertoni from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India At 0647 hrs on 12 May 2017, as part of a long-term project on monitoring bird population dynamics using mist netting and bird ringing, in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, we captured a Rusty-fronted Barwing Actinodura egertoni (27.07°N, 92.40°E; 2030 m asl). Surprisingly, this individual had a white eye ring surrounding each eye [178], unlike any Rusty-fronted Barwing we have observed, or captured, over the last seven years of bird population monitoring in the area. We had first captured, and Ritvik Singh 177. Garden Warbler in Hanle. ringed, this individual on 07 April 2012 (Bombay Natural History Correspondence 139

Society ring number AB172076), when we did not record—or of other feathers, eyes, skin, and beak, which is likely the result of failed to notice—a white eye ring. The orbital skin of this species a genetic mutation (Guay et al. 2012). is described as being “grey-green” (Collar & Robson 2007), and no description of this species in the literature mentions an eye Acknowledgements ring (Ali & Ripley 1987; Collar & Robson 2007; Grimmett et al. 2011; Rasmussen & Anderton 2012). In all other respects, the We thank the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department for permission to conduct this study, and for their continued support of this project. We thank the Bombay Natural appearance of this individual barwing was consistent with the History Society for providing bird rings, and the National Centre for Biological Sciences, description of Rusty-fronted Barwing, including the ‘diagnostic dark and the International Foundation for Science for financial support. chestnut forehead, face and chin’ (Rasmussen & Anderton 2012), lacking in all other barwing species (Collar & Robson 2007). Of the seven species of found globally (Collar & References Robson 2007), only two species have prominent white eye- Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 1987. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan rings. These are the Spectacled Barwing A. ramsayi, and the together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: Black-crowned Barwing A. sodangorum, both of which are (a) Oxford University Press. Pp. i–xlii, 1 l., 1–737, 52 ll. Collar, N. J., & Robson, C., 2007. Family Timaliidae (Babblers). In: Handbook of the birds morphologically very different from the Rusty-fronted Barwing, of the world. Volume 12. Picathartes to tits and chickadees. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & and (b) occupy ranges very distant from the eastern Himalayas— Christie, D., (eds.). Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Vol. 12 of 16 vols. Pp. 70–291. in southern China, Vitenam, Laos, Cambodia, and Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., & Inskipp, T., 2011. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. 2nd ed. (Collar & Robson 2007) London: Oxford University Press & Christopher Helm. Pp. 1–528. Morphological variation can be high within barwing species. Guay, P.-J., Potvin, D. A., & Robinson, R. W., 2012. Abberations in plumage colouration in Different races of the same species do show morphological birds. Australian Field Ornithology 29: 23–30. differences in different parts of their geographical range (Collar & Hayes, F. E., Baker, W. S., & Beaman, K. S., 1985. Abnormal yellow eye ring on a Tropical Robson 2007). The Rusty-fronted Barwing has four races (egertoni, Kingbird. Wilson Bulletin 97 (3): 395–396. Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide. 2nd ed. lewisi, khasiana, and ripponi), each of which occupies a different Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. 2 vols. geographical area, and differs in plumage details from each other. Pp. 1–378; 1–683. However, none has been described as having eye rings. For many species, eye rings are often diagnostic, and it is surprising to find – Bharat Tamang, Dinesh Subba, Dambar Kumar Pradhan, an eye ring in an individual from a species that lacks this feature. Mangal Rai, Shambu Rai, Vikram Rai & Umesh Srinivasan Unlike one other reported case from South America, where an Bharat Tamang, Dambaer Kumar Pradhan, Mangal Rai, Shambu Rai & Vikram Rai, individual Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus had a bright Village Ramalingam, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 760116, India. yellow eye-ring on only the right side of the head (Hayes et al. Dinesh Subba, Village Tsering Pam, West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh 760116, India. 1985), the barwing we report had a white eye-ring around both eyes. This suggests a case of leucism, in which a bird can show a Umesh Srinivasan, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, ‘varying proportion of white feathers’, but with normal colouration Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08540, United States. E-mail: [email protected] [Corresponding author.] Shambu RaiShambu 178. Rusty-fronted Barwing with a white eye ring. 140 Indian BIRDS Vol. 13 No. 5 (Publ. 16 October 2017)

ought to be based on solid evidence that conclusively eliminates Letter to the Editor all potential confusion species so that it is not challenged in future. – Rajah Jayapal Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti missing in E-mail: [email protected] – Praveen J. the ‘India Checklist’ E-mail: [email protected] The Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti is now known to be a regular winter visitor to north-eastern India. I thought I As regards the newtoni subspecies of the Lemon-rumped found a new species for the country (Praveen et al. 2016) when Warbler P. chloronotus, the present situation is relatively easy to I recorded its call in Saiha (22.49°N, 92.97°E), Mizoram, on 16 answer. Since a good number of years ‘newtoni’ is regarded as February 2015 (Vercruysse 2015). However, team leaders from a junior of nominate P. chloronotus. The type locality Birdquest had apparently found it before me, in Namdapha of newtoni is Darjeeling; that of chloronotus is Nepal. So all recent (Robson 2012; Jännes 2014), and the Mishmi Hills (Robson authors do not consider newtoni any longer, as I did (Martens 2012) in Arunachal Pradesh. Though I did not have a recording 2010). But this does not resolve the actual skin collection with me in the field, for comparison, I am familiar with the call problem. All these skins from north-eastern India may indeed of this species from South-east Asia. I heard them at Shirui Peak either belong to P. chloronotus or P. forresti and I feel the new (25.11°N, 94.43°E), Manipur, during 19–24 January 2015; records of forresti in India are quite correct. According to my own and in Murlen (23.66°N, 93.28°E), and Phawngpui (22.65°N, field research in China, P. forresti breeds, at least, in south-eastern 92.99°E) national parks in Mizoram during 08–18 February Yunnan down to the Gaoligong Mountains close to the Myanmar 2015. It took me some time to see a bird call and record one. border. So in the Indian parts close to that area, breeding birds Field descriptions won’t be of much use, I’m afraid, as they look may well be forresti, and certainly so the wintering birds. The just like “the others”, especially in worn plumage. eastern area limit of P. chloronotus in the Indian Himalayas is still unknown, another local problem that may be easily resolved by Indian birders by getting new song recordings and/or fresh tissue samples for molecular genetic sequencing.

– Jochen Martens E-mail: [email protected]

References Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 1987. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan Recordist: Edward Vercryusse together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: Fig. 1. Sonogram of Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Mizoram. Source: Xeno Canto #346297. Oxford University Press. Pp. i–xlii, 1 l., 1–737, 52 ll. Alström, P., 2017. Lemon-rumped Leaf-warbler (Phylloscopus chloronotus). In: del – Edward Vercruysse Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A., & de Juana, E., (eds.). Handbook E-mail: [email protected] of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. [Retrieved from http:// www.hbw.com/node/58881 on 3 August 2017.] Responses Boesman, P., 2016. Notes on the vocalizations of Lemon-rumped Leaf-warbler We agree with you that all the ‘unconfirmed reports’ of the (Phylloscopus chloronotus). HBW Alive Ornithological Note 248. In: Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Website URL: http://www. Lemon-rumped/Pallas’s Leaf Warbler from extreme north-eastern hbw.com/node/932245 [Accessed on 30 September 2016]. India could be the Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti; Dickinson, E. C., & Christidis, L., (eds.) 2014. The Howard and Moore complete a recent split from P. proregulus/P. chloronotus (also accepted checklist of the birds of the world: 2. Passerines. 4th ed. Eastbourne, UK: Aves in Dickinson & Christidis 2014 as Forrest’s Leaf Warbler). The Press. Vol. 2 of 2 vols. Pp. i–lii, 1–752. Sichuan Leaf Warbler has not been formally reported from Jännes, H., 2014. Assam & The Northeast Frontier: Trip Report Website URL: http:// India till now, except in the trip reports you have quoted. As www.birdquest-tours.com/pdfs/report/INDIA%20-NORTHEAST-%20REP%20 per Rasmussen & Anderton (2012), and Alström (2017), the 14-ebook.pdf [Accessed on 03 August 2017]. Lemon-rumped Warbler P. chloronotus is found in north-eastern Martens, J. 2010. Systematic notes on Asian birds: 72. A preliminary review of the leaf warbler genera Phylloscopus and Seicercus. British Ornithological Club India. The subspecies ‘newtoni’, recognised by Ali & Ripley (1987), Occassional Publication 5:41–116. is considered a junior synonym and is said to occur in the entire Martens, J., 2010. Systematic notes on Asian birds 2010: 72. A preliminary review of the north-eastern India, summering in Arunachal and wintering in leaf warbler genera Phylloscopus and Seicercus. In: Systematic notes on Asian the hills of north-eastern India. There are many specimens from birds 2010. Exploring the taxonomy and nomenclature of the birds of a broadly Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram attributed to the defined Oriental Realm. Numbers 68–76 (A continuation of the Leiden series). Lemon-rumped Warbler (http://portal.vertnet.org/search?q=Phyl Wells, D. R., (ed.). United Kingdom: British Ornithologists’ Club. 5: 41–116. loscopus+proregulus+country:%22India%22). Praveen J., Jayapal, R. & Pittie, A. 2016. A checklist of the birds of India. Indian BIRDS. We are not suggesting that the ID of the sonogram is wrong— 11: (5&6) 113–172A. Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide: field in fact, it matches well with the ones depicted for the Sichuan guide. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Leaf Warbler in Martens (2011), and Boesman (2016). We are Edicions. Vol. 1 of 2 vols. Pp. 1–378. only worried that the story is incomplete without explaining the Robson, C., 2012. Assam & The Northeast Frontier: Trip Report Website URL: https:// status of ‘newtoni’ birds, which are documented as the standard www.birdquest-tours.com/pdfs/report/INDIA%20-ASSAM-%20REP%2012-ebook. Lemon-rumped Warblers in north-eastern India (Ali & Ripley pdf [Accessed on 3 August 2017]. 1987; Alström 2017; Rasmussen & Anderton 2012). We are Vercruysse, E., 2015. Website URL: http://www.xeno-canto.org/346297 [Accessed on 03 sure you would agree with us that any ‘first for the country’ report August 2017]. Snapshot sightings 140A

Black-tailed Crake from Darjeeling, West Bengal Snapshot sightings Saswat Mishra

Barred Warbler at Pangong Tso, Ladakh Joydev Pathak

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On 06 May 2017, an adult Black-tailed Crake Zapornia bicolor was seen along with two young birds at Mirik Lake (26.89°N, 88.18°N), 179 Darjeeling, West Bengal. I left the spot quickly as the adult seemed very alert but I took a photograph of a young bird. This is probably On the morning of 20 June 2017, at 0712 hrs, a Barred Warbler the first breeding record of this species from the state. Curruca nisoria was photographed at Spangmik (33.91°N, 78.46°E) at the western edge of Pangong Tso Lake, Ladakh. Saswat Mishra, C/2, Govt. Polytechnic College Campus, Karad D.P, Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Though it has already been recorded four times from Ladakh, Haveli (U.T.) 396240, India. E-mail: [email protected] the last report was in 1983, and this is the first photograph of a free, wild bird. Other records were of birds that were either shot Jungle Bush Quail from Faridabad, Haryana or trapped (Delany et al. 2014). Mohit Mehta & Piyush Dogra Joydev Pathak, #1, N. N. Muherjee 2nd Lane, Uttarpara, Hooghly 712258, West Bengal, India. E-mail: [email protected]

White-naped Tit from Servarayan hills, Tamil Nadu Gokul Vadivel

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On 21 April 2017, we photographed a covey of eight Jungle Bush Quails Perdicula asiatica in the Mangar Forest Farm House area (28.36°N, 77.17°E), Faridabad, Haryana. The species is a very rare resident in the Delhi NCR and this is probably the first photograph for the region (Harvey et al. 2006).

Mohit Mehta, H. No. 95, First Floor, Sector 17-A, Defence Colony, Gurgaon 122001, India. 180 E-mail: [email protected] Piyush Dogra, H. No. 1134, 2nd Floor, Sector 17-B, Gurgaon 122001, India. On 17 June 2017, at 1736 hrs, while I was on a birding trip exploring a new area at the foothills of Yercaud, (11.78°N, References 78.11°E), Servarayan Hills, Tamil Nadu, I heard a pleasant call, which was new to me, from a nearby tree. On checking out, it Ali, S., & Whistler, H., 1942. The birds of Mysore. Part I. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 43 (2): 130–147. turned out to be a White-naped Tit Parus nuchalis. Though it has Delany, S., Garbutt, D., Williams, C., Sulston, C., Norton, J., & Denby, C., 2014. The been collected once from Satyamangala (Ali & Whistler 1942), Southampton University Ladakh Expeditions 1976–1982: Full details of nine and occurs close to the state border, in Cauvery WLS, Karnataka species previously unrecorded in India and four second records. Indian BIRDS 9 (Sadananda et al. 2010), this appears to be the first photographic (1): 1–13. record from the state. Harvey, B., Devasar, N., & Grewal, B., 2006. Atlas of the birds of Delhi and Haryana. 1st ed. New Delhi: Rupa & Co. Pp. 1–352. Gokul Vadivel, 5/9 Quarters, Kandarkulamanickam, Sankari, Sadananda, K. B., Tanuja, D. H., Sahana, M., Girija, T., Sharath, A., Vishwanath, M. K., Salem 637504, Tamil Nadu, India. & Shivaprakash, A., 2010. Observations on the White-naped Tit Parus nuchalis in E-mail: [email protected] Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka. Indian Birds 6 (1): 12–14. For private circulation only.

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