120 Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) Arunachal Pradesh, India: an ornithological diary from December 2005
Rishad Naoroji & Harkirat Singh Sangha
Naoroji, R. & Sangha, H.S. 2006. Arunachal Pradesh, India: An ornithological diary from December 2005. Indian Birds 2 (5): 120–131. Rishad Naoroji, Godrej Bhavan, 5th Floor, 4A Home Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001, India. Email: [email protected] Harkirat Singh Sangha, B-27 Gautam Marg, Hanuman Nagar, Jaipur 302021, Rajasthan, India. Email: [email protected]
Objectives 11:00 hrs: Brunch at Moying. Before Mossing saw Black The state of Arunachal Pradesh (India) is extremely rich in Bulbul and Black-backed Forktail. Otherwise only Spotted bird life being located at the intersection of the Palaearctic, Forktail. Mehboob saw a Brown Dipper. Along Niggong River Indo-Malayan and Indian subcontinent regions. Its near Mossing village—Plumbeous Redstart, Little Forktail, extraordinary avian diversity requires more intensive study. Bronzed Drongo. Most interesting birding areas are remote, ornithologically Onward to Migging and thence to Tuting: saw Barking unexplored and difficult to get to. Logistics pose a major Deer (Red-brown type) en route. Reach Tuting at night. problem. The terrain is very steep and birds are difficult to Hospitality with 17 Kumaon Battalion. spot through dense vegetation. 11.xii.2005: Tuting at a standstill due to the Siang Festival. We visited the Siang Valley up to Mouling National Park Rahul Gandhi flagged off the International Rafting in February 2004 and to Gelling during December 2005. Our competition from Tuting to Pasighat (after a 40-minute objectives were to survey the altitudinal status and ceremony and speech). Due to the festival, porters not ready distribution of birds along the Siang Valley, in and around to go to Gelling tomorrow, so will have to stay an extra day. Gelling up to the Line of Control (LOC); also western At the food stalls, squirrels and bats were on the menu under Arunachal. Our team consisted of Rishad Naoroji, Harkirat ‘Arunachal cuisine’. One old lady had a huge flowing Singh Sangha, Mehboob Alam and Tsering Norboo. headdress of matted grass studded with squirrels, two fish Over a decade, we plan to survey birds throughout the and 15 Rufous-necked Hornbill casques and bills (see back- entire state of Arunachal Pradesh, including its major river cover for photograph)—and the locals complain that there valleys. Each area will need to be visited at least thrice during are no more hornbills left to hunt! Today in Arunachal different seasons. The following is an extract from a diary hornbills are seen as artwork only on state roadways buses. that RN kept during the December 2005 survey. Scientific Pheasants and large birds are noticeably absent. names have not been inserted in the body of the text to Saw a Grey-backed Shrike, which was calling incessantly. maintain fluidity of the narrative. A checklist with Latin Harkirat saw a Common Snipe flying past at dusk. names, covering both our visits over consecutive years, is 12.xii.2005: Saw quite a few passerines but no large birds provided as an Appendix. nor raptors. 6.xii.2005: Landed at Guwahati and proceeded to 11:25 hrs: Warm sun. Two pale, less rufous marked, Kaziranga. Night halt at Kohora. Dinner with Niranjan Kumar Common Buzzard—japonicus. Vasu (Field Director). Morning birds: White Wagtail, Little Forktail, Rufous- 7.xii.2005: Dibrugarh. bellied Flycatcher, Silver-eared [Leiothrix] Mesia, Red- 8.xii.2005: Leave Dibrugarh at 08:00 hrs and reach Orium whiskered Bulbul, Jungle / Large-billed Crow, Large Niltava, Ghat 17:00 hrs. No time to buy provisions. Another Forktail-Slaty-backed ?, Yellow-[bellied] Fantail- Among other birds such as innumerable Brahminy Duck, Flycatcher, White-throated [Fantail-]Flycatcher, Plumbeous Large Cormorants and a few Pallas’s Gulls, the most notable Redstart, Daurian Redstart, Rufous-necked Laughingthrush. sighting was of five Common Crane at 15:00 hrs at Silone Harkirat off to Jiddu village across the [Siang] river. Saw Sapre. One Osprey seen. Green-backed Tit, Common Stonechat—przewalskii, 7–8 White- 9.xii.2005: Pasighat—supplies. Afternoon to Tuting. Got rumped Munias, Common Kestrel female over army campus. dark early so spent the night at Boling in a room provided by 13.xii.2005: Tuting to Bona via Kapu by army jeep. From Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Bona to Gelling on foot. Red-vented Bulbul, Scarlet Minivet, 10.xii.2005: Left for Tuting at 05:00 hrs. The Siang is a Brown Dipper on stream before final climb. Also single Black spectacular sight before dawn, throughout the hills. Clouds Baza, Grey Treepie, Red-billed Leiothrix [Chestnut-throated], attracted to the river settle close along its surface following its Black-eared Shrike-Babbler and Himalayan Whistling- every contour and forming a misty replica of the river snaking Thrush. Final climb very steep. Glad when it was over. Gelling its way through the deeply carved river gorge. Then as the is a small village with a few Adis and resident Monpas sun warms up the area by 07:30–07:45 hrs, the clouds rise, (Buddhists). The inspection bungalow (IB) very cozy and enveloping the surroundings in mist, which soon dissipates. clean. Night temperature in the room 9°C. Altitude 1,100 m, A mesmerizing, pre-dawn sight. Before Riga village saw a not really high; Point 2,073 m (along the LOC) one of the Common Buzzard. Riga youths have given their village a highest foothill peaks around Gelling. bad reputation for stopping vehicles, hiding behind masks 14.xii.2005: By 05:00 hrs, quite bright. In the morning and intimidating passengers for cash, mainly at night. Soon Harkirat spotted Rufous-breasted Accentor. Tsering and I saw another Common Buzzard and a Common Kestrel. visited the Gompa (Buddhist monastery). The Siang, and to Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) 121 the south-east, snow covered hills on east bank clearly visible. in the form of cigarette packets, almost-empty beer cans, soft These high hills were visible and photographed from Mouling drink bottles and packets of biscuits labelled both in Chinese National Park two years ago. Below the hills an area called and English. This to ‘show’ their presence. Today was their Menchoka, where an army camp exists; worth visiting as day of patrolling. The Indians do the same. Take the Chinese Blyth’s Tragopan reported and well worth checking out for ‘artifacts’ and replace them with their own to ‘demonstrate’ raptors. their presence. 13:00 hrs: Scanning the slopes, Tsering spotted two Black From the stupa, the return was even more harrowing. Eagles over the ridge of Point 2,073 m. Later we saw a third Hardly a track and steeper. Nettles lined the track and we and then a fourth. had to in many places link hands for support. Tsering was 14:50 hrs: From IB later saw a Common Buzzard— invaluable, carrying both camera bags and assisting me down japonicus—soaring over the same slopes north of the IB. the very narrow sloping track. One slip and a fall down the Walking in the town, see everyone very active, performing slope would have resulted in some injury. If I had to work in their daily chores. Arunachalis have taken to speaking this area, in a few weeks I too would become more sure footed Hindi—so it seems, unlike other north-eastern states that like the ITBP lads. speak it out of compulsion. Hindi film music blares as I walk The Chinese patrol on well maintained tracks, very easy down the main and only road down to the helipad. to walk on. They even patrol on horses. ITBP and the army Plenty of Red-vented Bulbuls in the ‘jhumed’, degraded have not bothered to even make or improve the natural trails areas. available in the forest used by the local Tsanglas for 15:30 hrs: Harkirat and Mehboob gone off birding in the generations. The walk turned out to be a three-and-a-half hour morning after breakfast. Not yet back. Waiting eagerly for difficult trek. news—hopefully many new species. Each day getting colder. Night temperature around 4°C. Harkirat’s observations: Near IB—Rufous-breasted 16.xii.2005: 07:30 hrs: An Accipiter sp. near the IB. Against Accentor, Green-backed Tit. After breakfast, harvested field— the light, facing away from us, but could make out dark brown [Brown-eared] Ashy Bulbul, Great Barbet (Himalayan), back and upperparts thinly edged white; dark head and nape unidentified falcon, White-naped Yuhina, Black-throated and jutting from the sides pure white visible extremities of Sunbird, Yellow-bellied Fantail-Flycatcher, Red-tailed Minla, the under tail-coverts. Hopefully we will see it again. Most unidentified duck, Dusky Warbler. likely a Shikra. 15.xii.2005: Sun rises above the high ridges bathing Gelling 08:45 hrs: Common Buzzard japonicus (same individual in warm ‘movement activating’ sunshine. Below the IB, as yesterday) observed soaring over the area. The only corvid Gelling village and the deep gorge-river visible only if we here is the Jungle Crow. Too low for Choughs. One Common climb higher on the opposite ridge behind Gelling. Today we Kestrel. go to Kepang La Right Pass overlooking Tibet. Only an hour- 14:50 hrs: Single Black Eagle quarters the ridge above IB. and-a-half’s trek, we were told. A large group of Green-backed Tits in the bamboo clump 09:00 hrs: Common Buzzard japonicus takes the thermals adjoining the IB where they roost. over the slopes and river valley and then perches. Breakfast Harkirat’s observations in forests below Gelling on Bona and ready for Kepang La Pass. Feeling good and eating well. road: Black-throated Sunbird, Common White-eye, Grey- Unlike in Mumbai, very hungry and large meals digested backed Shrike, Jungle Crow, [Yellow-naped] Whiskered quickly. Yuhina, White-bellied Yuhina, Small Niltava, Bronzed 11:45 hrs: Common Buzzard juvenile. Tail and wings finely Drongo, [Black-browed] Collared Treepie, Black Bulbul, streaked. Darkish dusky (not as prominent as in adult) trailing [Brown-eared] Ashy Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Fantail- edge to secondaries and pale-ish head. Harkirat saw one Flycatcher, Chestnut-headed Tesia, White-spectacled juvenile Himalayan Griffon. [Flycatcher] Warbler, Green Magpie, Whistling-Thrush, both The going was especially tough when we crossed a stretch Greater and Lesser Necklaced Thrushes, [Red-headed] Black- of logged huge trees (at least 25–30 m) and had to negotiate throated Tit, Nepal [Tit-Babbler] Fulvetta, Asian Barred over and through them at a steep incline through the Owlet. secondary growth. Unlike the western and central Himalaya, Very cold at night though height comparatively less due the available tracks used by locals go straight up; the shortest to proximity to Tibetan Plateau. route. No meandering track to ease the climb. We went up to 17.xii.2005: Daurian Redstart in scrub near IB. Common the LOC at Kepang La and looked down into Tibet / China. Tailor Bird near IB. List of non-raptorial birds: Red Junglefowl reported by Rufous-necked Thrush uttered harsh, grating calls, very Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans. Must be very few different from normal calls. due to severe hunting pressure as we didn’t see or hear any. Common Kestrel–a single individual seen everyday. Great Barbet, Blue-throated Barbet, Chestnut-crowned 11:30 hrs: Harkirat gone down with Mehboob to the forest [Flycatcher] Warbler, [Black spotted Yellow] Yellow-cheeked to seek out new birds. Saw [Beavan’s Prinia] Rufescent Tit, Chestnut-headed Tesia. Heard but couldn’t see or identify Prinias. I’ve decided to walk to the forest edge beyond ITBP obvious calls of Laughingthrushes. camp to watch for soaring raptors. While cresting the ridge The return was harrowing, steeply straight down and no above the Gompa—see the same Accipiter. Appears to be either track. Slipping, sliding with nothing to hold on to. Also the Shikra or Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Just got a glimpse, not eternal fear of the problematic knees giving way. Made our enough to confirm identity; under parts very pale with wing way west to a stone chorten where Chinese offerings observed markings hardly discernable. 122 Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) Higher foothill summit ridges covered with Larch Larix hill opposite the IB. The other quarters the LOC slope. A few griffithiana. days ago two pairs were observed on the LOC ridge. One 12:30 hrs: At ITBP camp—a single Black Eagle quarters pair probably breeds on the Tibetan side. the ridge. Tsering, and later, the others descend. Tomorrow Tuting. 12:40 hrs: Immature Bonelli’s Eagle quarters the slope. On way and on Point 2073 Harkirat saw: [Common] Hill Dusky Warbler. Partridge (new), Green Magpie, Striated Bulbul (new), [Bar- 18.xii.2005: Dusky Warbler. throated] Chestnut-tailed Minla (new), Rufous-vented 11:00 hrs: At ITBP camp to observe soaring raptors. Pair Yuhina (new), Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (new) race of Accipiters soars overhead. One, largish, appears to be cinnamoventris, [Austen’s] Streaked-throated Barwing (new), female Sparrowhawk. Long tail and white under tail-coverts Crimson-breasted [Pied] Woodpecker (new). clearly visible. At long range underbody appears white, 20.xii.2005: Women porters barged in at 06:00 hrs to take reflecting light. Common Buzzard japonicus (pale type) flies the luggage. We were not packed and were still in bed. Two overhead. coffees later I was invigorated and packed and dressed in 12:30 hrs: Then the Accipiter pair soars over the ridge. record time. The women were eager to move (rightly so) as Harkirat’s observations: Little Grebe, [Red-headed] they had to get back to Gelling. Left at 08:00 hrs and after Black-throated Tit, Nepal [Tit-Babbler] Fulvetta, Black Eagle, four hours of walking reached the road-head beyond Bona Rufous-faced [Flycatcher] Warbler (new), Grey-[headed] where the army vehicles were waiting. Reached Tuting at hooded [Flycatcher] Warbler (new), Chestnut-headed Tesia, 13:00 hr. Between Gelling to Bona saw Common Kestrel, [Rufous-bellied] Mountain Bulbul (new), [Black-browed] Common Buzzard—japonicus, Black Eagle near Bona, Lesser Collared Treepie, Grey-throated Babbler (new), Yellow- Racket-tailed Drongo, [Black-browed] Collared Tree Pie, bellied Fantail-Flycatcher, [Streaked] Striated Black Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul in a field, [Lloyd’s] Laughingthrush, [Brown-eared] Ashy Bulbul, Silver-eared Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler (approximately seven birds [Leiothrix] Mesia, White-naped Yuhina (new), [Pied] feeding on or digging out insects on wild banana stems; a Barwinged Flycatcher-Shrike (new), Collared Owlet (new) spectacular sighting even for a raptor aficionado), [Gold- spotted after alarm calls of Black-throated Sunbird directed headed] Golden Babbler, White-naped Yuhina, [Yellow- at it, Common Rosefinch (new). naped] Whiskered Yuhina, White-throated Fantail- 19.xii.2005: Early morning Harkirat, Tsering, and Flycatcher (nominate race), Chestnut-headed Tesia, Grey- Mehboob off to Point 2073. Tsering has taken my 400 mm [headed] hooded [Flycatcher] Warbler, Plumbeous Redstart, lens to take photos (close-up) of Tibet, Namche Barwa and Green-backed Tit, White Wagtail, Black-throated Sunbird. Gyala Peri. After reaching Kepang La (c 1, 425 m) they turned At Bona photographed a hunter with a freshly killed right and walked along the ridge line (c 1, 600 m) leading to Himalayan Palm Civet (see backcover for photograph). Point 2073; the track being the McMahon Line. After crossing Everything that walks or flies is snared or shot. We observed an extensive ringal (bamboo) covered area (c 1,850 m) they many people carrying guns. reached Point 2073. It was extremely cold due to very strong Night halt Tuting. winds blowing south from the Tibetan Plateau; even holding 21.xii.2005: To Along. Extremely misty. Mist cleared only binoculars was uncomfortable. They took shots of the two by 13:00 hrs. Five Black Eagles seen totally. One Eurasian peaks about 40 km away and Chinese Battalion Sparrowhawk, Plumbeous Redstart, Slaty-backed Forktail, Headquarters below. There were many birds to watch but White-capped Water Redstart, Brown Dipper, Bronzed they could stay only half an hour as the jawan escorting Drongo, Common Kestrel, Spotted Forktail. them did not allow them to stay longer. A good decision, as Two years ago at Mouling National Park, we had Indian and Chinese patrols come face to face on this track. regularly observed two pairs of Crested Serpent-eagles in In fact the day we left Tuting for the plains, Brigadier Rai February. On this trip not a single sighting of the species informed us at Along that Indian and Chinese patrols came throughout the Siang valley, possibly indicating some face to face on this very track. On way to ITBP camp I left the seasonal movement. main track and took a side trail that I thought to be a short 22.xii.2005: Along to Silapather via Likabali. Heavy mist cut. Ended up on a very steep track going vertically straight again. After breakfast a very interesting half hour visit with up to Point 2073. I knew I was on the wrong track and our host, Brigadier Rai. He promised us logistics for a visit shouted to the ITBP camp which I could see. I carried on till to the Subansiri valley next year. The journey was overcast I reached the tree line (bottom half ‘jhumed’) where the till 14:00 hrs but a much better drive than traveling along Liaison Officer was waiting for me and guided me back on a the south bank from Dibrugarh to Tezpur. After leaving foot wide path (which I would have missed) to the camp. On Along our first halt was at Ego and while our driver lunched the track I happened to look up and saw a juvenile Mountain we watched birds on the river. A shop / smelting unit at Hawk-Eagle circling low above me. Light excellent and if Ego was making / selling Daos (Kukri-like knife carried by the camera had not been sent to Point 2073, I would have nearly every one). Daos of different sizes and quality were got excellent identification pictures. Every detail visible, available at prices ranging from Rs 100/- to Rs 1,200/-. including the dark cheeks. Habitat interesting with mix of ‘jhumed’ and original forest. 12:45 hrs: Black Eagle pair performs a spectacular A pleasant six–hour drive produced: Himalayan Swiftlets undulating display; half in India, half in Tibet / China. The over Along, Red-vented and Whiskered Bulbuls, Streaked courtship of this species has commenced. One individual Spiderhunter. flies straight from LOC ridge across the Siang Valley to the 13:30 hrs: Two Black Eagles. Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) 123 13:00 hrs: One adult Rufous-bellied Eagle, Common a position on 1B Ridge when the Chinese attacked in 1962. Kestrel (relatively common), Bronzed Drongo, Scarlet For his gallantry and leadership he was awarded the Param Minivet, Grey-back Shrike, Brown Dipper at Ego, Slaty- Vir Chakra. backed and Spotted Forktails. 26.xii.2005: Early start for Nameri. Throughout the Along the route good views of the Brahmaputra from journey Blue Whistling Thrushes very common. In the certain high points. Night halt circuit house in N. valley below Tawang saw 8–9 Spotted Nutcrackers on Chir Lakhimpur. Pine feeding on cone nuts at Depustrik. Black-faced 23.xii.2005: Lakhimpur to Eco Camp¯Nameri. Buffer zone Laughingthrush just after passing Jaswant Garh on the (important elephant corridor W to E) deforested and planted ascent to Sela Pass. Before reaching top of Sela Pass flock of with mustard. Politics are the bane of habitat protection and Spot-winged Rosefinch at 3,750 m. One splendid male and the Assam government did not take a firm step in favour of two females. Five to six White-throated Redstarts including conservation. At Borolli River, Pallas’s and juvenile one male. Just before Bomdila a Mountain Hawk-Eagle. Peregrine. Rafters have had good sightings of as many as Habitat around Bomdila heavily degraded. Rest of the five to eight Ibisbill while rafting down from Bhalukpong to journey uneventful. Reach Eco Camp at 20:00 hrs. bend of river nearest to Eco Camp. 27.xii.2005: 09:45 hrs: Nameri National Park. At the Other birds seen around Eco Camp: Brown-capped Potasali Rest House. Not disappointed. Adult Peregrine on Woodpecker, Hill Myna, Lineated and Blue-throated Barbets look-out on the topmost branches of a very tall Bhelo tree. among others. Many years ago in a single day saw Changeable Hawk- 24.xii.2005: Up at 04:00 hrs, left Eco Camp at 05:15 hrs Eagle, Peregrine, Black Eagle, Pallas’s, Crested Serpent Eagle for the long haul to Tawang which we reached at 17:40 hrs. and Rufous-bellied Eagle perched on and in flight around The road between Bomdila and Dirang mostly devoid of this tree. natural vegetation (‘jhumed’ or plantations)¯no birds and 10:45 hrs: Peregrine takes off purposefully in level flight no scenic value; very monotonous. Saw three Common across the river and out of view after circling high for 5–7 Buzzards and one being mobbed high on the Sela Pass 4,152 minutes. m by as many as 10–15 Jungle Crows. One Common Kestrel 11:45 hrs: No soaring raptors or calls. Even the common observed hunting on the way up to the pass. No Choughs Crested Serpent Eagle and Oriental Honey-buzzard not seen seen. Sela Pass barren, high and forbidding. Very little bird or heard. No wintering Himalayan Griffon or Slender-billed life. Sela Pass frozen and also the lake at the beginning of Vultures. the downward stretch. Very, very, very, cold. No other 15:30 hrs Leave by early afternoon as nothing of interest. raptors seen and extremely few birds. Stopped at Jaswant 28.xii.2005: Harkirat and Mehboob went rafting down Garh. A temple commemorating Jaswant Singh of Garhwal Bhoroli to see the Ibisbill. Saw four Ibisbill soon after they Rifles stands here. In 1962 the site witnessed bloody action. started at 08:05 hrs. Also saw Plumbeous Redstart, White- A cordoned off area adjacent to the temple contains the capped Water Redstart, Crested Serpent-eagle, Common buried remains of 100 Chinese who died fighting. At Tawang Mergansers—8, Mallard—2, Greenshank—2, Green enjoying the hospitality of the 190 Mountain Brigade. Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Greater and Little Surprisingly, at this altitude, no Choughs¯only Jungle Cormorants. Crows. At Eco Camp in the morning before rafting: four Greater 25.xii.2005: Very cold at night, “4°C. Next morning visited Flamebacks, one Daurian Redstart female, two Oriental Tawang Gompa. Not as impressive as I thought it to be. At Honey-buzzards soon after leaving Eco Camp. one time the Tawang area was covered with pristine deodar Drive from Eco Camp. Up to 13 miles at least four forests. Only a remnant good patch of forest around the Common Stonechats indicating forests have now Gompa where we saw: Jungle Crow performing aerial disappeared. aerobatics similar to Choughs, Black-faced Laughingthrush, White-throated Laughingthrush, [Cinnamon Tree] Russet Acknowledgements Sparrow¯altitude record. Chief of Army Staff Gen. J.J. Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC On way to Bum La (where invading Chinese first entered for his continued interest and assistance for our projects; Arunachal). While gaining altitude could see Sela Pass on Brigadier M.M.S. Rai, Cdr., 5 Mountain Brigade, C/o 99 APO the opposite side of the valley. White-throated Redstart, for his much appreciated hospitality; Gen. R.P.S. Malhan, Common Buzzard – japonicus on the plateau 4,000 m, Alpine YSM, SM, Additional Director General Staff Duties for Accentor. infrastructural support at Tawang; Colonel Prakash Tewari, Very interesting Tundra-like habitat on the plateau. Director, Policy (Ecology) Environment & Ecology Cell, Completely frozen-zero or in the minus even in the strong Land, Works & Environment Dte organized permissions, sun. The numerous lakes frozen with some dare-devil infrastructure support and advised accordingly; Major R.K. tourists walking on them at their own risk. Like Sela Anuj, 17 Kumaon, C/o 99 APO provided logistic support at Pass¯jagged rocky peaks (not mountains) up to 6,061 m. Tuting; ITBP at Gelling were extremely hospitable and Bleak and forbidding. Could actually feel the altitude helpful; Ranesh Roy, Joint Camp Director from Eco Camp; slightly, but not as much as Ladakh. A large flock of Manjul Barua for hospitality and logistics in 2004; Arun [Hodgson’s] Plain Mountain Finch (40-50 birds) just before Kumar Roy organized logistics from Guwahati in 2005. Bum La. A gurdwara visited by army personnel stands here. Tsering Nurboo and Mehboob Alam Hussain’s field At the pass, a platoon of 1st Sikh under Joginder Singh held assistance was invaluable. 124 Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006)
Table 1. Birds recorded in West Siang and West Kameng districts, Arunachal Pradesh-February 2004 & December 2005.
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass
1 Little Grebe Waterbody Dompo 1 Three birds. A recent record from Tachybaptus ruficollis in F Cho, G Mehao (Katti et al. 1992)
2 Little Cormorant R Kameng R, 1 Phalacrocorax niger Tura
3 Black Baza Fe G 1 One in the evening. Namdapha Aviceda leuphotes record (Birand & Pawar 2004)
4 Oriental Degraded F PG 1 Honey-Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus
5 Himalayan Griffon F Kepang La, 1 One juvenile. New record for Gyps himalayensis G Arunachal Pradesh
6 Crested Serpent-Eagle F T 1 Spilornis cheela
CO 7 Common Buzzard Fe/OAs/C G SP Bona 4 Buteo b. japonicus T TA
Up to 4 in a day at G. CO 8 Black Eagle F G Bona 4 Ictinaetus malayensis Along
One seen regularly along 9 Bonelli’s Eagle F G 1 Hieraaetus fasciatus McMahon Line
Between PG & Moying 10 Booted Eagle Degraded F 65 Mile 1 H. pennatus area
11 Rufous-bellied Eagle F with Near 1 H. kienerii pockets of C Along
12 Mountain Hawk-Eagle Degraded hill Near 1 Spizaetus nipalensis F Bomdila Fairly CO 13 Common Kestrel J hillsides / C G Bona 4 Falco tinnunculus T
Heard frequently 14 Common Hill-Partridge F hills G _ Arborophila torqueola
Reported by ITBP soldiers 15 Red Junglefowl F G _ Gallus gallus
Seen in flight 16 Common Snipe - T 1 Gallinago gallinago
17 Pin-tailed Green-Pigeon F MNP 1 Treron apicauda Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) 125
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass
18 Spotted Scops-Owl F MNP - Regularly heard at night. Otus spilocephalus
19 Collared Owlet F G 1 Mobbed in the day by Black- Glaucidium brodiei throated Sunbird
20 Asian Barred Owlet Sec F G, T PG 2 G. cuculoides
21 Himalayan Swiftlet F hillside Along, 1 c. 35 Collocalia brevirostris F MNP 1
22 Small Blue Kingfisher R Ego 1 Alcedo atthis
23 Great Barbet F G Bona, 4 Megalaima virens T BP
24 Lineated Barbet F G 1 M. lineata
25 Blue-throated Barbet F G 1 M. asiatica
26 Fulvous-breasted Pied F MNP 1 Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei
27 Crimson-breasted Pied Moist F G 1 Woodpecker D. cathpharius
28 White Wagtail Grassy areas T Along 4 Quite CO at T & G helipad Motacilla alba around army G camp
29 Yellow Wagtail As above T 4 As above M. flava
30 Oriental Tree Pipit OA/C Bona 1 Anthus hodgsoni
31 Scarlet Minivet F G BP, 2 Pericrocotus flammeus F MNP
32 Pied Flycatcher-Shrike F G 3 Hemipus picatus F MNP
33 Red-whiskered Bulbul J areas / Sec G 2 Pycnonotus jocosus F. F T MNP 126 Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006)
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass
34 Red-vented Bulbul Sec F / J area G Along, 4 P. cafer / scrub. PG. F T MNP 4
35 White-throated Bulbul F G MNP 1 Alophoixus flaveolus F
36 Brown-eared Bulbul F G 2 Hemixos flavala MNP 1
37 Rufous-bellied Bulbul F G 2 Hypsipetes mcclellandii
38 Black Bulbul Mature F / J G Near 3 H. leucocephalus areas Boling
39 Orange-bellied F G Bona, 2 Chloropsis MNP 2 Chloropsis hardwickii F
40 Asian Fairy-Bluebird F G 1 Irena puella
41 Grey-backed Shrike C/scrub T BP 4 Lanius tephronotus
42 Brown Dipper S G Ego 2 Snow covered area with pockets Cinclus pallasii of exposed cliffs & scree slopes
43 Alpine Accentor [See last Klemta 1 Prunella collaris column] (near BL)
44 Rufous-breasted Scrub G 1 Accentor P. strophiata
45 Blue Whistling-Thrush F, near water G TA Bona 4 Myophonus caeruleus F T PG, MNP 3
46 Oriental Magpie-Robin Sec F / PG 2 Copsychus saularis garden
47 White-throated Alpine scrub Ptso near 2 Bomdilla & Mayodia (Singh Redstart open F TA & SP 1994) Phoenicurus schisticeps
48 Daurian Redstart Sec F, G 3 P. auroreus scrub, C F MNP 2
49 White-capped Redstart R/S Ego 1 Chaimarrornis leucocephalus Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) 127
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass 50 Plumbeous Redstart R/S G Ego 3 Rhyacornis fuliginosus Mossing
51 Little Forktail Rocky torrent T Mossing 2 Enicurus scouleri
52 Black-backed Forktail R in moist F Mossing 1 E. immaculatus
53 Slaty-backed Forktail S Ego 1 E. schistaceus
54 Spotted Forktail F S PG–T road 4 CO throughout journey along E. maculatus F MNP 3 Brahmaputra (Siang) River.
55 Common Stonechat Scrub/grassy G 2 Saxicola torquata area T przewalskii
56 Grey Bushchat F MNP 3 S. ferrea
57 White-throated Light F on TA 1 Laughingthrush slope Garrulax albogularis
58 Lesser Necklaced F/bamboo G MNP 3 Laughingthrush G. monileger F 2
59 Greater Necklaced As above G MNP 3 Laughingthrush F G. pectorlis 2
60 Striated F Dirang 1 Laughingthrush G. striatus
61 Rufous-necked Scrub, Fe G 3 Laughingthrush T G. ruficollis
62 Black-faced Light F/ 2 Laughingthrush shrubs TA SP G. affinis
63 Red-faced Liocichla Degraded F Near 1 Liocichla phoenicea area Moying
64 Coral-billed Scimitar F Near Bona 1 Seven birds Babbler Pomatorhinus ferruginosus 128 Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006)
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass
65 Gold-headed Babbler F under- G 2 Stachyris chrysaea growth F MNP 2
66 Grey-throated Babbler S. As above G 2 nigriceps
67 Rufous-bellied Shrike- Degraded F Near 1 Babbler area Moying Pteruthius rufiventer
68 Silver-eared Leiothrix F G Bona, 2 Leiothrix argentauris F MNP 2
69 Red-billed Leiothrix F/C G 1 L. lutea
70 Cutia Degraded F Near 1 Cutia nipalensis area Moying
71 Chestnut-throated F G 2 Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius melanotis
72 Rusty-fronted Barwing Sec F G 3 Actinodura egertoni
73 Austen’s Barwing F G 3 A. waldeni
74 Bar-throated Minla F G 3 Minla strigula T
75 Red-tailed Minla F G MNP 4 M. ignotincta F T 4
76 Nepal Tit-Babbler F under- G MNP 3 Alcippe nipalensis growth F 3
77 Striated Yuhina F MNP 2 Yuhina castaniceps
78 White-naped Yuhina F/Sec growth G MNP 3 This restricted range species was Y. bakeri F 2 not uncommon in G
79 Yellow-naped Yuhina F / Sec G MNP 3 Y. flavicollis growth. F T 3
80 White-bellied Yuhina F / Sec G MNP 1 Y. zantholeuca growth. F Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) 129
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass
81 Beavan’s Prinia Harvested G 1 Seven birds near G Prinia rufescens paddy field, grassy area at Fe
82 Chestnut-headed Tesia Under- G Tesia castaneocoronata growth T F MNP 4
83 Brown-flanked Bush- Scrub G 3 Fairly CO at G & T Warbler Cettia fortipes T
84 Common Tailorbird Scrub / C G 2 Orthotomus sutorius
85 Dusky Warbler Scrub G 2 Itanagar (Singh 1994) Phylloscopus fuscatus
86 Gold-spectacled F under- G 3 Flycatcher-Warbler growth Seicercus burkii
87 Grey-headed F G 3 Flycatcher-Warbler F MNP S. xanthoschistos 2
88 White-spectacled F G 3 Flycatcher-Warbler S. affinis F MNP 2
89 Grey-cheeked F MNP 2 Flycatcher-Warbler S. poliogenys
90 Chestnut-crowned F G 1 Flycatcher-Warbler S. castaniceps F MNP 1
91 Rufous-faced F MNP 1 Flycatcher-Warbler Abroscopus albogularis
92 Small Niltava F G 1 Niltava macgrigoriae understorey
93 Rufous-bellied Niltava Sec growth T 2 N. sundara
94 Yellow-bellied F G 4 Very common Fantail-Flycatcher Rhipidura hypoxantha F 3 MNP 130 Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006)
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass
95 White-throated Sec F T 3 Fantail-Flycatcher R. albicollis F MNP 2
96 Red-headed Tit F / Sec F G 3 Aegithalos concinnus
97 Rufous-fronted Tit F / Sec G 1 A. iouschistos growth
98 Great Tit F MNP 1 Parus major
99 Green-backed Tit Sec F / scrub G MNP 4 P. monticolus As above 2
100 Black-spotted Yellow Sec F / C G MNP 2 Tit P. spilonotus F 2
101 Chestnut-bellied F G 2 Nuthatch Sitta castanea cinnamoventris F MNP 1
102 White-tailed Nuthatch Mossy F Area 1 2,000 m. S. himalayensis around 2073, G 103 Bar-tailed Tree-creeper F G 2 Certhia himalayana
104 Green-tailed Sunbird F MNP 3 Aethopyga nipalensis
105 Black-throated Sunbird F/ G 4 A. saturata Sec F T
106 Streaked Spiderhunter F BP 1 Archnothera magna
107 Oriental White-eye F / Sec F G BP 4 Zosterops palpebrosus F T PG, 4 MNP 108 Hodgson’s Grassy / 1 Mountain-Finch stony ground BL Leucosticte nemoricola
109 Common Rosefinch Scrub / C G 3 Only one or two records from Carpodacus erythrinus Arunachal Pradesh (Singh 1994)
110 Spot-winged Rosefinch Dwarf 2 Earlier recorded from Mayodia C. rodopeplus rhododen- SP (Singh 1994) dron / shrubbery Indian Birds Vol. 2 No. 5 (September–October 2006) 131
S.No. Species Habitat Gelling, Tawang Other sites No. Comments Tuting Bum La Sela Pass
111 White-rumped Munia Scrub / T Jiddu 2 Recorded only from Mouling Lonchura striata grassy area village, (Birand & Pawar 2004). T. Fe MNP 1
112 Cinnamon Tree Village / C 1 Sparrow Passer rutilans TA
113 Eurasian Tree Sparrow Village / C Bona, bet- 3 Recorded from Yingkiong P. montanus ween T & G (Newton 2002)
114 Black Drongo F MNP 3 Dicrurus macrocercus
115 Bronzed Drongo F / Sec G BP 3 D. aeneus F T
116 Lesser Racket-tailed F/ Fe G Bona, 2 Drongo D. remifer F MNP 2
117 Common Green Magpie F Kepang Cissa chinensis La. MNP 2 F G 118 Grey Treepie Dendrocitta Fe / C G 3 formosae T
119 Black-browed Treepie F G MNP 2 D. frontalis F 2
120 Spotted Nutcraker Light Depustrik 1 Between TA & SP Nucifraga caryocatactes F & C
121 Large-billed Crow Human G TA Bona 4 10+ soaring above SP Corvus [macrorhynchos] habitations/ T SP along japonensis Also barren PG OA
Abundance ranking (Nos): 1=one, 2=two–three, 3=four–ten, Sec=Secondary. 4=ten+. SP=Sela Pass. TA=Tawang. Abbreviations T=Tuting. BL=Bum La. BP=Brahmaputra Point. C=Cultivation. CO=Common. References F= Forest. Birand, A. & Pawar, S. 2004. An ornithological survey in north- Fe=Forest edge. east India. Forktail 20: 15–24. G=Gelling. Katti, M., Singh, P., Manjrekar, N., Sharma, D. & Mukherjee, S. J=Jhumed. 1992. An ornithological survey in eastern Arunachal Pradesh. MNP=Mouling National Park. Forktail 7: 75–89. No=Number of sightings. Newton, P.N. 2002. Bird records from the Siang River valley, OA=Open area/s. Arunachal Pradesh, India. Forktail 18: 156–157. R=River. Singh, P. 1994. Recent bird records from Arunachal Pradesh. S=Stream. Forktail 10: 65–104.