NeBIO I www.nebio.in I December 2019 I 10(4): 188-190

SHORT COMMUNICATION Recent sightings of the Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea) from , with a note on its distribution in Central

Hiren J. Patel1*, Keyur H. Naria2 and Hitesh M. Ameta3 1,3Division of Avian Biology and Wildlife Biology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara- 390002, Gujarat, . 2School of Science, Navrachana University, Vadodara- 391410, Gujarat, India. Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we report the recent sightings of the Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea) from new locations in . Further, as the population trend of the species is decreasing owing to habitat loss and degradation, understanding its current distribution and abundance is necessary. Thus we also try to understand the current distribution of the species in Central Gujarat.

KEYWORDS: Watercock, Sighting, Reeds, Gujarat.

Introduction be found in varied habitats such as reedy swamps, inundated Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea) is a summer visitor to N. , paddy fields and sugarcane cultivation, canals, ponds, ditches along base of Himalayas and in W. Gangetic Plain to Assam with emergent vegetation and rush-bordered channels (Ali and Valley; probably resident in E. Gangetic Plain, lower parts of S. Ripley, 1980); (Grimmett et al., 2011); (Rasmussen and Anderton, Assam hills, widespread in Bangladesh, Maldives (or summer 2012). They generally stay singly or in pairs and are largely visitor only), , and Andamans (Common; South at least). crepuscular, keeping to cover during daytime and emerging Although the species is widespread throughout the peninsular vigilantly into open to feed in the early mornings and evenings, or region but is scarce and most likely breeds only locally; sight cloudy, overcast and drizzly weather (Ali and Ripley, 1980). The reports C. Nicobars (Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, 2011); nesting season of watercock coincides with S.W Monsoon i.e. (Rasmussen and Anderton, 2012). It is mainly resident to well- May to September (Rasmussen and Anderton, 2012). inundated areas and migrates widely during the monsoon (Ali and Ripley, 1980). In Gujarat, it is an uncommon to rare monsoon On 16 June 2017, when the weather was partly cloudy, we were migrant, and a record exists from all over the state (Ganpule, birding at Mahi River near Kotna village (22.357 °N, 73.05 °E) 2016); but Parasharya et al., (2004) state it as a resident breeding near Vadodara City, Gujarat. While walking on the rocky shore of . the river, at 10:08 hrs we saw one crake-like bird foraging in the swampy area. We took some photographs and on closer Owing to its extremely large range and decreasing population observation, through binoculars, we could identify it as a male trend this species has been listed as Least Concern in The IUCN Watercock as it had a prominent black plumage with a bright red Red List of Threatened Species (Birdlife International, 2016). It can fleshy ‘horn’ above the crown and bright red legs and eyes (Figure

Received 8 October 2019 I Accepted 10 December 2019 I Published online 27 December 2019

Citation: Hiren J. Patel, Keyur H. Naria and Hitesh M. Ameta. 2019. Recent sightings of the Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea) from Vadodara, with a note on its distribution in Central Gujarat. NeBIO 10(4): 188-190.

Copyright © Patel et al. 2019. NECEER, Imphal allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.

NeBIO, An International Journal of Environment and Biodiversity Official publication of North East Centre for Environmental Education (NECEER), Imphal I ISSN 2278-2281 (Online), 0976-3597 (Print) I www.nebio.in

Patel et al » Recent sightings of the Watercock from Vadodara, with a note on its distribution in Central Gujarat NeBIO 10(4): 188-190

Figure 1. Male Watercock foraging in the swampy areas of Mahi River near Kotna Village.

forums such as eBird and Oriental Bird Images (OBI) are considered (Table 1).

Figure 2. Male Watercock foraging near the reeds at Timbi Irrigation Reservoir.

1). This being a new species to the area, an extensive search was initiated in the following days and literature as well as ‘eBird’ Figure 3. Map showing historical record and recent sightings of data for the area was surveyed. We also surveyed possible Watercock in Vadodara. habitats at four different sites i.e. Timbi Irrigation Reservoir, Reservoir, Wadhwana Irrigation Reservoir and Mahi River at Although the historical record of the species exists from Vadodara Kotna village for the presence of watercock. Timbi Irrigation (Littledale 1890), there are no recent reports as Ali (1954), Padate, Reservoir and Wadhwana Irrigation Reservoir provide irrigation Sapna and Devkar, (2001) and Ganpule (2016) haven’t report the water to the agricultural fields in the surrounding area while Ajwa species from Vadodara. Moreover, Vyas (2018) reports the species Reservoir provides drinking water to the Vadodara city. In Mahi near Vadodara but we have sighted the species before him and River at Kotna village, the water gets stored because of check- were surveying all the possible habitats for the presence of dam forming a swampy habitat. All these wetland harbours Watercock. The species is also regularly reported from the aquatic plants such as Ipomoea aquatica, Vallisnaria spiralis, Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary near Ahmedabad, Pariej Lake and Typha angustata, Typha latifolia, Saccharum spontaneum, Hydrilla Kheda (Table 1). Further, it is a common summer visitor in the verticillata, Nympoides sp. and Sedges (Cyperaceae family). We well-irrigated areas of and Surat districts (Patel, 2015), observe the Watercock at Mahi River near Kotna village (Figure 1), and breeds here (Patel, 2017). Being a widely spread species in all Timbi Irrigation Reservoir (Figure 2) and Wadhwana Irrigation over Gujarat, it is still unclear whether it a breeding migrant or it Reservoir. Although the habitat was available at Ajwa Reservoir, is also a winter visitor to Gujarat (Mashru, 2017). we could not find any individual. Moreover, for understanding the current distribution of the Watercock, sightings of the present In Vadodara, the species has been sighted several times, thus its study (Figure 3), records from literature (Pittie 2019) and online occurrence in this region can be considered as rare to uncommon.

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Table 1. Records of Watercock in Central Gujarat Sr. No. Date Location Watercock Observers Source Male Female 1 25/09/1890 Harni in Vadodara 1 Littledale Littledale (1890) 2 28/10/2014 Outskirts of 1 VP and PM OBC website Ahmedabad 3 13/07/2015 NBS 4 BR eBird 4 20/08/2016 NBS 1 DS eBird 5 16/10/2016 Pariej Lake 1 DS eBird 6 16/06/2017 MR 1 HP and KN Present Paper 7 19/08/2017 TIR 2 DHS, AC, KS and TS eBird 8 20/09/2017 TIR 1 HP Present Paper 9 29/09/2017 TIR 1 HP Present Paper 10 17/06/2018 MR 1 HP and KN Present Paper 11 25/06/2018 MR 1 HP and KN Present Paper 12 10/07/2018 TIR 1 HP and HA Present Paper 13 23/07/2018 WIR 1 HP Present Paper 14 17/08/2018 NBS 6 SM eBird 15 18/08/2018 NBS 1 VP eBird 16 23/08/2018 TIR 1 DG eBird 17 28/10/2018 TIR 1 HP Present Paper 18 24/11/2018 WIR 1 DV, AM and KU eBird 19 04/07/2019 Kheda 1 Soar Excursions Facebook 20 06/07/2019 TIR 1 DS eBird 21 14/09/2019 TIR 1 HP Present Paper AC - Anup Chavda, AM - Ashok Mashru, BR - Bharat Rughani, DG - Divyesh Ghervada, DHS - Dhyey Shah, DS - Dakshina Sudhir, DV - Dhaval Vargiya, HA - Hitesh Ameta, HP - Hiren Patel, KN - Keyur Naria, KS - Ketan Shah, KU - Kartikbhai Upadhyay, MR - Mahi River at Kotna Village, NBS - Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary, PM - Pankaj Maheria, SM - Saswat Mishra, TIR - Timbi Irrigation Reservoir, TS - Trupti Shah, VP - Viral Pankaj and WIR - Wadhwana Irrigation Reservoir.

This being the recent sighting from different locations of Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C. and Inskipp, T. 2011. of the Indian Vadodara district, it adds to the knowledge of its distribution in Subcontinent (Second edition). Oxford University Press and the State. Owing to continued habitat loss and degradation Christopher helm, London. (BirdLife International, 2016) the species is under threats, hence Littledale, H. 1890. The Bengal Water Cock (Gallicrex cristatus) we request the birdwatchers of Central Gujarat to search for first observed in Guzerat. Journal of the Bombay Natural watercocks in well-irrigated areas, which will help to find out its History Society 5 (4): 416. distribution and abundance for the future conservation of the Mashru, A. 2017. Records of Watercocks in Gujarat. Flamingo 15 species. (1): 17–19. Padate, G. S., Sapna, S. and Devkar, R. V. 2001. Status of birds in References Vadodara District (Central Gujarat).Pavo 39: 83–94. Ali, S. 1954. The birds of Gujarat – Part I. Journal of the Bombay Parasharya, B. M., Borad, C. K. and Rank, D. N. 2004. A checklist Natural History Society 52 (2): 374–458. of the birds of Gujarat. Bird Conservation Society, Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. 1980. Handbook of the birds of India and Gujarat.Pp.26. Pakistan: together with those of Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Patel, A. C. 2017. Breeding of Watercock near Surat. Flamingo 15 Ceylon. Vol. 2, Megapodes to Crab Plover: synopsis nos. 225– (3): 18. 434, colour plates 19-31. Oxford University Press. Patel, J. H. 2015. Notes on Watercock in Dist. Bharuch (South BirdLife International. 2016. Gallicrex cinerea. The IUCN Red List Gujarat). Flamingo 13 (3): 4–7. of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22692789A93369824. Pittie, A. 2019. Bibliography of South Asian Ornithology. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016- http://www.southasiaornith.in. Accessed on 13 August 2019. 3.RLTS.T22692789A93369824.en. Downloaded on 23 August Rasmussen, P. C. and Anderton, J. C. 2012. Birds of South . 2019. The Ripley Guide. Vols. 1 & 2. Second Edition, National Ganpule, P. 2016. The Birds of Gujarat: Status and Distribution, Museum of Natural History - Smithsonian Institution, Flamingo, Newsletter for Bird Conservation Society of Michigan State University, Lynx Edicions, Washington D.C., Gujarat, Gujarat. Vol. VIII 3 - XII 4. Michigan and Barcelona. Vyas, V. 2018. Watercock near Vadodara. Flamingo 16 (3): 22.

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