50 Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 3 (May-June 2005)

Editorial he latest book on Indian birds is Birds biodiversity, this also means that our Anand Prasad updates the distribution Tof South Asia: The Ripley guide, a twin- conservation efforts have to be redoubled, records of some species in the Pune area volume set authored by Pamela C. for these ‘additional’ species will give rise (Maharashtra). Rasmussen and John C. Anderton—the to their own categories of abundance or, Our website, www.indianbirds.in is now culmination of several years’ work. It deals rarity, e.g., Endangered, Critical, etc., and functional. All issues of the precursor of with the birds of Afghanistan, Pakistan, then there is the special responsibility we Indian Birds, “Newsletter for India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma (Myanmar), have towards endemics. This might also add Ornithologists”, have been placed on it and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and the some new Important Bird Areas to the list can be viewed / downloaded. The first issue Chagos Archipelago. While bouquets, already drawn up by Islam et al. (2004). of Indian Birds is also available for viewing brickbats and reviews will follow in the Whether one accepts the taxonomic / downloading. In future we intend to upload months to come (the Internet’s mailing lists changes or not, it would do us all good to entire issues only when they are at least 12 are already buzzing), what should concern look more closely at all birds and try and months old. Visitors will be able to see the us immediately is the fact that this work understand their relationships with each “contents” of every issue and one or two proposes well over 100 splits within the other better. papers from each will be fully accessible as region, besides several other changes in the This issue of Indian Birds carries an samples. avian taxonomy of South Asia. This means exclusive article by Pamela Rasmussen, the Subscribers, who wish to receive their that there are now more ‘good’ species, as lead author of the Birds of South Asia on copies as attachments to email, whether due taxonomists like to call them, more unique how she wrote the book. Otto Pfister, author to considerations of space or in support of life-forms, within the geographical limits of of Birds and mammals of Ladakh writes on a “Green” world, should write to me this region. Species being indicators of a recent trip to that forbidding land and specifying so. - Aasheesh Pittie

On producing Birds of South Asia Pamela C. Rasmussen Michigan State University Museum and Department of Zoology, East Lansing, MI 48824-1045, U. S. A. Email: [email protected]

hen asked by Aasheesh Pittie if I included hiring John Anderton as art problem. We had an ever-changing cast of Wwould write an account of my director and principal illustrator. Dr Ripley volunteers working on a database of experiences in preparing Birds of South Asia: was to be the first author of the book, with relevant entries from other field guides that the Ripley Guide (Rasmussen and Anderton any other authors to be determined. But we would then use to compile the text. Bharat 2005), the idea appealed to me immediately. I then Bruce moved on to another job, and I Bhushan worked on producing an early felt this would provide a very different forum was hired as his replacement. By the time I version of the facing page notes. Soon, than the introduction to the book, in which was hired, Bruce and John had realized that however, it became evident that there was space was at a premium and only the most illustrating all the birds of the region was massive disagreement among sources in a important information could be included. such a huge job that they had contracted great many cases, so this approach seemed The following is not intended to be additional artists, including Cynthia House, more and more problematic and much less complete, but it should provide a picture of Thomas Schultz, Albert Gilbert, Jonathan than scientific, since it seemed impossible the process. Here a caveat is in order—this Alderfer, and N. John Schmitt. For his part, to know which source was correct in cases is by no means a “how-to” article! John Anderton had already spent several of conflict. Even as a kid, I had always been interested months in most of the hotspots of the Indian From the start, Dr Ripley’s health was in birds and bird books. After finishing my Subcontinent, including Sikkim, Nepal, Sri poor; sometimes he could make it into the Ph.D., I began working for S. Dillon Ripley Lanka, and the Western Ghats. John spent office but he could only spend short periods at the Smithsonian Institution (National every day in the field observing and there. After about my first year on the job, Museum of Natural History, USNM), and I sketching birds, and John’s highly he suffered what was to be his terminal was excited by the idea of participating in evocative field sketches truly captured the decline in health, which ultimately led to his the preparation of a field guide to the Indian essence of each species in a minimum of being unable to participate in the project. Subcontinent, even though I had never yet pen strokes (yes, pen, not pencil!). By the This very unfortunate state of affairs meant been to Asia. Of course, for obvious reasons time I started, John had completed several that we were not able to benefit much from writers of field guides usually have years of plates, and Al Gilbert had finished all his, his years of field experience, and doubtless experience in the areas they are covering, so I could already see it was going to be a the project would have turned out very so I was determined to make up for this deficit great book. Although this was John differently and been completed much more by doing as much fieldwork as possible in Anderton’s first book project, he is a natural, efficiently had things been otherwise in this southern Asia. The book project was the fluent artist. To start with, I had the idea respect. Continuing funding from his office, idea of my predecessor, Dr Bruce Beehler, in that putting the text together would be however, made it possible to carry on the collaboration with Dr Ripley, and Bruce had mostly compilation—I remember telling work, which would otherwise have been already made the necessary arrangements people that the hard part would be getting completely impossible. The book was in its to get the project off the ground, which the plates done, and the rest would be no late stages when Dr Ripley passed away, Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 3 (May-June 2005) 51 and he was never able to participate in its retiree, Ted Rivinus, but not long after that with black-and-white patterns that appeared production, so the subtitle bears his name Ted was tragically killed in a car crash. Now, sufficiently distinct from one another and (by agreement between the Smithsonian and of course, good numbers of photos of most that would hold up in publication of maps Ripley’s surviving family) instead of him species are readily available digitally and only about an inch square, and we never being an author. can just be Googled, but this was unheard did find a really satisfactory solution. We Early on in the project, I came to the of in the early to mid-1990s. Later in the also had huge problems constructing the conclusion that there were problems with project, I realized that I needed a maps, as we didn’t then have a proper the original design—for instance, vagrants comprehensive and accessible digital photo database of bird localities, nor yet a working were excluded, and the Andamans and collection of specimens for purposes of knowledge of many of the geographic Nicobars were not covered. Also, as I began checking text and plates, so whenever I names. We were in the tedious process of to understand variation among birds of the worked on specimens I photographed them preparing a database from literature Indian Subcontinent, the more I realized that as well. localities, but we had no way of verifying many more plumages and races would need From the start of the project the the accuracy of many of these, and then to be illustrated than had been planned, illustrations of nearly all plumages had been (mercifully, I now believe) the whole making the number of planned plates based on specimens. First, we inventoried database was lost while I was on my second inadequate. Additionally, we learned that a relevant specimens in the collection of the trip to Myanmar. The database hadn’t been field guide to the region was under National Museum of Natural History backed up for a long time and I couldn’t see production by another team, Richard (justifiably, we couldn’t borrow unique redoing it, since I had little faith in many of Grimmett and Tim and Carol Inskipp. Early material or more than half of the holdings of the records anyway. Brian McPhelim spent negotiations to try and combine the two any taxon or sex). During this process we much time producing base maps, which were projects failed because a lot of effort made decisions about which plumages and then computerized in Adobe Illustrator, (including plates) had already been races needed illustration, but it wasn’t long which at that time was very far from a user- duplicated, and anyway our publisher (at before it became obvious that, for the sake friendly program. Later we decided that a that time) was convinced that there was room of completeness, much work would have to professional map artist was needed, so we in the market for two guides to the region. be done at other museums. At the USNM contract Britt Griswold for this huge job. Especially given the competition, I felt that we assembled specimen loans as needed, A few years into the project, it became a key to success would be to produce a which were processed by divisional staff clear that we had to speed up plate comprehensive and accurate guide to the and sent off to the artists, each of whom production, and we had the very good region. I also decided that we should include had pest-proof specimen storage facilities. fortune to be able to enlist the services of Afghanistan in the book’s coverage, But it seemed that just as a plate was Ian Lewington, Hilary Burn, and Larry because it shares many of the Indian completed, I would find specimens (at some McQueen, among others. These artists, Subcontinent’s taxa and because it was not other museum that we had been unaware widely recognized as among the best bird covered by any previous field guide. So we of) that had important racial/age/sex artists in the world, lived up to their billing proceeded in planning and review of plates, distinctions and that more illustrations were in their work for us. All have very different although the pace of plate production was really needed for completeness. However, styles but all are able to produce beautiful, painfully slow due largely to the fact that this was well before large-scale digital accurate work, even for birds they haven’t some of the artists were still busy with other recomposition was feasible, and so we often seen in the field. It also became clear that projects. had the artists insert additional figures into the advice of experts was needed for As I reviewed plates, I was hampered by spaces between birds, but in many cases particularly difficult groups, and so we the extreme scarcity of reliable reference this was impossible. In a few cases this enlisted the services of (among others) material, particularly photographs for the resulted in the repainting of a plate to William Clark for raptors, Per Alström for birds of the region, even the most common accommodate many more figures. warblers, larks and motacillids, and Craig ones. This led me to start a regional bird Eventually we convinced the press to allow Robson for babblers. photo file, of color xeroxes, clippings, us to have more (104) color plates, and we As opportunities arose, I began to do photos sent by collaborators, specimen planned some black-and-white plates in more work at other museums, particularly photos, etc. which soon became really addition. All this of course meant more the American Museum of Natural History, extensive and then unmanageably large. For planning and more contract paperwork. It’s The Natural History Museum in Tring, UK each plate, I would assemble all relevant amazing how much work it is just to do this (BMNH); the Field Museum of Natural photographs (this was in the dim days before kind of background work on plates, even if History (FMNH); the University of the digital revolution, when color xeroxes you aren’t the artist! Of course the artists Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ); were state-of-the-art) and send them to the have much the hardest job to do, and that Yale Peabody Museum; the Bombay Natural artist, and then I would again use the photos which requires great skill, knowledge and History Society (BNHS); and others with and specimens to review the accuracy of inspiration. substantial Indian Subcontinent bird each plate. Also, for a while Guy Tudor Early in the project we were limited to specimen holdings. To fill in gaps we ended helpfully sent photos to the artists from his having black-and-white maps that would be up borrowing a great many specimens from huge collection, until my file became grouped in the back of the book. Of course other museums, which helped immensely. complete enough. Eventually I couldn’t we realized that this was not optimal, but In addition, the more time I spent at BMNH keep up with filing the new photo publication costs meant it was the only way. the more I realized how essential work in acquisitions so I assigned this to a volunteer We had a great deal of trouble coming up this collection would be in doing an 52 Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 3 (May-June 2005) adequate job with the book. This is due not Rasmussen 1998). some 14 or so boxes which contained files only to the huge Indian Subcontinent Thus began a massive project with Robert from the preparation of the Handbook. collection at BMNH, with material of almost to ground-truth the Asian bird collection These turned out to be the mother lode of all taxa from nearly all areas, but also to the of Richard Meinertzhagen. This work could distributional and other information that had fact that many of the type specimens, much only be done in the collection of the BMNH, formed the backbone of the Handbook, important published material, and many and it kept expanding as we realized more augmented by more recent material as well. archival and obscure library resources are and more the scope and importance of the They were the archived scrapbooks and lodged there. frauds. Not only did we find that a great point maps of the late Hugh Whistler and One day, Nigel Collar was visiting many (probably thousands) of Claude Ticehurst, who had been the Washington DC and was working in the bird Meinertzhagen’s specimens are stolen and acknowledged experts on Indian collection. I had recently read Alan Knox’s fraudulently labeled, but we continued to Subcontinent birds before their premature (1993) paper in which he alleged that the locate important regional records, such as deaths one year apart in the early 1940s. famous collector Col. Richard the only winter regional records, the only They had been preparing a major work Meinertzhagen had stolen redpoll Acanthis breeding records, the only Afghan records, together on the region’s birds, which was specimens and relabelled them with false the highest elevation records, odd food and still a long way from completion, but they data. This bothered me greatly because I behavioral records, etc. for certain taxa. For had at least gathered the existing references had noticed that quite a few species and example, Meinertzhagen’s collection together and created maps for most species strongly marked subspecies were recorded contained the only specimens of Coral- (except waterbirds, birds of Sri Lanka, and from the region only on the basis of billed Scimitar-babbler Pomatorhinus those of the Andamans and Nicobars). The Meinertzhagen’s specimens. So I just ferruginosus from above 2400m, and these boxes had been archived long before, so I happened to mention to Nigel that I was were labeled as being from 3500 and 3800m had not known of their existence. Anyway, concerned about the Meinertzhagen in November! He had a specimen of Kashmir it was immediately obvious that these boxes records, and needed to decide whether I Flycatcher Ficedula subrubra from contained the material that would allow us should have these taxa illustrated or not. To Uttaranchal in June, when all members of to produce good maps, and to track my surprise, Nigel said that indeed he was the species should be in and around references on many other details of species’ on a committee formed by the British Kashmir. He had the only Himalayan winter life histories, etc. By this time I had lost faith Ornithologists’ Union to evaluate the records of Ferruginous Flycatcher in many recent records because of the lack veracity of Meinertzhagen’s specimens, as Muscicapa ferruginea and Large Blue of verifiability and traceability, and it seemed this matter was of great concern due to the Flycatcher Cyornis magnirostris; after to me that the older literature (once one got size and importance of his collection at The discounting his specimens, it became clear the hang of the old names) was more Natural History Museum. He also said that that these species both vacate the region verifiable because the writers usually had I should contact the other committee in winter. On examination, almost all of these specimens, often held at the BMNH, to back member, Dr Robert Prys-Jones, Head of the pivotal records turned out to be fraudulent up their claims. So I arranged to have all the Bird Group at the BMNH, in advance of my (Rasmussen and Anderton 2005; contents of the boxes xeroxed, a huge job upcoming trip there so we could try to Rasmussen and Prys-Jones MS), as did carried out by Brian McPhelim, and I then evaluate the relevant Indian bird specimens. many mundane, unimportant specimens as organized them all taxonomically. These I did so, and on that trip Robert and I were well. Conversely, we found that some of were then heavily used in preparing the texts able to establish (by finding preparation Meinertzhagen’s very important specimens and maps, although of course they carry style matches to series collected by earlier are almost certainly genuine, such as his some risk of error and misinterpretation, and workers from which specimens were type series of Afghan Snowfinch they are undeniably dated. For example, the missing) that several of Meinertzhagen’s Pyrgilauda theresae (Rasmussen and Prys- points on the map were based on literature unique subcontinent records were clearly Jones 2003). Over the intervening years we reports, some of which were not backed up fraudulent, and all the others were highly have been able to evaluate practically all by specimens, but those that were had often suspect. When I returned to the USNM, Dr Meinertzhagen’s significant Indian been verified by Ticehurst and/or Whistler. Storrs Olson asked me a question about the Subcontinent regional specimens of which Each map point was keyed to reference, Forest Owlet, Athene blewitti, so I turned we are aware, so that Birds of South Asia which was exceedingly helpful, and many to the Handbook of the birds of India and should be relatively free of the negative strongly marked taxa (e.g. “phylogenetic Pakistan (Ali and Ripley 1983) and read, to influence of Meinertzhagen’s frauds, species”) such as identifiable wagtail taxa my dawning horror, that it had last been although for transparency his name appears had their own map, which made it possible recorded in 1914 in Gujarat by in the book in connection with each of his for us to provide separate maps for them. Meinertzhagen! This suspicious dubious records. Each of the important Later I learned that the originals of these circumstance immediately led to a records is dealt with in detail in a references are archived at the BMNH, and comprehensive investigation that resulted forthcoming scientific analysis (Rasmussen another set of copies is at the BNHS. In in the confirmation that Meinertzhagen’s and Prys-Jones MS). addition, I happened to locate a map specimen was fraudulent (Rasmussen and It was while I was looking through the archived at BMNH that pinpointed the old Collar 1999), that the species hadn’t been Smithsonian archives for information on collecting localities, many of which had definitely reported since 1884 (Rasmussen any dealings Meinertzhagen may have had obsolete names that had given us and Collar 1998), and finally in our with the Smithsonian (which seems to have considerable trouble, and this proved rediscovery of the owlet (King and been very little) that I “discovered” a set of extremely useful. Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 3 (May-June 2005) 53

However, I still didn’t have a database specimen records from the seemingly poorly enough specimens to begin to produce a that could be used to refine the maps, or to known South Assam hills were organized map based entirely on verified specimens, check individual records. I did have in the database and analyzed, the area and I have little confidence in the details of printouts of regional holdings of bird actually became rather well-known, but as maps for these taxa. Even worse is the specimens for the museums whose this had never been done, major appalling situation with seabirds; for most collections were computerized, but these distributional errors were rife for this region. of these, identification is ultra-difficult and were hard to use in any comprehensive, Other species whose north-eastern Indian few if any regional specimens are available. organized way due to their being separate ranges were elucidated by the database Fortunately, for raptors (notoriously difficult and in different formats, etc. I thought that include Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher Cyornis to identify, with many look-alike, highly a complete specimen database would be far tickelliae, Large Blue Flycatcher Cyornis variable regional species) I was able to enlist too much work, but I decided anyway to at magnirostris, White-browed Fantail the aid of a raptor expert, Dr Steven Parry, to least put these museum records into a Rhipidura aureola, Thick-billed review all identifications at the BMNH, database, which would help enormously. I Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile, and Collared which helped greatly in being able to then realized that databasing wasn’t nearly Treepie Dendrocitta frontalis. confidently produce specimen-based maps. as hard or time-consuming as I had expected, When Lynx Edicions agreed to publish Due to the nature of scientific knowledge, and this led to a major effort to create as our book, they also (thankfully!) agreed that accuracy of the maps varies from region to comprehensive a specimen database as the maps should be in colour. This was a region. For example, bird distributions were possible. I visited museums that hadn’t been huge improvement, but as most of the maps already relatively well-known in Sri Lanka, computerized and (with permission) made had already been digitized in black-and- and I sent all the draft maps for that country xeroxes or took digital photos of relevant white by Britt Griswold, a great deal of further to Sri Lankan experts Deepal Warakagoda portions of specimen registers, which were work had to be done to enact the changes. and Udaya Sirivardena, who made many then input into the database; for example, It also allowed me to devise what I hope are useful comments that resulted in a great volunteer Helen Melichar entered all the useful, user-friendly ways of annotating the increase in their accuracy, and in their being many thousands of Ticehurst and Whistler maps to summarize geographic variation, up-to-date. At the other extreme, reliable BMNH specimens into the database. Other status, and habitat, among other things. historical baseline data are almost lacking volunteers did other parts: Dhananjhaya Although this was enacted before it was from Bangladesh, an area largely overlooked Katju computerized the specimens in the decided to split the book into two volumes, ornithologically during the colonial period published BNHS catalogues, while Linda the annotations had the further benefit of and since. The published record for Lyon added in material from some published making the field guide section (with the Bangladesh is highly speculative. Few trip reports, and I spent many evenings maps) stand alone better than without the specimens were ever collected, and even adding in other collections. Thus, I ended annotations. the location of many of those is uncertain. up with a mostly complete regional database Special difficulties occur with map-making Conversely, an important fairly recent comprising some 230,000 specimens. where taxonomic histories are complex, and/ collection (by Dr R. A. Paynter, Jr.) was never The very first time I actually used it to or where identification difficulties occur. In published (until I incorporated it into Birds check maps, the database gave me a good these cases, one cannot be certain that even of South Asia). Recent papers by in-country idea how essential it would turn out to be: I museum specimens in databases are observers have greatly improved the was checking maps of laughingthrushes, correctly identified unless one checks them situation, but still the Bangladesh maps were when I found that although the Striated oneself, of course armed in advance with extremely troublesome to prepare with Laughingthrush Grammatoptila (Garrulax) knowledge of how to do so! This was confidence. The situation is similar in striata was said to occur in, and was mapped particularly the case with leaf-warblers Arunachal Pradesh, where recent observers for, parts of the hills south of the Phylloscopus, reed-warblers Acrocephalus, have published many important sight Brahmaputra River, not a single specimen and most of all with bush-warblers records from areas never properly from any part of that area was in the Bradypterus. For the latter group I ended documented by specimen collectors. database. Now, if this was a skulking bird, up spending countless hours on side However, for the book I took the stance that or one that was difficult to identify, that projects that (with co-authors) eventually sight records not accompanied by might not have been so telling. But believe elucidated their formerly muddled independently verifiable data (e.g. me, if this bird is in an area any field distributions. For these small birds, specimen photographs, tape recordings, and/or ornithologist would know it, and it would series are usually sufficient to produce good publication of diagnostic field details) surely be well-represented in the extensive, small-scale maps, but this is certainly not should not be treated as definitive. mostly unpublished collections from the the case for many large birds, notably And Afghanistan—well, this country South Assam hills, which had been vultures, adjutant storks, pelicans, and proved the most troublesome of all. No especially well-collected by Dr Walter Koelz, cranes. Not only do very few specimens previous work had included high-quality all of whose material was by then in my exist of these, but the species tend to have maps for Afghanistan. The best works on database. Further checking showed that, complex plumage sequences and to be its avifauna were by Whistler (1944-1945), indeed, the only records of G. striata south easily confounded in the field, particularly based on the early material collected by of the Himalayas and in the Chin Hills of in the days before good optics and field British surveyors and explorers, and Paludan Myanmar were erroneous or at best guides. Thus, the vast majority of sight (1959), based on his field work there. Maps unverified. This presaged what turned out records of the above groups cannot really in Hüe and Etchecopar (1970) and especially to be a common pattern: once all the be trusted, but there are by no means Harrison (1982) were clearly somewhat 54 Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 3 (May-June 2005) speculative and outdated. With a few taxonomic riddles surfaced. For example, is voucher between Afghanistan and north- exceptions, Koelz’s very extensive Afghan the Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes an eastern India). In UMMZ, a treasure trove collections had never been incorporated into occasional migrant through the Andamans, awaited—the huge Koelz collection from the literature. Most of the fairly recent or is the species resident and the race north-eastern India, along with substantial literature on Afghan birds is in languages andamanica valid? Similar questions had holdings from many other areas of the other than English, and the vast majority to be asked of the Ruddy Kingfisher subcontinent, little of which had been consist of uncorroborated lists of species Halcyon coromanda mizorhina and the published. There (unlike any other seen. Although in theory my specimen House Swallow Hirundo tahitica, among collection) I was able to make direct database made it possible to create the first others. The serpent-eagles Spilornis, the comparisons for many taxa between good maps for Afghanistan, I had a great accipiters Accipiter, and the hawk-owls extensive series from Assam Valley, the deal of difficulty finding coordinates for Ninox were particularly intriguing and Naga Hills, Manipur, Meghalaya, and the Koelz’s localities. It was only shortly before troublesome in terms of sorting out both Lushai hills, as well as the Himalayas and the manuscript had to be delivered to the distribution and taxonomy. central India. It turns out that Koelz was the press that I learned (from Mary LeCroy at When I went to the Andamans in the early only person to ever make a bird collection AMNH) that an unpublished map existed 1990s, I saw most of the endemic species in the Lushai Hills of eastern Mizoram, which with Koelz’s Afghan localities, and, with the but I didn’t appreciate then how really abut onto the Chin Hills of western Myanmar help of Dr Thomas Schulenberg, I finally distinctive the avifauna is—many of the and the Chittagong hill-tracts of south- tracked it down at the FMNH. This proved splits proposed in the book are from the eastern Bangladesh. This fact alone meant invaluable in producing the Afghan maps, Andamans or Nicobars. My preconception that I was able to discern several new races although mapping species that occur there was that the avifaunas of these two island for the Indian Subcontinent from the Lushai was more time-consuming than for any groups were relatively similar to each other, Hills, most of them mainly distributed in the other country in the region. but the research for this book shows that Chin Hills and Arakan of Burma (for example, Another major trouble spot for mapping few species and even fewer races are race victoriae of Brown-capped was the Andamans and Nicobars, which actually shared between the Andamans and Laughingthrush Ianthocincla austeni; race I’ve always found very interesting. But Nicobars. For example, for species definitely mearsi of White-browed Scimitar-babbler trying to map bird occurrence in these known from the Andamans, several cases Pomatorhinus schisticeps; race victoriae of islands without considerable original arose where this proved not to be the case Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis; research was highly unsatisfactory. for the Nicobars (e.g. Hume’s Hawk-owl race flavescens of Fire-tailed Sunbird Although Humayun Abdulali published Ninox obscura, Indian Cuckoo C. Aethopyga ignicauda; race victoriae of important papers on the Andamans and micropterus, Asian Emerald Cuckoo Brown Bullfinch Pyrrhula nipalensis), and Nicobars, many contradictions and Chrysococcyx maculatus, Violet Cuckoo C. to clarify a great many other matters. But questions remained. Not only was it difficult xanthorhynchus, Ruddy Kingfisher, White- most surprising was the fact that in the to discern on which islands each species throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis, UMMZ collection, by scrutinizing large had been correctly reported, it was often Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella), and vice series of common species, I located difficult to tell whether there were any valid versa (e.g. Pied Triller Lalage nigra, Nicobar previously unrecognized regional records at all for the whole island group. Jungle-flycatcher Rhinomyias nicobaricus). specimens of three species of Phylloscopus My specimen database helped immensely, But more importantly, in several cases races warblers (Chinese Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus but the biggest collections from the treated as synonymous proved upon yunnanensis; Buff-throated Leaf-warbler P. Andamans and Nicobars were at the BMNH, reexamination to be valid (e.g. Andaman subaffinis; and Two-barred Warbler P. and these hadn’t been worked up by Woodpigeon Columba palumboides plumbeitarsus). No regional specimens of Ticehurst and Whistler to the point that the nicobarica, Emerald Dove Chalcophaps these taxa have been located in any other data were usable. To overcome this problem, indica augusta, Andaman Green-pigeon collection, and I have searched in vain for late in the project I contracted Steven Parry Treron chloropterus andamanicus, just to all these and more at several other museums. to database all the Andaman and Nicobar mention the examples among the These three leaf-warblers were not the specimens in the BMNH. Once this was Columbidae). Much remains to be learned only species new to or overlooked for the done, it meant that I had virtually all the of the avifauna of these islands. region for which specimens were located specimens from these islands in my After my move to Michigan State during the course of preparing the book. database (although I later realized there are University, I was able to regularly use the Others include Hill Blue Flycatcher Cyornis a few in Leiden), so I could produce a more Indian and Nepal collection there, and to banyumas (which I consider to be a separate coherent picture of their distributions. Quite take advantage of its proximity to the species from C. magnirostris): I happened a few species previously listed turned out UMMZ, just an hour away in Ann Arbor. to find specimens labeled as C. b. whitei in to require better documentation for the The MSU collection holds several regionally the Rothschild Collection of the AMNH, islands (among others, Grey Heron Ardea important specimens, including at least two which had not been incorporated into the cinerea; Black-crowned Night Heron vouchers of important records (a specimen literature. I have no doubt that they were Nycticorax nycticorax; Black Bittern published as Lanceolated Warbler correctly identified, and they actually Dupetor flavicollis; Common Teal Anas Locustella lanceolata from Delhi turned out explained odd winter records of C. crecca, Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus; to be the far more common Grasshopper banyumas from the NE that had been Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus; Small Warbler L. naevia, and a Common Sand- attributed to C. magnirostris, which Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus). Many martin Riparia riparia that may be the only migrates to Malaysia for the winter. Another Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 3 (May-June 2005) 55 was Grey-bellied Wren-babbler standards, and therefore were placed on the on was the descriptions of vocalizations. Spelaeornis reptatus (formerly treated as a hypothetical list. Of these, quite a few will Clearly those that existed were from a variety race of S. chocolatinus); John Anderton probably be found to have been validly of sources, many untraceable, and most had had difficulty in reconciling a reported, while others are quite unlikely. I were not directly comparable or necessarily Namdapha specimen in the USNM also created a list of rejected species, those very accurate or complete. To make matters collection with others he had seen and for which the evidence overwhelming worse, I have always had a severe upper illustrated, and when I compared the indicated that they had been recorded register hearing loss, so I felt that even had specimen at the AMNH it was clear that it incorrectly or fraudulently. tapes been available of most taxa, I wouldn’t was actually reptatus, previously known From the beginning I had felt uneasy be able to describe them myself. Early in the from as close as northern Myanmar. Yet about using published length project I had planned to present sonagrams another was Hill Prinia Prinia superciliaris measurements in the book, although I for some species with strongly patterned (previously treated as a race of Black- realized that users would definitely expect vocalizations, but the difficulty and expense throated Prinia P. atrogularis); in this case, them. My disquiet was due to the fact that of preparing sonagrams at that time had I had received tapes from Namdapha of what many contradictions exist in the literature, discouraged me from following through on was identified as P. atrogularis, but it and with most published measurements one this goal. However, late in the project it matched superciliaris from south-east Asia cannot know where they came from, how became clear that recordings of many instead. The tapes lacked sufficient the measurements were taken, or sometimes species were becoming available, at about accompanying visual identification details even which taxon was actually measured. I the same time that user-friendly sonagram to be certain that they really were of was essentially resigned to using the software became readily available and superciliaris. However, after the book text measurements from the Handbook, and computer storage space made it feasible to had already been submitted to the indeed we did use them for purposes of deal with large numbers of recordings. After publisher, I happened to find a specimen of quick cross-comparisons in Volume 1 of our some experimentation, I realized that this was superciliaris at the BMNH labeled as being book, the Field Guide. But eventually I the answer: I could now easily digitize from the E. Naga Hills (within India, decided to try to come up with skin recordings, make sonagrams from them, and according to the collector’s itinerary); this measurements that would be relatively see whatever high portions I couldn’t hear! specimen (collected by Godwin-Austen) repeatable and consistent, and also helpful Much trial and error later, I eventually came had been in the collection for almost 110 in the field, and I ended up with what I hope up with a way of transcribing vocalizations years before its true identity and will succeed in these respects. However, it and providing quantitative data that should significance were recognized! Finally, there took months of work to be able to take all allow users to more accurately and had been unverified sight records of Black these measurements from series of all major consistently identify and compare Noddy Anous minutus from Sri Lanka, but taxa in the region. Although I tried to do vocalizations, and I was able to implement most sources indicated the species does most of it at the USNM, the collections of this system for the vast majority of species. not occur in the Indian Ocean, where it is the BMNH ended up being by far the most This would not have been remotely possible replaced by Lesser Noddy A. tenuirostris. useful for taking measurements because without the huge contributions from the However, there are specimens in the BMNH they are so extensive. Even so, it was often sound collections of several recordists, most that clearly are minutus and are definitely impossible to achieve my goal of five notably Paul Holt, Craig Robson, Per from the Indian Ocean, including within the accurately sexed specimens of each sex for Alström, and Deepal Warakagoda, to all of Indian Subcontinent. each major taxon, especially for larger birds. whom I am extremely grateful. In addition, Another major problem I encountered I had to exclude many specimens due to the publishers agreed with me that was that no hypothetical list existed for the preparation style—for instance, birds with sonagrams would be a very useful Indian Subcontinent. Species had either stretched or squashed necks could not be innovation, and I was able to produce been accepted or rejected, often without measured for total length, birds with the back sonagrams of the main vocalizations for explicit published documentation. In most of the skull removed (easily detected by over half the region’s species. cases it seemed that a liberal policy had been palpation) could not be measured for head Unfortunately, constraints on my time and adopted which is not in keeping with plus bill length, etc. Incidentally, the whole the book’s length severely limited this standards of proof for other countries, or process of measuring all these birds brought feature, so for example there are no scientifically defensible. After much worry into focus something I had never realized: sonagrams for the chats, or for the finches, and debate, I decided that a relatively for the vast majority of Asian passerines, among other groups, but they are included rigorous and consistent stance was needed, males are distinctly larger than females in for most of the highly vocal groups. although I knew that this could alienate all major dimensions except for head plus From early on in the project we were aware many people. The standard I adopted was bill length. This is one of many findings of numerous problem taxa—cases where it that a species given full regional status had stemming from the book project that needs seemed even to the casual observer that the to be documented by a specimen for which scientific follow-up, and I hope soon to be taxonomy was flawed. I had long subscribed there was no reason to doubt provenance able to look into big pattern issues such as to the widely held view that we should not or genuinely wild status, or an identifiable regional and taxonomic patterns of sexual make taxonomic changes in a field guide, photograph, or at least the publication of dimorphism, geographic variation, and but when it became clear that I would be diagnostic details that could be vocalizations, among other things. able to include sufficient morphological data, independently evaluated. A surprising Another major aspect of the book about detailed vocal comparisons, sonagrams, and number of species did not conform to these which I had serious misgivings from early taxonomic notes for relevant cases, I decided 56 Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 3 (May-June 2005) that the book was indeed an appropriate many plumages were missing, and many References place to make the best-justified changes. plates were too crowded, making them Ali, S. and S. D. Ripley. 1983. Handbook of They would thus be enacted in a single visually distracting. With Lynx, we were able the birds of India and Pakistan. Compact place, rather than having to wait years in to agree that we would digitally recompose edition. Bombay: Oxford University the hope that various isolated publications the existing plates to what we felt was the Press. would appear (or not) in disparate sources. optimum number (180). We were also able Harrison, C. J. O. 1982. An atlas of the birds Of course the split taxa should be more fully to have color maps, which would be of the Western Palaearctic. Princeton, treated in refereed journals, and qualified opposite the illustrations. Eventually, we N.J.: Princeton Univ. Press. regional committees should take decisions agreed that the book really should be Hüe, F. and R. D. Etchecopar. 1970. Le on them. The splits taken in the book are divided into two volumes, first and foremost oiseaux du proche et du Moyen Orient. those for which the evidence was strongest; so that the field guide section would be Paris: N. Boubee. there are numerous others that may, upon portable, a constraint uppermost in every King, B. F. and P. C. Rasmussen. 1998. The further study, prove to be justified. On the birder’s mind. This kept me from being forced rediscovery of the Forest Owlet Athene whole, the splits revise the number of to edit out much of the laborious text work (Heteroglaux) blewitti. Forktail 14:51– endemic species upward for the Western already done, and allowed for the detailed 53. Ghats, Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, the vocal analyses and presentation of Knox, A. G. 1993. Richard Meinertzhagen— Andamans, and the Nicobars, with very little sonagrams, treatment of geographic a case of fraud examined. Ibis 135: 320- impact elsewhere. A paper summarizing this variation and distributional problems, and 325. aspect is forthcoming (Rasmussen in press). the relatively detailed index and Paludan, K. 1959. On the birds of Mr Ripley died on 12 March 2001 at age appendices. Working with Lynx staff was Afghanistan. Vidensk. Medd. Dansk 87. By that time the vast bulk of the project always a pleasure—at least from my point naturh. For. 122. was completed, including nearly all the of view! Perhaps it was less so for them, as Rasmussen, P. C. (In press) Biogeographic plates. However, largely because of the countless (and no doubt irritating) changes and conservation implications of revised evolving approaches discussed in this had to be introduced to various stages of species limits and distributions of South article, quite a bit of the text still required the proofs, some of them in very late stages, Asian birds. Zool. Med., Leiden work, most plates still had to be checked such as when Ben King’s rediscovery of Rasmussen, P. C. and J. C. Anderton. 2005. carefully for accuracy, the facing plates had the Mishmi Wren-babbler Spelaeornis Birds of South Asia: the Ripley Guide. 2 to be completely rewritten to reflect our badeigularis was announced in late vols. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. improved knowledge and new material in the February 2005 (the book appeared in April!). Rasmussen, P. C. and N. J. Collar. 1998. plates, and the maps had to be extensively All these improvements, however, meant Identification, distribution and status of reworked. I had already started working a considerable additional investment in time the Forest Owlet Athene (Heteroglaux) part-time at Michigan State University, and resources, much more than any of us blewitti. Forktail 14:41–49. where my husband had become Curator of anticipated. John and I had already Rasmussen, P. C. and N. J. Collar. 1999. Major Paleontology, and shortly after Ripley’s numbered and labeled all the figures of all specimen fraud in the Forest Owlet death I moved there full-time. As an the plates multiple times, but then we had Heteroglaux (Athene auct.) blewitti. Ibis Assistant Curator at the MSU Museum, I to come up with a new plan for the 141:11–21. was able to devote considerable time to recomposition, which of course meant a Rasmussen, P. C. and R. P. Prys-Jones. 2003. work on the field guide, and its incessant whole new numbering system. John spent History vs. mystery: the reliability of demands and deadlines meant that I was weeks designing a new layout for the museum specimen data. Pp. 66–94 in compelled to work on it virtually all my recomposed plates, and I had to do a lot Collar, N. J., Fisher, C. T. and Feare, C. J. waking hours, to the exclusion of everything more paperwork planning additional figures (eds.) Why museums matter: avian else. It seems, paradoxically, that finishing to be added, contracting artists again, archives in an age of extinction. Bull. Brit. a field guide means not being able to get preparing more specimen loans, Orn. Club 123A:1–360. out into the field, but that is the way it was photographing specimens, etc. Because in Whistler, H. 1944-1945. Materials for the for me. The later stages were greatly assisted the original plates many figures overlapped, ornithology of Afghanistan. J. Bombay by the assiduous editing of Nigel Collar. some of different species, a considerable Nat. Hist. Soc. 44: 506-519; 45: 61-72, 106- Fortunately, the project was finished (except amount of digital reconstruction was 122, 280-302, 462-485. for multiple stages of proofs) before my time necessary, and John took a short course in was fully committed to teaching at MSU. Adobe Photoshop, which enabled him to Frankly, the very best thing that happened do much of this work. The recomposition for the book was when Lynx Edicions agreed was also hugely time-consuming for the to publish it. Dr Josep del Hoyo was staff at Lynx. But we like to think the end enthusiastic about the project, and agreed result was surely worth it! with most of my suggestions for how the book’s format and content could be greatly improved, and he also came up with additional great ideas. Previously, we had been limited to a number of plates that was much too small to get the job done right—