Newsletter for Birdwatchers 52 (2), 2012 17 Checklist of of Mahendri Reserve Forest, Amravati, Maharashtra AniI Mahajan, Padmakar Lad, Vijay Ingole, Manohar Khode, Raju Kasambe" and Jayant Wadatkar 'Corresponding author: Raju Kasambe, A-205. Trimurti Apartments, Tilak Nagar. Dombivli (East) - 421201. Dist. Thane, Maharashtra. E-mail: [email protected] Mahendri Reserve Forest is a small patch of dry deciduous Status of birds was classified as: forest in Warud tehsil of Amravati district of Maharashtra R- Resident species, which are found in the study area and is situated between the two tiger reserves of Melghat throughout the year, and Pench in Maharashtra. The forest is being visited WM- Winter Migrant, species, which are found in the study regularly and explored since 1985 by the authors to document its avifauna and other wildlife. A checklist of the birds was area only during winter. then prepared by compiling observations noted by the LM- Local Migrant, species, which is found in the study authors and some friends acknowledaed" here. area irregularly, but is resident of . Small tanks situated inside the forest viz., Pandhari, Saturna, BM- Breeding Migrant, species, which visit the study area only for or during its breeding season and then migrate away. Pusli, Fatepur and Shekdari tanks provide a good habitat for diverse soecies includina the waterbirds. SM- Summer migrant, species, which are sighted only during summer but do not breed here. The critically endangered Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitt!] has been reoorted from the reserve forest (Rithe. 2003). Conclusions: Black Storks'(ciconia nigra) are sighted regulirly ~andhar'i, A total of 212 species of birds were sighted in the study Saturna. Pusli. Fatepur tanks in the reserve forest (Kasambe area (see Table). Total 162 species of resident birds and 40 et. al., 2005). Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyonpileata) has species of winter migrants were recorded during the study been sighted- at Pandhari tank (Kasambe el. a/., 2010) oeriod. Three s~eciesof birds viz.. Blue-tailed Bee-eater ~eropsphilippinus, lndian Pitta ~iitabrachyura and Pied The avifauna resemble to that of the Melghat (Sawarkar, Cuckoo Clarnatorjacobinus are breeding migrants to the 1987) and Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh (Pasha et. a/., 2004) but the diversity is less as the habitat is area. These arrive in summer, breed here and migrate with the onset of winter. Five species are local migrants, one degraded and is under severe pressure from overgrazing, illicit wood-felling, forest fires and poaching. species viz., Indian Blackbird Turdus sirnillirnus is summer visitor (but do not breed here) and one species is vagrant in Tigers are reported intermittently here as the area is an the area. In all 19 species are abundant, 74 species are important corridor for their movement. The conservation of common, 77 species are uncommon. 23 species are the Mahendri reserve forest thus gains importance as the occasional and 19 species are rare. only link between Melghat and Pench Tiger Reserves and invariably is the link between the forests of Maharashtra Acknowledgements: and Madhya Pradesh here. Thanks to the our friends and birders who were part of our The four species of vultures, viz., Indian Vulture Gyps indicus, numerous trips to various forests namely, Shirishkumar Patil. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, Red-headed Pradip Hirulkar, Dhyaneshwar Damahe, Rahul Khode and Vulture Sarcogyps calvus and White-rumped Vulture Gyps Dr. Jayant Wadatkar. bengalensis were regularly seen in the 1980s but now have References: completely disappeared from the area. Particularly, G. bengalensis was the most numerous. Kasambe, R; WadatkarJ; Khode, M. 8 Khode, R. (2005): Sighting records of Black Storks (Ciconla niora)-. in Amravati District of Status and Abundance: Maharashtra. NewsletterforBirdwatchers. Vol. 45(5): 78-80. Abundance of the birds was classified as: Kasambe. R; Chakravarty. R; Lad. P. 8 Dharmadhikari. U.(2010): A-Abundant- Seen very commonlyin most habitats in most Sighting records of Black-capped ~in~fisher(~alc~on of the field visits pileata) in Vidarbha. Maharashtra. Newsletter for Birdwatchers.Vol. 50 (3): 44-45. C-Common- Seen commonly in the study area, Pasha. MKS; Jayapal, R;Areendran. G; Qureshi, 0. and Sankar, U-Uncommon- Seen many times but not common, K. 12004): Birds of Pench Tiaer" Reserve.~ ~ ~. Madhva ~, Pradesh.~~~~. O-Occasional- Seen occasionally in the study area, Central India. Newsletter for Ornithologists. Vo1.1(1&2): 2-9 Rr-Rare- Seen only once or twice Rithe. K. (2003) Saving the Forest Owlet. Sanctuary Asia. 23 V-Vagrant, species, which is not regularly sighted, nor winter (I): 30-33 migrant nor breeding migrant and hence supposed to be a Sawarkar V. B. (1987): Bird survey of Melghat Tiger Reserve. stray bird sightings. Cheetal. Vo1.29. Pp.4-27. 18 Newslefferfor Birdwatchers 52 (2), 2012 Table: Checklist of birds of Mahendri Reserve Forest 1 S.No. Common Name + Scientific Name Status Abundance 1 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ~ficollis R C 2 Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster LM U 3 Little Cormorant Phalacmcorax niger R C 4 Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis LM U 5 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo LM 0 6 Little Egret Egretta garzeffa R U 7 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis R A 8 Great Egret Casmerodius albus R U 9 Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intennedia R U 10 Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii R C 11 Grey Heron Afdea cinerea LM U 12 Purple Heron Arriea pupurea LM U 13 Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax R U 14 Yellow Bittern lxobrychus sinensis R U 15 Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus R U 16 Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus R U 17 Black Ibis Pseudibis papillma R U 18 Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia R U 19 Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala R 0 20 Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans R U 21 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus R U 22 Black Stork Ciconia nigra W Rr 23 Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendmcygna javanica R C 24 Greylag Goose Anser anser W Rr 25 Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus W Rr 26 Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna femginea W U 27 Comb Duck Sarkidiornis metanotos R U 28 Cotton Teal Nettapus wmmandelianus R C 29 Gadwall Anas strepera W U 30 Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope W 31 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos W :r :r . .># 32 Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha R C 33 Northern Shoveller Anas clypeata W C 34 Northern Pintail Anas acuta W C 35 Garganey Anas quequedula W 0 7 36 Common Teal Anas crecca W C Newsletter for Binlwatchers 52 (2), 2012 10 S.NO.~Common Name Scientific Name I status I Abundance Red-crested Pochard Rhodonessa rufina Tufted Pochard Aythya fuligula Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Black Kite Milvus migmns Black Eagle lctinaetus rnalaynsis Pallas's Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus Short-toed Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela Shikra Accipiter badius Eurasian Sparrow-hawk Accipiter nisus Oriental Honey Buuard Pernis ptilorhyncus White-eyed Buuard Butastur teesa Aquila rapax Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus lndian Vulture Gyps indicus Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis Painted Francolin Francolinus pictus Grey Francolin ' Francolinus pondicerianus Common Cotumix coturnix Jungle Bush-Quail Perdicula asiatica Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus Yellow-legged Tumix tanki Common Buttonquail Tumix suscitator White-breasted Waterhen Arnauromis phoenicurus Purple Swamphen Pophyrio porphyrio Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

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S.No. 1 Common Name 1 Scientific Name 1 Abundance Common coot Fulica atra Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus Greater Painted-Snipe Rostrafr~iabenghalensis Little Ringed Plover Charadrios dubius Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus Red-wattled Lapwing Vaneflus indicus Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata Common Redshank Tringa totanus Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoieucos Little Stint Calidris minuta Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Stone-Curlew Buminus oedicnemus Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus River Tern Sterna aurantia Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus Painted Sanagrouse Pterocles indicus Blue Rock Pigeon Columba livia Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus Common Hawk Cuckoo Hiemcoccyx varius Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea Sirkeer Malkoha Phaenicophaeus leschenaultia Greater Coucal Centmpus sinensis Barn Owl Tyto alba r for Birdwatchers 52 (2). 2012 Scientific Name status I Abundance Oriental Scops-Owl Otus sunia Collared Scops-Owl Otus bakkarnoena Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo bengalensis Jungle Owlet Glaucidiurn mdiaturn Spotted Owlet Athene brama I Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti lndian Nightjar Caprirnulgus asiaticus Asian Palm balasiensis House Swift Apus affinis Crested Tree-Swift Herniprocne coronata Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata Pied Kingfisher Ceryle mdis Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus lndian Roller Coracias benghalensis Common Hoopoe Upupa epops lndian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros bimstris Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala Brown-capped PygmyWoodpecker Dendrocopos nanus Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis Lesser (Black-rumped) Flameback Dinopium benghalense lndian Pitta Pitta brachyuran Crested Lark Galerida cristata Syke's Lark Galerida deva Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula Rufous-tailed Lark Arnrnomanes phoenicurus Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Erernopteryx grisea Dusky Crag-Martin Hirundo concolor Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii Red-~mpedSwallow Hirundo daurica White Wagtail Motacilla alba White-browed Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citmola Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 1 143 1 Grev Waatail I Motacilla cinerea !2 Newsletter for Birdwatchers 52 (2), 2012 SNo. I Common Name / Scientific Name I status I Abundance I Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnarnomeus Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer White-browed ~ulbul Pycnonotus luteolus Common lora Aegithina tiphia Golden-fronted Chloropsis Chloropsis aurifmns Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitanus Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina cyanotus Indian Blackbird Turdus simillimus Bluethroat Luscinia svecica Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochrums Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis Plain Prinia Prinia inomata Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus sfentoreus Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina Tickell's Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus I White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola 181 White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicoltis 182 Great Tit Parus major Newsletter for Birdwatchers 52 (2). 2012 2 I S.NO./ Common Name I Scientific Name I status I Abundance 1 183 1 Indian Yellow Tit 1 Pam (xanthogenys) aplonotus 1 R 1 L, 1 184 1 Thick-billed Flowerpecker I Dicaeurn agile I Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeurn erythmrhynchos Purple-rumped Sunbird Nectarinia zeylonica Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus 1 190 1 Crested Bunting I Melophus latharni Grey-necked Bunting Ernberiza buchanani Red Avadavat Arnandava amandava Indian Silverbill Lonchura rnalabarica Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctuiata Black-headed Munia Lonchura rnalacca Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Petronia xanthocoliis House Sparrow Passer dorneslicus Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus Brahminy Starling Sturnus pagodarum Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus Asian Pied Starling Sfurnus contra Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthomus Black Drongo Dicrurus rnacrocercus White-bellied Drongo Dicmms caerulescens Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus Ashy Drongo Dicmms leucophaeus Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda House Crow Cowus splendens Large-billed Crow Cowus rnacrorhynchos Is Please visit the following URLs containing the archives of Newsletter for Birdwatchers for issues published between between 1960 and 2000 (some issues are missing) http:l~.archive.orglsearch.php?query=subject%3A%22Newsletter%20foP/o20Birdwatchers%22 i and for all issues published between 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