2009] Survey of Avian Fauna in and around , , India 1367

SURVEY OF AVIAN FAUNA IN AND AROUND KURUKSHETRA, HARYANA, INDIA

SANJEEV K. GUPTA AND PARMESH KUMAR

Department of Zoology, University College, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (Haryana).

Introduction Ficus bengalensis, Aegle marmelos, Emblica officinalis, Polyalthia longifolia, Kurukshetra (30oN, 76.45' E) is one Thuja compacta, Delonix regia, Terminalia the holy cities of India. It is a land of the arjuna, Bauhinia variegata, Ficus historical battle of and the religiosa, Cassia fistula, Populus sp., great message of The Srimad Bhagwad Grevillea robusta, Mimusops elengi, Gita. Kurukshetra is a district Albizia procera, Dalbergia sisoo, Albizia headquarters located in the North-eastern lebbek, Cordia dichotoma, Callistemon part of the Haryana State. It is situated citrinus, Nyctenthes sp., Araucaria sp., 160 km north of Delhi on National Highway Cupressus sp. and shrubs like Cassia No. 1 (NH1). Climate is tropical monsoonal, javanica, Bougainvillea sp., Thevitia with rainy (July to September), a cool dry peruviana, Hibiscus-rosa sinensis, (October-February) and the hot dry season Zizyphus jujuba, Zizyphus numularia, (March-May). Temperature is as high as Acacia arabica, Capparis decidua, 45oC in summer and as low as 2oC in Jasminum sp., Calotropis procera, winter. It is one of the agriculturally Euphorbia sp., Nerium oleander, Duranata prosperous districts of Haryana, with sp. and Lantana camara. The study area wheat and rice being the main crops. has prominent weeds like Parthenium, Kurukshetra along with and Aamaranthus spinosus, Chenopodium districts is known as the ‘Rice Bowl ambrosiodes, Canabis sativa etc. and of India’ and is famous for Basmati Rice. aquatic plants such as Eichornia and The soil is generally alluvial. Kurukshetra Nelumbo. has many water tanks in and around it. These water bodies constitute an important The varied habitats support a rich habitat for aquatic birds, attracting a avian fauna. The present study was number of migratory birds particularly designed to document the richness of avian during winter (Gupta and Bajaj, 1997). fauna in and around Kurukshetra. The flora of Kurukshetra includes trees like Mangifera indica, Syzigium cumini, Study Area Eucalyptus hybrid, Morus alba, Citrus jambhiri, Psydium quajava, Ficus carica, The study area included Kurukshetra Azadirachta indica, Alstonia scholaris, University Campus, National Institute of 1368 Indian Forester [October,

Technology (NIT), , Sanhit Rural Inhabitations : These Sarovar, The Sheikh Chehli tomb, included residential areas in village Sthaneshwar Mahadev Mandir, Jyotisar (about 3 km from Kurukshetra Kurukshetra city and surrounding villages University on Kurukshetra- road) like Jyotisar and Mirzapur (Fig. 1). Based and Mirzapur (about 2 km from upon the general ecological conditions Kurukshetra University on Kurukshetra- following eight different habitats were Kaithal road). The houses were distinguished in the study area : primarily with ‘kacha’ mud roofs, with some modern houses built in between. Urban Inhabitations : These comprised of The lanes were both cemented as well as modern residential areas in Sectors 2, 3, 5 mud roads. The habitat was having usual and 7 of Kurukshetra. The sectors are well village landmarks like ‘Kurdi’ (heaps of planned with roads, parks and green belt cattle dung ‘uplas’ along with domestic areas. waste).

Fig. 1

INDIA HARYANA Location of study area 2009] Survey of Avian Fauna in and around Kurukshetra, Haryana, India 1369

Plantations : These included plantation of University and NIT Campus: University Eucalyptus near Brahma Sarovar, along campus is situated on the western bank of Bhakra drain, University and NIT campus; the holy tank, Brahma Sarovar and and Acacia plantation in University extends over an area of over 400 acres. campus. The sprawling campus is set in a salubrious, natural landscape and has in Aquatic Habitats : These included its range a number of buildings, Brahma Sarovar, Sanhit Sarovar, Jyoti lawns, swimming pool, plantations and Sarovar and Bhakhra drain, Bhakhra and residential complexes. NIT campus is Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canals. These situated on the southern side of University are man made water tanks or water campus, with an area of 300 acres channels. Brahma Sarovar is a vast water imaginatively laid down on picturesque body, located in the heart of Kurukshetra landscape. city. The eastern section of the tank is 548.64 m (1,800 ft) long and 457.20 m Methods (1,500 ft) wide while the western section is a square of 457.20 m (1,500 ft) length Observations were carried out over a and breadth. The tank is 4.57 m (15 ft) period of three years i.e. from August, 2005 deep. This large waterbody is edged with to July, 2008. Birds were observed using 6.09 m (20 ft) wide platforms, stairs and a Nikon, 7X35 binoculars. The regular visits 12.19 m (40 ft) wide ‘parikarma’. were made in the morning, afternoon and The Sarovar is surrounded with trees, evening hours to cover all habitats and which provide roosting and nesting seasons. Birds were recorded whilst the sites. Sanihit Sarovar is another holy observers were walking slowly or sitting. water body about 1 km. from Brahma Birds seen were identified and recorded Sarovar. It is 457.20 m (1,500 ft) x 137.16 along with habitat type, season and status m (450 ft) in size. Jyoti Sarovar is a (resident/migrant, breeding/non breeding holy water body with bathing ghats and and frequency of occurrence). small temples at village Jyotisar. Bhakhra drain connects Bhakra canal to Brahma The status of species was established Sarovar. upon the following criteria :

Grasslands : Large open areas with grass Very common - more than ten birds of a cover near the Sheikh Chehli Tomb and species during a survey or at any time Brahma Sarovar. of the day, Common - more than five birds of a species Crop fields : These included crop fields of during a survey or at any time of the village Mirzapur, Jyotisar and farmlands day, adjoining NIT. Wheat and rice are the Less common - Less than five birds of a major crops. species during a survey or at any time of the day, Xerophytic Shrub Land : It comprised Uncommon - one or two sightings of a barren land patches with shrubs and weeds species during the entire study period. in university campus and undeveloped sectors of Kurukshetra. The common names and scientific 1370 Indian Forester [October, Contd... Vc,R,B 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 C,R,BC,R,B 4 Lc,Sm, 1,2,3,5,6,8 8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,5,67,8 Vc,R,BLc,R,B 3,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 3,6,8 Lc,Sm,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 Lc,Sm,B 4 C,Wm,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 U,Wm,Nb 6,8 8 C,R,BC,R,B 3,6,7,8 C,R,B 3,6,7,8 3,67,8, C,SmLc,RVc,R,B 7,8, 7,8 1,2,3,6,7,8 Upupa epops Ceryle rudis Merops orientalis Clamator jacobinus Halcyon smyrnensis Hierococcyx varius Surniculus lugubris Francolinus francolinus Pavo cristatus Dendrocygna javanica Nettapus coromandelianus Anas platyrhynchos Anas poecilorhyncha Dinopium benghalense Jynx torquilla Megalaima zeylanica Megalaima haemacephala Ocyceros birostris Francolinus pondicerianus Eudynamys Scolopacea Table 1 Kingfisher Flameback List of bird species recorded in and around Kurukshetra, Haryana, India 15.16.17. Cuculiformes Cuculidae Pied Cuckoo Meropidae Green Bee-Eater Pied Kingfisher 14. Coraciiformes Alcedinidae White-Throated 18.19. Common Hawk Cuckoo Drongo Cuckoo 2.3.4.5. Anseriformes6.7. Anatidae8. Piciformes Lesser Whistling-Duck 9.10.11. Picidae12.13. Bucerotiformes Black Francolin Bucerotidae Upupiformes Black-Rumped Indian Peafowl Indian Grey Hornbill Upupidae Cotton Pygmy-Goose Capitonidae Mallard Common Hoopoe Brown-Headed Barbet Spot Billed Duck Eurasian Wryneck Coppersmith Barbet Sr.No. Order121. 3 Galliformes Family 4 Phasianidae Common Name Grey Francolin 5 Scientific Name 6 Status 7 Habitat 20. Asian Koel 2009] Survey of Avian Fauna in and around Kurukshetra, Haryana, India 1371 Contd... Lc,R,B 1 C,Wm,B 4 Lc,R,B 6 Lc,R,B 4 Lc,R,B 4 C,Wm 4 C,Wm 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 Vc,R,B 4,8 Lc,R,B 1,6,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,6,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,6,7,8 Lc,R,B 1,2,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,6,8 Lc,R,B 3,8 U,R 8 Vc,R,B 4,6,8 Lc,Wm 8 Lc,Wm 8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 Lc,R 1,3,8 C,R,B 3,5,6,7,8 Vanellus malarbaricus Himantopus himantopus Burhinus oedicnemus Metopidius indicus Hydrophasianus chirurgus Gallinago gallinago Fulica atra Gallinula chloropus Porphyrio porphyrio Amaurornis phoenicurus Treron phoenicoptera Streptopelia decaocto Streptopelia tranquebarica Streptopelia chinensis Streptopelia senegalensis Columba livia Athene brama Otus bakkamoena Tyto alba Apus affinis Psittacula cyanocephala Psittacula himalayana Psittacula krameri Psittacula eupatria Centropus sinensis Yellow-Wattled Lapwing Water Hen Green Pigeon 45. Charadriidae 44. Recurvirostridae Black-Winged Stilt 43. Burhinidae Eurasian Thick-Knee 42. Bronze-Winged Jacana 41. Jacanidae Pheasant-Tailed Jacana 40. Ciconiiformes Scolopacidae Common Snipe 39. Common Coot 38. Common Moorhen 37. Purple Swamphen 36. Gruiformes Rallidae White-Breasted 35. Yellow-Footed 34. Eurasian Collared Dove 33. Red Collared Dove 32. Spotted Dove 31. Laughing Dove 30. Columbiformes Columbidae Rock Pigeon 29. Spotted Owlet 28. Collared Scops Owl 27. Strigiformes Strigidae Barn Owl 26. Apodiformes Apodidae House Swift 25. Plum-Headed Parakeet 24. Slaty-Headed Parakeet 23. Rose-Ringed Parakeet 22. Psittaciformes Psittacidae Alexandrine Parakeet 21. Greater Coucal 12 3 4 5 6 7 1372 Indian Forester [October, Contd... 6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,4,5, Lc,RLc,R,BVc,R,B 8 1,2,3,6,7,8 Lc,Wm 1,2,3,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 4 C,R,B 1,2,4,6,8 C,R,B 1,2,4,6,8 Lc,R 4 Lc,RVc,R,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 1,2,3,6,7,8 Lc,Wm, 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 C,Wm,Nb 1,2,3,8 8 C,Wm,Nb 8 Vanellus indicus Pernis ptilorhyncus Elanus caeruleus Milvus migrans Haliastur indus Accipiter badius Phalacrocorax niger Phalacrocorax carbo Egretta garzetta Ardea cinerea Ardea purpurea Casmerodius albus Mesophoyx intermedia Bubulcus ibis Ardeola grayii Nycticorax nycticorax Lanius vittatus Lanius schach Dendrocitta vagabunda Corvus splendens Corvus macrorhynchos Pericrocotus ethologus Rhipidura aureola Phalacrocorax fuscicollis Night Heron coracidae 46.47.48.49.50.51.52. Accipitridae54. Oriental Honey-Buzzard 55.56. Red-Wattled Lapwing 57.58. Phalacro-59. Black-Shouldered Kite 60. Black Kite Little Cormorant 61. Brahmainy Kite Ardeidae62. Shikra 63. Little Egret 64. Passeriformes65. Great Cormorant Laniidae66.67. Grey Heron 68. Bay-Backed Shrike Purple Heron 69. Great Egret Intermediate Egret Cattle Egret Corvidae Indian Pond Heron Black-Crowned Rufous Treepie Oriolini Rhipidurinae Long-Tailed Shrike White-Browed Fantail Long-Tailed Minivet House Crow Large-Billed Crow 53. Indian Cormorant 12 3 4 5 6 7 2009] Survey of Avian Fauna in and around Kurukshetra, Haryana, India 1373 Contd... 6,7,8 C,Wm 7,8 Lc,R,B 6,8 C,Wm 1,2,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 Lc,R,B 3,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,3,4,6,8 C,R,B 1,2,4,6,8 C,R,B 6,8 Lc,Wm 3,8 C,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 C,R,BLc,Wm 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 5,8 Lc,R,B 1,2,6,8 C,R,B 1,2,6,8 C,Wm,Nb 1,2,6,8 Lc,R 1,2,6,8 C,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 Lc,Wm,Nb 1,2,8 U,Wm 3,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,4,5, Lc,Wm 3 Sturnus vulgaris Phylloscopus collybita Acrocephalus agricola Sylvia curruca Prinia socialis Zosterops Palpebrosus Pycnonotus cafer Hirundo smithii Hirundo rustica Riparia paludicola Acridotheres fuscus Acridotheres ginginianus Acridotheres tristis Sturnus contra Sturnus pagodarum Cercomela fusca Saxicola caprata Saxicola torquata Phoenicurus ochruros Saxicoloides fulicata Copsychus saularis Luscinia svecica Turdus ruficollis Dicrurus macrocercus Culicicapa ceylonensis Flycatcher 12 3 4 5 6 7 94. Common Chiffchaff 93. Paddyfield Warbler 92. Lesser Whitethroat 91. Sylviinae Ashy Prinia 90. Zosteropidae Oriental White-Eye 89. Pycnonotidae Red-Vented Bulbul 88. Wire-Tailed Swallow 87. Barn Swallow 86. Hirundinidae Plain Martin 85. Jungle Myna 84. Bank Myna 83. Common Myna 81.82. Common Starling Asian Pied Starling 80. Sturnidae Brahmainy Starling 79. Brown Rock-Chat 78. Pied Bushchat 77. Common Stonechat 76. Black Redstart 75. Indian Robin 74. Oriental Magpie Robin 73. Bluethroat 72. Turdinae Dark-Throated Thrush 70. Dicruridae Black Drongo 71. Musciocapinae Grey-Headed Canary 1374 Indian Forester [October, s Sarovar and C,R,BC,R,B 1,2,3,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 Vc,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 Lc,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,7,8 C,R,B 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 C,Wm 1,2 C,R,B 1,2,4,5,6,8 Lc,Wm 1,2,4,5,6,8 Lc,Wm 1,2,4,5,6,8 Lc,Wm 1,2,4,5,6,8 Lc,R,B 1,2,4,5,6,8 Lc,R,B 6,8 C,R,B 1,2,6 C,R,B 2,7,8 2,7,8 Orthotomus sutorius Turdoides caudatus Turdoides malcolmi Turdoides striatus Galerida cristata Nectarinia asiatica Passer domesticus Motacilla alba Motacilla maderaspatensis Motacilla citreola Motacilla flava Motacilla cinerea Anthus rufulus Ploceus philippinus Lonchura malabarica Lonchura punctulata 1295. 396.97.98. 499.100.101.102. Timaliinae103. 5104. Common Babbler 105. Alaudidae106. Nectariniidae107. Common Tailorbird Passerinae Purple Sunbird 108. Crested Lark 6 Motacillidae 7 109. Large Grey Babbler House Sparrow White Wagtail 110. Jungle Babbler Status : VC - Very common; C Common; LC Less U Uncommon; R - Resident; B Breeding; NB Non-breeding; SM Summer migrant; WM Winter migrant Habitats : Ploceinae White-Browed Wagtail 1 - Urban Inhabitations; 2 Rural 3 Plantations; 4 Aquatic Habitats (Brahma Sarovar, Sanhit Jyoti EstrildidaeBhakhra drain, and SYL canals); 5 - Grassland; 6 Crop fields; 7 Xerophytic Shrub Land; 8 University NIT Campu Citrine Wagtail Yellow Wagtail Baya Weaver Indian Silverbill Grey Wagtail Paddyfield Pipit Scaly-Breasted Munia 2009] Survey of Avian Fauna in and around Kurukshetra, Haryana, India 1375 names of the birds have been listed Pygmy Goose and Lesser Whistling Duck, according to online Oriental Bird Club which were summer visitors. checklist (www.orientalbirdclub.org/ Passerriformes is the most crowded order publications/checklist/index.html.).Ali and represented by 19 families while families Ripley (1987) and Grimmet et al. (1999) Turdinae and Ardeidae had the highest were followed for confirmation of bird number of species, 8 each. Of 83 resident identity. bird species, 76 species were observed to breed in present study area, while the Observations breeding status of 7 species could not be determined. Barn Owl and Eurasian A total of 110 bird species belonging Wryneck could be sighted only once during to 41 families distributed in 14 orders have the entire study period. Another important been identified and listed in Table 1. Of observation was complete absence of House these 83 were resident and 27 were Sparrow in Campus areas of Kurukshetra migrant species. Most of the migratory University and National Institute of species were winter visitors except five Technology. The distribution of House species namely Pied Cuckoo, Common Sparrow was patchy even in the urban Hawk Cuckoo, Drongo Cuckoo, Cotton localities.

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to Prof. D. Mohan, IFS, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun for his useful suggestions in identification of bird species. Thanks are due to Dr. K.B. Singh, Lecturer in Botany, University College, Kurukshetra for his help in identification of vegetation of the study area.

SUMMARY

Kurukshetra, a place of great historical and religious importance, 160 km North of Delhi on National Highway No. 1 (NH1) was surveyed for avian fauna from August, 2005 to July, 2008. Owing to different types of habitats, it harbours rich avian fauna. A checklist of 110 bird species is presented along with information on status and habitat.

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References

Ali, S. and S.D. Ripley (1987). Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Oxford University Press, New Delhi. Grimmett, R., C. Inskipp and T. Inskipp (1999). Pocket guide to the birds of the Indian subcontinent. Oxford University Press, Delhi. Gupta, R.C. and M. Bajaj (1997). Preliminary investigation into migratory wetland birds of Brahma Sarovar at Kurukshetra. Jeevanti, 15:29-41.