't16 SHORT NOTES bill 133.9mmj rorallengrh 460 mm; weight520 g.Moult REFER.ENCES score:5{4'2i01. The was banded with Malaysian metal bandV-08368. Alstin, O. L,, Jr. lnd Ku.odaj N. (1972)The ofJ.pan Fourteenother species of wate$irdswere caugit and $atus and distribution.a,ltr -M,E.Cant.ttool. lA9(4): l-641. banded from 20-22 November 1992, when the Dr-l'in,on.Cc.Kenneo).R S a drJl...r.C oo'I4" \'o' oysrercarcherwas netted (Table1). 4 4.Ph ipp ..o\a''aa,d.rr{-rl.ralc.Bn ' sists'Union {ChecL lGt no. l2). Hayna., P, Marchant,J.and Pmer,T (1986)Snorobtrdr d, &drfi, s,idr, Bo*on: HoughronMirflin co. arddle to the PVCF bird b.ndins ream,composed Specialrhanks McCIure, H. E. {r9?,1),&lrgnlian ont enatual al tle bi& of Aid, ofH. Gonzales,E. Pcndon,and G.Toledo,for rhei dedicated6eld BaDgkok:U. S. Am! Medical Conponcnr, SEATO Medical eforisi to theJlpan Ovc^easCoopcrationVolunteers M. Sanoand S. SasaDori,Bho phor.sraphedthc oysicrcatcherand assistedthe Magsala,v.P M., Rigor, R. P, G.nzdles,H. L .nd Ntap o' A. M, PWCF field teamj 10 rle Asia. Vetland Burea! for ploviding the ( r 939) .trr",r o/ O/d,so lJla,a, Phir?fut{, unh rnDnddoti.tu baDdsand sharingrechni.al skilhi to the YanashinaIn$itute iot lat dttre ca&raarior, aeb! Ciry:AsianVcrlrnd BurcaulhiliF Olniihology,wild Bird So.iety ofJap.n, and Nikon Co. for banding a.d monitoring equipmenriand io thc Foundationfo. Philippine Massala! P M., Rigor,R.P, Gonzales,H.LiToledo,G., Sano,M. Environmen!and world ldildlifc Fund-lntcrnarionalfor srantssup md Michelsen, T. ( r 993) ,4 dll eeklkroJ bit: at nie Olaqavildw portins P!qCF activnieson Olanso.H. C. Miranda,I!. kindly re Sdrclrdry. Cebu City: Phil,ppinewedtnd & vildlile Conserw- iesed an earlierdrrft of thn paper.M.ssalay aho would like to tion Foundati.n,I.c. acknowledgethe help offorncrVicc M.yor C. Eyasoi Lapulapu Redman,N. (1991)'Ivo nev spccicsoibirds ao.rhc Philippincsand Citr for senerouslyprovidins r $afhousc in Olansolsland; ofthe odrcr notablelccords, F,rFra,l8r 119-124. ( o. p-'r"on As n \ io oroLidins-omm-nno Japdnln.ernau' n. Scrdinsh.us, S. R. and Blackshaq K T ( 1976) ,4 ,.' llitz .o d? tion eqlipnent for the Islandiof Mayor E.r{teisleand his *aff and 6tdr ,/Iaea,.'Iiripei: MeiYa Publ. In.. courcilnen frob Lap apu Cnr Finally wc wnh to thank the local suppofielsand friendsand all thoscin rhe Olangocomnuitl rno rn one rs) " , .rhc' hav. 'elped Jre-e.ear-h .nd .' n.<'.sri. r1l

Petla M. Magsalay, PhilippinelYeddnd ervildliJe CanserDdtian Faunddtion, Inc., c/o Cebu Zoo' CaFnol Hilk, Cebu Cit! abn 6000, Philippines. Roben S. Kennedg, Frcderi.k and Ame! Geiet Co .dions dnd Research Cente,' Museu'n oJ Narutal Hktor! fc S.ience, Cinciflnati Museun CenteL1 720 Gilbet Arenue, Cincinnati OH 15202, U S.A. aldr prel

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tail Rusty-bellied Shornvin g Braclrypteryx lryperythra at Gri Lava, Darjeeling, in April and June 1996 Ta Snc IWEIN MAURO and ED\rARD \ERCRUYSSE

Between24 29 April 1996 the authon, togerherwith resultingin no lessthan nine differentierritorial males the Bram Demeulemeester,were birding the remnant beingfoJnd in rhe.ame general area. Our observarion' primary forest, tall secondarygrowth and cleared, constitute the fiIst definire records of Rusty bellied run scrubby areasaround the village of Lava, Darieeling, Shortwingfor dle Daieeling areasince 1920 and remain northemWestBensal, India.\atile searchingalong the one of the very few field observationsdrouglout the roadrowards the Neoravalley at about2,000 m elevation species\ft strictedmnge. fro in the morning of27 Aprjl our attentionwas suddenly The following description was compiled on the Pr€ drawn towardsa previouslyunnoticed c1ear,loud and strensthoffield notes and sound rccodings taken on lab musical song emanaringfrom a damp well-vegetated 27April 1996.Copies ofthese recordings were deposired (H gully flearby.In responseto tape playbackof the sound ar rhe British Ubrary National SoundArchive, V/ildlife M: recordedsong our mysrerybird soonpopped out and S€ction,London. get good identified sul IM,beingfirstto a look at it, readily SIZE AND STRUCTURE A typic^l Brachlpftrlx' Shortwing B/acrl?teryi th1 ir as a male Rusry beliied featuring a rounded head, short straight bili, short lnknown and much sought-after hlpe\)thra, a viInrally rounded wings, short squaretail and noticeablylong Fortunatelyir was one of easternHimalayas species. rarsi. Similar in size and genenl build to Lesser performingindividuals, \thich stayedaround Nt thosestar Shortwins B. l€rdor&D,safld noticeablysmal1er, more until the three of us obrained hishly long enough slender and shorter tailed thanvhite-broived Shorrwing sarisq'ingviews whiLe itwas singingits headotratpoint a.,rou ra"a (neitherspecies seen in direct comparison). range. Meanwhile a second male had started blank Primary projectionshort, encompassingabout 15% of vocalizing nearby. In early June EV revisited Lava, (r rall1O (?000) SHORTNO'I'FS

iisjbl. i.riiel l.ngth \\'!rg-ri!r fnllhg nrid\1a_!rlong rhe R.cent publishcdrcpofrs ofihc speci.srr. ofduce coll.clcd in and tlerf \aDrdapha NrLion!l Prfli. Arunechal PradcshiD l9li7,l9ES HEAD AND NF.Cli Chin, ftrcat end chesr oraLlge- and one sighrcdin Kamleng\\'jl.ijili Sxnctu !Ir. Afunaclial Prad.sh n 'r9.1 mfous.shxfplv de urcrLed lioD f.si of h.ad. \\hich I .r dl. l99ti Collrr r. d1.l99li lvase d..r darLiLllue snnihf ro thet of I ra,uara. iAthre)r Headr 1933; IQUL 'l "1. lt)gi). Our o$n olrscr\aiFns R.llitr.lv ob\iou! suFercililunstafting close to brse of conlinn drc ."ninr.llf F'.e, P. .-1,.1',r\'r! rqrn uff€f nrandible,brordcst mid\\a! al,ns rhc loresand 1.. l)arleeling arca. shere rhe specics.ti{xfpearecl tio r rLrc grr.lualhielitfing out lo iust b.hh.t.\e. record rlicr \ld! lql0. \\'hen on. nes collecred .rt UPPERPARTS Unilo.Drly cle.r Llfli bluc as rn R. \lansru at 1.100 m .lclaixrn bl G. E. Slus (II.!rh M881. \\rhile $e l-lNDERl'ARTS Lrnifof mlt .range-rulirus. rccordcd whirc browe.l and L.sser Sliofrrings lroDr d !afier! of h!birais. !I o!r BARI PARI S Ilill blrck crc.pr Lrsmxllpale horn.rrca obsdllrions ot n lilfJ, \.rlr,?came liom reL.rilch sieef, f.sinci.d n) b.r!e ol losef mrndible. Legs pale lesh Llxmt, Llensel!\ c-qcrrtcdgulli.s Nithin secoD.]lf! gro\rh colored.his bLNcLrish. !.d, clerrl\'. dris appeafed to torD drc decisire l.rcror nl Ih. occurf.ncc ofrhc speciesCLnlar.?r/. (199.11 \iOICE Th. song c.n be tn[scfib..] xs a trsi, cieif, rrik Rusi)-bclli.d ShorNi.g !sVuhcf abl.. FI(\rc!er, \rf! liquid and musrc.rl$arblc coDsisrins ofa longsefies cerrlrnl trctors prolicle rn oprimisric ric$ fof irs of quicklr al.elirrrringup lrd do\rn, slishdr sluued lons-rcfn surr ival:hrgc ifacrs.ltirresL remir urdisrurbed prrrs nor.s,.l'siincdy intf.'duccd bl a shorr r/r 1lr or iu rx in ol thc crstcrn Himliar!sr n{rte.rlld usueil\'lasling !p to 1.1 secords, cnding thc sp.cicsocclrfies quit. r sidc lhiiudinrllengci rn.l ii rbruFLl).Lesscf ShoflNing rlrnosr inraiebh Lrii.rs ! ap|e;rrslo hlcf{rc habirar .tcgfadarion Lo sonc .\i.nr (as mLrchshorrcr. g.n.ralh onl\ lasringuF t.' 2.l j seconds, rn(licxr.Ll b\' our obscrlxlions ir) sdcoD.lrr!gNNrh). Iar lessliquicl. tLrNgh alsodi\rincrl! introduccd.b.icf Ncrcrihclcss,rhc spcci.s m:1\'alrer.l) h!\c sullifecl musicllnrrblDg soDgofaboLrt l0 1l noLcsrlrcnaring considcrlbh ffonr nn.si l{rssaod hrlrilli rh.rar;o. ,r'." ..rl-.1\.t .1.\ -1...'rJ r". nirhrn rh. l(N'cf fafr Ctbr C oi 'rs altitLrdinrldisrribLriion. ). rbfufilr ending qiLh ! disiincitr. shofi r\ritre.ing, In sinLer Rusn bcllicd Short$ing hasbeen recor.led as l(N is llnrtimes seemngh chirpmgDLrie.'l he songof\\'hirc 5-101n,rndicarDg a se.rsonrldcf.nd.n.c.n lo\land and liothill bnntd Shori\ling umalh hsting ut n) 1.5seconds .r]d iropic.rl e1-er-sreenxnd seDl erergrcer fenrn,f.srs.shich rhhoughNofe uriablc is \.r! diff.fcnr tu.m rtralol Lhc uc .,r,.,-l r,a'r.ier or ' r I .r prc!(rs nki sfeciesberng noric.rbl,\ lighef pirched rnd reqr . Hlstoicrllt ii has, hoNevcr.:ilso a Drr'. crplt)in e, nruch Dro( slurfugNerble, inroducecl trccn found urilizng dnck secoDdrrl soub bI uF Lo rhrtc charactelistic \lhistled .r/,!r: noi.s (\.. and dcnsc ihick.is of rccds in \;ni.r (Srclcnst9l l).,\ n!le seenor:7 I9I2 Figurc l ). In song drc Rusrt bellied Shof $\ ins held irs JrDuafI ii 1,000 m arounctT(ingllr. \\'c!r Lril h.ll:cock..t. \hi1. Ihe uings scfe hcld s1;ghrlr, Bcrgll b! Sr.lens ra at (t 925) i\ rs rn deisc 71f!rtl,r.,rd b,rtnlroo I Gim rcLL.l dl (1q98) lisr$hirc-bro\ c.l Bush Robin Trriqflrdt rj,lndirn Bluc Robin |1rlJ!, bfr,,?Jd rtld Sn.ivl bro$cd IJlvc.rLchcfFtrr.l,1d /f?rr1r,I as possiblc conli'sionspecics, rli ol which halc diffcrenrsongs rnd scneral build..rtld LrcL

Hrstoricall!, Rus!! bellied Shoftirnrg is kno\1t Nirh cc.raint,vfrom sp.crncns secufedm Dofrh.est Indir tiom rhc Dafjeelins afea, Siiatim.Assam, A.Lrnachal Pradcshind, doubrfuu!, Nasaland.One specrmcnrs hbclleLl\epal'bu1its prolcnancchas bccn quesrioned (H.adi lgltE). SLrrpisrrgli. cluringihe fe.iod 23 23 N'rldlife Ila) 1973 a male ancl feDralc \rere collecred at Gonsshan, north-$'csi Yunnan Prolince, Chin.r, suggesrlngthe spccicsprobibl! rlnges morc \illch tliroughout rh. .asrdn Himrl.!:rs. IDclcc.tSrarreNfield nr'long n d1.(1!)qS). despite rhc gcncrrl hck of plrblished erldence, tertatilcl! Irex! it as occuffiDg lion casi.m Nep!1, thfoughoui Bhuran. Arunachrl Prrcl.sh, ro soulh-casrTib.i ind nordrcrn trlv.rnrndr,end possiblr rft$ing Figure 1. S.nxsDms.fIh. song!ofRtrsr! bcllcd in the Nagxland. Ilanipur and Crchlf hills. For a Shortsing !tr,./rvr ,f htdrrrrd (rpper). Les.r ljyo of comprchcnsscre\icw of llisfuricelrecords see Herth Sh.rtsins !^,./^!ir,f /Jr,n"l,r\ (cenrt rll\\'hirc- ( 1e88). bnrrcd Shorr$ine lr!./^?rrr r D,"r,r llL\\.f), Aprl lnd I Junclq9h. L,u.l)rrrccling, Nlj ltulir (h.\trctrrr$el. I I ) 176 SHORTNOTES Forktail 16 (20

Elusivegmund-dwelling tropical forest bird species, REFERENCES lone characterizedas exceedinglyrare, often prove to be reasonably their vocalizaiionshave Alhreyr, R. M., Caprain,A. S. and Athreya)V R. (1997)A farml beenrccognlzed.Our observationsat a reasonablywell- surveyof Namda!'haTisd Rcscrvc,Arunachal Pra.lesh,Indi. walched locality suggestthat Rusty bellied Shorrwing Reportto Orientd Bnd Club. Unpublished. is probably greatly overlooked and ar leasr locally Colla!, N. J., Crosby,M. J. and Staitersfi.ld,A. J. (1994) Atr& to common whe.e its habitat requiremenrsare mer. As uotch 2, E wrld list af te.,,rcd,.'i5. Cambri.lgc: Bndl-if! noted by Crosby (1996) olnitholosicalcoverage ofrhe Crosby,M. (1996)Thearenedbirds in the easdn Hinalayes,Oni easternHimalayas Endemic BirdArea is srillvery much enlatBird Cl,b Bull-2J: 2t 23. in its infancy.Many partsofthercgionhave always been G.inmett, R.,lnskipp, C. and Inskipp,T.(1993) a.idJ a/rre.Ld'i!t difiicult to accessbecause of logistical and political r,r.o,!t,,. London:ChrntopherHelm. reasons.Itis hoped fiar,armed wifi thenew information He h, P ( I 988) Uftle knosn Oricntal bird: Ru$y-bcllied Shotu irs. contained herein, and with the rapidly improvins OrientalBid Crtb Brll.a: t6-r9. Kaul, R,, Raza,R. lnd Kalsi. R. (1995)wildliie *n.lies in nortn- situation on visiting nofih-east India and more ea* India U Fcb. 19941.Rcport to P$cr people Uan. Scor Trus, will try to seeko\t Brachtpterlx]ryperlthtu ^nd Jaoraslr Unpublished. other littie known taxa in this excitingregion. Ripl.y, S. D, Saha,S. S. and Beehler,B. M. (1991) Notes on birds fton the Upper Noa Dihins. Arunaclal Pradcsh,northeasern I"dia. B"ll.Btu. an. Chtb\rr: t9-2a. The authorsarc s.eadyi.debled to SelgeHoste for kindl,\'prepar- SBtersneld,A.J., Crosby,M.J., Lons,A.J. andwese,D C. (19S8) I,'I.I ins the sonasrans.Many rfunks alsogo to RafDrijve6 for usetul r\d{.;r BrdAt.a otth,Lattt aL t.".lotb. dn.u.\io Jnd o B 6m Dp-.uF-<<{er for ercellenrlomlrnio ! ,or. Canbridse: BirdUle Imernational. WI} ship {!ilc birding India and in l996.Tin lnskipp provided Sevens,H. (r914) Notes on the bnds ol Upper Assanr,Paft l. t valuablccommcns on r d.afr versbn of the manusclipr. Bo"tbar^"aL HiL Soc.21:2a4-26a. and Srevens,H. (1925) Notes on thc birds of the sikr.im , the t Pd.t 5. t, ao,r6dr'I'dr. Ear. Sd..30:152-a19. Sec. fom Har Iwein Maurc, Brouuerijstraat 29, B 9160 Lokeren, Belg;at1 Eduad Wrcrulsse,lvijzemanstruat 5, B-9AAA Gent, Beleiunl ^pa TA] r:Pr gfa(

MC Cornrnon Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula: plul a new species forThailand ftor visi IWEIN MAURO

On 7 January 1997 I was birding, togerherwith Chancesaw the bird larerrharday and fortunatelytook DominiqDeVelbelen,alongrheexposedsandybanksof the trouble to put the word our so that it waslater seen the Mekongriver ar ChiangSaen,Chiang Rai Province, by quile a few Thai birdwatchers.L. Bruce Kekule Thailand, primarily in searchof Long-billed Plover managedto obtain somegood photographsofrhe bird Chara.rius?bcid\s. F^irly largenumbers of Little Ringed on 17 Januaryand on 28 Januaryit wasseen by Kanr Ploversr- h ral, u" dtbtu"wer e pre\enrand my Jnertion Ratanajun(P D. Roundm l"r.). This represenisthe firsr wassoon drawn to an obviouslyiarger plover associating recordever of Common Rinsed PloverforThailand. wirh these.Unfortunately, this bird took to the wing Basedon my own field notes made on 07 January beforeI evenhad a chanceto rake a good look at it. 1997, slidestaken by LBK on 17 January 1S97 and However,whendoins so,it revealeda promin€ntbroad soundrecordings obtainedbyRDand DV on 07January wing-barand repeatedlyuttered a familiarsofr, mellow 1S97,I compiledthe followingdescdprion. poo-ip,and I immediatelyidentified ir as a Common RingedPlover C&arddli&s r,at &/a.I quickly informed SIZE and STRUCTURE A small-sizedftough robust, DV and together we soon relocated rh€ bird and stockyCrarddliirs with rarherlarge square head, short, obrainedexcellenr view. ar clocerange. confi-minc my snaighr, slighdy stubby bill and relatively shon, powerful initial identification.After having obsened the plover legs.In dir€ct comparisonwith Lirtle RingedPlover C. forabout l5 minutesor so.wedecidedto inform others d&ras appearedabout 20% larser, proporrionarely aboutits presenceas w€ meanwhiierealized this species shorrsrand Lhicker b.lled.,horrer legged and noriLeably wasnot treatedin Boonsongand Round (19Sl). Shortly morerdumpyand por-beitreawrrtr tiis ancnuare,lrear- afterwards we retumed to the spot, togetler with Raf end. In flight showednoticeably longer wings and rail, D jvers, and easilyrelocated rhe bird, now enabling resulting in more purposeful flight action. P.imary sound recordingsof the flight calls ro be made. Jim projection short, encompassingabout 20% of visible PI CI R?