DOCSLIB.ORG

Chimney Swifts? Relax!

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Chimney Swifts? Relax! Wildlife Rehabilitators of North Carolina WRNC Sharing information and knowledge for the benefit of native wildlife. A Quarterly Newsletter" Issue 33 September 2008 Detective work What to say about snakes WRNC student WRNC Board President Elizabeth liaison Jenessa Hanrahan has created a brochure for Gjeltema strapped on the snake chaps her local SPCA and spent the to educate the summer tracking public about birds for the state snakes. Page 27 Wildlife Resources Commission. Page 9 A cruel world When do injuries to wildlife constitute Photo by Jeff Lewis cruelty? Page 11 Chimney Swifts? Relax! By Shirley Needham These tiny blackish-gray birds average a weight of Help! I have a rattlesnake in my fireplace! only 22-24 grams (less than 1 oz). They have a wing That’s the call that comes in late June or early July . span of about 12 to 12.5 inches and yet fly all the way to and you know you’re going to be receiving Chimney the upper Amazon River Basin in South America to Swifts. The very first preparation long before that initial spend the winter, and then make the long trip back to call is to study the natural history of the species. the same area, sometimes to the very same chimney, the The Chimney Swift (Chaetura Pelagica) is found following spring. They arrive in the Carolinas generally primarily in the eastern half of the United States and around the first week of April, begin mating and Canada. Before North America was settled, they lived in nesting in May and will begin hatching by the end of large hollow trees but as lands were cleared, June or the first week in July. Babies stay in the chimney competition for the remaining trees became intense, and about 30 days. They will start gathering in large flocks as the smallest of tree users, swifts adapted to chimneys and begin migrating in late August. They are generally and developed a relationship with humans that all gone by late October, depending on the weather. continues today. When they leave the chimney each morning, they spend Part of the fun of rehabbing swifts is knowing you’re the entire day on the wing collecting thousands of those not going to be able to imprint or tame. They are, by pesky mosquitoes, flies, gnats and flying termites. If their very living arrangements, already habituated to people are lucky, they can see them re-enter the humans. chimney each evening at dusk to settle in for the night. WRNC! 1 WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS OF NORTH CAROLINA Responding to the call Rehabbers often get a call when babies and nests fall into a fireplace. If the babies do not yet have their eyes open, or the homeowners know for sure the birds have been down for a time, I take the birds in and check them. Because of the time of the year, assume dehydration. If the eyes are still closed, keep for rehabilitation. If the eyes are open, and it’s a case of hunger and dehydration, treat for both, then try to talk the homeowners into letting you put the swifts back up the chimney as soon as possible. Photo by Dan Kaiser Most of the time I am successful with A Chimney Swift descends while carrying food. that. However, if the birds come down a second time, I take them into damper level. Most of the noise starts to fall during damp and humid rehab. Occasionally the parent swifts about 14 days after hatching, and they weather . in other words in the will come down into the fireplace and leave the chimney at 30 days. Most Carolinas, most of the time! feed the babies. This should be homeowners, once they hear your The tiny altricial hatchlings arrive encouraged as long as there is a safe explanation, will let the birds totally naked but already have the screen between the swifts and the continue to live in the chimney. If beginning of those pointed pins on living area of the house. It also they really don’t want birds in their emerging tail feathers and have very depends on the type of damper on the chimney, suggest capping, but only sharp claws that allow them to cling chimney and whether the young will after migration is complete. There is to most textured surfaces as if they be able to attach to the chimney wall only one situation where I possess prehistoric Velcro. At no point and climb or fly back up. automatically take swifts into rehab, in their life can swifts perch, stand or If the caller complains about the and that’s from the home of some walk, so they must have access to a noise or!doesn't like!having birds Caribbean Islanders who believe nesting or roosting site where they living that close, explain they are a having a bird inside a dwelling is a can "hang out." There is only one protected species and will be there for sign of impending death. Their fear is close avian relative to the swift family only a very short time. You might also so real and so great that trying to and that is the hummingbird . mention what wonderful little bug overcome it is a waste of time and a admit it, you thought it was going to catchers they are. Tell them the probable death warrant for the birds. be the swallow, didn’t you? fascinating natural history of the bird, At just a few days old, swifts begin and, no, they don’t carry diseases Birds raising birds to get a grayish tone to their skin as and . well, just keep talking fast. Both parents build the nest, incubate the pinfeathers appear, giving them a This is your big chance to fulfill the and feed the nestlings. They usually bizarre, porcupine look. From about single most important function of only have one brood, with an average 10 days on, the feather coating or wildlife rehabilitation. Educate, of 4-5 eggs, but will sometimes try sheath!begins to drop off, and the educate, educate. Sometimes you can again if the first nest fails. The flimsy, black feathers will be present. At get them so interested in the outcome stick nest is glued to the inside of the about 14-16 days, the eyes will open, for these marvelous little creatures, chimney using the parents’ saliva. If, although birds that have been under they will become rehabilitation by this time, you have convinced the extreme stress, hunger or dehydration supporters. I’ve had people call me homeowners they WANT to have will sometimes open their eyes year after year and proudly report on swifts in their chimney, suggest they earlier. By about 21 days, their the activities of "their" Chimney have their fireplace cleaned annually feathers are out of the sheath (other Swifts. If the noise is an issue, suggest to remove the soot. If there is a large than around the face), and they will a baffle (insulation or foam) at the soot buildup, the nest is more likely begin practice flapping, sometimes 2! WRNC WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS OF NORTH CAROLINA jumping straight backward before realizing they’re not holding on to anything. Then with a totally panicked look on their face, they will 1 re-grasp the nearest surface. They have such wonderful expressive faces, and you can just see the "what the #%^& just happened there?" look. By Day 30, they literally, and figuratively, take the leap of faith from the top of the chimney and into the wild blue yonder. The only time Chimney Swifts become territorial is during nesting season. Each chimney only has one nest. After nesting season, they become communal again and start gathering in large flocks before fall migration. One of the most satisfying activities connected to swifts is helping with the fall migration roost count. There are sites in the Winston- season. The area under the nail is a ones and then place a piece of paper Salem area, for example where perfect petri dish for breeding towel or tissue in the bottom for thousands of swifts gather nightly in bacteria and sooner or later you will frequent, easy cleanup. Consider one smokestack. Watching them swirl have a Chimney Swift try to swallow using duplicates of all housing so and drop into the chimney is an your finger. If you smoke . O.K., nestlings can be fed and transferred amazing sight, and I encourage O.K., I won’t nag about that, but from one to the other to avoid everyone to get involved in counting please wash your hands extra frequent handling. The quality of the and protecting these sites. For more thoroughly. feathers is very critical for swifts, so I information go to www. Make sure your size-appropriate try not to handle them more than ChimneySwifts.org. This is the home housing is ready. If the babies are not necessary. As they grow and become organization for Paul and Georgean completely feathered, use heating more active, I switch them to larger Kyle, Chimney Swift rehabilitators pads set on low with a source of containers (Photo 2). To safely detach and researchers extraordinaire. humidity in the container. If the a swift from its bedding, keep in Getting started babies are younger than 7-10 days mind all 4 toes point forward most of O.K., you’ve tried all the above, old, use the smallest of the plastic the time, so if you bring your fingers nothing worked, and you still are reptile containers (Photo 1). Wrap a up from behind and keep nudging going to be presented with a box of piece of cardboard or rigid plastic them, they’ll end up in your hand.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Town of Erin Species at Risk Chimney Swift
    Tow n of Erin Species at Habitat: Before European settlement of What can you do ? If possible, keep your North America, chimney swifts nested old brick chimney; don’t have your Risk – Chimney Swift primarily in large hollow trees. chimney cleaned in nesting season (mid- However with the decline of old forest May to mid-August). If possible keep habitats over much of their range, your chimney free of obstructions and swifts showed their adaptability and avoid the use grills or caps. Keep any old became urban creatures – relying on trees with hollow trunks on your property chimneys as nesting habitat. Chimney if it is safe to do so. Eliminate or reduce swift flocks can be heard making high- your use of insecticides to an absolute pitched chipping or twittering noises as minimum. they fly above the rooftops older neighbourhoods in Erin during the Bird Studies Canada (BSC) is a non- summer. government organization dedicated to Threats: Several factors have conserving wild birds of Canada. One of combined to cause swift populations BSC’s citizen science projects is the Chimney swifts are often described as to plummet more than 90% in the monitoring of chimney swifts and other ‘cigars with wings’. Their twittering last three decades. Throughout aerial insectivores through its ‘Swift calls give them away as they fly over North America there has been a Watch’ Program. Volunteers conduct older parts of cities and towns. wide-spread decline in insect surveys of swifts and gather information populations, likely caused by to help understand how swifts are faring Description: Chimney swifts look a changing agricultural practices and and what is behind their population bit like swallows, but their swept- widespread use of insecticides; declines .
    [Show full text]
  • Cali Types of the Common Swift Apus Apus: Aduit Cali Given at the Nest
    Avocetta W 17: 141-146 (1993) Cali types of the Common Swift Apus apus: aduIt cali given at the nest VrNCENT BRETAGNOLLE CEBC-CNRS,F-79360-Beauvoirsur Niort, France Abstract - Vocalizations of the Common Swifts were studi ed during two consecutive springs in southern France. I found that three cali types were given by the adults at the nest, and these are described quantitatively. Significant differences in the acoustic parameters of the calls are highlighted, as well as. a probable sexual dimorphism. This, together with the precise signification of the different cali types, rernam however to be critically assessed by playback experiments. Introduction France), where a large colony is easily accessible for field studies (for further details, see Gory, this Swifts (Order Apodiformes) are unusual among birds volume).A sample of 22 accessible nests was because many of their Iife history traits (i.e. longevity, selected, for which extensive data on breeding biology delayed maturity, large egg size) make them atypical and breeding success were also available dating from compared to similar-sized birds (Lack 1956, Gaillard 1978 (Gory et Jeantet 1986). The birds were tape et al. 1989), and convergent evolution of life histories recorded by Uher 4400 or Nagra IV at a speed of 19.5 with, e.g., long lived seabirds such as cmJs, on Agfa PE43 tapes, and with a Seinnheiser Procellariiformes, have been suggested repeatedly omnidirectional microphone MD421 placed within, or (e.g. Lack and Lack 1951, Malacarne et al. 1991). at the entrance of, the nesting cavity. Calls were Although investigations have been carried out on the analysed on a Real Time Spectrograph, which Common Swift Apus apus with regard to demography performs a fast Fourier transform (Richard 1991) at a (Lack 1956, Perrins 1971, Lebreton et al.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Be a Good Chimney Swift Landlord
    NATURE LONDON HOW TO BE A GOOD CHIMNEY SWIFT CHIMNEY LANDLORD SWIFT Winifred Wake INITIATIVE Chimney Swift Liaison for Nature London Updated April 1, 2021 TIPS FOR HOSTING CHIMNEY SWIFTS: QUICK SUMMARY (details start page 3) If there are swifts in your chimney, consider yourself not only lucky but honored! You have the rare privilege of hosting a species at risk and seeing its life story un- fold right on your own premises. Here are some tips for being a good swift host: • Clean your chimney every year (best done in early April before swifts return). • Don’t use your furnace or fireplace during the season swifts are present. • Keep the damper of your fireplace closed during swift season. • Do not cap the chimney or line it with metal; if considering a conversion to gas, vent elsewhere. • If a metal lining is installed, cap the chimney to prevent swifts and other wildlife from being trapped inside. • Make chimney and roof repairs when swifts are out of the country (mid-October to mid-April). • To keep nuisance animals out of the chimney, trim back overhanging foliage and securely wrap a 60-cm- wide band of metal flashing around the outside of the chimney near the top. • If pruning trees, leave some dead branches with fine twigs at the tips for swifts to use as nesting material. • If you are bothered by food-begging calls in the two weeks before young swifts leave the chimney, stuff foam rubber (not fiberglass insulation) above the damper in your fireplace; be sure to remove it later.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Be a Good Chimney Swift Landlord
    HOW TO BE A GOOD CHIMNEY SWIFT LANDLORD Winifred Wake Chimney Swift Liaison for Nature London March 12, 2019 TIPS FOR HOSTING CHIMNEY SWIFTS: QUICK SUMMARY If there are swifts in your chimney, consider yourself not only lucky but honored! You have the rare privilege of hosting a species at risk and seeing its life story un- fold right in your own yard. Here are some tips on how to be a good swift host: Clean your chimney every year (best done in early April before swifts return). Don’t use your furnace or fireplace during the season swifts are present. Keep the damper of your fireplace closed during swift season. Do not cap the chimney or line it with metal; if considering a conversion to gas, vent elsewhere. If a metal lining is installed, cap the chimney to prevent swifts and other wildlife from being trapped inside. Make chimney and roof repairs when swifts are out of the country. To keep nuisance animals out of the chimney, trim back overhanging foliage and securely wrap a 60-cm- wide band of metal flashing around the outside of the chimney near the top. If pruning trees, leave some dead branches with fine twigs at the tips for swifts to use as nesting material. If you are bothered by noisy food-begging calls in the two weeks before young swifts leave the chimney, stuff foam rubber (not fiberglass insulation) above the damper in your fireplace; be sure to remove it later. Welcome swifts to your chimney – they eat huge numbers of flying insects, make minimal mess, do no structural damage to the chimney, and pose no fire or health hazard.
    [Show full text]
  • Fastest Migration Highest
    GO!” Everyone knows birds can fly. ET’S But not everyone knows that “L certain birds are really, really good at it. Meet a few of these champions of the skies. Flying Acby Ellen eLambeth; art sby Dave Clegg! Highest You don’t have to be a lightweight to fly high. Just look at a Ruppell’s griffon vulture (left). One was recorded flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet. That’s as high as passenger planes fly! In fact, it’s so high that you would pass out from lack of oxygen if you weren’t inside a plane. How does the vulture manage? It has Fastest (on the level) Swifts are birds that have that name for good special blood cells that make a small amount reason: They’re speedy! The swiftest bird using its own of oxygen go a long way. flapping-wing power is the common swift of Europe, Asia, and Africa (below). It’s been clocked at nearly 70 miles per hour. That’s the speed limit for cars on some highways. Vroom-vroom! Fastest (in a dive) Fastest Migration With gravity helping out, a bird can pick up extra speed. Imagine taking a trip of about 4,200 And no bird can go faster than a peregrine falcon in a dive miles. Sure, you could easily do it in an airplane. after prey (right). In fact, no other animal on Earth can go as But a great snipe (right) did it on the wing in just fast as a peregrine: more than 200 miles per hour! three and a half days! That means it averaged about 60 miles The prey, by the way, is usually another bird, per hour during its migration between northern which the peregrine strikes in mid-air with its balled-up Europe and central Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • Peregrine Falcon Falco Peregrinus
    Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Joe Kosack/PGC Photo CURRENT STATUS: In Pennsylvania, the peregrine falcon is endangered and protected under the Game and Wildlife Code. It formerly was listed as endangered, then threatened at the federal level; it was re- moved from the federal Endangered Species List in August 1999. All migratory birds are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. POPULATION TREND: The peregrine falcon is cosmopolitan, in more ways that one. It nests in many parts of the world and its choice of nest sites is now very diverse and often urban! Peregrines historically nested widely in the eastern United States, numbering about 350 nesting pairs in the early 1900s. In Pennsylvania, there were 44 known nest sites; most were on cliffs, usually along rivers. The native east- ern breeding population was wiped out by the early 1960s, primarily due to effects of DDT. The peregrine falcon was listed as an Endangered Species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1972 following the catastrophic decline of the species worldwide. No nesting records were known in Pennsylvania between about 1959 and 1987. After DDT was banned, the Peregrine Fund Inc., a non-profit organization, organized with the mis- sion of reintroducing the species into the eastern United States. Some of the earliest reintroduction sites during the 1970s included historic nesting areas in Pennsylvania. A slow, steady expansion in the population was assisted by supplemental releases of birds coordinated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission in the 1990s. The peregrine falcon subsequently experienced one of the most dramatic recoveries of any endangered species, and was formally removed from the federal list in 1999.
    [Show full text]
  • CR08011 Bird Brochure
    Your Guide to Birding at CHIMNEY ROCK WELCOME LEGEND TO BIRD LIST Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park, located in Hickory Nut SEASONS Gorge, offers excellent opportuni- Spring - March, April, May ties for bird watching throughout Summer - June, July, August the seasons due to its endless Fall - September, October, November variety of habitats ranging from Winter - December, January, February riverbanks to high cliffs. Along the Rocky Broad River, ABUNDANCE floodplain trees and wet thickets C –Common and widespread, easily seen throughout attract Yellow and Yellow-throated the Park Warblers. Belted Kingfishers may be seen sitting on a branch surveying the river. Climbing up the north-facing slopes, the vegetation changes. Moist cove forests U–Uncommon, smaller numbers present, seen in alternate with drier oak-mixed hardwoods forests. Rhododendrons are very common appropriate habitat in these woods. A mixed oak forest with hickories and dogwoods covers the east side R– Rare, occurs annually in small numbers of the mountain. These deciduous forests attract many summer-breeding birds. A– Accidental, one or two records for the Park Scarlet Tanagers are common, and up to 15 warblers and vireos can be found here * – Breeding confirmed during the summer months. The most elusive of these are the Cerulean and Swainson’s Warblers. Cerulean Warblers prefer the tall trees immediately below the parking lot at the Chimney, and the Swainson’s Warbler is found in rhododendron HABITAT PREFERENCE This outline serves as a guide to the main habitats in the thickets, especially along the Hickory Nut Falls Trail. Park and as a key to the areas where the birds are most The high cliffs on top of the steep, north-facing wooded slopes have an unusually likely to be seen.
    [Show full text]
  • E:\Wwwzoo~2.Org\Zoospr~1
    Present distribution of Asian Pied Starlings S.K. Sharma Avifauna of ZSI Campus, Jodhpur C. Peruman et al. Sharma, I.K. (1988). Some birds around Pushkar Lake. Newsletter for Table 1. List of birds recorded in the Desert Regional Station, Birdwatchers 28(11&12): 7. ZSI. Sharma, A.K. and R. Singh (1993). Sighting of Green Barbet and nesting of Pied Myna at Jaipur. Newsletter for Bird Watchers 33(3): 53- Common name Scientific name Status* 54. Sharma, S.K. (2001). Impact of Indira Gandhi Canal on the desert Family: Phalacrocoracidae avifauna of Rajasthan. Report submitted to the Ministry of Environment Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger R and Forests, GOI, New Delhi. 459 pp. Vyas, R. (1992). Checklist of the birds of Kota district in South-East Family: Anatidae Rajsthan. Newsletter for Bird Watchers 32(11&12): 8-10. Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha R Whistler, H. (1938). The ornithological survey of Jodhpur State. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 40: 213-235. Family: Accipitridae Black Kite Milvus migrans R Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus R ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Indian White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis R This study was undertaken as a part of Dr. Salim Ali National Wildlife Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax R Shikra Accipiter trivirgatus R Fellwoship (1997) from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi. The author is indebted to Dr. A.R. Rahmani, Director BNHS Family: Ardeidae Mumbai, Sh. R.G. Soni, PCCF, Rajasthan for guidance and constant Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis R inspiration. Thanks are also due to Sh. Balveer
    [Show full text]
  • Best Management Practices for Excluding Barn Swallows and Chimney Swifts from Buildings and Structures
    Best Management Practices for Excluding Barn Swallows and Chimney Swifts from Buildings and Structures Photo: R. Kimpel (flickr.com/creative commons) ontario.ca/speciesatrisk BLEED Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry 2017 Suggested Citation Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. 2017 Best Management Practices for Excluding Barn Swallows and Chimney Swifts from Buildings and Structures. Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2017. 22 pp. Authors This document was prepared by Debbie Badzinski, Brandon Holden and Sean Spisani of Stantec Consulting Ltd. and Kristyn Richardson of Bird Studies Canada on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Acknowledgements The project team wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for providing guidance and review of this document: ´ Todd Copeland, Darlene Dove, Lauren Kruschenske, Megan McAndrew, Kerry Reed, Chris Risley, Lara Griffin and Erin Thompson Seabert from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry ´ Larry Sarris from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation ´ Nicole Kopysh from Stantec Consulting Ltd. This document includes best available information as of the date of publication and will be updated as new information becomes available. If you are interested in providing information for consideration in updates of this document, please email [email protected]. Page 1 | Best Management Practices for Excluding Barn Swallows and Chimney Swifts from Buildings and Structures 1.0 Introduction & Purpose ..........................................................................................3
    [Show full text]
  • Airbirds: Adaptative Strategies to the Aerial Lifestyle from a Life History Perspective
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1998 Airbirds: Adaptative Strategies to the Aerial Lifestyle From a Life History Perspective. Manuel Marin-aspillaga Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Marin-aspillaga, Manuel, "Airbirds: Adaptative Strategies to the Aerial Lifestyle From a Life History Perspective." (1998). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 6849. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/6849 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type o f computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy subm itted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps.
    [Show full text]
  • White-Collared Swift: New to Ontario and Canada
    77 White-collared Swift: New to Ontario and Canada Tristan ap Rheinallt On 10 June 2002, a White-collared sun rose, it soon warmed up and Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) was became a bright, though somewhat seen briefly from the Marsh Trail at hazy, morning. I spent three very Rondeau Provincial Park. The pleasant hours pottering along the record, which has been accepted by first part of the trail, enjoying the the Ontario Bird Records sight of old friends such as Indigo Committee (Crins 2003), becomes Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Rose­ the first for Ontario and Canada. breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), Northern Cardinal Circumstances (Cardinalis cardinalis) and Orchard On the afternoon of 9 June 2002, I Oriole (Icterus spurius). I was arrived in Toronto from the UK at enjoying myself immensely and, for the start of a week-long birding trip. once, rarities were the last thing on It was my first visit to Canada since my mind. 1987 and my first to North America At 0800h, as I stood listening to since 1993. Although I knew that the birdsong and debating whether spring migration would be more or or not to attempt a photograph of a less over, there were several species superbly lit male Red-winged of breeding warblers that I hoped to Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) add to my life list. One of these, perched on a nearby branch, I Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria noticed what appeared to be a swift citrea), was the reason I decided to flying directly towards me from the make Rondeau my first destination. direction of the lake.
    [Show full text]
  • A Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of India
    © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be 4 BIRDS OF INDIAdistributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher. INTRODUCTION Birds of the Indian subcontinent an overview by Carol and Tim Inskipp The Indian subcontinent has a great wealth of birds, making it a paradise for the birdwatcher. The classic Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan by Salim Ali and S Dillon Ripley, which covers the whole region and was first published in 1968-1975, lists over 1,200 species. With additional recording and following the more up-to-date nomenclature in the Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of Birds of the World edited by E. C. Dickinson (2003) the current species total for the subcontinent stands at 1,375 species – 13 per cent of the world’s birds. A further relevant reference is Birds of South Asia: the Ripley Guide by Pamela Rasmussen and John Anderton, which has adopted much narrower species Dr. Salim Ali limits and, consequently, the latest edition (2012) recognises 1451 species in the region. Note that less than 800 species are found in all of North America. The Indian subcontinent is species-rich partly because of its wide altitudinal range extending from sea level up to the summit of the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountains. Another reason is the region’s highly varied climate and associated diverse vegetation. The extremes range from the almost rainless Great Indian or Thar Desert, where temperatures reach over 55°C, to the wet evergreen forests of the Assam Hills where 1,300 cm of rain a year have bee recorded at Cherrapunji – one of the wettest places on Earth, and the Arctic conditions of the Himalayan peaks where only alpine flowers and cushion plants flourish at over 4,900 m.
    [Show full text]