The Birds of Nameri National Park, Assam, India
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FORKTAIL 21 (2005): 15–26 The birds of Nameri National Park, Assam, India MAAN BARUA and PANKAJ SHARMA A total of 374 species has been recorded from Nameri National Park, Assam, north-east India, based on fieldwork carried out in 1996–2003 and records by other observers. This includes eight globally threatened species (White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata, Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis, Pallas’s Fish Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus, White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Slender- billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris, Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius and Jerdon’s Babbler Chrysomma altirostre), and five Near Threatened species (White-cheeked Partridge Arborophila atrogularis, Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda, White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, Lesser Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga humilis and Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus). INTRODUCTION the park and feed into the Jia Bhareli. Many rivers shift their course during the rainy season and form dry Nameri National Park (26o50’–27o02’N 92o38’– riverbeds during the winter. 93o00’E) covers an area of 200 km2 in the foothills of Forest and woodland cover the majority of the park the eastern Himalayas in Assam, north-east India. It is (94%, 188 km2). Grasslands are found along the banks contiguous with Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary in of the Jia Bhareli River and its tributaries and cover an Arunachal Pradesh to the north, and together they area of 10 km2 (5%). The remaining 2 km2 (1%) is exceed 1,000 km2 and range from 79 m to over 1,500 formed by various riverbeds.The vegetation of the park m. The Jia Bhareli river flows along the park’s western is a mosaic of four major forest types (following and southern boundaries and the Bor Dikrai river Champion and Seth 1968): (1) Eastern alluvial forms the eastern boundary (Fig. 1). The terrain is secondary semi-evergreen forest (including undulating, with lower areas at 80–100 m along the Jia Pterospermum acerifolium, Dillenia indica, Dysoxylum Bhorelli and its tributaries, and higher areas at procerum, Bombax ceiba, Bischofia javanica, Artocarpus 200–225 m in the central and northern parts of the chaplasha, Duabanga sonneratoides and Litsea sebifera); park. Soils are characterised by sandy or sandy loam (2) Low alluvial savannah woodland (including alluvial deposits. Numerous small rivers and perennial Bombax ceiba, Albizzia procera, Dillenia indica, Cordia streams originating in Arunachal Pradesh run through dichotoma, Premna bengalensis and Trewia nudiflora trees Figure 1. Map of Nameri National Park, Assam. 16 MAAN BARUA and PANKAJ SHARMA Forktail 21 (2005) with very dense tall grass including Saccharum spp. and in the area ‘in due course’ as the grasslands, although Erianthus spp.); (3) Eastern Dillenia swamp forest not extensive, were suitable in certain places and were (including Dillenia indica, Bischofia javanica, Albizzia being given protection. However, we have not detected lucida, Lagerstroemia flos-reginae and Terminalia this species so far. chebula); and (4) Wet bamboo forest (usually found along streams or on badly drained hollows), with areas of cane brakes formed by Calamus tenuis. NOTES ON SELECTED SPECIES The subtropical monsoon climate of the region is characterised by heavy rainfall with an annual average WHITE-CHEEKED PARTRIDGE Arborophila atrogularis of 3,500 mm. Most of the rain falls between May and Near Threatened. This species is an uncommon September, which forms the summer (hot) season. resident in dense swamp forest and occasionally in Winters (October to April) are usually cool and dry, adjacent secondary forest and open areas. although rains are not uncommon. The average temperature in the area varies from a low of 5oC in WHITE-WINGED DUCK Cairina scutulata winter to a high of 37oC in summer. The relative Endangered. This resident species inhabits pools and humidity is high, and varies between 65% and 90% or secluded marshes in dense forest. Although no popula- more. tion estimate has been made, sightings are fairly Parts of the area were declared as Nauduar Reserve regular and breeding occurs: eleven ducklings were Forest in 1876 and Nameri Wildlife Sanctuary in 1985. seen on 11 July 1998 with one adult (we did not The present Nameri National Park was formed in observe a second bird, although it is likely that one was 1988. Considerable commercial timber exploitation present). Nameri is one of the few areas where this and intensive extraction of canebrakes has taken place, species has been recorded in Assam outside its main and habitat has been further degraded through stronghold in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, livestock grazing. In recent years, cattle camps have where a population of c.200 individuals is estimated been evicted to reduce grazing pressure, resulting in (out of a total Indian population of 300–350 individu- grassland regeneration in these areas. A belt of als: Islam and Rahmani 2002). Reserved Forests contiguous to the park form a buffer, but this is now being encroached by people for RUFOUS-NECKED HORNBILL Aceros nipalensis homesteads and cultivation. This has resulted in Vulnerable. One bird was observed flying north along further fragmentation of the park, which in turn is the Upper Dikrai river in primary forest on 18 becoming progressively insular. December 1999. It was readily identified by its tail pattern (black with a white distal half) and its silent flight.The species has been recorded at higher altitudes METHODS in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh (A. Datta verbally 2003, MB personal observation), but it appears to be Like most areas in north-east India, Nameri has been extremely rare in Nemeri. The species has disappeared poorly surveyed for birds. No published checklist of the from much of its range, and currently survives at less birds of the park exists, although there is some litera- than 20 locations in India (Islam and Rahmani 2002). ture relating to birds in the neighbouring Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh (Datta et al. RUDDY KINGFISHER Halcyon coromanda 1998, Singh 1991, 1994). We carried out fieldwork in Ths is species is a rare resident or breeding visitor in most areas in Nameri during all seasons from 1996 to wooded areas. The only winter record was of one bird September 2003, although less intensively prior to at Potasali on 3 December 1996. Other records were 1998. Here we report on the species we recorded, and during summer: three at Potasali on 9 May 1998 and combine them with records (excluding those we one at Nameri on 26 June 1998. There have been few consider doubtful) from Nameri listed in Talukdar recent records from Assam. (1997), Talukdar and Das (1997), Dymond (1998), Hendriks (1998), and Barua and Sharma (1999). IBISBILL Ibidorhyncha struthersii IUCN Red List status follows BirdLife International Nameri is one of the few places in Assam where this (2004). species has been recorded regularly in winter. It was recorded between November and May, but more frequently from February onwards, and was found RESULTS along the Jia Bhareli river where there were fast- flowing rapids, sometimes in groups of up to 12 birds. A total of 374 species have been recorded from Nameri (see Appendix).These include nine globally threatened LONG-BILLED PLOVER Charadrius placidus species (two Critically Endangered, one Endangered This rare but regular winter migrant was found in and five Vulnerable species) and five Near Threatened singles or pairs along the Jia Bhareli river and its tribu- species, many of which are dependent on forest. The taries from November to March. Nameri appears to be park does not appear to harbour any of the globally the only place in north-east India were this species is threatened grassland species that occur in Assam, apart known to winter regularly. from Jerdon’s Babbler Chrysomma altirostre, which was reported in January 2004 (Robson 2004). Rahmani et BLACK-BELLIED TERN Sterna acuticauda al. (1990) mentioned that the Bengal Florican Near Threatened. This rare species was observed at Houbaropsis bengalensis (Endangered) might be found Potasali on the Jia Bhareli river (two on 5 February Forktail 21 (2005) The birds of Nameri National Park, Assam, India 17 1997, two on 2 March 1998 and one on 7 March YELLOW-BELLIED FLOWERPECKER Dicaeum 1998) amidst groups of River Terns Sterna aurantia. melanoxanthum Breeding has not been observed in the area and the One bird was observed in primary forest near Bogijuli species’s seasonal status is unclear. on 20 January 1998.This is a species is scarce and local throughout its range in the Indian subcontinent from PALLAS’S FISH EAGLE Haliaeetus leucoryphus north Uttar Pradesh, central Nepal, east through to Vulnerable. This species breeds along the banks of the Arunachal Pradesh and the north-east hill states, and Jia Bhareli river: two traditional nest sites are known: there are no recent published records from Assam. one at 13th Mile and the other at the confluence of the Upper Dikrai and Jia Bhareli rivers. Both were still in use up to 2002 at least. Other than these two pairs, no DISCUSSION other birds were seen. There are probably fewer than 150 breeding pairs in Assam (Islam and Rahmani This is the first ornithological survey of Nameri 2002). National Park. Further work should focus on system- atic surveys for White-winged Duck in order to WHITE-TAILED EAGLE Haliaeetus albicilla determine the population size of this species in the Near Threatened. This rare, but regular, winter reserve. Fragmentation of forests in this region have migrant was recorded each year between November led to the park becoming increasingly insular, and and February as singles and occasionally pairs along landscape-level studies are needed to investigate the the Jia Bhareli river. effect of habitat fragmentation on the park’s avifauna. LESSER FISH EAGLE Ichthyophaga humilis Near Threatened. This species is rare, and presumably ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS resident.