Uttarakhand Birds Checklist
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An Updated Checklist of the BIRDS OF UTTARAKHAND Compiled by Dhananjai Mohan Sanjay Sondhi UTTARAKHAND SPRING BIRD FESTIVAL 5-9 FEBRUARY 2014 The Updated Checklist of the Birds of Uttarakhand lists 686 birds that have been recorded in the hill state of Uttarakhand. In addition, another 28 species which have been recorded in Uttarakhand in the past, but whose presence in the state is doubtful are mentioned. The checklist provides up- to-date taxonomic information, including that of species splits or mergers in the last decade. Finally, the checklist also provides a mention of the bird species that are Critically Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened as Published by per IUCN's Red Data List. UTTARAKHAND FOREST DEPARTMENT An Updated Checklist of the BIRDS OF UTTARAKHAND Compiled by Dhananjai Mohan Sanjay Sondhi Published by Uttarakhand Forest Department An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Uttarakhand Published by Uttarakhand Forest Department © 2014, Dhananjai Mohan and Sanjay Sondhi Front Cover photograph: Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus (Uttarakhand’s State Bird) Back Cover Photograph: Clockwise from top left: Ruddy Shelduck, European Goldfinch, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Common Kingfisher. Front cover photograph © Soumyajit Nandy Back cover photograph © Sanjay Sondhi Uttarakhand Spring Bird Festival, 5-9 February 2014 Citation: Mohan, D. & S. Sondhi (2014). An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand Forest Department, Dehradun. Map: Wildlife Institute of India Designed & Printed: Shiva Offset Press, Dehradun Ph. 0135-2715748 AUTHORS’ NOTE Since the last checklist of the birds of Uttarakhand was prepared in 2003 listing 623 bird species, significant additional information and species records are now available from Uttarakhand. The occasion of the Uttarakhand Spring Bird Festival from 5-9 February 2014 at Asan Conservation Reserve, the first ever bird festival in the state; being organized by the Eco-tourism Department, Uttarakhand Forest Department was the perfect opportunity to update the bird checklist. More information about the festival can be seen at www.uttarakhandbirdfestival.in and www.facebook.com/uttarakhandbirding. The series of birdwatching camps that the Eco-tourism Wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department has organized in the last two years has provided an additional impetus to birdwatching in the State. These camps have been conducted in 18 different destinations across Uttarakhand and have trained more than 200 people from amongst local communities, bird guides and forest staff. CCF-Ecotourism, Uttarakhand Forest Department Tel/Fax: 0135 2669227, [email protected] The authors have relied on their personal experience of birdwatching in the State, published literature and credible photographic records and sightings to prepare this updated checklist. It is hoped that more information on the birds of Uttarakhand will be spurred by this list and the number of species recorded from the state will only increase further. Check boxes have been provided alongside the species, for people wanting to use this checklist to track their bird records in Uttarakhand. The authors would like to thank CCF, Eco-tourism, Uttarakhand Forest Department for supporting the publication of this checklist. We would also like to thank Manoj Sharma and Raman Kumar for their review and comments on the manuscript. For any errors, omissions and feedback in this checklist, please contact Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, CCF, Uttarakhand Forest Department at [email protected] Or Sanjay Sondhi, Titli Trust (www.titlitrust.com) at [email protected] AN UPDATED CHECKLIST OF THE BIRDS OF UTTARAKHAND The hill state of Uttarakhand (formed in 2000, then known as Uttaranchal) has terrific avifaunal diversity. Of the 1303 bird species recorded from India, compiled from the IOC World Bird List (Gill & Donsker, 2014), more than 50% are found in Uttarakhand. The state’s varies from the terai region in the plains, the bhabhars (the outermost foothills of the Himalaya), the Shivaliks (sub-Himalayan range), the Lower Himalayas and finally, the high altitudinal Greater Himalayas. The amazing diversity in habitat from the plains up to the numerous mountain peaks that exceed altitudes of 7,000 m results in marvelous avifaunal diversity. Within the 6 National Parks, 7 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 3 Conservation Reserves in the state (Annexure 1), and outside these areas too, opportunities for bird watching abound. Uttarakhand is home to 14 Important Bird Areas (Islam & Rahmani, 2004) (Annexure 2) that are important and priority sites for conservation. The last checklist of birds of Uttarakhand was published in 2003 (Mohan & Sinha, 2003) and recorded 623 species. Since then, increased research and amateur and professional birdwatching has resulted in the addition of many new bird species. In addition, changes in avifaunal taxonomy have meant that many species splits or convergences have taken place. The current checklist attempts to address the increased sightings and changes in taxonomy. In this updated checklist of birds of Uttarakhand, 686 bird species are recorded from Uttarakhand. These include sightings of some species that may be considered vagrants to the state, which is specifically stated in the “Remarks” column. In addition, another 28 species, which have been recorded in Uttarakhand in old literature, but whose presence in the state today is doubtful, have been listed as well. This includes the Himalayan Quail Ophrysia superciliosa, a dozen specimens of which were collected from near Mussoorie (Benog, Jhari Pani) and Nainital prior to 1876, and is now feared extinct (BirdLife International, 2013). Of the 686 species, 5 species-Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri, Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris, White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Red- An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Uttarakhand v headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus and Himalayan Quail Ophrysia superciliosa are listed as “Critically Endangered” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. A further 2 species are listed as “Endangered”, 18 species are listed as “Vulnerable” and 20 species as “Near Threatened”. Five bird species, which have been recorded in Uttarakhand, are endemic to the Western Himalaya: Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus, Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii, Himalayan Quail Ophrysia superciliosa and White-throated Tit Aegithalos niveogularis and Tytler’s Warbler Phylloscopus tytleri (only in its breeding range). The IUCN Red List status for these three categories and the endemics are mentioned in the “Remarks” column. The English Names adopted for the checklist are primarily those used by Grimmet et. al (2011). Alternate English Names that are still used in India are also mentioned. For scientific names, we have relied primarily on IOC World Bird List (Gill & Donsker, 2014) and Avibase (2014). The recent taxonomic changes proposed by Pamela Rasmussen (Rasmussen, 2005) as well as other recent taxonomic updates are captured in the “Remarks” column. We hope this checklist spurs further study and updates to the avifauna of Uttarakhand. Dhananjai Mohan Sanjay Sondhi An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Uttarakhand 1 S. NO. ENGLISH ALTERNATE SCIENTIFIC REMARKS NAME ENGLISH NAME NAME 1 Snow Lerwa lerwa � Partridge 2 Himalayan Tetraogallus � Snowcock himalayensis 3 Chukar Chukar Alectoris chukar � Partridge Partridge 4 Black Francolin Black Francolinus � Partridge francolinus 5 Grey Francolin Grey Francolinus � Partridge pondicerianus 6 Tibetan Perdix � Partridge hodgsoniae 7 Common Quail Grey Quail Coturnix coturnix � 8 Jungle Bush Perdicula asiatica � Quail 9 Himalayan Mountain Ophrysia Critically Quail Quail, superciliosa Endangered. Himalayan Feared extinct. � Rock Quail West Himalayan endemic. 10 Hill Partridge Common Hill Arborophila � Partridge torqueola 11 Rufous- Rufous- Arborophila throated throated Hill- rufogularis � Partridge partridge 12 Red Spurfowl Galloperdix � spadicea 13 Western Tragopan Vulnerable. Tragopan melanocephalus West Himalayan � endemic. 14 Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra Near � Threatened 15 Koklass Pucrasia � Pheasant macrolopha 16 Himalayan Impeyan Lophophorus � Monal Monal impejanus 17 Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus � 18 Kalij Pheasant Lophura � leucomelanos 2 An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Uttarakhand S. NO. ENGLISH ALTERNATE SCIENTIFIC REMARKS NAME ENGLISH NAME NAME 19 Cheer Catreus wallichii Vulnerable. Pheasant West Himalayan � endemic. 20 Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus � 21 Lesser Dendrocygna � Whistling Duck javanica 22 Greylag Goose Anser anser � 23 Greater White- Anser albifrons � fronted Goose 24 Lesser White- Anser erythropus Vulnerable � fronted Goose 25 Bar-headed Anser indicus � Goose 26 Knob-billed Comb Duck/ Sarkidiornis � Duck Nakta melanotos 27 Common Tadorna tadorna � Shelduck 28 Ruddy Brahminy Tadorna � Shelduck Duck ferruginea 29 Cotton Pygmy Cotton Teal Nettapus � Goose coromandelianus 30 Gadwall Anas strepera � 31 Falcated Duck Falcated Anas falcata Near � Teal Threatened 32 Eurasian Anas penelope � Wigeon 33 Mallard Anas � platyrhynchos 34 Indian Spot- Spot-billed Anas Species billed Duck Duck poecilorhyncha split: Eastern Spot-billed � Duck Anas zonoryncha is eastern species 35 Northern Anas clypeata � Shoveler 36 Northern Pintail Anas acuta � 37 Garganey Anas querquedula � An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Uttarakhand 3 S. NO. ENGLISH ALTERNATE SCIENTIFIC REMARKS NAME ENGLISH NAME NAME 38 Eurasian Teal Common Anas crecca � Teal 39 Marbled Duck Marbled Teal Vulnerable Marmaronetta