Journal of the Bhutan Ecological Society An Annotated Checklist of Bird species Recorded from 1st October 2015 – 30th September 2016 Using Social Media. Tshering Tobgay1* Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis) Abstract people on birds, monitor, and contribute to The ‘Birds of Bhutan’ (BoB) is a citizen- bird conservation. The Forum also contributes science Facebook forum that was created in to the creation of knowledge over the years October 2015. It is a platform for exchanging about the birds’ migration patterns, breeding information related to bird species in Bhutan. habitats, and population trends. The Forum had more than 3000 members as of 30th September, 2016. Members comprised of Every post made on the Forum was reviewed birders from Bhutan and birding visitors from by experts and documented. around the globe. The members voluntarily 1Department of Science, Bajothang Higher Secondary contribute bird information to the forum along School, Bhutan. *Corresponding author’s email tsheringto- [email protected] report is synthesized based on the posts made bywith the photographic members of evidence. this online This group.first annual The The Forum documented 351 species of birds Forum was created with an objective to build between 2015 and 2016 out of which a few are and expand the knowledge base on the birds threatened bird species in Bhutan. of Bhutan through documentation of bird diversity by observation, photography, and Keywords: Birds of Bhutan; Facebook; Forum; sharing of information. The ultimate aim of Social Media the Forum is to promote awareness, educate Issue 3 | 2018 73 Short Communication Introduction about birds in Bhutan and to emphasize the The study of birds in Bhutan dates back to the importance of bird conservation. It provides political mission led by R.B Pemberton, an a platform for amateur birders to interact with experts that are also members of the in 1838, where several species of birds were BoB Facebook group. Tourists can also help, collectedofficer in (Clementthe British 1992). Indian R.B Empire, Pemberton to Bhutan was in keeing with what Clements said, “If visiting accompanied by Lieut. Blake as assistant and birdwatchers make an effort to go to little-known areas and to publish records of bird species found botanist (Ludlow 1937). Despite the statement there, then they will be making a significant belowDr. William made byGriffith, Pemberton a medical (1865), officer “Of the and birds a contribution to Himalayan ornithology, and in Bootan a detailed account will be hereafter be assisting the Royal Government of Bhutan given when a competent examination has been in achieving its aims of conserving this rare effected of the collection made by the Mission resource” (1992:66). The record maintained during its progress through the country, no report through this Forum will not only help keep was published and the surviving specimens carry a census of the birds found in Bhutan, it will no locality data” (Clement 1992:57), it was also help in understanding the distribution, only in the mid 1930s, that avifauna of Bhutan migration patterns, and the population of bird became known (Ludlow and Kinnear 1937, species in the country. 1944). Later, between 1966 and 1973, Salim Ali, S.D. Ripley, and a team from the Zoological Methods Survey of India made six collecting trips to the The data for this Study was obtained from the country (Clements 1992). BoB online forum based on bird photographs posted by members from 1st October 2015 to 30th September 2016. New members to Bhutan in the past include Ludlow et al. (1937), the BoB group were briefed on the objective AbdulaliSome significant (1969 -1988), publication Gole (1981),about birdsKhacher of of the Forum and on how to post images of (1981), Ripley (1973), Saha (1980), Ali et al. bird species with the required temporal (1983), Ripley (1982), Clements et al. (1986), and spatial information. Members made Dorji (1987), Gaston (1989), Chacko (1991), posts on the Forum at any time with no Wollenhaupt (1991), and Inskipp et al. (1999). limitation placed on the number of images Today, with the strengthening of research posted. Each post made on the Forum was institutes and the growth of education level reviewed by bird experts or ornithologists in the country, more conservation efforts and who authenticated the identity of the bird. related study on biodiversity, especially on Bird identification by members were double- birds and their distribution, behaviour, habitat, checked and corrected where necessary. The and migration patterns are carried out. There posts were finally compiled in a standard are several methods to study the ecology of database in Microsoft Excel, specifically birds. Here, I describe a new approach to looking at species and frequency of sightings, studying bird ecology. corresponding to seasons and localities. The localities in which the birds were sighted were The ‘Birds of Bhutan’ (BoB) Facebook forum, linked to their districts for accurate analyses. hereafter referred to as the Forum, was formed Records without sufficient information were in October 2015 to provide an opportunity eliminated from the analysis. for birders to share their observations online. The Forum’s objective is to help people learn 74 Issue 3 | 2018 Journal of the Bhutan Ecological Society Data analysis BirdLife International (2017). The twenty districts within the country have various habitat types. Many towns are small The database presented here are from 1st and surrounded by reasonable bird habitat, October 2015 to 31st September 2016. The including primary forest (Clement 1992) review of 2160 posts made on the Forum that helps to spot the bird much quicker. during this time ascertained a total of 351 Images and information about birds found at species of birds. Out of 2160 posts, 46 were low-lying places of the southern regions of Bhutan to extremely cold place of the north information such as no photographs, time of were posted on the Forum. Some detailed sighting,eliminated place, from theand analysis blurred due photographs to insufficient of descriptions of birding localities in Bhutan bird; 35 posts were without date and month of are presented by Clements (1992), Inskipp sighting, 9 posts were with blurred photographs and Inskipp (1993a and b), Tymstra et al. and 2 were without photographs. The detailed (1996), and Bishop (1999). The posts on the list of birds recorded on the Forum is provided Forum include common birds in Bhutan such in the appendix. as Eurasian treesparrow (Passer montanus), common myna (Acridotheres tristis,) and red- Results vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer). They also A total of 209 landbirds and 42 waterbirds were include rare birds like white-bellied heron, recorded on the Forum. The Forum received the maximum posts from Thimphu, Punakha of the birds recorded were from important and Wangdue Phodrang (Figure 2). wards trogon, and pallas’s-fish eagle. Most bird watching areas identified (Figure 1) by Figure 1: Map showing Important Birdwatching Areas in Bhutan Issue 3 | 2018 75 Short Communication The data gathered also informed seasonal According to Birdlife International (2017), variation for birding activity in Bhutan. April and September stood out as the most active threatened birds; 4 species are of critically months for birders (Figure 3). endangeredBhutan host birds,a significant 15 species number of birds of globally in the vulnerable list, and 24 species of birds in the The Forum received an average of 4 posts per near threatened list. The Forum received a less than 2000 members. With the increase in posts, validating the presence of these species members,day during the its firstForum six monthsreceived when an average there were of 8 innumber Bhutan of the(Table significantly 3). Their threateneddetail sightings birds daily posts during the last six months of the were subsequently explained in the ‘Annotated study period. Checklist of Critically Endangered, Vulnerable 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Haa Paro Gasa Tsirang Samtse Chukha Dagana Mongar Trongsa Sarpang Punakha Thimphu Lhuentse Wangdue… Bumthang Zhemgang Trashigang Trahiyangtse Pema Gatshel Samdrup Jongkhar Figure 2: Number of records from each district from October 2015 to 30th September 2016 on the BOB Facebook Forum 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Figure 3: Number of bird species recorded for each month from October 2015 to 30th September 2016 76 Issue 3 | 2018 Journal of the Bhutan Ecological Society and Near Threatened Birds.’ The English and the same valley (Bishop, 1999). iii. Pallas’s Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus). A single bird of this species Subcontinent’scientific names (Grimmett of birds et al ,provided 2014). follow was observed and recorded in Punakha the Helm field guide, ‘Birds of the Indian during the month of November and Table 3: Number of threatened bird species December 2015. The species was also recorded in the Forum from October 2015 to observed and recorded in JSWNP and 30th September 2016 Mongar in the month of April 2016. This Sl. Conservation Number of bird bird species was on the vulnerable list No. Status species recorded according to BirdLife International (2017) 1 Critically 1 Species factsheet. This is due to declining endangered population as a result of the degradation and disturbance of wetlands and breeding 2 Vulnerable 4 sites (BirdLife International 2017). 3 Near Threatened 9 iv. Rufous-necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis). This species of hornbill was Annotated Checklist of Critically Endangered, listed as vulnerable because it has a small, Vulnerable and Near Threatened Birds. rapidly declining population as a result of i. White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) the destruction of evergreen forest and was observed and recorded from hunting (BirdLife International 2001). Phochu, Punakha in November 2015. It A pair of this species was observed and recorded on 21 March 2015 at Wangkha, in Trashiyangtse in April 2016 by the Chukha. Sighting and record were also was also been sighted for the first time faculty and trainees of the UWICER.