ISSN 2336-3193 Acta Mus. Siles. Sci. Natur., 69: 185-188, 2020 DOI: 10.2478/cszma-2020-0015 Published: online 1 July 2020, print July 2020

The Slender-billed (Numenius tenuirostris) in Bohemia

Jiří J. Hudeček

The Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) in Bohemia. – Acta Mus. Siles. Sci. Natur. 69: 185- 188, 2020.

Abstract: The Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) erases of Czech Rarities Committee for Ornithology to December 15, 2011 from Czech ’s checklist. The first discovery of Othmar Reiser (1861-1936) is located in Cheb in Bohemia, in Czech Republic (50°04´47"N/12°22´26"E; grid square 5940); not in Hungary. Jiří Janda´s (1865-1938) locality "from Bohemia", without precise locality (the evaluation of localities in entomology). Present is reply to emphasize absolutelly scientific competence of Czech zoologist Jiří Janda, personality in Czech and European ornithology. The presen- ted text analyses the transfer of the literature until 1945.

Key words: Slender-billed Curlew, Numenius tenuirostris, historical ornithology, occurrence, Bohemia, now Czech Republic, Othmar Reiser, Jiří Janda

Introduction

The Slender-billed Curlew, Numenius tenuirostris Vieillot, 1817, that in currently probably extinct´s species (Hume 2017: 389). A final record to April 15, 2001 in Hungary (Oláh & Pigniczki 2010). In central occurrence detailed summarising of Glutz von Blotzheim et al. (1977: 292-297).

Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) in Bohemia

For the first time of Slender-billed Curlew from Bohemia, reported by O. Reiser in 1885. The claim that in could have been in Hungary is a mere fiction, yet the Czech Rarities Committee for Ornithology took over the information with the incorrect claim that it was the town of Eger (literally: "more probable origin of the Hungarian city of Eger"; Vavřík et al. 2019: 22). Mlíkovský (2004: 126) writes about Eger stream, near the town of Veszprém in western Hungary, about 15 km from Lake Balaton, in the Danubian Plain, about 190 km away from Vienna (46°48´23" N / 17°42´11" E; see Kiss & Andrikovics 2000); not town Eger (in German: Erlau) in County Heves, in northern Hungary (distance from Vienna about 300 km; 46°53´14" N / 17°29´51" E). Town Cheb in Bohemia distance from Vienna about 360 km. Current Czech ornithological literature has been enriched with newly intended hypotheses. According to Komárek (2007: 37): " Mlíkovský (thought 2004) believes that instead of the origin of the specimen bought on the Vienna market "Eger", Cheb was not in Bohemia, but much closer together in Hungary. The specimen from Bohemia is not known". Vavřík et al. (2019: 22-23) added: "for an individual from 1885, the site "Eger" was repeatedly translated as Cheb. Given that the bird was obtained at the venison market in Vienna the origin from the Hungarian city of Eger (not Eger stream; sic!) is more likely that". It is not possible to consider "the "non-specific" report of J. Janda from 1913 as evidence of occurrence".

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Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) in literature after the first finding in Bohemia

Pražák (1894; Bayer 1903) her in the list of Czech with the location of Egerland (historical area around Cheb). Hennicke (1902: 161) stated: " From the area Eger in Bohemia, among other cocktails of , one Numenius tenuirostris comes to the Viennese venison market at the beginning of March 1885". Kněžourek (1912: 640) included the species among the birds of Bohemia and writes: "one is exhibied in the museum in the collection of Czech birds (Czech Museum)". It is probable that he probably viewed the specimens in the Czech museum in Prague. Now himself, as he stated at Collared Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, thate "specimen of the Czech museum is Ostrdal ´s catch". Collared Pratincole shot by H. Ostrdal on the pond Oplatil in eastern Bohemia in May 16, 1862 (Fritsch 1871: 384). And (page 316): "the more suprising is the report of the Sarajevo custodian Reiser that of Slender- billed Curlew was caught in Bohemia near Cheb. If this report is his own or second-hand, unknown, but its author is a well-known and famous ornithologist that the bird could not be dared to question it, as the bird enyered the Viennese venison market as the beginning of March 1885, where it was found and destined". Janda (1926: 297; see Hudeček 2016; Fig. 1) stated: "I also and here the characters of Slender-billed Curlew, because she was found in Bohemia and Moravia (several times); it impossible for it to fall back into the hands of our hunters and observers: "crown of the head is rusty yelowish, black-brown speckled, without a middle stripe, at the bottom, especially on the sides there are heart-shaped spots, bill noticeably thin, the size of Eurasian Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus". The species Janda was well recognized, and a description of the Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata and Eurasian Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, attached. According to Jirsík (1935: 515): "this Curlew belongs to extremely rare wanderers in our country. Reiser writes about it, that it was shot near Cheb and got to the Viennese venison market". Czech zoologist, Jiří Janda, obtain one specimen from Bohemia, and datum to in here bookisch works (Hudeček 2016). Janda in Czech translantion of "Brehm life of " write that of Slender-billed Curlew be discovery several times, also to append field guide. Described colouration of head, breast and flanks, with cordate spots, including of size, and description other species of . Jiří Václav Josef Janda (April 24, 1865, Prague - August 25, 1938, Prague), Czech secondary school teacher, is significant and honoured reputable zoologist (biography and bibliography: Anonymus s. d., d; 1935; 1938; Vrtiš 1935; Vrtiš 1938-39; Musílek 1938; Gebhardt 2006; Heráňová 2014). To graduate on to Czech university in Prague (at professor A. Frič), and stint on to university in Graz, in Austria. Scientific also field, kenn ornithologists and bird breeder. To present already from since the end of the 19th century. The identification of the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) on Moravia (Janda 1900; 1902). Make and journey about north Russia (Janda 1903). From Janda ´s life time activities them need to precede: founder and first director of the zoological garden in Prague (Janda 1910; 1927; 1935; 1938-39; Heráňová 2017), cofounder and first chairman of the Czechoslovak Ornithological Society (now Czech Society for Ornithology) and head of first board (Anonymus s. d., c; Hudec 2011), chairman Czechoslovakian section of the International Committee for Bird Protection (ICBP, now BirdLife International, Anonymus s. d.; a; b), corresponding member of the office International Pour la Protection de Nature (now IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Anonymus s. d., f; Harroy 1969), and member European Literary Club (in Prague). The Author of important books for evolution modern Czech ornithology, to universary ornithology, knowledge of birds in central Europe, and protection of birds (Janda 1902; 1905; 1908; 1913; 1935).

Conclusion

The Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) discard of Czech Rarities Committee as species for Czech avifauna to December 15, 2011 (Anonymus s. d., e; 2013; Vavřík & Czech

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Rarities Committee 2015; Hudeček 2016; Vavřík et al. 2019). Not on the basis of Corso et al. (2014), but according to the ideas previously published. Ushing hypotheses, Mlíkovský (2004) questioned the finding of Othmar Reiser in the vicinity of Cheb (in German: Eger) in Bohemia, was also accepted by the Czech Rarities Committee (Vavřík et al. 2019). It remains suprising that the idea of the origin of specimen from Hungary did not occur to O. Reiser himself I who was close to the area of Hungary. It was found of Slender-billed Curlew in central, eastern and southern Hungary (Frivaldszky 1891; Chernel 1899; Hennicke 1902). On the Reiser ´s data was also guaranteed by the of von Dalla-Torre & von Tschusi zu Schmidhoffen (1888: 331). Jansen (2017) criticized my work of finding of Jiří Janda in Bohemia (Janda ´s record, see Hudeček 2016); and support opinion Czech Rarities Committee for Ornithology. Absence of specimens in collections thore is not reason: from Slovakia completely destroyed in 1956 in Hungarian Natural Museum in Budapest (T. Fuisz in litt.; Anonymus s. d., g). In everything country of central Europe be of Slender-billed Curlew as historical species. Janda owned important documents about the occurrence of birds in the Czech lands; their current storage is unknown. Secondary school teacher, Jiří Janda, personality in Czech and European ornithology and international protection of birds. Was for identification of Slender-billed Curlew qualified person. Accept of scientific study to the knowledge and field guide of the Slender-billed Curlew (Corso et al. 2014) as very necessary.

Fig 1: Janda´s (1926) description of Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) /in Czech language/

References

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Authorʼs address: Jiří J. Hudeček, Hraniční 151 & 230, 742 83 Klimkovice E-mail: [email protected]

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