BIRDING OUT OF AFRICA: INDIA Gujarat A TASTE OF AFRICA ndia is a vast, sprawling country, teeming with people, but it also supports more than 1 200 bird species. Most birders visiting India for the first time do a Inorthern loop, centred on Bharatpur and the Himalayan foothills (see Nick Garbutt’s article in volume 9, number 4). While this offers a good cross-section of Indian birds, as well as the chance to chase tigers, African birders might consider cutting their teeth in the state of Gujarat, which has more in common with this continent than the rest of India. Peter Ryan reports on some of the region’s birding attractions. TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER RYAN 58 BIRDING INDIA AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING irthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, for viewing and photography. Indeed, I pakistan INDIA Gujarat lies north of Mumbai on frequently found myself comparing it to India’s north-west coast. At Ethiopia in this regard. The Jainist tradi- Great Rann Gujarat some 196 000 square kilometres, tion of jiv daya is similar to that of ubuntu, of Kutch State itB is half the size of Zimbabwe, yet com- but extends to wildlife as well as people. Little Rann prises only five per cent of India’s land Birds and other wildlife are part of local of Kutch Gulf of Kutch Ahmedabad area. It offers a wide range of habitats, culture, and Gujaratis take pleasure in Jamnagar Velavadar NP from verdant woodland in the southern sharing their land with thousands of mi- Porbandar hill country, where the annual rainfall grant birds. I enjoyed watching a large Sasan exceeds 2 000 millimetres, through the flock of birds feed on a seed crop while Gir NP dry woodlands of Gir National Park, to the farmer stood by, waiting to harvest. Gulf of the Banni grasslands and saltplains of Migrant Black-headed and Red-headed Khambhat ARABIAN SEA the Great Rann of Kutch on the Pakistan buntings were common, as were House border. Incorporating almost a third of Sparrows from Tibet and a smattering of India’s coastline, Gujarat has a wealth of Common Rosefinches. mangroves, reefs and mudflats, and there Much of the flat ground is cultivated, INDIA are some 2 000 square kilometres of fresh- but these fields still support many birds, water wetlands, so waterbirds are well including vast flocks of Rosy Starlings, represented. The state boasts a bird list of while Rose-ringed Parakeets, Little Green more than 500 species, including several Bee-eaters, White-breasted Kingfishers and that are hard to find anywhere else. Common Peafowl add splashes of colour. There is plenty of good birding close to The Jainist tradition of JIV DAYA is simiLar to that of Ahmedabad. Thol Lake Bird Sanctuary has a few Bar-headed Geese among the large UBUNTU, but extends to wiLDLife as weLL as peopLE ... numbers of Greylag Geese, and a nearby and Gujaratis taKE PLEASURE IN SHAriNG THEir LAND dump for dead livestock is worth checking for some of India’s few remaining vultures. WITH THOUSANDS OF MIGRANT BirDS Egyptian Vultures are quite common, but the larger vultures are very rare. Only Like most of India, Gujarat is densely two White-rumped Vultures were present populated. Ahmedabad, the largest city, when I visited, although other species turn is home to seven million people and the up from time to time. The unprecedented state as a whole supports around 50 mil- collapse of the once-vast vulture popula- Gujarat lies on the South Asian flyway. Above Visitors to the Global Bird lion. They seldom eat meat or fish, so tions has seen a concomitant increase in Although a few species such as Bar-headed Watchers’ Conference bird along the there is little evidence of hunting. As a other scavengers, particularly feral dogs, Geese and Demoiselle Cranes fly over the dykes in Khijadiya, near Jamnagar. result, many birds are remarkably habitu- which are now estimated to number more Himalayas, most migrants eschew cross- ated, allowing exceptional opportunities than two million in Ahmedabad alone. ing this formidable barrier. Many pass Left The attractive White-browed Wagtail, west of the mountain massif, funnelling endemic to the Indian subcontinent, was south to Gujarat. Almost half the birds re- surprisingly scarce. We encountered it only corded regularly in the state are migrants, in Gir National Park. so winter is the best time to visit. Most of the region’s parks are closed during the Opposite The Indian Black Robin, which summer monsoon, making a visit then in- resembles a scrub-robin, is common in a advisable, unless you are set on seeing the wide range of habitats. endangered Lesser Florican displaying in late July and August. Gujarat’s grasslands Previous spread, left Gujarat shares are one of the species’ last strongholds, al- many species with the Middle East and though even here they are threatened by run-off to prevent it mixing with seawater North Africa, including the golden jackal. illegal trapping and habitat loss. from the adjacent tidal mudflats and man- Recent studies suggest that this canid is groves. The result is a wealth of aquatic more closely related to the grey wolf and visited Gujarat in November 2010 birds that favour both fresh- and salt- coyote than other jackal species. to attend the Global Bird Watchers’ water habitats living alongside each other. Conference in Jamnagar, six hours’ The number and diversity of birds is im- Previous spread, right After we had drive west of Ahmedabad on the pressive, with many ducks, herons, ibises waited more than two hours at a carcass IGulf of Kutch. During the meeting there and spoonbills, waders, terns and gulls, as dump, a striking White-rumped Vulture were several outings to Khijadiya, a re- well as various raptors and landbirds, be- finally arrived to feed, only to be seen off markable 600-hectare wetland reserve just ing represented. Among the high-profile by a crowd of House Crows. The collapse of east of Jamnagar. Berms built in 1920 and species are good numbers of Dalmatian India’s vulture population ranks among the extended in 1956 contain the freshwater Pelicans, breeding Black-necked Storks most dramatic wildlife crises ever. 60 BIRDING INDIA AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 BIRDING INDIA 61 drive south-east of Porbandar, Gir National Park is an area of dry forest blanketing low, rolling hills. The lions look pretty much the same as their African cousins, but their habitat is denser and their prey quite differ- Gujarat has 134 sites that sustain at Least one per cent of Other good species here include White- ent: axis and sambar deer, nilgai antelope tailed Lapwing and both Saunders’s and and wild boar are sufficiently abundant to the GLobaL popuLation of one or more waterbird species, Little terns. Steppe Gulls can be studied prevent too much conflict with humans nearby at Porbandar’s old port. and their livestock. Formal access to the re- with NINE SITES HAVING MORE THAN 100 000 WATERBirDS serve is confined to morning and evening ujarat supports more than guided game-drives, during which you are and large flocks of wintering Common 20 per cent of India’s in- not allowed out of the vehicles (despite the Cranes. You can drive or walk along the dustrial output. Just west of fact that many locals live in the sanctuary, berms, and a series of observation towers Jamnagar, vast oil refineries herding their cows and water buffaloes on allows good views over the area. Gprocess crude oil from local wells and oil foot), so it is also well worth your while to But even outside the reserve waterbirds shipped in from the Arabian Gulf. The explore the woodland around Sasan town, are common – and confiding – on the many refineries stand in stark contrast to the which borders the reserve. rivers and wetlands that dot the landscape. Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park at Although Gir doesn’t have any range- Painted Storks, Spot-billed Ducks and Jamnagar, which protects a large propor- restricted birds, I was lucky to see the classy River Terns go about their business tion of the coast. Star attractions from a scarce White-bellied Minivet and, with a Great Tit bears little resemblance to the Above Like many Indian birds, the large, within metres of busy roads, blithely ig- birding perspective are wintering Indian bit of help from knowledgeable guides, species familiar throughout much of Eur- richly coloured Rufous-tailed Lark is quite noring even pedestrian traffic. Gujarat has Skimmers, as well as the large numbers of I saw Mottled Wood-Owl, Indian Scops- ope. Overhead, Crested Treeswifts and tolerant of people, allowing it to be 134 sites that sustain at least one per cent Crab Plovers that forage on the tidal flats. Owl, Spotted Owlet and Indian Night- Oriental Honey-Buzzards are common, studied at leisure. of the global population of one or more But the area fosters a host of other coastal jar at their daytime roosts. Woodpeckers there are still good numbers of Change- waterbird species, with nine sites having birds: Lesser Sand Plovers are abundant, are common, ranging from the large and able Hawk-Eagles and there is a chance of Top India has a wealth of starlings Tens of thousands of Demoiselle Cranes more than 100 000 waterbirds. One of the and there are enough Greater Sand and gaudy Black-rumped Flameback to the di- seeing one of the few Red-headed Vultures and mynas. I particularly enjoyed the winter along the coast around Porbandar, most impressive wetlands I visited was Kentish plovers to allow easy comparison.