ISSN: 2 941 91 Indian Journal of Biology Volume 5 Number 1, January June 2018 evie Article DOI: http://d .doi.org/10.21088/ijb.2 94.1 91.5118.11
Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar District o Maharashtra India
Prabhat Sunil Mhaske
Abstract
Ornithology is a Greek word: ornitha means chicken and logos mean a science. It is a branch of Zoology or Biology concerned with the scientific study of birds, creatures belonging to class Aves. 1 Aristotle was perhaps the first person who wrote on ornithology and mentions more than 1 0 birds. 2 Carolus Linnaeus 1 58 was the pioneer in developing a classification system for birds and animals. is scientific classification system, with some modification is still being used. Dr Salim Ali 189 198 was India s most wellknown Ornithologist and bird watcher. e is known as the Birdman of India . India is one of the best places in the world to see the birds. The e tant and recently e tinct species recorded within the political limits of the Republic of India as defined by the Indian government are known to have around 12 species as of 201 . 4 I have taken the pictures of native Birds around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra India . While doing these photographs I tried to study the scientific knowledge regarding them. One alarming signal came in my mind that these birds are not cared by anybody, they are totally ignored, there population and species may be in downhill. There are so many species of bird in same area, few of them I have mentioned in the study. Key ords Birds Data Mula River Right Bank Population.
Introduction Author s A iliation B.A. Economics , B.A. Public Administration , GCPP. Certificate course in basic Ornithology Abasaheb Garware College and ELA Foundation, Pune .
Ornithology is a Greek word: ornitha means Re rint s Re uest Prabhat Sunil Mhaske, 02, A wing, chicken and logos mean a science. It is a branch of Kamaldeep Plaza, Navi Peth, Near Agrawal Classes, Pune, Zoology or Biology concerned with the scientific Maharashtra 4110 0, India. study of birds, creatures belonging to class Aves 1 . Email: prabhatmhaske gmail.com Aristotle was perhaps the first person who wrote on Received on 28.02.2018, Acce ted on 02.04.2018 ornithology and mentions more than 1 0 birds 2 . Carolus Linnaeus 1 58 was the pioneer in Republic of India as defined by the Indian developing a classification system for birds and government are known to have around 12 animals. is scientific classification system, with species as of 201 4 . some modification is still being used. Dr Salim I have taken the pictures of native Birds around Ali 189 198 was India s most wellknown Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar district Ornithologist and bird watcher. e is known as the of Maharashtra India . While doing these Birdman of India . photographs I tried to study the scientific knowledge India is one of the best places in the world to see regarding them. One alarming signal came in my the birds. The e tant and recently e tinct species mind that these birds are not cared by anybody, they recorded within the political limits of the are totally ignored, there population and species
Red Flower Publication Pvt.Ltd Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra India may be in downhill. There are so many species of Eggs hatch in 12 days. bird in same area, few of them I have mentioned Breeding season after the monsoons. below: Both the male and the female take part in incubation.
Ashy Prinia ashy ren 5 Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Pied myna Asian ied starling Phylum: Chordata Scientific classification Class: Aves Kingdom: Animalia Order: Passeriformes Phylum: Chordata Family: Cisticolidae Class: Aves Genus: Prinia Order: Passeriformes Species: P. socialis Family: Sturnidae Small warbler. Genus: Gracupica Resident breeder in the India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Species: Gracupica contra Bhutan, Sri Lanka and western Myanmar. Found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Common bird in urban gardens and farmland. Asia. Small size, distinctive colors and upright tail. Marked in black and white and has a yellowish Distinct breeding and nonbreeding plumage. bill with a reddish bill base. 1 –14 cm length. ave bare skin around eye is reddish. Short rounded wings Upper body, throat and breast are black. Longish graduated cream tail tipped with black Cheek, lores, wing coverts and rump are sub terminal spots. contrastingly white. Gray crown, Strong legs. Both se es are similar in plumage Found single or in pairs. oung birds have dark brown in place of black. Insectivorous. Flight is slow and butterflylike on round wings. Call repetitive tchup, tchup, tchup or zeetzeet Areas with access to open water. zeet and nasal teeteetee. Found in small groups, Builds its nest close to the ground in a shrub or Call whistles, trills, buzzes, clicks, and warbling tall grass and lays –5 eggs. calls.
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 8 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra India Both se es sing. Feed on wild grasses such as Guinea grass, insects, Forage in fields, lawns and on open ground butterflies, small frogs, geckos and mollusks. feeding on grains, fruit, insects, earthworms and Calls are a continuous chitchit. mollusks. Wheezy cheeeeeeee produced by males in a Breeding season in India is spread from March to chorus September breeding season of the baya monsoons Nest in a large tree banyan, mango, jackfruit, Nests rosewood Nest colonies are usually found on thorny trees Clutch: four to si glossy blue eggs. or palm fronds Eggs hatch after 15 days. Nests are built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily. Nest in colonies up to 20 0, close to the source of food, nesting material and water. Baya weavers are woven nests constructed by the males. Are pendulous, retortshaped With a central nesting chamber and a long vertical tube that leads to a side entrance to the chamber.
Baya eaver Woven with long strips of paddy leaves, rough grasses and long strips torn from palm fronds Scientific classification Males take about 18 days to construct the Name Ploceus philippinus complete nest. Kingdom: Animalia Partially built before the males begin to display Phylum: Chordata to passing females by flapping their wings and calling while hanging from their nests Class: Aves Females inspect the nest and signal their Order: Passeriformes acceptance of a male Family: Ploceidae Once a male and a female are paired, the male Genus: Ploceus goes on to complete the nest by adding the entrance tunnel. Common, Weaver bird Males are solely in charge of nest building. Found in Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Female partners may join in giving the finishing touches, particularly on the interiors. Social and gregarious birds Females prefer nests high in trees, those over Known for their hanging retort shaped nests dry land, and those on thin branches. woven from leaves. Males build many partial nests and begin Sparrowsized 15 cm courting females. Both males and females resemble female house Male finishes the nest only after finding a mate. sparrows. Both males and females are polygamous. ave a stout conical bill and a short s uare tail. Female lays 2 to 4 white eggs and incubates them Nonbreeding males and females look alike, dark for 14 to 1 days brown streaked fulvous buff above, plain Chicks leave the nest after 1 days. unstreaked whitish fulvous below, eyebrow long and buff colored, bill is horn colored and no mask. After mating with a female the male typically court other females at other partially constructed nests. Breeding males bright yellow crown, dark brown mask, blackish brown bill, upper parts are dark Females are capable of breeding after a year while brown streaked with yellow, with a yellow breast males take half a year longer and cream buff below. E tremely intelligent, obedient and docile.
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar 9 District of Maharashtra India
riental mag ie robin 8 Scientific classification Siberian stonechat Asian stonechat 9 Kingdom: Animalia Scientific classification Phylum: Chordata Kingdom: Animalia Class: Aves Phylum: Chordata Order: Passeriformes Class: Aves Family: Muscicapidae Order: Passeriformes Genus: Copsychus Family: Muscicapidae Species C. saularis Genus: Sa icola National bird of Bangladesh. Species: Sa icola maurus Small passerine bird widespread and common, found in Asia, Siberia Distinctive black and white birds with a long south to the imalaya, China, Turkey and tail that is held upright as they forage on the Russia ground or perch conspicuously. Five or si subspecies. Occurs in Indian subcontinent and Southeast Insectivorous. Asia Darker above and paler below Common birds in urban gardens as well as forests. Male during breeding plumage has black Known for their songs. upperparts and head with white collar, scapular Long tailheld cocked upright. patch and rump, and a restricted area of orange Male black upperparts, head and throat apart on the throat from a white shoulder patch with White under Female: pale brown upperparts and head, white parts and the sides of the long tail. neck patches not a full collar , and a pale, Females grayish black above and grayish white unstreaked pinkishyellow rump. oung birds have scaly brown upperparts and Male has a clicking call. head Breed March to July in India Indian roller 10 Males sing from high perches during courtship. Display of the male puffing up the feathers, raising the bill, fanning the tail and strutting. nest in tree hollows or niches in walls or building, Eggs are incubated by the female alone for 8 to 14 days. Little concern globally.
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 80 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra India Scientific classification Indian silverbill or whitethroated munia Kingdom: Animalia Scientific classification Phylum: Chordata Kingdom: Animalia Class: Aves Phylum: Chordata Order: Coraciiformes Class: Aves Family: Coraciidae Order: Passeriformes Genus: Coracias Family: Estrildidae Species: Coracias benghalensis Genus: Euodice Very common in the populated plains of India Species: Euodice malabarica indi name is neelkanthblue throata name Small passerine bird associated with Shiva Occurs in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Found in Ira , Arabia and India Sri Lanka, Iran and Israel Used as caught and released during festivals such Adult Indian silverbill is 11–11.5 cm long as Dussera Conical silvergrey bill, buffbrown upperparts, State bird of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka white underparts, buffy flanks and dark wings. and Telangana tail is black and the wings are dark Member of the roller family of birds, not migratory, Se es similar Subspecies – 1 C. b. benghalensis 2 Southern Feeds on seeds, insects , nectar bearing flowers roller C. b. indicus Burmese roller C. b. affinis Fre uents dry open scrub, fallow land and cultivation, Stocky bird about 2 –2 cm long near water Breast is brownish, crown and vent are blue. Constantly utter a low cheeping or chirping Tail is sky blue with a terminal band of Prussian contact call as they forage blue and the central feathers are dull green. Nest in winter in southern India and after Neck and throat purplish lilac with white shaft streaks. summer in northern India. Bare patch around the eye is ochre in colour. Clutch 4 to 8 white eggs Long and compressed bill with a curved upper Lark 12 edge and a hooked tip Seen on bare trees or wires. Call of the Indian roller is a harsh crow like chack sound. Capture their prey which may include insects, arachnids, small reptiles, small snakes and amphibians. Breeding season March to June Scientific classification Clutch: 5 eggs. Kingdom: Animalia Both se es incubate the eggs for 1 to 19 days. Phylum: Chordata
Indian silverbill 11 Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Superfamily: Passeroidea Family: Alaudidae Vigors, Passerine birds of family Alaudidae. Twentyone e tant genera in the family Alaudidae Small to mediumsized birds, 12 to 24 cm in length and 15 to 5 g in weight.
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar 81 District of Maharashtra India Ground birds, brown plumage Fanshaped crest on the head is made of Most species build nests on the ground feathers with bare black shafts and tipped with bluishgreen webbing. Larks incubate for 11 to 1 days. White stripe above the eye Kept as pets in China. Crescent shaped white patch below the eye are formed by bare white skin. Indian ea o l 1 Sides of the head have iridescent greenish blue feathers. Back has scaly bronzegreen feathers with black and copper markings. Wings are buff and barred in black and tail is dark brown Feathers end with an elaborate eyespot. Thighs are buff colored. Length: bill to tail 100 to 115 cm and weight: 4– kg Peahen Smaller and lack the train Scientific classification ave a greenish lower neck Kingdom: Animalia duller brown plumage Phylum: Chordata Lenghth: 95 cm and weight 2. 5–4 kg Class: Aves Rufousbrown head Order: Galliformes Tips are chestnut edged with green Family: Phasianidae Upper body is brownish with pale mottling Genus: Pavo and tail are dark brown. Species: Pavo cristatus Lower neck is metallic green National bird of India in 19 . Breast feathers are dark brown glossed with Celebrated in Indian and Greek mythology green Krishna is depicted with a feather in his Calls loud piaow or mayawe. headband Fre uency of calling increases before Monsoon Kartikeya also known as Skanda or Murugan . Calls indicate the presence of predators such as Resident breeder India. tiger. Large and brightly colored bird Several color mutations of Indian peafowl. Peafowl forage on the ground in small groups Capable of flight cock and to 5 hens. Lives mainly on the ground in open forest or on Peafowl roost in groups during the night on tall land under cultivation trees Feeds on berries, grains but also prey on snakes, Peacocks are polygamous lizards, and small rodents. loud calls Breeding season is spread out but appears to be Male: dependent on the rains. Blue with a fanlike crest of spatulatipped Peafowl are omnivorous and eat seeds, insects, wirelike feathers elongated uppertail covert fruits, small mammals and reptiles, small snakes feathers which bear colorful eyespots. Lives for 2 years Metallic blue on the crown. Listed as of Least Concern by the International Feathers of the head being short and curled. Union for Conservation of Nature.
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 82 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra India King isher 14 Pur le heron 15
Wading bird in the heron family Total Population 2 0,000 and 5 0,000 purple herons in the world Scientific classification Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Class: Aves Order: Coraciiformes Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Alcedinidae Family: Ardeidae Subfamily: Alcedininae Genus: Ardea Known as Eurasian kingfisher, and river Species: A. purpurea kingfisher Breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, Widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North and southern and eastern Asia. Africa Large bird. Important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health. Length: 8–9 cm , height: 0 to 94 cm , wingspan : 120–152 cm , Weight: 0.5 to 1. 5 kg Seven subspecies A. a. ispida Linnaeus, A. a. atthis, A. a. bengalensis Gmelin, A. a. Adults bird: taprobana Kleinschmidt, A. a. floresiana Sharpe, Forehead and crown of the head is black A. a. hispidoides Lesson A. a. solomonensis Rothschild and artert Dark stripe down the back of the neck that terminates in a slender, dangling crest. Sparrowsized bird, shorttailed, largehead ead and the neck are buffish chestnut with Blue upperparts, orange under parts and a long dark streaks and lines down either side of the bill. whole the neck. Legs and feet are bright red. Upper parts and tail is brownish grey. Feeds on fish, caught by diving Breast: chestnut brown, Length 1 centimeters and weight 4–4 grams. Beak: brownishyellow , long, straight and Female is identical in appearance to the male. powerful Flight of the kingfisher is fast, direct and usually Iris : yellow low over water. Legs :brown at the front and yellowish behind as no song. Call is a harsh frarnk more highpitched, less Nest is in a burrow e cavated by both birds of noisy bird, the pair in a low vertical riverbank. Migrates in August October and returns in Lays two to ten glossy white eggs. March.
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar 8 District of Maharashtra India Inhabits marshes, lagoons and lakes surrounded Breeds in colonies and builds a bulky nest of by dense vegetation. dead reeds, sticks. light slow with neck retracted and legs Eggs are bluishgreen, 5 by 45 mm, clutch is e tending a long way behind tail. four to five eggs. Diet: fish, small mammals, amphibians, nestling Both parents share incubation 24 and 28 days birds, snakes, lizards, crustaceans, water snails, Population is decreasing slowly. insects and spiders.
Pur le s am hen 1
S ecies Red muniya 1 1. Western swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio, southwest Europe and northwest Africa 2. African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis, subSaharan continental Africa and Madagascar . Greyheaded swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus, Middle East, through the Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand 4. Blackbacked swamphen, Porphyrio indicus, southeast Asia to Sulawesi 5. Philippine swamphen, Porphyrio pulverulentus, Philippine islands . Australasian swamphen, Porphyrio melanotus, Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania Red avadavat or strawberry finch Scientific classification Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Class: Aves Order: Gruiformes Order: Passeriformes Family: Rallidae Family: Estrildidae Genus: Porphyrio Genus: Amandava Species: P. poliocephalus Species: A. amandava Occurs in Middle East, Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand. Sparrowsized bird Male has an elaborate courtship display, holding Found in Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, water weeds in his bill and bowing to the female Pakistan, Spain, Brunei, Fiji, Egypt, Malaysia, with loud chuckles. Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore and awaii.
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 84 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra India Red munia diverged from the green munia about 18 cm in length, fast flyers. 9 million years ago. Bright blue upperparts, bright white underparts abitat in the open fields mainly on flat plains, and a chestnut cap. tall grasses or crops, near water Very long filamentous outermost tail feathers, Rounded black tail and bill is seasonally red. which trail behind like two wires Rump is red and breeding male is red on most of Immature birds lack tail wires. the upper parts e cept for a black eyestripe, lower Both se es are similar in appearance but female belly and wings. has shorter wires. White spots on the red body and wing feathers. Juveniles have a brown crown, back and tail. The Nonbreeding male is duller, has the redrump. Asian form, .S. filifera, is larger and longer Female dull with less of the white spotting on the tailed than the abundant African .S. Smithii. feathers Feed on insects and flies. Pairs stay together during the breeding season alfbowl nests are lined with mud collected in Calllow single note pseep given in flight. the swallows beaks. Feeds on grass seeds , insects termites Clutchthree to four eggs. Build a globular nest made of grass blades. Clutch five or si white eggs hite bro ed agtail 19 Beak turn red in May, darkens in November December, turns black in April and the cycle continues.
ire tailed s allo 18
Whitebrowed wagtail, large pied wagtail, dhobin, and washerwoman
Scientific classification Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Phylum: Chordata Class: ves Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Order: Passeriformes Family: irundinidae Family: Motacillidae Species: irundo smithii Genus: Motacilla Small passerine bird in swallow family. Species: Motacilla maderaspatensis Two subspecies: Mediumsized bird, 21 cm length. . S. smithii Africa Largest member of wagtail family. . S. filifera southern and southeastern Asia Slender bird, long, constantly wagging tail Found in open country near water and human Black upperparts, head and breast, with a white habitation. supercilium and large white wingbar
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018 Prabhat Sunil Mhaske / Birds Around Mula River Right Bank Canal in Ahmednagar 85 District of Maharashtra India Female has the black less intense than in the male Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lyn Edicions. 2012.p.58 . Juveniles are like the females browngrey where the adult is black . Salim Ali. The Book of Indian Birds Third ed. . O ford University Press. 2002.pp. 4,28 . Resident breeder in India , found in open . Sheldon F , Lohman D , Lim C, Zou F, Goodman freshwater wetland habitats. SM, Prawiradilaga DM, Winker K, Braile TM, Moyle Seen in pairs or small groups near open water RG. Phylogeography of the magpierobin species comple Aves: Turdidae: Copsychus reveals a Call in the morning s wheezy wheech . Philippine species, an interesting isolating barrier Breeding season March to October. and unusual dispersal patterns in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia P . Journal of Biogeogra hy. cupshaped nest placed on the ground or rocks in . a hole, ledge or mud bank . Bird Life International BLI . Sa icola tor uatus. IUCN Red Nest is made of grass, roots, algae and located List of Threatened Species. ersion . International close to water. Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 12 ClutchThree to five eggs. May2009. 10. Whistler ugh. Popular handbook of Indian While taking this photographs and collecting birds 4th ed. . Gurney and Jackson, London. 1949.pp.29 – information, I came to know very important 295. uestion –Why the birds are in danger zone The following causes I get from various sources, which 11. Ali S SD Ripley. andbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 10 2nd ed. . O ford University everyone has to think in positive way. Press. 1999.pp.110–12. Changes in the physical environment 12. Alstrom, Per Barnes, Keith N. Olsson, Urban Barker, abitat fragmentation F. Keith Bloomer, Paulette Khan, Aleem Ahmed ureshi, Masood Ahmed Guillaumet, Alban Chemical contamination Crochet, PierreAndre Ryan, Peter G. Multilocus E ploitation of birds for human use phylogeny of the avian family Alaudidae larks reveals comple morphological evolution, non Trafficking monophyletic genera and hidden species Rivers getting flooded during breeding season diversity. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. nests in colonies on low sandbanks are destroyed. 201 9:104 –5 . Nonnative bird species have become invasive 1 . Ali S Ripley, SD. andbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. 2 2nd ed. . O ford University Press. for many native bird species. 1980.pp.12 –12 . ISBN 0195 20 1. 14. Moyle, Robert G. A molecular phylogeny of Re erences kingfishers Alcedinidae with insights into early biogeographic history PDF . Auk. 200 12 2 :48 –99. 15. ancock, James Kushlan, James A. The erons 1. Newton Ian. Population limitation in birds. andbook. Bloomsbury Publishing. 2010.pp.108–110. Academic Press. 1998.p.2 . ISBN 01251 0. 1 . Floyd, Ted 1 Feb 201 . 9 , Purple 2. Biography of Aristotle . Biogra hy.com. Retrieved 12 Swamphen . American Birding Association. March 2014. Retrieved 1 Feb 201 . . Perrins, Christopher. Obituary: Salim Moizuddin 1 . arrison C.J.O. The affinities of the Red Avadavat, Abdul Ali. Ibis. 1988 1 0 2 : 05–0 . Amandava amandava Linn. . Bulletin of the British 4. Praveen, Jayadevan, Jaypal, Rajah, Pittie, Aasheesh. Ornithologists Club. 19 2 82:12 – 2. A checklist of the birds of India, Indian Birds. 201 11 18. Stevenson Terry Fanshaw John. Birds of East Africa: 5& :11 2. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi. 5. Bird Life International . Prinia socialis . London, UK: A&C Black. 2014.p.294. Retrieved 28 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ersion August 2014. . . International Union for Conservation of 19. Voelker Gary. Systematics and historical Nature. Retrieved 2 November201 . biogeography of wagtails: Dispersal versus vicariance . Rasmussen, P.C. Anderton, J.C. Birds of South Asia. revisited. Condor. 2002 104 4 : 25– 9. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Washington DC and
Indian Journal of Biology / Volume 5 Number 1 / January June 2018