Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 4 (July-August 2005) 77 Munias of Mt. Abu (Rajasthan, India) with special emphasis on threatened Green Munia Amandava formosa Satya P. Mehra1, Sarita Sharma2 and Reena Mathur3 1Kesar Bhawan, 90, B/D Saraswati Hosp., Ganeshnagar, Pahada, Udaipur 313001, Rajasthan, India. Email: [email protected]. 2C/O Mr. L. L. Sharma, village Gol, via Jawal, Sirohi, Rajasthan, India. 3Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Email: [email protected]. Introduction 112.98km2 is under unnotified sanctuary Distribution of Munias cCann (1942) spent a short holiday at area (Anonymous 2003). Mt. Abu Wildlife Above 1,500m: Gurushikhar and Bhairon ka MMt. Abu and wrote, “It is an ‘oasis’ Sanctuary is long and narrow in shape, but Pathar are two prominent points within this in the Rajputana desert, and a delightful the top spreads out into a picturesque range. Only White-throated Munia was place for a holiday”. On the one hand, the plateau, which is about 19km in length and sighted within this altitudinal range. Green rain-fed eastern side is full of semi-evergreen 5-8km in breadth. Munia was sighted around Taramandal and deciduous flora, on the other, the drier (Planetarium), at 1,630m. Methodology western side gives way to xerophytic and 1,200-1,500m: Charlie Point (Jalara Fields), Regular seasonal surveys were conducted deciduous plants (Champion 1961). In this Achalgarh, Oriya Village, Trevor’s Tank, from January 2004 – August 15, 2005. Notes varied habitat is found a diverse avifauna Palanpur Point, Jawai Dam, Shergaon, Kodra were taken on different species and the (Mehra & Sharma, in prep.). The Munias Dam and Sunset Point are important points altitude and habitat they occupied. For (Estrildinae) form an important part of this within this range. First five sites were convenience, five altitudinal zones were diversity, especially as this is the western selected for the avifaunal studies. Except created and the study area along with its limit of the distribution of the Globally Black-headed Munia, all the other four altitudinal zones was mapped (Figures 1 and Threatened Green Munia Amandava specie were sighted in this range. Red Munia 2). formosa. Mt. Abu has been assessed as an was rare and only sighted at Achalgarh The status of a species was established Important Bird Area due to the presence of whereas Green, White-throated and Spotted upon the following criteria: Very Common - this species. (Islam & Rahmani 2004). were very common in this zone. Achalgarh More than ten birds of a species during a Seven species of munias namely Red is important for the number of Green Munias survey or at any time of the day; Common - Munia Amandava amandava, Green Munia sighted there. More than five birds of a species during a A. formosa, White-throated Munia 900-1,200m: The main city along with survey or at any time of the day; Rare - Less Lonchura malabarica, White-rumped Delwara, Sunrise Valley, Salgaon, Nesting than five birds during a survey or at any Munia L. striata, Black-throated Munia L. Valley and Arna Village are important points time of the day; Very Rare - One or two kelaarti, Spotted Munia L. punctulata and within this range. All of them were selected sightings of a bird or two during the entire Black-headed Munia L. malacca are as study sites. In this zone all five species study period. reported from India (Ali and Ripley 1987). were sighted from different points. Delwara Five of these, namely, Red, Green, White- Observations was the main site for Green Munia. throated, Spotted and Black-headed Munias White-throated Munia was sighted almost 600-900m: No prominent point was present are present at Mt. Abu. Grimmett et al. (1999) in every part of the Abu Hills irrespective within this zone. Only White-throated and show that White-throated Munia is the most of the altitudes. Itwas observed from the Scaly-breasted Munias were sighted within widely distributed munia in India followed highest peak, Gurushikhar (1,722m), to the these limits. Scaly-breasted were mainly by Spotted, Red, White-rumped and Black- foothills of Mt. Abu. Spotted Munia was sighted in and around agricultural fields headed, whereas distribution of Black- commonly sighted in the agricultural fields whereas White-throated were common throated is restricted to the hills of in the altitudinal range of 600-1,500m. Green everywhere. southwest and east India, and that of Green Munia and Red Munia were found at the Below 600m: Chipaberi and Rishikesh temple Munia to patches of central India. Mt. Abu altitudinal range of 900-1,500m. Green Munia are among the important points of this zone. is the western limit of the Green Munia’s was very common on almost the entire Only White-throated and Spotted Munias distribution. plateau region above 900m, whereas Red were abundant in the lower area of Abu Hills. Munia was rare and found in a few limited Study Area patches of dense bushes. Black-headed Threats Mt. Abu (Ar-Booda, “the hill of wisdom”; Munia was very rare and this is the first The major threat for munias especially the Shyamaldas 1886) (24º36’N, 72º45’E, Sirohi recorded sighting at Mt. Abu. Only three Green Munia, is habitat alteration. Although district, Rajasthan) is the only hill station birds were sighted during June-July 2004. construction activities are banned by the (unnotified) in Rajasthan or Gujarat and is Except Green Munia, all the four species of Honorable Supreme Court from 2002, illegal situated at the average height of 1,219 m.s.l. munias were sighted throughout the day. clearing of land is still rampant. Being a in the Abu Hills, on the south-western Green Munias were seen during morning tourist spot, the development of hotels, and extremity of the Aravalis. Mt. Abu was and evening, mainly on open ground, in the temporary camping grounds or parking lots declared as a ‘closed area’ in the early 1960s short dense bushes of Lantana camara or on the feeding areas of this bird are constant (pers. comm., Karan Singh Rathore, RFO, Carissa spinarum, as well in ripe maize and threats. The activities of religious pilgrims Mt. Abu Wildlife Sanctuary). Although the jowar fields. On overcast days we sighted also tend to disturb Green Munias. entire 328km2 of Abu Hills have been them throughout the day. There have been unconfirmed reports of declared as protected, officially only poaching of this species (Mehra and Sharma 78 Indian Birds Vol. 1 No. 4 (July-August 2005) 2004). This has now been confirmed by the Conclusions Rajasthan. tribals of village Gopala Nana, Saroopganj. At Abu Hills the Green Munia is restricted Bhargava, R. 1996. Notes on Green Munia. Although the trapping of this species is not to the altitudinal range which is highly prone J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 93: 588. intensive, they are occasionally trapped for to anthropogenic activities like construction Birdlife International 2001. Threatened birds traditional medicinal use (remedial properties and habitat alteration. This needs immediate of Asia: the Birdlife International Red were not disclosed to us) as well as to meet action if the dwindling population of the Data Book. Cambridge, UK: Birdlife the demand for aviary birds (?)from Gujarat. species is to be protected. International. Butler, E. A. 1875–1877. Notes on the Results and Discussions Acknowledgements avifauna of Mount Aboo and northern Five species of munias, out of the seven We thank Dr Asad R. Rahmani, Director Guzerat. Stray Feathers 3: 437–500; 4: 1– reported from India, were sighted in the BNHS, who encouraged us to study the 41; 5: 207–235. study area. The Black-headed Munia is Globally Threatened Green Munia in Champion, H. G. 1961. A preliminary survey reported for the first time from Mt. Abu. southern Rajasthan. We are thankful to the of the forest types of India. Indian Forest Butler (1875-1876) documented four species Department of Forest (Wildlife Division), Mt. Records, Silviculture 1 (1): 123-125. from here, excluding Black-headed Munia. Abu, especially to Mr Karan Singh Rathore Devarshi, D. and Trigunayat, M. M. 1989. Other works on the avifauna of Mt. Abu and Mr Mahendra Saxena for their kind and Checklist of the birds of Mt. Abu record the presence of Green, White- generous help during the study. Further we (Rajasthan). Pavo 27 (1&2): 59-63. throated and Spotted Munias (Prakash and are thankful to Mr Ramesh Mali for helping Grimmett, R, Inskipp, C. and Inskipp, T. 1999. Singh 1995; Sharma 2002). Devarshi and and making arrangements for our study. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Oxford Trigunayat (1989) mention only White- Special thanks to Mr Ainsley Priestman, Mr University Press, New Delhi. throated Munia. Walter Aubert and their families for Islam, M. Z. and Rahmani, A. R. 2004. The overall status of munias in the Abu providing us with historic information on Important Bird Areas: Priority sites for Hills is: Red Munia Amandava amandava - the birds. We are also grateful to Dr A. K. conservation. Indian Bird Conservation Rare; Green Munia A. formosa - Common; Sharma, Mr Ajay Mehta, Mr Pradip Dave Network: Bombay Natural History White-throated Munia Lonchura and Mr Praveen Mehra for their kind Society and Birdlife International (UK). malabarica - Very Common; Spotted Munia assistance. Last but not least, we thank our McCann, C. 1942. A Bushman’s Holiday in L. punctulata - Common; Black-headed friends Shambhu Sharma and Praveen the Abu Hills. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. Munia L. malacca - Very Rare. Sharma for their technical assistance and 43: 206-217. Ahmed (1997, 1998) considered trade a help in photography. Mehra, S. P.and Sharma, S.