CORRESPONDENCE 155 Acknowledgments We thank Dr. Reshma Solanki for accompanying us in the field as well as helping us prepare the manuscript. We retrieved relevant literature from the online ‘Bibliography of South Asian Ornithology’ (Pittie 2018). References Ali, S., & Ripley, S. D., 1987. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. 2nd ed. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Pp. i–xlii, 1 l., 1–737, 52 ll. BirdLife International. 2017. Gyps indicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22729731A117875047. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS. T22729731A117875047.en. [Accessed on 31 March 2018.] Ganpule, P., 2016. The birds of Gujarat: Status and distribution. Flamingo 8 (3)–12 (4): 2–40. Green, R. E., Newton, I., Shultz, S., Cunningham, A. A., Gilbert, M., Pain, D. J., & Prakash, V., 2004. Diclofenac poisoning as a cause of vulture population declines across the Indian subcontinent. Journal of Applied Ecology 41: 793–800. Kamboj, R. D., Tatu, K. & Munjpara, S. B., 2016. Status of vultures in Gujarat—2016. Rahul D. Bhatt Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar. 175. Nest 1 of the Indian Vulture in Pavagadh Hill (Inset photo: Adult Indian Vulture). Mukherjee, A., Galligan, T. H., Prakash, V., Paudel, K., Khan, U., Prakash, S., Ranade, S., Shastri, K., Dave, R., Donald, P., & Bowden, C., 2014. Vulture safe zones to save Gyps vultures in South Asia. Mistnet 15 (3): 4–21. Pandey, C. N., Tatu, K. S., & Vyas, V. R., 2010. Status of Gyps vultures in Gujarat—2010. Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar. Pittie, A., 2018. Bibliography of South Asian Ornithology. Website URL: http://www. southasiaornith.in. [Accessed on 31 March 2018.] Prakash, V., Bishwakarma, M. C., Chaudhary, A., Cuthbert, R., Dave, R., Kulkarni, M., Kumar, S., Paudel, K., Ranade, S., & Shringarpure, R., 2012. The population decline of Gyps vultures in India and Nepal has slowed since veterinary use of Diclofenac was banned. PloS ONE 7 (11): 1–10 (e49118. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049118). Praveen J., Jayapal, R., & Pittie, A., 2017. Threatened birds of India (v1.0). Website URL: http://www.indianbirds.in/india/. Rasmussen, P. C., & Anderton, J. C., 2012. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley guide. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. 2 vols. Pp. 1–378; 1–683. Vyas, R., 2013. Avian diversity of some reservoirs associated with dams in Panchmahal and Dahod Districts, Gujarat, India. Jalplavit 4 (3): 37–48. – Chandni Valodkar, Kartik Upadhyay, Rahul Bhatt & Mital Patel Chandni Valodkar, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao Kartik Upadhyay University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. 176. Nest 2 of the Indian Vulture in Pavagadh Hill. E-mail: [email protected] [Corresponding author] Kartik Upadhyay, 1/101 - Avni Residence, Near Bansal Super Market, Gotri Vasna Road, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. E-mail: [email protected] Nine adults and five juveniles were spotted during a visit Rahul Bhatt, C-123, Girdhar Park Society, Behind Makarpura Bus depot, Makarpura, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. E-mail: [email protected] to the area on 10 June 2018 (Kartik Upadhyay). All the above Mital Patel, D-199, Girdhar Park Society, Behind Makarpura Bus depot, Makarpura, Vadodara, observations indicate the successful breeding of Indian Vultures Gujarat, India. E-mail: [email protected] on the Pavagadh Hill.The local residents around Pavagadh Hill informed us that they were now selling their old and sick cattle Rediscovery of Red-faced Liocichla Liocichla to slaughterhouses. As a result, this vital source of food was not available to this population of vultures, and food from the phoenicea in Nepal, and other notable birds from reserve forests surrounding Pavagadh Hill might only be available Gadhi, Chitwan, Nepal occasionally. Some of us from the Bird Education Society, and the Nepalese The Indian Vulture has been reported from Panchmahal Ornithological Union, spent a couple of days birding at Gadhi District from three different sites: cliffs near Dev Dam (Vyas (27.75°N, 84.57°E), Chitwan District, Nepal. Gadhi (1275 m) lies 2013), Sukhi Dam (Bar village), and Pavagadh Hill. The vultures on the same ridge as Siraichuli (1945 m), the highest point in used the cliffs near Dev Dam only to roost, but there was a small Chitwan District. colony of breeding Indian Vultures at Sukhi Dam. People from Bar On 20 May 2016, on the way up to Gadhi from Kolar, we Village believed that this colony gradually vanished after power saw four Grey-crowned Prinia Prinia cinereocapilla, a globally lines were installed on the range to provide electricity to uphill ‘Vulnerable’ species primarily confined to protected areas in villages. The power line installation work was initiated between Nepal. Inskipp et al. (2016) recorded just one locality outside of 2011 and 2012. Following this, in 2014, only one Indian Vulture the country’s protected areas network, post 1990. Gadhi is now was spotted at this site, which, unfortunately, got electrocuted the second such locality where this species has been recorded. and died (Kartik Upadhyay, verbally). Hence, Pavagadh Hills On 21 May 2016, we hiked to the higher hills leading to appears to be the only site left in Panchmahal District sustaining Siraichuli. For about two hours it was a steep climb until Chisapani a population of Indian Vultures. Tar (27.77°N, 84.60°E; c. 1600 m asl). Throughout our trek we 156 Indian BIRDS VOL. 14 NO. 5 (PUBL. 21 NOVEMBER 2018) encountered broadleaf evergreen type of vegetation [177], away, and difficult terrain prevented further follow up. Post lunch, comprising Quercus semecarpifolia, Rhododendron arboreum, we revisited the area and found the bird. It was calling. It was Macaranga pustulata, etc. Tree fern Cyathea gigantea and ghopi difficult to spot and some of us had fleeting glimpses as the bird bamboo Sinarundinaria jainiana were also present in the shaded moved through the dense canopy, but views were not sufficient ravines. Various species of orchids were flowering. On the way for a definite confirmation. up to Chisapani Tar, we located several Himalayan Cutia Cutia Both Grimmett et al. (2011), and Rasmussen & Anderton nipalensis along the ridge, some of which were calling loudly. (2005), indicated the likelihood of our bird being a Red-faced The ridge had predominantly Q. semecarpifolia mature primary Liocichla. We compared our sound recordings with XC 301997 trees with scattered and smaller R. arboreum trees. Six Silver- (Olmstead 2016) on the website, www.xeno-canto.org, from eared Mesias Leiothrix argentauris (Endangered nationally), Yunnan, China, and found that the songs sounded similar to each and four Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta (Vulnerable other. nationally), both localised species in Nepal (Inskipp et al. 2016) On 22 May 2016, we revisited the site and this time we were observed. got better views and photographs [178] that established the species. Eight Red-faced Liocichla were seen in the area that day. One Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra that was observed feeding on banana flowers was a real bonus. The Little Spiderhunter is known from only a few localities, and is listed as Critically Endangered for Nepal (Inskipp et al. 2016). Tek Bahadur Gurung Bahadur Tek Bishnu MahatoBishnu 177. Red-faced Liocichla was found in this broadleaf evergreen vegetation in the Gadhi– Siraichuli area. Many species, including Cutia, Silver-eared Mesia, Tickell’s 178. Red-faced Liocichla in Gadhi, Nepal. Thrush Turdus unicolor, Grey-winged Blackbird Turdus boulboul, Chestnut-bellied Rock-thrush Monticola rufiventris, Rufous- bellied Niltava Niltava sundara, Black-lored Tit Machlolophus Gould (1837–1838) first described the Red-faced Liocichla xanthogenys, Grey-hooded Warbler Phylloscopus xanthoschistos, to science, with type locality as Nepal. He may have obtained Black-chinned Babbler Stachyridopsis pyrrhops, Grey-throated this specimen from Brian Hodgson’s collection (Inskipp & Inskipp Babblers Stachyris nigriceps, White-browed Pomatorhinus 1991, citing Gray & Gray 1847). After that first description, there schisticeps and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babblers P. erythrogenys, were no further records of this bird from Nepal. Until recently, all and Spiny Babbler Turdoides nipalensis were heard singing, and standard work on the birds of Nepal presumed the bird to have were observed carrying food/nesting materials indicating their been extirpated from, or become extinct in Nepal (Fleming et al. possible breeding in the area. These are important breeding 1984; Inskipp & Inskipp 1991; Grimmett et al. 2000, 2011; BCN records for Chitwan District (BES 2013). The Spiny Babbler was & DNPWC 2011; Inskipp et al. 2016). Bird Education Society’s fairly common in the area and its song could be heard in all (2004, 2013) extensive bird surveys in the area did not report patches with dense scrub. the species. Applying the IUCN’s regional Red List categories At 1230 hrs, while birding in a ravine, we heard a slightly and criteria to the species results in its being listed as Critically different song, unfamiliar to us, which sounded like a Endangered in Nepal as it is recorded from a single locality and laughingthrush; but we could not locate the bird. HSB and RK is presumed to have a small population (Inskipp et al. 2017). remained behind and recorded the calls on their respective With these records, Chitwan District is now the western-most mobile devices. RT located a bird that seemed completely locality in the Red-faced Liocichla’s global distribution. Based on dark in poor light, describing its colour similar to a Red-headed the habitat they were found in, and our own experience with Trogon Harpactes erythrocephala. HSB rushed to the spot other bird species, we predicted that other little known species trying to glimpse it. There was one individual that was moving in Nepal, for example the Blue-naped Pitta Pitta nipalensis, might very quickly, from one branch to another, in dense and dark breed here, and the Wood Snipe Galinago nemoricola might thickets.