Birds of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh

EditorRaju Kasambe, Project Manager,

IBA-IBCN

Design & LayoutGopi Naidu, Abhijit Malekar

Other team members Noor Khan, Siddhesh Surve

Nandkishor Dudhe

Consultant EditorGayatri W. Ugra

Contributions should be sent toEditors, MIStNEt, IBA-IBCN

Bombay Natural History Society

Hornbill House, S.B. Singh Road

Mumbai 400001, INDIA

t el: +91 22 22821811

Email: [email protected]

www.ibcn.in

BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organisations, represented in over 100 countries, working for the diversity of all life through the conservation of birds and their habitats.

BirdLife InternationalWellbrook Court, Girton Road

Cambridge CB3 0NA, UKEmail: [email protected]

www.birdlife.org

this Newsletter is supported by theRSPB

(For private circulation only)

Cover: Black-bellied t ern Sterna acuticauda by

Vishwatej Pawar

Our Mission

Conservation of nature, primarily biological diversity, through action, based on research,

education and public awareness.

BNHS is a BirdLife International partnerwww.bnhs.org

Views expressed by the contributors in MIStNEtare not necessarily those of the IBCN/BNHS.

www.rspb.org.uk

CONTENTS

Status of the Lesser Florican in western Madhya Pradesh

2

— Ajay Gadikar

Endangered Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda breeding in District Pune, Maharashtra

8

— Vishwatej Pawar and Rohit Damle

Himalayan Vulture: Sighting Report and People’s Perception in Mizoram— H. Lalthanzara, Raju Kasambe and Lalawmawia Sailo

10Others...Kaiga Bird Marathon 2015 ...................................................................... 13

28th Pakshimitra Sammelan, Pune .......................................................... 13

2nd Uttarakhand Spring Bird Festival ..................................................... 14

Birds of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh ......................................................... 15

E D I T O R I A LE D I T O R I A L

MISTNET Vol. 16 No. 2 April–June 2015 1

Citizen Science Initiatives

Recently, much is being discussed about climate change and its impacts on various

ecosystems of the world. the question which we often ask and face is, what is the

impact of climate change on birds in India?

And really, we have no answers right now. Why do we not have any answers to this

question? the answer is we do not have enough good quality data about the occurrence of

birds across the country. the solution to this malady is to gather data from the thousands

of birdwatchers spread across and travelling to the most inaccessible places in India.

Much information is available about the impacts of climate change on birds in Europe

and North America. the reason is the availability of millions of records contributed by

birdwatchers. If we start contributing our bird sighting records to public fora, we will also

have such a huge database and after some years we should be able to see some trends in

the distribution patterns of birds.

It is high time we start contributing our bird records to Citizen Science initiatives, like

eBird (www.ebird.org). Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Indian Bird

Conservation Network (IBCN) have already joined the consortium of organizations

which have come under a joint forum called Bird Count India (www.birdcount.in). It

aims to document the distribution and abundance of Indian birds, from the finest scale

(e.g., within a city) to the largest (across the country). After a few years, through the

collection of information on birds across seasons and years, we will be able to have

a better understanding of seasonal patterns of movement of birds, and to monitor

changes in distribution and abundance of birds over long periods. t ill September 16,

2015, there were 112,000 checklists submitted to Bird Count India, covering sighting

records of 1,181 species and more than 1.5 million records from India.

By sharing our knowledge on such Citizen Science initiatives we will contribute to the

growth of Indian Ornithology and help in better understanding our birds.

Raju Kasambe

R E S E A R C H A N D C O N S E R VAT I O N

MISTNET Vol. 16 No. 2 April–June 20152

Lesser Florican is a typical species of grassy habitats

Western Madhya Pradesh, comprising the districts of Indore, Dhar, Jhabua, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Ujjain, and Ratlam, has always been

a good breeding ground for the Lesser Florican Sypheotides indicus. Madhya Pradesh even has the distinction of having established two wildlife sanctuaries exclusively for the conservation of Lesser Florican, namely Sailana Wildlife Sanctuary in Ratlam district and Sardarpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Dhar district.

Lesser Florican is also found in areas outside the two sanctuaries. In the last six years, regular sightings are reported from areas around Ratamba forest and from t arkhedi beat (comprising Bani, Morjheria, and Samarkundia villages) of Petlawad Range in Jhabua district. Unconfirmed sightings were also reported for

two years (2013 and 2014) from some areas of Agar, Maxi, and t arana near Ujjain. Unfortunately, there are no sightings from Jeeran beat in Neemuch district since 2011, where florican sightings were reported in earlier times.

I have been visiting these areas for the last five years to study these floricans, and am working closely with the Forest Department, helping them in their conservation initiatives. Dr. P.C. Dube, Chief Conservator of Forests, Ujjain Circle, has given me the responsibility of working closely with the staff and suggesting initiatives for the conservation of the Lesser Florican. Most of the Lesser Florican breeding areas of western Madhya Pradesh fall under his jurisdiction, which also includes the Sailana Wildlife Sanctuary.

the M.P. Forest Department aims to understand the reasons behind the increase in bird count in various parts

Ajay Gadikar

Status of the Lesser Floricanin western Madhya Pradesh

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of Rajasthan, and why their count is dwindling in western Madhya Pradesh, which remained a major stronghold for the Lesser Florican in the state for decades.

this article presents an update on the recent and present situation of this Endangered species in western M.P.

Sailana Wildlife Sanctuary

Sailana Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Sailana and Piploda blocks of Ratlam district. the total area of the sanctuary is 12.96 sq. km, and it was notified in 1983. t oday, this sanctuary has the best grassland patches in the entire western MP. Continuous efforts are put in by the forest department to protect and improve the natural habitat of the Lesser Florican here, and also to promote the population build-up of this magnificent bird. It has been declared as an Important Bird Area by BNHS (Islam & Rahmani 2004). Recently, it is been identified as an IBA in Danger (Kasambe & Surve 2013). An area of about 200 hectares within the sanctuary, known as Naulakha beed, is well known for the sighting of the courtship display of the male Lesser Florican, which jumps almost 500 to 600 times a day to attract the female (Sankaran 1994). Pure grasslands are found in the traditionally protected areas like Shikarwadi (a hunting lodge in the Naulakha grasslands). In Shikarwadi, the florican males are regularly seen displaying in their established territories. Each year, at least five or six male floricans can be seen displaying simultaneously at different locations (within an area of 200–500 sq. m) in this site. there are watch towers to see the bird movement over a large area. the forest guards and chowkidars keep a watch on florican movement throughout the breeding season,

patrolling the area on foot as one cannot reach the display sites by any other means. they constantly chase away Blue Bull or Nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus herds away from the florican breeding locations. Binoculars/spotting scopes are a must to see the display of the birds, as one cannot get closer across the extensive waterlogged grasslands. the birds also arrive at Amba and Sherpur areas and perform their display. Usually, two or three male floricans were

A watch tower at Shikarwadi in Sailana WLS

A view of grassland, typical Lesser Florican habitat which is often treated as wasteland in official records

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MISTNET Vol. 16 No. 2 April-June 20154


sighted regularly from these two areas. However, there were no florican sightings in the last year (2014).

Other AvifaunaSailana Wildlife Sanctuary, which was established to

protect the Endangered Lesser Florican, also happens to be a good breeding ground for many other species of birds. Apart from Lesser Florican, I recorded 140 species of birds in Sailana grasslands over the last five years. In winter, many species of migratory birds are seen here, which include various raptors, larks, pipits, warblers, shrikes, and ducks. Harriers are the first winter visitors in this area: sometimes you can see as many as 20–30 of them roosting together in open grassland in the evening. the Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus, Montagu’s Harrier C. pygargus, and Eurasian Marsh Harrier C. aeruginosus are commonly seen here.

the migratory birds sighted in open country were Blue Rock-thrush Monticola solitarius, Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum, Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata, Bluethroat Luscinia svecica, Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros, Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla,

A male Lesser Florican displaying in its grassland habitat

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Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus, and Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus, among many others.

Threats

the main threats in this sanctuary are intense biotic pressure from excessive grazing and intensive cultivation in private lands around the sanctuary area. Illegal mining has been done in some pockets of the sanctuary in the last two years. Loss of habitat due to mining activities has resulted in the disappearance of birds in 2014, from the areas which were earlier frequented by them.

the increase in population of Nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus in this area is also a cause for concern. Many herds of Nilgai roam about in this area, which may accidentally damage the eggs of Lesser Florican.

t wo invasive plants Lantana camara and Prosopis juliflora are gradually spreading in the area, resulting in the loss of grassland habitat essential for floricans.

Conservation InitiativesA large-scale public campaign was undertaken by the

locals and NGOs to save the sanctuary from illegal mining and construction activities in last two years, and cases were filed in the Green Tribunal against the construction company. this resulted in a decision in favour of the petitioners, with heavy penalty imposed on the construction company. The fine amount will be used for the betterment of the sanctuary.

this year the forest department is providing seeds of many indigenous crops free of cost to the farmers in the area, so that they can divert from growing Soyabean as the monsoon crop and shift to some indigenous crops. thankfully, many villages have now taken up organic farming, with the increasing demand for organically cultivated products, which will indirectly benefit the florican in these areas.

Sardarpur Wildlife Sanctuary

Sardarpur Wildlife Sanctuary was constituted vide GoMP Notification no. 2410/10/2/83 dated 11.6.1983. the sanctuary is located close to Rajgarh on the Indore-Ahmedabad road, about 55 km from the district headquarters at Dhar and 125 km from Indore. It is also an Important Bird Area (IBA) site (Islam & Rahmani 2004).

The birds generally arrive in the first week of July to breed in the grasslands present in the area, rear the young ones, and possibly migrate in October-November. Panpura area, which is also a protected area, is the best place to watch floricans here. This area has been fenced by the forest department and is an ideal place for the breeding of



Lesser Florican, although there was no sighting of florican here in the last two years.

Other AvifaunaIn winter, thousands of migratory Rosy Starling Sturnus

roseus can be seen flying over the area, moving along with other mynas and starlings. In the adjoining cultivation and small waterbodies near Sardarpur WLS, you can see a large number of migratory Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava, Grey Wagtail M. cinerea, and White Wagtail M. alba foraging for insects. Many species of waders can be watched here. Many species of larks and pipits are also seen breeding here during the early monsoon months.

Threatsthis sanctuary is facing major habitat degradation,

coupled with public resentment due to a ban on sale/transfer of their private land. the government, after the initial notification of the sanctuary in 1983, made no progress regarding the determination of rights to enable its notification, and did not satisfy all the norms, creating

resentment among local people. t his works against the conservation of the florican. Anxiety levels have increased amongst the people, resentment against floricans runs deep, and the bird is perceived as an enemy that is taking away their land.

The villagers feel that if the floricans disappear from the area, there will be no reason to have the sanctuary, and they will get their land back.

the total livestock population in 14 villages located in the sanctuary is c. 30,000, and this is the main problem for the management, as it exerts huge pressure on the grasslands. Introduction of various kinds of agricultural machinery, such as tractors for ploughing and weeding, disturb the birds in agricultural fields.

there is not much forest department staff to manage the sanctuary. there is no tourist pressure in this sanctuary.

Conservation Initiativesthe forest department offers prize money to any farmer

who spots Lesser Florican in his fields and safeguards the bird. Further compensation is provided to the farmer if the bird lays eggs and successfully breeds in the farmer’s fields. Immediate intervention is needed to restore the grassland ecosystems in Panpura and adjoining areas of Sardarpur WLS.

reServe foreSt areaS of petlavad range near Jhabua

the Ratamba forest patch in the Petlavad range of Jhabua forest division is an ideal habitat for the Lesser Florican. The florican is seen almost every year during the monsoon, when it arrives here to breed. this forest patch comprises 525 hectares of grassland. t he entire area is fenced to protect the Lesser Florican from disturbance.

Ratamba is c. 6 km from Raipuria and 14 km from Petlavad. It is c. 45 km from Jhabua city. t arkhedi beat (comprising Bani, Morjheria, and Samarkundia villages) of Petlawad Range has also reported Lesser Florican sightings.

As Lesser Florican sightings are recorded and reported regularly here since the last six years, this area should be marked as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Since there Indian Eagle-owl seen in Sailana grassland

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Year No. of Floricans sighted in the last five yearsSailana WLS Sardarpur WLS Petlawad Range Grasslands near Ujjain

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female2010 15 06 02 00 02 00 00 002011 15 04 02 00 03 01 00 002012 17 05 01 00 03 01 00 002013 11 05 00 00 05 01 00 002014 07 04 00 00 05 00 01 (unconfirmed) 00



are no records of Lesser Florican in Sardarpur Wildlife Sanctuary for the last two years, this area should be given greater attention.

Other AvifaunaA good number of other ground-nesting birds like the

Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus, Eurasian thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus indicus, and Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelicus are known to breed in the same areas as the floricans.

ThreatsEven after fencing the area, cattle grazing has not been

strictly controlled, and the cattle may trample the florican eggs. Population of stray dogs needs to be controlled in the nearby areas. They are reported to chase the floricans frequently.

Conservation InitiativesThe forest department is actively tracking the floricans

every year and is fencing the area further, to provide the floricans a safe habitat. Local people are also helping the forest department in their conservation efforts.

BeedS of agar, Maxi, and tarana near uJJain

the beeds (grassland areas) of Agar, Maxi, and t arana hold good breeding grounds for Lesser Florican. Every year there is news of Lesser Florican sightings, though unconfirmed, from these areas. In September 2014, when

I visited these areas, I found them perfectly suitable as breeding grounds for Lesser Florican. though I did not see any florican, many feathers collected from the locals confirmed that the bird was present. In the last two years, these grassland areas have been fenced by the forest department to safeguard them as florican habitat.

this year (2015), I plan to survey this area intensively and confirm the florican sightings.

Other AvifaunaMost of these areas are grassland or semi-arid degraded

land. During summer, the grasslands and scrub or thorny patches and adjoining large cultivated areas create a unique ecosystem here, an ideal habitat for many ground-nesting species, like Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus, Painted Francolin Francolinus pictus, Rain Quail Coturnix coromandelica, and Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator, which are seen here throughout the year.

Threatsthese areas have been notorious for poaching of ground-

nesting birds. In the past, large numbers of francolins and quails were hunted by local tribal communities. A large number of livestock are seen grazing unhindered, creating problems for the conservation of the habitat.

Conservation InitiativesSome positive initiatives have been made by the

forest department to provide livelihood to the hunting communities and tribals of the area through different government schemes. Many members of these communities have turned into protectors of birds.

a neW conServation Strategy: Organic FarMing

Habitat degradation due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, owing to depleting soil condition, is one of the major threats to the existence of Lesser Florican. The floricans need huge numbers of insects to feed the newly hatched chicks, which are more susceptible to harmful insecticides. It is therefore necessary to educate, encourage, and support local people to shift to organic farming, or minimize the use of chemical insecticides in the preferred breeding grounds of floricans.

concluSion

the main reason for the depleting number of Lesser Florican in western Madhya Pradesh is loss of habitat, the grasslands getting converted to cultivated fields due to the ever increasing demand for food grains, changes in the crop

Rain Quail seen in Reserve Forest Areas of Petlavad

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MISTNET Vol. 16 No. 2 April-June 2015 7

pattern, wherein the cultivation of local and indigenous crops like Maize Zea mays, Moong Vigna radiata, Urad Vigna mungo, and other cereals is being replaced by cultivation of exotic crops like Soyabean Glycine max.

I found that at almost all sites where the florican arrives for breeding, the cash crop Soyabean is being cultivated with heavy use of chemical insecticides. t he use of chemical insecticides contaminates the insect food resources of the florican. A heavily contaminated diet can affect the breeding capacity of the adult and longevity of the young birds. Reduced availability of insect food also results in high mortality in newly hatched chicks as well as juveniles.

t he initiatives taken by the forest department are not enough. The department becomes active when the florican arrives and remains active for that period only. For the rest of the year, no concrete actions are taken to protect the habitat and create awareness among the villagers.

No initiative of florican conservation can succeed without involving local communities and private beed owners. beed owners. beedPeople’s apprehensions and misunderstandings need to be addressed and their active participation in conserving Lesser Florican needs to be solicited. If constant, rigorous, and timely measures like proper wildlife management and livelihood generation for the locals are taken care of, there is a good chance that the bird will again flourish in its breeding grounds across western Madhya Pradesh.

Sources: Superintendent, Sailana Wildlife Sanctuary; Superintendent, Sardarpur Sanctuary; DFO, Jhabua; DFO, Neemuch; and SDO, Ujjain.

REFERENCESIslam, M.Z. and Rahmani, A.R. (2004) Important Bird Areas

in India: Priority Sites for Conservation. Indian Bird

Conservation Network: Bombay Natural History Society and

BirldLife International (UK). Pp. xvii + 1133.

Kasambe, R. and Surve, S. (2013) IBAs in Danger. Hornbill

Oct.–Dec. Pp. 41–46.

Sankaran, R. (1994) Some aspects of the territorial behaviour of the Lesser Florican. JBNHS 91: 173–186.JBNHS 91: 173–186.JBNHS

Contact:13, Classic Purnima Park Colony,Opp. Hotel Radisson Blu,Scheme No. 94, Ring Road, Indore, Madhya PradeshE-mail: [email protected]

Lesser Florican habitat during summer

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Contact:

Lavkumar Khachar was born on

February 24, 1931 into the royal

family of the former princely

state of Jasdan, Gujarat, India.

His involvement in ornithology

began in the 1950s, and he came

to be associated with other eminent

ornithologists like Dr. Sálim Ali,

Dr. Humayun Abdulali, and Dr.

Zafar Futehally. He was closely

associated with Bombay Natural

History Society (BNHS) and the

BNHS Indian Bird Conservation

Network. He also served as Director

of the Nature Discovery Centre

at the Centre for Environment

Lavkumar Khachar

OBITUARY

Education (CEE) in 1984. He was the

founder of the Hingolgadh Nature

Conservation Education Sanctuary

created by the Jasdan family.

He was awarded the Sálim

Ali-Loke Wan t ho Lifetime

Achievement Award for Excellence

in Ornithology for his contribution

in the field of conservation of birds and their habitats. He also received

a Certificate of Merit from HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

He was also awarded Venu Menon

Lifetime Achievement Award in

2004.

Lavkumar’s illustrious association

with ornithology came to an end

with his demise on March 2, 2015

at Rajkot in Gujarat.

IBCN-BNHS mourns the loss of

a great teacher, ornithologist, and

conservationist.

R E S E A R C H A N D M O N I T O R I N G


t he Black-bellied t ern Sterna acuticauda is found in parts of

the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It inhabits large rivers and marshes, in lowlands (but not on the coast), up to 730 msl (BirdLife International 2015). During the breeding season, the Black-bellied t ern has an orange bill, black cap and nape, dark grey breast, and blackish belly and vent. Non-breeding and immature birds have white underparts, shorter tail, black mask, and streaking on crown. Juvenile has dark mask, streaking on crown and nape, sandy coloration on head and mantle, and brown fringes to upperparts (Grimmett et al. 2011)

t he Black-bellied t ern is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of threatened Species. the population is estimated at 6,700–17,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).

three Black-bellied t erns in breeding plumage were observed on May 1, 2015, from 8:00 am to 9:30 am, at the backwaters of the Bhatghar Dam, located in Velvand, Bhor taluka, Pune district, Maharashtra (18° 12’ 24.7” N, 73° 43’ 00.1” E; 616 msl). this part of the large inland waterbody had no vegetation on the banks. t he banks were dry, with flat areas where we also a found large breeding colony of River t ern Sterna aurantia.

the deep orange bill and prominent black belly were the first diagnostic features which helped us differentiate the Black-bellied t erns from the

many River t erns. We observed that the Black-bellied t ern is smaller in size and its flight is weaker against the wind than that of the River t ern.

On May 6, 2015 we visited the site again to see if the Black-bellied t erns were nesting. Early that morning, we observed from a distance, using our binoculars, a pair of Black-bellied Terns flying in circles. One of them landed multiple times in that particular area. We decided to approach closer to observe the pair.

We found one nest with a clutch of three eggs in it. t he nest was a shallow bowl dug into the ground, 15.24 cm in diameter and 3.81 cm deep. t he nest did not contain any other nesting material, and the eggs lay bare in direct contact with the ground. t here were two River t ern nests within a radius of c. 3 m from the Black-bellied t ern nest.

t he Black-bellied t ern pair show no sexual dimorphism, and appeared to be greeting each other

with a brief, elegant display which included synchronized flying. This was observed every time one of the pair flew past the partner who was incubating the eggs.

Once, a River t ern accidentally landed too close to the Black-bellied Tern nest and was fiercely mobbed the very next moment by the latter. t his was the only observed incident which involved interaction between the two species.

Historical recordsIn the 19th century, Black-bellied

t erns were reported breeding during March and April, probably near Ahmednagar (Burgess 1855). t here are possible records from Deccan, probably from Sholapur and Satara districts. It was recorded as ‘Very common on all the rivers, where it also breeds’ (Davidson & Wenden 1878). Colonel William Henry Sykes mentioned it as “common” in Dukhun (Deccan) (Sykes 1833). James Davidson mentioned it as “not common” in Dhule district (Davidson 1882).

Endangered Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda breeding in District Pune, Maharashtra

Vishwatej Pawar1 and Rohit Damle2

Location Year Recorded by / sourcePune District 1987–89

1989

1997

2002

2013

Purandare (1989)Bharucha & Gogte (1990)Prasad (2003)Purandare (1989)Pramod Patil (unpublished)

Mumbai 2000 Monga (2000)Raigad district 2009 Nikhil Bhopale (unpublished)Chandrapur district 2013 Sujit Narwade (unpublished)

Sighting records of Black-bellied Tern in Maharashtra (source: Rahmani et al. 2014)



Threatst he population of the Black-bellied

t ern is observed to be decreasing due t ern is observed to be decreasing due tto destruction of habitats, collection of eggs for food, cultivation in its habitats, over-harvesting of wetland products, and construction of dams (Birdlife International 2015). At the breeding site, we observed human interference and disturbance by domestic animals. Locals were seen fishing near the site.

AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks to Nikhil Gokhale

who was generous as always, and also to our family and friends because of whom this birdwatching expedition was a success. t hanks to Dr. Asad R. Rahmani, Director, BNHS for help in writing this note and for encouragement.

References

Bharucha, E.K. & Gogte, P.P. (1990) Avian

profile of a man-modified aquatic

ecosystem in the backwaters of the Ujjani

Dam. JBNHS 87(1): 73–90.JBNHS 87(1): 73–90.JBNHS

BirdLife International (2015) Species

factsheet: Sterna acuticauda. Down-

loaded from http://www.birdlife.org on

09/06/2015.

Burgess, W.H.O. (1855) Notes on the nests

and eggs of the birds of western India.

Part XI. Proceedings of the Zoological

Society of London 1855: 184–185.

Davidson, J. (1882) Rough list of the birds

of Western Khandesh. Stray Feathers 10:

279–326.

Davidson, J. & Wenden, H. (1878) A

contribution to the avifauna of the Deccan.

Stray Feathers 7(1-2): 68–95.

Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., and Inskipp, t .

(2011) Birds of the Indian Subcontinent.

2nd edn. Oxford University Press &

Christopher Helm Publishers. Pp. 528.

Monga, S. (2000) Rare winged visitors to

Mumbai. Hornbill January-March. Pp. 30. Hornbill January-March. Pp. 30. Hornbill

Prasad, A. (2003) Annotated checklist of the

birds of western Maharashtra. Buceros

8(2 & 3): 1–174.

Purandare, R. (1989) Checklist of the Birds

of Khamgaon, Kasurdi and Khutbav.

Privately published.

Rahmani, A.R., Kasambe, R., Narwade,

S., Patil, P., and Khan, N.I. (2014)

Threatened Birds of Maharashtra. Indian

Bird Conservation Network, Bombay

Natural History Society,Royal Society

for the Protection of Birds, and Birdlife

International. Oxford University Press.

Pp. xii + 224.

Sykes, W.H. (1833) Catalogue of birds

observed in the Dukhun. Proceedings

of the Committee of Science and

Correspondence of the Zoological Society

of London 1832: 149–172.

Contact:Contact:

Black-bellied Tern has an orange bill, white lores, grey breast and black belly

Vis

hwat

ej P

awar

1. Bloomingdales, B-101, Baner-Pimple Nilakh Road, near Balewadi Phata, Baner, Pune 411045, Maharashtra.Email: [email protected]

2. C-6, t ivoli, Survey No. 292/1, Near Dhankude Vasti, Baner, Pune 411045, Maharashtra.Email: [email protected]


Choudhury (2008) reported four species of vultures in Mizoram, namely Red-

headed Aegypius calvus, Cinereous Aegypius monachus, Slender-billed Gyps tenuirostris, and White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis. Besides these scavengers, no other vulture was reported here. the authors report here the occurrence of the Near threatened Himalayan Griffon or Himalayan Vulture Gyps himalayensis inside the political boundary of Mizoram state. the authors have recorded the Himalayan Griffon for three consecutive years, 2013, 2014, and 2015, by direct sightings, verification of other birdwatchers’ records, and collection of secondary information

from various parts of the state.the Himalayan Griffon, a large

scavenging raptor, was previously known to be resident in the Sino-Himalaya and Central Asia. this vulture is distributed in Pakistan, India, t ibet, China, Myanmar (thiollay 1994), and northern Russia (del Hoyo et al. 1994). Its main geographical range lies in the high uplands of Central and South Asia, from Kazakhstan and Afghanistan in the west through the Altai and t ien Shan ranges, t ibetan plateau and Himalaya east to western China (Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia) and Mongolia (BirdLife International 2015).

The first sighting of Himalayan Griffon in Mizoram was recorded

on December 3, 2012 over Aizawl city and again on March 21, 2013, when a carcass of this vulture was found in a paddy field in Kawlbem village in north-east Mizoram. As the international boundary between Myanmar and India is not far from the spot, the vultures are thought to be vagrant to this area. they are believed to recede back to Myanmar in mid-April.

In November 2013, the local forest staff reported that the vultures returned to the same paddy field. After a few weeks, they disappeared and were not sighted again.

t he sudden appearance of a large vulture in the area amazes the local residents as they have not seen

H. Lalthanzara1, Raju Kasambe2 and Lalawmawia Sailo3

Himalayan Vulture: Sighting Report and People’s Perception in Mizoram


In flight the Himalayan Vulture shows black flight feathers and black tail

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these vultures for a long time. t he villagers believe that the vultures are ‘messengers of death’ for their cattle, and a misfortune for humankind. t his may be attributed to the appearance of vultures at the time of the spread of certain cattle diseases and the unpleasant appearance of the bird and its feeding habitat. Many people are not aware of the scavenging role and hence the importance of these birds.

t he villagers were again on high alert on hearing that their so-called messenger of death had arrived again in the nearby Kawlbem area in the last week of January 2014. On February 14, 2014, a joint bird survey team of IBCN-BNHS and P.U. College reported sighting two vultures soaring in the air. They were confirmed to be Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis from the photographs. t he interaction between the village elders and the team convinced the elders that the appearance of vultures in the area had no connection with the death of their cattle. t hey were also told that the scavengers maintain cleanliness by eating up cattle carcasses in the field. t he concept of ‘messenger of death’ was slowly replaced by ‘agents of cleanliness’.

A group of local birdwatchers photographed a huge raptor soaring high in the air above Hmuifang t lang, located in central Mizoram, on December 11, 2014, and on May 10,

2015 over Lawngtlai town, southern Mizoram. t he photograph was later identified to be of Gyps himalayensis. Earlier, a flock of Himalayan Griffon was photographed over Aizawl city on December 3, 2012 by Laldingliana, an avid birdwatcher from Aizawl.

Isolated reports of vulture sightings from various parts of Mizoram increased in 2015. A flock of eight vultures was sighted at Zotlang-kham in Lunglei district by birdwatchers in March 2015. Vagrant vultures were then occasionally sighted and reported from southern Mizoram. t he appearance of vultures in southern Mizoram, especially Lunglei and Saiha districts, triggered superstitious beliefs and rumours among the people. t he people’s perception about the appearance of these large raptors with their carrion feeding habit is similar to the traditional beliefs of the people of Kawlbem village. t hey also believe that the vultures sighted are an early arrival from a larger congregation that will scavenge on human carcasses in a time of tribulation.

Whatever may be the people’s beliefs in this remote area, it is certain that these vultures are expanding their foraging range into the territory of Mizoram. t he general public needs to be educated on the usefulness of vultures in the ecosystem and the need to stop the use of the banned drug diclofenac (a killer for vultures)

in the treatment of cattle, to ensure the safety of these Near t hreatened raptors.

AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks to Sawmtea, Field

Assistant, P.U. College, for help in field work. Thanks to Mr. Lalnunzira, DFO, E&F Department, Mizoram and Mr. Laldingliana for sharing his sighting record and photographs.

ReferencesBirdLife International (2015) Species

factsheet: Gyps himalayensis.

Downloaded fromhttp://www.birdlife.

orgon 01/07/2015.

Choudhury, A.U. (2008) A Pocket Guide

to the Birds of Mizoram. Gibbon Books

and t he Rhino Foundation for nature in

NE India, Guwahati. Pp. 122.

del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., and Sargatal, J.

(1994) Handbook of the Birds of the

World. Vol. 2: New World Vultures to

Guinea fowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

t hiollay, J. (1994) Family Accipitridae

(Hawks and Eagles). Pp. 52–105. In:

del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., and Sargatal,

J. (Eds)Handbook of the Birds of the

World. Vol. 2: New World Vultures

to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions,

Barcelona.

Contact:1. Email: [email protected]

2. Email: [email protected]

3. Email: [email protected]

Contact:

MISTNET Vol. 16 No. 2 April–June 2015 11MISTNET Vol. 16 No. 2 April–June 2015

New IBCN State Coordinators

Dr. Sarala Khaling is the new IBCN State Coordinator for West Bengal. She is working with ATREE in Sikkim

and is a well-known Scientist

Ms. Monalisa Bhujabal is the new IBCN State Ms. Monalisa Bhujabal is the new IBCN State Coordinator for Odisha. She is the Secretary of Wild

Orissa and is a very active naturalist.

I B C N S M A L L G R A N T 2 0 1 4 – 2 0 1 5

Sr Project Title Name of Proponent State Duration Amount (Rs)

1 The survey on potential IBAs in

Manipur with respect to species

diversity and population of avian

fauna

R.K. Birjit Singh Manipur 1 September 2014 to

31 December 2014

1,00,000

2 Survey and documentation of Threatened

Bird Species of Jharkhand

Satya Prakash Jharkhand 1 November 2014 to

31 October 2015

75,000

3 Publishing “Pakshimitra”, the quarterly

newsletter of Maharashtra Pakshi Mitra

Maharashtra Pakshi

Mitra, Chiplun

Maharashtra 1 November 2014 to

31 October 2015

50,000

4 Proposed bird survey in the northern

Eastern Ghats.

ATREE Tamil Nadu 1 December 2014 to

January 2015

75,000

5 Rapid survey and photo-documentation

of existing and potential IBAs of

Nagaland

Nugkholol Khongsai

Nagaland 15 October to 31

December 2014

75,000

6 Studies on avian diversity and threats

to species of “Talle Wildlife Sanctuary”,

Arunachal Pradesh, India

Murali Krishna Arunachal Pradesh February 2015 to

August 2015

74,000

7 An inventory survey for Forested IBAs in

Barak Valley, Assam

Mohommad Miraj

Hussain

Assam 10 November 2014 to

10 January 2015

75,000

8 Udaipur Bird Fair 2014 Dr. T. Mohanraj and

Dr. Satish Kumar

Rajasthan December 2014 75,000

9 Status and conservation of Forest Owlet

in Palghar district, Maharashtra

Sunil Laad Maharashtra January 2015 to

December 2015

75,000

10 18th Birding Fair, Man Sagar dam,

Jaipur

Harsh Vardhan (TWSI) Rajasthan January 2015 50,000

11 Nature Orientation Initiative (Workshop)

31 Jan-3 Feb 2015.

Indumoni Chetia

BNHS

Assam January 2015 to

February 2015

75,000

12 Monitoring of IBA Site of

Bar-Nawa-Para Wildlife Sanctuary

Chhattisgarh State

Ravi Shankar Kanoje Madhya Pradesh January 2015 to

June 2015

50,000

13 Financial support towards publication of

of protected area update

Kalpavriksh Maharashtra April 2015 to

March 2015

1,00,000


N E W S A N D V I E W S

Maharashtra Pakshimitra, a conservation organization, has been organizing an annual birders’ meet

“Pakshimitra Sammelan” for the last three decades all over Maharashtra. t he Sammelan has played a key role in bringing all bird lovers in Maharashtra together, to promote interest about birds in the common man and involving communities in bird conservation.

t he 28th Maharashtra Pakshimitra Sammelan was held at Mahatma Phule Museum, Pune during January 17–18, 2015. t he event was organized by Nature Walk Charitable t rust, Pune. It was attended by more than 300 birdwatchers t rust, Pune. It was attended by more than 300 birdwatchers tfrom across Maharashtra and by the entire IBA t eam, Dr. t eam, Dr. tRaju Kasambe, Mr. Abhijit Malekar, Mr. Noor Khan, Mr. Siddhesh Surve, and Mr. Nandkishor Dudhe.

t his gathering saw many interesting presentations by amateur as well as veteran birdwatchers. Dr. Kasambe made a presentation on “Names of birds in Marathi language” which is a new initiative of Indian Bird Conservation Network

28th Pakshimitra Sammelan, PuneCompiled by Siddhesh Surve

28th Pakshimitra Sammelan, Pune

(IBCN) and Maharashtra Pakshimitra, and circulated a list of Marathi names for 548 bird species found in Maharashtra. Nandkishor Dudhe made his presentation on “Common Bird Monitoring Programme” which included survey techniques for common bird monitoring in and around a selected area.


Participants birding in Kaiga-Anshi area of Karnataka

Dr. Kasambe speaking on standardization of Marathi bird names

Kaiga Bird Marathon 2015

Every year Kaiga Generating Station (KGS) of Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd (NPCIL),

Karnataka organizes Kaiga Bird Marathon for birdwatchers and other participants. t his is an innovative programme using scientific methods to count the birds of the area around Kaiga Generating Station. It is a one day programme. Birdwatchers from different part of India, especially Karnataka, t amil Nadu, and Kerala t amil Nadu, and Kerala tparticipate in this annual event.

t eams are formed to identify and count the birds seen along predetermined routes. Each team is led by a team leader who is a bird expert. Bird counting starts early in the morning. Vehicles are arranged to drop and pick up the teams of birdwatchers to and from their predetermined routes.

On February 14, 2015, the eve of the marathon this year, all participants were given guidance on the methodology of the birdcount. Every transact line involves walking a distance of 6–7 km, covering various habitats like forested areas, waterbodies, grassland, and agricultural land.

t his year, the Kaiga Bird Marathon was held on February 15, 2015. Dr. Raju Kasambe and Mr. Nandkishor Dudhe participated in the Marathon. Both led a team of birdwatchers and helped to identify and count birds and make the checklists of the day’s sightings. t he day’s tally of sightings of all teams was recorded to be at least 180 species of birds. A total of 14 new species was added to the previous checklist, bringing the Kaiga area total to 227 species. All participants were given a memento and certificates of participation by the KGS Director.

Compiled by Nandkishor Dudhe



t he 2nd Uttarakhand Spring Bird Festival was held in Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve. the festival was

organized during February 4–8, 2015.the main objective of this festival was to involve more people in birdwatching and to promote bird tourism, to create employment for local people. More than 3,000 people attended this four day festival which included school children and members of the local community.

During the festival, birdwatching trails were organized morning and evening for the participants. there were presentations in the afternoon by bird experts like Bikram

2nd Uttarakhand Spring Bird Festival

Grewal, Sumit Sen, and Shashank Dalvi on various bird related subjects. t he BNHS team participated in the various trails and also did opportunistic birdwatching in and around Pawalgarh and Chunakhan (near Bailparao) areas.

From BNHS, Dr. Raju Kasambe, Mr. Nandkishor Dudhe, Mr. Nungkholal Khongsai, and Ms. Paridhi Jain (CEC Delhi) attended this festival. Dr. Raju Kasambe, along with Mr. Dhananjay Mohan, Chief Conservator of Forests, Uttarakhand gave a talk on Important Bird Areas in Uttarakhand. BNHS had organized the participation of two village heads from Nagaland, namely Mr. Nribemo Lotha and Mr. Zanbemo Lotha. they are very active in the conservation of Amur Falcons in and around the Doyang Reservoir and Pangti village in Nagaland, where thousands of Amur Falcons congregate during their autumn migration.

A stall was set up during the festival, displaying BNHS publications and products for sale. We received a good response from visitors and were able to enroll members for IBCN and BNHS. During the festival, many local organizations as well as stake holder communities had put up their stalls. there were some innovative programmes like the Jim Corbett heritage walk at the museum in Kaladungi by Padmashri Mr. t om Alter.

Every afternoon, the organizers arranged some lectures on photography, bird tourism, and book reading.

The valedictory function of the 2nd Uttarakhand Spring Bird Festival

Local children help to display bird posters at the BNHS stall

Compiled by Raju Kasambe



Birds of Raj Bhavan is a premium quality publication, documenting the birds observed within the sprawling

premises of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh at Lucknow. An initiative of the state unit of Indian Bird Conservation Network Uttar Pradesh, this book is a record of the avifaunal diversity of the remaining green patches in the urban landscape of Raj Bhavan, also known as Kothi Hayat Bakhsh, meaning “life giving”. this monumental building is more than 200 years old and presently the office and residence of the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Permission was duly obtained from the Hon. Governor, and regular field surveys were conducted by the state unit of IBCN over more than a year, to cover all the seasons. Based on these observations, the book records nearly 90 species of birds, which include residents and some passage migrants.

the book titled Birds of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh (Uttar Pradesh Raj Bhavan ke Pakshi), jointly authored by Neeraj Srivastav, IBCN State Coordinator, Uttar Pradesh (West) and Amit Mishra, an avid wildlifer and

Birds of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh

IBCN member, and published by the Uttar Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, was launched by the Hon. Governor Shri Ram Naik, in the presence of Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

In a grand function held on June 19, 2015 at Raj Bhavan, Lucknow, acknowledging the efforts made by the IBCN, and supporting the cause of conservation, Mr. Naik appreciated that the book has bird descriptions both in Hindi and in English. He added that this was befitting, in order to broaden its reach and to sensitize, influence, and inspire a large section of people. The Chief Minister Shri Akhilesh Yadav, who is keenly interested in conserving birdlife, applauded the efforts, stating that this documentation would help the authorities to make informed decisions.

Cabinet Minister Shri Rajendra Chaudhary, Ms Juthika Patankar IAS, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Shri Sanjeev Saran IAS, Principal Secretary, Forests, and Shri Deepak t rivedi IAS, Principal Secretary, Horticulture, were among the dignitaries present.

‘Birds of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh” (Uttar Pradesh, Raj Bhavan ke Pakshi) launched by Shri Ram Naik, Honorable Governor in the presence of Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh

Compiled by Neeraj Srivastav

11. Kerala Dr. P.O. Nameer Associate Professor (Wildlife), & Head Centre for Wildlife Studies College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), Thrissur 680656 Email: [email protected]

12. Madhya Pradesh Dr. Sangeeta Rajgir Environment Conservation Society M-16, Shastri Nagar Colony T.T. Nagar, Bhopal 462003 Email: [email protected]

13. Maharashtra Dr. Jayant S. Wadatkar

42, Greenpark Colony, Near Asiad Colony Shegaon Road, Amravati 444604 Email: [email protected]

14. Manipur Mr. R.K. Birjit Singh Radha Madhav Leikai 8, Ningthoukhong, District Bishnupur 795126 Email: [email protected]

15. Mizoram Dr. H. Lalthanzara Department of Zoology Pachhunga University College Mizoram University, Aizawl 796001 Email: [email protected]

16. Rajasthan Dr. Himmat Singh Type 11/4, AFRI Residential Campus Plot no.729, Basni IInd, Jodhpur 342005 Email: [email protected]

17. Sikkim Ms Usha Ganguli-Lachungpa Sr. Research Officer (WL), Government of Sikkim Department of Forest, Environment & Wildlife Deorali, Gangtok 737102 Email: [email protected]

18. Tamil Nadu 1. Dr. V. Santharam C/o Institute of Bird Studies & Natural History Rishi Valley Education Centre Chittoor 517352, Andhra Pradesh Email: [email protected]

2. Mr. Kumaran Sathasivam 29, Jadamuni, Koil Street, Madurai 625001 Email: [email protected]

19. Uttar Pradesh 1. Dr. Vijay Prakash Singh (Eastern UP)

Jaidev Nagar (Rajgarh), Lakhimpur Kheri 262701 Email: [email protected]

2. Mr. Neeraj Srivastav (Western UP) Flat No. 303, Plot No. 26/10, Kumar Enclave, Wazir Hasan Road, Lucknow 226001 Email: [email protected]

20. West Bengal Dr. Sarala Khaling ATREE Project Office, Cooch Behar Road

Near Himalayan Nursery School, Darjeeling 734101 Email: [email protected]

1. Andhra Pradesh 1. Mr. M. Shafaat Ulla H. No. 4, St. No. 1, Avenue 8 (Rd No. 3) Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500003

Email: [email protected]

2. Mr. K. Mrutyumjaya Rao Chandra Villa Apts., Block A, Flat 101 Latchirajuvari Street, Surya Raopet, Kakinada East Godaviri 533001 Email: [email protected]

2. Assam Dr. Anwaruddin Choudhury House No. 7, Near Gate No. 1, Nehru Stadium Islampur Road, Guwahati 781007 Email: [email protected]

3. Bihar Mr. Arvind Mishra Mandar Nature Club Anand Chikitsalaya Road, Bhagalpur 812002 Email: [email protected], [email protected]

4. Chhattisgarh Mr. Arun M.K. Bharos B-101 Gayatrinagar, PO Shankar Nagar, Raipur 492007 Email: [email protected], [email protected]

5. Delhi Mr. Nikhil Devasar Delhi Bird Club, C 1/503 Mayfair Tower, Charmwood Village Eros Garden, Surajkund Road, Faridabad, Haryana Email: [email protected]

6. Goa Mr. Parag Rangnekar R-1, S-3, Techno Park, Near Landscape City, Chogm Road Alto-Provorim, Bardez, North Goa Email: [email protected]

7. Gujarat Dr. I.R. Gadhvi (Saurashtra) Plot no. 2200, Ankur Society, Hill Drive Bhavnagar 364002 Email: [email protected]

8. Jammu & Kashmir 1. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed Zarri (Jammu) Deputy Registrar Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University Rajouri 185131 Email: [email protected]

2. Dr. Khursheed Ahmed (Kashmir) Panzmulla (Salia), District Anantnag 192129 Email: [email protected]

3. Mr. Pankaj Chandan (Ladakh) Project Manager, WWF India Field Office, Hemis Complex Zangsti Road, Leh 194101 Email: [email protected] [email protected]

9. Jharkhand Mr. Satya Prakash Vision Enclave, Flat No.104, New Forest Colony Hurhuru Road, Hurhuru, Hazaribagh 825301 Email: [email protected]

10. Karnataka Dr. S. Subramanya PHT Scheme, J Block, GKVK Campus University of Agricultural Sciences Bangalore 560065 Email: [email protected]

IBCN STATE COORDINATORS

MISTNET Vol. 16 No. 2 April-June 201516

Institute of Bird Studies & Natural History,Andhra Pradesh

Mandar Nature Club,Bihar

Chhattisgarh Wildlife Society, Chhattisgarh

Gujarat

Bird Conservation Society of Surat, Gujarat

Delhi

Delhi, M.P.Chhattisgarh and

Assam

Ashoka t rust for Research t rust for Research tin Ecology & the Environment,

KarnatakaNature Conservation Society,

Jharkhand

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

Karnataka Madhya Pradesh

Assam

Wildlife Protection Society of India, New Delhi

AVES Arunachal Pradesh

GujaratBird Conservation Society,

Gujarat

Jharkhand

Madhya Pradesh

Karnataka

MaharashtraMaharashtra

Maharashtra

Assam Assam

Creative Nature Friends Maharashtra

Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, Gujarat

JBF India t rust, Assamt rust, Assamt

Malnad Wildlife Group,Karnataka

MaharashtraChaatak Nature Conservation Society, Varangaon, Maharashtra

Nature Foundation, Warud Maharashtra

Birdwatchers’ Society of Andhra Pradesh

Assam

Nirmal Foundation frd Gujarat

Jharkhand St. Xavier’s School, Jharkhand

Karnataka

Maharashtra

Gujarat

Maharashtra

I B C N O R G A N I ZATIONAL PARTNERS

Paryavaran Dakshata Manch Paryavaran Dakshata Manch Maharashtra

Nisarg Sevak Sanstha Nisarg Sevak Sanstha Maharashtra

Abhinav Bahuddeshiya Kala Manch, Maharashtra

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Rajasthan

Nature Club,Bishop Heber College,

t amil Nadut amil NadutArulagam, t amil Nadut amil Nadut

Uttar PradeshAmrapali Institute,

Uttarakhand

Himalayan Nature &

Adventure Foundation,

West Bengal

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited

Rajasthan

Orissa

I B C N O R G A N I ZATIONAL PARTNERS

www.ibcn.in

Orissa

Barn Owl Nature Clubt amil Nadut amil Nadut

Uttar Pradesh

Gondia Nisarg Mandal, Maharashtra

Maharashtra

Maharashtra

Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra, Chiplun, Maharashtra

Maharashtra

Nature Science (Clubs) Society, Maharashtra

Srushtidnyan, Maharashtra

Nature Conservation Society, Maharashtra.

Uttar Pradesh

Plant & Animals Welfare Society, Maharashtra

Bombay Natural History Society, Maharashtra

t amil Nadut amil Nadut

Maharashtra

Wildlife Heritage Conservation Society,

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Maharashtra

Sikkim

Nature and Environment Society of t hane, Maharashtra

Maharashtra.

Wildlife Association of Rajapalayam, t amil Nadut amil Nadut

Center for Conservation of Nature & Cultivation of Science

Manipur

Maharashtra

Mizoram

Wild Explorers Maharashtra

t amil Nadut amil Nadut t amil Nadut amil Nadut

Maharashtra

Sikkim

Documents

Birds of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh