04 Oct

Birds

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Content

• Winged Wood Duck (called “Deo Hansh” in Assam)
• The Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti)
• Hornbills in India
• The Great Knot
• Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)
• Bird Migration
• Siberian Crane – done earlier
• Greater Flamingo (LC)
• Lesser Flamingo (NT)
• Jacobin Cuckoo (Pied Cuckoo or Pied Crested Cuckoo)
• Bar Headed Goose
• Warblers
• Amur Falcon
• Other Migratory Birds

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1) WINGED WOOD DUCK (CALLED “DEO HANSH” IN ASSAM)

It is a bird which can be heard, but rarely seen. It has a dark body contrasting with a whitish head and neck. It is a crepuscular bird as it is most active at dusk and dawn. The adults are largely omnivorous. Distribution: It mostly resides in dense tropical evergreen forests and is known to prefer inaccessible swampy areas formed by rivers, lakes etc.  Therewas a timewhen theduckwas extensively found in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh while also being sighted in Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland. Further it was also found in South East Asia.  Currently, its population is limited only to certain pockets of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar and Bangladesh. - IUCN status: EN - In 2003, it was declared Assam's state bird.  Threats: Habitat loss: Encroachment, deforestation and anthropogenic pressure. Reserve forests like Kakojan, Kukurmara, Kundil Kalia, Sadiya Station and Kotha in Eastern Assam, which were once suitable habitat for the ducks, are now heavily degraded.

- Project Deo Hanh -  Launched in 2018, it aims to develop a long-term conservation strategy to revive population of the bird. • It is also focused on initiating a conservation breeding program to supplement the wild population if suitable habitat of these birds are found.  It is being implemented by the Assam Forest Department (AFD) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with support from Oil and Natural Gas Limited (ONGC).

2) THE FOREST OWLET (HETEROGLAUX BLEWITTI) 

• Rediscovery: After 113 years in 1997.
• Habitat: Dry deciduous forests
• Distribution: Southern MP, Northwest, and North Central Maharashtra.
  • Recently, the specie has been located in a number of new locations, so its status has changed from CR to EN.
• Threat: Logging operations, burning, and cutting of trees damage roosting and nesting trees of the forest owlets

3) HORNBILLS IN INDIA

• India has 9 Hornbill species:
• Hornbills are known as forest engineers or ‘farmers of forests’. As large fruit eating bird, they play a vital role in dispersing the seeds of about 80 rainforest trees.
• Hornbills indicate the prosperity and balance of the forest they build nest in.
• Key threat:
  • Habitat losss: A recent study using satellite imagery data flagged high rate of deforestation in Papum forest reserve (RF) adjoining the Pakke Tiger Reserve (which is a major hornbill habitat in Arunachal Pradesh) as well as the adjoining parts of Assam.
  • In the past, hornbills were hunted for casques – upper beak and feathers for adorning headgear despite being cultural symbols of some ethnic group in the northeast, specifically the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh. But a 20-year-old conservation program entailing the use of fiber-glass beaks defused the threat to the birds to a large extent.

 

A) VARIOUS HORNBILL SPECIES OF NORTHEAST INDIA Great Indian Hornbill (VU)

1. Wreathed Hornbill (VU)
2. Oriental Pied Hornbill (VU)
3. Rufous Necked Hornbill (VU) [Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, WB]
4. Austen’s Brown Hornbill (Brown Hornbill, or White throated Hornbill) (Anorrhinus austeni) (NT) [almost throughout India, except dry NW region and heavy rainfall area of south-western ghats

B) GREAT INDIAN HORNBILL

The great hornbill also known as the Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill. It is the largest hornbill species in India. It is long lived, living for nearly 50 years in captivity. It's impressive size and color have made it important in many tribal cultures and rituals. It is predominantly frugivorous but is an opportunist and will prey on small mammals, reptiles and birds. Most prominent feature Bright yellow and black casque on top of its massive bills. The casque is hollow and serves no purpose. Distribution and habitat Great hornbills are found in forests of India, Bhutan, Nepal, Mainland SEA, Indonesian Island of Sumatra and North Eastern Region of India. State birds of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh

Conservation Status IUCN: VU CITES: Listed in Appendix 1 of CITES Key threats Tribal peoples threaten the great Indian hornbill by hunting it for its various parts. The beaks and head are used in charms and the flesh is believed to be medicinal. Tribes in North-eastern India and Borneo use the feathers for head-dresses, and the skulls often wore for decoration. Habitat loss - deforestation

C) HORNBILLS IN WESTERN GHATS AND A&N

• Four Hornbill species are found in Western ghats:  Great Indian Hornbill (widely distributed), Indian Grey Hornbill, the Malabar Grey Hornbill and Malabar Pied Hornbill;

Great Indian Hornbill (VU)	Discussed in detail above
Indian Grey Hornbill (LC) (Endemic to India)	It is a common hornbill found on the Indian subcontinent. It is mostly arboreal and are commonly sighted in pairs. It has grey feathers all over the body with a light grey or dull light white belly. Distribution: Plains (From the foothills of Himalayas southwards; bounded in west by Indus system and bounded to the east by the Ganges Delta) Note: Not found in NE India, dry western regions and very wet western ghats southern part.
Malabar Grey Hornbill (VU) (Endemic to Western Ghats)	It is a hornbill endemic to Western Ghats and is associated with the hills of South India. They have a large beak but lack the casque that is prominent in some hornbill species. They are found in dense forests and around rubber, arecanut and coffee plantation. It is known for its loud 'laugh' that echoes in the Western Ghats
Malabar Pied Hornbill (NT) (Endemic to India and Sri Lanka)	It is also known as lesser pied hornbill Distribution: It is distributed across three main regions within the Indian sub-continent: Central and Eastern India, Western Ghats, and in Sri Lanka. It's habitat is evergreen and moist deciduous forests, often near human settlements.
Naracondam Hornbill (VU) (Endemic to the Narcondam island of Andamans)	Note: India also has one species that has one of the smallest ranges of any hornbill: the Narcondam Hornbill, found only on the island of Narcondam (In the Andamans) Distribution: It is endemic to Indian island of Narcondam in the Andamans. It has the smallest home range of all the Asian hornbills.

D) HELMETED HORNBILL

The helmeted hornbill is a very large bird of hornbill family.

It is found in Malaysian Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. The casque (helmet like structure on the head) accounts for 11% of its 3 kg weight.

• The poachers are not interested in their brilliant plumage or large bills, but the helmet like block of reddish-gold keratin at the front of the skulls known casque.

In the past few years, a surge in the demand for hornbill ivory has pushed the avian species to the brink.

The product has become very popular in China and wealthy collectors are keen to show off their status by acquiring rare or unusual animals, that it is fetching up to five times the price of elephant tusk on black market.

The casque (soft, ivory-like substance that’s carved by craftsmen in China into luxury ornaments, statues, and jewellery) has soared in value as so-called red ivory.

E) HORNBILL FESTIVAL

• The Hornbill festival is an annual festival celebrated from 1st – 10th December in the North-eastern Indian State of Nagaland.
• It represents all ethnic groups of Nagaland for which it is also called the Festival of Festivals.
• Reason behind the festival:
  • The state of Nagaland has several ethnic groups, which have their own distinct festivals. More than 60% of the population of Nagaland depends on agriculture and therefore most of their festivals revolve around agriculture.
  • To encourage inter-ethnic interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the Government of Nagaland organizes the Hornbill Festival every year in the first week of December. The first was held in Dec 20220.
• Who organizes the festival:
  • The festival is organized by Department of Tourism and Department of Art & Culture and showcases melange of cultural displays under one roof.
• Venue:
  • The main venue of the hornbill festival is held at the Kisama Heritage Village located in the Southern Angami region of Kohima District which is about 12 km from Kohima.

2) OTHER BIRDS IN NEWS

1) THE GREAT KNOT

• Details about Great Knot
  • The great knot (Calidris tenuirostris) is a small wader. ú Their breeding habitat is tundra in north-east Siberia (and in small numbers in Western Alaska).
  • They are strongly migratory wintering on coasts in southern Asia through to Australia.
• Recent sighting in India
  • Around 1000 birds were tagged with MOSKVA rings in the Kamchatka peninsula in eastern Russia.
    • One of them has been seen in Kerala’s coast on the Chavakkad beach in Thrissur district. It came calling in a flock of 14 great knots and many other migratory birds.
    • The engraving on the bird’s ring provided a vital clue of its Russian connections.
  • This migratory bird traversed Central Asian Flyway and is only one of the two great knots (other has been sighted in Jamnagar Gujarat) to be re-sighted in India among the early thousand ones tagged with MOSKVA rings in Kamchatka peninsula.
  • Theselong-distancemigrantsstayat theYellowSea regionandThailandinsoutheast Asiabefore proceeding to their southerly winter grounds including Peninsular India along the CAF.
  • The migratory route suggested that the bird that flew to Thrissur travelled over 9,000 kms.
  • Another bird, that was tagged 6Z has been sighted at Jamnagar for the past consecutive years.

2) MANDARIN DUCK (AIX GALERICULATA)

• Details:
  • It is considered the most beautiful duck in the world. It has majestic colors and can be spotted from a distance. It is a perching duck species native to East Asia including Russia, China, Japan.
  • Over the years, population has also been established in Europe and USA.
• IUCN status: LC
• Spotting in Assam (Feb 2021)
  • In Feb 2021, the bird was seen in the Maguri-Motapung beel (or wetland) in Assam’s Tinsukia. In Tinsukia it was last seen in Dibru River in 1902.
  • More recently it was sighted in Manipur’s Loktak lake in 2013, and in Saatvoini Beel in Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam’s Baksa district 2014.
• It’s a migratory bird that breeds in Russia, Korea, Japan and north-eastern parts of China. But it rarely visits India as it doesn’t fall in its usual migratory route.

3) BIRD MIGRATION

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY (WMBD)

• The day is celebrated bi-annually on the second Saturday of May and October.
• It is an awareness raising campaign highlighting the need for conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.
  • It aims to draw attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their habitats etc.

1) SIBERIAN CRANE – DONE EARLIER

2) GREATER FLAMINGO (LC)

• It is the most widespread and largest species of flamingo family in the world. It is found in Africa, Southern Europe, Middle East, and Indian Subcontinent.
• They generally reside in mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons with saltwater.
• Indian subcontinent is the largest breeding ground for Greater flamingo and lesser flamingo coming to India in winter season.
  • Greater Flamingoes migrate to freshwater and estuarine habitats across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and some other states.
  • Around Mumbai it can be seen in Sewri Mudflats, Thane Creek and the Talawe Wetlands.

3) LESSER FLAMINGO (NT)

• These are the smallest species of Flamingo.
• They occur in sub-Saharan Africa and north-western India.
• Most lesser Flamingoes in India feed in and around Mumbai’s mudflats.

4) JACOBIN CUCKOO (PIED CUCKOO OR PIED CRESTED CUCKOO)

• Details
  • It is a member of the cuckoo order of birds that is found in Africa and Asia.
  • In India, they are partially migratory.
    • The pied cuckoos that come to Himalayan foothills are believed to migrate from Africa.
      • It is one of the few species of migratory birds in India that come in Summer. Most migratory species come in winter from colder places like Mangolia, Siberia, Northeastern China, Kazakhstan etc.
      • They are considered harbinger of Monsoon in India. Farmers in India have relied on the arrival of pied cuckoo as a signal to sow seeds, as they know that Monsoon will be soon upon them. This signal is never wrong as the pied cuckoo arrives in India riding the monsoon wind.
    • The community of pied cuckoos in southern India are resident birds and not migratory.
  • The species is a brood parasite and in India the host is mainly species of babblers in the genus Turdoides. The color of the eggs matches those of the host, typically turquoise blue.
  • IUCN: LC

5) BAR HEADED GOOSE

• Bar headed geese are found in Central China and Mongolia and they breed there. They are generally found in high altitude lakes where the bird grazes on short grass.
• During winters, they migrate to Indian Subcontinent and stay here till the end of the season.
  • It can be clearly distinguished from any other grey geese because of the black bars on its head.
• Known for High Altitude Fly:
  • They are one of the birds which can fly even at high altitudes. They come to India and return to their homes by crossing the Himalayan ranges. This is one of the most high-altitude migrations in the world. Their ability to sustain the high oxygen demands of flight in air that is exceedingly oxygen-thin is exceptional. This ability of bar-headed geese differentiates them from other similar lowland waterfowl.
• Large folks visit the Koonthakulam Bird Sanctuary in TN. But they are rarely seen in Kerala.
• IUCN Status: LC

6) WARBLERS

• Note: Warblers
  • Various Passeriformes (perching birds) are commonly referred to as warblers.
  • They are not necessarily closely related to one another, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal, and insectivorous.

Lesser White Throat:

It is a migratory bird which comes from Europe to India around October-November every year.

It hunts insects while flitting from branch to branch. It’s feeding behavior is slightly different from other Warblers: it also forages on the ground for insects and grubs.

In Delhi NCR, the bird is common throughout the city, especially in birding hotspots (Sultanpur Sanctuary outskirts, Okhla Bird Sanctuary) and areas with old dense forests.

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), one of the longest migratory small birds that breeds throughout the northern and temperature Europe and the Palearctic, has been sighted for the first time in the country at Punchakkari in Thiruvananthapuram (Nov 2020)

Other Warbler birds which migrate to India

Greenish Warbler
Hume's Warbler

7) AMUR FALCON

• About Amur Falcon
  • It is a small raptor (25 cm long) of falcon family which breeds in Siberia , Mongolia and North China. It winters several thousands of the bird migrates to India and across the Indian Ocean to South Africa. This bird has one of the longest migration routes of all birds, doing up to 22,000 km in a year.
  • It is also known as eastern red foot falcon.
  • In Manipur, the birds are locally known as Akhuaipuina.
  • Physical characteristics
    • It shows dimorphism. Male has a sooty grey back while the female is paler and has scaly marks.
  • They are wholly insectivorous thus helping agriculture of the region.
• Conservation Efforts:
  • In 2012, thousands of Amur Falcons were killed in Nagaland.
  • But efforts including nature education, conservation awareness and community engagement to connect with nature ensured not a single killing in 2013, 14, 15, and 16.
  • With the hunters turning into protector, Nagaland’s Pangti Village has become the falcon capital of the world.
    • In April 2018, ‘The Pangti Story‘ was adjudged the Best Environment Film at the 65th National Film festival.
  • Thanks to Amur Falcon, Nagaland is also listed as among the 10 best birding destinations in the world by National Geographic.

8) OTHER MIGRATORY BIRDS

• • Common Teal/ Eurasian Teal (LC) B. Yellow Wagtail
  • White Wagtail
  • Northern Shovler E. Rosy Pelican
  • Wood Sandpiper G. Spotted Sandpiper H. Eurasian Wigeon
  • Black tailed goodwit J. Spotted Redshank K. Starling
  • Blue throat M. Asian Koel
  • Black crowned Night Heron O. Eurasian Golden Oriole
  • Comb Duck
  • Blue Cheeked Bea Eater R. Blue Tailed Bea EaterCuckoos
• Reasons for Migration
  • To avoid adverse factors (extreme climatic condition)
  • To manage food shortage
  • To manage water shortage
  • To have better breeding conditions
  • Less competition for safe nesting places