BRUARY 1996

ios zwt 3

ISSN 0950-1746

OBC Council

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Mike Crosby, Guy Dutson, Rob Innes, Tim Inskipp ( Forktail Editor), Frank Lambert

(Assistant ForktailEditor) , Adrian Long (Bulletin Editor), Colin Poole, Michael Rank, Nigel

Redman, Craig Robson, Helen Taylor

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Cover picture: Bornean and Sumatran Ground-Cuckoos Carpococcyx radiants and C. viridis

(see Collar and Long within). Painting by Craig Robson

J. HORNSKOV

Recent observations of birds in the Philippine Archipelago . 1

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

The status of the Green Peafowl Pavo muticus in Laos . 11

J. K. TIWARI, S. N. VARU and M. K. HIMMATSINHJI

The occurrence of Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus in Kutch, Gujarat, India . 33

J. C. EAMES

The Bengal Florican Eupodotis bengalensis in Indochina . 39

R. M. THEWLIS, J. W. DUCKWORTH, G. Q. A. ANDERSON, M. DVORAK,

T. D. EVANS, E. NEMETH, R. J. TIMMINS and R. J. WILKINSON

Ornithological records from Laos, 1992-1993 . 47

P. K. McGOWAN, S. JAVED and A. R. RAHMANI

Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis survey technique: a case study from northern India . 101

O. F. JAKOBSEN and C. YDING ANDERSEN

New distributional records and natural history notes on the Whiskered Pitta Pitta kochi

of the Philippines . Ill

T. BROOKS, G. DUTSON and P. M. MAGSALAY

An annotated check-list of the forest birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park, Bohol,

Philippines . 121

N. J. COLLAR and A. LONG

Taxonomy and names of Carpococcyx cuckoos from the Greater Sundas . 135

Short communications

F. R. LAMBERT, J. C. EAMES and NGUYEN CU

The habitat, status, vocalizations and breeding biology of Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta soror

annamensis in central Vietnam . 151

P. D. ROUND

On the seasonality and distribution of Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gumeyi . 155

W. DUCKWORTH

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus vagans and Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus in

Laos: two species new for Indochina . 159

C. ROBSON

Russet Bush-Warbler Bradypterus seebohmi: a new species for Bhutan and the

Indian subcontinent . 161

C. ROBSON and P. DAVIDSON

Some recent records of Philippine birds . 162

LEI FU-MIN

On the breeding ecology of the Little Owl Athene noctua in Shaanxi Province, China . 167

HAN LIANXIAN

Notes on Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler Xiphirhynchus supercilious in Yunnan, China . 168

A. GAMAUF and S. TEBBICH

Re-discovery of the Isabela Oriole Oriolus isabellae . 170

M. VAN DER LINDE

A further record of the Isabela Oriole Oriolus isabellae from Baggao,

Cagayan Province, northern Philippines

171

1995

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

M. VAN DER LINDE

A new breeding species for the Philippines: The Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos . 172

P. C. RASMUSSEN

Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus affinis restored to the avifauna of the

Indian subcontinent . 173

Guidelines for contributors . 176

ISSN 0950-1746

Published for the Oriental Bird Club by

Rubythroat Publications

6 Corinthian Close, Basingstoke

Hampshire RG22 4TN U.K.

Printed on recycled paper by GL Print, Aldermaston, U.K.

1995

FORKTAIL 11 (1995): 1 - 10

Recent observations of birds in the

Philippine Archipelago

JESPER HORNSKOV

The observations presented relate to 48 species, including Bulwer’s Petrel Bulweria bulwerii and Spotted

Redshank Tringa erythropus, the records of which are the first for the Philippines. In addition many

species are documented for the first time for individual islands, and data on voice, behaviour, and

morphology of some species are offered, while taxonomic problems are discussed briefly.

In the course of a birdwatching journey through the Philippines from mid-

February to early July 1987, Stig Jensen and I made extensive notes on the

birds we encountered. It was, however, not until the publication of The birds

of the Philippines (Dickinson et al. 1991), which summarizes all published

records of Philippine birds and presents some new research results, that it

seemed practicable to write up our most interesting findings: it was evident

from our field experience that duPont’s Philippine birds (1971) would not be

a satisfactory baseline for an article.

The observations laid out in this paper add to the knowledge of the

distribution ofbirds in the Philippines as delineated by the checklist (Dickinson

et al. 1 99 1 ). In addition, some information on vocalizations, behaviour, and

ecology is included, particularly where this is thought to shed light on

taxonomic problems, in the hope of stimulating further research.

Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha Luzon: five at Candaba Marsh,

Pampanga Province, 19-20 February. Mindanao: 1 1 on a pond near Davao,

26 February. Dickinson et al. (1991) considered the species to be a vagrant

to the Philippines, listing only a single record from Calayan. At Candaba

Marsh direct comparison with Philippine Duck/3, luzonica was made, ruling

out confusion with that species.

Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda Bohol: one at Bilar on 9 April, and

one near T agbilaran on 1 9 May. It seems likely that one of the migrant forms,

H. c. major or H. c. bangsi, is involved as breeders have been recorded only

from Palawan ( H . c. linae), and from Tawi-Tawi and Sangka-Sangka ( H . c.

claudiae). The previous, latest recorded spring date for the migrant forms is

17 May (Dickinson et al. 1991). These are the first published records for

Bohol (Dickinson etal. 1 99 1 ). In addition we saw a specimen in a taxidermist’s

home on Cebu, which had been obtained in south-east Bohol.

Rufous-lored Kingfisher Todirhamphus winchelli Bongao: one at Bongao

Peak on 23 March. Tawi-Tawi: one near Balimbing on 25 March. Both

birds were seen in the boulder-strewn vicinity of high limestone cliffs.

Dickinson etal. (1991) considered the species to be rare in forests (up to c.

2

J. HORNSKOV

Forktail 1 1

750 m), and thought it ‘may now be endangered due to rapid disappearance

of lowland forests’ . However, the type of habitat in which we found our birds

was considered to not be under immediate threat by human activities.

Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus Luzon: a juvenile at Bulusan Lake,

Sorsogon, on 6 June was being hosted by a Grey-backed T ailorbird Orthotomus

derbianus. Dickinson et al. (1991) knew of no Philippine records of eggs or

nestlings.

Germain’s Swiftlet Collocalia germani Bongao: ten near Sangka-Sangka

bridge on 24 March. Dickinson et al. (1991) had no records of this species

from the Sulus proper, the nearest known localities to Bongao being Cagayan

Sulu, and north-east Borneo. Medway (1966), however, wrote of white

Collocalia nests being found in the Sulu Archipelago and thought that the

builder could be either C. germani (the form known from Cagayan Sulu,

Palawan and Panay) or C. fuciphaga perplexa (of islands off eastern Borneo);

Dickinson et al. (1991) considered that ‘the origin of this record must be

Cagayan Sulu’. As swiftlets are notoriously difficult (but some species not

impossible, given adequate experience and dedication) to identify in the field

most workers may prefer to await specimen records before accepting the

presence of this form in the Sulus.

Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis Dinagat: three near Panamaon on

27 May. Dickinson et al. (1991) had no records from Dinagat, but did list the

species for nearby Mindanao and Samar.

Zebra Dove Geopelia striata Bohol: 23 at Chocolate Hills on 8 April; five on

1 0 April and one on 20 May at Bilar; and two at Loboc on 2 1 May. Dinagat:

two near Panamaon on 28 May. Palawan: one at Iwahig paddies on 20 April.

The species is possibly introduced in the Philippines, and was not listed for

any of the three above-mentioned islands by Dickinson et al. (1991).

Cream-bellied Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus merrilli Luzon: one at Bulusan Lake,

Sorsogon Province, on 6 June. This record constitutes a significant extension

of the known range of this endemic which Dickinson etal. (1991) considered

rare and local, and it may prove that an undescribed subspecies is involved.

As we noted 1-5 birds almost daily at Mt Palanan, Isabela Province, on 20-

26 June, and 1-4 daily at Quezon National Park on 1-5 July, it may be that

the species is better regarded merely as uncommon, not rare.

Grey Imperial-Pigeon Ducula pickeringii Ursula: c. 20 on 5-7 May, with

nine departing in the morning of 6 May. Any record of this rare and local

small-island species is worthy of note.

Pied Imperial-Pigeon Ducula bicolor Ursula: 9, 1 90 arrived to roost from c.

16h00 on 5 May, with departures commencing before first light on the

following morning. Our count may serve future workers as a reference point.

Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus Palawan: one at Iwahig paddies on 20

April. The only other Philippine record is from Luzon, where one was

1995

Recent observations of birds in the Philippines

3

collected at Apalit, Pampanga, on 23 November 1930 (Dickinson et al.

1 99 1 ). It has not been recorded from Borneo (Smythies 1 98 1 ) or Indonesia

(Andrew 1992). While the species is notoriously difficult to flush and hence

likely to be overlooked, its status as a rarity in Japan, Taiwan, southern China,

and southern Indochina (Brazil 1991, Cheng 1987, King et al. 1975)

indicates that it would be really no more than an accidental visitor to the

Philippines.

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Siasi: five on 22 March. Of the Sulus only

Bongao and Sangka-Sangka were listed for this long-distance migrant by

Dickinson et al. (1991).

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Mindanao: one at Times Beach,

Davao, on 25 February. This is apparently the first record for the Philippines

(Dickinson etal. 1 99 1 ). As there are at least 1 3 records from northern Borneo

(Smythies 1981), though none for Indonesia (Andrew 1992), it is hardly a

very surprising addition to the national list. The similar Common Redshank

T. totanus is an uncommon winter visitor to the Philippines, including

Mindanao (Dickinson et al. 1991, pers. obs.), extending to Indonesia and,

as a vagrant, Australia and New Guinea (Beehler et al. 1986; Hayman et al.

1986). The slightly drawn-out, whistled ‘tu-ef call, lack of white secondaries,

and more elegant appearance (head smaller, bill longer) identified this red-

legged Tringa as a Spotted Redshank, a species with which we are both

thoroughly familiar. We failed to relocate the bird on a subsequent visit on

5 March.

Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta Palawan: four at Iwahig paddies on 8

May. The latest spring record for the Philippines given by Dickinson et al.

(1991) is 26 April.

Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Mindanao: three at Times

Beach, Davao, on 25 February. This record precedes the one given by

Redman (1993), 14 March 1990, as the first for Mindanao; it was not listed

for that island by Dickinson et al. (1991).

Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii Bongao: a pair was near Sangka-

Sangka bridge on 24 March. Dinagat: one at Acoje on 29 May. Dickinson et

al. (1991) list neither island for this widespread, resident species (which we

also encountered on Palawan and Ursula).

Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus Mindanao: five were seen at sea

from a ferry between Zamboanga and Dipolog on 29 March. Three of these

were associating with a flock of 57 Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas.

There are apparently only six previous records (involving a total of eight

birds) from the Philippines (Dickinson et al. 1991).

Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica Bongao: a minimum of three on 24

March. Although the species has been collected on nearby Simunul, there

appear to be no previous records for Bongao. In Borneo ‘it is common in

4

J. HORNSKOV

Forktail 1 1

suitable localities round the coast as a passage migrant and winter visitor,

mostly between 6 September and 13 April’ (Smythies 1981). In marked

contrast, all dated records (save one in August) from the Philippines have

been in October (Dickinson etal. 1991), and, as our birds would be either the

first southern autumn record of S. n. macrotarsa or the first northern spring

record of S. n. affinis, firm evidence that either form winters in the country

remains lacking.

Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana Tawi-Tawi: along the coast near

Balimbing we saw this species on 24, 27 and 28 March ( 1 5, 25, and 1 30 birds

respectively). Dinagat: c. 40 at Panamaon on 27 May, and c. 40 at Acoje on

29 May. These are the first records for Tawi-Tawi and Dinagat (Dickinson

et al. 1991). The paucity of previous records suggests that a range extension

may have taken place.

Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata Ursula: one flew north on 6 May. Dinagat: c.

20 in Panamaon Bay on 27 May, and four at Acoje on 29 May. Dickinson et

al. (1991) do not record this species from either island.

Brown Noddy Anous stolidus Dinagat: one seen from the inter-island ferry

near Loreto on 28 May. A very local resident on isolated islets and reefs, the

species is only a vagrant to the main islands, and had not previously been

recorded for Dinagat (Dickinson et al. 1991).

Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus Luzon: what were almost

certainly two different pairs were in display on 23 and 25 June at Mt

Palanan, Isabela Province. A further five or six birds (one near Mt Palanan

on 20 June; one at Angat Dam on 28 June; one on 1 July, and three on 4

July at Quezon National Park) were most likely also the resident subspecies

philippensis rather than migratory orientalis. The sympatric occurrence of

this species with Barred Honey-buzzard P. celebensis on several Philippine

islands, including Luzon, remains puzzling, and the above records are

included here to confirm the relative scarcity (Dickinson etal. 1 99 1 ) of the

latter. Subsequent observations of Barred Honey-buzzard in Sulawesi

(pers. obs.) confirmed that we saw none in the Philippines. If Barred

Honey-buzzard really proves to occur at lower elevations than its congener,

as suggested by Dickinson et al. ( 1 99 1 ), it must be a threatened bird in the

Philippines.

Chinese Goshawk Accipiter soloensis Bohol: five migrating on 9 April, and

two seen on 1 1 April, at Bilar.

Occurring during the main period of northward migration, these records, the

first for Bohol (Dickinson et al. 1991), are no surprise.

Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii Bohol: one juvenile at Bilar on 23

May. This appears to be the first record for Bohol; Dickinson et al. (1991)

list the species for nearby Leyte and Mindanao, where this bird may have

originated.

1995

Recent observations of birds in the Philippines

5

Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus Mindanao: one (a pale

morph, and probably immature) on Mt Katanglad, Bukidnon Province, on

14 March. Dickinson etal. (1991) list Busuanga, Culion, Lubang, Mindanao,

Mindoro and Palawan as the Philippine range, suggesting that the sole

Mindanao specimen (taken 19 July 1889) should be re-examined as the

locality represents an outlier in the distribution pattern. Our record serves to

confirm the presence on Mindanao of Changeable Hawk-Eagle.

Philippine Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus philippensis Bohol: one at Bilar on 22

May. While known from nearby Samar, Leyte, Negros, and Mindanao, there

appear to be no previous records from Bohol (Dickinson et al. 1991).

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Tawi-Tawi: one in the vicinity of

Balimbing on 27 March of the distinctive subspecies emesti. There are no

previous records of this subspecies from anywhere in the Sulus proper, and

Dickinson et al. (1991) suggest that sight records from Cagayan Sulu and

Mindanao may have been (but probably were not - E. C. Dickinson in litt.

1994) assigned to emesti in error.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Palawan: sightings of singles, most likely

involving the same individual, were made at Iwahig paddies on 26 April and

8-9 May. This is the first record for Palawan (Dickinson et al. 1991), and is

considerably later than the previous latest spring date for the country, 23

March (Redman 1 993) . As the species is an occasional (but probably regular)

winter visitor to Borneo (Smythies 1981), its occurrence in Palawan is not

unexpected.

Black Bittern Dupetorflavicollis Palawan: one in mangroves near St Paul’s

National Park on 21 April. This constitutes the first record for Palawan. It

is listed for most of the other main islands by Dickinson et al. (1991). The

suggestion that northern birds may migrate (Payne 1 979) is supported by the

presence in Sulawesi and nearby islands of the nominate subspecies from

October to March (White and Bruce 1986). There was a typhoon-related

influx in Hong Kong during late May and early June 1989 (Chalmers 1990).

Our Palawan bird may thus have been a winter visitor or passage migrant

rather than a breeding bird.

Bulwer’s Petrel Bulweria bulwerii At sea: one on 5 May between Rio Tuba,

Palawan, and Ursula. The species is not listed by Dickinson etal. (1991) and

this record appears to be the first for the Philippines. This species is regular

off Japan’s southern islands from May to October (Brazil 1991) and occurs,

sometimes in good numbers, off northern Borneo (Smythies 1981), returning

in April (Shuntov 1974) to its East China Sea breeding grounds (off Fujian

province, China). Its wintering grounds are undetermined but probably

include the Indian Ocean (Marchant and Higgins 1990), which would

explain its occurrence off Borneo. This species was a predictable addition to

the Philippine list.

6

J. HORNSKOV

Forktail 1 1

The bird was seen from a moving pumpboat, making swift gliding progress

very low over the surface of the sea, and soon being lost from view. However,

all similar species could be ruled out by the combination of size (estimated

to be somewhat smaller than Common Tern Sterna hirundo ), wedge-shaped

tail, overall sooty-brown colour (similar to the colour of the upperparts of

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus) , relieved only by a pale inner-wing panel.

It had a short bill, and a stout body. The noddies Anous stolidus andH. minutus

are larger and tern-shaped with long bills and no pale wingbar, and they have

a tern-like flight. Tristram’s Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma tristrami is almost as

large as Bulwer’s Petrel, and shows a pale upperwing bar, but it has a deeply

forked tail. The congeneric Jouanin’s Petrel B. fallax, which has been

recorded off south-west Sumatra (van Marie and Voous 1 988) but apparently

no nearer to the Philippines, is larger than Bulwer’s Petrel and lacks the pale

wingbar.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus At sea: one flew south on 7

May between Ursula and Rio T uba, Palawan; four on 1 1 May between Cuyo

and San Jose, Panay; four on 24 May between Ubay, Bohol and Maasin,

Leyte (with 18 Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas being noted on

the same crossing). Dickinson et al. (1991) list the species only for Luzon,

Mindanao, Catanduanes, Leyte and Samar, with records from 1 0 April to 8

August; they consider it to be a vagrant (beached by typhoons) but to be more

common offshore, with peak passage in May. Our records indicate that the

species could turn up anywhere in the archipelago.

Azure-breasted Pitta Pitta steerii Bohol: a minimum of 1 8 individuals was

noted at Bilar on 9-1 1 April, and 20-23 May, with up to five seen in a day,

and six singing around one clearing on 23 May. The song is typical of pittas,

a loud ‘kWEIOo’ repeated at 2V2 sec intervals. The alarm call is a 4-6 note,

frog-like rattle ‘kva-kva-kva-kva-kva’. We were alerted to the presence at

Bilar of this magnificent bird by Mr Liao, a Cebu city taxidermist, to whom

we were introduced by Ms Perla Magsalay. Mr Liao kept a mounted

specimen prominently displayed in his home, and gave a perfect rendition of

the alarm call (which we later heard within half an hour of entering the forest

at Bilar), but he was apparently unfamiliar with its song.

Wattled Broadbill Eurylaimus steerii Bohol: up to ten daily 9-1 1 April, and

20-23 May at Bilar. The song, delivered from a well-concealed canopy perch,

is typical of its genus: an insect-like ‘tik, tik, t-rrrrrrr’ given twice in quick

succession within 2 or 2° sec. Dickinson et al. (1991) considered this

attractive endemic to be an uncommon and local inhabitant of forest

understorey. Our observations suggest that it may be locally quite common.

Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea Palawan: two at St Paul’s

Subterranean National Park on 21 April. There are apparently no previous

records from Palawan (Dickinson et al. 1991), the nearest known localities

being northern Borneo and the Sulus.

1995

Recent observations of birds in the Philippines

7

Philippine Leafbird Chloropsis flavipennis Mindanao : one at Bay View Hills,

Bislig on 1 1 March. This record is included here as information on the

distribution ofthis unobtrusive species is very fragmentary (E. C. Dickinson

inlitt. 1992).

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus Bohol: four on 9 April, and one on

1 1 April at Bilar. There are no previous records from Bohol (Dickinson et al.

1991). The subspecies likely to be involved is P. f. leytensis of nearby Leyte

and Samar.

Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus Siquijor: several birds at Bandila-an

Peak (c. 650 m) on 7 April. Neither Dickinson et al. (1991), nor Evans etal.

(1993), list the species for Siquijor, but its occasional occurrence on the

island is to be expected as it reaches Mindanao and Sulawesi in the non¬

breeding season (White and Bruce 1986, Dickinson et al. 1991). We

recorded up to 75 daily on Mt Katanglad, Mindanao, on 13-17 March.

Ashy-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa randi Luzon: one juvenile at Mt

Palanan, Isabela Province on 23 June. This rare endemic form, related to

Asian Brown Flycatcher Al dauurica of mainland Asia and to Sumba Brown

Flycatcher Af. segregata, was described as recently as 1970, and there was no

previous breeding evidence from Luzon (Dickinson et al. 1991).

Blue-breasted Flycatcher Cyomis herioti Luzon: a female of this rarely-

encountered species was observed flycatching from lower branches in

logged-over forest at Mt Palanan on 24 June. Although within the known

range of the nominate race (Dickinson et al. 1991), this bird differed

markedly from the description given by duPont (1971); details are included

here in order to alert future observers. Our bird had a pale rufous supra-loral

mark extending across the forehead; a pale ‘lower eyelid’ (= broken eye-ring) ;

faint pale grey supercilium on an otherwise dark grey head; olivish mantle;

dull, dark brown wings and tail; pale rufous throat; olivish brown breast-

band, darker in colour than throat and belly; and an off-white belly. duPont

(1971) described the female as having ‘top of head and hind neck gray-

brown; back brown; wings and tail rufous; lores dark brown; throat and

breast pale rufous; belly and under tail coverts white’. Thus our bird differed

in mantle colour (olivish, not brown) ; wing and tail colour (dull, dark brown

rather than rufous); and by having a breast-band (olivish-brown in colour).

The female of the congeneric Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher C. mfigastra has the

upperparts dull blue (duPont 1971, Smythies 1981) and would be unlikely

to occur away from die lowlands. White-browed Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias

insignis, a Luzon montane endemic, is unknown from the Sierra Madre range

(Dickinson et al. 1991), is large (wing 95 mm contra 79 mm in Blue-breasted

Flycatcher), and has ‘superciliary stripe, chin, and central throat white; sides

of throat dark reddish brown. . . .flanks burnt orange’ (duPont 1 97 1 ), i.e. quite

different from the bird we saw.

8

]. HORNSKOV

Forktail 1 1

Yellow- wattled Bulbul Pycnonotus urostictus Negros: four on 1 April, and

three on 2 and 3 April at the Valencia geothermal site near Dumaguete. A

single 1870s record from Negros was considered dubious by later workers

(Dickinson et al. 1991). Our records confirm the species’s presence on the

island. As Rabor collected fairly extensively around Dumaguete (E. C.

Dickinson in litt. 1 992) without finding this vocal and quite conspicuous bird

I am tempted to speculate that its occurrence on Negros may be seasonal or

erratic. This would seem to be supported by the failure of Brooks etal. to find

the species during surveys over some five weeks (which included a day, 26

Aug, in the geothermal area) on the island in 1991 (Brooks et al. 1992; G.

Dutson in litt. 1 994) . The song of this species is a distinctive, short ‘pu-i-(u)ii’.

Long-tailed Bush-Warbler Bradypterus caudatus Mindanao: one to two

almost daily at Baracatan, Mt Apo, 24 February-2 March; 1 4 on Mt Pasian,

Davao Oriental Province, on 8 March; and one to 1 6 daily on Mt Katanglad

13-17 March. Luzon: at least four around Banaue on 12-1 3 June, and a total

of 30 in the Mt Polis pass area on 12, 15, and 1 7 June. This skulking species,

like many of its congeners, has a very distinctive song: /pf the first part thin,

piercing, and metallic, like an insect, the second part fuller, and not piercing;

it proved to be much commoner than was suggested by reports of earlier

visitors (D. Gibbs in litt. 1986, G. Speight in litt. , Tim Fisher verbally), who

must have been unfamiliar with its vocalizations. The species may well be

awaiting discovery away from Mts Apo, Katanglad, Pasian, and Malindang,

the only Mindanao localities given by Dickinson et al. (1991).

Philippine Tailorbird Orthotomus castaneiceps Dinagat: six (an adult with

juveniles) at Panamaon on 27 May, and seven there on 28 May; 6-1 1 daily

at Acoje 29 May - 1 June. It seems worth drawing attention to the song of O.

c. frontalis on Dinagat: it is consistently a drawn-out but near-perfect

imitation of the song of Wattled Broadbill, lacking only the hard ‘drive’ of that

species: ‘de, de, drer-r-r-rw’, often given in forced series of five or more,

reminiscent of a ping-pong ball bouncing to rest on a hard surface.

Black-headed Tailorbird Orthotomus nigriceps Bohol: a minimum of ten

birds was noted at Bilar on 10-11 April, and 20-23 May. Dinagat: a total of

c. 1 5 birds was noted at Panamaon and Acoje 28 May - 1 June. Dickinson et

al. (1991) followed Mayr (1947) in treating the Yellow-breasted Tailorbird O.

samarensis (of Bohol, Leyte and Samar) and the Black-headed Tailorbird O.

nigiiceps (of Mindanao, Dinagat and Siargao) as two species within a superspecies.

However, their songs are identical: a distinctive, initially metallic

and sharp, but quickly decelerating to end in a long series of evenly spaced

whistles, indicating that it may be better to regard the two species as

conspecific. For the sake of completeness it may be added that the call is an

equally distinctive ‘key-e ei’, recalling the song of Long-tailed Bush-Warbler

Bradypterus caudatus.

1995

Recent observations of birds in the Philippines

9

Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris Palawan: two at Iwahig paddies on

9 May. Dickinson et al. (1991) do not list Palawan or any of its outlying

islands within the range of the species. This record predates the 8 March

1991 sighting by N. Redman (1993) given as the first for Palawan. The

species has recently become established in northern Borneo (Redman 1 993)

and it is conceivable that these birds originated in Palawan.

Pygmy Babbler Stachyris platem Mindanao: one on Mt Katanglad on 15

March. The species is apparently previously unrecorded from this major and

comparatively well-visited locality, although it is already known from Bukidnon

Province, and from nearby Mt Piapayungon, Lanao del Sur Province

(Dickinson et al. 1991).

Negros Striped-Babbler Stachyris nigrorum Negros: one near Mambucal,

Mt Canlaon, on 1 5 May. This record was incorrectly cited as concerning

‘some birds’ by Brooks et al. (1992). Previously known only from Cuernos

de Negros and surrounding mountains (Dickinson et al. 1991), where we had

noted 2-8 daily on 1-3 April at the geothermal site near Dumaguete. There

the birds favoured the lower storey but, on one evening, were seen to ascend

to c. 20 m in the canopy to catch the last sunlight of the day, and once were

noted associating with Elegant Tit Parus elegans. The song is a very distinctive,

loud, pure whistle: ‘plea-he plea-hii plea-he plea-hii’ . This is clearly different

from the ‘single burst of song’ heard by Brooks et al ., transcribed as ‘tu-tu,

tutu soo’ (Brooks et al. 1992).

Olive-backed F lowerpecker Prionochilus olivaceus Luzon: one at Bulusan

lake, Sorsogon Province, on 6 June, showed the characters ofP. o. samarensis.

Dickinson etal. (1991) included Sorsogon in tbe range of P. o. parsoni (of the

rest of Luzon) without recognizing that the East Visayan race might occur in

Luzon south of the central Luzon form (E. C. Dickinson in litt. 1992).

Apo S unbird zLr/zopjggu boltoni Mindanao: one on 8 March, and two on 9

March on Mt Pasian, Davao Oriental Province. This constitutes a significant

extension of the known range of this montane, Mindanao endemic which

Dickinson et al. (1991) record from Mts Apo, McKinley, Katanglad,

Matutum and Malindang.

I am very grateful to my companion Stig Jensen whose enthusiasm and travel craft did much to ensure

an enjoyable trip. We both remain grateful to the large number of Filipinos who helped us in countless

ways; to Tim Fisher and Perla Magsalay for the very substantial assistance and hospitality offered; and

to Ron Krupa, whose unrivalled experience in Philippine conservation enabled him to help us in many

practical ways. Particular thanks are also due to Edward Dickinson whose generous urgings were the

necessary catalyst to the writing of this article, and who kindly commented on a first draft.

10

J. HORNSKOV

Forktail 1 1

REFERENCES

Andrew, P. (1992) The birds of Indonesia: a checklist. Jakarta: Indonesian Ornithological Society.

Beehler,B. M., Pratt, K. P. and Zimmermann, D. A. (1986) Birds of New Guinea. Princeton: Princeton

University Press.

Brazil, M. A. (1991) The birds of Japan. London: Christopher Helm.

Brooks, T. M., Evans, T. D., Dutson, G. C. L., Timmins, R. J., Asane, D. L. and Toledo, A. G. (1992)

The conservation status of the birds of Negros, Philippines. Bird Conservation International 2: 273-

302.

Chalmers, M. L. (1990) Records Committee Report 1989 . Hong Kong Bird Report 1989: 16-31.

Cheng Tso-hsin (1987)/! synopsis of the avifauna of China. Beijing: Science Press.

Dickinson, E. C., Kennedy R. S. and Parkes, K. C. (1991) The birds of the Philippines. Tring: British

Ornithologists’ Union (Checklist no. 12).

duPont, J. (1971) Philippine birds. Delaware: Delaware Museum of Natural History.

Evans, T. D., Magsalay, P., Dutson, G. C. L. and Brooks, T. M. (1993) The conservation status of the

forest birds ofSiquijor, Philippines. Forktail 8: 89-93.

Hayman, P., Marchant, J. and Prater, T. (1986) Shorebirds: an identification guide to the waders of the world.

London: Christopher Helm.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. W. (1975) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Marchant, S. M. and Higgins, P. J., eds. (1990) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds,

1 . Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

van Marie, J. G. and Voous, K. H. (1988) The birds of Sumatra. Tring: British Ornithologists’ Union

(Checklist no. 10).

Mayr, E. (1947) Notes on tailorbirds ( Orthotomus ) from the Philippine islands.^. Washington Acad. Sci.

37: 140-141.

Medway, Lord (1966) Field characters as a guide to the specific relations of swiftlets. Proc. Linn. Soc.

London 177: 151-172.

Payne, R. B. (1979) Family Ardeidae. Pp. 193-244 in E. Mayr and G. W. Cottrell, eds. Check-list of birds

of the world, 1. Second edition. Cambridge, Mass.: Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Redman, N. (1993) Two new species of birds for the Philippines and other notable records. Forktail 8:

119-123.

Shuntov, V. P. (1972, transl. 1974) Seabirds and the biological structure of the ocean. Springfield: U.S.

National Technical Service.

Smythies, B.E. (1981) The birds of Borneo. Third edition. The Sabah Society with the Malayan Nature

Society.

White, C. M. N. and Bruce, M. D. (1 986) The birds of Wallacea ( Sulawesi , the Moluccas & Lesser Sunda

Islands, Indonesia). Tring: British Ornithologists’ Union (Checklist no. 7).

Jesper Homskov, Building no. 7, apartment 1-502, Yin Jia Zhuang Xiao Qu, Xining 810001 , Qinghai

Province, People ’s Republic of China.

1995

FORKTAIL 1 1 (1995): 11 -32

11

The status of the Green Peafowl

Pavo muticus in Laos

TOM D. EVANS and ROBERT J. TIMMINS

The Green Peafowl Paw muticus was once widespread in Laos. Recent surveys involving field searches

and interviews indicate that there has been a widespread and serious decline. Only remnant populations

remain. The largest populations are thought to occur in southern Laos, mainly in the basin of the Xe

Kong (Se Kong) and possibly also in Phou Xiang Thong National Biodiversity Conservation Area on

the east bank of the Mekong. Hunting is thought to be the chief reason for the decline, compounded by

habitat loss and the human colonisation of most areas of suitable peafowl habitat. Local populations

continue to die out and without energetic protection the species will probably become extinct in Laos

in the foreseeable future. Action to stop illegal hunting and collecting of eggs and chicks is urgently

required. This action should concentrate first on known populations within and near existing and

proposed protected areas in Chasmpasak, Sedone, Attopu (Attopeu) , Salavan (Saravane) and Vientiane

Provinces. The governmental body responsible for management of the protected areas network may

require additional external funding and technical support to achieve this. Additional populations could

probably be located by further surveys. The trade in peafowl feathers should be investigated further .

INTRODUCTION

Visually, the Green Peafowl Pavo muticus must number amongst the most

impressive birds in South-East Asia. It was formerly found from south¬

eastern Assam, through Myanmar (Burma) , southern China and Indochina,

to Java, though it was absent from Sumatra (Delacour 1951). Collar et al.

( 1 994) reviewed the available data on numbers and threats and listed Green

Peafowl as having a high risk of global extinction in the medium-term future,

mainly as a result of habitat loss and excessive hunting.

Green Peafowl are probably extinct in Malaysia, Bangladesh and north¬

east India (Collar et al. 1 994) . In Thailand there is a population of about 300

in Hwai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary and unconfirmed reports from three

other sites (Collar et al. 1994). In Java, van Balen et al. ( 1 995) reported at least

915-1,149 birds, including two populations of 200 or more, and stated that

significant unsurveyed populations may also exist on the island. Information

from the remaining five range states, Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar

and China (in the southern state of Yunnan) is much less detailed. In Viet

Nam there were records of small remnant populations at three sites in central

Viet Nam and at least 1 7 calling birds at Nam Cat Tien National Park in the

south (Robson et al. 1993a, b). From Cambodia and Myanmar there is no

recent information other than a report from a single site in Cambodia in 1 994

and reports that it was locally common in the early 1980s in Myanmar (Collar

etal. 1 994) . In Yunnan the range has contracted and the population declined

so that it is now restricted to about ten sites (Collar et al. 1994).

12

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

There is no widely available review on the status of the Lao population, but

some data were reviewed in Salter (1993) and it was reported from at least

five protected areas since 1989 in Collar et al. (1994). All the data available

to Salter and Collar et al. are included in the current paper.

This paper details information on Green Peafowl collected in Laos up to

August 1995. The historical status is briefly reviewed, then data on more

recent surveys, involving interviews and field observation, are reviewed on a

site-by-site basis. Needs and possibilities for conservation action are discussed.

Abbreviations

The following non-standard abbreviations are used throughout the text:

CPAWM (Centre for Protected Areas and Watershed Management,

Department of Forestry, Vientiane)] IUCN (The World Conservation

Union); NBCA (National Biodiversity Conservation Area, a large, legally

gazetted reserve) and PPA (Proposed Protected Area, under official

consideration by CPAWM) and WCS (The Wildlife Conservation Society,

New York)

Note on place names

In this paper place names follow the maps of the most recent series of the Lao

Service Geographique d’Etat, which use French transliterations of the

original Lao pronunciations. Although this system is not perfectly suited to

English-speakers, the maps are perhaps the most commonly used and

certainly the most comprehensive source of names for those conducting

fieldwork in Laos and so form an appropriate standard. Protected area names

follow Berkmuller etal. (1993) and Berkmiiller etal. (1995), even where they

include place names spelt differently from those on the standard maps.

Where place-names given in the Times Atlas of the World ( 1990 edition) differ,

these are given in parentheses at the first mention. Commonly used elements

of Lao place names are Ban (village), Xe or Nam (both meaning river), Phou

(Mount or Mountain) and Dong (an area of dense forest).

HISTORICAL STATUS AND HABITAT

The Green Peafowl was once widespread and very common in Laos. For

example, Engelbach (1932), speaking of southernmost Laos, said simply

‘common everywhere, especially abundant in some of the valleys of Tahoi’.

Delacour ( 1 929), describing an expedition covering Cambodia, central Laos

and the full length of Viet Nam, stated simply ‘Common everywhere’. David-

Beaulieu (1949), having spent several years in Savannakhet Province, central

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

13

Laos, reported it ‘Extremely common throughout the province, but particularly

along the Se [River] Bang Hieng, where, morning or evening, and even

during the day, one might encounter them at any moment, on sandbanks or

riverbanks’. In northern Laos, Delacour and Jabouille (1931) stated that it

‘abounds everywhere’, although David-Beaulieu (1944) was more cautious,

stating that in the province of Tranninh, now known as Xieng Kouang, ‘ [it]

is found only in lower areas, and even there is not very common’. He listed

six areas where one could regularly see them, the highest (Muong Suoi) being

at 1,200 m the others below 600 m. There was no report on the avifauna of

Laos between 1949, when David-Beaulieu left, and the late 1980s.

Delacour (1951) described the habitat needs thus: ‘[the Green Peafowl]

requires open spaces, such as river banks, clearings and park-like country

with long grass, patches of jungles and trees in which they can rest and hide.

They shun deep, unbroken forest and large open plains, being absent from

the great cultivated deltas of the Irrawaddy, the Menan, the Mekong and the

Red River. They also do not ascend mountain slopes above 4,000 feet [c.

1,200 m], although numerous just below that altitude’.

METHODS OF RECENT SURVEYS

Surveys fell into three broad categories - general interviews during reserve

feasibility studies, detailed interviews by ornithological fieldworkers and

direct searches for peafowl in suitable habitat.. The authors of this paper

participated in the latter two categories of survey.

General information was gathered over wide areas during interviews

conducted by the Lao government’s Centre for Protected Areas and W atershed

Management (CPAWM) from 1988-1994, during the planning of the

country’s protected areas system in association with staff of the World

Conservation Union (IUCN). Interviews were conducted mostly in and

around areas under consideration for protected area status. Villages were not

randomly selected, but a mixture of readily accessible and remote villages,

both large and small, was covered. It is likely that the remotest sites were

somewhat under-represented. Semi-structured interviews (pro-formas are

given in Berkmiiller et al. 1993) were conducted with the chiefs of each

selected village and as many other local residents as the chief wished to invite.

Interviewees were asked for simple socio-economic data and reports of

current or former presence of threatened wildlife (from a list the interviewers

read out) within half a day’s walk of the village. This list included Green

Peafowl. The completed interview forms, about 300 in total, are held on file

at CPAWM Head Office in Vientiane. Most of the interview data are

summarized in Salter (1993).

14

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

The first field-surveys of birds in Laos since 1949 began in 1992, since

which time work has been conducted in eight very large protected areas

(National Biodiversity Conservation Areas, NBCAs), one Proposed Protected

Area (PPA), two other extensive areas with no proposed protection and one

small nature reserve. Early priorities for surveys were identified by CPAWM

as those reserves or proposed reserves where management implementation

was planned to start soon. These priority sites were surveyed in 1 992-94. In

1995 some areas not considered high priorities by CPAWM were also

surveyed to investigate their conservation value. Ornithological fieldwork

was conducted by an independent survey team in 1 992-93 and by staff of the

Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, thereafter, accompanied at all

times by Lao-speaking counterparts from CPAWM. Broad faunal inventories

were requested by CPAWM, concentrating on globally threatened species

and the threats to them. Thus the Green Peafowl, though not the sole object

of survey, was a high-priority species which received particular attention.

The first stage was to review interview data collected by CPAWM. Field-

survey areas within the NBCAs were planned to cover most major habitats

and altitudes, partly on the basis of likely presence of threatened species (due

to remoteness, reports in earlier interviews or presence of localized habitats

such as wetlands) and partly on the basis of access practicalities. Interviews

were conducted in these survey areas whether or not they had been carried

out in the past. The objective was to find local people, invariably adult males,

with particular knowledge of wildlife, who could help fieldworkers to find

localized or secretive species and provide information on low-density species

which were unlikely to be observed directly during field surveys. Therefore

a standardized questionnaire was not used. Interviewees were specifically

asked about the current or former presence of Green Peafowl (‘ nok nyoung ’

in the Lao language). Further information was then sought on locations,

numbers, seasonality and the possibility of observing the birds, or alternatively

how long it was since peafowl were last seen in the area.

Where local reports indicated peafowl were still present, guides were hired

to lead observers to areas where they might be seen. Periods of from one night

to two weeks were spent birdwatching in these sites, on foot or in small

canoes. The duration depended on initial success, further discussions with

the guides and the likelihood of recording other threatened species there.

Effort was concentrated in the mornings and evenings when peafowl activity

and calling were likely to be highest. Direct sightings, calls and shed feathers

were sought as evidence. No dust-baths were found and no footprints were

found except at sites where calls or sightings were also recorded. Fieldwork

methods in the many areas visited where no peafowl had been reported were

essentially similar, involving long periods of searching for wildlife along forest

trails and stream sides or by boat on forest rivers, and offered good chances

for detecting peafowl, had they been present.

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

15

Co-ordinated counts of calling birds were attempted at Phou Khao

Khouay NBCA. Three groups of one or two observers were stationed at 50-

100 m spacing in an area where a few peafowl were known to roost. They were

in position from approximately 05h00-08h00 and 17h30-19hl5, covering

the periods of dawn and dusk. Observers recorded the exact time each brief

burst of calls was uttered and its approximate direction (using the eight points

of a compass) . A minimum estimate of the number of calling birds was then

reached by plotting the data on a sketch map and treating birds heard

simultaneously by different observers as identical unless the recorded directions

made this impossible. Repeated calls heard by an observer from the same

direction were treated as the same bird, unless it was clear that two birds were

involved. Records after 07h00 were disregarded to reduce the effect of birds

calling from more than one area in the course of the morning count. A more

elaborate method was not attempted since numbers were so low.

RESULTS: HABITAT USE

The habitat of areas with recent sightings and reports matches that described

by Delacour (1951) and quoted above. There was no suggestion that hill

evergreen or semi-evergreen forest was used (forest types follow Round

1 988), except for one unsubstantiated report from the headwaters of the Xe

Pian in Bolovens Southwest PPA. This may have referred to a large block of

semi-evergreen or hill evergreen forest, though the precise site was not clearly

described and was not visited. At c. 800 m, this area was also the highest that

reports came from. Other sites where recent or current presence was reported

were at 70-550 m altitude.

The Phou Khao Khouay NBCA population occupied a gently-curving

convex sandstone outcrop at 400-500 m. There were large areas ofbare rock,

with stunted dry dipterocarp forest on pockets of shallow sandy soil and

somewhat taller dry dipterocarp forest along drainage lines. There was no

flowing water in the dry season, and very little standing water other than

puddles from recent rain showers. Much of Phou Xiang Thong NBCA is also

deciduous forest types with scattered pools on gently sloping rocky outcrops

(K. Berkmiiller in litt. 1994). Peafowl there may occupy similar habitat to

those in Phou Khao Khouay NBCA.

Quan Moor in Dong Hua Sao NBCA was a large grassy glade in flat mixed

deciduous forest at c. 200 m. Reports and records from Xe Pian NBCA and

Dong Lao Louang, Phou Louang, Phou Katoung and Phou Theung PPAs

also appear to be associated with mixed deciduous forest below 300 m, either

as extensive stands or as gallery forest along rivers in areas of dry dipterocarp

forest.

16

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

The two areas reliably reported in Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA, the one in

Khammouane Limestone NBCA, some in Xe Bang Nouan NBCA and the

one in the northern sector of Xe Pian NBCA were flat or gently-rolling

alluvial areas quite near villages. The habitat in each was a mosaic of wet rice

paddies, short-cycle shifting cultivation of rice on dry ground, bamboo-

dominated scrub and degraded forest, small pools and streams or rivers.

These populations are all thought to be extinct (see Discussion).

RESULTS: SEASONALITY

February-April was widely reported by interviewees to be the time when

peafowl call and display in Laos, with a peak in March. This represents the

latter part of the long dry season. The monsoonal rains start in mid-May and

are heavy from June-September before gradually ceasing in October. There

were reports of eggs taken from the wild in April 1 994 at Phou Khao Khouay

NBCA and a chick held captive in April 1995 in Bolovens Southwest PPA,

indicating that breeding was occurring in this month.

RESULTS: DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS

Results are presented separately for those sites where evidence of significant

peafowl populations was found and those where, at best, only a handful of

individuals is thought to remain. Data are reviewed separately for the three

biogeographical regions of Laos, North, Central and South recommended by

Delacour and Jabouille (1931) and followed by King et al. (1975). The

boundaries of these regions and the approximate boundaries of the survey

areas are marked on Figures 1 and 2.

‘Sites’ are mostly quite restricted areas at least 10 km from another place

where peafowl were reported, separated by areas of dense forest or dense

human population. Some of those in southern Laos are apparently more

extensive areas and may represent either extensive populations or a number of

separate ‘sites’ which could not be distinguished due to inadequate information.

Information on the location and size of populations is followed by notes on

human activities that may affect the birds. In the absence of other comments,

all sites discussed may be assumed to experience frequent visits by men

hunting opportunistically with guns and snares.

Areas of NBCAs and PPAs are not presented here since they bear limited

relationship to the extent of habitat suitable for Green Peafowl (for example,

Xe Bang Nouan NBCA is less than one third the size of Nakai-Nam Theun

NBCA, but supports comparable areas of scrub and deciduous forest types)

or the number of peafowl thought to be present. Areas of the NBCAs can be

found in Berkmiiller et al. (1993).

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

17

Sites where peafowl populations of more than a few birds are believed to occur

Data are summarized in Table 1 . All sites are discussed in more detail below.

Where the only evidence comes from CPAWM interviews there is less

confidence that peafowl still occur (see Discussion, below, for a justification

of this) and presence should be considered unconfirmed. The sites below

include three in North Laos, but none shows evidence of large numbers.

Except for Phou Xiang Thong NBCA, which lies on the east bank of the

Mekong in Sedone Province, South Laos, the remainder of the sites all lie

18

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

relatively close together in and around the catchment of the Xe Kong (Se

Kong) river, the largest single tributary of the Mekong, in the provinces on

Champasak, Attopu (Attopeu) and Salavan (Saravane) in South Laos. The

Xe Pian NBCA population probably extends into Cambodia.

2. Nam Ma NBCA, North Laos

Two villages reported peafowl during CPAWM interviews in 1991. There is

no other information.

9. Phou Khao Khouay NBCA, North Laos

All CPAWM reports appear to stem from a single site. In early 1994, a

number of brief visits was made by CPAWM staff and one of the authors to

this area, on the southern edge of the reserve near the village of Ban Nakhay.

The birds are reported to occur at 2-6 separate roosting areas across a gently

sloping outcrop of sandstone rock a few kilometres long and about 2 km

across. Peafowl at one of the roosting areas (locally called Dan Houay Sai

Khao) have been counted, on 22 March 1994 and 1 May 1995. Coordinated

recording of calls suggested at least six calling birds (presumably all males)

were present on the first visit and two on the second. The latter visit fell after

the peak February- April calling period. Faunal surveys in 1994/1995 revealed

no peafowl in the Nam Leuk area in the centre of the reserve, despite the

presence of suitable habitat (J. W. Duckworth, in litt. 1995).

The Ban Nakhay population is under severe pressure. There are several

villages within 4 km of the outcrop. Six birds were reportedly shot in 1993

and one of the six roosting areas may no longer be occupied (Dobias 1 994) .

The villagers also collect peafowl eggs (ten in 1993) to incubate under

domestic chickens, then sell the chicks to traders in Vientiane (Dobias 1 994) .

11. Nam Kading NBCA, North Laos

No peafowl were located during 24 man weeks of surveys along the main river

valleys in December 1994-January 1995 andMarch-May 1995. Further, none

was reported by most local residents. However, peafowl were reported from

one remote ridge-top area by a guide of the Hmong ethnic minority, a man who

had demonstrated a great knowledge of the area’s other wildlife. The reported

site (which some local informant said had no peafowl) was near the upper

Houei Ba Song, a left bank tributary of the Nam Kading (Nam Ca Dhin), 1 5

km upstream of the Nam Mouan confluence (W. Robichaud, verbally 1995).

18. Phou Xiang Thong NBCA, South Laos

There were reports during CPAWM interviews from villages all along the

eastern border of this reserve, suggesting that significant populations may

remain.

20. Phou Theung PPA, South Laos

Several villages reported peafowl in one limited, south-central part of this

area during CPAWM surveys.

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

19

21. Phou Katoung PPA, South Laos

Several villages from all around this area reported peafowl within it during

CPAWM interviews, possibly in several different river catchments.

22. Dong Amphan NBCA, South Laos

One village of the three interviewed by CPAWM reported the presence of

peafowl. They were also reported to Baird (1995) who visited ten villages

along the Xe Kaman (Se Kamane) river in December 1994 -January 1995.

20

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

It is not known whether the reported birds are within the current NBCA

boundaries.

23. Nam Kong PPA, South Laos

Five villages reported peafowl during CPAWM interviews, but the informants

did not give information on how many sites might be involved.

24. Dong Hua Sao NBCA, South Laos

The reserve was surveyed for four person-months in May-July 1993 (Timmins

etal. 1993a). Reports had been received by CPAWM in early 1993 ofpeafowl

near the southern boundary. Similar reports were given to the survey team,

who eventually sighted Green Peafowl twice (possibly the same bird) at a wide

grassy clearing called Quan Moor. Local people said that they did not hunt the

birds, because they were beautiful, and that as a result Quan Moor hosted a

communal display of up to 70 birds in March. This remains to be confirmed.

26. Xe Khampho PPA, South Laos

There were reports from many villages around this area in CPAWM

interviews in 1993-1994. During field-surveys in 1995 in Ban Houayko

(known in the area as Ban Don Kong) and Ban Hinlat along the Xe Pian river

(Evans et al. 1995), there were interview reports of peafowl occurring near

Ban Makka at the southern foot of the Phoupiang Bolaven (Plateau des

Bolovens). It is one of an isolated enclave of villages in an extensive area of

mixed deciduous and semi-evergreen forest at 100-300 m.

27. Phou Luang PPA, South Laos

There were reports from many villages around this area in CPAWM

interviews in 1993-1994. During field-surveys in 1995, large numbers of

peafowl (possibly in excess of 100) were reported from the extensive belt of

mixed deciduous forest in this area by the chief of the village of Ban Hinlat

(Evans etal. 1995). There were also possible reports stemming from people

in Ban Houaychot, of peafowl in another area, the headwaters of the Xe Pian,

in a remote area at about 800 m, (I. Baird, cited in Evans etal. 1995). People

in Houaychot did not report peafowl during previous CPAWM interviews.

The informant in Ban Hinlat said that the birds were often hunted. Captive

chicks were seen (I. Baird and T. Roberts in litt. 1995). Parts of the area are,

however, relatively distant from villages, and difficult to reach because there are

no roads or navigable rivers. They may thus experience low hunting pressure.

28. Xe Pian NBCA, South Laos

A large proportion of the reserve in the main sector is dense semi-evergreen

forest unsuitable for peafowl. The extensive mixed deciduous and dry

dipterocarp forest and scrub in the northern, southern and eastern sectors are

apparently more suitable (Timmins et al. 1 993b) . The reserve was surveyed

for a total of about sixteen person-months, covering all four sectors, from

November 1992-May 1993 (Timmins etal. 1993b). The eastern sector was

visited again for a week in May 1 995 (Evans et al. 1 995).

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

21

Although there was a previous report to CPAWM staff, all informants

interviewed by ornithological fieldworkers in 1 992- 1 993 agreed that peafowl

have been hunted out in the heavily populated northern sector, around the

large village of Ban Phapho.

In the southern sector, known locally as Dong Kalo, none was heard during

15 person-days of survey work. Local people from Dong Kalo reported

peafowl to CPAWM and in 1993 offered to show observers peafowl in the

nearby Phou Mailai hills, but this was not possible for security reasons.

In the eastern sector of the reserve, the plains of the Xe Kong river and its

tributaries, peafowl were reported to be quite common during interviews by

CPAWM and the ornithological teams. In 1995 soldiers manning border

posts along the Xe Kong river reported that peafowl were still common both

in the reserve and in the extensive uninhabited deciduous forests on the

Cambodian side of the river (Evans et al. 1995). At least two different

individual peafowl were heard calling by the team on a total of four occasions

around the Xe Pian-Xe Khampho confluence in March 1 993 . A shed feather

was found in 1995 at another place, Keng Louang, over 30 km upstream

along the Xe Pian. Since only two birds were heard during two weeks of

surveywork(c. 10 person-weeks) at the expected peak calling period in 1993

the population is suspected to be either localized or at low density.

Sites where Green Peafowl are thought to be absent, extremely rare or extinct

Data are summarized in Table 2. Further details are given below for those

sites where they are available.

1. Phou Dene Dinh NBCA, North Laos

CPAWM intwerviews have been conducted. Two person-weeks of field

surveys were conducted at this site in May-June 1995. There is no suggestion

that Green Peafowl occur (W. Robichaud per J. W. Duckworth in litt. 1995).

6. Nam Poui NBCA, North Laos

During CPAWM interviews a few peafowl have been reported to persist in

valleys outside the reserve, but there is reportedly none within it (R. Dobias

verbally 1993).

8. Houei Nhang Nature Reserve, North Laos

This reserve was intensively surveyed by a team of 6 observers for six weeks

in October-November 1992 and on many subsequent occasions and it is

certain that no peafowl are present (Cambridge Survey Team 1992). This

small reserve experiences extremely heavy hunting pressure, from local

residents and visitors from Vientiane (Cambridge Survey Team 1992).

12. Nam Mouan Valley, North Laos

No CPAWM interviews have been conducted in this area. Field surveys and

interviews were conducted along the main river valley for one person-week

22

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

in March 1995. It became clear that the area was heavily populated and

lacked any extensive natural forest. Seven villages reported that peafowl were

not present in their area. It is conceivable that peafowl remain in the

headwaters of the catchment.

13. Khammouane Limestone NBC A, Central Laos

There were reports from a single village at the south end of the reserve among

14 villages interviewed by CPAWM in 1991. This village, Ban Nakayak

(locally known as Ban Kok Savang), was revisited in 1994 and several

informants stated that no peafowl had been seen for 3-5 years. Two other

nearby villages gave similar information. This population is probably extinct.

14. Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA, Central Laos

During interviews conducted by CPAWM in 1988-94, reports came from

three sites, two about 35 km apart in the western Nakai plateau sector and

one 30 km east in the T asaeng Theung sector (a T asaeng is an administrative

unit of, at most, two or three dozen villages). An eight person-month

ornithological survey was conducted in January-April 1994 (Timmins and

Evans 1994). On this survey there were fewer positive reports and more

negative ones (as more interviews were conducted in 1995), with several

people saying that peafowl had become extinct near their villages in the past

ten years.

Two convincing reports on the Nakai Plateau were followed up in April by

camping at the stated site for 1 -2 nights, guided by the informant. No peafowl

were found and further information suggested that both populations were

now extinct or almost so. At one of them, locally known as Nong Nyian, near

the abandoned village of Ban Bo-Tai, a new village, known locally as Ban

Soupen, had grown up nearby since the informant had last visited six years

ago. People in Ban Soupen said the peafowl had all been shot. At the other,

the mouth of Houei Luuk, upstream of Ban Khonken, bamboo scrub had

come under fresh cultivation a year earlier and the farmer said the birds had

not been heard since.

Tasaeng Theung (which is essentially the headwaters of the Nam Noy) is

dominated by members of the Lao Theung ethnic group. Initial confusion

over the names of Green Peafowl and Crested Argus in local dialects led us

to seek very detailed information, and to request to look at feathers. Our

conclusion after six days of interviews and seeing several feathers was that all

or almost all of the reports of ‘peafowl’ actually referred to Crested Argus

Rheinardia ocellata. That species is quite common on the hills around the

head of the valley. One informant, at the village of Ban Buk, described

‘peafowl’ which lived near rivers and sometimes came into paddies, though

he had last caught them 8 years ago. The habitat described was suggestive of

Green Peafowl. Crested Argus, being notoriously secretive, would be most

unlikely to visit open areas. However, when he showed us a feather from the

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

23

bird, it was that of male Crested Argus . It is conceivable that Green Peafowl

remain in Tasaeng Theung, but the balance of evidence is that they do not,

or are extremely rare.

The three sites were all in inhabited and actively cultivated areas where

hunting pressure can be expected to be high. Some other parts of the Nakai

Plateau are thought to experience lower levels of human pressure but peafowl

were not reported from them.

15. Phou Xang He NBC A, Central Laos

There were reports to CPAWM interviewers in 1 992 . A significant proportion

of the reserve was surveyed, for three person-months in April 1993 (Duckworth

et al. 1993b) . Though a few individual Green Peafowl might persist in more

remote areas not surveyed, no peafowl were found, nor were reports received.

Several interviewees said they had been extinct for many years.

17. Xe Bang Nouan NBCA, South Laos

Six person-weeks were spent surveying the reserve in May-July 1994.

Though significant populations were suggested by CPAWM interview

results, the field survey found that the population was in fact extremely small,

if not extinct. The most recent seemingly reliable report was of a single bird

from 1992, at a site that certainly no longer supported them by 1994. The

whole reserve was found to be exposed to high levels of hunting, fishing and

other extractive uses.

25. Xe Namnoy headwaters, South Laos

Though CPAWM interviewers received reports in 1993-1994, it is possible

these refer to areas in the lowlands to the south, east or west, in the NBCAs

and PPAs of the Xe Kong basin. No reports were received during 3 person-

months of fieldwork in March- April 1995, nor were there any field sightings.

The area, though relatively populated, has villages almost throughout and

there are no particularly remote areas where peafowl might be expected to

survive.

DISCUSSION

Validity of the interview data

Interview results have to be treated with considerable caution due to

possibilities of misinterpretation by either party and the risk that respondents

may not be telling the truth for various reasons or simply not know the correct

answer. These problems are believed to be relatively small for the Green

Peafowl because it is a familiar species whose Lao name is the same over

virtually all of the surveyed areas, it is readily observed at certain times of the

year by people farming and hunting in an area and there was no suggestion

that respondents were shy or suspicious of the interview teams, or that they

24

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

were worried to report hunting of this legally protected species. Reports from

different respondents around an area were generally consistent: for instance,

specific sites with peafowl were frequently known to many or most interviewees

in a number of nearby villages. Thus it is felt unlikely that significant

populations have been wholly missed in areas where both interviews have

been conducted.

In one area, the Tasaeng Theung sector of Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA,

there was doubt over the identification of reports, due mainly to local dialect

differences rather than an inability of interviewees to separate the two species .

The confusion species. Crested Argus, is not thought to occur at any of the

other sites where peafowl are reported, so the possibility for confusion at

these sites is much less.

Data from interviews and fieldwork during ornithological surveys indicate

that the CPAWM interview results give a somewhat over-optimistic picture

in areas that are subsequently re-surveyed, for example, Phou Khao Khouay,

Nakai-Nam Theun, Phou Xang He, Khammouane Limestone and Xe Bang

Nouan NBCAs and parts of Xe Pian NBCA. This may be because reports

refer to groups which became extinct in the interim (e.g. in at least one part

of Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA and in Xe Bang Nouan, Phou Khao Khouay

and Khammouane Limestone NBCAs), because several reports from well-

separated villages may refer to the same small group, because respondents

misunderstood the questions posed (e.g. they reported the former presence

of peafowl but this was not realized by the interviewer) or, in the Nakai-Nam

Theun NBCA case discussed above, due to nomenclatural confusion with

Crested Argus. Thus presence at sites where CPAWM interviews provide the

only evidence should be considered probable rather than confirmed, and the

overall status of the peafowl may be somewhat worse than suggested by the

data available.

Completeness of coverage

Direct searches for this often secretive species have only been attempted over

a small percentage of the country, and it is difficult to infer the nationwide

status of the peafowl from these searches alone. However, the interview data

are much more extensive. The 1 7 NBCAs cover over 10% of the nation’s land

surface (Berkmiiller etal. 1 993, 1995). The areas immediately around them

(which were also effectively covered by interview surveys) and the other

proposed or formerly proposed protected areas also surveyed add considerably

more land area to this total. It should be noted, however, that not all sectors

of some of these areas were covered. It is likely that additional peafowl

populations remain to be discovered elsewhere in Laos. Nonetheless, the

sites surveyed include the great majority of those with large areas of natural

habitat, relatively low human population densities and relatively low hunting

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

25

pressure (Berkmiiller et al. 1993, 1995). In view of the evidence for a great

decline and the probability that hunting is the key factor (see below), the

surveyed sites would thus be expected to hold the bulk of remaining peafowl

numbers. Most of the areas of suitable habitat not surveyed, both lowland

and highland, are heavily populated and heavily cultivated and seem unlikely

to support more than small peafowl numbers.

Evidence for a decline

Three lines of evidence suggest that there has been a great decline in the

population of Green Peafowl in Laos. Firstly comparison of historical

accounts with recent survey results indicates that populations are very much

smaller, fewer and harder to locate than in the period before 1949. For

instance, there are no reliable current reports from anywhere in Central Laos,

and only three of twelve sites surveyed in North Laos appear to have even

modest numbers of peafowl. A number of extensive areas in South Laos (e.g.

Xe Bang Nouane NBCA) that once supported peafowl no longer do so.

Secondly, there is no evidence that any peafowl occur within a few

kilometres of any existing village in Laos except for the birds in Phou Khao

Khouay NBCA. This was not formerly the case, judging from historical

accounts (see Historical Status and Distribution, above) and the reports of

interviewees. Although there are a number of reports of populations being

present in the past 20-30 years in areas near villages with a mosaic of scrub

and cultivation (see Habitat above), none appears to be occupied any longer

and the remaining significant populations appear to be in extensive areas of

deciduous forest-types away from villages. Considering the low population

density, surprisingly few areas in Laos are more than a few kilometres from

a village, due to the highly dispersed, overwhelmingly rural nature of the

population. Thus an absence from the vicinity of villages implies absence

from the great majority of the country.

Thirdly, many respondents in recent interviews have reported that Green

Peafowl have become extinct in the area within half a day’s walk of their

villages in living memory, sometimes as long ago as 30 years, others in the past

five years (Tables 1 and 2) . This is clear evidence for a decline, in these areas

at least. Extinctions were reported in 77 of the 362 interviews (21%). A few

of these represent two villages interviewed at different times. However, the

true figure is probably much higher, since in many cases the distinction

between extinct and absent was not made by the interviewer or respondent,

or was not recorded on the answer sheet.

26

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

Reasons for the decline

Forest loss has been extensive in Laos, and may have reduced the area

available for Green Peafowl to inhabit. It may also have improved feeding

opportunities where birds were able to roam into cultivated areas with

quantities of spilled grain or where open habitats replaced dense, closed

forest. In either case, habitat loss or fragmentation cannot alone account for

the present scarcity of the peafowl or the speed of the decline, since large areas

of apparently suitable habitat clearly remain. The authors have a strong

suspicion that the cause is human activity within the remaining habitat, in

particular hunting with snares or guns. Many interviewees stated that the

peafowl were shot whenever possible, because they taste good and provide

lots of meat. In support of this, David-Beaulieu ( 1 949) praised the quality of

meat from the young peafowl. Hunting of virtually any animal, mainly for

food, is ubiquitous in rural Laos and most people have access to guns, or can

use snares. The authors and their co-workers on recent surveys have found

that populations of all large mammals and large birds are very low except in

the remotest areas, at least in South and Central Laos and the southern third

of North Laos. Peafowl are particularly vulnerable in places where they

occupy riversides and scrub around cultivation, and are easily shot at their

roosts which they draw attention to by calling loudly. J. Eames ( inlitt . 1995)

points out that the Green Peafowl’s preference for alluvial valleys and need

for daily access to water overlaps, to the bird’s detriment, with the preferences

of the low-altitude rice-farming cultures which now dominate Indochina.

Eggs are reportedly taken to hatch under domestic chickens so that the

peafowl chicks can be fattened for meat or sold as cage birds. This may be a

contributory factor in the decline and is probably a serious threat to

remaining small populations.

The trade in the males’ spectacular train feathers, which are used as

ornaments or as parts of more elaborate craftwork, may have had an impact,

especially once populations had already been reduced by hunting. We

observed one skin, with its train, prepared for sale as a trophy. It had been

confiscated by CPAWM staff from a village near the Phou Khao Khouay

NBCA population. Bundles of peafowl feathers can freely be bought in

Vientiane and in towns on the Thai side of the Mekong, for example Nong

Khai (personal observations on many occasions) and Muang Amphoe,

Mukdahan Province (Srikosamatara etal. 1 992, Srikosamatara and Suteethom

1993). However, following examination of specimens in the British Museum

(Natural History) we have concluded that the train feathers of Green and

Blue Peafowl Pavo cristatus are almost impossible to distinguish, other than

the marginal feathers, which are asymmetrical, usually lack ocelli and which

appear to differ in colour between the species. Thus it has not been possible

to identify the feathers on sale. Many or most conceivably stem from captive

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

27

populations of Green or Blue Peafowl or from the large wild population of

Blue Peafowl in the Indian subcontinent, though this has been difficult to

determine since, in Vientiane at least, traders seem unwilling or unable to

answer casual enquiries about the origins of the feathers. Feathers from

captive birds have the advantage that they can be gathered in better condition

and in larger numbers. Both Blue and Green Peafowl are quite numerous in

collections in Laos and Thailand, and breed well (Nattakit Krathintong,

Project Manager, Vientiane Zoological Gardens Inc., verbally 1995).

Status and global importance of the Lao population

The results clearly indicate that the Green Peafowl is now extinct over large

parts of Laos where it was probably common 50-100 years ago and that local

populations have continued to die out even during the past few years. There

is no indication that the decline is likely to stop. There is little information

on the numerical strengths of the remaining populations, but on current

evidence none is suspected to exceed 1 00-200 birds and the largest populations

may in reality be markedly smaller than that. The largest single report was in

the order of 1 00 birds at Bolovens Southwest PPA, but this was simply a guess

by a local hunter. The bulk of the Lao population appears to be in the south,

particularly in mixed deciduous forests in the catchment of the Xe Kong

river. Known populations appear to be widely dispersed, though least so in

the catchment of the Xe Kong river. Many may be too small to be genetically

viable in the long term.

The Lao population is potentially significant to the future survival of the

species. It appears to be at least as numerically important as that of Thailand,

though possibly not as large as that reported from Java (see Introduction,

above). Further surveys will enable more precise statements to be made.

However, the number of reports received of populations disappearing within

the past ten years suggests that within a few more years many of those which

exist today will also have vanished or shrunk markedly, unless practical

conservation action is taken.

CONSERVATION OF THE GREEN PEAFOWL IN LAOS

Development of the institutional capacity of the Lao government to manage

its protected areas is being supported by bilateral aid from Sweden through

the Lao-Swedish Forest Resources Conservation Project, with the assistance

of IUCN. WCS have also initiated a long-term programme of field surveys

and training of Lao conservation staff. If these inputs continue, extensive,

long-term conservation measures are likely to become possible for the Lao

government to undertake.

28

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

At certain NBCAs general management implementation is underway,

though low staffing levels and uncertain funding are very restrictive. These

sites include three, Xe Pian, Dong Hua Sao and Phou Khao Khouay, where

peafowl occur. Protection of peafowl needs to receive a higher priority at

these sites. For most threatened species the emphasis is to be on general

reduction of hunting, disturbance and habitat destruction in the large

NBCAs over a period of years, in parallel with the establishment of sustainable

patterns of resource use by local residents (Berkmiiller et al. 1 993) . Because

peafowl are very localized, declining rapidly, especially targeted by hunters

and easily hunted, the remaining populations need more specific protective

measures implemented with greater urgency. The Green Peafowl is one of

the few species in Laos for which a highly focused conservation programme

is currently appropriate.

Many other NBCAs and PPAs are currently given a low priority for survey

and general management implementation (Berkmiiller etal. 1993) due to the

constraints of funding and manpower under which CPAWM operates. The

speed with which peafowl groups are becoming extinct in Laos urges much

more rapid action at some of these sites (Phou Xiang Thong NBCA and

Bolovens Southwest PPA being good examples), aimed specifically at

peafowl. By the time general management implementation starts there may

otherwise be no peafowl left to protect.

Green Peafowl are already protected from hunting at all times under Lao

law (Salter 1993).

A number of possible courses of action, which could run concurrently, are

outlined below.

1 Site-specific protective measures

a) A pilot scheme by CPAWM staff is underway at Phou Khao Khouay

NBCA, publicizing the fact that it is illegal to kill the birds or steal their

eggs, and holding village meetings and consultations with village leaders to

explain the significance of the few remaining peafowl. If this seems

successful the same procedure should be followed as soon as possible in

Dong Hua Sao and Xe Pian NBCAs, since although these are not known

to be the largest populations, management staff are already available and

established in these areas. Follow-up measures should be developed,

depending on this initial work.

b) If further large populations are confirmed by future fieldwork at other

sites priorities should be re-assessed and they should probably receive

protective measures as quickly as possible.

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

29

c) The possibility of enabling tourists to view peafowl, especially the easily-

accessible ones at Phou Khao Khouay NBCA, 90 minutes drive from the

centre of the capital, is being examined by CPAWM. This might provide

a small income to local people to compensate for the small financial

benefits they forego by not killing the birds. There is no established

ecotourism in Laos, and a limited presence of tourists in general, though

this seems likely to change as official restrictions on travel outside the

capital are reduced.

d) It is likely that carefully planned external assistance, both with funds and

technical support, will be necessary to enable protected areas staff to

achieve lasting improved protection of peafowl. Current management

capacity is very limited and there is little scope for single-species projects

within existing manpower and financial constraints.

2 Expansion of the protected areas system

a) Many peafowl are thought to be outside existing protected areas,

especially in the catchment of the Xe Kong valley. NBCA status would not

be conferred on an area simply for the presence of one species, but some

of these sites are thought to support assemblages of many threatened

species. Establishment of protected areas may improve the conservation

status of the peafowl within them.

b) It may be appropriate to establish a protected area in north-eastern

Cambodia, where peafowl are reported to occur, to form a trans-frontier

reserve linked with Xe Pian NBCA. Further investigations are required.

3 Further field survey work

a) The sites where active measures are undertaken should be more

thoroughly surveyed and the populations counted. This will provide a

baseline to monitor the success of protection.

b) Wildlife surveyors in Laos should make it a high priority to assess the

sizes of other reported peafowl populations as soon as possible. Phou Xiang

Thong NBCA, Bolovens Southwest PPA and the other sites in the Xe

Kong valley listed in this paper are of the highest priority for survey in this

regard.

c) The possibility of as yet unreported populations should be investigated

in regions with low population density and extensive lowland forest. Two

possible areas are the east part of Savannakhet Province and neighbouring

Xepon (Sepone) Province in Central Laos (area A on Figure 2) and the

30

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

south part of Champasak Province west of the Mekong in South Laos (area

B on Figure 2).

d) There is limited survey expertise within CPAWM at present and it

would be appropriate for outside teams to assist by conducting surveys in

consultation with that body. It is essential that any survey conducted

should be planned so as to offer useful training to CPAWM counterparts

in the gathering and interpretation of data during the course of fieldwork.

4 Investigation of the impact of trade

a) Steps should be taken to determine whether Green Peafowl feathers or

whole birds are being traded in significant quantities. The trade in birds or

their feathers would contravene the terms of the Convention on International

Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) if it were proven to occur into, for

example, Thailand or Viet Nam (both parties to the convention). Laos is

not yet a party to CITES, but should also attempt to investigate and, if

appropriate, control the cross-border trade.

b) A method is needed to distinguish Green and Blue Peafowl train

feathers.

The survey of Dong Hua Sao was funded by a grant from the British Embassy in Bangkok. The Phou

Xang He survey was carried out under contract to the Lao/Swedish Forest Resources Conservation

Project. The surveys of Nakai-Nam Theun (1994), Xe Bang Nouan and Phou Khao Khouay were

funded through the Wildlife Conservation Society. Nam Kading was surveyed under contract to

Norplan and to Electrowatt Engineering Services, Xe Namnoy was surveyed under contract to

Electrowatt Engineering Services and the Nakai Plateau (1995) under contract to TEAM Consulting

Engineers Ltd. The Xe Pian and Houei Nhang surveys were funded by a variety of bodies with major

donations from: The British Ornithologists’ Union, BP (UK) Ltd. (through International Council for

Bird Preservation/Fauna and Flora Preservation Society), the People’s Trust for Endangered Species,

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, The World Pheasant Association and Mr. and Mrs. J. Evans. The

visit to Phou Dene Dinh was funded by a grant from the Hanus Trust to the Cedar Grove Ornithological

Research Station.

In Laos we have been helped enormously over the past three years by Venevongphet, Bouaphanh

Phanthavong, Somphong Souliyavong, Boonhom Sounthala, Boonhong Moonsoophom, Sukotha

Vannalat, Sisomphane Chai Noi, Klaus Berkmiiller, Rick Salter, Bob Dobias, Thanongsy, Stuart Chape

and other members of the CPAWM and IUCN staff. Guy Anderson, Bill Bleisch, Kate Cozza, Will

Duckworth, Michael Dvorak, Inthavong, Michael Leven, Keith Metzner, Erwin Nemeth, Pa Dith, Alan

and Dae Rabinowitz, William Robichaud, George Schaller, Richard Thewlis, Rob Tizard and Roger

Wilkinson all took part in some of the field surveys. We have received a great deal of hospitality' and

information from inhabitants of the villages where our field surveys have been based. Guy Anderson

assisted in the preparation of the figures. Peter Colston and Robin Prys-Jones kindly allowed us access

to the collections of the British Museum (Natural History). The Department of Zoology, Cambridge

the Edward Grey Institute, Oxford and Tim Inskipp allowed access to their libraries. Valuable comments

on drafts of this paper were received from Laura Watson, Philip McGowan, Jonathan Eames and Tim

Inskipp.

1995

The status of the Green Peafowl in Laos

31

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Swedish Forestry Cooperation Programme.

Engelbach, J. (1932) Les oiseaux de Laos meridional. L’Oiseau R.f. O. 2: 439-498.

Evans, T. D., Tizard, R. J. , Duckworth, J. W. and Bleisch, W. V. (1995) Results of a wildlife survey in

the area affected by the Xe Nam Noy - Xe Pian Hydroelectric project, Lao PDR. Vientiane, Lao PDR:

Unpublished report to ElectroWatt Incorporated.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. (1975) A field-guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Robson, C. R., Eames, J. C., Nguyen Cu and Truong Van La (1993a) Further recent records of birds

from Viet Nam. Forktail 8: 25-52.

Robson, C. R., Eames, J. C., Nguyen Cu and Truong Van La (1993b) Birds recorded during the third

BirdLife/Forest Birds Working Group expedition in Viet Nam. Forktail 9: 89-1 19.

Round, P. D. (1988) Resident forest birds in Thailand, their status and conservation. ICBP Monograph

Number 2, Cambridge, U.K.: ICBP.

Salter, R. E. (1993) Wildlife in Lao PDR. A status report. Vientiane, Lao PDR: Forest Resources

Conservation Programme, Lao/Swedish Forestry Cooperation Programme.

Srikosamatara, S, Sirihodej, B. and Suteethorn, V. ( 1 992) Wildlife trade in Lao PDR and between Lao

PDR and Thailand. Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 40: 1-47.

Srikosamatara, S. and Suteethorn, V. (1993) A quick look at wildlife conservation along the Thai-Lao

border. Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand: Unpublished report to the New York Zoological

Society.

32

T. D. EVANS and R. J. TIMMINS

Forktail 1 1

Timmins, R. J., Evans, T. D. and Duckworth, J. W. (1993a) A wildlife and habitat survey of Dong Hua

Sao Proposed Protected Area. Vientiane, Lao PDR: Forest Resources Conservation Programme, Lao/

Swedish Forestry Cooperation Programme.

Timmins, R. J., Evans, T. D. and Duckworth, J. W. (1993b) A wildlife and habitat survey ofXe Piane

National Biodiversity Conservation Area. Vientiane, Lao PDR: Forest Resources Conservation

Programme, Lao/Swedish Forestry Cooperation Programme.

Timmins, R. J. and Evans, T. D. (1994) Wildlife and habitat survey of the Nam Theun National

Biodiversity Conservation Area. Draft. Vientiane, Lao PDR: The Wildlife Conservation Society.

Tom D. Evans, l la Yeoman Lane, Maidstone, Kent, MEM 4BX, U.K.

Robert J. Timmins, 25 Cradley Road, Cradley Heath, Warley, West Midlands, U.K.

1995

FORKTAIL 1 1 (1995): 33 - 38

33

The occurrence of Grey Hypocolius

Hypocolius ampelinus in Kutch,

Gujarat, India

J. K. TIWARI, S. N. VARU and M. IC. HIMMAT S INHJI

Previous records of Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus in the Indian subcontinent are given, and

details of recent records from Kutch, Gujarat, India are detailed, with information on arrival and

departure dates, behaviour, food and biometrics of trapped birds.

The earliest record of the occurrence of the Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius

ampelinus in the Indian subcontinent was one collected on 6 March 1 875 in

Larkana district, Pakistan (Blanford 1875). It was next recorded by Duke on

26 April 1877 fromKalat in Baluchistan, Pakistan. There were apparently no

further records until 14 November 1930 when Dr Salim All collected a

specimen from Kihim, Colaba district, Maharashtra, India (Ali 1931). There

was another gap of nearly 30 years before two were collected on 22 and 23

March 1 960 at Kuar Bet, north of Pachham Island, on the edge of the Great

Rann of Kutch (Shekar 1960).

Based on these records, Ali and Ripley (1987) described the species as a

rare vagrant to the subcontinent. Roberts (1992) referred to Ali and Ripley’s

comments on status, but noted that recent sightings in Pakistan may indicate

that it is an irregular but not uncommon visitor to the remote desert tracts in

more southern latitudes of Baluchistan. He referred to a pair seen in 1 942 by

A. F. P. Christison at Dalbandin in the Chagai; more recently, he and R.

Passburg had seen small parties of this species in the Hab valley region (west

of Karachi) between 3 February and 6 March 1984, including a flock of 16

birds on 17 February. In the same locality Asad Ali and R. Passburg saw

Hypocolius in some numbers in 1986 and 1989. Roberts saw 25 to 30 birds

going to roost in pairs at Zangi Nawar lake in the Chagai desert on 1 May

1985; they behaved excitedly and called continuously.

J.K.T. studied the Grey Hypocolius for five seasons at Fulay village, Kutch

(Fig. 1), whilst working on first the Bird Migration Study Project (1990-

1991) and subsequently the Grassland Ecology Project (1992 onwards).

Situated between the villages of Chhari and Fulay, in the vicinity of the

latter village, is a 5 km2 patch of thin scrub jungle, most of which lies in a dry

riverbed starting from near the former village. This was the main study area

of the various activities of the Grey Hypocolius. S.N.V. (accompanied by

some members of the Pelican Nature Club) was the first person to see this

species in Kutch. This was a female in a Salvadorapersica bush near Chhari-

34

J. K. TIWARI ei al.

Forktail 11

Figure 1 . The location of Fulay village, Kutch and inset Grey Hypocolius.

Dhand on 23 January 1 990. On the same afternoon they came across a female

drinking water at the village tank of Fulay . Thereafter, Hypocolius were seen,

usually in small numbers (2 to 6), but sometimes in larger numbers, in the

scrub and near the village up until 1994. The trees preferred by the birds were

babool Acacia nilotica and piloo Salvadora persica.

Apart from keeping a watch from time to time on the Hypocolius in the

study area, two surveys were carried out to look for the species in the Banni

grassland; however, J.K.T. failed to find it there. It appears that it may be

1995

Grey Hypocolius in India

35

more worthwhile to search for it in the areas to the east and for some distance

west of the Chhari-Fulay habitat. J.K.T. toured the Mandvi sub-district of

Kutch on 6 February 1994, where he unexpectedly came across a female

Hypocolius in the environs of the Lyja creek. She was feeding on the berries

of a Salvadora persica growing at the foot of the coastal sand dunes. This

locality is situated about 1 5 km west of the minor port of Mandvi and about

70 km SSW of Fulay-Chhari.

Arrival and departure

The month of arrival varies considerably, although local movements in

Kutch might take place after arrival which would confuse the picture. Thus

the incoming and outgoing birds may stay on in some places other than the

study area of Fulay, depending on food availability and other factors.

Information on the movements of this species elsewhere in India and

Pakistan are required to elucidate the situation. The details of dates and the

numbers of birds seen are given in T able 1 . The first two birds were recorded

in January 1990 and the earliest birds to arrive were in November 1993. The

maximum count was 150 birds in 1993.

Food and feeding habits

Throughout the period they were watched the Hypocolius were seen to feed

on the ripe berries of Salvadora persica. Flocks or individual birds fed in the

outer and middle canopies, hanging on to thin branches and twigs and

picking the berries. Feeding was observed on many occasions in association

with White-eared Bulbuls Pycnonotus leucotis and Rosy Starlings Stumus roseus.

General behaviour and calls

If the birds were approached too closely while feeding they became alarmed

and suddenly flew off, emitting single ‘que-ee’ calls. They flew high, circled

around and either settled again 1 5-25 m away or disappeared altogether. On

settling down on the top of or on the side of a tree they do not remain long,

soon diving into the canopy. The birds were gregarious, and when in flocks

or loose groups they produced pleasant ‘piew-piew’ notes which perhaps are

short-distance contact notes. There were two types of calls: one, already

described, was uttered during feeding and when the birds were going to roost.

The other sounds like ‘qu-e-ee’ and is uttered when the birds take flight. This

could be an alarm call or a flight contact call. When caught in mist-nets, they

emit harsh ‘quee, quee, quee’ distress calls. If any other members of the group

are nearby they immediately fly close to the net, sometimes getting entangled

themselves. These calls were tape-recorded and subsequently replayed to

attract and net more Hypocolius.

36

J. K. TIWARI et al.

Forktail 1 1

Table 1 Sightings of Grey Hypocolius in Kutch, 1990-1994

Interactions with other species

While foraging for food and whilst feeding the Hypocolius chased away

White-eared Bulbuls and Rosy Starlings. Once a male was seen chasing away

a Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus.

Behaviour while resting and roosting

The Hypocolius in the riverbed fed exclusively on the berries of Salvadora

persica - Shekar (1960) examined the crop contents of a female collected at

Kuar Bet on 22 March 1960 and found about 20 berries of this species. The

birds utilize the middle canopy of thorny Acacia nilotica trees for resting

during the heat of the day from 1 lhOO to about 1 5h00, often resting alone.

They go to roost in groups or flocks (maximum of 44 birds) after sunset at

18h30-19h00.

1995

Grey Hypocolius in India

37

Table 2 Records of Grey Hypocolius from the Indian subcontinent (up to 1989)

Table 3 Biometrics of Grey Hypocolius ringed/collected in India

Survey

On 1 0 March 1 993, a survey of the area north and north-east of Fulay-Chhari

was undertaken in the Banni grassland on foot and on cycles, covering an area

of about 50 km2. Part of this area is covered by many trees of Acacia nilotica

and a few of Salvador a per sica. The areas in the vicinity of the settlements of

cattle owners, namely Chhachhlo, Bhagadio, Nana Sarada, Mota Sarada,

Abda Jhil and Mithdi were covered; however, no Hypocolius were seen.

J.K.T. carried out a second survey of the Banni on 16 February 1994, but

again no Hypocolius were located. This confirmed M.K.H.’s theory that this

species does not inhabit the Banni, except rarely on passage, because it

38

J. K. TIWARI ct al.

Forktail 1 1

prefers to live in a special biotope, situated on sandy soils and in dry streams

or riverbeds. It requires an ample supply of food, the presence of suitable trees

with thorny canopies and, apparently, a readily available supply of drinking

water. The Banni grassland is an alluvial plain and, although there are Acacia

trees near the settlements, Salvadora does not grow there to the same extent

as it does further inland in Kutch; the plain also lacks watercourses or other

readily available sources of water.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that the Grey Hypocolius may be a regular winter visitor/passage

migrant in some parts of Kutch. This area, excluding a large part of the great

expanse of the Rann, lies between 22°47’N to 24°00’N and 68°25’E to 7 1°1 1 ’E

in the north-western corner of India, directly south of the Sind province of

Pakistan. A regular stream of migratory birds passes through this area in

autumn and spring. The Great Rann of Kutch does not seem to act as a barrier

as some ringing recoveries in Sind have demonstrated. Further information

and surveys in other parts of the district, and in other areas of India and

Pakistan, are required to clarify the status of this species in the subcontinent.

The scrub jungle which the Hypocolius inhabits is under constant threat

of destruction at the hands of the cattle-grazers of the area, who are clearing

it to cultivate the land on which it stands. Apart from this about 300 camels

belonging to these people frequently browse on the leaves of Acacia nilotica

and the shoots, leaves and clusters of berries of Salvadora. Apart from

providing suitable habitat for the Grey Hypocolius, it is an important nesting

and roosting biotope for a number of uncommon species.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. (1931) The occurrence of the Grey Hypocolius ( Hypocolius ampelinus ) in north Konkan. J.

Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 34: 1061.

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1 987) Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Oxford

University Press.

Blanford, W. T. (1875) Hypocolius ampelinus in Sind. Stray Feathers 3: 358-361 .

Roberts, T. J. (1992) The birds of Pakistan, 2. Passeriformes. Karachi: Oxford University Press.

Shekar, P. B. (1960) Further additions to the birds of Kutch. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 57: 224-225.

J. K. Tiwari, Moti-virani, Tal-Nakhtrana, Kutch, Gujarat, India 370665.

S. N. Varu, Junavas, Temple Street, Madhapar, Kutch, Gujarat, India.

M. K. Himmatsinhji, Jubilee Grounds, Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat, India.

1995

FORKTAIL 11 (1995): 39-46

39

The Bengal Florican

Eupodotis bengalensis in Indochina

J. C. EAMES

This paper summarizes and reviews our knowledge of the Bengal Florican Eupodotis bengalensis in

Indochina, and documents recent sightings in Vietnam. The paper discusses possible patterns of

migration and dispersion and how movements may be linked to breeding. Finally the conservation

outlook in Vietnam is assessed.

The Bengal Florican Eupodotis bengalensis , together with its diminutive

cousin the Lesser Florican E. indica are two small, strongly sexually dimorphic

species of bustard endemic to the Indomalayan (Oriental) Realm. Both

species are in decline and are now seriously at risk of extinction as a result of

the loss of their grassland habitats (Collar and Andrew 1988).

The nominate form of the Bengal Florican is confined to the Indian sub¬

continent, where it is believed to be a resident in the remaining grasslands of

the Nepal terai, whilst in India it survives and breeds in many disjunct pockets

of habitat in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh

(Narayan and Rosalind 1 990) . In addition, a second little-known subspecies

E. b. blandini is known from Cambodia and Vietnam, where it appears to be

a partial migrant. This short paper summarizes our current knowledge of this

enigmatic Indochinese subspecies and provides some recent information on

its occurrence and habitat in south Vietnam.

THE QUEST

For many years Jean Delacour and his colleagues had been aware of reports

of bustards in Soai Rieng (Svay Rieng) Province, Cambodia, but believed

them to be mistaken. However, on 6 January 1 927 Delacour, P. Jabouille and

W. P. Lowe stopped at Soai Rieng where the local Resident [Senior

Administrator] M. J. Blandin informed them of the seasonal occurrence of

bustards in the province. On 1 2 January, Blandin presented them with a live

female Bengal Florican (Delacour 1929a).

The quest for the Bengal Florican in Indochina began in earnest at the end

of June 1928 following Blandin’s telegram to Jabouille informing him that the

annual passage of floricans had begun. A native collector was immediately

despatched with instructions to collect as many males in breeding plumage

as possible (Delacour 1929a, Jabouille 1929). After seven or eight days of

fruitless searching, Blandin and the collector drove 80 km north of Soai Rieng

40

J. C. EAMES

Forktail 1 1

Table 1 Biometrics of nine E. b. blandini (after Jabouille 1929)

to the village of Su Vu where, within a few days, they obtained eight

specimens. Two further localities were visited but no additional Bengal

Floricans were seen or obtained (Delacour 1 929a, Jabouille 1929).

DESCRIPTION

The type specimen of E. b. blandini was collected at Su Vu at sea-level on 7

July 1 928. Seven other specimens were also collected at this site. The type

is a male with a wing length of 322 mm; tail 1 48 mm; tarsus 1 32 mm; bill from

gape to tip 58 mm and exposed culmen 4 1 mm. The collector stated that the

iris was dark blue (Delacour 1 929a), which differs from Delacour’s additional

claim that the iris was brown, bill horny blackish-brown and legs and feet

yellowish-brown (Delacour 1929b).

Delacour described the new taxon following the examination of nine

specimens, which he found to closely resemble E. b. bengalensis , but which

differed in the rather richer colour of their plumage, in the shorter black

ornamental feathers of the male and the comparatively shorter wings and the

broader flatter bill [seven males: wings 315-322 mm, bill 55-60 mm; two

females: wings 325 mm, bill 57-60 mm]. Table 1 provides biometrics of

these nine specimens. Delacour named the new sub-species blandini in

honour of M. A. Blandin (Delacour 1929b).

DISTRIBUTION

In Indochina, the Bengal Florican was first recorded 60 miles (80 km) north

of Soai Rieng in south-east Cambodia, and subsequently in the adjacent

province of Tay Ninh in Vietnam (Delacour 1929a and 1929b, Jabouille

1929, Delacour and Jabouille 1931). The species was later observed by Dr.

P. Engelbach near Sisophon in north-west Cambodia, who also reported that

the species had been seen and several recovered in the province of Kampot

in southern Cambodia (Engelbach 1940a and 1940b).

1995

The Bengal Florican in Indochina

41

Delacour and M. Berlioz

subsequently discovered two

mounted specimens (male and

female) in the Paris Museum, dated

1880 and labelled ‘M. Pierre,

Tonkin’. Delacour stated that Pierre

(Director of the Saigon Botanical

gardens) never visited Tonkin and

that the birds were probably obtained

from the Saigon Zoological

[Botanical] Gardens, where they

were sent from Soai Rieng (Delacour 1929a, Delacour and Jabouille 1931).

The only recent reports from Cambodia are of one collected by Francis

Stewart in May 1 959 in Kompong Thom and the species was noted in 1960

in Battambang near Sisophon by Ho Tong Lip (Thomas 1964).

The Bengal Florican was not included in a review of birds which might have

once occurred in Thailand (Lekagul and Round 1991), although it may have

once inhabited the former grasslands of the flood-plain of the Chao Praya

Figure 1. Male Bengal Florican.

Figure 2. Places mentioned in the text.

42

J. C. EAMES

Forktail 1 1

River. In 1978 birds of unknown origin were reported from Bangkok bird-

market (Inskipp and Inskipp 1983).

Although previously reported from T ay Ninh Province in Vietnam (Delacour

and Jabouille 1931), it was only in February and March 1990 that Bengal

Floricans were first observed in Tam Nong District in nearby Dong Thap

Province by researchers working for the International Crane Foundation.

Two adult males and a third bird described as a female (but with white wings

and therefore an immature male), were observed at one locality and a third

male at a nearby second location. The birds were seen on a number of

occasions at these sites (Archibald 1990). Between 18 and 21 February 1993

two males were recorded in the same area (Huong Norton-Payson verbally) .

On 9 February 1 994, Jeb Barzen and I observed a female and Nguyen Cu,

Bjorn Erik Larsen and I saw and photographed a male in the same vicinity

on 1 0 and again on 1 4 February (Fig. 1 ) . These birds were seen at the same

location as the 1993 sightings. The localities at which E. bengalensis has been

seen and collected are indicated in Figure 2.

HABITAT

At Su Vu, Bengal Floricans were found in grassland about 1 m tall . The ground

was described as very dry but also seasonally covered with water (Jabouille

1929). In the 1 920s the Province ofSoaiRieng had great open plains, dry from

the autumn to the spring, suggesting extensive areas of habitat suitable for

Bengal Floricans (Delacour 1929a). In north-west Cambodia, Engelbach

flushed a male on 29 January 1939 whilst crossing the vast uncultivated plains

which extended from the east of Sisophon to the Thai border. Whilst offering

little in the way of further habitat description, he described the area as very

appropriate for this species (Engelbach 1940a and 1940b).

In February 1994, in Dong Thap Province, Vietnam, Bengal Floricans

were found in an habitat fragment (4 km2) supporting a mosaic of riparian

grassland vegetation (Figures 3 and 4). Grasses and sedges recorded in a

Figures 3 and 4. Riparian grassland habitat of the Bengal Florican.

1995

The Bengal Florican in Indochina

43

brief search of the area included Cynodon dactylon, Cyperus halpan, Eleocharis

dulcis, Fuirena umbellata , Oryza rufipogon and (probably) Saccharum sp.

V egetation composition varied and included areas supporting extensive beds

of Eleocharis dulcis. Vegetation structure included areas of short grassland c.

300 mm tall and with grasses up to 2 metres tall in wetter areas. The area was

mostly dry but did include some small water bodies not exceeding 50 m2.

MOVEMENTS

According to Blandin, Bengal Florican passage around Soai Rieng began at

the end of June and he believed the birds moved north to breed at the onset

of the rains. In the Su Vu area, local people reported that the Bengal Floricans

were only visitors and left the area at the beginning of the rains and did not

remain to breed (Delacour 1929a, Jabouille 1929). It was suggested by

Delacour that they went to nest in the semi-deserted and uninhabited part of

Cambodia between the River Mekong and the western slope of the Annamitic

chain (Delacour 1929a).

In Dong Thap Province, Vietnam a local farmer recently reported that

Bengal Floricans spent the dry season in the area and that he once found a

nest containing two white eggs which he believed to belong to the species.

[The same farmer also, however, reported seeing a flock of 20 Bengal

Floricans (Archibald 1990)]. However, Baker (1921) records the egg colour

of the nominate form as olive-green not white. On 4 January 1 994 I visited

a site in Dong Thap Province from which Bengal Floricans had been reported

in 1993. The entire area was still inundated with water and no Bengal

Floricans were noted.

DISCUSSION

As a result of civil strife, most of the entire range of E. b. blandinihas been off-

limits to ornithologists for the last forty years . W e have no recent information

at all about the present distribution of this species in Cambodia and it is

currently only known from one site in Vietnam.

Historical data on the dispersion and seasonal migration of E. b. Mandini

are scant but it seems possible that the movements and breeding of this bird

are linked to the arrival of the south-west monsoon and subsequent inundation

of some grassland areas. By June the south-west monsoon has begun in

southern Indochina and as areas become inundated one could expect Bengal

Floricans to move north to drier (higher) areas not yet affected by the rain and

imminent rise in water levels . This would account for a northward movement

around Soai Rieng in June, the absence of Bengal Floricans in Dong Thap in

44

J. C. EAMES

Forktail 1 1

January, and their reappearance by February once water levels had subsided.

If the movements of E. b. blandini are determined in this way then the

question arises of when and where does the species breed? In the Indian sub¬

continent the nominate sub-species begins its breeding cycle before the on¬

set of the rains, when the sparse grassland vegetation affords suitable habitat

for the males to establish territories within which to display. Pre-monsoon

showers afford the females opportunity to select nesting sites and most chicks

hatch before the monsoon arrives and the males then disperse (Narayan and

Rosalind 1990). In southern Vietnam and Cambodia, the south-west

monsoon usually begins in April or May. The records of Bengal Floricans

in Dong Thap Province in February could then refer to birds preparing to

breed there. The Bengal Florican is known to lay a second brood (Baker

1921) and it is possible that after breeding in Dong Thap floricans could

move north to attempt a second brood in the drier grasslands of Cambodia

not yet rejuvenated by the summer rains. However, it is also documented

that Bengal Floricans are seldom found in wet-land (Baker 1921) and it is

believed doubtful that they can nest successfully in flood-prone grasslands

(such as those in Dong Thap Province) (Narayan and Rosalind 1990). The

possibility therefore also exists that the birds in Dong Thap Province are non¬

breeding visitors. The plain truth is, however, that we just do not know.

CONSERVATION OUTLOOK

The current extent of suitable Bengal Florican habitat in Indochina is likely

to have been affected and reduced by human activities. Although the human

population of Cambodia is small (6.8 million in 1989), in neighbouring

Vietnam it is very high and was recently estimated to be 66.8 million (Collins

et al. 1991). Both Cambodia and Vietnam support agricultural economies

based on the intensive cultivation of wet rice and consequently both countries

have high rural population densities in areas favourable to this agricultural

activity. For example, in the lower Red River Delta of north Vietnam human

population density is extreme with around 1,200 persons per km2 (Fforde

1989).

In Vietnam, most suitable Bengal Florican habitat in the Plain of Reeds in

Dong Thap Province has already been converted to wet-rice cultivation and

it seems certain that large areas of the former grasslands in south-east

Cambodia have met a similar fate since Delacour and his colleagues visited

the area sixty-five years ago. The early settlement and cultivation of the

grasslands of central Thailand along the Chao Praya River would also

account for the absence of any documentation of the species’ former

occurrence in that country.

1995

The Bengal Florican in Indochina

45

In border districts of Dong Thap Province, Vietnam there are now many

Vietnamese who have left Cambodia as a result of continuing civil strife. The

locality at which Bengal Floricans were observed in February 1994 has new

settlers living along its perimeter and the grassland is already under conversion

to paddy. Drainage canals have been dug across the area and marker flags

have been posted to indicate land-claims by homesteaders. Indeed, wet rice

is already being cultivated along the southern periphery of the area. This site

is subject to disturbance by fisherman, who use a variety of means including

electro-shocking. It seems unlikely that Bengal Floricans will survive at this

site beyond 1994.

The Government of Vietnam has a programme to settle and cultivate

remaining areas in what was the Plain of Reeds. Much of this area has a low

agricultural potential for rice cultivation, because of the underlying acid

sulphate soils. The cultivation of these soils requires the application of high

levels of fertilizer and rice yields remain consistently low. The consequences

of excavating drainage canals in this area can be seen in Figure 4. Exposure

of the sub-soil to air results in rapid oxidation of the iron compounds therein,

whilst subsequent leaching into the ditch-water produces sulphuric acid,

which rapidly kills freshwater life.

Although Bengal Floricans have been seen recently in the nearby Tram

Chim Nature Reserve, it seems very unlikely that, if indeed the species does

breed in Vietnam, the available habitat in this protected area could support

more than 1-5 pairs given that territory size in India ranges from 2-4 ha

(Narayan 1990). The vegetation at this second site also superficially

appeared more homogeneous, both in structure and floral composition and

lacked the variation of open areas and edge habitats than at the site at which

I observed Bengal Floricans in February 1994. It is perhaps noteworthy

however, that Eastern Grass Owl Tyto longimembris was recorded at both

sites. This is a widespread but little-known grassland dependent species for

which Dong Thap Province is also the only currently known site for this

species in Indochina. Like the florican, this species may also be an indicator

of prime grassland habitats.

Although the outlook for the Bengal Florican in Dong Thap Province

appears bleak, it is encouraging that floricans have at least been discovered

at a new site in Vietnam and the possibility must exist that other small

populations may exist elsewhere in Dong Thap, Long An and Tay Ninh

Provinces in Vietnam.

An extensive survey of grassland areas in Cambodia and Vietnam is now

urgently required with a view to identifying areas suitable for protected area

establishment. Before any effective conservation prescription for this species

can be proposed we must discover the nature of the seasonal movements and

how they relate to breeding. The conservation of such a species with a

46

J. C. EAMES

Forktail 1 1

dispersed distribution poses a major challenge. However, with the increasing

relaxation of travel restrictions in both Cambodia and Vietnam at least the

possibility for conducting surveys has now become a real possibility and

should be seized!

I would like to thank my field companions Jeb Barzen, Huynh Duy Tu Thieng, Bjorn Erik Larsen and

Nguyen Cu. Thanks also to Robert Clay and Tim Inskipp, for providing me with key references and

to Huong Norton-Payson for being Huong Norton-Payson. Figure 1 was carefully created by Monica

MacKinnon during breaks from computer games. Thanks to Frank Lambert for commenting on an

earlier draft of this paper.

Fieldwork was undertaken over a public holiday whilst I was an employee of BirdLife International on

secondment to WWF - The World Wide Fund For Nature Vietnam Programme.

REFERENCES

Archibald, G. (1990) Observation of the Bengal Florican in Vietnam. Unpublished.

Baker, E.C.S.(1921) The gamebirds of India, Burmah andCeylon,2. Bombay : Bombay Natural History

Society.

Collar, N. J. and Andrew, P. (1988) Birds to watch: die ICBP world checklist of threatened birds. Cambridge,

United Kingdom: International Council for Bird Preservation.

Collins, N. M., Sayer, J. A. and Whitmore, T. C., eds. (1991) The conservation atlas of tropical forests: Asia

and the Pacific. London: Macmillan Press Ltd.

Delacour, J. (1 929a) On the birds collected during the fourth expedition to French Indo-China. Ibis

(12)5: 193-220.

Delacour,J. (1929b) (Three new subspecies from southern Indochina.) Bull. Brit. Om. Club49: 49-50.

Delacour, J. and Jabouille, P. (1931) Les oiseaux de Plndochine frangaise. Paris: Exposition Coloniale

Internationale.

Engelbach, P. (1940a) Notes sur quelques oiseaux du Cambodge. Comptes rendus du Sciences du Conseil

du Recherches Scientifiques de Plndochine: 35-40.

Engelbach, P. (1940b) Notes sur quelques oiseaux du Cambodge. L’Oiseau 10: 86-88.

Fforde, A. (1989) The agrarian question in north Vietnam 1974-1979. Armonk, New York: M. E. Sharpe

Inc.

Inskipp, C. and Inskipp, T. P. (1983) Report on a survey of Bengal Floricans Houbaropsisbengalensis in

Nepal and India, 1982. Cambridge, U.K.: International Council for Bird Preservation (Study report

no. 2).

Jabouille, P. (1929) Note sur les outardes de la region de Soai-Rieng (Cambodge). L’Oiseau 10: 151-

152.

Lekagul, Boonsongand Round, P. D. (1991) A guide to the birds of Thailand. Bangkok: SahaKamBhaet.

Narayan, G. (1990) General ecology and behaviour of Bengal Florican. Pp. 17-34 in Anon. Status and

ecology of the Lesser and Bengal Floricans with reports onjerdon ’s Courser and Mountain Quail. Bombay:

Bombay Natural History Society.

Narayan, G. and Rosalind, L. (1990) An introduction to the Bengal Florican. Pp. 9-16 in Anon. Status

and ecology of the Lesser and Bengal Floricans with reports on Jerdon’s Courser and Mountain Quail.

Bombay: Bombay Natural History Society.

Thomas, W. W. (1964) A preliminary list of the birds of Cambodia. Unpublished.

Jonathan C. Eames, BirdLife International Vietnam Programme, do WWF Vietnam Programme, Ministry of

Forestry, 123 Lo Due, Hanoi, Vietnam

1995

FORKTAIL 1 1 (1995): 47 - 100

47

Ornithological records from Laos,

1992-1993

R. M. THEWLIS, J. W. DUCKWORTH, G. Q. A. ANDERSON,

M. DVORAK, T. D. EVANS, E. NEMETH, R. J. TIMMINS and

R. J. WILKINSON

From October 1 992 to July 1993 birds were surveyed at one small nature reserve in North Laos ( sensu

King et al. 1975) and three large protected areas of forest in South and Central Laos. Status and

distributional data are presented for 437 species, including eight Globally Threatened and 2 1 Globally

Near-threatened species ( sensu Collar et al. 1994), namely Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi, Green

Peafowl Pavo muticus , White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata, Red-collared Woodpecker Picus rabieri,

Brown Hornbill Anorrhinus tickelli, Sarus Crane Grus antigone , Masked Finfoot Heliopais personata,

Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, Jerdon’s Baza Avicedajerdoni, Lesser Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga

humilis, Grey-headed Fish-eagle I. ichthyaetus, White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis, Long-billed

Vulture G. indicus. Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus , Rufous-winged Buzzard Butastur liventer,

White-rumped Falcon Polihierax insignis, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Schrenck’s Bittern

Ixobrychus eurhylhmus. White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni, Giant Ibis P. gigantea, Lesser Adjutant

Leptoptilosjavanicus, Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta soror. Bar-bellied Pitta P. elliotii, Yellow-breasted Magpie

Cissa hypoleuca, Brown-rumped Minivet Pericrocotus cantonensis, Green Cochoa Cochoa viridis , Red¬

tailed Laughingthrush Garrulax milnei, Grey-faced Tit-Babbler Macronous kelleyi, Rufous-throated

Fulvetta Alcippe rufogularis and, provisionally, Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda and Asian Golden

Weaver Ploceus hypoxanthus. A further 24 species regarded as being At Risk in Thailand by T reesucon

and Round (1990) were recorded. The observations of Giant Ibis Pseudibis gigantea were the first any

where since 1962.

NON-STANDARD ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS

USED

NR, Nature Reserve; IUCN, The World Conservation Union; NBCA,

National Biodiversity Conservation Area.

Lao words incorporated into place names: Houay= stream, Xe = river,

Nam = river, Phou = mountain, Sayphou = ridge, Ban = village, Pak = river

mouth, Nong = lake or pool.

The division of Laos into North, Central and South used by Delacour and

Jabouille (1931) and King et al. (1975) is followed throughout this paper.

Central Laos is defined to the north by a line running east-northeast to a point

a little north of Ban Nape. The river Xe Banghiang forms the southern

boundary.

The term Indochina is used here, following King et al. (1975), to refer

collectively to the three countries of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

The taxonomy and nomenclature of Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993) are

followed throughout.

48

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

The vegetation classification follows that of Round (1988), who details the

characteristics of the forest types.

For discussions of abundance, the terms ‘common’, ‘frequent’ and

’occasional’ are defined in Appendix 1.

- IS°\

v. Phou Khao Khouay i Y ,

Nam Neum Reservoir' - ^

J‘ Baa Pabumkadmt; \

, ' Houay Nhang Nature Reserve^ Pakxan

/ Thai^ou'* PhaSom*

/ \=£^' , , Tb«i« £-\

> X

KEY

hist iM Province?

' - PhqjlCa4l>

J - Luane Namtlta

• - Bokcc

4 - Oudomsai

5 - Sayaboury

6 - Luang Prabang

" - Uouaphsm

8 - Xieng Khouang

9 - Vientiane Ihovmce

0 Site* with prt 1 950 record?

• Site* visited 1991-93

Lint separating Provinces

hioceoeraphnaJ Regions

- Line separanng North, Central and South as

used by King et al (1975).

— - - Line separating tht three sub-units of Central

Indochina r 10a). North Indochina (10b) and Annum (Sb)

following MacKinnon and MacKinnoa (1986)

SCALE Km

0

100

11 Bonkhamsat

i: KJiammouanc

1 ^ - Savannakhet

14 - Sara vane

15 - Sekong

16 - Champasak

IT - Altopeu

Figure 1. Laos, showing locations mentioned in the text and biogeographical regions.

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992-1993

49

INTRODUCTION

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (hereafter called Laos) has a lower

human population density (18.9 people/km2) than the neighbouring countries

of Thailand (1 13.7 people/km2) and Vietnam (214.4 people/km2; Europa

1995). It also has a large area of natural forest cover remaining: 47.2% of the

country retains at least 20% canopy cover (Lao-Swedish Forestry Co¬

operation Programme 1992). This suggests that it is very likely to be a

country of major importance for wildlife conservation, although very few

observations of wildlife have been made and published since 1950.

Between October 1992 and July 1993, birds were surveyed at four existing

or proposed protected areas in Laos as part of a broad-based assessment of

conservation management priorities at each site (Duckworth et al. 1992,

1993, Timmins et al. 1993 a, b). Incidental observations at other sites

extended to September 1993. Fieldwork was unstructured because the main

objective was to find as many species at each study site as possible. Particular

effort was devoted to searching for globally threatened species of birds. These

surveys operated with the close cooperation of, and support from, the then

Protected Areas and Wildlife Division of the National Office for Nature

Conservation and Watershed Management of the Department of Forestry.

Of 626 species of birds previously recorded from Laos, 437 (70%) were

found, with provisional records of a further eight. This is a high proportion

considering that neither mountainous areas of the North nor the Annamites

were visited. While partly due to the 99 species of Palaearctic migrants

detected, it reflects the importance of the areas surveyed. Six species found

had not previously been recorded from North Laos, 19 from Central Laos

and 24 from South Laos. Additionally, 1 1 species were new to the country

as a whole; two of these 1 1 were new to Indochina . Eight Globally Threatened,

21 Globally Near-threatened species and 24 species regarded as At Risk in

Thailand were recorded. These totals do not include provisional records

except where stated.

This paper documents new information concerning the distribution and

status of birds in Laos. Further information on the status and conservation

of threatened birds in Laos is given by Thewlis et al. (in prep.). Mammal

records from these surveys are discussed in Duckworth (1994 a,b) and

Duckworth et al. (1994, in press).

STUDY SITES

All sites mentioned in the text are listed in Appendix 3. Place names used in

the literature are followed throughout this text: some are not in current use

and Appendix 3 should be referred to for names in current use. Fig. 1 . shows

the location most of the places mentioned in the text.

50

R. M. THEWLIS el al.

Forktail 1 1

Main localities visited

Xe Pian National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Champasak and Attapu

Provinces, South Laos (14°00' -14°50’N 105°53'-106t,30’E): 28 November

1992 - 14 March 1993; 6-15 May 1993. See Timmins et al. (1993b).

The Xe Pian NBCA (Fig. 2) includes about 1,500 km2 of semi-evergreen

forest, mostly little-degraded and on rolling hills at 150-350 m. This is

supplemented by two regions of different habitat, Dong Kalo to the south and

the Xe Khong plains to the east, totalling an additional 900 sq. km, which

support a mosaic of semi-evergreen, mixed deciduous and dry dipterocarp

forests and contain many small wetlands. The highest point is 844 m. Much

of the southern boundary runs along the international frontier with Cambodia

where similar forest is apparently found (satellite imagery held at the

National Office of Forest Inventory and Planning, Vientiane) . The northern

fringe of the protected area consists of a heavily exploited mosaic of mixed

deciduous forest and wetlands, some seasonal and some permanent, and

abuts agricultural land. The Xe Khong plains were visited during 28

February to 1 3 March and Dong Kalo from 30 January to 3 February. Most

records from the main semi-evergreen forest and the northern fringe come

from late November to the end of January, but these sectors were also visited

in early May. Engelbach (1927a,b, 1929, 1932) detailed observations over

six years in South Laos: this includes records from the Pakxe area gathered

in the company of the sixth Indochinese expedition (Delacour 1932). None

of Engelbach’s records seems to relate to the area now enclosed by Xe Pian

NBCA. Many of his records come from the plains adjacent to the Xe Khong

river, but they relate to the Xe Khong in its more northerly reaches, to the east

and north-east of the Bolovens Plateau, and not to the region downstream

known here as the Xe Khong plains.

Dong Hua Sao National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Champasak and

Attapu Provinces, South Laos (14°50’ - 15°1 l’N, 105°55' - 106°17’E): 12

May - 26 July 1993. See Timmins et al. (1993a).

Dong Hua Sao NBCA (Fig. 4) covers about 900 km2 of the southern

Bolovens Plateau, the intervening slope and adjacent lowlands. Most (70%)

of the area lies below 250 m, but the sheer escarpment and plateau rise to over

1 ,200 m. The slope forest is largely primary, but the plateau is rapidly being

cleared for coffee plantations and most lowland forests have been heavily

degraded by logging. The area is surrounded by cultivation except to the east,

where a large tract of forest probably links Dong Hua Sao NBCA with Xe

Pian NBCA. Lowland and slope semi-evergreen forest covers over half the

area, although there is also extensive mixed deciduous forest in the lowlands.

The majority of forest on the plateau is hill evergreen forest. The Bolovens

Plateau was visited during 30 May to 22 June and observations were made

in the lowlands during most of May and July. Engelbach (1927a, 1 929, 1932)

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

51

Ban

14°45rN

1 0o°30‘E

14°45'N_

Phou Ulay

A (844 m)

V/

Ban Naseripban

/

14° 1 5 N

Ban Samkhung

Phou Mailai a 4

(270 .n) 4

Khinak

1 4U00'N -

Bun Thakho

•jKhonphapheng Falls

*N$an

CAMBODIA

1 0o°30’F

Ban Phalay

Ban Taong

KEY : Villages:

I . Ban Phapbo 2.

3. Ban Nongptng 4

5 Ban Tauang

6. Ban Mesane or Ban Houei Mesang

7 Ban Nongkhe 8. Ban Pakbo

9. Ban Xot

10. Houei Saoe 15. Nong Kasai

II. Houei Kua 16. Nong Loum

12. Houei Tapkua

13. Houei Kaliang

14. Xe Pian-Xe Khanipho Confluence

Key to parts of the Protected Area:

A Xe Pian main semi-evergreen forest block

B Xe Kong plains

C Dong Kalo ^ Area of highest steep mils

D Ban Phapho wetlands

- - Protected Area boundary

— ■ — < — 4 International boundary

===== Major road (unsurf accd) Surveyed Areas

All names follow those on 1 : 100 000 topographic maps

except H. Meuy, here called H. Saoe.

SCALE:

Figure 2. Xe Pian National Biodiversity Conservation Area.

52

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

Figure 3. Phou Xang He National Biodiversity Conservation Area.

collected birds in the northern half of the Bolovens Plateau (outside the area

of Dong Hua Sao NBCA) and the sixth Indochinese expedition (Delacour

1932) spent three months based on the plateau.

Phou Xang He National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Savannakhet

Province, Central Laos ( 1 6°42'- 1 7°04’N 1 05u 1 9’- 1 06°06’E) : 20 March - 2 1

April 1993. See Duckworth et al. (1993).

Phou Xang He NBCA lies about 85 km east of the town of Savannakhet.

The 1,140 km2 area (Fig. 3) consists of two largely forested hill ranges, mostly

at 200-700 m altitude, orientated north-west to south-east. The two ranges

are divided by a flat corridor, 6-10 km wide, containing many villages and

forest fragments. The protected area is surrounded by largely deforested

plains. The eponymous massif Phou Xang He is a large sandstone formation

dominated by semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forest enduring marked

drought conditions during the dry season. On the opposite side of the

corridor, Phou Hinho is a steep igneous formation with narrow ridges and

valleys, supporting a distinctive form of semi-evergreen forest with a very low

proportion of deciduous trees, occurring below 1,000 m. South of the

protected area is a tract of flat, mainly lateritic land dominated by dry

dipterocarp forest. The survey concentrated most effort on the lowland

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992- 1 993

53

Figure 4. Dong Hua Sao National Biodiversity Conservation Area.

corridor as this was under the greatest immediate threat. Although there are

various historical references from Central Laos, only David-Beaulieu (1949-

1950), who accumulated observations over four years in Savannakhet

province, is relevant to the Phou Xang He NBCA region.

HouayNhang Nature Reserve, Vientiane Prefecture, North Laos (18°04’N

1 02°4 1 ’E) : 1 6 October- 1 6 November 1 992; sporadic visits between January

and September 1993. See Duckworth et al. (1992).

Houay Nhang Nature Reserve covers 808 ha at 200 m altitude and is

situated 1 4 km north of Vientiane. The reserve comprises degraded lowland

semi-evergreen forest, areas resembling dry dipterocarp forest, regenerating

scrub and rice paddies. Several streams, ponds and other features including

seasonal habitations are present. Details of the habitat, climate and topography

are given in Salter and Venevongphet (1988) and brief notes on the birds

were presented by Robichaud (1992). Bangs and VanTyne (1931) list some

significant records from Ban Thenkhen, which is close to Houay Nhang, but

the Vientiane area was surprisingly poorly documented in the past.

54

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

Other localities visited and dates

Incidental observations were made at the following sites:

1 : Vientiane, including Don Chuan Sandbank (Garden Island), North Laos,

numerous dates October 1992 - September 1993.

2: Savannakhet town, Central Laos, occasional dates November 1 992 - July

1993.

3: Ban Thadua, Vientiane Municipality, North Laos, numerous dates October

1992 - September 1993.

4: VangVieng, Vientiane Province, North Laos, 28-29 August 1993 (limestone

outcrops amid cultivation).

5: Nam Ngum Reservoir, Vientiane Province, North Laos, 15 November

1992.

6: Attapu town, South Laos, 26 January 1993.

7: Khong-Phapheng Falls and Ban Thakho, Champasak Province, South

Laos, 4-8 February 1993 (a 5 km stretch of the Mekong with waterfalls is

collectively referred to as ‘Khone Falls’. We visited specifically the Khong-

Phapheng Falls and areas of degraded forest nearby).

8: Xe Khong river, Attapu Province, South Laos, 13 March 1993. Records

come from between the inflow of the Xe Pian river and the town of

Senamsai, a distance of 40-50 km. Some of the stretch is within the Xe Pian

NBCA; records are not duplicated in the columns for the NBCA.

9: Pakxe, Champasak Province, South Laos (including some records from

Pakxe fish farm, on the outskirts of the town); numerous dates November

1992 -July 1993.

10: Pha Som/Naliang limestone outcrop (18°00’N 104°19’30”E),Khammouane

Province, Central Laos, various dates November 1992 - July 1993.

1 1 : Lao Pako, a small resort in degraded forest, scrub and cultivation at 200

m beside the Nam Ngum river, Vientiane Province, North Laos, 17-19

April 1993.

12:Phou Khao Khouay NBCA, Vientiane Province, North Laos, 1 1 April

1993, between the area headquarters and the waterfall at Tat Leuk.

13:Tha Ngon Reservoir, just north of Houay Nhang, Vientiane Province

North Laos, occasional dates between October 1992 and January 1993.

14: Degraded forest on the southern slope of Phou Bachiang 5 km east of the

centre of Pakxe, Champasak Province, South Laos, 22 November 1992.

15: Ban Samkhang, Champasak Province, South Laos, 3-4 February 1993.

1 6 : Muang Khong town and nearby scrub and cultivation, Champasak Province,

South Laos, 29 January and 8 February 1993.

17: Ban Thong Song, Route 13, Savannakhet Province, Central Laos, 23

March 1993.

18:Nong Puh area, South Laos (10 km east of Khong-Phapheng Falls), 5

February 1993.

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992-1993

55

RECORDS OF PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE

Records of all bird species found are detailed by site in Appendix 1 ; the more

interesting of these records are discussed in the species accounts below. A

summary is given for all records of Globally Threatened or Near-Threatened

species and those At Risk in Thailand (sensu Collar etal. 1994 andTreesucon

and Round 1990 respectively), to allow a baseline to be constructed for

species known to be under pressure elsewhere. It is anticipated that following

future work, some species listed as At Risk in Thailand are likely to prove

common and widespread in Laos. For species not in these two sources, the

only records discussed are geographical or altitudinal range extensions or

clarifications of seasonal status. Thus, if a study site is not mentioned in a

species entry, this does not imply that the species was not recorded there; at

this point Appendix 1 should be referred to. Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.)

review the status of all species in Indochina; this work greatly facilitated the

setting into context of the present records. Delacour and Jabouille (1931,

1 940) discussed all species occurring in Laos with comments on their status;

the former work incorporated previous published observations and, apparently,

many others which were not otherwise published. King et al. (1975)

presented the only recent breakdown of species occurrence by region within

Laos: all cases where records from 1992-1993 extended or clarified the

known geographical range as shown in this source are discussed, even where

it turned out that earlier records had been overlooked in its compilation.

Bar-backed Partridge Arborophila brunneopectus At Risk in Thailand

Local in semi-evergreen and hill evergreen forest of Phou Xang He NBCA

and Dong Hua Sao NBCA. Previous observers found it frequently throughout

Laos (Engelbach 1932, Delacour and Jabouille 1940, David-Beaulieu 1949-

1950).

Silver Pheasant Lophura nycthemera At Risk in Thailand A few were

recorded above 900 m in primary hill evergreen forest on the Bolovens

Plateau (Dong Hua Sao NBCA). Engelbach (1932) found it very common

in hill forest on the plateau; the race L. n. engelbachivjas, described as endemic

to the Bolovens Plateau (Delacour 1977). The validity of the subspecies L.

n. engelbachi was questioned by McGowan and Panchen (1994).

Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi Globally Threatened Fairly common at

Xe Pian NBCA in primary semi-evergreen forest and scarcer in degraded

forest at the edge of the NBCA. One was seen on Route 1 8 on 26 January near

the crossing of the Xe Pian river, along the current NBCA boundary.

Although recorded at Phou Xang He NBCA (two on Phou Xang He, 29

March; a pair in the corridor in a forest patch on 1 April; a male with two

females there on 1 1 April; and heard near Ban Nalay on 20 April), its status

56

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

could not be assessed due to the paucity of suitable paths from which to see

pheasants; this may also account for the absence of confirmed records at

Dong Hua Sao NBCA. Hundreds of birds are snared annually in Xe Pian

NBCA and probably at the other sites.

Grey Peacock-Pheasant Polyplectron bicalcaratum At Risk in Thailand

Probably common in semi-evergreen forest throughout Xe Pian NBCA

(although heard frequently only at Houay Tapkua, this may have been a

seasonal effect) where many hunters’ plucking piles were found. The species

was heard in Phou Xang He NBCA, but no feathers were found nor were

birds seen. Neither King et al. (1975) nor Delacour (1977) list it for South

Laos. P. b. bicalcaratum ranges from Chittagong and Tenasserim through

Thailand to North Laos and southern Yunnan, whereas P. b. ghigii is found

in Annam (Delacour and Jabouille 1931); from comparison with skins at the

British Museum (Tring), birds in Xe Pian NBCA fitted the latter well. At Ban

Nape (Central Laos) and Chapa (Tonkin) birds intermediate between the

two subspecies were found (Delacour 1929).

Green Peafowl Pavo muticus Globally Threatened Singles were heard at

two localities near the confluence of the Xe Khampho and Xe Pian rivers (Xe

Pian NBCA) around dawn and dusk on several days in March. Displaying

was said by villagers to occur near the confluence of the Xe Khong and Xe

Pian rivers. No evidence was found at Dong Kalo (Xe Pian NBCA) although

villagers reported that they inhabit the Phou Mailai area. There were two

sightings (possibly of the same bird) at Quan Moor (Dong Hua Sao NBCA)

at 250 m on 28 June and 3 July, a locality reported to hold up to 70 birds in

March. Green Peafowl once occurred throughout Indochina (Delacour and

Jabouille 1940); hunting has greatly reduced this species which was once

considered to be as common as Red Junglefowl G alius gallus (Delacour and

Jabouille 1925). The species is considered in more detail by Evans and

Timmins ( Forktail , this issue).

White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata Globally Threatened One flew

along Houay Kua (Xe Pian NBCA) on 27 December. They are reported by

locals in the area. The status, natural history and conservation of this species

in Laos is considered by Evans and Tizard (in prep.).

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata One market specimen was noted at

Vientiane in 1991 (Srikosamatara etal. 1992). This species has not previously

been recorded in Laos (Mlikovsky and Inskipp in prep.) and is treated here

so that details of all species not listed for Laos by King et al. (1975) are

included.

White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis At Risk in Thailand

Frequent on the Xe Khong plains and Dong Kalo, mostly in mixed

deciduous forest, and occasional in mixed deciduous forest in the northern

fringe (all Xe Pian NBCA).

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992-1993

57

Red-collared Woodpecker Picus rabieri Globally Threatened Common

in all primary semi-evergreen forest, frequent in degraded semi-evergreen

forest but scarce in other habitats (including heavily logged forest) up to 450

m at Xe Pian NBC A, Dong Hua Sao NBCA and Phou Xang He NBC A. The

species occurs throughout Laos (Delacour and Jabouille 1940) including

Pakxe (Engelbach 1932).

Black-headed Woodpecker Picus erythropygius At Risk in Thailand

Common at Dong Kalo and the Xe Khong plains (Xe Pian NBCA) and at

Phou Xang He NBCA in dry dipterocarp forest with fewer in mixed

deciduous forest. Its abundance in the dry dipterocarp forest, the least

threatened of woody habitats, suggests that the species is unlikely to be

threatened by habitat destruction in the near future.

Pale-headed Woodpecker Gecinulus grantia At Risk in Thailand Locally

common in primary and degraded semi-evergreen forest on flat and steep

terrain at all altitudes surveyed in Xe Pian NBCA and Phou Xang He NBCA.

At these sites it seemed associated with large stands of a bamboo which grew

only under the forest canopy. In Dong Hua Sao NBCA, two on 5 June and

one on 1 1 June were in primary hill evergreen forest at 1,100 m away from

any large bamboos. Treesucon and Round (1990) regarded it as being At

Risk in Thailand due to its very restricted range there (it is largely replaced

by Bamboo Woodpecker G. viridis), whereas east of the Mekong (and north

into China and west to Nepal) the species is widespread (King et al. 1975),

as it is in Laos (Delacour and Jabouille 1940).

Red-vented Barbet Megalaima lagrandieri Common in primary and degraded

forest in Dong Hua Sao NBCA on the Bolovens Plateau (1,000 m) and in

Phou Xang He NBCA at all altitudes surveyed (200-500 m). At Xe Pian

NBCA one fed in a fruiting tree with Lineated Barbets M. lineata beside the

Xe Khampho river ( 1 00 m) on 5 March, but in view of the observer effort in

Xe Pian NBCA, the species is clearly exceptional there between November

and May. King et al.( 1975) excluded Central Laos from the species’s range,

although Delacour (1929) had found it to be abundant near Ban Nape. It was

previously found to be common in well-wooded areas of the Bolovens

Plateau (Engelbach 1932). This species was previously listed as Globally

Near-threatened (Collar and Andrew 1988).

Great Hornbill B uceros bicomis At Risk in Thailand Up to four birds were

seen from the steep slopes of the Houay Tapkua valley (Xe Pian NBCA) on

14, 15 and 19 February. This small number of records contrasts with a

former assessment as common in well-wooded areas of southern Laos,

particularly in hills and mountains (Engelbach 1932).

Brown Hornbill Anorrhinus tickelli Globally Near-Threatened Only

found at Phou Xang He NBCA (400 m) where up to three birds occasionally

associated with flocks of the much commoner Oriental Pied-Hornbill

58

R. M. THEWLIS el al.

Forktail 1 1

Anthracoceros albirostris; the lack of records elsewhere is surprising as they

were recorded throughout Laos (Delacour and Jabouille 1940) and were

considered to be common on the Bolovens Plateau (Engelbach 1932).

Wreathed HoRNBiLLHceros undulatus At Risk in Thailand Small numbers,

rarely including flocks of up to 2 1 were seen almost daily in Xe Pian NBCA

and rather less frequently in Dong Hua Sao NBCA, where it was particularly

scarce on the plateau with only one sighting of three birds on 7 June. Parties

often flew over agricultural land and deciduous habitats to the north of Xe

Pian NBCA in December and January and may have been travelling to and

from Dong Hua Sao NBCA. Two were seen in Phou Xang He NBCA on 1 5

April, and unidentified large hornbills wrere heard there on a few other

occasions. Historically it was the rarest hornbill in Savannakhet, with only

one seen in two years (David-Beaulieu 1949-1950), paralleling our

observations at Phou Xang He NBCA.

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Common in all study sites visited during

October-April, but unrecorded from Dong Hua Sao NBCA which was

visited in May-July. Many birds were seen by paddies and streams in

Vientiane (including the city centre) from mid August and through September,

after none had been seen between early July and mid August. This pattern

of records strongly suggests that birds are mainly or entirely non-breeding

migrants to the areas visited, contra King et al. (1975) who indicated that the

species is resident throughout Laos. Past resident observers in the South and

Centre (Engelbach 1927a, 1932, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950) made no

mention of seasonality, but the species was a breeding resident in Tranninh

(David-Beaulieu 1 944) . It is primarily a winter migrant to Thailand, breeding

but locally (Lekagul and Round 1991) and it is likely that the same is true in

much of Laos.

Blue-eared Kingfisher/I/c^o meninting Frequent at all three study sites in

South and Central Laos. The only previous Lao record is of two near Ban

Namkeung-Kao in North Laos (Delacour and Greenway 1940).

Black-backed Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus Locally common in lowlands at

Dong Hua Sao NBCA, singles on 26 March and 17 April on Phou Hinho

(Phou Xang He NBCA) and singles at Xe Pian NBCA on 1 0 December and

8 May. All previous Lao records relate to the North (Bangs and Van Tyne

1931, David-Beaulieu 1944).

Banded Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella Common at Phou Xang He NBCA in

semi-evergreen forest; only previously recorded in Laos in the North and

South (Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, Engelbach 1932, David-Beaulieu 1 944) .

Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda At Risk in Thailand Two singles

along forest streams in Phou Xang He NBCA on 1 0 April (Ban Lavay) and

17 April (Phou Hinho). The only previous Lao record is of a single from

Tranninh (North Laos) on 17 April 1938 (David-Beaulieu 1944). Both

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992-1993

59

resident and migrant populations occur in Thailand (Lekagul and Round

1991). The three Lao records, all being in April, may relate to migrants.

Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata King etal. (1975) were unsure of

the seasonal status of this species in South Laos; our observations suggest that

it is only a winter migrant to this region as, although common in wetlands and

along rivers at Xe Pian NBCA during November to March, it was not

recorded there in May, nor at Dong Hua Sao NBCA in May-July.

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus vagans Singles in bamboo at Houay

Kua on 1 0 December and in degraded forest at Ban Nongping (both Xe Pian

NBCA) on 23 January. These are the first records for Indochina; no records

were traced by Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.). See Duckworth ( Forktail

this issue) for further details.

Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus fugax One adult on the Xe Khong plains

(Xe Pian NBCA) on 6 March. This is the first record for Laos; no records

were traced by Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.) and it was recently recorded

in Central Annam for the first time by Robson et al. (1993a).

Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus Three singles at Houay Nhang

NR on 27 October, 9 and 1 2 November. Historical records in Laos came only

from the South (King et al. 1975). The only previous record with details is

of a male near Pakxe in February 1 932 (Engelbach 1 932) .

Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria At Risk in Thailand Recorded

only at Xe Pian NBCA and Ban Thakho where scattered pairs occupied open

forest areas. It is a popular cagebird and nest robbery is exterminating the

Thai population (Round 1988); other parakeet species were taken from the

nest at Xe Pian NBCA (pers. obs., Cox et al. 1991).

Swiftlet Collocalia sp. Singles at Houay Nhang NR on 18 and 26 October,

on the Xe Khong plains (Xe Pian NBCA) on 10 March and around Houay

Namphak (Dong Hua Sao NBCA) from 12 to 24 May. On 19 March,

between Savannakhet and Pakxan, many flocks of 15-20 were seen in rural

areas. At Vangviang about 40 were seen in late August; the latter three areas

contain suitable breeding habitat, the former two do not.

King et al. (1975) treated all swiftlets from Laos under C. brevirostris and

listed these only for the North. Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993) list C.

brevirostris and C. rogersi from Laos, but not C. gemtani. Two historical

primary references to swiftlets in Laos were traced by Mlikovsky and Inskipp

(in prep.). Bangs and van Tyne (1931) collected one male C. francica gennani

(= C. gemtani ) from the Nam Ou near Ban Thenkhen (North Laos) in June

1929, and David-Beaulieu (1944) recorded this form as a regular double

passage migrant through Tranninh; six males were collected. C. rogersi was

described (as C. brevirostris rogersi ) from a Thai specimen; it was recorded as

breeding in the Southern Shan states (Myanmar), north-west Tonkin, North

Laos, and northern and western Thailand, wherever limestone crags occurred,

60

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

and wintering in peninsular Thailand and Malaysia (Deignan 1955).

Unfortunately, neither the collector, the site nor the museum specimen

numbers are given for the northern Lao record of C. rogersi, but it is

presumably referable either to specimens not described in previous

publications, or to a re-identification of those of Bangs and Van Tyne or

David-Beaulieu, or both.

Brown-backed Needlet ail Hirundapus giganteus Commonly recorded at all

study sites in all visits. Delacour and Jabouille ( 1 940) and King et al. (1975)

described this species as found in north-east Laos, but did not list it from

elsewhere. The lack of historical records is probably due to identification

difficulties: neither Engelbach (1932) nor David-Beaulieu (1949-1950)

identified any needletails to species as they could not secure any specimens.

It is clearly common throughout South and Central Laos and probably

present throughout the year. It seems to have been under-recorded elsewhere

in Indochina as the first records from North Annam came in 1 988 and from

Central Annam in 1991 (Robson et al. 1993b).

Mountain Scops-Owl Otus spilocephalus Heard nightly at Phou Xang He

NBC A between 26 March and 1 8 April. This species has not previously been

recorded from Central Laos, according to Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.).

Tawny/Buffy Fish-Owl Ketupa flavipes Globally Near-Threatened/K

ketupu Singles seen at Houay Saoe (1,3 and 4 December), Dong Kalo (31

January) and the Xe Khong plains (3 and 6 March), all in Xe Pian NBCA.

These birds were along seasonal streams in semi-evergreen forest and mixed

deciduous/dry dipterocarp forest mosaic, except the Xe Khong plains

individual which was at a small pool in dry dipterocarp forest. The Xe Khong

plains bird was believed, on grounds of size, most likely to be Tawny. Tawny

Fish-Owl is known in Laos only as a very rare bird in Tranninh (David-

Beaulieu 1 944) . Buffy Fish-Owl is known in Laos only from the South where

one was collected at Ban Thateng in 1931 (Engelbach 1932).

Spotted Wood-Owl Strix seloputo Calls heard near the confluence of the Xe

Khong and Xe Pian rivers (Xe Pian NBCA) on 3 March fitted the description

in Lekagul and Round (1991) of the call of this species, which is not yet

recorded from Laos (Mlikovsky and Inskipp in prep.).

Brown Wood-Owl Strix leptogrammica Single records in Xe Pian NBCA

(two on 19 December; semi-evergreen forest, 200 m) and Dong Hua Sao

NBCA (8 July; mixed deciduous forest, 250 m) and one seen in Salavan

market (South Laos; R. Dobias verbally 1994). Previously known in Laos

only from Phongsali and Tranninh, North Laos (Delacour 1926, Delacour

and Jabouille 1927, Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, David-Beaulieu 1944).

Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei Described as occurring usually above

600 m in Thailand (Lekagul and Round 1991) yet recorded commonly at

150 m at both Xe Pian NBCA and Phou Xang He NBCA. It has been

recorded at sea level in Vietnam (C. Robson in lift. 1994).

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

61

Hodgson’s Frogmouth Batrachostomus hodgsoni A call tape-recorded from

1,100 m on the Bolovens Plateau (Dong Hua Sao NBCA) is likely to be of

Hodgson’s Frogmouth (P. D. Round verbally 1993). The species was found

on the Bolovens Plateau in February 1932 (Dickinson 1970) and also

recorded from Ban Namkeung-Kao, North Laos (Delacour and Greenway

1940).

Blyth’s Frogmouth Batrachostomus affinis At Risk in Thailand Three

types of call heard consistently in the lowlands at Xe Pian NBCA were tape-

recorded, one of which was also heard in the lowlands of Dong Hua Sao

NBCA, at Houay Nhang NR on 15 April and at Lao Pako in mid-April.

These resemble ‘Javan Frogmouth’ in Thailand (P. D. Round verbally 1993),

referred by Sibley and Monroe (1990) to Blyth’s Frogmouth. No records of

this form were traced from Laos by Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.).

Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera At Risk in Thailand

Eight in dry dipterocarp forest at Nong Puh near Ban Senhom (within Dong

Kalo) on 5 February. In Xe Pian NBCA, common (up to five birds per day)

on the Xe Khong plains and present at Dong Kalo in mixed deciduous forest;

birds were sometimes seen in adjacent dry dipterocarp forest.

Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea At Risk in Thailand Occasionally

seen in degraded and riverside semi-evergreen forest at Xe Pian NBCA, but

rather infrequently recorded there, deep in continuous semi-evergreen

forest; present in the lowlands but not the higher areas at Dong Hua Sao

NBCA. The species was previously recorded widely and commonly throughout

Laos (e.g. Engelbach 1932, Delacour and Jabouille 1940)

Sarus Crane Grus antigone Globally Near-Threatened Two adults and a

juvenile on the Xe Khong plains (Xe Pian NBCA) on 5 March. Small

numbers were previously recorded in Xe Pian NBCA by Cox etal. (1991) and

Salter (1993). This subspecies, G. a. sharpii, is already extinct in some

countries, including Thailand (Scott and Poole 1989, Lekagul and Round

1991).

Masked Finfoot Heliopais personata Globally Threatened Two singles on

the Xe Pian river (Xe Pian NBCA) in early March 1993. Mlikovsky and

Inskipp (in prep.) traced no previous Lao records.

Common Coot Fulica atra One at Nong Kasay (Xe Pian NBCA) on 2 and

5 January; the only previous Lao record is of one at Muang Soui, North Laos

(David-Beaulieu 1944).

Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Three singles in Xe Pian NBCA: 27

November (deep in semi-evergreen forest); 1 and 10 March (by the Xe

Khampho river) . The species was previously known in Laos from the North

and Central regions (Delacour and Jabouille 1927, Delacour and Greenway

1940, David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950).

62

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Singles near Ban Phapho on 30 and 3 1

December, then two on 2 January near Ban Phalay (Xe Pian NBCA). The

only previous Lao record was from the North, of one in Tranninh (David-

Beaulieu 1944).

Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus Counts of 1 00 at Nong Loum and

60 at Nong Kasay supplemented smaller numbers elsewhere in Xe Pian

NBCA during January. The species was previously known in Laos only from

the Central region (Robinson and Kloss 1931, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950),

although Perennou and Mundkur (1991) recorded them at unspecified

localities in the country.

Sand Plover Charadrius sp. A single was seen on the Mekong at Vientiane

on 29 April. Neither Mongolian C. moiigolus nor Greater C. leschenaultii are

mapped as occurring near the Mekong in Thailand (Lekagul and Round

1991). Historically, both species were rare on the Mekong at Savannakhet

(Central Laos) and 1-4 Mongolians were seen (one taken) at Xieng-

Khouang (North Laos) on 24 September 1938 (David-Beaulieu 1 944, 1 949-

1950).

Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus Globally Near-Threatened

Common in suitable habitat in the northern zone of Xe Pian NBCA where

flocks of up to 24 were recorded from November to January; five flew over

Houay Nhang NR on 31 October; up to four were seen at Tha Ngon

Reservoir from October to December, and a single flew east along the

Mekong at Ban Thadua on 20 March.

Small Pratincole Glareola lactea At Risk in Thailand Along the Xe Khong

river, 145 birds were seen in 50 km on 1 3 March. More were probably present

as those on shingle banks were quite unobtrusive. All further records were on

the Mekong: at the Khong-Phapheng Falls (150, 7 February); at Vientiane

(seven, 25 November; small numbers, April); and at Savannakhet (eight, 24

March). It was previously recorded throughout Laos (King et al. 1975),

including the Mekong at Savannakhet (David-Beaulieu 1944) and the Xe

Khong (Engelbach 1932), while Lekagul and Round (1991) mapped the

species for the Thai bank of the Mekong opposite Vientiane.

River Tern Sterna aurantia At Risk in Thailand Three pairs and one

individual were seen along 50 km of the Xe Khong river on 1 3 March. It was

previously much more numerous, being common on large rivers almost

throughout Laos (Engelbach 1932, Delacour and Greenway 1940, David-

Beaulieu 1949-1950).

Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda Globally Threatened A tern

probably of this species was seen briefly at Kong Phapeng Falls on 6

February. It was previously common over much of Laos, especially in the

South (Delacour and Jabouille 1931, Engelbach 1932, David-Beaulieu

1949-1950).

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

63

Jerdon s Baza Aviceda jerdoni Globally Near-Threatened A single at

Houay Nhang NR on 1 November; the only previous Lao record was of one

on the Bolovens Plateau (Engelbach 1932).

Black-eared Kite Milvus hneatus Singles presumed to be of this species

passed south over Houay Nhang NR on 1 8 and 1 9 October. Black Kite M.

migrans was classified by Treesucon and Round (1990) as At Risk in

Thailand and could occur in Laos, but was never historically confirmed.

Black-eared Kite occurred in winter and was quite frequent on plains in

South Laos and regular in Tranninh and Savannakhet (Engelbach 1932,

David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950) and even occurred around towns (David-

Beaulieu 1944). These past assessments contrast with our two records of

single birds and suggest that the species is now much rarer than formerly.

Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus Three singles over the Mekong: from Ban

Samkhang on 3 February, Muang Khong on 29 January and Khong Phapeng

Falls on 6 February. It was previously described as very common on the

Mekong, Xe Khong, Xe Don and Xe Banghiang rivers in Central and South

Laos (Engelbach 1927a, Delacour 1929, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950). This

suggests that the species has declined greatly, as it has elsewhere in South-

East Asia (van Balen et al. 1993 and references therein).

Lesser Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga humilis Globally Near-Threatened Several

sightings of 1-3 at the confluence of the Xe Pian and Xe Khampho rivers in

March. Two on 13 and one on 14 February on the upper reaches of the

Houay T auang in semi-evergreen forest (Xe Pian NBC A) . Lesser and Grey¬

headed Fish-Eagles are now extremely rare in South-East Asia and almost

extinct in Thailand (Lekagul and Round 1991).

Grey-headed Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus Globally Near-

Threatened One to three almost daily on 2-6 March in the Xe Khong plains

area, sometimes in the air with Lesser Fish-Eagle.

White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis Globally Near-Threatened Up

to at least eleven in Xe Pian NBCA, including birds in mixed flocks of

vultures totalling 40-60 at buffalo carcasses on the Xe Khong plains in

March. None was seen over Dong Kalo, a similar habitat to the Xe Khong

plains, although only four days’ fieldwork was achieved here. Occasional

birds (on 16 December and 1 1 January) were seen over the main block of

semi-evergreen forest, but they probably concentrated over more open

habitats. This species, almost extinct in Thailand (Lekagul and Round

1991), was common historically throughout Laos (Engelbach 1927a, 1932,

David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950).

Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus Globally Near-Threatened Up to at

least ten (probably less numerous in the northern zone than the other two

vulture species) in Xe Pian NBCA, where commonest on the Xe Khong

plains. None was seen over Dong Kalo. Occasional birds (one on 1 1 and two

64

R. M. THEWLIS ei al.

Forktail 1 1

on 12 January) were seen over the main block of semi-evergreen forest, but

birds clearly concentrated over more open habitats. Four over Attapu town

on 26 January. The species, possibly extinct in Thailand (Lekagul and Round

1991), was common historically throughout Laos, although generally

described as the least numerous of the vultures (Engelbach 1927a, 1932,

David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950).

Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus Globally Near-Threatened Up to

about ten in the northern zone and Xe Ivhong plains of Xe Pian NBCA, and

one (on 1 1 January) over the main block of semi-evergreen forest. One was

over Attapu town on 26 January. The species is almost extinct in Thailand

(Lekagul and Round 1991) and was common historically throughout Laos

(Engelbach 1927a, 1932, David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950).

Short-toed Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus One north of Muang Khong

over Route 13 on 8 February. Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.) traced no

previous Lao records.

Rufous-winged Buzzard Butastur liventer Globally Near-Threatened

Fairly common in dry dipterocarp forest on the Xe Khong plains and Dong

Kalo (Xe Pian NBCA) and in similar forest in and around Phou Xang He

NBCA. Birds were seen less frequently in mixed deciduous forest and a

mosaic of other habitats in the northern fringe of Xe Pian NBCA. Two were

seen in scrub by Route 1 3, south of Ban Paknamkading (North Laos) on 20

November. Historically it was fairly common in dry dipterocarp forest in

Savannakhet province and around Pakxe (Engelbach 1932, David-Beaulieu

1949-1950), though it was not previously recorded from the North.

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus One flew north-west over Ban Phalay (Xe

Pian NBCA) on 5 January. Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.) traced no

previous records from Indochina. It is a very scarce migrant to Thailand

(Lekagul and Round 1991). See Duckworth (. Forktail this issue) for further

details.

Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii Single adults over Nong Loum on

2 and 4 January and over Ban Kiatngong on 3 January (all Xe Pian NBCA) .

Juveniles were seen on the Xe Khong plains (Xe Pian NBCA) on 1 2 March

and at QuanMoor (DongHua SaoNBCA) on 3 July. Mlikovsky and Inskipp

(in prep.) traced no previous Lao records.

White-rumped Falcon Polihierax insignis Globally Near-Threatened

Recorded only in Xe Pian NBCA, in Dong Kalo around Ban Phonvisai and

Houay Kaliang, and once on the Xe Khong plains (5 March), mostly in dry

dipterocarp forest. The peak daily count was two. It was considered a ‘scarce

or endangered lowland forest specialist’ in Thailand by CCB (1992). Historically

it was very common in dry dipterocarp forest in Savannakhet, widespread

although localized in the Salavan area and not known from North Laos

(Engelbach 1932, Delacour and Jabouille 1940, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950).

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992- 1993

65

Lesser/Common Kestrel Falco naumanni Globally Threatened//7.

tinnunculus Single unidentified kestrels were seen over Houay Nhang NR on

19 October and near Don Chuan Sandbank (Vientiane) on 26 November.

Lesser Kestrel was common in Tranninh (North Laos; David-Beaulieu

1 944) . Common Kestrel was very common in winter in Tranninh (Delacour

and Jabouille 1927, David-Beaulieu 1944) and occurred on passage in

Central Laos (David-Beaulieu 1949-1950). Common Kestrel was recorded

recently in North Annam for the first time by Robson et al. ( 1 993a), whereas

Lesser Kestrel is not known from Vietnam (Mlikovsky and Inskipp in prep.).

Oriental Hobby Falco severus One at Ban Phapho (Xe Pian NBCA) on 3 1

December and singles on 3 July at Quan Moor and on 8 July at Ban Houeiton

(Dong Hua Sao NBCA). The species was previously known in Laos only

from one specimen and a handful of sightings in North Laos (David-Beaulieu

1944).

Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster Globally Near-Threatened At

Dong Hua Sao NBCA one was seen on 20 and 26 May feeding at Nong Hia

(a deep water pool) and also flying over forest 3 km to the south on 26 May.

None was seen during intensive fieldwork in nearby Xe Pian NBCA and

although Bung-Gnai Kiatngong (Xe Pian NBCA) reputedly supports the

species (Scott 1 989), this appears to stem from unsubstantiated local reports

(R. E. Salter verbally 1993). It was formerly common in much of Laos (e.g.

Engelbach 1932, David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950).

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea At Risk in Thailand Frequent on wetlands at

Xe Pian NBCA. Grey Heron was also seen at Tha Ngon wetlands (five on

30 October) and two at a reservoir near Phou Xang He NBCA on 20 March.

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea At Risk in Thailand Frequent on wetlands

at Xe Pian NBCA. Two were on lowland wetlands at Dong Hua Sao NBCA

on 18, 25 and 28 May. One flew north over the corridor of Phou Xang He

NBCA on 8 April and a single was at Don Chuan Sandbank, Vientiane, on

4 May.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis A roost of over 1,000 egrets (including 520

Cattle Egrets) was found at Bung-Gnai Kiatngong (Xe Pian NBCA) in

December. The roost was not present in early January (although the species

still abounded in the area) . The species was not recorded at Xe Pian NBCA

in May or at Dong Hua Sao NBCA in May-July. King et al. (1975) implied

that it is resident throughout Laos; this assessment is not supported by these

observations. Historically, it was particularly common in South Laos, with

good numbers in May as well as December on the lower Xe Don (Engelbach

1927a).

Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus Pond-Herons were very common

(with a peak count of over 1 ,000 at Bung-Gnai Kiatngong marsh in January)

at Xe Pian NBCA from November to March. By March some were assuming

66

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

breeding plumage and became identifiable to species. No Javan Pond-

Herons A. speciosa, which could also occur (although as yet unrecorded),

were found. They were still common in Phou Xang He NBCA in March and

April, but at Dong Hua Sao NBCA (May - July) birds were merely

occasional. They were rare at Xe Pian NBCA in May. Birds are hence

presumed to be largely or entirely non-breeding migrants to South Laos.

King etal. (1975) were uncertain of its seasonal status in the South although

Engelbach (1932) had already found that it was almost absent after a heavy

May passage until late September.

Malayan Night-Heron Gorsachius melanolophus At Risk in Thailand

Common in degraded lowlands (250 m) around middle Houay Namphak

(Dong Hua Sao NBCA) during 12-24 May with eight individuals heard

calling and several seen. One provisional record over Houay Saoe (Xe Pian

NBCA) on 27 November. It was found in wooded regions throughout Laos

(Delacour and Jabouille 1931, 1940), but Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.)

traced no primary records to detail this.

Schrenck’s Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus Globally Near-Threatened

Single adult males at Houay Nhang NR at a pool in dry paddy within forest

(25 October) and at Xe Pian NBCA on lotus ponds near Ban Phalay (11

January). The only previous Lao record is of one male in April at Xieng-

Khouang (North Laos; David-Beaulieu 1944).

Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris Singles at Bung Gnai-Kiatngong wetlands

(Xe Pian NBCA) on 24 November and 29 December. The sole previous

record in Laos was from Ban Latsen (Tranninh, North Laos) on 2 February

1940 (David-Beaulieu 1944).

White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisom Globally Threatened A single

on the Xe Khong plains on 5, 6 and 1 2 March. The only other recent records

anywhere in the world come from one site in southern Vietnam and from

several in Kalimantan (Holmes 1991, Robson et al. 1993b). Scott’s (1989)

listing of ibises from Bung-Gnai Kiatngong (Xe Pian NBCA) was probably

based on local reports (R. E. Salter verbally 1993). In Laos it was formerly

much more common and occurred throughout; in the Southern and Central

regions it was frequent on the middle and lower Xe Banghiang, the Xe Don,

the Xe Khong, the Mekong and the Xe Pian rivers (Engelbach 1932,

Delacour and Jabouille 1931, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950).

Giant Ibis Pseudibis gigantea Globally Threatened Two singles in Xe Pian

NBCA: at a pool on the seasonally dry Houay Kaliang river (3 February) and

by the Xe Pian river (13 March). The two sites are 50 km apart. These are

the first records for over 40 years from anywhere in the species’s restricted

world range (Collar et al. 1994). It may formerly have been more common

and widespread in Laos, although it was never as common as White¬

shouldered Ibis (Engelbach 1951). Further details of recent and historical

records are given in Thewlis (in prep. a).

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992- 1993

67

Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus At Risk in Thailand Birds were

seen soaring over Xe Pian NBCA frequently, usually singly; feeding

concentrations (all at dried or drying pools in wooded areas) included three

near Ban Phapho on 1 7 December and three at saltlicks near Houay Kua on

27 December (both Xe Pian NBCA) and five west of Ban Xot (Dong Kalo)

on 5 February. One was seen from a bus from Route 13 between Ban

Thangbeng and Ban Nasenphan on 28 January in open dry dipterocarp

woodland just west of Xe Pian NBCA. A breeding colony in forest east of Ban

Pakbo (Xe Pian NBCA) has been reported (Salter 1993). Two were seen in

the lowlands of Dong Hua Sao NBCA on 14 and 25 May.

Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilosjavanicus Globally Threatened Only recorded

from Xe Pian NBCA: four singles (one feeding, three soaring) in the northern

fringe area on 1, 4, 6 and 12 January; two singles at Dong Kalo on 31 January

and 1 February; and up to five together on the Xe Khong plains with daily

records of smaller numbers there during 3-13 March. Xe Pian NBCA clearly

has moderate numbers of this ‘excellent indicator of the health of local

wetlands’ (Scott 1989).

Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta soror Globally Near-Threatened Common in

primary and moderately degraded semi-evergreen forest at Xe Pian NBCA,

but much scarcer in deciduous forests there. One was recorded in the

lowlands of Dong Hua Sao NBCA near the Houay Namphak on 16 May

(there were few suitable paths for observing pittas in this area). It was not

found at Phou Xang He NBCA (where there were also few suitable paths).

Although King etal. (1975) considered that the species was possibly absent

from Central Laos, Delacour (1929) had already noted it in this region, at

Ban Nape. Engelbach (1932) did not find it above 800 m in South Laos,

below which it was frequent on the north-east slopes of the Bolovens Plateau.

All our observations were between 1 50 and 500 m, which contrasts with its

assessment as a mountain species by King et al. (1975) and Lekagul and

Round (1991; usually above 900 m), but accord with its status in Vietnam

where it is common down to 50 m (Robson et al. 1989).

Bar-bellied Pitta Pitta elliotii Globally Near-Threatened The abundance

of this pitta in semi-evergreen forest at Xe Pian NBCA mirrored that of Blue-

rumped Pitta, although it was recorded more commonly than that species in

deciduous forests. At Phou Xang He NBCA, it was recorded mainly by call

and was common in the same habitats as at Xe Pian NBCA. At Dong Hua

Sao NBCA it was common in lowland semi-evergreen forest (including

logged areas), and the lower hill slopes up to at least 400 m, but was not found

on the plateau. The populations at all three sites were probably large; status

assessment was facilitated by its distinctive call. One at Lao Pako near the

lower Nam Ngum river from 17 to 19 April was in heavily degraded forest

dominated by bamboo. The previous Lao records were only from the South:

it was recorded by Engelbach ( 1 932; a skin from Attapu and three birds from

68

R. M. THEWLIS el al.

Forktail 1 1

the more gentle slopes of the Bolovens Plateau) and Oustalet (1899-1 903; a

single from an uncertain location probably in South Laos).

Dusky Broadbill Corydon sumatranus A group of about six was observed

nest-building on Phou Xang He in semi-evergreen forest on 29-31 March.

King etal. (1975) recorded the species in Laos only from the South, following

Delacour and Jabouille (1940), but Bangs and Van Tyne (1931) recorded

one at Ban Thangon (North Laos) in July 1929.

Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos At Risk in

Thailand Commonly recorded in Xe Pian NBCA and Dong Hua Sao

NBCA, usually in lowland semi-evergreen forest or mixed deciduous forest,

degraded or otherwise, and often but not always close to water. One was seen

visiting a nest beside a pool at 1 50 m in Dong Hua Sao NBCA on 25-26 May.

No previous Lao record was traced by Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.).

Banded Broadbill Eurylaimus javanicus Ubiquitous in primary and degraded

semi-evergreen forest at Phou Xang He NBCA with many heard (and

sometimes seen) daily. One was heard at Phou Khao Khouay NBCA on 1 5

April. King et al. (1975) recorded the species in Laos only from the South,

following Delacour and Jabouille (1940). Bangs and Van Tyne (1931)

however recorded one at Ban Thangon (North Laos) in July 1929.

Yellow-breasted Magpie Cissa hypoleuca Globally Near-Threatened

Common in primary semi-evergreen forest in flattish areas with extensive

bamboo at Xe Pian NBCA; scarcer in more degraded areas of the same

habitat. A call believed to be diagnostic of the species was heard once at Dong

Hua Sao NBCA on 20 May (in lowland semi-evergreen forest similar to that

in which it was recorded in Xe Pian NBCA). This apparent restriction

contrasts with the situation in Thailand, where the species has a wide

altitudinal range (Round 1 988), and in Vietnam, where it occurs commonly

on hill slopes as well as in the lowlands (Robson et al. 1989). Engelbach

(1932) captured one at the foot of the Bolovens Plateau and this is the only

previous Lao record.

Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii One was seen at 1 50 m on 1 9 and 20 January'

near Ban Taong (Xe Pian NBCA) and there were occasional singles down to

200 m at Dong Hua Sao NBCA between 12 and 24 May. In Thailand it

usually occurs above 800 m (Lekagul and Round 1991) while King et al.

(1975) listed the species’ usual altitudinal range in South-East Asia as 600-

2, 1 00 m; however in Vietnam it was recorded as low as 1 00 m (Robson et al.

1993a). In South Laos it was previously found to be frequent above 800 m

(Engelbach 1932), as it was at Dong Hua Sao NBCA in 1993.

Brown-rumped Mini vet Pericrocotus cantonemis Globally Near-Threatened

Small numbers at Xe Pian NBCA in semi-evergreen forest and mixed

deciduous forest and Phou Xang He NBCA in secondary growth and mixed

deciduous forest. Previous Lao records came only from the South: from the

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992-1993

69

Muang Taoy region, the upper Xe Rhong, Champasak and the north-east

slopes of the Bolovens (Engelbach 1932).

Even males of this species are easily confused with Ashy Minivet P. divaricatus

unless the rump or flank colour is clearly seen (see King et al. 1 975; contra

Lekagul and Round 1991) and thus many birds seen in 1992 and 1993

remained unidentified. Dozens of skins ofboth species were examined at the

British Museum (Tring). Male Brown-rumped has a blackish-grey crown

which is only slightly less black than that of Ashy (the difference is difficult

to detect in the field). On Brown-rumped the white of the forehead extends

a little way above and behind the eye, but it does not extend beyond the eye

of Ashy Minivet. This extension is sometimes not, however, particularly

obvious, contra King et al. (1975). The upperparts of Brown-rumped are

tinged with brown and the underparts have a rich brownish wash, especially

on the flanks, which contrast with the cleaner grey on the upperparts and

cleaner white on the underparts of Ashy. Brown-rumped has often been

considered conspecific with Rosy Minivet P. roseus (e.g. King et al. 1975,

Lekagul and Round 1991) which was recorded twice at Houay Nhang on 1 2

October and 14 November, and once at Xe Pian NBCA on 18 February.

White-browed F ant ail Rhipidura aureola Fairly common in dry dipterocarp

forest at Dong Kalo and on the Xe Khong plains (Xe Pian NBCA) . The only

previous account from Laos was that birds were common in dry dipterocarp

forest in Savannakhet province (Central Laos) and occurred less frequently

in denser forest types there (David-Beaulieu 1 949- 1 950). The lack of records

from Phou Xang He NBCA is thus surprising.

Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectans Unrecorded except at Phou Xang

He NBCA during April when up to four were seen daily between 9 and 22

April. It is only a passage migrant to most of Thailand (Lekagul and Round

1991); this seems true also for Central Laos. King et al. (1975) list it in Laos

only as a migrant to the South (which we did not visit during the main passage

periods), where it has been recorded at Salavan and from dense forests of the

Xe Don plains (Engelbach 1932).

Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer Common at all altitudes

down to 150 m at all four study sites. In Thailand it is usually above 800 m

(Lekagul and Round 1991), although in Vietnam it occurs down to the

lowlands (Robson et al. 1993a).

Blue Whistling-Thrush Myiophonus caeruleus Common at Xe Pian NBCA,

where there were only yellow-billed birds at Houay Saoe, Houay Kua (both

visited in December) and the Xe Rhampho river (March). Both black- and

yellow-billed birds occurred at Houay Tapkua and Dong Kalo (both

February). Occasional at Phou Xang He NBCA where yellow-billed birds

were noted and Dong Hua Sao NBCA where bill colours were not recorded.

70

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

Siberian T hrush Zoothera sibirica One flushed from a stream at Phou Hinho

(Phou Xang He NBCA) on 1 5 April; previous Lao records relate only to the

North where it sometimes occurred in small flocks (Bangs and Van Tyne

1931, David-Beaulieu 1 944) . It was recently recorded for the first time from

Central Annam (Robson et al. 1993a).

Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula One on sand banks of the Xe Khampho

river on 6 March. It was previously recorded in Laos from the North (eastern

part) and Centre (Delacour and Jabouille 1927, David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-

1950) and there is only one Thai record (Lekagul and Round 1991). In

Vietnam, it has been recorded from several localities in Central Annam

(Delacour and Jabouille 1931, Robson et al. 1993b). King et al. (1975) list

none from Cambodia or Malaysia, and Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.)

trace no records from Cambodia. The Xe Pian NBCA record appears to be

the most southerly in Indochina and possibly South-East Asia to date.

Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica One at Ban Nalay (Phou Xang

He NBCA) on 21 April. King et al. (1975) listed it in Laos only from the

North (following Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, David-Beaulieu 1 944), although

it was found in small numbers on passage in Savannakhet (Central Laos) and

in winter in the South near Salavan and the Muang T aoy region (Engelbach

1932, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950).

White-gorgeted/Rufous-browed F i .YC atc h e r Ficedula monileger/F. solitaris

Common in hill evergreen forest on the Bolovens Plateau (Dong Hua Sao

NBCA) . Birds were rather variable and showed a wide variation in plumage

between individuals, including a surprising mix of characters of the two

species. Many birds exhibited buff rather than silky white supercilia and too

small a dark margin to the gorget for F. monileger. These characters fit F. tv.

monileger, but the range of this subspecies is the eastern Himalayas. White-

gorgeted Flycatcher was recorded from the high Bolovens (but probably not

in Dong Hua Sao NBCA) by Engelbach (1932) and ten specimens of F. tv.

leucops collected there were examined at the British Museum (Tring) and

showed none of the variability we observed. White-gorgeted was also

recorded previously in Tranninh, Lo-Tiao and Phongsali (North Laos) and

east of Ban Nape (Centre) (Delacour and Jabouille 1927, Delacour 1929,

Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, Delacour and Greenway 1 940, David-Beaulieu

1944). No records of Rufous-browed Flycatcher were traced from Laos by

Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.).

Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westetrrvanni Birds at Houay Nhang NR

(a male and female on 6, 7, 11, 12 November and 1 0 January) and Xe Pian

NBCA on 1 6 and 23 December at 200-300 m were significantly lower than

the altitudinal limits in King et al. (1975: 900 m) and Lekagul and Round

(1991: 700 m). It may disperse locally to lower altitudes during the non¬

breeding season.

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

71

Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana As well as one at the

Xe Khong plains (Xe Pian NBCA) on 7 March, the species was fairly

common at Phou Xang He NBCA during 24 March to 18 April. The only

prior Lao record concerns one on Phou Kobo (North Laos; David-Beaulieu

1944).

White-tailed Flycatcher Cyomis concretus One male was along a stream

at Phou Hinho (Phou Xang He NBCA) on 24 March. Although recorded in

Laos only from the North by King etal. (1975), two had been recorded at Ban

Nape and one at Nam Theun (both Central Laos) by Delacour (1929).

Hainan Blue-Flycatcher Cyomis hainanus Although common at all sites

from October to March, none was recorded at Dong Hua Sao NBCA in May

- July or at Xe Pian NBCA in May, suggesting that it is merely a non-breeding

migrant to these parts of southern Laos. It was a double passage migrant in

Tranninh (David-Beaulieu 1944); unfortunately, Engelbach (1932) did not

discuss seasonality in the South. The species was regarded as resident in Laos

(King et al. 1975) and in adjacent parts of Thailand (Lekagul and Round

1991).

Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyomis mbeculoides A single of the resident

form C. r. klossi on 1 9 June at 800 m (Dong Hua Sao NBCA) and one, which

resembled C. r. glaucicomans , on 3 1 March at 300 m on Phou Xang He (Phou

Xang He NBCA). The species was recorded in Laos only for the South by

King et al. (1975) which relates to one from Tiacam on the Bolovens Plateau

(Delacour 1929). There is one specimen of C. r. klossiai the British Museum

(Tring) of an adult male in fresh plumage, wing 7 1 mm, from Ban Thateng,

Bolovens Plateau, collected by Jean Delacour on 9 December 1931 (P. R.

Colston, verbally 1995).

Pygmy Blue Flycatcher M uscicapella hodgsoni Five singles in June around

1,100 m near the Upper Houay Namphak in primary forest and near Ban

Nongluang in a degraded forest fragment (Dong Hua Sao NBCA) are the

first records for Laos, as none was traced by Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.) .

Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis Although common

in Xe Pian NBCA during December to February, this species was not

recorded from Xe Pian NBCA or lowland Dong Hua Sao NBCA in May-

July. However, it was common on the Bolovens Plateau (Dong Hua Sao

NBCA) during this period (the breeding season) . Birds became less common

at Phou Xang He NBCA between mid-March and mid- April. Several singles

were seen in Vientiane gardens between 2 November and 22 January,

although not in other months. It seems that this species does not breed in the

studied areas of lowland Laos, although it does so at higher altitudes, and in

winter is one of the commonest lowland forest birds. The species is only a

non-breeding migrant to east Thailand (Lekagul and Round 1991); King et

al. (1975) were ambiguous about the species’s seasonal status in Laos. It was

72

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

described as sedentary and very common in Tranninh (David-Beaulieu

1 944) . It was common around Ban Nape (Central Laos; Delacour 1 929) and

in the North (Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, Delacour and Greenway 1 940) and

one of the commonest birds in South Laos at all altitudes (Engelbach 1927a,

1932), although no reference was made to its seasonality by these latter

authors.

Orange-flanked Bush-Robin Tarsiger cyanurus One adult male in forest

near Ban Tauang (Xe PianNBCA) at 150 m on 24 January. It usually occurs

in Thailand above 1,200 m (Lekagul and Round 1991) and was not listed for

South Laos by King et al. (1975), although it winters commonly in North

Laos and is known from the Centre (Delacour 1 929, Delacour and Greenway

1940, David-Beaulieu 1944).

White-tailed Robin Cinclidium leucurum One at 200 m at Houay Saoe (Xe

Pian NBCA) on 1 December. It usually occurs above 1 ,000 m in Thailand

(Lekagul and Round 1991) and above 1 , 1 00 m in South-East Asia (King et

al. 1975).

White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti Common at Phou Xang He

NBCA on streams on Phou Hinho; King et al. (1975) do not list the species

for Central Laos, although it had been recorded at Ban Nape by Delacour

(1929).

Green Cochoa Cochoa viridis Globally Near-Threatened Frequently

heard and occasionally seen in hill evergreen forest (including some isolated

fragments) on the Bolovens Plateau (Dong Hua Sao NBCA). It was

previously recorded from the Bolovens Plateau (Delacour 1932, Engelbach

1932) as well as the North (Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, David-Beaulieu

1944).

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata Birds of the resident race S', t.

przewalskii abounded on the Bolovens Plateau (Dong Hua Sao NBCA), as

recognised by Engelbach (1932). S. t. przewalskii was listed in Laos only for

BanNonghet (North Laos) by Delacour and Jabouille (1940) and King etal.

(1975) stated that the species was only a migrant to Central and South Laos.

The migrant race S. t. stejnegeri commonly recorded in 1992-1993, occurs

across all of Laos (Delacour and Jabouille 1940).

Golden-crested Myna Ampeliceps coronatus At Risk in Thailand This

quiet, canopy-haunting species was frequent to occasional at Xe Pian NBCA,

Phou Xang He NBCA and Dong Hua Sao NBCA and was most often seen in

degraded or forest edge habitats but could have been frequently overlooked.

Past records, from throughout Laos, also refer to its scarcity and local

distribution (Engelbach 1927a, 1932, David-Beaulieu 1944, 1949-1950).

Hill Myna Gracula religiosa At Risk in Thailand Common in all habitats

with large trees, including degraded dry forest close to villages at Xe Pian

NBCA, Phou Xang He NBCA and below 400 m at Dong Hua Sao NBCA,

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

73

with small numbers also seen at Ivhonphapheng Falls and Ban Samkhang.

Flocks sometimes exceeded 20. Villagers were seen with young very freshly

taken from the nest in Phou Xang He NBCA; it is very popular in the cage-

bird trade in Thailand (Round 1988), as it is in Laos.

Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus At Risk in Thailand Common

on the Bolovens Plateau (Dong Hua Sao NBCA) especially in disturbed

areas and forest edge. Engelbach (1932) also found it frequently elsewhere

on this plateau. Two individuals had white throats flecked with black: from

examination of skins in the British Museum (Tring) this is a character of

immature birds.

Plain Martin Riparia paludicola At Risk in Thailand Two near Ban

Phapho on 3 1 December with a feeding party of hirundines. Historically the

species was much more common and recorded widely throughout the

country (Engelbach 1932, Delacour and Greenway 1940, David-Beaulieu

1949-1950).

Wire-tailed Swallo w Hirundo smithii At Risk in Thailand Two at Khong-

Phapheng Falls on 4-7 February seemed to be prospecting rocks for nesting

sites. The only other records were of a single at nearby Ban Thakho on 4

February and a flock of about 20 on the Xe Khong river on 1 3 March. This

species was apparently commoner in the past; in the early 1930s several

thousands flocked on riverside rocks in Savannakhet and it abounded on the

Mekong and Xe Khong and middle and lower stretches of the Xe Banghiang

rivers (Engelbach 1932, David-Beaulieu 1949-1950).

Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica Fairly common over cultivation at

Xe Pian NBCA and HouayNhang NR between November and January, but

not recorded from Phou Xang He NBCA and Dong Hua Sao NBCA; many

birds had probably departed from Laos prior to fieldwork at these two sites

(mid March to late July). Previously, it was recorded from Attapu (January),

Nam Mo (February), Ban Thateng (Bolovens Plateau; December) and near

Champasak in January (Oustalet 1899-1903, Engelbach 1932).

Striated Swallow Hirundo striolata Common, usually in flocks of under a

dozen, from April to July at Phou Xang He NBCA and Dong Hua Sao NBCA

around rocky outcrops and over adjacent cultivation. They were not recorded

at the other study sites, perhaps because these areas lacked rocky outcrops.

A used nest presumably of this species was found at V angviang in a limestone

cavern. Previous Lao records come from the North (Tranninh, where a

common resident: Xieng-Khouang, Nam-Kheung, Phongsali and the Nam

Ou) and South, from the lower Xe Don river where it was observed in all

seasons (Delacour and Jabouille 1925, 1927, Bangs and Van Tyne 1931,

Engelbach 1932, David-Beaulieu 1944). Resident birds of this or the

preceding species were observed around Savannakhet (David-Beaulieu

1949-1950).

74

R. M. THEWLIS ei al.

Forktail 1 1

Two forms of Red-rumped and Striated Swallows, which were considered

conspecific by Lekagul and Round (1991) and by King et al. (1975), were

recognisable in the field . Many skins of each examined at the British Museum

(T ring) confirmed that the two species were involved; the relevant races were

H. d. japonica (all likely migrant races of this species are very similar), H. s.

stanfordi and possibly H. s. mayri (these latter two resembled each other) . All

striolata and some daurica had dark chestnut rumps, whereas most daurica

had fawn rumps. Throat streaking was denser and slightly thicker on striolata

compared with daurica, giving the former a darker throat. Breast and belly

streaking was bolder in striolata, giving it an overall darker tone. It also was less

apt to have a buff wash on the underparts, although some were as buffy as

daurica. The rufous nape patch was more developed in daurica, at least as spurs

from the ear-coverts to the nape-sides. Some striolata had a chestnut nape-band

too, but it wTas always weak and broken. MacKinnon and Phillipps (1993)

claimed that H. striolata lacks any chestnut on the nape; this is as incorrect for

the Greater Sundas as it is for Indochina. In the field, H. striolata looked darker,

duller, bigger, heavier and more menacing than did H. daurica.

Separation of the two species is likely to be easier in Indochina than in some

other areas of sympatry, because H. s. stanfordi is a particularly large race

(Delacour 1951).

Nepal House-Martin Delichon nipalensis Hundreds fed over forest and

scrub from the foothills up to the plateau at Dong Hua Sao NBCA from May

to July. In South-East Asia it is known from parts of Myanmar and north-west

Tonkin, with one record of about 30 from north-east Thailand (King et al.

1975, Tye and Tye 1986). Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.) traced no

previous Lao records, but presumably the species breeds commonly on the

Bolovens Plateau.

Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis At least six by the Mekong in

Vientiane between 12 January and 1 3 March. This is the first record in Laos

(it is not listed by Mlikovsky and Inskipp in prep.), although it is known from

the Thai bank of this stretch of the Mekong (Lekagul and Round 1991). It

seems that the species has extended its range in Indochina as a result of

deforestation (Robson et al. 1993b).

Pallas’s Grasshopper-Warbler Locustella certhiola One on 3 and 4 January

in a small marsh near Ban Phalay (Xe Pian NBCA). The very similar

Middendorffs Grasshopper-Warbler L. ochotensis, which may occur in

Indochina (King etal. 1975), was not eliminated. King et al. (1975) list it in

Laos as a migrant only to the North and it has only recently been recorded

in mainland Vietnam (Robson et al. 1 993a).

Black-browed Reed- Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps Locally common in

wetlands at Xe Pian NBCA and Dong Hua Sao NBCA. King et al. (1975)

listed it for Laos only as a migrant to the North and Centre.

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

75

Great/Clamorous Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus/A. stentoreus

Singles in wetlands at Xe Pian NBCA on 4, 5 and 12 January, Xe Khong

plains on 1 March, and Dong Hua Sao NBCA on 22 May. Neither species

has been previously recorded in South Laos; King et al. (1975) stated that

Great Reed-Warbler is a common migrant to Central and North Laos and

they excluded Clamorous Reed-Warbler from Laos. Birds of one of these two

species were common during the rainy season in Savannakhet and Great

Reed-Warbler was a rare passage visitor to Tranninh (David-Beaulieu 1 944,

1948, 1949-1950). The form orientalis was not recorded from Laos by

Delacour andjabouille (1940).

Clamorous Reed-Warbler (A. s. brunnescens ) was recorded from the North,

in Tranninh, as a rare passage migrant by David-Beaulieu (1940 and 1948).

In the 1948 paper, David-Beaulieu re-identified all his previous (1940)

records of A. s. brunnescens as A. a. orientalis and also announced the presence

of A. s. brunnescens in Tranninh for the first time. A. s. brunnescens was listed

for Tranninh by Delacour and Jabouille (1940) presumably on the authority

of David-Beaulieu (1940).

Great Reed Warbler was recently recorded for the first time in South

Annam (Robson et al. 1993b).

Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii One in dry paddyfield

scrub at Houay Nhang NR on 4 November; the three previous Lao records

were in April (all North Laos; Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, David-Beaulieu

1944).

Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis Two at Houay Nhang NR on 19

January contrasted with frequent records of the species there in October; the

species declined noticeably in abundance during the survey period of mid

October to mid November. Its presence so far north (18°N) in January is

surprising as records in Xe Pian NBCA were only occasional and in Thailand

the species winters south of 15°N (Lekagul and Round 1991).

Red-tailed Laughingthrush Garrulax milnei Globally Near-Threatened

Common in hill evergreen forest at Dong Hua Sao NBCA above 1,100 m,

but not found in non-forest habitats. By contrast it inhabits scrub in Thailand

(Round 1988). Engelbach (1932) found it common on the Bolovens Plateau

above 800 m. This population is a separate endemic subspecies, G. m. vitryri,

from those in Myanmar and North Laos (Delacour 1932, Deignan 1964).

Abbott’s Babbler Malacocincla abbotti Common in degraded forest at Phou

Xang He NBCA, occasional in the northern fringe of Xe Pian NBCA and the

lowlands of Dong Hua Sao NBCA, with a few records from the primary semi¬

evergreen forest of Xe Pian NBCA. The only previous Lao record is from the

North: one was taken at Muang Huong (on the border of Vientiane and

Tranninh provinces) in December 1942 (David-Beaulieu 1944).

76

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

Scaly-crowned Babbler Malacopteron cinereum Common in all semi¬

evergreen forest areas at Phou Xang He NBCA. The species was recorded

for Laos only in the South (Oustalet 1 899- 1 903, Engelbach 1 932) where it

was still common in 1 992- 1993. Flocks, particularly in Xe Pian NBCA, were

often followed by one or two Asian Paradise-flycatchers Terpsiphone paradisi.

Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinusferruginosus Several groups of

a distinctive scimitar-babbler were seen, and tape-recorded, in the understorey

of hill evergreen forest at approximately 1,100 m on the Bolovens Plateau

(Dong Hua Sao NBCA). The stout short red bill, long black face mask and

other features fit Coral-billed, whose nearest known populations are in

T ranninh, North Laos (David-Beaulieu 1 944) and at Nam Theun, Central

Laos (Evans and Timmins in prep.). However that species should show a

bright buffy breast and belly, whereas the birds in Dong Hua Sao NBCA were

almost entirely white below with limited buff on flanks. Skins at the British

Museum (Tring) had variable underparts: although all had a strong wash on

the breast and belly, none was as pale underneath as the Dong Hua Sao NBCA

birds. Furthermore, all the skins examined (about 25), possessed a marked

black border to the crown; such a feature was not noted on the birds in Dong

Hua Sao NBCA and certainly was not well marked if it was ever present.

Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps At Phou Xang He NBCA this

species was common on Phou Hinho. Although not listed for Central Laos

by King et al. (1975), Delacour (1929) collected eight specimens from Ban

Nape and Nam Theun.

Grey-faced Tit-Babbler Macronous kelleyi Globally Near-Threatened

Very common in the main semi-evergreen forest block and in riverine semi¬

evergreen forest at Dong Kalo (Xe Pian NBCA) and in primary semi¬

evergreen forest at Dong Hua Sao NBCA. Less common in Phou Xang He

NBCA. It was scarcer in heavily degraded areas; all records came from below

400 m. The only previous Lao record is from dense lowland forest near Pakxe

(Engelbach 1932) and those from Phou Xang He NBCA are thus the first

published for Central Laos.

Rufous-throated Fulvetta Alcippe nifogularis Globally Near-Threatened

Locally common in semi-evergreen forest at Phou Xang He NBCA, but

seemed to be intolerant of degradation and fragmentation at this site. It was

previously known from many areas in Central and North Laos, in some of

which it was very common (Baker 1920, Delacour and Jabouille 1927,

Delacour 1929, Bangs and Van Tyne 1931, David-Beaulieu 1944).

Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis Two forms of Mountain Fulvetta

were seen, referred to here as form A and form B. Form A was abundant in

Xe Pian NBCA, Dong Hua Sao NBCA and Phou Xang He NBCA. At Xe

Pian NBCA it was common in little-degraded semi-evergreen forest but was

found only once in degraded semi-evergreen forest (below 200 m) . Although

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Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

77

not found during 1 5 days at 300-500 m in the Houay Tapkua valley, form A

was seen at 200 m just east of these hills. Thus, in Xe Pian NBCA it appeared

to avoid degraded areas, non-evergreen forest and altitudes over 200 m. In

Dong Hua Sao NBCA, by contrast, form A was common in both pristine and

heavily-degraded forest, and even overgrown coffee plantations, up to 400 m,

but not above. In Phou Xang He NBCA form A was common in semi¬

evergreen forest and also in forest isolates in the largely degraded corridor.

Form A birds possessed a grey face (which fell short of the rear end of the

blackface-stripe) and crown which were less pure grey than those of form B.

The flanks were strongly suffused brownish with a paler wash extending

across the breast, belly and throat. The pale eyering was less prominent than

in form B. The bill was brownish. These birds fit A. p. grotei. This form (as

A. nipalensis major ) was rare below 500 m on the flanks of the Bolovens

Plateau and near Pakxe (Engelbach 1 932); Mountain Fulvettas suspected to

be of this race were rare in Savannakhet province, being found only around

the Xe Pon area (David-Beaulieu 1949-1950).

The second form, form B, was very common at 900-1,200 m in both

primary and degraded extensive hill evergreen forest at Dong Hua Sao

NBCA; it even occurred in moderately fragmented patches. Similar birds

were also seen at least twice in semi-evergreen forest at only 200 m on Phou

Hinho (Phou Xang He NBCA), in areas similar to those where form A was

common. Form B birds had cleaner looking plumage than did form A, with

a pure grey face (extending to the end of the black stripe), usually without a

hint of duskiness. The eyering was whiter and thicker and the underparts

were cleaner and brighter than in form A. The bill was grey. The contrasts

between the head and the rest of the upperparts, and between the upperparts

and underparts, were notable in comparison with form A, although some

birds on the Bolovens Plateau appeared less clean. Form B corresponded

closely with the descriptions in King et al. (1975) and Lekagul and Round

(1991) of Mountain Fulvetta and represent A. p. annamensis. Engelbach

(1932) found this form (as A. nipalensis peracensis) to be extremely common

above 700 m on the Bolovens Plateau, but it was not previously recorded

from Central Laos.

A. peracensis is common throughout its restricted world range in Malaysia

(above 300 m), south-east Thailand from the foothills to 1,200 m, East

Tonkin, Cochinchina, Annam, South and Central Laos (King et al. 1975,

Lekagul and Round 1991, Robson et al. 1993b). A. p. grotei occurs in east

Tonkin, Cochinchina, north and central Annam and the adjacent regions of

southern Laos, withH. p. annamensis on the Bolovens Plateau and in South

Annam and adjacent regions of Cochinchina (Deignan 1964, Robson et al.

1993b). The species was considered to be Rare in Thailand by Round

(1988), but was not listed as At Risk in Thailand by Treesucon and Round

(1990). Robson et al. (1993) observed these two forms in Vietnam and

78

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

Forktail 1 1

indicated that there were morphological and altitudinal differences and that

they may prove to be separate species.

Plain-throated SuNBiRoHnt/zrepres tnalacensis A male in a Vientiane garden

on 25 April. Only previously recorded in Laos from near Pakxe by Engelbach

(1932); the lack of records from the study sites is most surprising, especially

as many degraded areas (where the species may be expected) were visited.

Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica Although unrecorded at Houay Nhang

NR during intensive fieldwork in mid-October to mid-November (despite

careful searching), several were found there in January and April. King et al.

(1975) listed it in Laos only as a resident in the South and Centre; it was

previously recorded at Houay Nhang NR in March 1992 by Robichaud

(1992).

Little SpiDERHUNTERHrac/mor/zera longirostra At Phou Xang He NBCA,

Little Spiderhunters were fairly common in forest and occasional in scrub.

King et al. (1975) questioned the species’s status in Central Laos and

Delacour and Jabouille ( 1 940) list it in Laos only in the North and South. It

was found commonly on the Bolovens Plateau at Ban Thateng (Engelbach

1932) and known from several localities in the North (Delacour and

Greenway 1940, David-Beaulieu 1944).

Citrine Wagtail Morac///a citreola Two singles (female, 1 7 December; male

1 3 January) on Mekong sand banks at Vientiane are the first seen in Laos; no

records were traced by Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.). Many birds other

than adult males could easily have been overlooked.

Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Several thousand Red-throated Pipits

and Yellow W agtails Motacilla flava roosted at Bung-Gnai Kiatngong marsh

and in harvested paddyfields on the northern fringe of Xe Pian NBCA in

December and January. The latest record was of one on 23 April at Don

Chuan, Vientiane. Although not found at Houay Nhang NR, a few were seen

by the Mekong in Vientiane in November and April. Although recorded

throughout Indochina by Delacour and Jabouille (1940), the few specific

references for Laos come only from Tranninh, where it was mainly a double

passage migrant, occurring until May, with overwintering birds being fairly

rare (David-Beaulieu 1944).

Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus An active colony of about 20 nests was

found on 29 August, 5 km south of Vang Vieng. A few used nests were

observed in coconut palms Cocos nucifera at Ban Phalay Thong whilst others

which had been collected were on display in houses at Ban Nongkhe (Xe Pian

NBCA). Although listed by King etal. (1975) as a common resident in Laos

except possibly the South, Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.) traced only the

reference to it in David-Beaulieu (1949-1950), of confirmed records in

Pakxan (North Laos) and of weavers of either this species or Streaked Weaver

P. manyar in Savannakhet province (Central Laos).

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Ornithological records from Laos 1992-1993

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[Aslan Golden Weaver Ploceus hypoxanthus Globally Near-Threatened

At least 1 0 birds probably of this species roosted with 40 unidentified weavers

and 100 Scaly-breasted Munias Lonchura punctulata in dense emergent

vegetation at a small seasonal pool on the Xe Khong plains during March. Up

to three were seen by another pool 2 km distant during 8-12 March. All

weavers were in non-breeding plumage and the identification was based

solely on bill structure; there remain no certain Lao records of the species

(Mlikovsky and Inskipp in prep.), although the present record was

inadvertently published without a caveat by Anderson (1993)].

Chestnut- eared Bunting Emberiza fucata Two on 30-31 December with

about 50 Yellow-breasted Buntings E. aureola in harvested paddyfields at

Ban Phapho (XePianNBCA). Previous Lao records relate only to the North

(Delacour and Jabouille 1927, David-Beaulieu 1944).

Many organizations (listed in Thewlis in prep, b) supported the Xe Pian and Houay Nhang surveys with

donations of equipment or finance, particularly BirdLife International and the Fauna and Flora

Preservation Society, the Panton Trust, Mr and Mrs J. Evans and the Peoples’ Trust for Endangered

Species. The survey of Dong Hua Sao was funded by a grant from the British Embassy in Bangkok. The

Phou Xang He survey was carried out under contract to the Lao-Swedish Forestry Co-operation

Programme. We are also extremely grateful to many people for practical advice and assistance, including

Klaus and Unchae Berkmiiller, Bob Dobias, Boonhong Mounsouphom, Peter Colston, Jonathan

Eames, Mike Evans, Robert Prys-Jones, Philip Round, Craig Robson, Richard Salter, Uthai Treesucon,

Bouaphanh Phanthavong, Sompoad Srikosamatara, Padith Vanalatsmy, Sivannavong Sawathvong,

Venevongphet and all the staff of the National Office for Nature Conservation and Watershed

Management. Tim Inskipp provided an invaluable draft of the Bibliography and checklist of Indochinese

birds, access to the more elusive references and frequent advice. Katherine Cozza, Somphong

Souliyavong and Boonhom Sounthala were valued field companions; Somphong Souliyavong and

Boonhom Sounthala were instrumental in enabling the fieldwork to proceed and to them we are

especially grateful .

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Deignan, H. G. (1964) Subfamily Timaliinae. Pp. 240-427 inE. Mayrand R. A. Paynter Jr., eds. Check¬

list of birds of the world, 10. Cambridge, Mass.: Museum of Comparative Zoology.

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5: 193-220,403-429.

Delacour, J. (1932) Etude systematique de quelques oiseaux nouveaux ou interessants obtenus par la

Vie expedition en Indochine. L’Oiseau R.f.O. 2: 419-438.

Delacour, J. (1951) Commentaires, modifications et additions a la liste des oiseaux de l’Indochine

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Delacour, J. and Greenway, J. C. (1940) Liste des oiseaux receuilles dans la Province du Haut-Mekong

et le royaume de Luang-Prabang. L’Oiseau R.f.O. 10: 25-59.

Delacour, J. and Jabouille, P. (1925) On the birds ofQuangTri, Central Annam; with notes on others

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Delacour, J. and Jabouille, P. (1927) Recherches omithologiques dans les Provinces du Tranninh (Laos), de

Thua-Thien el de Kontoum (Annam) et quelques autres regions de V Indochine fratifaise. Archives

d’HistoireNaturelle. Paris: SocieteNationale d’Acclimatation de France.

Delacour, J. and Jabouille, P. (1931) Les oiseaux de /’Indochine franpaise Vols I-IV, Paris: Exposition

Coloniale Internationale.

Delacour, J. and Jabouille, P. (1940) Liste des oiseaux de l’lndo-chine franpaise, complete etmise a jour.

L’Oiseau et R.f. O. 10:89-220.

Dickinson, E. C. (1970) Birds ofthe Legendre Indochina expedition 1931-1 932. Amer. Mus. Novitates

2423: 1-17.

Duckworth, J. W. (1994a) Field observations of Large-spotted Civet Viverra megaspila in Laos with notes

on the identification of the species. Small Carnivore Conservation 11: 1-3.

Duckworth, J.W. (1994b) Field sightings of the Pygmy Loris, Nyclicebus pygmaeus, in Laos. Folia

Primatol. 63: 99-101 .

Duckworth, J. W., Evans, T., Somphong Souliyavong, Boonhong Mounsouphom, Anderson, G.,

Cozza, K., Thewlis, R. M. and Boonhom Sounthala (1992) A preliminary survey of the birds and

mammals of HoueiNhang forest reserve, Vientiane Province, Laos. Vientiane: unpublished report to the

Lao-Swedish Forestry Co-operation Programme.

Duckworth, J. W., Timmins, R. J. and Cozza, K. (1 993) A wildlife and habitat survey of Phou Xang He

proposed protected area. Vientiane: unpublished report to the Lao-Swedish Forestry Co-operation

Programme.

Duckworth, J. W., Timmins, R. J., Thewlis, R. M., Evans, T. D. and Anderson, G. Q. A. (1994) Field

observations of mammals in Laos, 1992-1993. Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 42: 177-205.

Duckworth, J. W., Timmins, R. J., Thewlis, R. M., Nemeth, E., Evans, T. D., Dvorak, M., Cozza, K.

E. A. and Anderson, G. Q. A. (in press) The status and conservation of the gibbon Hylobates

(Nomascus) gabriellae in southern Laos. Trap. Biodiversity.

Engelbach, P. (1927a) Une collection d’oiseaux du Bas Laos. Bull. Soc. Zool. France 52: 239-250.

Engelbach, P. (1927b) Pterocyanea scuturata et Carpococcyx renauldi au Laos. Rev. from. Orn. 1 1 : 27.

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Engelbach, P. (1929) Observations d’oiseaux sur le Mekong. L’Oiseau et R.f.O. 10: 672.

Engelbach, P. (1932) Les Oiseaux du Laos meridional. L’Oiseau et R.f.O. 2: 439-498.

Engelbach, P. (1951) Les grands echassiers de l’lndochine et leur identification sur le terrain. Terre et

Vie 98: 32-46.

Europa Publications (1995) The Far East and Australasia 1995. London: Europa Publications Ltd.

Evans, T. D. and Timmins, R. J. (in prep.) Ornithological records from Central Laos in 1994.

Evans, T. D. and Timmins, R. J. ( 1 996) The status of the Green Peafowl Pavo muticus in Laos. Forktail

11-32.

Evans, T. D. andTizard, R. J. (in prep.) Recent observations of die White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata

in Laos.

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147.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. (1975) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

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Lekagul, B. and Round, P. D. (1991) A guide to the birds of Thailand. Bangkok: Saha Karn Bhaet.

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Realm. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, U.K.: IUCN.

MacKinnon, J. and Phillipps, K. (1993) A field guide to the birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. Oxford,

U.K.: Oxford University Press.

McGowan, P. J. K. and Panchen, A. L. ( 1 994) Plumage variation and geographical distribution in the

Kalij and Silver Pheasant. Bull. Brit. Om. Club 114: 113-123.

Mlikovsky, J. and Inskipp, T. P. (in prep.) Ornithological bibliography and checklist of Indochinese

birds.

Oustalet, E. (1899-1903) Les oiseaux du Cambodge, duLaos, de I’Annam et du Tonkin. Nouv. Arch.

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Perennou, C. and Mundkur, T. (.1991) Asian waterfowl census 1991. Mid-winter waterfowl counts, January

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APPENDIX 1

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF BIRDS RECORDED IN LAOS, 1 992-1993

WITH ABUNDANCE ASSESSMENTS

Localities

HN : Houay Nhang Nature Reserve, North Laos:

XP: Xe Pian NBCA, South Laos; MB = main block of semi-evergreen forest; NZ = northern fringe; DK = Dong Kalo;

XKP = Xe Khong plains

PXH: Phou Xang He NBCA, Central Laos; Hin = Phou Hinho; Xhe = Phou Xang He; MDF = mixed deciduous forest

in the lowlands; DDF = dry dipterocarp forest; Oth = scrub, cultivation etc.

DHS: Dong Hua Sao NBCA, South Laos; SEF = lowland semi-evergreen forest; MDF = lowland mixed deciduous forest;

Deg = other lowland areas including cultivation and scrub; EF = evergreen forest on the Bolovens Plateau; Oth = other

plateau habitats, largely degraded but including pine forests.

OTHER: For these localities, abundance estimates are not appropriate since inadequate lengths of time were spent there.

Numbers relate to the following sites (detailed in the text):

1 : Vientiane, North Laos, 2: Savannakhet town, Central Laos, 3: Ban Thadua, North Laos, 4: Vangviang, North Laos,

5: Nam Ngum Reservoir, North Laos, 6: Attapu town, South Laos, 7 : Khonphapheng Falls and Ban Thakho, South Laos,

8: Xe Khong river, South Laos, 9: Pakxe, South Laos, 1 0: Pha Som / Naliang Limestone outcrop, Central Laos,

1 1 : Lao Pako, North Laos, 12: Phou Khao Khouay NBCA, North Laos, 13: Thangon Reservoir, North Laos

14: Phou Bachiang, South Laos, 15: Ban Samkhang, South Laos, 16: Muang Khong, South Laos

1 7 : Ban Thong Song, Central Laos, 18: Nong Puh area, South Laos (approximately 1 0 km east of Khonphapheng Falls)

Abundance codes

C: Common = Bird recorded daily, F: Frequent = Bird recorded on more than half of days in the field

O: Occasional = Bird recorded on fewer than half of days in the field , P: Present, though abundance not assessed.

?: Status unresolved, L (prefix): Localized distribution

f Records at Xe Khong Plains which came predominantly from dry dipterocarp forest.

A (XP, HN only): seen only on supplementary visits outside the main survey period

m (suffix, Phou Xang He column of Phou Xang He NBCA only) : records came overwhelmingly from the mixed deciduous

forest on the Phou Xang He massif.

The coding for Dong Hua Sao NBCA is more complex as a result of the great variety of habitat, both lowland and on the

Bolovens Plateau. The following detail is given:

1 , Ban Nabon and Ban Sungsup area; 2, drier semi-evergreen forest around Ban Houeiton; 3, lowland coffee plantations;

4, slope forests; 5, south-east of Phou Tabeng; 6, pine forests; 7, seen in lowlands only close to slopes, often flying

slopewards in the evening; 8, only recorded in the Ban Nongkhe area; ab, unrecorded; o, predominantly seen in open

degraded areas; f, predominantly seen in forest fragments. Codes 1-4 are divisions of semi-evergreen forest; 5,6,o and

f relate to montane areas; 7 and 8 are for single species. In the SEF column, for species where only one code is given,

there were no data to suggest that the species varied in abundance between the three divisions of logged flatland semi-

evergreen forest, slope semi-evergreen forest (which was largely undisturbed), or coffee plantations. Where the abundance

code is preceded by a number, the species was only found in that division; where the abundance code is followed by a

number with another abundance code, the species seemed to be at similar abundance throughout, except in the flagged

division, where its status was as indicated by the second code. Under plateau EF, 5 is used in the same fashion as 1-4

in semi-evergreen forest. Under plateau Oth, all species which were seen in pine forests are indicated by a 6; where the

6 precedes the code, the species was unrecorded elsewhere in plateau degraded habitats.

Species notes

* 1 : a distinctive form which did not seem to be one of the species included in this table

*2: All Rock Pigeons recorded were associated with villages and urban areas.

*3: Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus was not always eliminated

*4: unidentified birds of the genus are not listed for divisions where birds were identified to species

*5: probably mostly or entirely Chinese Pond Heron

*6: most birds at PXH resembled L. c. lucionensis , which was observed only rarely at other sites

*7: Slender-billed Oriole Oriolus tenuirostris was not always eliminated

*8: both species were probably present at many sites

*9: black-headed race

* 1 0: white-headed race

*11: probably mainly birds of subspecies Phylloscopus trochi/oides plumbeitarsus

[ ] : species identification is provisional;

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INDIAN CUCKOO C. micropierus

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TEMMINCK’S STINT Calidris temminckii

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RUSTY-NAPED PITTA P. oatesi

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LITTLE PIED FLYCATCHER/7, wesiennanni

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ASIAN STUBTAIL Urosphetia squameiceps

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APPENDIX 2

LIST OF SPECIES IDENTIFICATIONS MODIFIED TO

PROVISIONAL OR RETRACTED ALTOGETHER COMPARED

WITH PRESENTATION IN PREVIOUS INTERNAL REPORTS

(Duckworth etal. 1992, 1993, Salter 1993, Timmins 1993a,b).

2.1: species modified from Timmins et al. (1993a):

Provisional hawk-eagle Spizaetus sp. record is retracted.

Provisional Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus modified to Great/Clamorous Reed Warbler A arundinaceus/

A. stentoreus.

2.2: species modified from Timmins et al. (1993b):

Fulvous-breasted W oodpecker Dendrocopos macei modifed to Dendrocopos sp .

Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus modified to a provisional record.

Javan Frogmouth Batrachostomus javensis modified to provisional Blyth’s Frogmouth B. affinis. (Note that the report

followed the species limits of Lekagul and Round 1991).

Provisional Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus record is retracted.

Provisional Brown/Buffy Fish-Owl K. zeylonensis/K. ketupu modified to Tawny/Buffy Fish-Owl K.flavipes/K. ketupu.

Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola modified to Pallas’s/Middendorff s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella

certhiola/L. ochotensis.

Provisional Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus modified to Great/Clamorous Reed Warbler A arundinaceus!

A. stentoreus.

Provisional Spot-throated Babbler Pellomeum albiventre record is retracted.

2.3: species modified from Duckworth et al. (1992):

Black Kite Milvus rnigrans modifed to provisional Black-eared Kite M. lineatus. (Note that the report followed the species

limits of Lekagul and Round 1991).

Provisional Japanese SparrowhawkAczpzrer^/amrecord retracted.

Dark-sided/Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica/M. griseisticta record is retracted.

Provisional Japanese White-eye Zosteropsjaponicus modified to Oriental/Japanese White-eye Z. palpebrosus/Z. japonicus.

Provisional Asian House-Martin Delichon dasypus modifed to Asian/Northern House-Martin D. dasypus/D. urbica.

2.4: species modified from Duckworth et al. (1993):

Provisional frogmouth Batrachostomus sp. record is retracted.

2.5: species modified from Salter (1 993).

Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus modified to a provisional record

Provisional Javan Frogmouth Batrachostomus javensis modified to provisional Blyth’s Frogmouth B. affinis.

Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyris rufifrons was inadvertently listed as the first record for Laos, although the record

probably refers to the taxon listed by Salter ( 1 993), following King et al. ( 1 975), as Buff-chested Babbler. The record

is modified to Buff-chested/Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ambigua/S. ruficeps.

98

R. M. THEWLIS et al.

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APPENDIX 3

GAZETTEER OF LOCALITIES IN LAOS MENTIONED IN

THE TEXT

Besides geographical co-ordinates, localities are listed according to two biogeographical region classifications; firstly the

division of Laos into North (N), Central (C) and South (S) proposed by Delacour and Jabouille (1931) and employed

by King et al. ( 1 97 5) . Secondly, the classification of MacKinnon and MacKinnon ( 1 986) who divided Laos into the three

sub-units of Central Indochina (10a), North Indochina (10b) and Annam (5b) is also given in the table.

Co-ordinates, altitudes, and place name spellings have been standardized to follow the Republique Democratique Populaire

Lao Service Geographique D ’ Etat 1 : 1 00,000 map series, except for the Bolovens Plateau, the Mekong and Annamitic chain

(which are called Phouphiang Bolaven, Nam Khong and Sayphou Louang, respectively, on the Lao Service Geographique

D’Etat 1 : 100,000 map series). In some historical sources (e.g. Engelbach 1932), references are made to an area called

‘Bassac’ which is a former name for Champasak. Co-ordinates are given as points for small sites and a range for rivers

and specific areas.

Alternative spellings given in parentheses after site names relate to the following texts indicated by superscript numbers:

The Times atlas of the world (\9 85) 7th Edition1; Nelles 1 : 1,500,000 map ofVietnam, Laos and Kampuchea2; Bangs and

Van Tyne ( 1 9 3 1 ) 3 ; David-Beaulieu (1944)4; David-Beaulieu (1949-1950)5; Delacour (1929)6; Delacour (1932)7;

Delacour and Greenway ( 1 940)8; Delacour and Jabouille ( 1927)°; Delacour and Jabouille ( 1 93 1 ) l0; Dickinson (1970)“;

Engelbach (1927a)12; Engelbach (1932)13; Oustalet (1899-1 903)"; Robinson and Kloss ( 1 93 1 ) l5.

Tranninh (as referred to by David-Beaulieu 1944) refers to almost (but not precisely) the same area as the modern

province of Xieng Khouang. Localities which lie within NBCAs are not detailed, since their positions are covered by the

co-ordinates given for those NBCAs. The name Lao Pako is a local name and not used on most maps. Co-ordinates are

rounded to the nearest whole minute. ‘Not named’ means a locality is marked on the map but it is not named. All Provinces

and NBCAs visited are shown on Fig. 1 .

Locality with geographical

co-ordinates, following Lao

Service Geographique D' Etat

1 : 1 00,000 map series

Regions and Protected Areas:

Phou Khao Khouay NBCA

18°15'-18°30’N 102°35'-103o30’E

Houay Nhang Nature Reserve

18°06’N 102°40’E

Nam Ngum reservoir

18025'-18037’N 102°30'-102°54’E

Tranninh

lOW^^’N 102°15'-103°55’E

Phou Xang He NBCA

16°42'-17°04’N 105o19'-106°06’E

Xe Pian NBCA

14°00'-14°50’N 105°53'-106°30’E

Dong Hua Sao NBCA

14°50'-15°1 l’N 105°55'-106°17’E

Phouphiang Boloven

1 4°42'- 1 5°30’N 1 06° 1 5'- 1 06°50’E

Xe Pon

1 6°20'- 1 6°4 l’N 1 06° 1 3'- 1 06°47’E

MuangTaoy

15°30'-16°03’N 106°20'-107°15’E

Alternative names in

references

(Not marked *>2)

(Not marked 1>2)

(Not named 1>2)

(Not marked 1)2)

(Not marked 1>2)

(Plateau des Bolovens 1 ,10,1 1 ’ 1 2’13;

Bolovens Plateau 2)

(Se Pone 1 ; Muang Xepon 2;

Tchepone5)

(Not marked 1,2;Taho 12,13)

1995

Ornithological records from Laos 1 992-1993

99

100

R. M. THEWLIS ei al.

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1995

FORKTAIL 11 (1995): 101 - 110

101

Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis

survey technique: a case study from

northern India

PHILIP J. K. McGOWAN, SALIM JAVED and ASAD R. RAHMANI

The Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis is considered shy and elusive as it is difficult to detect in tall

wet grassland habitat. Between 21 March and 6 April 1993 surveys were conducted in and around

Dudwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh, northern India. In addition to a wide ranging survey of the type

previously used in searches for the species, dawn/duskcall counts were carried out at a single site. More

birds were seen and heard at around dawn and dusk than during brief visits to areas of suitable habitat

at other times of day. Whilst brief visits allow more sites to be covered, it is probable that some

populations of Swamp Francolin will not be detected. We recommend a dawn and dusk visit to single

sites during the calling period as the most efficient survey technique for this species.

INTRODUCTION

The Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis inhabits the tall wet grasslands of

the terai of South Asia, which stretches from western Uttar Pradesh in India

eastwards along the Indo-Nepal border to Bangladesh and Assam in north -east

India. This belt of low-lying land contains both wet and dry grasslands

interspersed with moist deciduous forest, typically of sal Shorea robusta trees.

Increasing human pressures on this land at the base of the Himalaya is

resulting in the conversion of much of the grassland to agricultural land. The

loss of this unique habitat is causing problems for the species which are

restricted to the terai grasslands, such as the Swamp Francolin and the

Swamp Deer Cervus duvaucelii duvaucelii, which may now number fewer than

100 individuals in Dudwa. This is a marked decline from around 5,000 in

1972.

The survival of the Swamp Francolin has been a cause for concern since

the onset of draining of the damp areas in which it lives (Ali and Ripley 1983),

such that the species is considered threatened (Collar etal. 1994) . Furthermore,

application of the Mace and Lande (1991) threat category criteria suggests

that it is vulnerable to extinction (McGowan etal. 1995). This concern arises

from the nature of disturbance that the species’s habitat is currently subject

to. Widespread drainage throughout the terai is making many areas unsuitable

for the wet grasslands in which the francolin lives. The drained areas are then

used for several purposes, such as the planting of agricultural crops, as

pasture land for grazing cattle, and for road and house building. The usual

reaction to this form of habitat degradation and loss is to create protected

areas in which all forms of human activities are banned, or a management

102

P. J. K. McGOWAN et a!.

Forktail 1 1

Figure 1. Map of Dudwa

National Park showing major

grasslands. Inset maps show

the location of Dudwa in Uttar

Pradesh and the position of

Uttar Pradesh in India.

regime is practised. In order to prescribe sensible management practices,

however, sound information is needed on the way in which the target species

uses the variety of vegetation types which are available to it. Because the

Swamp Francolin inhabits a vegetation type that is likely to have been subject

to natural disturbance, such as periodic burning and grazing by large

mammals, the survival of the species may well depend upon some form of

management of its open grassland habitat, as is the case with the Cheer

Pheasant Catreuszuallichii in mid-altitude grasslands in the Himalaya (Garson

etal. 1992).

Therefore, if the Swamp Francolin is to survive the current threats to its

habitat, it is probable that its habitat will need to be managed to some degree.

If such management is to be effective, it must be based upon reliable

information about the species’s use of available habitats and its response to

habitat alteration such as planting of sugar cane crops. Providing such

information is especially difficult in the case of the Swamp Francolin in its

dense habitat of tall thick grassland, where sightings of birds are few.

Consequently, we aimed to assess the practicality of conducting a detailed

study on habitat use in the Swamp Francolin. Specifically, we wished to

consider the detectability of the Swamp Francolin and its amenability to

broad-scale surveys by comparing the rate at which we detected the species

at dawn and dusk with the rate of detection during brief visits at other times

of the day. These brief visits are typical of broad-ranging surveys which are

concerned with covering large areas in a relatively short time (Javed and

Rahmani 1991, Kaul and Kalsi 1990).

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Swamp Francolin survey technique

103

STUDY AREAS AND METHODS

Study areas

Fieldwork was conducted between 2 1 March and 6 April 1 993 in the districts

of Lakhimpur-Kheri and East Baraich in north-eastern Uttar Pradesh, north

India, towards the western edge of the terai. The terai is dominated by forests

comprised mainly of Sal Shorea robusta trees interspersed with grasslands

which are often extensive. In many areas the grasslands remain at least damp

throughout the year and these marshy patches contain tall, dense stands of

distinctive grasses, such as Sclerostachya fusca, Saccharum spontaneum and

Arundo donax and are called taals.

Three protected areas were visited. Most of our time was spent in and

around Dudwa National Park (28°24'-28°40’N 80°34'-80o49’E), but

Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary (28°27’N 80°22’E) was visited on 31 March/

1 April, and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (28°15’N 81°16’E) on 3/4

April. Information on the vegetation of these areas can be found in Anon.

(1990) and Rahmani er a/. (1991).

Single visit survey

Nineteen sites were visited under conditions similar to those used in previous

wide-ranging Swamp Francolin surveys, namely for short periods of time at

various times of day. In Dudwa, the following areas were surveyed for Swamp

Francolins: Madhraya Phanta including Mothna Taal, Chapra Taal,

Navalkhad (NeoraNalla), BhaadiTaal, BankeyTaal, KakrahaTaal, Chedia

T aal, Parbatia Phanta/ Andhra Nalla, Base Camp, Churella T aal and grasslands

adjacent to Salukapur Rest House and Sathiana Rest House. Outside the

Park, Ajitnagar Taal, Ghola Taal, Gajrolla Taal and Tiger Haven were

surveyed . Elsewhere, Jhaadi Taal and the U1 River bridge in Kishanpur, and

Madhera Taal at the Girja barrage in Katerniaghat were visited (see Fig. 1).

Repeated sampling survey

For detailed survey work we chose a site which would allow repeat visits at

dawn and dusk. Such a site had to be accessible in the dark so that we could

arrive before sunrise and depart after sundown. Given that Dudwa lies within

a Project Tiger area, it was also thought that we should choose an area in

which walking in the dark would not prove dangerous. Ghola Taal, just

outside the western edge of Dudwa National Park satisfied these criteria.

Sampling stations along the south and south-eastern edges of the taal could

easily be reached in 20 minutes from Sathiana Rest House.

Ghola Taal is an expanse of open water surrounded by Saccharum

spontaneum, Typha spp., Phragmites karka, Cyperus rotundus grassland which

104

P. J. K. McGOWAN ei al.

Forktail 1 1

is grazed fairly lightly for the most part. Further from the taal, bordering the

grassland, are crop fields, the majority of which were sown with sugar cane

during our visit, or were being harvested. Other crops grown include pulses

and wheat. The distribution of crops among the fields along the southern and

south-eastern edges of the taal was mapped and the size of each field measured.

To investigate the utility of dawn and dusk choruses as a means of

surveying areas for the Swamp Francolin, stations were manned from 50

minutes before sunrise to one hour after, and from 80 minutes before

sundown to forty minutes after (cf Garson 1983). Information recorded at

each encounter included bearing from observation station, estimated distance

and habitat type. The number of call bouts heard was tallied for successive

5 minute periods to assess whether there was a time when the rate of calling

reached a peak and, if so, if this was at a predictable time in the morning or

evening. Sightings were also noted and one observer recorded the number of

calls given in each bout heard from each location.

RESULTS

Call types

Two types of call were heard (Fig. 2). A series of single notes (Fig. 2 top) and

a call desribed as chuckeroo, chuckeroo, chuckeroo (Tickell, in Ali and Ripley

1983) (Fig. 2 bottom) . Both call types were often heard in the same bout, the

single notes emitted before the chuckeroo calls.

100 300 500 700 900 1100 1500 1500 1700 1900 ms

Hz

9775

8000

6225

4450

2675

900

Figure 2. Sonograms of Swamp Francolin calls heard at Ghola Taal outside Dudwa National Park,

northern India. Note that the frequency (vertical axis) and timescale (horizontal axis) are different for

the two sonograms.

1995

Swamp Francolin survey technique

105

Table 1. Dates and times of visits to waterbodies during the short visit survey for Swamp Francolins

undertaken in Lakhimpur-Kheri and East Baraich Districts in north-central Uttar Pradesh, north India.

The number of birds recorded during each visit is also given.

Short visit survey

The date, time and number of Swamp Francolins encountered at each site

visited during the “usual” survey is given in Table 1 . It should be noted that

the short duration of some visits is a typical consequence of broad-ranging

surveys attempting to cover several sites in a short period of time. From our

data it is not possible to determine how reliable this method is for detecting

presence, and hence implying absence, of Swamp Francolin at any given site.

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P. J. K. McGOWAN et al.

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It is worth noting, however, that birds were not always detected at sites where

they were known to be present. For example, no calls were heard or birds seen

at Chapra T aal on the evening of 22 March or 30 March, but a single call was

heard during the morning of 21 March. Detection of birds was similarly

unpredictable at Kakraha Taal.

Dawn! dusk survey

Five dawn and five dusk counts were conducted at Ghola Taal between 23

March and 6 April. Sunrise varied from 06h05 on 28 March, to 05h58 on 6

April and sunset from 18hl6 on 23 March to 18h24 on 5 April. The number

of birds heard calling and of those seen is given in T able 2. We have assumed

that each calling location represents a pair of Swamp Francolin, given that the

species is believed to be monogamous and is mostly seen in pairs (see Tables

1 and 2; Javed and Rahmani unpublished data) . Based on this assumption we

provide an estimate of the minimum number of individuals present in the

portion of Ghola Taal that we surveyed. Because most of the birds that we

saw called before, during or after the sighting, the minimum number of birds

is typically estimated to be twice the number of calling locations recorded.

The single exception is the morning of 2 April when one bird was seen flying

and no calls were heard from either the place from where it flew or where it

landed. A pair was seen at exactly the same point on the morning of 28 March.

Birds were heard nearly four times more often and seen nearly twice as

often during the dawn/dusk survey than during the short visit survey (Table

3) . As the short visit survey includes some sites where birds were not recorded

at all, however, the lower encounter rates recorded during this survey may be

biased by the absence of birds from some sites. The rate at which birds were

heard at Ghola Taal during the short visit survey is slightly higher than for all

sites, but is still very low in comparison with the dawn/dusk survey at that site.

In contrast, birds were seen much more often at Ghola than elsewhere, and

were recorded slightly more frequently during this survey than during the

dawn/dusk survey at Ghola. However, it should be noted that all sightings at

Ghola during the short visit survey were made on one morning, 27 March,

and, that as numbers are so small, this has had a strong influence on this result .

Pattern of calling at Ghola Taal

The mean number of calls given in each 5 minute period during the dawn and

dusk counts is given in relation to sunrise and sunset respectively in Fig. 3.

The most striking result is that there are many more call bouts heard in the

morning than in the evening.

In the morning some calls were heard as much as 50 minutes before sunrise

and birds were often still calling sporadically when the sampling period ended

1995

Swamp Francolin survey technique

107

Table 2. Results of dawn/dusk counts of Swamp Francolins at GholaTaal, near Dudwa National Park,

Lakhimpur-Kheri, Districts in north-central Uttar Pradesh, north India. The number of birds recorded

during each visit is also given.

' assuming calling locations represent pairs (see text) . ( ) denotes individual birds flying from and to same

spots, and, therefore, probably a pair. Sunrise varied from 06h05 on 28 March, to 05h58 on 6 April and

sunset from 1 8h 1 6 on 23 March to 1 8h24 on 5 April.

Encounter rate

Type of survey Total duration No. birds heard No. birds seen

(mins) per hour per hour

Table 3. The rates at which Swamp Francolins were heard and seen during both short visit and dawn/

dusk surveys.

more than one hour after sunrise. There are however, two clear peaks of

calling activity, the first 15 minutes before and the second 15 minutes after

sunrise. The evening calling period appears less predictable, although there

also seems to be more calling 15 minutes either side of sunset.

DISCUSSION

During all fieldwork Swamp Francolins were heard more frequently than

they were seen. Consequently, more individuals are likely to be heard at a single

site than seen, at this time of year, suggesting that observers should be familiar

with the calls of the species before beginning a survey. Which of the two types

of survey that we conducted should be used in any situation will depend upon

the specific objectives of the fieldwork and any constraints of time.

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P. J. K. McGOWAN et al.

Forktail 1 1

Single visit surveys are likely to prove useful when several sites within a

large area are to be visited in a short space of time. Our data suggest that the

presence of Swamp Francolin in a site is likely to be revealed by such short

surveys, but that occurrence at some sites will be missed. In contrast,

listening for calls at dawn and dusk is much more likely to reveal the species’

presence, and that if a site is sampled for several days, then it is highly unlikely

that there will be no calls in an area which contain Swamp Francolins.

Sunrise

Time of day (am)

Sunset

Time of day (pm)

Figure 3. The pattern of calling of Swamp Francolins at Ghola Taal outside Dudwa National Park,

Uttar Pradesh, northern India. The mean number of call bouts heard in each five minute period at dawn

and dusk is given and mean sunrise and sunset times are marked.

1995

Swamp Francolin survey technique

109

There are two procedural differences between our two types of survey. The

first is the duration of each visit and the second is the time of day at which

the visit was made. In order to reduce the possibility that the species’s

occurrence at a site will be missed when conducting a single visit survey,

fieldwork should be conducted at dawn and dusk. Our data suggest that

manning survey stations from half-an-hour before to half-an-hour after

sunrise will reveal presence of the species at a site during the calling season.

Consequently, a visit to a site at dusk and the following dawn may be

sufficient to detect the species if it is present at the waterbody being surveyed.

This should allow reasonable field effort at each site in a wide-ranging survey.

The main finding of this study is the marked increase in Swamp Francolin

activity at dawn and, to a lesser degree, dusk, when compared to other times

of day, even early morning and late afternoon. Repeated visits to GholaTaal

revealed between seven and nine calling locations on each of the five

mornings. This may mean that there are nine pairs of francolin present and

that at least 7 7 % of these are calling each morning. This compares with Cheer

Pheasants at Wacchum in Uttar Pradesh, where 75% of Cheer Pheasant pairs

are estimated to call on average before sunrise in June (Young et al. 1987).

More information is needed on the distribution of calling Swamp Francolins

on successive mornings (Bibby et al. 1992), however, before the number of

calling birds on any one morning can be converted into a population density

estimate.

The high rate at which the Swamp Francolin is encountered at dawn and

dusk offers the possibility for a limited study of some aspects of the species’s

ecology and behaviour using non-invasive methods. For example, the use of

available habitats by calling males can be assessed, which is especially

important in non-protected areas such as Ghola Taal, where at least some

birds call from sugar cane fields before they are harvested. This study should

be able to supply the management recommendations required if the species

is to survive in its man-affected habitat for the future. Such a study is now in

progress.

The work was carried out under the auspices of a British Council-Indian Universities Grant Commission

link. We gladly acknowledge the support of these agencies and the help of the link co-ordinators, Dr P eter

J. Garsonin the U.K. and Prof. Abbas H. Musavi in India. Additional support was provided by British

Airways-Assisting Nature Conservation through the World Pheasant Association. Permission to work

in Dudwa National Park was kindly granted by Mr M. C. Ghildiyal, Chief Wildlife Warden of Uttar

Pradesh and Mr D. N. Suman, Director of Dudwa National Park. The assistance of the other park

officials and staff is also acknowledged. Sarah Bush kindly produced the sonograms at The Open

University and Tom Gardiner made the map, which is reproduced with permission from The World

Pheasant Association and IU CN from Partridges, quails, francolins, snozvcocks andguineafowl: status survey

and conservation action plan 1 995-1999.

110

P. J. K. McGOWAN etal.

Forktail 1 1

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1983) Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Compact edition. New Delhi:

Oxford University Press.

Anon. (1990) Status and ecology of the Lesser and Bengal Floricans. Pinal report. Bombay: Bombay Natural

History Society.

Bibby, C. J. , Burgess, N. D. and Hill, D. A. (1992) Bird census techniques. London: Academic Press.

Collar, N. J., Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1988) Birds to watch 2. Cambridge: BirdLile

International.

Garson, P. J. (1983) The Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii in Himachal Pradesh, Western Himalayas:

an update. J. World Pheasant Association 8: 29-39.

Garson, P. J., Young, L. andKaul, R. (1992) Ecology and status of the Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii'.

studies in the wild and progress of a reintroduction project. Biological Conservation 59: 25-35.

Javed, S. and Rahmani, A. R. (1991) Swamp Francolin in the north Indian terai. World Pheasant

Association News 34: 15-18.

Kaul, R. andKalsi, R. (1990) Swamp Partridge - a pilot survey. World Pheasant Association News 30: 3-5.

Mace, G. M. and Lande, R. (1991) Assessing extinction threats: toward a reevaluation of IUCN

threatened species categories. Conservation Biology 5: 148-157.

McGowan, P. J. K., Dowell, S. D., Carroll, J. P. and Aebischer,N. J. (1995) Partridges, quails, francolins,

snowcocks and guineafowl: status survey and conservation action plan 1 995-1999. Gland: IUCN.

Rahmani, A. R., Narayan, G., Rosalind, L., Sankaran, R. and Ganguli-Lachungpa, U. (1991) Status

of the Bengal florican Houbaropsis bengalensis in India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 88: 349-375.

Young, L., Garson, P. J. and Kaul, R. (1987) Calling behaviour and social organization in the Cheer

Pheasant: implications for survey technique. J. World Pheasant Association 12: 30-43.

Philip J. K. McGowan, Biology Department, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA,

U. K.

Salim Javed and Asad R. Rahmani, Centre for Wildlife and Ornithology , Aligarh Muslim University , Aligarh

202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.

1995

FORKTAIL 1 1 (1995): 111 - 120

1 1 1

New distributional records and natural

history notes on the Whiskered Pitta

Pitta kochi of the Philippines

O. F. JAKOBSEN and C. YDING ANDERSEN

The few observations of the Whiskered Pitta Pitta kochi have made information about this endemic bird

of the Philippines very limited. During a general avifaunal survey in the Sierra Madre Mountains and

in the Mount Pulog National Park sightings were made of this species. A total of 43 birds was recorded,

which outnumbers all previous observations. The pitta was recorded from several new habitats at 500

to 2,200 m. Four birds were captured, including one juvenile, and released after measurements and

blood samples for DNA analysis had been taken. For the first time, the song has been tape-recorded and

translated into a sonogram. It is compared to species with similar vocalizations. Details of a possible

breeding season, food and feeding habitats are also reported. The northern part of the Sierra Madre

Mountains still contains habitat to sustain a viable population and the mountains currently represent a

stronghold of this species.

The Whiskered Pitta Pitta kochi is endemic to the island of Luzon, and was

first described by Briiggemann (1876). J. Whitehead, who discovered a

number of endemic species to the Philippines during the end of the last

century, stated that ‘the rediscovery of this fine pitta was one of the most

interesting results of my journey to the highlands of Luzon’ (Whitehead

1899). As indicated by Whitehead, the Whiskered Pitta is a rare, local and

seldom seen bird, and information about its distribution, habitat and biology

is still very limited. Apart from a few observations almost a century ago, there

are only scattered reports on the Whiskered Pitta (Dickinson etal. 1991). The

first observations were confined to the montane and mossy forest of the

Cordillera Central, near or on Mount Data in Benquet Province. Later, in

1959, observations were made in the Cordillera Central at Mount Sablan,

Mountain Province (Rabor’s collection, University of the Philippines, Los

Banos) and south-west of Mount Adams Peak, Ilocos Norte in 1993 (D.

Allen in litt.). The Whiskered Pitta is also found in the Sierra Madre

Mountains, where single birds have been recorded at Balian, Laguna

Province in 1964 (McClure andLeelavit 1972), at Mount Cagua, Cagayan

Province (Dickinson et al. 1991) and in Dalton Pass, Nueva Vizcaya in 1967

(McClure and Leelavit 1972). The two most recent observations are from

Isabela Province on Mount Halmut at the base of Los Dos Cuernos (Anon.

1994) and at Minuma Creek in 1994 (C. Robson in. litt.). In addition, it has

been observed at Mount Isarog in Camarines Sur Province (Goodman and

Gonzales 1990).

Two expeditions by the Danish Ornithological Society, the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippines and ICBP conducted

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O. F. JAKOBSEN and C. YDING ANDERSEN

Forktail 1 1

general avifaunal surveys on Luzon from December 1990 to June 1991 and

from February 1992 to May 1992. We report new information on plumage

characteristics, voice, breeding season, food and feeding habitats.

METHODS AND STUDY AREAS

Field surveys were undertaken to produce avian inventories for the Sierra

Madre Mountains and the Mount Pulog National Park. The Sierra Madre

Mountains extend almost 500 km from the north-eastern tip of Luzon

southward on the east side of the island forming the backbone of Luzon

island. The highest mountain peaks reach from 1,200 to 1,800 m. Surveys

were made in the northern part of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Isabela-

and Cagayan Provinces. The Mount Pulog National Park is situated in

Benguet Province in the Cordillera Central, which is 300 km long with the

highest peaks from 2,000 to 2,900 m. The park surrounds the highest

mountain on Luzon, Mount Pulog (2,930 m) and covers an area of 1 1,500 ha.

Methods were adopted for surveying the general avian fauna. A combination

of line transect surveys, systematic mist-netting, bio-acoustical surveys and

general observations were used to compile data.

Line transect survey routes were 2.0-2. 5 km long and usually followed

existing narrow trails. Easily recognizable markers were placed every 250 m

along the route. Three to four researchers compiled data along the transect

Figure 1 . The habitat of the Whiskered Pitta.

1995

Records and notes on the Whiskered Pitta

113

route, each person walking alone with a speed of 250 m per 1 5 min. For each

transect route at least 40 h of observations were performed. For each

observation the following data were monitored: species name, number of

birds, perpendicular distance from the bird to the trail, habitat and whether

the bird was seen, heard or only observed flying. In addition, it was noted if

the species participated in a mixed species feeding party.

Mist-netting stations were composed of 1 5 to 20 nets ( 1 50-200 net-metres) .

The nets were opened at 05h00 and closed at sunset. Each station was usually

in operation for three to four consecutive days. Each bird caught was ringed

and the following measurements were taken: length of bill, wing, tarsus and

tail. A tiny blood-sample was taken, puncturing the wing-vein, before the

birds were released. The blood samples are now included in the DNA

collections of the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen.

Close to the transect routes bio-acoustics were performed by regular 12-15

min tape recordings at sunrise, when the vocalization was at its maximum.

LOCATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

The Whiskered Pitta was observed at five different locations, four of which

were in the Sierra Madre Mountains and one in the Mount Pulog National

Park.

Mount Dipalayag (16°58’N 122°15’E) One newly fledged juvenile was

mist-netted at 950 m and one adult plus one juvenile was observed at 1,000

m between the 18- 19 April 1991. In addition, at 650 m one or two adult birds

were observed several times on both days collecting food and seen flying

away, a behaviour suggesting that breeding took place.

Los Dos Cuernos (17°33’N 121°59’E) All together 15 individuals were

recorded between 28 April and 4 May 1 99 1 . Two adult birds were mist-netted

at 1,150 m. One adult was observed singing at 950 m. The song was

tape-recorded. Furthermore, 12 pittas were heard or identified from tape

recordings made at 800-1,250 m. In just one day, seven of these individuals

were seen, heard or the song tape-recorded.

Minuma Creek (17°09’N 122°06’E) The area was visited 12-21 March

1992. One adult was observed three times at 500 m.

Mount Cataceo ( 1 7°42’N 1 22°02’E) At least 22 individuals were recorded

7-19 May 1992. Between 1,200 and 1,500 m 13 Pittas were recorded in just

one day, including 1 1 individuals at a single transect count (10 adults and 1

juvenile). At a transect count between 1,400 and 1,650 m four individuals

were recorded.

The Mount Pulog National Park (16°35’N 120°56’E) During a visit to the

village of Akiki within the national park an adult Whiskered Pitta was shown

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O. F. JAKOBSEN and C. YDING ANDERSEN

Forktail 1 1

Plate 2 .Juvenile Whiskered

Pitta Pitta kochi.

to us on 17 December 1990 by a local boy. The bird had been captured in

a ground based bird-trap at 2,200 m. The bird was purchased and released

at the area of capture.

HABITAT

Whiskered Pitta was found in a number of different habitats as indicated by

our records in the altitudinal range of 500-2,000 m.

At Mount Dipalayag the pitta was observed in two different habitats. At

650 m the habitat included primary, evergreen, lowland forest with steep

slopes and large areas with no understory and little herbaceous vegetation,

a soft forest floor, with leaf-litter and some boulders. The area was also used

by foraging wild pigs Sus barbatus, which turned over the soil. The observations

at 950-1,000 m were made on a wide mountain ridge with steep slopes, in

primary montane forest dominated by oak Quercus. This area was also used

by wild pigs.

The habitat at Los Dos Cuernos was mostly found on very steep slopes

covered by degraded montane forest with a canopy cover of less than 70%.

Young trees, ferns and tall (2-3 m) grasses formed a dense understory,

leaving only small areas of soft, open forest floor with leaf-litter. This area was

also used by wild pigs.

1995

Records and notes on the Whiskered Pitta

115

Figure 1. Sonogram of the song of the Whiskered Pitta Pitta kochi.

1 second

Figure 2. Sonogram of the song of the Amethyst Brown Dove Phapitreron amethystina.

At Minuma Creek the bird was seen in selectively logged lowland evergreen

forest with a canopy cover of 70% and a general canopy height of less than

20 m.

Mount Cetaceo held two habitats in which the pitta was recorded: 1 ) along

the slopes of a ridge at an altitude of 1 ,400- 1 ,650 m in primary mossy forest

with 10-12 m high canopy, and 2) in primary montane forest dominated by

oak at 800- 1,400 m with a canopy cover of 7 5 % . Wild pigs were found in both

areas.

The bird at Mount Pulog came from a habitat of typical mossy forest. The

average height of trees was 8 m (range 5-12 m) and the canopy cover 75%.

Nearly all trees were broadleaved with a dominance of oak. In the understory

ferns and rhododendron were common. However, the understory was open

and the soil was disturbed by the activity of pigs.

BEHAVIOUR

The Whiskered Pitta is a terrestrial skulking species. It was always observed

near the ground, singly and hopping around turning aside dry leaves with a

sideways movement of the head . It was seen digging into the wet soil with the

bill in search of food. The pitta was also observed jumping down from a trunk

1 16

O. F. JAKOBSEN and C. YDING ANDERSEN

Forktail 1 1

Figure 3. The Whiskered Pitta

from the Mount Pulog National

Park of the Cordillera Central.

or a rock 30-50 cm above the ground and snatching food items. Now and

then, it cocked its head to one side to listen or look. When disturbed, it moved

away very fast with long hops, or flew near the ground into cover of dense

vegetation. It was never seen more than 1.5 m above the ground.

One bird was examined for stomach contents, from which small beetles

were the only items identified. The skin of this bird was given to the

Philippine National Museum, Manila. Beetle remains were also observed in

faeces from other individuals.

In north-western Sierra Madre the breeding season apparently starts as

early as the end of February, although the song activity was highest from the

end of April to the middle of May, a period coinciding with the beginning of

the rainy season.

In four areas on the Los Dos Cuernos, two or more individuals within

hearing distance were calling persistently from dawn to lOhOO. In one area

at 900 m altitude along 200 m of logging road in degraded montane forest,

six individuals were calling persistently until lOhOO.

1995

Records and notes on the Whiskered Pitta

117

SONG

On 2 May 1991 at 08h00 at Los Dos Cuernos (900 m) the voice of the

Whiskered Pitta was tape-recorded for the first time. One individual was

observed singing at a distance of 8 m on a logging road in a degraded forest.

It used stones from the fireplace of our previous camp as a song post. The

voice was a rather monotonous series of single clear elements:

‘goow-goow-goow-goow-goow’. Each song bout usually consisted of five

descending elements, but varied from two to six. The duration of each song

was from 1 to almost 3 seconds. The interval between each song was 20 sec

on average (range 5-30 sec) (sonogram, Fig. 1).

The songs of at least 10 individuals were tape-recorded. The extension of

each element was related to the number of elements included in each song.

Few elements indicated an extended duration of each element. The dominant

frequency in the first element of a five element song was 87 1 Hz. In the field,

the song of the Whiskered Pitta may be confused with the Amethyst Brown-

Dove Phapitreron amethystina, although the song of the dove is deeper - 46 1

Hz (see sonogram, Fig. 2), and usually consists of 3-4 elements each with a

duration of approximately 2 sec.

PLUMAGES

The Whiskered Pitta is a large pitta . We were unable to establish any external

sex differences.

The two individuals mist-netted at Los Dos Cuernos were similar and were

described as follows: forehead, lores and ear-coverts carob brown (name of

colours according to Ridgway, 1912). The crown becomes gradually mars

orange towards the nape, which was mars orange. The sub-moustachial

stripe was wide and ivory yellow, extending from the lower mandible to below

the ear-coverts and to the side of the neck. The narrow malar stripe was carob

brown. The sides of the neck, the chin and the throat were vinaceous-brown.

The breast was Olympic blue. The rest of the underparts including the

undertail-coverts were scarlet red. The mantle was brownish-olive. The back

and the rump were olive. Uppertail-coverts and both sides of the tail were

Olympic blue. The wings were olive, except for the scapulars and the median

wing-coverts, which were olive with a bluish wash. The greater wing-coverts

were Olympic blue. A small white patch was present on the inner web of the

third primary (one third from the tip) and on the inner and outer webs of the

fourth primary. The bill was all black, the iris brick red, the eyering and the

eyelid russian blue, the legs and the feet parula blue, and the claws whitish.

The single individual from the Mount Pulog National Park differed from

the birds of Los Dos Cuernos by having a more whitish sub-moustachial

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O. F. JAKOBSEN and C. YDING ANDERSEN

Forktail 1 1

stripe and orange-rufous ear-coverts and sides of neck. Starting from the base

of the lower mandible approximately 40% was ivory yellow, while the rest of

the bill was blackish (Fig. 3).

At Mount Dipalayag one juvenile pitta was mist-netted. The feathers of the

forehead were chestnut brown with light ochraceous-buff centres. Lores and

ear-coverts were chestnut brown. The crown, the nape and the sides of the

neck were mars brown with light ochraceous-buff centres to the feathers. The

sub-moustachial stripes were ivory yellow with a chestnut brown line below.

The chin was ivory yellow. The throat was covered with cinnamon-brown

feathers showing ivory yellow centres. The breast was cinnamon-brown with

ivory yellow centres to the feathers and with a few Colombia blue feathers.

The rest of the underparts were cinnamon-brown with ivory yellow centres

to the feathers and a few feathers with deep mouse grey concealed bases with

narrow ivory yellow centres and scarlet-red or salmon-orange tips. The

mantle, back, rump, uppertail-coverts, scapulars and wing-coverts were

olive-brown. The primaries and secondaries were dark greyish olive. As in the

adults, there was a small white patch near the tip of the wing. Both sides of

the tail were Columbia blue. The bill was black with an ivory yellow tip

(although not clear from Fig. 4) and starting from the base approximately

40% of the lower mandible was ivory yellow (Fig. 4) . The beak flanges were

ivory yellow. The iris was dark hessian brown. The legs, the feet and the

eyering were parula blue. The claws were whitish.

Table 1 . Biometrics (mm) of Whiskered Pittas from three locations.

DISCUSSION

The number of Whiskered Pittas described in this paper outnumbers all

previous observations together. This is largely due to the novel recording and

description of the characteristic song of the Whiskered Pitta . The knowledge

of the song has already proved to be a valuable tool in detection of this shy

and difficult to observe bird. In addition, this paper describes new habitats

used by this pitta, reflected in observations of this species in an altitudinal

range of 500-2,200 m. The breeding-grounds in the north-western Sierra

Madre are the higher parts of the lowland forest to the higher parts of the

mossy forest - apparently from 500 m to at least 1,600 m. In addition, the

Whiskered Pitta has recently been recorded at an altitude as low as 360 m in

1995

Records and notes on the Whiskered Pitta

119

one of our survey areas (Anon. 1994). Indeed, together with the new

knowledge of the breeding season, food and feeding habitats, the present

observations extend the previous knowledge of this species.

We found differences in the plumage of birds from the Sierra Madre

Mountains and the Cordillera Central. In addition, the previously described

plumage of this species differs from our observations: the sub-moustachial

stripe has been described as pale-reddish grey and the throat as reddish-grey

or reddish (Brtiggemann 1876, Gould 1880), whereas we found that the

sub-moustachial stripe was ivory yellow and the throat was vinaceous-brown.

In addition, the sides of the body and the centre of the abdomen were

described as olive-brown (Brtiggemann 1876, Gould 1880), whereas we

found that the sides of the breast were Olympic blue and that the flanks were

scarlet red. Briiggemann (1876) and Gould (1880) also described a white

spot on the inner web of the second primary, whereas we only found a white

spot on the third and fourth primaries. Taken together, the differences in

coloration may indicate the presence of isolated populations, which, however,

needs further investigation for confirmation.

The four observation sites from the Sierra Madre Mountains are all on the

western slopes. On the eastern side of the mountains, however, no surveys

were performed above an altitude of 675 m, which may explain the lack of

observations. The highest number of birds was found in montane forest

between 900-1,500 m.

In conclusion, the northern part of the Sierra Madre Mountains still

contains enough habitat to sustain a viable population of the Whiskered Pitta.

Hopefully, the conservation measures which have now been implemented in

the Sierra Madre Mountains will enable the long term survival of this

‘magnificent bird of unrivalled beauty’ as Ogilvie-Grant (1895) described the

Whiskered Pitta at the end of the last century.

We are indebted to the Aage V. Jensen Foundation for financial support to carry out the Finn

Salomonsen’s Memorial Expeditions to the Philippines. We thank BirdLife International, the Department

of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippines, Dr. J. Fjeldsa, Zoological Museum of

Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Danish Ornithological Society for help in planning and carrying out the

expeditions. We would like to thank Dr. Poul Hansen, Zoological Museum of Aarhus, Denmark for

preparing the sonograms. We also wish to thank B. O. Poulsen, M. HeegaardandM. K. Poulsen for help

in preparing this manuscript. A special thanks goes to all the people, who helped us in various ways,

accompanied us in the field and made this work possible.

120

O. F. JAKOBSEN and C. YDING ANDERSEN

Forktail 1 1

REFERENCES

Anon. (1994) From the field: Philippines. Oriental Bird Club Bull. 19: 66.

Briiggemann, F. (1876). Beitragezur Ornithologie von Celebes und Sangir.XW;. Naturwiss. Ver. Bremen

5: 35-102.

Dickinson, E. C., Kennedy, R. S. and Parkes, K. C. (1991) The birds of the Philippines. B.O.U. Check-list

No. 12. Tring: British Ornithologists’ Union.

Goodman, S. M. and Gonzales, P. C. (1990) The birds ofMt. Isarog National Park, southern Luzon,

Philippines with particular reference to altitudinal distribution. Fieldiana Zool. (2) 60: 1-39.

Gould, J. (1880) The birds of Asia, Part XXXII.

McClure, H. and Leelavit, P. (1972) Birds banded in Asia during the MAPS Program, by locality, from 1963

throul971. U.S. Army Research and Development Group, Far East, Report No. FE-3 1 5-7, 478 pp.

Ogilvie-Grant, W. R. ( 1 895) On the birds of the Philippine Islands, Part V. The highlands of the province

of Lepan to north Luzon. Ibis 7(1): 433-472.

Ridgway, R. (1912) Color standards and nomenclature. Washington D.C.: A. Hoen and Company.

Whitehead, J. (1899) Field-notes on birds collected in the Philippine Islands in 1 893-6, Part II. Ibis 1 (5):

210-246.

O. Frode Jakobsen andC. Yding Andersen, Danish Ornithological Society, Vesterbrogade 140, DK-1640

Copenhagen V,

1995

FORKTAIL 1 1 (1995): 121 - 134

121

An annotated check-list of the forest

birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park,

Bohol, Philippines

T. BROOKS, G. DUTSON, B. KING and P. M. MAGSALAY

Rajah Sikutana National Park preserves most of the natural forest remaining on the island of Bohol, in

the central Philippines . The park holds many species of forest birds, including at least 48 species endemic

to the Philippines, and all four of Bohol’s endemic subspecies. An annotated list of the forest bird species

known from the national park is given, including 10 species not previously known from Bohol. The

national park is well-protected by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),

who have an active reforestation programme in the adjacent cleared areas.

INTRODUCTION

Bohol, an island of 4,1 17 km2 (Dickinson etal. 1991), lies between Cebu and

Leyte in the central Philippines. It is low-lying with its highest point at only

878 m (Heaney 1986). The island has no pronounced dry season but is rainy

from July to September due to typhoons, and from October to December due

to north-eastern monsoons (DENR 1992). The driest month is April

(DENR 1992). Much of the island consists of coralline limestone of

geologically recent origin. During the lower sea levels of the mid- and late-

Pleistocene (until 1 8,000 years ago), Bohol was joined to Leyte and Samar,

and from there to Mindanao (Heaney 1986).

As a result of this recent connection, Bohol is faunistically very similar to

Samar and Leyte, with most bird species and subspecies shared between the

three islands. This group, the Eastern Visayas, has two endemic bird species,

Samar Hornbill Penelopides samarensis and Yellow-breasted Tailorbird

Orthotomus samarensis , both of which are allospecies of forms found elsewhere

in the Philippines. Bohol itself has four recognized endemic subspecies

(Streaked Ground-Babbler Ptilocichla mindanensis fortichi , Black-crowned

Babbler Stachyris nigrocapitata boholensis, Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher

Rhinomyias ruficauda boholensis, and Metallic-winged Sunbird Aethopyga

pulcherrima decorosa ), due to its historically isolated position, at the end of a

peninsula with only a narrow connection to Leyte (Rand and Rabor 1960).

This location, however, may have also left Bohol depauperate in comparison

to Leyte and Samar, for several species such as Elegant Tit Parus elegans and

Sulphur-billed Nuthatch Sitta oenochlamys are noticeably absent from the

island.

Bohol has received surprisingly little attention from ornithologists. A. H.

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T. BROOKS et al.

Forktail 1 1

Everett and his brother collected (in northern Bohol) in October-November

1877 (Tweeddale 1878), J. B. Steerein 1888 (Steere 1890), A. Celestino,M.

Canton and R. C. McGregor, in the hills near Tagbilaran (9°38’N 123°51 ’E),

Sevilla (9°43’N 124°02’E) and Guindulman (9°46’N 124°29’E), in June

1906 (McGregor 1907) and W. C. Forbes in 1921 (Bangs 1922). The only

subsequent collections are those of D. S. Rabor, at 300-350 m at Sandayong

(9°49’N 124°21’E) and 700-750 m at Cantaub (9°49’N 124°28’E), in the

hills between Sierra Bullones (9°49’N 124°17’E) and Guindulman, in

March-May 1955 (Rand and Rabor 1 960) and December 1958 (Dickinson

etal. 1991), and a recent unpublished collection by P. Cua (Dickinson etal.

1991). A. Alcala also collected on the island (near Sierra Bullones) in May

1962 (K. Cebra in litt. 1995).

Bohol has been very heavily deforested. Even as early as 1877, Everett

‘found a country with grass 1 2 feet high, and with no forest except on the tops

of a few hills. Birds were scarce; and he had to return stricken with fever’

(Tweeddale 1878). The most recent surveys of land cover in the Philippines

showed only 1 66 km2 of open dipterocarp forest remaining on Bohol, 4% of

the island’s area (Forest Management Bureau 1988, Swedish Space

Corporation 1988).

Most of Bohol’s remaining natural forest lies within the Rajah Sikatuna

National Park (henceforth RSNP), with only small patches of intermingled

plantations and dipterocarp forest elsewhere on the island. RSNP covers

Figure 1 . Bohol, showing remaining forest cover (Forest Management Bureau 1988, Swedish Space

Corporation 1988, IUCN 1991) in black.

1995

Forest birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park

123

9,023 ha in area and lies between 200 m and 800 m altitude (DENR 1992),

although its most accessible trails lie between 200 m and 500 m. It is mainly

comprised of primary but fairly broken dipterocarp forest on steep, limestone

terrain, surrounded by agricultural land and deforested hills. Four springs lie

within the national park (DENR 1992). RSNP is managed by the DENR

who have a headquarters at the Logarita Forest Station (9°43’N 124°08’E)

on the western edge of the park.

The DENR is engaged in an active and successful programme of reforestation

around the edges of the park, with large mahogany plantations dating back

to the 1960s. The Logarita Forest Station is currently being expanded, and

already includes a large bunkhouse and a swimming pool. An old scout camp

lies in a large clearing just inside the forest. RSNP does have problems with

the collection of firewood and rattans, the hunting and trapping of wildlife,

and the clearance of the forest for kaingin (slash-and-burn agriculture) in the

eastern portion of the reserve, but these threats are apparently being

effectively controlled by the DENR.

A total of 48 species of endemic Philippines has been recorded in RSNP,

including both Eastern Visayas endemics. All four of Bohol’s endemic

subspecies are found, and the presence of 12 species listed in Birds to watch

2 (Collar et al. 1994) highlights the park’s importance for conservation. The

park also holds other interesting wildlife, including six species of large

mammals: Philippine Tarsier Tarsius syrichta. Long-tailed Macaque Macaca

fascicularis, Philippine Flying-Lemur Cynocephalus volans, Malay Civet Viverra

tangalunga, Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus heunaphroditus and wild pigs

Sus philippinensis (or possibly Sus cebifrons) . This diversity of easily-observed

wildlife, along with the ease of access, from Cebu or Manila to T agbilaran by

boat or aeroplane, and then 1 hour by bus from Tagbilaran to Bilar (9°43’N

124°07’E) and the proximity to Carmen (9°50’N 124°12’E) and the Chocolate

Hills, has made RSNP a popular destination for birdwatchers in the last few

years. This paper consolidates the many interesting records of birds from the

park.

T.B. andG.D. spent 23-27 July 1994 birdwatching in RSNP. B.K. has lead

KingBird tours to RSNP in February-March in 1990 and annually since

1 992. P.M.M. is currently coordinating a project on the birds of Bohol by the

Philippine Wetland and Wildlife Conservation Foundation Inc. (PWCF)

and has visited RSNP on a number of occasions. We compiled records from

RSNP from a number of trip reports (Allen 1994, Buck et al. 1990, Curio

1993, Gardner 1993, Greensmith 1990, Hornbuckle 1994, Jensen and

Hornskov 1992, Redman and Mitchell 1993 and Sargeant 1992), with

additional records from the notes of the following people, to whom we are

most grateful: Des Allen (14-20 March 1994); Mike Archer; Desiderio

Asane; Euan Brodie (spring 1991); Hugh Buck, Gavin Cooper and Tim

Fisher (6-8 May 1 989); Eberhard Curio, B. Feil and A. Flasskamp (February

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T. BROOKS et al.

Forktail 1 1

1993) ; Ian Gardner (spring 1992 and spring 1993) and Neil Bostock [N.B.]

(spring 1993); Alan Greensmith (23-27 March 1990); Morten Heegaard

[M.H.] (1-4 July 1992); Jon Hornbuckle (25-30 January 1994); Jesper

Hornskov and Stig Jensen (April and May 1987); John Howes (1987); Phil

Hurrell; Ole Jacobsen (6-10 February 1988); Frank Lambert [F.L.] (January

1990); Adrian Long and Melanie Heath (January 1995); Torben Lund (20-

24 April 1 990); Ken Mitchell and Nigel Redman (December 1 993); Michael

Mitchell; Pete Morris [P.M.] and Nina Higgins (27 January-February

1994) ; Craig Robson [C.R.] and Peter Davidson [P.D.] (10-14 April 1994);

Paul Ryman; Dave Sargeant (17-19 January 1988); Rob Timmins (1 1-15

February 1992) and Keith Turner.

ANNOTATED LIST

The approximate abundance of each forest bird species in RSNP is noted as

follows:

(1) Very rare, with a few records only

(2) Only recorded infrequently

(3) Common, usually recorded daily

Winter visitors are noted with ‘W’ and species endemic to the Philippines

with ‘« The listing of species as ‘threatened’ or ‘near-threatened’ follows

Birds to watch 2 (Collar et al. 1994). Nomenclature and systematic order

follow Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).

Included in the list below are details of ten species which were not listed for

Bohol by Dickinson et al. (1991). These are Chinese Goshawk Accipiter

soloensis, Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii, Changeable Hawk-Eagle

Spizaetus cirrhatus, Philippine Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus philippensis, Pink-bellied

Imperial-Pigeon Ducula poliocephala, Mindanao Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba

criniger , Philippine Eagle-Owl Bubo philippensis, Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon

coromanda , Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus and Scarlet Minivet

Pericrocotus flammeus.

Rufous Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus (1)

Gardner (1993) noted several birds in RSNP, but these are the only Bohol

records since McGregor (1907) found the species ‘not uncommon’ and

observed that: ‘The natives of Bohol are extremely afraid of a spirit which they

call the “cuak cuak” and at night they carefully close doors and windows to

shut it out. When the night herons fly over in the early evening uttering their

weird call the natives say: “There is the ‘cuak cuak’, be careful”.’

• Philippine Serpent-Eagle Spilomis holospilus (3)

Sibley and Monroe (1990) split this form from Crested Serpent-Eagle 5.

cheela.

1995

Forest birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park

125

Besra Accipiter virgatus (2)

This species is likely to have been overlooked. Rand and Rabor (1960)

collected two specimens, Sargeant (1992) saw one bird at Dimiao on the

southern edge of RSNP in January 1988 and M.H. saw a single in RSNP on

2 July 1992. P. M. and K. Mitchell found a pair nesting at Logarita in

February 1995 and, based on photos, retrospectively identified one seen at

the same site in 1994.

Crested Goshawk. Accipiter trivirgatus (1)

Dickinson etal. (1991) list one historical specimen for Bohol without details.

This is held by the Californian Academy of Sciences and was collected by A.

Alcala on 8 May 1962 near Sierra Bullones (K. Cebra in litt. 1 995) . In RSNP,

Jensen and Hornskov (1992) saw two on 20 May 1987 and one on 22 May

1987, and Redman and Mitchell (1993) saw one on 18 December 1993.

Chinese Goshawk Accipiter solo ensis (W2)

Birds seen in RSNP by Jensen and Hornskov (1992)- five migrating on 9 April

1987 and two on 1 1 April 1987 - are the first records for Bohol. There are

several subsequent records from RSNP, although some of these may be the

result of confusion with pale Besras . The species is a winter visitor throughout

the Philippines (Dickinson et al. 1991) and is not unexpected on Bohol.

Grey-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus (W1 )

Single birds were recorded in RSNP on 25 March by Greensmith (1990) and

on 22 March 1994 (B.K.). There are no other records of this species from

Bohol since 1888 (Steere 1890).

Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii (1)

One juvenile seen well and identified beyond doubt in RSNP on 23 May

1987 (Jensen and Hornskov 1992) is the first record for Bohol.

Changeable Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus (1)

Buck et al. (1990) observed this species, which has not previously been

recorded on Bohol, in RSNP in May 1989.

• Philippine Hawk- Eagle Spizaetus philippensis (1) Near-threatened

A single in RSNP, seen and well-described by Jensen and Hornskov (1992)

on 22 May 1987, is the first record for Bohol. Sargeant (1988) also saw the

species in RSNP, on 18 January 1988.

Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus (2)

Slaty-legged Crake Rallina eurizonoides (1)

First recorded on Bohol by Rand and Rabor ( 1 960) and subsequently found

in RSNP in May 1989 (Buck etal. 1990), April 1990 (T.L.) andin December

1993 (Redman and Mitchell 1993).

• Plain Bush-hen Amauromis olivacea (1)

Single birds were recorded in RSNP in January 1 990 (F.L.) and 9 March 1 990

(B.K.). This taxon was split from Rufous-tailed Bush-hen A. moluccanus by

Sibley and Monroe (1990).

126

T. BROOKS eial.

Forktail 1 1

Pompadour Green-Pigeon Treron pompadora (2)

Rand and Rabor (1960) only found this species at 700-750 m altitude (four

specimens) in March-May 1955. It is recorded sporadically in RSNP, with

large flocks sometimes seen in winter (Redman and Mitchell 1 993, and P.M.

in 1 994), and occasional records from later in the year. Possibly the species

breeds at higher altitudes in the spring, with flocks forming at fruiting trees

in the lowlands in the winter.

• White-eared Brown-Dove Phapitreron leucotis (3)

• Amethyst Brown-Dove Phapitreron amethystina (2)

Four specimens were collected by McGregor (1907) and 18 by Rand and

Rabor (1960). Records from RSNP are as follows: one on 18 January 1988

(Sargeant 1988); two on 2 July and a single on 4 July 1992 (M.H.); singles

on 20 and 21 December 1993 (Redman and Mitchell 1993); and several

records (recorded on 3/5 days) from 10-14 April 1994 (P.D., C.R.). Sixteen

of Rand and Rabor’s (1960) specimens were from 1,000-2,500 m (Dickinson

et al. 1 99 1 ), so the scarcity of records from RSNP is perhaps unsurprising.

C.R. saw birds carrying nesting material in April.

• Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus occipitalis (2)

This species seems to be scarce on Bohol. Rand and Rabor ( 1 960) collected

six at 700-750 m and there have been a few records from RSNP, with a

maximum of four birds on 1 1 March 1993 (B.K.).

Black-chinned Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus leclancheri (2)

P. leclancherrwas collected on Bohol by McGregor (1 907), atTagbilaran and

at Sevilla, but not by Rand and Rabor (1960). A number of observers has

recorded the species in small numbers in RSNP, and Greensmith (1990)

found a nest containing a single egg in March 1990. P.M. found it to be

common in February 1995, once he had learnt the call.

• Pink-bellied Imperial-Pigeon Ducula poliocephala (1)

A single, seen very well in RSNP by C.R. on 13 April 1994, is the first record

for the island.

Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea ( 1 )

Collected in very small numbers in the lowlands by McGregor (1907) and

by Rand and Rabor (1960). Two were seen in RSNP on 18 December 1993

(Redman and Mitchell 1993).

Philippine Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia tenuirostris (3)

Split from Reddish Cuckoo-Dove M. phasianella by Sibley and Monroe

(1990).

Common Emerald-Dove Chalcophaps indica (3)

• Mindanao Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba criniger (^Threatened

Recent records from RSNP are the first records for Bohol of this species.

Buck etal. ( 1 990) observed ‘a vigorously calling bird. . .in display posture atop

1995

Forest birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park

127

a log’ in early May 1 989. One was seen on 25 February 1 992 (B.K.), Gardner

(1993) recorded the species in spring 1993, andP.D. saw a bird on 12 April

1994. Bohol birds apparently belong to the Leyte race, G. c. leytensis (Buck

et al. 1990).

• Philippine Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia (1) Threatened

This species still survives on Bohol, unlike on the adjacent islands of Cebu

and Negros where it may be extinct (Brooks et al. 1992). In RSNP, Buck et

al. (1990) recorded singles on 6 and 7 May 1989, F.L. saw two in January

1990, and Gardner (1993) recorded a single individual flying over the

clearing at dusk, and five birds feeding in a corn field adjacent to the park. The

PWCF is initiating a project to assess the status of Cacatua haematuropygia

on Bohol.

• Blue-crowned Racquet-tail Prioniturus discurus (3) Near-threatened

• Colasisi Loriculus philippinensis (1)

This conspicuous, but heavily-trapped, species must be either scarce or

rapidly declining on Bohol. There is only a few records for RSNP. Jensen and

Hornskov (1992) noted singles or pairs on four days in April 1987; Buck et

al. (1990) recorded birds in May 1989; B.K. recorded one on 8 March 1990

and six on 21 March 1994; and Hornbuckle (1994) saw a single bird in

January 1 994. G.D. observed two captive birds in a house within the park on

24 July 1994.

Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculusfugax (3)

This species is frequently recorded in RSNP (with most records being of

singing birds).

Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus (W1 )

The only record from RSNP is of one seen on 20 May 1987 (with singles

probably of this species also seen on 8, 9 and 1 0 April 1 987) by Jensen and

Hornskov (1992).

Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus (3)

Although collected by Everett (Tweeddale 1878) and McGregor (1907),

Rand and Rabor (1960) regarded this species as ‘of doubtful status’ on

Bohol. It is, however, fairly commonly recorded (mostly aurally) in RSNP.

Rusty-breasted Cuckoo Cacomantis sepulcralis (2)

The first Bohol records of this species were two specimens collected at 700-

750 m altitude in 1955 (RandandRabor 1960). It has been recorded in small

numbers (mostly aurally) at RSNP. This species was split from Brush

Cuckoo C. variolosus by Sibley and Monroe (1990).

Drongo Cuckoo Sumiculus lugubris (3)

Rand and Rabor (1960) collected nine specimens of this species, the first

records for Bohol; it is fairly commonly heard (but only occasionally seen) in

RSNP.

128

T. BROOKS ei al.

Forktail 1 1

• Philippine Coucal Centropus viridis (3)

• Black-faced Coucal Centropus melanops (3)

This species is common in RSNP. Birds are often seen in small flocks, and

are frequently heard. We had a total of 58 records during 23-27 July 1994

(T.B., G.D.).

• Philippine Scops-Owl Otus megalotis (3)

Birds have been recorded in RSNP on a number of occasions, with most

records being of birds calling near the clearing.

• Philippine Eagle-Owl Bubo philippensis (1) Threatened

The first records of this rare species for Bohol are of singles in RSNP. One

was heard and seen perched by P.M. on 28 January 1994, and another was

flushed in the forest in the daytime on 26 July 1994 (G.D.).

• Philippine Hawk-Owl Ninox philippensis (3)

The species was recorded for the first time on Bohol by Rand and Rabor

(1960), and is heard fairly commonly in RSNP, often calling near the

clearing.

• Philippine Frogmouth Batrachostornus septimus (3)

Although the first records of this species on Bohol were those of Rand and

Rabor (1960), it has since been recorded, mainly aurally, in small numbers

at RSNP. Greensmith (1990) recorded an adult with a tiny fledgling in

March 1990.

Great EARED-NiGHTjARFRro^ropoJwi macrotis (3)

• Philippine Nightjar Caprimulgus manillensis (3)

Sibley and Monroe (1993) split this form from the Sulawesi Nightjar C.

celeb ensis.

Lesser Treeswift Hemiprocne comata (2)

• Grey Swiftlet Collocalia amelis (3)

McGregor (1907) lists a specimen of ‘ Salangana whiteheadi' for Bohol, but

this bird is taken to refer to C. amelis by Dickinson et al. (1991). Sibley and

Monroe (1990) split the C. vanikorensis complex into several species including

C. amelis.

• Philippine Swiftlet Collocalia meamsi ( 1 )

Three birds (listed as C. inexpectata amelis ) were collected by Rand and Rabor

(1960) from nests in caves at 700-750 m. The only claimed records from

RSNP are from Jensen and Hornskov ( 1 992) who recorded it fairly commonly

in April and May 1987. This species is largely an upland form (Dickinson et

al. 1991).

Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta (3)

• Pygmy Swiftlet Collocalia troglodytes (3)

1995

Forest birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park

129

• Philippine Trogon Harpactes ardens (3)

Not uncommon in RSNP, but shy and much more often heard than seen. It

is apparently trapped on Bohol (R. Rigor pers. comm. 1994).

Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda (W1 )

This species is a rare winter visitor to forest in the Philippines, and has not

been previously recorded on Bohol. Records from RSNP are as follows: one

in April 1987 (Jensen and Hornskov 1992); one in spring 1993 (Gardner

1993); and one on 26 January 1994 (Hornbuckle 1994).

• Rufous-lored Kingfisher Todirhamphus winchelli (2)

Threatened

H. winchelli is a rare specialist of lowland limestone forests, mainly on small

islands, throughout the southern Philippines. On Bohol, one specimen was

collected by McGregor (1907) and four by Rand and Rabor (1960). Single

birds have been recorded at RSNP by nine observers.

• Samar Tarictic Hornbill Penelopides samarensis (3) Near-threatened

This species, split from the Philippine P. panini superspecies by Sibley and

Monroe (1990), is endemic to the Eastern Visayas. It is common in RSNP,

and is conspicuous in its small, noisy flocks. Although the species is

presumably fairly common in remnant forest patches on Samar and Leyte,

the extent of deforestation across the small global range of this species would

indicate that it should be considered Near-threatened.

White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis (3)

• Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos maculatus (1)

McGregor (1907) collected a single male near T agbilaran, but mysteriously,

the only subsequent records are of singles heard in RSNP on 3 July 1992

(M.H.) and 1 1 April 1994 (C.R.) and seen in March 1993 and March 1994

(two birds) (B.K.).

Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus (3)

• Wattled Broadbill Eurylaimus steerii (2) Threatened

Rand and Rabor (1960) collected a single specimen at about 700 m and

inferred that ‘the species was very rare and was found only in original forest’.

It is scarce, but is unobtrusive and certainly under-recorded. The species is

recorded not infrequently in deep forest at RSNP. Birds on Bohol belong to the

Eastern Visayas race E. s. samarensis, which is very different from the Mindanao

races, and may be a good species (Lambert and Woodcock in prep.).

Red-bellied Pitta Pitta erythrogaster (2)

Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida (1)

Although found to be ‘abundant’ on Bohol by McGregor (1907), the only

subsequent records for the island are those of Jensen and Hornskov (1992)

from Loboc, where one was heard on 27 May 1987, and of Buck et al. ( 1 990)

from RSNP in May 1989.

130

T. BROOKS et al.

Forktail 1 1

• Azure-breasted Pitta Pitta steerii (3) Threatened

P. steerii, like Todirhamphus winchelli , Eurylaimus steerii and Ptilocichla

mindanensis, is restricted to lowland forest, mainly on limestone, in the

southern Philippines. It is quite common in RSNP; we had a total of 14

sightings of the species in 4 days of observation (T.B., G.D.). We heard two

birds calling at dusk on 23 July, fitting with Lambert’s (1993) observation

that the species is regularly heard calling at RSNP in late May and June. P.M.

heard many calling after rain in both January 1994 and February 1995.

Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina striata (3)

• Black-bibbed Cicadabird Coracina mindanensis (1) Threatened

Listed for Bohol by Parkes (1971), but rarely recorded in RSNP. N.B. saw

one on 6 March and three on 9 March 1993, B.K. recorded two birds on 22

March 1994, and P.M. saw three or four birds in a flock with C. striata,

Dryocopus javensis and Oriolus steerii, by the clearing in January 1994. This

species was split from the C. morio complex by Sibley and Monroe (1990).

Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus (Ml)

Two on 25 February 1992 (B.K.) are the first records for Bohol.

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus (1)

Records from RSNP are as follows: four on 9 April and a single on 1 1 April

(Jensen and Hornskov 1992); Bucket al. (1990) in May 1989; Curio (1993)

in February 1993; two on 22 March 1994 (B.K.); and one on 14 April 1994

(C.R.). These observations represent the first records of the species for

Bohol.

• Yellow- wattled Bulbul Pycnonotus urostictus (3)

• Philippine Bulbul Hypsipetes philippinus (3)

Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus (3)

Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis (3)

• Philippine Oriole Oriolus steerii (2)

The first record of this species for Bohol was a bird collected at 700 m by

Rand and Rabor (1960). There have been nine subsequent records from

RSNP.

• Philippine Fairy-bluebird Irena cyanogaster (2)

Rand and Rabor (1960) recorded this species on Bohol for the first time,

collecting one specimen at about 300 m and 17 specimens at 700-750 m. It

is not uncommon in RSNP.

• Stripe-headed Rhabdornis Rhabdomis rnystacalis (2)

McGregor (1907) found this species in ‘some abundance at Sevilla and

Guindulman’, but Rand and Rabor (1960) collected only three birds. The

species is rare in RSNP, with records as follows: one on 9 April, eight on 1 1

April and four on 20 May 1987 (Jensen and Hornskov 1987); Buck et al.

( 1 990) in May 1 989; seen on four days in December 1 993 with a maximum

1995

Forest birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park

131

day total of five birds (Redman and Mitchell 1993); a group of six in a flock

in January 1994 (P.M.); and one flock in July 1994 (T.B.).

• Streaked Ground-Babbler Ptilocichla mindanensis (2)

Near-threatened

Rand and Rabor (1960) collected 1 1 specimens at 700-750 m. The species

is not uncommon in RSNP, but is difficult to see.

• Black-crowned Babbler Stachyris nigrocapitata (2)

• Brown Tit-Babbler Macronous striaticeps (3)

Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis (W2)

• Philippine Lf.af-Warblf.r Phylloscopus olwaceus (3)

• Rufous-fronted Tailorbird Orthotomus frontalis (3)

The species was collected by Everett (Tweeddale 1878), and described as

‘very abundant in all parts of the island visited’ by McGregor (1907),

although Rand and Rabor (1960) collected only four specimens. It is fairly

common in RSNP with birds heard daily, but is shy, arboreal and very

difficult to see. Sibley and Monroe (1990) split O. frontalis from Philippine

Tailorbird O. castaneiceps.

• Yellow-breasted Tailorbird Orthotomus samarensis (3)

Near-threatened

McGregor ( 1 907) collected a single specimen of ‘the rare Samar tailor-bird’

at Sevilla, and Rand and Rabor (1960) found this Eastern Visayas endemic

to be ‘a very rare bird and encountered only in the dense undergrowth of

original forest’ (five specimens collected). It is regularly recorded in RSNP

but, like O. frontalis , is very shy and difficult to observe. The small amount

of forest remaining within the limited range of this species indicates that it is

correctly listed as Near-threatened.

Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias ruficauda (2)

Unobtrusive and uncommon in RSNP.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta (W2)

• Blue Fantail Rhipidura superciliaris (3)

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea (3)

• Yellow-bellied Whistler Pachycephala philippinensis (3)

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus ( W3 )

Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis (3)

• Coleto Sarcops calvus (3)

Purple-throated Sunbird Nectarinia sperata (2)

• Metallic- winged Sunbird Aethopyga pulcherrima (2)

This species was collected by McGregor ( 1 907) at Sevilla and Guindulman,

and by Rand and Rabor (1960) at 700-750 m (10 individuals), and thus

seems to be largely a bird of hill forest on Bohol, as elsewhere in its range

132

T. BROOKS eta!.

Forktail 1 1

(Dickinson et al. 1991). It has been recorded in RSNP in small numbers in

May 1989 by Buck etal. (1990); B.K. in February 1992, March 1993, March

1 994 and March 1 995; in January 1 994 by Hornbuckle ( 1 994); and in April

1994 by C.R.

• Olive-backed Flowerpecker Prionochilus olivaceus (1)

A single female was collected at Sevilla by McGregor (1907), but the only

subsequent records for Bohol are of singles seen in RSNP on 25 February 1 993

(B.K.), 1 February 1994 (P.M.) andinjanuary 1995 (A. LongandM. Heath).

• Bicolored Flowerpecker Dicaeum bicolor (2)

• Red-keeled Flowerpecker Dicaeum australe (3)

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma (3)

• Buzzing Flowerpecker Dicaeum hypoleucurn (2)

• Pygmy Flowerpecker Dicaeum pygmaeum (2)

Everett’s White-eye Zosterops everetti (3)

OTHER FOREST BIRD SPECIES

Nine species of forest bird species recorded from Bohol have yet to be

recorded in RSNP. These are listed and discussed below.

Malayan Night-Heron Gorsachius melanolophus

This species is known from Bohol from a single specimen only (Dickinson et

al. 1991) and is presumably a very low-density resident on the island.

Barred Honeybuzzard Pemis celebensis

Known from Bohol only from a single specimen, collected at about 300 m

by Rand and Rabor (1960), and from one unsubstantiated record, from

Dimiao on the southern edge of RSNP, in January 1988 (Sargeant 1992).

• Philippine Falconet Microhierax erythrogenys

A single bird was collected by McGregor (1907) at Guindulman, but the

species has not since been recorded on Bohol. This is a most conspicuous

species and the lack of recent records may indicate that it is now extinct on

Bohol.

Tabon Scrubfowl Megapodius cumingii Near-threatened

Reported for Bohol by Meyer de Schauensee & duPont ( 1 962) but there are

no other records. The species is declining throughout its range (Collar et al.

1994).

Blue-naped Parrot Tanygnathus lucionensis T hreatened

This species is now very rare throughout its range as a result of heavy

trapping, and may be extinct on Bohol. McGregor (1907) noted that ‘the “pi-

coy” occurs in all the forested areas but is not abundant’, and there are no

subsequent records.

1995

Forest birds of Rajah Sikatuna National Park

133

• Silvery Kingfisher Alcedo argentatus Threatened

Rand and Rabor ( 1960) collected three specimens from along forest streams

between 200 and 750 m, but this scarce southern Philippine endemic has not

been recorded on Bohol since.

• Rufous Hornbill Buceros hydrocorax Near-threatened

There are no recent records of this species from Bohol, although McGregor

(1907) found it abundant at Sevilla and Guindulman, and Rand and Rabor

( 1 960) collected 1 2 specimens. Only one of Rand and Rabor’s specimens was

from below 700 m, and so the species may be rare in the lowlands but,

nevertheless, its absence from RSNP is curious. It is reported to occur in

RSNP by DENR (1992).

Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher Cyomis rufigastra

Found to be ‘abundant’ by McGregor ( 1 907) and two collected by Rand and

Rabor (1960) at 300-350 m altitude. The lack of records of this species from

RSNP is surprising.

Little SpiderhunterN rachnothera longirostra

Four specimens were collected by McGregor ( 1 907) at Sevilla, and three by

Rand and Rabor ( 1 960) at several sites, and the lack of records of this species

from RSNP is therefore rather puzzling.

Our thanks go to Des Allen, Eberhard Curio, Peter Davidson, Alan Greensmith, Morten Heegaard, Jon

Hornbuckle, Jesper Hornskov, Frank Lambert, Pete Morris, Nigel Redman, Craig Robson, and Dave

Sargeant for taking the time to comment on the manuscript. On Cebu, thanks to the other members of

the PWCF, especially Rogelio Rigor and Raul Valmoria. T.B. thanks Professor S. L. Pimm for obtaining

a grant for his trip to the Philippines, and T.B. and G.D. thank Tim Fisher and his family in Manila for

their hospitality. Above all, our thanks go to the DENR staff at Logarita Forest Station for being so

friendly, generous and helpful.

REFERENCES

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Bangs, O. (1922) Notes on Philippine birds collected by Governor W. Cameron Forbes. Bull. Mus.

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Brooks, T. M., Evans, T. D., Dutson, G. C. L., Anderson, G. Q. A. , Asane, D. C., Timmins, R. J. and

Toledo, A. G. ( 1 992) The conservation status of the birds of Negros, Philippines. Bird Conserv. Intern.

2:273-302.

Buck, H. A., Cooper, G. C. H. and Fisher, T. H. (1990) Notes on a visit to Bohol, Philippines.

Unpublished report.

Collar, N. J., Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1994) Birds to watch 2. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife

International (Conservation Series no. 4).

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Expedition, 3 July-26 August 1993. Unpublished.

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Philippines. Manila: Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.

Dickinson, E. C., Kennedy, R. S. and Parkes, K. C. (1991) The birds of the Philippines. Tring: British

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and Natural Resources.

Gardner, I. (1993) Philippines. Unpublished.

Greensmith, A. (1990) The Philippines, 4 March to 9 April 1990. Unpublished.

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Hornbuckle, J. (1994) Birdwatchingin the Philippines. Unpublished.

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Lambert, F. R. and Woodcock, M. (in prep.) Pittas and broadbills of the world. Mountford: Pica Press.

McGregor, R. C. (1907) The birds of Bohol. Philippine J. Sci. 2: 315-335.

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Parkes, K. C. (1971) Taxonomic and distributional notes on Philippine birds. Nernouria 4: 1-67.

Rand, A. L. and Rabor, D. S. (1960) Birds of the Philippine islands: Siquijor, Mount Malindang, Bohol

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1995

FORKTAIL 11 (1995): 135- 150

135

Taxonomy and names of Carpococcyx

cuckoos from the Greater Sundas

NIGEL. J. COLLAR and ADRIAN. J. LONG

The ground-dwelling forest cuckoo known as Carpococcyx radiceus has since 1923 been regarded as

polytypic, with forms on Borneo (nominate race) and Sumatra (race viridis ) . Comparison of six available

skins of viridis with 1 0 of the form from Borneo showS that Sumatran birds are 20% smaller, oil green

rather than purplish-blue on the wings and tail, buff rather than off-white below, lack the hood of

Bornean birds, and appear to have a different periorbital colour pattern (green in Bornean birds, green,

pink and blue in Sumatran). Immatures also appear to differ, Bornean being unmarked whitish-buff

below, purplish-blue above, Sumatran strongly barred brown and black both above and below. The two

forms are thus better regarded as distinct species, to be known as Bornean and Sumatran Ground-

cuckoo; the proper scientific name of the former is Carpococcyx radiatus. The Sumatran species, known

only from the Barisan Range, has not been seen since 1916, and urgently needs to be searched for.

INTRODUCTION

The Sunda Ground-cuckoo Carpococcyx “ radiceus ”, known from the islands

of Borneo and Sumatra, has been treated as a threatened species for some

years (Collar and Andrew 1988, Collar etal. 1994); we maintain below that

its specific name should be radiatus , and refer to it hereafter by that name.

While documenting specimens of this bird at the Natuurhistorisch Museum

(RMNH), Leiden, the Netherlands, in preparation for its full review in

BirdLife’s planned Threatetted birds of Asia, one of us (NJC) was surprised at

the degree of difference between three specimens from Sumatra (race viridis )

and other material from Borneo (nominate radiatus ), but had no time on that

occasion to take measurements or draw up descriptions. It happened that,

from a personal long-standing interest, AJL had already compiled a substantial

body of information on the species, and consultation between us quickly

revealed that specimens of birds from Sumatra are in fact very rare in

collections, the only other material apparently being a fourth mounted

specimen in RMNH, three specimens in Museo Civico di Storia Naturale

“Giacomo Doria”, Genoa (MSNG), Italy, and one in the Zoological

Reference Collection of the National University of Singapore (ZRCNUS).

It seemed to us that this paucity of Sumatran material might have resulted

in long-term neglect of its true taxonomic status. We duly assembled the

three skins (one of which is juvenile) from Leiden and the three (one of which

is also juvenile) from Genoa at the Natural History Museum (BMNH),

Tring, U.K., for comparison with the series of 1 0 specimens (nine adult, one

subadult) of nominate radiatus held there. We also sought to trace every

relevant reference in the literature as well as every unpublished record from

136

N. J COLLAR and A.J LONG

Forktail 1 1

fieldworkers, not only to help clarify the taxonomic status of viridis but also

to establish the conservation status of both forms. A full review of the better

known radiatus is scheduled (Long and Collar in prep.).

THE HISTORY AND DIAGNOSIS OF CARPOCOCCYX VIRIDIS

The name viridis was proposed by Salvadori (1879) on the basis of the three

skins in MSNG mentioned above, collected by the explorer Oduardo

Beccari. Salvadori wrote, first quoting from Beccari’s [“(Eh)”] notes (our

translation):

“Eyes blood red; naked skin around the eyes of various colours:

green, blue and pale vinous-red; bill near the base blue, upper mandible

blackish above, shading into greenish below and towards the tip, lower

mandible greenish; feet greenish. - Lives on the ground in gallinaceous

manner and was caught in a snare”. (B.)

Two of the three specimens are not adult, and are in moult. They

have the head, nape, interscapular region, wings and tail a dark shiny

green, darker on the head; nowhere do they show the iridescent violet

mentioned in the description of typical birds from Borneo. Moreover,

they have notably smaller dimensions than those of birds from Borneo.

It would be important to compare directly material from Sumatra and

Borneo, and if, as is probable, they are recognised as specifically distinct,

I propose to call the species from Sumatra Carpococcyx viridis.

The juvenile specimen is blackish-brown throughout, with chestnut-

brown barring; head a darker blackish; flight and tail feathers greenish-

black, edged with reddish-chestnut. I do not think the plumage of the

young bird has previously been described.

As it happened, Schlegel (1864) had already had the chance to compare

one bird each from the two islands, but only published their differences in

size, perhaps assuming some sexual dimorphism (for some reason he decided

that his specimen from Borneo, which was the type, was male, not female as

reported in Temminck’s original description). However, he evidently

developed his thoughts on this, since Blasius ( 1 884) published part of a letter

from Jentink, written on behalf of Schlegel sometime after 1873 and before

1879, in which Schlegel was reported to have concluded - presumably from

knowledge of further Bornean specimens - that the birds from Sumatra

represented a variety which he treated under the name “N. [=Neomorphus]

radiatus var. sumatranus ” (a point confirmed by Finsch 1898).

It was in fact this latter author (Finsch 1898) who had the first real

opportunity to compare several specimens of birds from both islands and

reach a judgement. In a paper so neglected that it does not feature in the

bibliographies of major syntheses like Smythies (1981) or van Marie and

1995

T axonomy and names of Carpococcyx cuckoos

137

Voous (1988) (if it did, there would doubtless be no need for our present

paper), Finsch decided that viridis “is indeed an excellent species”, and

furnished redescriptions and measurements of both forms that support his

view and considerably extend the information contained in Salvadori’s more

speculative and rudimentary account (which did not take note of several

differences, most notably the extent of the hood in radiatus).

However, the evidence provided by Salvadon (1879) and Finsch (1898)

was either missed or dismissed by Robinson and Kloss (1923, 1924), who,

having earlier readily accepted the separateness of viridis (Robinson and

Kloss 1918), combined viridis as a subspecies of radiatus, despite having had

access to material of both forms for simultaneous comparison. Since their

work, all subsequent authors have accepted subspecific rank for viridis,

clearly assuming that such an arrangement was appropriate (as so many did

with the merging of Javan and Sumatran Cochoas Cochoa azurea and C.

beccarii : see Collar and Andrew 1 987) and in most cases lacking access to the

evidence that points to the contrary.

THE EVIDENCE FROM MUSEUM MATERIAL

T o our knowledge, the number of preserved specimens of Carpococcyx viridis

is eight (see T able 1 ) . There are two additional possible skins. Blasius (1884)

judged that a specimen of a young bird in Gottingen represented a female C.

viridis, although it is not clear that he could even have been certain it was a

Sundaic ground-cuckoo; we have not attempted to trace this skin. Also, a

bird dissected by Beddard (1901), which had lived in London Zoo for 18

years, was reported as coming from Sumatra (Sclater 1882). It appears that

the skin of this specimen was not preserved (S . T onge in litt. 1995), but in any

case it seems likely that there was some confusion over its origins (perhaps

it was just the ship that came from Sumatra), since Sclater would be expected

to have commented on the bird’s distinctiveness, given that viridis had only

three years before been described as a separate species and that this would

presumably have been the first specimen, alive or dead, in Britain.

We compared the first six of the birds in T able 1 with the 1 0 specimens of

C. radiatus held in BMNH. The mounted specimen (bird 7 in Table 1) was

compared by R. W. R. J. Dekker {in litt. 1995) with our photographs of the

other non-juvenile material, and no difference was detected. The Singapore

specimen (bird 8 in Table 1), measured and photographed by Mrs Yang

Chang Man (in litt. 1995), conforms entirely with specimens 1 , 2, 4 and 5 in

Table 1. The following descriptions synthesise our notes on the sixteen

specimens we personally reviewed, supplemented by data on immature

nominate radiatus in Bogor (MZB) and New York (AMNH) supplied by S.

van Balen and M. LeCroy respectively.

138

N. J COLLAR and A.J LONG

Forktail 1 1

Table 1 . Measurements of Carpococcyx viridis. The two immature/juvenile birds described in the text

and analysed separately in Table 2 are marked with an asterisk (*) . 1 It is not clear why this bird should

have been considered juvenile; Salvadori (1879) regarded it as subadult. The plumage is similar to that

of other birds labelled as adults. 2This bird is listed as an immature male in Robinson and Kloss (1924).

Measurements of this mount) were provided by R. W. R. J. Dekker (in litt. 1995). Numbers in

parentheses after RMNH refer to the catalogued order of these specimens (no other registration numbers

exist for them). 4This bird is mentioned in Robinson and Kloss (1924), and was traced with the help of

D. R. Wells (in litt. 1995) to ZRCNUS. Measurements, date of collection and a set of colour

photographs were supplied by Mrs Yang Chang Man.

Carpococcyx ( radiatus) radiatus

Adult only Crown to nape purplish-black; bare periorbital skin (colour

discussed in separate section below) from base of bill extending round and

well behind eye; chin and throat matt black extending into purplish-black of

the crown behind bare periorbital skin, thus forming distinctive dark hood.

Mantle and upper back dull oil green with purplish iridescence, shading to

dull coppery purplish-blue on the wing-coverts and flight feathers. Lower

back dull chestnut with indistinct dark green barring (visible in Plates 1 and

4). Tail (above) an iridescent purplish-blue, (below) glossy grey-black.

Breast and sides of neck pale grey shading on hindneck into dull green of

mantle. Lower breast and rest of underparts dull whitish with some buffy

tinging (shading into dull chestnut on upper flanks; see also Plate 2), all

barred with greenish-grey (dull brown in some specimens); bar widths

narrower in ventral region, broader and hence denser on flanks. Lesser

underwing-coverts dull chestnut with vague barring.

Bare part coloration: the label of one specimen (BMNH 88.12.10.816)

reports “legs, cere and bill green, eyes bright brown”; that of another, collected

by A. R. Wallace (BMNH 73.5. 12. 1791), likewise indicates “iris brown, bill,

orbits and feet green”. Periorbital colour is discussed separately below; but the

foregoing information on the colour of this feature, eyes and legs is confirmed

by notes on the original labels of seven of 1 1 specimens in MZB (an eighth

noting eye colour as grey), the other three being unannotated (S. van Balen

in litt. 1995). Photographs of a live bird (Plates 1-3) also generally confirm

these colours, although the iris is brown centrally and grey at the outer edge.

1995

T axonomy and names of Carpococcyx cuckoos

139

Immature (two females, MZB 17981 and 27716) Upperparts as adult,

except for dark greenish-brown crown (one bird showing slight purple gloss),

clearly darker than mantle; rusty brown fringes to lower back feathers and

greater wing-coverts. Breast (one bird) unmarked rusty brown, belly slightly

lighter with some barring on flanks and breast, throat greyish-buff with some

bluish-grey feathers emerging; (other bird) as adult, but with less extensive

grey, a buff throat with some rusty feathers, and buff tinges towards the vent.

A male (AMNH 628443; Plates 11-12), judged by M. LeCroy to be

moulting into adult plumage, has forehead blackish, back of head and nape

deep iridescent blue with flashes of oil green, back oil green (centres of

feathers deep turquoise), lower back brown and downy, upper tail blackish

with purple iridescence. The flight feathers and wing-coverts are purple

(distally) and green narrowly bordered tan. Lores, throat, neck and sides of

neck are light tan, the upper breast darker (brownish), gradually fading into

a lighter, huffier belly with scattered barred feathers, flanks rufous and

barred, undertail-coverts rufous with some barring. Another specimen

(AMNH 628444) is very similar except that the lower breast and belly, flanks

and undertail-coverts are barred as in the adult, while the throat and neck are

a darker tan (almost as dark as the upper breast). A bird in BMNH

(89. 1.17.12), judged immature by Shelley (in Sclater and Shelley 189 1), is

very close to adult plumage, but has a slight buff tinging to the off-white of

its barred underparts, and the chin and throat are part black and part whitish-

buff, giving an irregular blotchy effect.

Carpococcyx (radiatus) viridis

Adult (specimens 1, 2, 4 and 5 in Table 1; Plates 4-8) Forecrown blackish

shading through blackish-green on middle crown to bottle green on hind-

crown; bare periorbital skin (colour discussed below) from base of lower

mandible extending behind and around eye. Chin matt black extending as a

thin line below eye bordering bare skin. Mantle and upper back dull oil green

(slightly paler than the bottle green of the nape) extending onto wing-coverts

and into secondaries; primaries glossy greenish-black, showing cobalt in

some light. Lower back dull chestnut with broad greenish-brown bars. Tail

dull oil green, similar in shade to mantle but glossier, and thus looking grey-

black in some lights. Throat and upper breast dull pale greyish-green shading

on side of neck into green of mantle. Rest of underparts pale cinnamon-buff

becoming more rufous on flanks, rather finely barred with brownish-green on

lower breast and with brown on belly and flanks.

Bare part coloration, apart from periorbital skin and what was reported by

Beccari (above), is noted on the two Jacobson specimens from 1916: iris

raspberry red (RMNH 4), dark reddish-brown (ZRCNUS); upper mandible

dark green (RMNH 4) or greenish-black (ZRCNUS), edged with light

140

N. J COLLAR and A.J LONG

Forktail 1 1

Table 2. Average measurements of 10 specimens of Carpococcyx (r.) radiatus, four apparently adult C.

(r.) viridis (birds 1, 2, 4 and 5 in Table 1), and two juvenile C. (r.) viridis (birds 3 and 6 in Table 1; where

individual measurements for these six last are given), with standard deviation.

green, lower mandible pale green or greenish (RMNH 4, ZRCNUS); legs

light green (RMNH), grey-green (ZRCNUS), nails pale greenish-grey

(RMNH, ZRCNUS).

Immature (specimens 3 and 6 in T able 1 ; Plates 9- 1 0) Overall rich chestnut

with indistinct brown barring on both upper- and underparts, although on

area of chin and upper breast the effect is more mottled than barred owing

to individual feathers with dark bases and paler edges. Some feathers of wing-

coverts show dull oil green suffusion. Tail almost devoid of dark barring; in

the RMNH specimen it is chestnut with traces of green suffusion, while in the

MSNG bird it is dull iridescent green with chestnut tinging. Flight feathers

similar to tail but more obviously suffused green with chestnut edges. The

chestnut on the underparts shades into rufous buff on the belly and vent. The

area of bare skin round the eye is much reduced.

Distinguishing features

It was immediately apparent from our inspection of the above material that

radiatus and viridis represent levels of divergence not normally embraced by

trinomial combination. Bornean birds are larger than those from Sumatra

(20-25% so, according to the figures in Table 2); our measurements of

Bornean birds conform very well with the smaller samples of different birds

given by Finsch (1901), Mayr (1938), Voous (1963) and Davison (1979).

Bornean birds are also generally more brightly and contrastingly patterned,

their chief colours being black, grey, purplish-blue and off-white, as against

the dull merging greens and buff of Sumatran birds. The bare skin around

the eye is apparently more extensive in Bornean birds, and may be different-

coloured (see next section).

In plumage radiatus and viridis differ most markedly in head pattern, with

radiatus possessing a distinctive all-dark hood sharply defined between throat

and breast, while viridis lacks the hooded appearance owing (first) to the

black being confined to the chin, where in any case it offers a less obvious

contrast with the grey-green of throat (Plates 6 and 7), and (second) to the

dark forecrown shading into green on the centre- and hind-crown (Plate 4) .

The upperparts of radiatus are generally bluish-purple with some green on the

back and green tinging of flight feathers, whereas viridis is dull oil green

1995

Taxonomy and names of Carpococcyx cuckoos

141

Table 3. Museum specimens of Carpococcyx viridis, with their date, locality and altitude information.

Collectors are given in Table 1. Co-ordinates are from Van Marie and Voous (1981) and the Birdlife

Biodiversity project database.

(Plates 4 and 8). On the underparts radiatus is pale grey on the breast where

viridis is dull pale green, while from the lower breast backwards the base

colour of radiatus is off-white where that of viridis is pale cinnamon-buff

(Plate 5). The barring on these base colours is slightly broader and more

obvious in radiatus , usually with a more clear-cut break at the grey of the

upper breast (the white line marking this break can appear conspicuous); in

viridis the bars become denser and finer on the lower breast, resulting in a less

obvious transition to the dull pale green on the upper breast. Furthermore in

radiatus the area of the upper flanks (hidden by the folded wing) and the

adjacent feathering of the lesser coverts is a strong, mostly unbarred cinnamon-

chestnut, in marked contrast to the off-white of the normally visible underparts;

in viridis there is no such patch of richer chestnut on either the upper flanks

or the lesser underwing-coverts.

Young radiatus superficially resemble adult viridis, lacking black on the

throat and having buffy undersides. However, at first they evidently lack

barring on their underparts - a point also made by Smythies (1981),

illustrated in MacKinnon and Phillipps (1993) and depicted in Plates 11-12

- and always possess purplish-blue flight and tail feathers - a point also made

in Sclater and Shelley (1891)- whereas young viridis apparently always show

ventral barring and possess at first brown and then green flight and tail

feathers.

A note on periorbital skin colour

The variability Beccari (1878) reported in the colours of the bare periorbital

skin of Sumatran birds might yet prove a further diagnostic feature. From

context it is impossible to be sure if Beccari meant that the colours occurred

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N. J COLLAR and A.J LONG

Forktail 1 1

as simultaneous constants in each bird, or in single succession in each bird,

or as single constants in different birds. However, Robinson and Kloss

( 1 924) reported the “orbital skin at the lores and above the eye verditer green,

behind the eye pale lilac, cheek pale indigo blue”, clearly taking this from the

labels of the two 1916 specimens in Table 1 , whose inscriptions are identical

except for using “indigo” (RMNH) and “blue” (ZRCNUS) for cheek colour.

Even in the skins themselves there is blue before and red behind the eye (see

Plates 6 and 7).

The accounts of Bornean birds in this regard are confusing, but apart from

one mention -Ussher’s- of two colours being simultaneously present (and

even this is a tinge of one over the other) they indicate only a single colour at

a time. This is most often “sea” or “olive” green (e.g. Sharpe 1876-1879,

Biittikofer 1899; also the Wallace and seven MZB specimens mentioned in

our description above) . Minor exceptions are Ussher (in Sharpe 1876-1979),

who referred to “cobalt, shaded with light green” skin and Grabowsky (in

Blasius 1884), who reported it pale grey, although Blasius himself detected

green on all bare parts of the same specimen (perhaps he had misread a

manuscript “grim” as “grau”) . Most puzzlingly, the original collector, Diard,

reported the colour around the eye as red, and thus it was depicted in

T emminck’s ( 1 832) original plate; and Nieuwenhuis, having earlier reported

green periorbital skin, later obtained two birds in which the colour was

judged (by Finsch 1901) to have been reddish or red in life (although their

RMNH labels say nothing on this point). Noting these conflicting reports,

Blasius (1884) speculated whether perhaps the colour changes were the

product of particular food, or of physical or psychological condition.

Recent observers have all reported green periorbital skin in radiatus.

Davison (1979) trapped two birds, one male and one unsexed, in which

“the bill, bare facial skin, legs, toes and claws were pale hoary green”; M. I.

Evans (in litt. 1995) glimpsed green around the eye in a bird he fleetingly

saw; and J. R. Howes (in litt. 1995) discovered and photographed a captive

bird whose skin colour remained green both when tranquil and when in

aggressive posture (Plates 1-2), as evidently was the case with Davison’s

birds (it is, however, noteworthy that the area of bare skin below the eye is

slightly tinged blue) . It would appear, then, that a possible explanation for

skin colour variation in radiatus is sexual condition or diet, although plain

error cannot be ruled out.

On balance, it seems likely that there is a real difference in periorbital skin

colour between radiatus and viridis, the former normally being green and

the latter green, blue and pink. However, this is clearly an area for further

investigation in the field.

1995

Taxonomy and names of Carpococcyx cuckoos

143

NOMENCLATURE AND NAMES

Temminck (1832) published the first description of a ground-cuckoo from

the Sunda islands. Opposite the plate above his text the name “ Calobates

radiceus ” appears, but the subsequent index (Temminck 1 838) identified the

bird as “ Calobates radiatus”. The Latin radiatus means “barred”, clearly

referring to the pattern on the underparts of the bird, while radiceus has no

contextual meaning (it might be translated as “pertaining to the roots”) and

was evidently an error for radiatus , probably caused by the convergent French

name appearing above it: “Calobate radieux”. Almost all nineteenth century

authors recognised the index name as valid, and indeed radiatus was

commonly used for a century after its first appearance. However, after Peters

(1940) drew attention to the fact that the original spelling had been radiceus ,

the modern but evidently mistaken tendency among authors has been to

accept this name. Mees (1964) argued for the correction of Temminck’s

1824 name Columba (= Reinwardtoena ) reinwardtsi to reinzuardtii in part

because a later index (1839) gave the latter spelling, confirming other

evidence that the former was a misprint. On the same principle, given the

evident error in the 1832 name and the clear intention of the author to correct

it, we submit that radiatus represents a justified emendation as expounded in

Article 33 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and should

formally hereafter stand as the correct name.

Carpococcyx was once thought to be related to Neotropical ground-cuckoos

- Schlegel (1864) actually used the genus Neomorphus, while Smythies (1981)

followed Delacour (1947) in placing it in the Neomorphinae - but any

similarities must now be reckoned the product of convergence; in one recent

list (Sibley and Monroe 1 990), Carpococcyx is placed between the malkohas

Phaenicophaeus and the couas Coua, at considerable phylogenetic distance

from the New World species. To emphasise this different lineage, a new

generic English name for Carpococcyx might help. Various observers over

time have referred to the pheasant-like behaviour of these birds (see Long and

Collar in prep.), so that there might have been some logic in reviving

Chasen’s (1935) “Pheasant Cuckoo”, were it not for this name now being

taken by the Neotropical Dromococcyx phasianellus. Another previously

coined name, Sclater (1882) and Beddard’s (1901) “fruit-cuckoo”, is

interesting, but clear evidence of Carpococcyx exploiting fruit (a rare

circumstance in cuckoos, chiefly shown by the Couinae, Channel-billed

Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae and Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea :

Payne 1985) is needed before the term could be considered. We therefore

suggest continuing with “ground-cuckoo” at least for the moment, with

“Bornean” being the epithet for radiatus and “Sumatran” for viridis.

144

N. J COLLAR and A.J LONG

Forktail 1 1

Figure 1. The location of past records of Carpococcyx viridis in Sumatra. The numbers refer to the

specimens in Tables 1 and 3, the locality names being: 1 , Gunung Singgalang; 4, AirNjuruk; 5, Muara

Sako, Gunung Kerinci; 6, Padang highlands; 8, Rimbo Pengadang.

1995

Taxonomy and names of Carpococcyx cuckoos

145

CONSERVATION

We plot the distribution of Carpococcyx viridis in Figure 1 . Although it is

conceivable that the species has been missed elsewhere in Sumatra, this

seems somewhat improbable, and the limited evidence clearly points to it

being confined to hilly areas; indeed, Beccari (1878) described it as such.

Jacobson’s three specimens (specimens 4, 5 and 8 in Table 3) were labelled

with their altitudes (300, 1,000 and 1,400 m); and the only two others with

specific localities were also from upland areas. This stands in marked contrast

to the bird’s congener on Borneo, which is widely known from lowland areas

close to sea-level, although it also penetrates hill regions (Long and Collar in

prep.).

Confinement to the Barisan Range locates viridis within the centre of avian

endemism labelled the “Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia Endemic Bird

Area” (ICBP 1992). Altogether 36 restricted-range bird species share this

EBA, 1 6 of them being found exclusively within it, and 1 2 being exclusively

Sumatran (Stattersfield et al. in prep.) . However, at least one-third of the area

of montane forest on Sumatra has already been lost, and two-thirds to four-

fifths of the lowland forest; moreover, forest loss is probably proceeding faster

on this island than anywhere else in Indonesia (Stattersfield et al. in prep.).

Carpococcyx viridis itself has not to our knowledge been recorded since

1916, and must now be one of the longest missing elements of the Sumatran

and indeed Oriental avifauna. Given the highly unobtrusive nature of its

Bornean congener (see Long and Collar in prep.), it seems unlikely that the

species’s situation is as bad as this statistic might indicate, especially

considering the relative ornithological neglect of Sumatra which (until

recently) allowed smaller birds like Schneider’s Pitta Pitta schneideri and

Sumatran Cochoa to go unrecorded for many decades. Nevertheless, it is

time this bird was rediscovered and learnt about. The Barisan Range is a

major repository of biological value, and we strongly recommend new

initiatives to catalogue and study the avifauna of the region, with particular

reference to its endemic and threatened birds and to the adequacy of the long¬

term conservation provided for them by existing protected areas.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We express our warmest thanks to Rene Dekker for lending the three specimens from RMNH,

measuring and describing to us the fourth (mounted) specimen there, and confirming our Dutch

translations; to Lilia Capocaccia and Giuliano Doria for consenting, as a most generous exception to

common protocol on type material, to lend the three specimens from MSNG; to Carlo Violani for

arranging this latter loan, personally bringing the material to BMNH, confirming our Italian translations,

advising us on the matter of type specimens and designated names, and approving the paper in draft;

and to Bas van Balen, Mary LeCroy and Y ang Chang Man for providing descriptions and photographs

10

Plate 4.

Dorsal view of

two adult

Carpococcyx

viridis (left)

and two C.

radiatus

(right). Photo:

authors.

Plate 5.

Ventral view

of specimens

in Plate 1 .

Photo:

authors.

147

Plate 7. Heads and upper bodies of

Carpococcyx viridis (above) and C.

radiatus (below) (different specimens

from those in Plate 6). Photo: authors.

Plate 6. Heads ol

Carpococcyx viridis

(above) and C.

radiatus (below).

Photo: authors.

Plate 8. Primaries and

tails of Carpococcyx viridis

(lower) and C. radiatus

f _ T'll _ _ _ _ _ _

148

N. J COLLAR and A.J LONG

Forktail 1 1

of birds in MZB, AMNH and ZRCNUS respectively. Michael Walters of BMNH kindly acted on our

behalf in receiving the RMNH material; we express our thanks to him, Robert Prys-Jones and Effie Warr

for their help while working in the BMNH collection. Tim Inskipp was invaluable when AJL was

assembling literature on Sundaic Carpococcyx, and also provided information on designated names.

Jonathan Eames, Mike Evans, John Howes and Dennis Yong kindly made relevant information available

to us, and we are most grateful to John Howes for the use of his photographs. NJC’s part in this paper

is a contribution from the BirdLife Asian Red Data Book programme, funded by the Japanese

Environment Agency through the Wild Bird Society of Japan.

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Leyden Mus. 20: 97-100.

Finsch, O. ( 1 90 1 ) Ueber eine dritte Sendung Vogelbalge aus Central-Borneo (Mahakkam) , gesammelt

von Herrn Dr. A. W. Nieuwenhuis. Notes Leyden Mus. 22: 163-178.

ICBP (1992) Putting biodiversity on the map. Cambridge, U.K.: International Council for Bird

Preservation.

Long, A. J. and Collar, N. J. (in prep.) The distribution, natural history and conservation status of the

Bornean Ground-cuckoo Carpococcyx radiatus.

van Marie, J. G. and Voous, K. H. (1988) The birds of Sumatra: an annotated check-list. Tring: British

Ornithologists’ Union (B.O.U. Check-listno. 10).

Mayr, E. (1938) Notes on a collection ofbirds from south Borneo. Bull. Raffles Mus. 14: 5-46.

Mees, G. F. (1964) Notes on two small collections ofbirds from New Guinea. Zool. Verhandel. no. 66.

Payne, R. B. (1985) Cuckoo. Pp. 123-1 26 in B. Campbell and E. Lack, eds. A dictionary of birds. Calton,

U.K.: T. and A. D. Poyser for the British Ornithologists’ Union.

Peters, J. L. (1940) Check-list of birds of the world, 4. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Robinson, H. C. and Kloss, C. B. (1918) Results of an expedition to Korinchi Peak, Sumatra. Birds.

J. Fed. Malay Stales Mus. 8: 81-284.

Robinson, H. C. and Kloss, C. B. (1923) Results of an expedition to Korinchi Peak, Sumatra.

[Addendum:] A nominal list of the birds of Sumatra. J. Fed. Malay States Mus. 8: 319-362.

Robinson, H. C. and Kloss, C. B. (1924) On a large collection of birds chiefly from West Sumatra made

by Mr E. Jacobson. J. Fed. Malay States Mus. 11: 189-347.

Salvadori, T. ( 1 879) Catalogo di una collezione di uccelli fatta nella parte occidentale di Sumatra dal

Prof. Odoardo Beccari. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova 14: 169-253.

1995

Taxonomy and names of Carpococcyx cuckoos

149

Schlegel, H . ( 1 864) Museum d’Histoire N aturelle des Pays-Bas: revue methodique et critique des collections,

1: Cuculi. Leide: E. J. Brill.

Sclater, P.L. (as Secretary) (1882) [Report on the additions to the Society’s Menagerie.] Proc. Zool. Soc.

London : 358.

Sclater, P. L. and Shelley, G. E. ( 1 89 1 ) Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum, 1 9 . London: by order

of the Trustees.

Sharpe, R. B. (1876-1879) Contributions to the ornithology of Borneo. Ibis (3)6: 29-52; (4)1: 1-25;

(4)2: 414-419; (4)3: 233-272.

Smythies, B. E. (1981) The birds of Borneo. Third edition. Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Society; and Kuala

Lumpur: Malayan Nature Society.

Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. and Wege, D. C. (in prep.) Global directory of endemic bird

areas. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series).

Temminck, C. J. (1832) Nouveau recueil de planches coloriees d’oiseaux. III. Paris: G. F. Levrault.

Temminck, C. J. (1838) Nouveau recueil de planches coloriees d’oiseaux. Table methodique. Paris: G. F.

Levrault.

Voous, K. H . ( 1 963) Birds collected by Carl Lumholtz in eastern and central Borneo. Nytt. Mag. Zool.

11: 127-180.

N. J. Collar and A. J. Long, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ON A,

U.K.

150

Plate 9.

Dorsal view of

two immature

Carpococcyx

viridis. Photo:

authors.

Plate 10.

Ventral view

of specimens

in Plate 9.

Photo:

authors.

Plate 1 1.

Ventral view

of upper body

of an

immature

Carpococcyx

radiants.

Photo: M.

LeCroy.

Plate 12.

Ventral view

of lower body

of the

specimen in

Plate 1 1 .

Photo: M.

LeCroy.

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The habitat, status, vocalizations and

breeding biology of Blue-rumped Pitta

Pitta soror annamensis in central

Vietnam

FRANK R. LAMBERT, JONATHAN C. EAMES and NGUYEN CU

The Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta soror is a poorly-known Indochinese endemic that also occurs on Hainan.

Within this rather limited range, six subspecies are described (Lambert and Woodcock in press). Size

and the colour of the crown and nape are the main features used to separate these. During six weeks

fieldwork as part of a BirdLife International/IU CN Species Survival Commission survey for Vietnamese

Lophura hatinhensis and Imperial Pheasants L. imperialis in 1 994 (Lambert et al. 1 994, Eames et al. in

press) and follow-up work by BirdLife International in 1 995, new data were collected on P. s. annamensis ,

the subspecies occurring in central Annam and southern Laos. Fieldwork was conducted in June and

July 1 994 and in June 1995. The observations documented below refer to birds observed in the lowlands

of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces, Vietnam.

HABITAT and STATUS

Observations in the Annamese lowlands indicate that Blue-rumped Pittas are

tolerant of a wide range of habitat types. Two nests were found in 1994 in

dark, damp flat areas of primary riverine forest with a dense understorey

dominated by saplings of broad-leaved trees. In the Vu Quang Nature

Reserve, Ha Tinh Province (18°20’N 105°20’E), this species was regularly

observed in this habitat. In contrast, adults with dependent young were also

observed on very steep, dry slopes dominated by fan palms Licuala in the

understorey, and amongst tangles of vines in dark areas of primary and

secondary forest on jagged limestone outcrops in Phong Nha Historical and

Cultural Reserve, Quang Binh Province (17°25’N 106°15’E). In all of these

areas, Blue-rumped Pitta was found to occur sympatrically with Bar-bellied

Pitta Pitta elliotii. The incidence of calling and of observations suggested that

both these species were common in forested habitats. However, few

Blue-rumped Pittas were observed in the bamboo-dominated secondary

forests around Ho Ke Go lake, Ha Tinh Province (18°06’N 105°56’E), and

in this area Blue-rumped Pittas were observed most commonly on the slopes

and valleys on which more closed-canopy forest was present: in 1 99 5, a third

nest was discovered in KyAnh District (byJ.C.E. andN.C.) on an east-west

ridge at 350 m in logged forest.

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VOCALIZATIONS

Several calls of Blue-rumped Pitta have been described, all of which are

reported to be given infrequently. In Tonkin, the commonly heard call is

reported to be a single full note ‘waeoe’ or ‘weeya’, with only a slight

inflection. This call is generally repeated at intervals of at least seven seconds.

Other calls described are a sharp, breathless ‘tew’, similar to the first syllable

of the call of Rusty-naped Pitta P. oatesi, and a longer, falling-tone, mellow

‘tiu’ (Lekaguland Round 1991). Calls most frequently heard in the Annamese

lowlands of Vietnam were quiet, rather frog-like notes: ‘ppew’, repeated at

short intervals.

The alarm note has been described as a short and rather qiuet ‘cho’, usually

repeated after a pause of more than six seconds. In Vietnam, a different alarm

note was heard: when an adult male with dependent spotted young was

approached by an observer, in Vu Quang Nature Reserve, the adult repeatedly

gave a single, sharp, explosive note, ‘hwip’ or ‘hwit’, from a perch on a

horizontal vine some 30 cm off the ground. This bird was very confiding, and

responded immediately to playback of its own alarm call.

BREEDING BIOLOGY

No nests of this species have previously been described. During the surveys

in the Vu Quang Nature Reserve, nests were found on 4 and 6 June. A

recently fledged juvenile was observed in central Annam on 6 July 1994,

whilst older fledglings were observed at various sites and on various dates

from 1 3 June to mid-July. The recently fledged juvenile observed was at the

base of a jagged limestone outcrop in Phong Nha, raising the possibility that

this species could sometimes build its nest in crevices in limestone.

The nest found at Vu Quang on 4 June contained three eggs, but was

predated on 8 June, when the nest was found to be partly destroyed and two

eggs had disappeared (the remaining egg was cold) . The nest discovered on

6 June contained three recently hatched young. Only females were seen

incubating the eggs and young of these nests. The two nests were situated

within 1 00 m of each other, in primary forest: one on the flat floodplain of a

large river at 30 m altitude, the other in a flat area of forest adjacent to a stream

at c. 50 m altitude (the two areas separated by a cliff). The latter nest was

situated about 2.4 m off the ground in an unusual narrow fold in the trunk

of a large tree, formed at the point where two buttresses intersected.

The base of the nest was built primarily of twigs, many of which were

branched; they were up to 1 5-20 cm long and mostly 4-6 mm wide, though

one twig was 8 mm wide. Mixed in with the twigs were a few rootlets and dead

leaves. The roof and sides of the nest were of dead leaves, the majority being

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from broad-leaved trees, but mixed in were 1-2 pale, long strips of palm leaf.

The rear and sides of the nest cavity were lined with leaves, whilst the nest

cup was made with black rootlets of 1-2 cm in diameter. The total height of

the nest was about 22 cm, with an entrance hole 8 cm high and 6 cm wide.

The second nest, containing three pulli that were incubated by a female

(Figure 1 ) , was situated in a 4 . 5 m tall understorey tree with spiny, holly-like

leaves and trunk diameter of c. 8 cm at breast height. The nest was at the base

of the tree’s canopy, where it was placed on a fork at 2 . 3 m off the ground and

within 30 cm of an intact but disused wasps’ nest that hung from the same

tree. The nest base was made of large twigs, the biggest measuring 74 cm long

and 1 cm wide. These long twigs extended forward from the base to form a

platform in front of the nest hole, on which the adults could land. The nest

was 22 cm high and 20 cm wide externally, with the platform extending some

1 5 cm out from the entrance. The entrance was 8.5 cm wide and 9. 5 cm high,

and the distance from the entrance hole to the rear of the nest cavity was 1 5

cm. The nest sides and roof were constructed of the dry leaves of broad-leaved

trees, with only one skeletonised. The nest cavity contained a nest cup made

of fine flexible twigs and rootlets up to 16 cm in length.

The nest found by J.C.E. andN.C. on23June 1995 was situated 1.3moff

the ground in a 4.5 m-tall rattan palm, and contained three chicks. It was

situated amongst the branching fronds of the rattan (probably Calamus ) , and

was an almost spherical dome made with dry dicotyledonous and dry rattan

leaves and twigs. The nest was some 24 cm wide, 25 cm high and 30 cm deep.

The entrance was 9 cm wide and 8 cm high, whilst the chamber was 17 cm

deep and 13 cm wide. A 7 cm-wide platform jutted out 6 cm in front of the

nest entrance.

On 24 June 1995, this nest was under observation by J.C.E. andN.C. from

07h00-l lh37. During this period no feeding visits were observed, but at

08hl5 one of the parents sprang up onto the platform, where it remained

absolutely motionless, not even blinking, and both observers were able to

approach the nest to within 2 m. The bird appeared to be in a trance-like state

and had not moved when the observations finished at 1 1 h37 . The pulli from

this nest were estimated to be 2-3 days old and weighed 11,17 and 17 g,

suggesting asynchronous hatching.

The eggs were pinky-white with large chocolate-brown speckles and

blotches that were concentrated at the broadest end and smaller spots near

the narrow end. One egg measured was 2.9 cm long and 2.2 cm wide.

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Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta soror annamensis

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REFERENCES

Eames, J. C., Lambert, F. R. and Nguyen Cu (in press) A report on a survey of the Annamese lowlands,

Vietnam, and its implications for the conservation of Vietnamese and Imperial Pheasants. Bird

Conservation International.

Lambert, F. R. and Woodcock, M. (in press) The pittas and broadbills of the world. Alountford, U.K.: Pica

Press.

Lambert, F. R., Eames, J. C. and Nguyen Cu (1994) Surveys for pheasants in the Annamese lowlands of

Vietnam. Cambridge: IUCN.

Lekagul, Boonsong and Round, P.D.(1991)H guide to the birds of Thailand. Bangkok: Saha Karn Bhaet.

Rozendaal, F. (1993) New subspecies of Blue-rumped Pitta from southern Indochina. Dutch Birding 1 5 :

17-22.

On the seasonality and distribution of

Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gurneyi

PHILIP D. ROUND

Since its rediscovery in 1 986, almost nothing further has been published on

the biology or conservation status of Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gurneyi. Fieldwork

carried out during 1987-1988 (Gretton et al. 1993) was restricted to the

months March-August: there is an almost complete lack of information for

other times of year.

This paper discusses the seasonal distribution of records based on data

acquired during March 1990 to February 1993 at Khao Pra-Bang Khram

Non-Hunting Area (Khao Nor Chuchi), Krabi and Trang provinces,

peninsular Thailand.

The synthesis in Collar et al. (1986) implied that while Gurney’s Pitta was

probably present year-round in southern Thailand, with specimen records

from all months except November and June, and a sight record involving a

nesting pair in June, it was perhaps a seasonal non-breeding visitor to

southern Myanmar (Burma) . This was based on an examination of Burmese

specimen records, which came from the months of December through June,

combined with Davison’s assertion (Hume and Davison 1878) that, in south

Tenasserim, the species normally began to appear around 10 February;

remained scarce until mid-April; became more numerous until the end of

May and then disappeared with the onset of the monsoon. Some birds

apparently stayed on into July. Thus for the months August to November

inclusive, Gurney’s Pitta was apparently absent from southern Myanmar and

Davison speculated that Burmese birds went to breed ‘probably to Siam or

into the higher portions of the hills dividing Siam from Tenasserim’.

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Note: observations of birds at a nest were only scored once, at time of discovery. Subsequent

sightings of birds at the nest were discounted so as to avoid bias.

Table 1 . Seasonal distribution of records of Gurney’s Pittas at Khao Nor Chuchi, March 1 990-February

1993

Coverage has been maintained year-round at Khao Nor Chuchi since March

1990 and all encounters with Gurney’s Pitta (sightings and birds heard) logged

(Table 1). Four further active nests were found during this period, all in June.

The seasonal pattern of registrations at Khao Nor Chuchi closely

approximates to that shown for Myanmar: the frequency of encounters

increased during December through February, peaked during the months

March to May (when 60% of registrations occurred) and then declined

thereafter. There was an almost complete dearth of records during August to

November, only 2.7% of sightings falling within this period (Table 1). In

other words, the period when Davison considered that birds were absent

from Myanmar is when they also appeared to be largely absent from the Khao

Nor Chuchi study area too, and coincides with the nesting and post-nesting

period. Grettonef a/. (1993) recorded a similar decline in detectability (based

on calls) after the end of May.

To a slight extent differences in observer coverage have contributed to this

seasonal variation in the frequency of sightings, since Khao Nor Chuchi

received many more visiting birdwatchers, whose records contributed to

these totals, during December to May than at other times. Nonetheless, the

overall pattern remains clear.

If we are to accept that Gurney’s Pitta is migratory, then it would have to

be migratory throughout its entire Thai-Burmese range with the non¬

breeding quarters where the birds spend the period August to November

being unknown. However, the continued presence of birds at Khao Nor

Chuchi during this period, as indicated by a low frequency of encounters,

combined with a nest record from Thung Song, Nakhon Si Thammarat

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province, peninsular Thailand during October (Herbert 1924) would seem

to exclude this possibility. Why should Gurney’s Pitta need to migrate at all,

since it inhabits the interior of forest and moist, shady, well-watered

secondary growth, usually in close proximity to permanent water in small

streams? No other Sundaic forest bird species shows a similar migratory

pattern. Hooded Pitta P. sordida and Blue-winged Pitta P. moluccensis , both

of which are migrants, instead are absent from Myanmar and Thailand

during the dry season (November to April) but return to breed in the wet

season, during May to October (Smythies 1 986, Lekagul and Round 1991).

It was suggested in Collar et al. (1986) that perhaps the extremely high

rainfall in southern T enasserim (now Mon State) and across the Thai border

in Ranong (where over 800 mm of rain per month has been recorded during

July-September), forced Gurney’s Pitta to move elsewhere to nest, but this

argument is unconvincing.

A much more likely explanation is that Gurney’s Pitta is resident both in

southern Myanmar and in Thailand, and that any apparent seasonal difference

in numbers is due solely to changing detectability. At Khao Nor Chuchi, the

onset of nesting coincides with a reduction in the frequency of vocalizing.

Once nesting has commenced, the birds scarcely call at all unless alarmed and

can be exceedingly difficult to detect: once the young have left the nest, we

lose track of both adults and young completely. It thus seems more than likely

that, in spite of his considerable, and perhaps unparalleled, field experience

Davison may have overlooked Gurney’s Pitta due to its reduced detectability

during the nesting period.

In Collar etal. (1986) mention is also made of four Gurney’s Pittas, including

a nestling, said to have been taken on the mountain of Khao Phanom Bencha,

Krabi at elevations of 600- 1 ,060 m, by collectors for Meyer de Schauensee,

and which constitute the only apparent records of Gurney’s Pittas away from

the lowlands or foothills. As mentioned by Round and Treesucon (1986),

these records are highly doubtful and can almost certainly be discounted.

Although, admittedly, there has been little, if any, further ornithological

exploration of mountain slope habitats in peninsular Thailand since 1986,

there are still no records of Gurney’s Pittas higher than 1 40 m a.s.l. Besides,

Gurney’s Pitta, Meyer de Schauensee (1946) also listed Malayan Peacock-

Pheasant Polyplectron malacense , Gould’s Frogmouth Batrachostomus stellatus,

Striped Wren-Babbler Kenopia striata , Chestnut-rumped Babbler Stachyris

maculata and Black-throated Babbler S’, nigricollis from the same mountain

at elevations of 3,000-3,500 feet (914-1,067 m). All of these species are

recognized today as being mainly or entirely restricted to forests of the lowlands

throughout the Malay peninsula (Wells 1985 and in litt., Round 1988).

Deignan (1955) has already commented on the dubious provenance of

some of Meyer de Schauensee’s specimens, and reported on bird specimens

collected by ‘a party of Asiatic collectors without supervision’ from Khao

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Luang, Prachuap Khiri Khan province at c. 1 1°40’N. Among these was a

Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala grisola reported as having been taken at an

elevation of 3,400 feet! Deignan, therefore, concluded that the collectors had

falsified their data. It seems virtually certain, therefore, that Meyer de

Schauensee’s unsupervised collectors did likewise at Khao Phanom Bencha,

simply pretending that certain specimens had been collected from the upper

elevations of the mountain in order to avoid the exertion and discomfort of

a wet-season ascent.

This paper thus provides some bad news, as well as some (qualified) good

news. The bad news is that the fate of Gurney’s Pitta continues to be entirely

dependent on the fate of remaining lowland forest fragments within its range.

The good news is that there may be reason to suppose that Gurney’s Pitta

nests in south Tenasserim (Mon State), as well as in Thailand, and efforts to

survey remaining forests there should be accorded priority as part of any

integrated package aimed at its conservation. Even if Gurney’s Pitta should

be proved to nest in south Tenasserim (Mon State), it will almost certainly

be similarly at risk there, since Thai logging companies have been ravaging

Burmese forests over the past few years. There are anecdotal reports of huge

areas in Pakchan having been clear-cut since 1988. In addition, Myanmar

lacks the kind of protected area infrastructure which exists in Thailand.

I am grateful to the many observers who contributed details of their pitta sightings, and particularly to

my co-workers UthaiTreesucon, Yothin Meekeow and John Parr. I thank Adam Gretton and Dr David

Wells for their comments on this manuscript. These observations were compiled during the course of

work carried out under the Khao Nor Chuchi Lowland Forest Project, funded by BirdLife International,

together with Children’s Rainforest Network.

REFERENCES

Collar, N. j., Round, P. D. and Wells, D. R. (1986) The past and future of Gurney’s Pitta. Forktail 1 :

29-51.

Deignan, H. G. (1955) Remarks on Picus vittatus and some of its allies. Ibis 97: 18-24.

Gretton, A., Kohler, M., Lansdown, R. V., Pankhurst, T. J., Parr, J. and Robson, C. (1993) The status

of Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gumeyi, 1987-1989. Bird Conservation International 3: 351-367.

Herbert, E. G. (1924) Nests and eggs ofbirds in central Siam. J. Nat. Hist. Soc. Siam 6: 293-31 1.

Hume, A. O. and Davison, W. (1878) Arevised list ofthe birds of Tenasserim. Stray Feathers 6: 7-254.

Lekagul, Boonsongand Round, P. D. (1991) A guide to the birds of Thailand. Bangkok: Saha Karn Bhaet.

Meyer de Schauensee, R. (1946) On Siamese birds. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 98: 1-82.

Round, P. D. (1988) Resident forest birds in Thailand: their status and conservation. Cambridge:

International Council for Bird Preservation (Monograph no. 2).

Round, P. D. and Treesucon, Uthai (1986) The rediscovery of Gurney’s Pitta. Forktail 2: 53-56.

Smythies, B. E. (1986) The birds of Burma. Third edition. Liss: Nimrod Press.

Wells, D. R. (1985) The forest avifauna of West Malesia and its conservation. Pp. 213-232 in A. W.

Diamond and T. E. Lovejoy, eds. Conservation of tropica! forest birds. Cambridge: International

Council for Bird Preservation (Techn. Publication no. 4).

Philip D. Round , Center for Conservation Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road,

Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

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159

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus

vagans and Booted Eagle Hieraeetus

pennatus in Laos! two species new for

Indochina

WILLIAM DUCKWORTH

During a four-month wildlife survey of the Xe Piane proposed protected area

in southern Laos (Thewlis et al. 1996), I found two bird species new to

Indochina (Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam) . Xe Piane is a large area (2,400

km2) of mainly undegraded semi-evergreen forest on gently-rolling terrain.

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus vagans

On 10 December 1992 I was sitting quietly in an extensive area of bamboo-

dominated forest (14°32’N 106T4’E. 150 m a.s.l.) when an evident cuckoo

Cuculus crash-landed in a clump at eye level only 10 m away. Although in

quite dense bamboo, the head and foreparts were completely unobscured.

The distinctive face pattern was immediately striking: the crown was dark,

contrasting with the pale cheeks, into which intruded a bold dark moustachial

stripe and a dark crescent to the rear of the ear-coverts (vaguely reminiscent

of a Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus). The white underparts were

thickly streaked black on the breast. Also noticeable were a bright yellow

eyering, yellow legs and the dark grey-brown upperparts, reminiscent of a

female Eurasian Sparrowhawk/Lqpherra'sws. After two minutes concentrating

on what was visible, I shifted slightly to get a better angle on the bird, but it

flew off out of sight.

The species is generally rather elusive and is not considered common

anywhere within its known range - Java, Borneo, the Malay peninsula and

south-east Thailand (King et al. 1975). A record in south-west Laos is not

unexpected as the country is so poorly known. It is impossible to guess at the

status of the species there, but in neighbouring Thailand it is thought to be

an ‘uncommon resident’ (Lekagul and Round 1991).

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

Around noon on 5 January 1993 I detected a distant medium-large raptor

flying south-west at a height of perhaps 60 m over rice paddies near the vilage

of Ban Phalay-bok (14°40’N 106°07’E). It passed lazily almost overhead in

a blue sky with very strong sunlight. On first sighting it, I considered Eastern

Marsh-Harrier Circus spilonotus and Black Kite Milvus migrans , but was

rapidly strongly reminded of African Hawk-Eagle H. spilogaster. The

proportions were rather average and the silhouette lacked striking features;

among raptors of this size, the wings were relatively narrow for the length and

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rather parallel-sided, and the tail was fairly long. The plumage was, however,

distinct and somewhat recalled Egyptian Vulture Neophron per cnopterus. The

entire underparts and underwing-coverts were pale whitish (lacking heavy

markings), contrasting with the flight-feathers. The latter were mostly dark,

but several inner primaries presented a very striking pale wedge, which in the

harsh light appeared almost white. The underside of the tail also appeared pale.

A pale-phase Booted Eagle is distinctive among the numerous raptors

known or likely to occur in Laos. Rufous-bellied Eagle H. kienerii is a

congener of similar size, shape and flight actions. However, it shows much

more extensive pale, of a different pattern, on the primaries and the rest of

the flight-feathers never appear blackish (Clark and Schmitt 1993). The bold

underside pattern in flight is sufficient to eliminate all other species; White-

bellied Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster is the only species at all similar.

Booted Eagle is a long-distance migrant with a wide breeding range from

Spain to China and wintering chiefly in Africa and India (Cramp and

Simmons 1980). In South-East Asia it is known from Peninsular Malaysia

and Myanmar (King et al. 1975) and there are several recent passage or

wintering records from Thailand (Lekagul and Round 1991). Wintering

birds are typically known from a handful of records from each country across

their range (Cramp and Simmons 1980). Thus, it was to be expected in

Indochina.

Bouaphanh Phantavong, Venevongphet, Klaus Berkmuller and others at the Protected Areas and

Wildlife Division of the National Office for Nature Conservation and Watershed Management in

Vientiane gave valuable advice and practical assistance. The survey was financed by numerous sources

as listed in Thewlis etal. (in prep.), primarily B.P. (UK) Ltd (through the International Council for Bird

Preservation and the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society) , the Panton T rust, Mr and Mrs J. Evans

and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species.

REFERENCES

Clark, W. S. and Schmitt, N. J. (1993) Field identification of the Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii.

Forktail 8: 7-9.

Cramp, S. and Simmons, K. E. L. (1980) Birds of the Western Palearctic, 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. W. (1975) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Lekagul, Boonsongand Round, P. D. (1991 ) A guide to the birds of Thailand. Bangkok: Saha Karn Bhaet.

Thewlis, R. C. M., Duckworth, J. W., Anderson, G. Q. A., Dvorak, M., Evans, T. D., Nemeth, E.,

Timmins, R. J. and Wilkinson, R. J. (1996) Ornithological records from Laos, 1992-1993. Forktail 1 1 .

J. W. Duckworth , East Redhani Farm, Pilning, Bristol, BS1 8 3EJ, U.K.

1995

Russet Bush-Warbler Bradypterus

seebohmi^ a new species for Bhutan

and the Indian subcontinent

161

CRAIG ROBSON

Whilst listening to some tape-recordings of birds made by Scott Connop in

Bhutan I heard, in the background of one of the recordings, a Russet Bush-

W arbler Bradypterus seebohmi singing. The song was familiar to me and I have

tape-recorded the species in China, Thailand and Vietnam. The recording

was made at Damji (2,200 m elevation) in Jigme Dorji National Park, south¬

west Gasa on 23 May 1994.

The song of this species consists of a repetitive series of buzzing prinia-like

‘zreee-uf or ‘zree-ut’ notes. Each sequence may contain up to 20 individual

notes, each of about 300-320 msec duration, and usually given at a rate of one

note per 0.5-0. 9 sec (Round 1992).

This record appears to be the first for Bhutan and the Indian subcontinent.

However, Dumeticola mandelli, described by Brooks (1875) from Sikkim, and

subsequently synonymized with Tnbura (= Bradypterus) l. luteoventris by

Baker (1930), seems more likely to refer to B. seebohmi. It was described as

having an ash-grey breast, often marked with a few distinct spots, and with

a larger bill than in luteoventris , the lower mandible dusky not yellow.

Unfortunately, the type specimen cannot now be traced.

It should be noted that the song of Russet Bush-Warbler was mistakenly

attributed to Brown Bush-Warbler B. luteoventris by King et al. (1975),

causing some confusion in the subsequent literature. The song of Brown

Bush-Warbler, in south-west China at least, is a long, continuous, reeling

‘tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic’ etc.

REFERENCES

Baker, E. C. S. (1930) Fauna of British India. Birds. Second edition. Vol. 7. London: Taylor and Francis.

Brooks, W. E. (1875) Notes on a new Dumeticola, and on Tribura luteoventris, Hodgson, and Dumeticola

affinis, Hodgson. Stray Feathers 3: 284-287.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. W. (197 5) Afield guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Round, P. D. ( 1 992) The identification and status of the Russet Bush-Warbler in China and continental

southeast Asia. Hong Kong Bird Report 1991: 188-194.

Craig Robson, 63 Stafford Street, Norwich NR2 3BD, U.K.

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Some recent records of Philippine birds

CRAIG ROBSON and PETER DAVIDSON

Details are given of the most interesting observations made during a visit to

the Philippines from 5 March to 19 May 1994. The visit coincided with the

breeding season of many species, enabling us to gather new data on breeding

biology.

RECORDS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST

Rufous-lored Kingfisher Todirhamphus winchelli A single, calling male was

observed at Tabunan, Cebu on 9 April (P.D.). This appears to be the only

recent record from Cebu.

Negros Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba keayi A single bird was seen well at

1,005 m on Mount Canlaon, above Mambucal, Negros on 1 1 March (C.R.).

It was on a small rock in the middle of a well-used trail, but soon flew downhill

into cover. It was in fairly open and severely degraded forest, with a lot of dead

branches lying on the ground, and with few large trees. The elevation is at the

upper limit for the species (Brooks et al. 1992).

Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis At least 20 individuals

flying north (or north-east) along the coast at Garcellano beach, Puerto

Princessa, Palawan on 28 March. Not listed for Palawan by Dickinson et al.

(1991) and presumably the first record for the island.

Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus On 30 March 20-30 birds

were noted close in-shore at Bacolod Port, Negros. Not listed for Negros by

Dickinson et al. (1991) and presumably the first record for the island.

Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii Several birds, including adults in breeding

plumage, were seen off Tagbilaran Port, Bohol on 15 April. Not listed for

Bohol by Dickinson et al. (1991) and presumably the first record for the

island.

Little T ern Sterna albifrons T wo birds were seen off T agbilaran Port, Bohol

on 1 5 April. Not listed for Bohol by Dickinson et al. (1991) and presumably

the first record for the island.

Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica A single was seen well on

Mount Canlaon, Negros on 3 1 March. Not listed for Negros by Dickinson

et al. (1991) and presumably the first record for the island.

Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica One was seen at Sitio Siete,

South Cotabato, Mindanao on 24 March. Not listed for Mindanao by

Dickinson et al. (1991) and presumably the first record for the island.

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Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata Two or three birds were seen

and heard at Balinsasayao, south Negros on 6 April. Not listed for Negros by

Dickinson et al. (1991) and presumably the first record for the island.

Streaked Ground-Babbler Ptilocichla mindanensis Recorded as high as

1,260 m elevation, at Baracatan, Davao del Sur, Mindanao on 30 April.

Dickinson et al. (1991) recorded it up to 1,000 m only.

Brown Tit-Babbler Macronous striaticeps Recorded as high as 1,770 m

elevation on Mount Katanglad, Bukidnon, Mindanao on 1 7 April. Dickinson

et al. (1991) recorded it up to 1,200 m only.

BREEDING RECORDS

* = no information on breeding behaviour recorded by Dickinson et al. (1991)

Philippine Woodpecker Dendrocopos maculatus Two occupied nest-holes

were noted on Mount Canlaon, Negros, on 31 March and 1 April.

^Common Flameback Dinopium javanense A female was heard calling from

an occupied nest-hole in Saint Paul Subterranean National Park, Palawan on

20 March. The nest was in a dead tree about 9 m above the ground.

Philippine Trogon Harpactes ardens A pair was excavating a nest-hole in

Rajah Sikatuna National Park on 1 1 April. The nest was in a dead tree about

6 m above the ground.

* Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata Two nests with adult birds

sitting on them were found at Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 12 and 13 May.

The nests consisted of tiny platforms attached to the upper surface of bare,

more-or-less horizontal, tree branches, 7.5-9 m above the ground.

White-eared Brown-Dove Phapitreron leucotis A nest-building pair was

noted in Quezon National Park, Luzon on 12 March.

Philippine Falconet Microhierax erythrogenys An occupied nest-hole was

found at Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 13 May.

^Philippine Fairy-bluebird Irena cyanogaster A female (accompanied by a

male) was seen nest-building at Angat Dam, Bulacan, Luzon on 1 5 March.

The nest was situated against a tree trunk at the base of a branch, hidden

amongst leaves and twigs, about 9 m above the ground. A male carrying nest

material was noted at Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 12 May.

* Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus A pair was seen attending a nest with

young at Sitio Siete, South Cotabato, Mindanao on 23 April. The nest

conformed with the description given in Ali and Ripley (1987) and was

situated about 1 2 m above the ground. On 26 April a bird carrying food was

noted at another location in the same area.

Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus An adult was noted nest¬

building at Sitio Siete, South Cotabato, Mindanao on 25 April. The nest

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conformed with the description given in Ali and Ripley (1987) and was

situated about 10-11 m above the ground.

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea A nest with an incubating adult

was seen in Saint Paul Subterranean National Park, Palawan on 20 March.

A pair attending a nest with two young was seen at Callao Caves, Cagayan,

Luzon on 9 May. Both nests were of the usual type for the species.

Island Thrush Turdus poliocephalus A pair (and particularly the female) were

noted attending a completed, but apparently empty, nest at Baracatan, Davao

del Sur, Mindanao on 1 May. The nest was constructed mainly of green moss

and lined with strips of dead leaves; it was situated amongst epiphytes and

plants covering the trunk of a large tree, and about 4.5-6 m above the ground.

Apo Myna Basilomis miranda A pair was seen attending a nest-hole at

Baracatan, Davao del Sur, Mindanao on 1 May. The hole was in a dead tree

about 15 m above the ground.

Philippine Bulbul 1 xos philippinus A nest containing two well-grown young

was noted at Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 1 2 May. The nest was a small, deep

cup-shaped structure, constructed externally of dead grass leaves, and was

situated in tall grass by a track, 1.5 m above the ground.

Striated Grassbird A nest containing four young was found at Candaba

Marsh, Rizal, Luzon on 6 March.

Streaked Ground-Babbler Ptilocichla mindanensis A nest containing one

egg was found by P.D. in Rajah Sikatuna National Park, Bohol on 1 1 April

(and subsequently examined on other days until 14 April). The nest was a

small, semi-domed, cup-shaped structure with a diameter of 70 x 50 mm and

was 30 mm deep. It was constructed of dead leaves, loosely lined with roots

and small plant twigs, and was wedged among the leaf stalk bases of a small,

spiny palm, 33 cm above the ground. The single egg appeared to constitute

the full clutch in this case, as it was being incubated on all of the four days

in which the nest was examined. The egg was long-oval in shape, smooth and

slightly glossy, and white tinged bluish; it was marked overall with medium¬

sized mid-brown blotches and lines, particularly around the broader end,

where they formed a cap, and with underlying shell markings in the form of

light, purple-tinged brown smears. The dimensions of the egg were 23.6 x

16.3 mm. This is the first documented nest of this species.

Black-crowned Babbler Stachyris nigrocapitata A pair was observed nest¬

building in Rajah Sikatuna National Park, Bohol on 14 April. The nest was

being constructed of fine black plant fibres, bits of moss and white cotton¬

like gossamer. It was taking on the shape of a cradle, roughly 80 mm in

diameter and 60 mm in height and was slung from the fork of a sapling,

sheltered by the large leaf of a nearby palm-like plant, 1.25 m above the

ground . Two individuals from different pairs were seen carrying nest material

elsewhere in the park on 1 1 and 12 April. A birds was also seen collecting nest

material in Quezon National Park, Quezon, Luzon on 1 2 March. Dickinson

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etal. ( 1 99 1 ) do not mention any nests having been found for the species, and

appear to have overlooked Rand and Rabor’s (1960) description of a nest,

found on Bohol, containing pale greenish-blue eggs.

White-bellied Munia Lonchura leucogastra Nest-building about 12 m

above the ground was noted at Balinsasayao, south Negros on 7 April. A nest

containing three eggs was found in Rajah Sikatuna National Park on 1 4 April.

An occupied, but empty, nest was seen on Mount Katanglad, Bukidnon,

Mindanao on 19 April and, finally, nest-building was noted at Minuma,

Isabela, Luzon on 12 May. All the nests were of the usual type for the species.

Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca Nest-building was noted on

Mount Katanglad, Bukidnon, Mindanao on 21 April, and at Lake Sebu,

South Cotabato, Mindanao on 23 April. A nest containing four eggs and one

tiny chick was found at Baracatan, Davao del Sur, Mindanao on 2 May, and

an occupied nest was seen at Callao Caves, Cagayan, Luzon on 10 May. All

the nests were of the usual type for the species.

Species observed collecting! carrying nest material:

Amethyst Brown-Dove Phapitreron amethystina Rajah Sikatuna National

Park, Bohol on 14 April (carrying a large twig).

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach Near Balinsasayao, south Negros on 7

April.

Yellow-bellied Whistler Pachycephala philippinensis Minuma, Isabela,

Luzon on 13 May (female).

*Black-and-cinnamon Fantail Rhipidura nigrocinnamomea Baracatan,

Davao del Sur, Mindanao on 30 April (collecting and transporting what

appeared to be thin, fibrous strips of lichen).

Coleto Sarcops calvus Quezon National Park, Quezon, Luzon on 1 1 March.

Mountain White-eye Zosterops montanus Mount Katanglad, Bukidnon,

Mindanao on 17 April (bits of seeding grass-heads). Baracatan, Davao del

Sur, Mindanao on 1 May (pieces of light grey-green lichen).

*Whiskered Flowerpecker Dicaeum proprium Baracatan, Davao del Sur,

Mindanao on 30 April to 2 May (carrying what appeared to be thin twiglets

to the top of a 20 m tree).

Species observed carrying food:

Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius Near Tabunan, Cebu on 9 April.

*Rufous-headed Tailorbird Orthotomus heterolaemus Mount Katanglad,

Bukidnon, Mindanao on 17 April (two different areas).

Philippine Leaf- Warbler Phylloscopus olivaceus Sitio Siete, South Cotabato,

Mindanao on 23 April.

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Fledged young observed:

*GREATSLATY'WooDFECKERMulleripicuspulverulentus Saint Paul Subterranean

National Park, Palawan on 20 March.

Philippine Coucal Centropus viridis Balinsasayao, south Negros on 7 April.

Philippine Hawk-Owl Ninox philippensis Mount Makiling, Laguna, Luzon

on 7 March.

Philippine Serpent-Eagle Spilomis holospilus Mount Canlaon, Negros on 1

April.

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach Mount Katanglad, Bukidnon, Mindanao

on 16 April.

*Celestial Monarch Hypothymis coelestis Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 1 1

May (pair with single fledgling).

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 1 5

May.

*Island Flycatcher Eumyias panayensis Sitio Siete, South Cotabato,

Mindanao on 26 April (spotted juveniles).

White-browed Shama Copsychus luzoniensis Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 1 5

May (spotted juveniles).

Sulphur-billed Nuthatch Sitta oenochlamys Baracatan, Davao del Sur,

Mindanao on 30 April.

Elegant Tit Parus elegans Valencias Geothermal Site, south Negros on 3

April. Sitio Siete, South Cotabato, Mindanao on 23 April. Minuma, Isabela,

Luzon on 12, 13 and 14 May (all different).

Philippine Bulbul Ixos philippinus Minuma, Isabela, Luzon on 1 1 May.

Yellowish Bulbul Ixos everetti PICOP logging concession, km 36, Surigao

del Sur/Davao Oriental, Mindanao on 4 May.

^Palawan Flowerpecker Prionochilus plateni Saint Paul Subterranean

National Park, Palawan on 20 March.

*Flame-crowned Flowerecker Dicaeum anthonyi Sitio Siete, South

Cotabato, Mindanao on 26 April.

Bicolored Flowerpecker Dicaeum bicolor Sitio Siete, South Cotabato,

Mindanao on 25 April. Callao Caves, Cagayan, Luzon on 9 May.

Red-striped Flowerpecker Dicaeum australe Near Sitio Siete, South

Cotabato, Mindanao on 23 April. Callao Caves, Cagayan, Luzon on 9 May.

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma Sitio Siete, South

Cotabato, Mindanao on 23 April.

Other breeding records:

Philippine Tailorbird Orthotomus castaneiceps Noted carrying nest material

or food at Balinsasayao, south Negros on 6 April.

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* Mountain Leaf- Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus An adult was seen performing

a distraction display at Baracatan, Davao del Sur, Mindanao on 2 May.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1987) Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Bombay

Natural History Society.

Brooks, T. M., Evans, T. D., Dutson, G. C. L., Anderson, G. Q. A., Asane, D. C., Timmins, R. J. and

Toledo, A. G. (1992) The conservation status of the birds of Negros, Philippines. Bird Conservation

International 2: 273-302.

Dickinson, E. C., Kennedy, R. S. and Parkes, K. C. (1991) The birds of the Philippines, an annotated check¬

list. Tring: British Ornithologists’ Union (Check-list no. 12).

Rand, A. L. and Rabor, D. S. ( 1 960) Birds of the Philippine islands: Siquijor, Mount Malindang, Bohol

and Samar. Fieldiana, Zool. 35: 225-441.

Craig Robson, 63 Stafford Street, Norwich NR2 3BD, U.K.

Peter Davidson, 24 Christchurch Road, Norwich NR2 2AE, U.K.

On the breeding ecology of the Little

Owl Athene noctua in Shaanxi

Province, China.

LEI FU-MIN

Apart form the work of Yin (1964), little has been published about the

breeding ecology of the Little Ow \ Athene noctua in China. The following note

summarizes the results of a study of Little Owls A. n. plumipes conducted

between March and July 1 992 in central Shaanxi Province (34°4’N 1 07°6’E) .

The study site was in an area with well-forested ravines, typically 1-10 km

long and 20-100 m wide, that were dominated by a few tree species:

Platycladus orientalis, Populus canadensis, Prunus armeniaca, Juglans regia and

Ziziphus jujuba. Forty-three bird species were found in an area of 75 ha, of

which Great Tit Pams major, Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus and Red-billed

Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax were commonly encountered. Eight pairs of

Little Owls were found in the study area, with an average distance of 189 m

between nests (and a minimum of less than 100 m).

Nests of the Little Owl were found in steep ravines in holes or crevices 1 . 5-

4 m deep, which were usually partially plugged by large lumps of earth. The

eggs were laid on loose soil where the ambient temperature was 18-20°C.

The clutch size was 5-6, with one to two eggs being laid every one or two days.

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The eggs were white, weighed an average of 1 5.5 + 0.24 g, and measured 34.5

± 0.68 x 29.1 +0.25 mm (n = 6). The female alone incubated the eggs, and

hatching occurred after 39 days. During incubation, females rarely left the

nest. Hatching success was high with 92 .7 % of eggs in five clutches hatching,

but only 58.3% of juveniles survived to fledge. Both adults defended the

nestlings by chasing away potential predators such as Blue Magpie Urocissa

erythrorhyncha and Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis.

At 12 days old, nestlings began to crawl around and feed themselves, and

by 32 days the nestlings were able to fly short distances from the nest, but

generally stayed at or within 100 m of the nest site until September. Thirty-

two pellets collected from near the nest contained 58 food items. Two species

of rodent (Greater Long-tailed Hamster Cricetulus triton and Reed Vole

Microtus fords ) accounted for 34% of items, whilst six types of insect

(including scarabs, click beetles and wasps) accounted for 60.4%, whilst

small birds accounted for only 1.7% of prey identified.

REFERENCES

Yin Xiang-chu ( 1 964) [Daytime activity of the Ural Owl Sirix uralensis and Little Ow\ Athene noctua .]

Chinese J. Zool. 6(4): 172. (In Chinese.)

Lei Fu-min, Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, PO Box 1000080, Beijing, China.

Notes on the Slender-billed Scimitar-

Babbler Xiphirhynchus superciliavis

in Yunnan, China

HAN LIANXIAN

The Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler Xzp/zzr/zj>m:/iw.sswpercz7z'am is distributed

in the eastern Himalayas, southern Assam (India), western and north¬

eastern Myanmar, northern Vietnam, and Y unnan province in China (Sibley

and Monroe 1990). Rothschild (1926) was the first to record the species in

Yunnan, but he did not document the exact site, indicating only that his

specimen was collected from the divide between the Salween and ‘Shweli’

(Longchuan Jiang) rivers in western Yunnan. There have been no further

reports of the species from Yunnan.

In November 1990, during avian surveys conducted in the Dulong river

area (in the western extremity of the Gaoligongshan region) in western

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Yunnan, I captured three Slender-billed Scimitar-Babblers (one adult and

two young) in a mist net. Subsequently, I made some field observations, and

also examined specimens recently collected in Yunnan by Mr Wei Tianhao

of the Kunming Institute of Ecology and by Mr Zhou Yunsheng of the

Gaoligongshan Nature Reserve management bureau. Some notes on this

species in Yunnan are presented below.

Habits

The species is found in forest, shrubberies, bamboo and shrubland/grassland

dominated slopes near cultivated land, at elevations of 1,800-2,100 m. The

specimens I collected were in shrublands at 2, 1 00 m. They are usually found

singly or in pairs, although it is also found in larger foraging groups after

breeding. The only vocalization noted is a three-syllabled, deep ‘do go go, do

go go’.

Measurements

The subspecies found in Yunnan is X. s. forresti.

Distribution within Yunnan

Specimens are known only from three localities: Muliwa in the Dulong Jiang

area of Gongshan county in north-western Yunnan; Lengshuihe in Datang

township, Tengchong county, western Yunnan; and Shuitang township in

Xinping county in central Yunnan. I also saw the species in Heinitang village,

Guyong township (Tengchong county). The total number of individuals

observed was 1 1, suggesting that the species is rare in Yunnan.

Thanks to Mr Wei Tianhao and Mr Zhou Yunsheng for providing data, and to Dr R. Harris for help

with the English.

REFERENCES

Rothschild, Lord (1926) On the avifauna of Yunnan, with critical notes. Nov. Zool. 33: 189-343.

Sibley, C. G. and Monroe, B. L., Jr. (1990) Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. New Haven:

Yale University Press.

Han Lianxian, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, P. R. China

650223.

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Re-discovery of the Isabela Oriole

Oriolus isabellae

ANITA GAMAUF and SABINE TEBBICH

The forest-living, monotypic species Isabela Oriole Oriolus isabellae is endemic

to the Bataan peninsula and Isabela Province, the Philippines. The last

record of the species given by Dickinson et al. (1991) was from the Sierra

Madre in 1 96 1 . There is now virtually no forest left at that site and the species

may be close to extinction (Danielsenera/. 1994). It has declined to Critically

Endangered status and now has a patchy distribution and a highly fragmented

range (Collar et al. 1994).

On 4 December 1993 we observed an individual of this species halfway

between Baguio village and Don Mariano Perez, about 15 km south of

Diffun, Quirino Province, and near the border with Nueva Vizcaya, on the

west-central ridge (foothills) of the Sierra Madre. It was at 440 m at the edge

of a remnant area (1 km2) of secondary forest (canopy cover 50-70%), near

a two-year old kaingin planted with bananas. The bird was in a mixed flock,

near a fruiting tree, comprising two or three Coppersmith Barbets Megalaima

haemacephala, one Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina striata , at least five

Yellow-vented Bulbuls Pycnonotus goiavier, four Balicassiaos Dicrurus

balicassius, two or three Philippine Fairy-bluebirds Irena cyanogaster and

some Elegant Tits Parus elegans.

From a distance of 5-6 m the following features could be discerned: a

relatively small and slender bird characterized by bright yellow underparts,

olive-yellow upperparts, olive-brown wings and tail, reddish-brown eyes, a

slender/dainty greyish bill and dark grey legs . The rather similar White-lored

Oriole O. albiloris was eliminated from consideration because that species has

white lores and chin, blackish subterminal spots on a shorter tail, and a

shorter, thicker bill.

The future prospects of the Isabela Oriole in the Quirino study area are

extremely poor because of its isolation from the more extensive forests of the

central Sierra Madre, and its occupancy of a small, fragmented area of less

than 100 km2.

REFERENCES

Collar, N. J., Crosby. M. J. and Stattersfield, A. ]. (1994) Birds to watch 2. The world list of threatened birds.

Cambridge, U.K. : BirdLife International (Conservation Series No. 4) .

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Danielsen, F., Balete, D. S., Christensen, T. D., Heegard, M. Jakobsen, O. F., Jensen, A., Lund, T.

and Poulsen, M. K. (1 994) Conservation of biological diversity in the Sierra Madre mountains of Isabela

and southern Cagayan Province, the Philippines. Manila: Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife International and Copenhagen: Danish Ornithological

Society.

Dickinson, E. C., Kennedy, R. S. and Parkes, K. C. (1991) The birds of the Philippines: an annotated

checklist. Tring: British Ornithologists’ Union (Check-listNo. 12).

Anita Gamauf and Sabine Tebbich, Konrad Lorenz-Institut fur Vergleichende Verhaltensforschung, Savoy enstrajie

la, A- 1 160 Wien, Austria.

A further record of the Isabela Oriole

Oriolus isabellae from Baggao,

Cagayan Province, northern

Philippines

MARC VAN DER LINDE

On 8 September 1 994 at Mansarong, Baggao, Cagayan Province I observed

a large mixed flock of birds, comprising about a dozen species, including

some orioles. They were feeding in some fruiting trees along a logging road.

An oriole landed on a branch about 6 m away. In full sunlight I could clearly

see that the lores and chin were yellow, thus eliminating White-lored Oriole.

A second bird, farther away, also showed yellow lores and chin and I

concluded that both birds were Isabela Orioles.

Mansarong is a small settlement at the edge of the forest, where small-scale

agriculture is practised. The vegetation structure is quite diverse, with

patches of remaining forest, agricultural fields, scrubland and gardens. The

bird composition is made up of forest species (e.g. Philippine Bulbul Ixos

philippinus and cuckoo-shrikes Coracina ), as well as those of more open

habitats (e.g. Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier and Black-naped

Oriole Oriolus chinensis).

The Sierra Madre mountain range, which is still covered with forest,

stretches from north to south along the Pacific coast of Luzon. It covers about

50% of the northern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela. It is an important

stronghold for many rare species, including the Isabela Oriole.

Marc van der Linde, Oude Rijnsburgerweg 38, 2342 BC Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.

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A new breeding species for the

Philippines: the Pied Harrier

Circus melanoleucos

MARC VAN DER LINDE

T wo harrier species, the Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus and the Pied

Harrier Circus melanoleucos, are found in the Philippines during the winter as

migrants (Dickinson et al. 1991). Summer records suggest breeding, but

formal evidence of breeding has not been available (Dickinson 1986,

Dickinson et al. 1991, Danielsen et al. 1994). It has been reported by Aetas

(a local tribe living in the Sierra Madre) to be a rare breeding bird in cultivated

areas in the Dinapique Valley, Palanan, Isabela (Danielsen et al. 1994).

During my stay in the Philippines at Isabela State University (ISU) at

Cabagan, I was told of juvenile raptors that had been taken from the nest. I

visited the ‘owner’ at the beginning of July to see which raptor species he had

taken. In a 1 m3 cage was an immature harrier. The bird escaped shortly after

my visit, before I could take any photographs. It appeared that it was the only

survivor out of three young, and that the nest was located at the Cabagan

campus of Isabela State University (ISU), Northern Luzon. The man

described the plumage of one of the parents as black and white and that of

the other as brownish. This description fits the Pied Harrier, but also the

Eastern Marsh Harrier (MacKinnon and Phillipps 1993).

I made my first observations of the species shortly after my arrival at the

Cabagan campus, on 26 June, 1992. A pair of Pied Harriers was gliding over

the wet rice fields along the entrance way. There was already a record from

earlier that year, made by a group of Danish ornithologists (A. Jensen

unpublished). The pair remained here until at least January 1993. A pair of

Pied Harriers (possibly the same) was still present when I visited the site for

a second time, from 1 5 July to 1 November, 1 994. A juvenile was seen at the

end of October, together with the adult pair, but this juvenile may have been

a migrant.

Pied Harriers, like harriers in general, prefer open habitats such as (grassy)

marshes, reed beds, and rice fields (MacKinnon and Phillipps 1993). Open

habitats like grassland and wet rice fields are the dominating habitats on the

ISU campus and the surrounding areas. The nest was found in the newly

established forest plantation at the east side of the campus.

1995

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

173

Once, the Philippines were mainly covered with tropical rainforest. Now

only a small fraction of the forest remains because of activities such as logging

and kaingin (a form of slash and burn agriculture) . Grasslands and rice fields

are now very extensive, offering a suitable habitat. The Pied Harrier seems

to have taken advantage of this change by extending its breeding range

southward, enriching the fauna of the Philippines. Which species will do the

same in the future?

REFERENCES

Danielsen, F., Balete, D. S., Christensen, T. D., Heegaard, M. Jakobsen, O. F., Jensen, A., Lund, T.

and Poulsen, M. K. (1994) Conservation of biological diversity in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Isabela

and southern Cagayan Province , the Philippines. Manila : DENR-BirdLife International and Copenhagen:

DOF.

Dickinson, E.C. (1986) Does the Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucus breed in the Philippines? Forktail 1 :

85-86.

Dickinson, E.C., Kennedy, R.S. and Parkes, K.C. (1991) The birds of the Philippines. An annotated

checklist. Tring: British Ornithologists Union.

MacKinnon, J. and Phillipps, K. (1993) A field guide to the birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali.

Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Marc van der Linde, Oude Rijnsburgerweg 38, 2342 BC Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.

Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus

affinis restored to the avifauna of the

Indian subcontinent

PAMELA C. RASMUSSEN

For many years the Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis was

considered a member of the avifauna of the Indian subcontinent on the basis

of specimens collected in winter in Nepal and described as a new subspecies,

P. s. arcanus (Ripley 1950). These specimens were treated subsequently by

several authors as intergrades between subaffinis and Tickell’s Leaf-Warbler

P. affinis (Watson et al. 1986, Williamson 1967). Recently, however, Alstrom

etal. (1993) found these to be misidentified Aberrant Bush- Warblers Cettia

f flavolivacea and, as no specimens from the region were then known, this

meant the removal of P. subaffinis from the Indian subcontinent list. In

addition, Alstrom and Olsson (1992) presented strong evidence that P.

subaffinis is best treated as specifically distinct from Tickell’s Leaf-Warbler.

174

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

Forktail 1 1

Culmen measured from skull; wing maximum flattened length

T able 1 . Summary statistics for measurements useful in identification of Phylloscopus subaffinis and P.

affinis

I recently located a specimen from India in the collections of the University

of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ 187549) that has proven to be

typical P. subaffinis. The specimen, a female collected by Walter N. Koelz on

3 January 1953 at Mawphlang (25°26’N 91°42’E), about 20 km south-west

of Shillong, Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, was originally correctly identified by

Koelz (R. B. Payne verbally 1995) and catalogued as P. subaffinis, but has not

previously been reported in the literature.

I compared the Khasi Hills specimen with the USNM series of both P.

affinis (n = 25) and P. subaffinis (n = 25), and found it to be a typical P.

subaffinis, based on criteria given by Alstrom and Olsson (1992, 1994). The

colouration of the underparts is a nearly uniform yellow-buff, slightly paler

in the centre of the belly, matching in tone P. subaffinis from China, and not

matched by any P. affinis (although some P. affinis have the breast buff-

tinged). The supercilium is buffy, only slightly more yellow in tone titan the

underparts, and is evenly coloured throughout its length. Unlike most P.

affinis and like P. subaffinis, there is no hint of a dark line above the

supercilium, and the degree of contrast between the ear-coverts and

supercilium is slightly less than that of typical P. affinis, thus matching P.

subaffinis. The lower mandible is almost entirely dark except for the extreme

base, as in P. subaffinis, and unlike the mostly pale lower mandibles of P.

affinis. No consistent interspecific differences were apparent in leg colour of

the study skins examined. Wing length, and especially wing/tail ratio, of

UMMZ 187549 correspond only to those of P. subaffinis (Table 1). In the

USNM series there was no difference between the two species in bill length.

Thus, all external morphological characters known to differ consistently

between the two species indicate that the Khasi Hills specimen is a typical P.

subaffinis.

There is no reason to doubt the correctness of the locality on the original

specimen label, as there seems to be no history of locality discrepancies in the

extensive Koelz collections. The specimen collected in January in the Khasi

1995

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

175

Hills was presumably a wintering bird. Considering the known range of P.

subaffinis, which breeds in the mountains of southern China and winters from

northern Myanmar (Burma) through Indochina (Watson et al. 1986), this

species seems highly likely to occur at least as a vagrant and possibly as a

regular passage migrant or winterer in north-eastern India.

I thank R. Prys-Jones (BMNH); R. B. Payne, R. W. Storer and J. Hinshaw (UMMZ); G. R. Graves

(USNM); and C. Robson for information and/or loan of specimens under their care, and P. Alstrom,

M. R. Browning and M. D. Gottfried for improving the manuscript.

REFERENCES

Alstrom, P. and Olsson, U. (1992) On the taxonomic status of Phylloscopus affinis and Phylloscopus

subaffinis. Bull. Brit. Om. Club 112: 11 1-125.

Alstrom, P. and Olsson, U. ( 1 994) Identification of Tickell’s and Buff-throated Warblers. Dutch Birding

16: 89-94.

Alstrom, P., Ripley, S. D. and Rasmussen, P. C. (1993) Re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of

Phylloscopus subaffinis arcanus. Bull. Brit. Om. Club 113: 207-209.

Ripley, S. D. (1950) New birds from Nepal and the Indian region. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 63: 101-

108.

Ticehurst, C.B. (1938) A systematic review of the genus Phylloscopus. London: Trustees of the British

Museum.

Watson, G. E., Traylor, M. A., Jr. and Mayr, E. (1986) Family Sylviidae, Old World warblers. Pp. 3-

294 in E. Mayr and G. W. Cottrell, eds. Check-list of birds of the world, 1 1 . Cambridge, Massachusetts:

Museum of Comparative Zoology.

’Williamson, K. (1967) Identification for ringers: the genus Phylloscopus. Revised edition. Tring: British

Trust for Ornithology (Field Guide no. 8).

Pamela C. Rasmussen, NHB 336 MRC 114, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA.

176

Forktail 1

Guidelines for contributors

Forktail publishes original papers in the English language (also, in certain cases, English translations of

papers in Oriental languages) treating any aspect of the ornithology (e.g. distribution, biology,

conservation, identification) of the Oriental region, i.e. the region bounded by the Indus River to the

west, Lydekker’s Line to the east (i.e. the eastern boundary of Wallacea), the Chang Jiang (Yangtze

Kiang) basin to the north and the Chagos Archipelago, Lesser Sundas, Christmas Island and Cocos

(Keeling) Islands to the south; the Japanese Nansei Shoto (islands south-west of Kyushu) are included,

and indeed material concerning any part of China or Pakistan may be published. Submissions are

considered on the understanding that they are being offered solely for publication by the Oriental Bird

Club, which will retain copyright. Referees are used where appropriate; all submissions are reviewed by

the Forktail Editorial Committee, and those accepted are normally published in order of receipt. (Some

further indication of the type of material appropriate for the journal is provided in the inaugural editorial,

‘The scope of Forktail ’, Forktail 1 : 3-5.)

Submissions should be in one of the following ways: a) in duplicate, typewritten on one side of the

paper only, and double-spaced; or b) a single double-spaced typescript, accompanied by a word-

processed version on disk, preferably IBM compatible and in WordPerfect 5.1. Macintosh and other

word-processing packages are acceptable, but in such cases two files should be sent, one in the original

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and tables should be indicated in the margin of the typescript. Papers should be concise and factual, take

full account of previous relevant literature but avoid repetition of established information as much as

possible; opinions expressed should be based on adequate evidence. Titles of papers must be accurate

and concise, and (for the benefit of abstraction services) include any relevant scientific (taxonomic)

name.

Whenever possible, authors should consult an issue of Forktail for style and layout. Spelling follows

The shorter Oxford English dictionary, except that external features of birds are spelt and hyphenated in |i

accordance with the entry under ‘Topography’ in A dictionary of birds (1985). Spelling of place-names

accords (unless another source is specified) with the most recent edition (currently seventh, 1985) of The

Times atlas of the world', we use ‘South-East Asia’ and ‘Viet Nam’. Localities with well-known other

spellings or older names should have these placed in parentheses after their first mention. For localities k

too small to be in the Times atlas a source of the spelling adopted should preferably be indicated and the

precise geographical coordinates provided (these should be double-checked where possible). It is L

appreciated that authors will not always have access to the above sources; in such cases the editor will

seek to introduce conformity.

English and scientific names of birds should preferably follow those provided by Sibley and Monroe

(1990) Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. On first mention of a bird both English and scientific I

name should be given, thereafter only one, preferably the English. Scientific trinomials need be used only I1

if subspecific nomenclature is relevant to the topic under discussion. These recommendations also apply

for any other animal or plant species mentioned.

Underlining (= italics) is used for all words of foreign languages, including generic and specific

scientific names. Metric units and their international symbols should be used; if it is necessary to cite

other systems of measurement, these can be added in parentheses. T emperatures should be given in the

Centigrade (Celsius) scale. Numbers one to ten are written in full except when linked with a

measurement abbreviation or higher number, thus ‘five birds’ but ‘5 km’ and ‘5-12 birds’; numerals are

used for all numbers above ten, four-figure numbers and above using the comma thus: ‘1,234’, ‘12,345’.

Details of experimental technique, extensive tabulations of results, etc., are best presented as appendices.

Authors of papers containing statistical analysis should observe the provisions of the relevant section

of ‘Notice to contributors’ in a recent Ibis. Dates should be written 1 January 1985, times of day as 08h30,

17h55 (24-hour clock;), etc. When citing a conversation (‘verbally’) or letter (fin lilt.’), the contact’s

name and initials should be included, preferably with the year of communication. A full-length paper

must include a summary not exceeding 5% of the total length.

1997

FORKTAIL 1 1 errata

The status of the Green Peafowl

Pavo muticus in Laos.

Update and erratum to Evans and Timmins (1996).

T. D. EVANS AND R. J. TIMMINS

Evans and Timmins (1996) reviewed the status ofthe Green Peafowl Pavo muticus in Laos. Unfortunately,

due to a publisher s error the locality maps (Figures 1 and 2) were omitted. These Figures are presented

below. The opportunity is also taken to provide new information gathered during January-September

1996 and to update the conclusions of Evans and Timmins (1996).

New results

No evidence of presence was found in 1996 during surveys in Hin Namno

NBCA, the Dakchung Plateau (near Xe Sap PPA) or the proposed northern

extension of Nakai-Nam Theun NBCA. The reported presence of the species

in Nam Kading NBCA in 1995 is now thought to be unlikely. Significant

positive records during 1996 came from two sites, detailed below.

Phou Xiang Thong National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA): thirteen

calling males recorded during March 1996 in rocky savannas with strips of

mixed deciduous or semi-evergreen forest, with one concentration of seven and

records of 1-2 at four other locations. Unconfirmed reports were received from

four other locations.

Dong Khanthung Proposed Protected Area (PPA) (14°06’-14o26’N 105T3’-

105°40’E): one at a pool south-east of Ban Khiam on 2 May 1996, and reports

were received of presence in many parts of the area.

New information also came from one site where presence had previously been

confirmed.

Dong Hua Sao NBCA: none was recorded in 1996 at Quan Mou (formerly and

erroneously called Quan Moor), the colony site confirmed in 1 993, despite two

days searching during the main calling season. A new farming settlement of nine

families was found at the site in 1 996, inhabitants stating that peafowl had been

heard in 1995 but not in 1996 and that at least one bird had been shot in 1995.

The Quan Mou colony is presumed extinct. Another bird was reportedly shot

at Ban Laogna, 10 km to the south-west, in 1995. Reports were received of

presence at another site, Nong Boua-ton, some 10 km to the south. It was not

possible to visit this site.

Discussion

These records, together with those gathered up to 1995, indicate that there are

now surviving colonies in Phou Khao Khouay NBCA, Phou Xiang Thong

NBCA, Xe Pian NBCA, Dong Khanthung PPA and Bolovens Southwest

(formerly Phou Louang) PPA, with unconfirmed reports from several other

sites, mainly in Champassak and Attopu Provinces, including Phou Theung,

1997

FORKTAIL 1 1 errata

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Any figure, diagram, line-drawing or map should preferably be in black ink on strong white or

translucent paper; it should be called a Figure, numbered appropriately, and fully captioned. Maps must

be marked with a scale and north arrow. Lettering on figures should be very neat, although the publishers

will re-draw figures and typeset lettering. Good photographs are also considered. Captions for figures and

photographs should be typed on a separate sheet.

Authors of papers are encouraged to offer their work to one or more ornithologist or biologist for critical

assessment prior to submission to Forktail. Such help as is received should naturally be mentioned in an

acknowledgement section before the full references are presented.

References in the text should follow the form ‘(Campbell and Lack 1985)’ and ‘King et al. (1975)

suggest. . . ’ . More than one within the same parentheses should be chronologically listed, alphabetically if

of the same year. Publications by the same authors in the same year may be distinguished by ‘a’, ‘b’, etc.,

after die date. Full references must be listed alphabetically at the end in the form:

Campbell, B. and Lack, E. eds. (1985) A dictionary of birds. Calton (Staffordshire, U.K.): T. and A. D.

Poyser.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. W. (1975 ) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Kuroda, Nh., ed. (1984) Ketteiban seibutsu daizukan; chomi [Illustrations of animals and plants: birds ] .

Tokyo: Sekai Bunkasha. (In Japanese.)

Roslyakov, G. E. (1985) [‘Information on the distribution and number of Aix galericulata and Mergus

squamatus over Khabarovsk Territory.’] Pp. 101-102 in N. M. Litvinenko, ed. Rare and endangered birds

of the Far East. Vladivostok: Far East Science Center, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. (In Russian.)

Sien Yao-hua, Kuan Kuan-Hsun and Zheng Zuo-xin (1964) [‘An avifaunal survey of the Chinghai

province.’] Acta Zool. Sinica 16: 690-709. (In Chinese.)

Smythies, B. E. (1 98 1 ) The birds of Borneo. Third edition. Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur: The Sabah

Society and the Malayan Nature Society.

Somadikarta, S. (1986) Collocalia linchi Horsfield & Moore - a revision. Bull. Brit. Om. Club 106: 32-

40.

White, C. M. N. and Bruce, M. D. (1986) The birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Lesser Sunda

Islands, Indonesia): an annotated check-list. London: British Ornithologists’ Union (Check-list no. 7).

It will be noted from these examples that references to non-Roman scripts need to be transliterated and /

or translated (or even, with more recondite sources, both); either the transliterated title may be left as it

is, or a translation of it can be substituted in square brackets (but where an abstract provides its own English

title, this maybe cited in inverted commas within square brackets), and the language involved should follow

the reference, in parentheses.

The author’s name and postal address should appear in italics at the end of the article.

Authors will receive proofs for checking, which they are required to return within one week of receipt

(no more than four weeks can be allowed between posting out and taking return of proofs). All joint

communications must indicate the name and full postal address of the author to whom proofs should be

sent. Textual changes in proof cannot normally be countenanced. Reprints are available on request.

Y 1997

No. 12

THE NATURAL 1

HISTORY MUSEUM

-5 NOV 1997

F PHASED

TR ^G LIBRARY

OBC Council in 1996

Mike Blair (Secretary)

David Blakesley (Assistant Forktail Editor)

Richard Bosanquet (Membership Database)

Seb Buckton (Information Officer)

Mike Crosby

Richard Eden (Promotions Officer)

Nona Finch

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Tim Inskipp ( Forktail Editor)

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Editorial Committee

David Blakesley (Assistant Forktail Editor), Mike Crosby, Guy Dutson, Rob Innes, Tim

Inskipp {Forktail Editor), Adrian Long, Colin Poole, Michael Rank, Nigel Redman, Craig

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Verbelen (Belgium); Tony Gaston (Canada); Yao-kuang Tan (China); Jiri Mlikovsky

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Lam (Hong Kong); Asad Rahmani and Bikram Grewal (India); Rudyanto and Bas van

Balen (Indonesia); Chris Murphy (Ireland); Carlo Violani (Italy); Akira Hibi (Japan); Jin-

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Khan and Aleem Ahmad Khan (Pakistan); Bias R. Tabaranza, Jr. (Philippines); Lim Kim

Seng (Singapore); Sareth Kotagama and Upali Ekanayake (Sri Lanka); Per Alstrom

(Sweden); Beat Wartmann (Switzerland); Philip Round and Uthai Treesucon (Thailand);

Robert Kennedy (USA); Jonathan Eames and Nguyen Cu (Vietnam).

The Oriental Bird Club has been established for ornithologists throughout the

world, both amateur and professional, who share a common interest in the

region’s birds and wish to assist in their conservation.

The Club aims to:

• Encourage an interest in the birds of the Oriental Region and their conservation

• Liaise with, and promote the work of, existing regional societies

• Collate and publish material on Oriental birds

Membership

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The Oriental Bird Club c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, U.K.

Cover picture: Dusky Munia Lonchura fuscans , painting by Michael O’Clery

Forktail 12

FORKTAIL

Number 12, August 1997

CONTENTS

C. MISHRA

Pheasants and other birds of Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary,

Himachal Pradesh India . j

B. PANDAV

Birds of Bhitarkanika mangroves, eastern India . 9

D. MOHAN

Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India . 21

D. ALLEN, J. ANDERTON and K. KAZMIERCZAK

Report on an ornithological visit to Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India,

17 February to 6 March 1992 . 31

R. B. TYMSTRA, S. CONNOP and C. TSERING

Some bird observations from central Bhutan, May 1994 . 49

A. R. RAHMANI

Status and distribution of White-browed Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India . 61

J. K. TIWARI and A. R. RAHMANI

Notes on the current status and ecology of the White-naped Tit Pams nuchalis in

Kutch, Gujarat, India . 79

A. J. URFI

The significance of Delhi Zoo for wild waterbirds, with special reference to

Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala . 87

P. DAVIDAR, T. R. K. YOGANAND, T. GANESH and N. JOSHI

An assessment of common and rare forest bird species of the Andaman islands . 99

V. GOKULA and L. VIJAYAN

Birds of Dr J. Jayalalitha (Mudumalai) Wildlife Sanctuary, India . 107

J. W. DUCKWORTH, R. J. WILKINSON, R. J. TIZARD, R. N. KELSH and M. I. EVANS

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia . 117

Short notes

K. M. N. HUDA

Some observations on the nesting activities of Chestnut-headed Merops leschenaulti and

Green Bee-eaters M. orientalis in Chittagong, Bangladesh . 155

V. SANTHARAM

Birds feeding on flowers . 157

D. ALLEN

Unusual feeding behaviour of Black-faced Spoonbills Platalea minor . 161

J. EAMES

Some additions to the list of birds of Vietnam . 163

E. MEY

Records of Blunt-winged Warbler Acrocephalus concinens in north Vietnam . 166

E. R. MEEK

Corn Crake Crex crex: a new species for Vietnam and South-East Asia . 168

Guidelines for contributors . 170

ISSN 0950-1746

Published for the Oriental Bird Club by

T

Rubythroat Publications

Parr House,

63 Hatch Lane

Old Basing,

Basingstoke,

Hampshire RG23 7EB

Printed on recycled paper by GL Print, Aldermaston, U.K.

1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 1 - 8

l

Pheasants and other birds of Majhatal

Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal

Pradesh, India

CHARUDUTT MISHRA

The birds seen between November 1 992 and May 1 993 in Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary, Indian

Himalaya, are documented. A total of 106 species was identified, which included nine Phasianidae.

Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary (MHWS) (76°55' to 77°5’E and 3 1 ° 1 5'

to 3 1 ° 1 8’N) is located in the middle Himalaya in the Indian state of Himachal

Pradesh. The area has a subtropical monsoonal climate, with altitude ranging

from about 575 m to 1,985 m. Chir Pine Pinus roxburghii and Ban Oak Quercus

leucotrichophora forests, and subtropical Euphorbia scrub are the major vegetation

types (Champion and Seth 1968).

The fauna of MHWS includes Leopard Panthera pardus, which is the top

mammalian predator. Other predators are Jungle Cat Felis chaus , Asiatic

Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, and Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula.

Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus is a potential avian predator.

The area has four species of wild ungulates; Indian Muntjac Muntiacus

muntjac, Common Goral Naemorhedus goral, Wild Pig Sus scrofa and Sambar

Cervus unicolor.

Seventeen villages populated by about 750 inhabitants are located inside

MHWS. Cultivation and livestock rearing are the main occupation of these

people.

Information on the avifauna of the area was collected during a six-month

study on Goral, between November 1992 and May 1993 (Mishra 1993). The

study period encompassed winter, followed by spring and the early part of

summer. The presence of nine species of the family Phasianidae was confirmed,

and a total of 106 species of birds was identified.

Most observations of birds were confined to altitudes between 1,400m and

1,900m. Twice I conducted surveys at a lower altitude (575m). Since I did

not record each sighting individually, only a subjective abundance index

(common or uncommon) was assigned to each species. However, in the case

of Phasianidae, I recorded the group size and the habitat type for each

sighting. The habitat types were categorized largely based on the vegetation

structure. These were :

1. Terraced Fields (TF) - These were confined to the vicinity of villages.

Villagers largely cultivate maize, wheat, and mustard, and some paddy

in the low-lying areas.

2

C. MISHRA

Forktail 12

2. Closed forest with high understorey (CFHU) - These were represented

by mixed forests at lower altitudes and some oak-dominated forests at

higher altitudes (above 1,400m). The understorey had dense shrub

cover.

3 . Closed forest with low understorey (CFLU) - These were oak-dominated

forests at higher altitudes. The understorey had little shrub cover.

4. Dense nullah (DN) - The nullahs (wide gullies) in the vicinity of villages

had extensive shrub cover. The trees were relatively few.

5. Open forest (OF) - This included open pine and oak-pine forests and

the treeless rocky meadows. These were rich in grass cover, and had low

tree and shrub cover.

6. Scrub (Scr) - This included largely treeless areas with extensive shrub

cover dominated by Euphorbia, Dodonea viscosa, and Woodfordia fruticosa.

7. Dense pine forest (DPF) - This included young, unthinned plantations

of pine, with high tree density but low shrub cover.

Phasianidae

Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus The modal group size for Black

Francolin was 1 (range 1-2) and the mean 1.304 ± 0.098 (n = 23). The

sightings were largely restricted to terraced fields (87%) (Table 1).

Chukar Alectoris chukar The modal group size for Chukar was 2 (range 2-6)

and the mean 3.400 + 0.748 (n = 5). Chukar was twice seen in terraced fields

and twice in scrub (Table 1).

Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus There was only one sighting of two Peafowl at

an altitude of about 750 m. These were seen in a terraced field.

Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos The modal group size for Kalij was 1

(range 1-5), and the mean 1.322 + 0.217 (n = 37). Maximum sightings of

Kalij were in closed forest with high undergrowth (35%), followed by dense

nullah (22%), and terraced fields (19%) (Table 1). The crop of a female kalij,

shot by a villager in his terraced fields, consisted entirely of flowers and leaves

of Berberis asiatica. Ali and Ripley (1987) list the food of Kalij as grains, seeds,

shoots, insects and their larvae, and small reptiles.

Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha There was only one sighting of a male

Koklass Pheasant at an altitude of about 1800 m. The bird was seen on the

ground in open forest within 2-3 m of a group of feeding goral.

Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii The modal group size for Cheer Pheasant

was 1 (range 1-5), and the mean 2.333 + 0.714 (n = 6). Three of the six

sightings were in open forest. There were two sightings in dense nullah, and

one in dense pine forest. My assistant once saw a group of five roosting on a

Primus pudduni tree in a dense nullah, 4-5 m above the ground.

1996

Pheasants and other birds of Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary

3

TF: terraced field; CFHU: closed forest with high undergrowth; CFLU: closed forest with

low undergrowth; DN: dense nullah; OF: open forest; Scr: Scrub; DPF: dense pine forest

(see text for details)

Table 1 . Sightings of Phasianidae in Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh, India

Jungle Bush Quail Perdicula asiatica A group of eight was seen once in a

terraced field.

Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus and Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus

were confirmed from their calls; they seemed to be restricted to the lower

reaches of the sanctuary (below 1,400 m).

Interestingly, up to five species of Phasianidae were seen in terraced fields,

which is the maximum for any habitat type. Although this is probably due to

biases in sampling, (e.g. greater sampling of terraced fields, since I was staying

in a village), the combination of terraced fields and dense nullahs seems to be

much used by Phasianidae in the study area.

I am indebted to the Director, Wildlife Institute of India, for funding the Goral research. The Himachal

Pradesh Forest Department is thanked for their support in field-work. Hira Singh’s enthusiasm made

the field-work enjoyable. Dr. A. J. T. Johnsingh is thanked for his comments on this paper.

Charudutt Mishra, Wildlife Institute of India, P. O, .Box# 18, GPO, Dehradun-

248001, India

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1987) Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Oxford

University Press.

Champion, H. G. and Seth, S. K. (1968) A revised survey of the forest types of India. Delhi: Manager of

Publications.

Mishra, C. (1993) Habitat use by goral ( Nemorhaedus goral bedfordi) in Majhatal Harsang Wildlife

4

C. MISHRA

Forktail 12

Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh, India. M.S. thesis submitted to Saurashtra University, Rajkot, India

List of birds sighted in Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Chukar Alectoris chukar

Grey Francoun Francolinus pondicerianus

Black Francoun Francolinus francolinus

Jungle Bush Quail Perdicula asiatica

Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha

Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus

Kauj Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos

Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii

Indian Peafowl Pavo cristaius

Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus

Brown-fronted Woodpecker Dendrocopos auriceps

Lesser Yellownape Pic us chlorolophus

Scaly-belued Woodpecker Picus squamatus

Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus

Great Barbet Megalaima virens

Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica

Common Hoopoe Upupa epops

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smymensis

Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis

Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius

Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Drongo Cuckoo Sumiculus lugubris

Slaty-headed Parakeet Psittacula hirnalayana

Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba

Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo

Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei

Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides

Rock Pigeon Columba livia

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera

Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus

Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caertdeus

Black Kite Milvus migrans

Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus

White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis

Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis

Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus

Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus

C

u

c

u, s

u

c

u

c

u

c

c, s

c

c, s

c

u

1996

Pheasants and other birds of Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary

5

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilomis cheela C

Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus U

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus C

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach C, S

Black-headed Jay Garrulus lanceolatus C

Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa eryihrorhyncha C

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda C

Grey T reepie Dendrocitta formosae C

House Crow Corvus splendens C

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos C

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus jlammeus C

Yellow-bellied Fantail Rhipidura hypoxantha U

White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis C

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus C, S

Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi U, S

Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus C

Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma U

Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis U

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata U

Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina U, S

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis C

Orange-flanked Bush Robin Tarsiger cyanurus U

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis C

Indian robin Saxicoloides fulicata C

Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus caeruleocephalus U

White-capped Water Redstart Chaimarromis leucocephalus U

Plumbeous Water Redstart Rhyacomis fuliginosus U

Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculatus U

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata U, S

Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata C

Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea C

Brahminy Starling Stumus pagodarum C

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis C

White-tailed Nuthatch Sitta himalayensis U

Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria U

Great Tit Parus major C

Black-lored Tit Pams xanthogenys C

Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus C

Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii C, S

Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica C, S

Himalayan Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys C

Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer C

(a Kestrel was once seen attacking and

pinning down a Black Francolin in a

terraced field)

(commonly seen in oak forest)

(commonly seen in villages, causes

damage to maize crops)

(commonly seen in villages, causes

crop damage)

(commonly seen in villages, causes

crop damage)

(commonly seen inside villages,

especially near cattle-sheds)

(seen on the ground and lower

branches inside oak forest)

(seen near perennial streams at lower

altitudes)

(seen on rocky outcrops of the River

Sutlej which forms the northern

boundary of MHWS at 575 m)

(seen at lower altitudes over perennial

streams and water channels of paddy

fields)

6

C. MISHRA

Forktail 12

C = common

U = uncommon

S = seen only in spring and summer

1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 9 - 20

7

Birds of Bhitarkanika mangroves,

eastern India

BIVASH PANDAV

A survey of the birds of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary was conducted from November 1 992 to

April 1993 and from July to October 1993. A total of 174 bird species was recorded, including three

which had not previously been recorded in the state of Orissa. Three species recorded during the

survey are restricted to mangrove forests in India. A total of 82 species showed some evidence of

breeding, including the rare Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus and Lesser Adjutant

Leptoptilos javanicus. A large colony of breeding herons, egrets and storks was located in the Sanctuary

during the survey.

INTRODUCTION

The avifauna of mangrove forest is diverse. Many large resident birds of Asia

such as storks, herons, egrets and raptors inhabit mangrove areas. The

structural diversity of the habitat enables a variety of passerines and non¬

passerines, which are uncommon in other wetland areas, to use mangrove

swamps (Samant 1985). Little information is available on the avifauna of

Indian mangroves. Mukherjee (1969) studied the feeding habits of a few

selected water birds in the mangrove forests of the Sunderbans. A recent

study on the mangroves of Ratnagiri on the west coast of India listed 121

species (Samant 1985). Prasad (1992) identified the Krishna mangroves on

the east coast as a suitable habitat for local and migrant waterfowl. The

presence of Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber and Lesser Flamingo P.

minor during winter in its backwaters and the large, inaccessible heronry

make the Krishna mangroves an excellent waterfowl habitat.

Bhitarkanika mangroves, located on the east coast of India (20°04'~

20°08’N and 86°45'-87°50’E) represent one of the finest remaining patches

of mangrove forests in India. The area was declared as a wildlife sanctuary

in 1975 to protect the endangered Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus.

The sanctuary encompasses an area of 175 km2, with a coastline of 35 km

on its eastern side (known as Gahirmatha coast), and is surrounded by the

Brahmani and Baitarani rivers, and their tributaries, on the remaining three

sides. The sanctuary now harbours the largest population of Estuarine

Crocodiles in India, and is globally unique in that 10% of the adult

crocodiles exceed 6 m in length (Scott 1989, Kar and Bustard 1990).

Besides, the sanctuary also has the distinction of having the world’s largest

known Olive Ridley Lepidochelys olivacea rookery at Gahirmatha, located on

its eastern boundary (Dash and Kar 1990).

8

B. PANDAV

Forktail 12

The area is heavily influenced by alluvial silt brought down by the rivers

and deposited in deltaic areas, due to regular tidal inundation. The

vegetation is characterized by vast stretches of Phoenix paludosa. Pure

formations of tree species such as Heritiera fames, Excoecaria agallocha,

Avicennia officinalis and A. marina occur in the sanctuary. Other dominant

tree species are Sonneratia apetala, Amoora cucullata, Cynometra iripa ,

Rhizophora mucronata and R. apiculata. The climate of the area is tropical,

characterized by distinct winter (November-February), summer (March-

June) and monsoon (July-October) seasons. In winter the temperature

drops to 1 0°C and in summer the maximum temperature reaches 40°C. The

average annual rainfall is about 1,200 mm.

Little previous work has been carried out on the avifauna of this sanctuary.

Dani and Kar (in press) have given a brief outline of the birds of Bhitarkanika.

The present study gives more detailed information on the birds observed

over a period of 10 months.

METHODS OF STUDY

After an initial reconnaissance survey, the major bird habitats of the

sanctuary were identified, e.g. mangrove forest, open wetlands adjoining

the mangrove forest, intertidal zones, tidal mudflats and the sand bars in the

rivers surrounding the sanctuary. Birds were observed in these localities

from November 1992 to April 1993 and from July to October 1993. Areas

within the sanctuary known for high concentrations of waterfowl were

visited at least four times in winter. Birds were observed from 07h00 to

16h00 using a spotting scope and binoculars. The survey in the mangrove

forest and the adjoining open wetlands was done on foot. In the intertidal

zones and the rivers, birds were observed from a motor boat.

The breeding colony of birds located in the Bhitarkanika forest block of the

sanctuary was surveyed during July to October 1993. All of the nest-bearing

trees in the heronry were marked, and bird species nesting in each tree were

counted. The nests of different species of birds were identified, either by direct

observation of the adult birds and chicks, or by looking at the structure of the

nest. Different types of nesting materials used by different birds facilitated the

identification of the nests in the absence of the adult birds or chicks.

RESULTS

A total of 174 species was recorded during this study. Bhitarkanika Wildlife

Sanctuary is one of the few protected areas in India which has six species of

kingfishers: Common Alcedo atthis, Brown-winged Halcyon amauroptera,

1996

Birds of Bhitarkanika mangroves, eastern India

9

White-throated H. smymensis, Black-capped H. pileata, Collared Kingfisher

Todiramphus chloris and Pied Ceryle rudis are sympatric here.

Species restricted to mangroves in India

Three bird species recorded during the study are mainly restricted to

mangrove forests in India: Brown-winged and Collared Kingfishers and

Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala grisola. In the Indian subcontinent the

Mangrove Whistler is otherwise found only in the Sunderbans of West

Bengal and Bangladesh, and in a narrow zone fringing the shore in the

Andaman and Nicobar islands (Ali and Ripley 1987).

Winter visitors

Fifty-seven species of winter visitors were recorded, with the highest

numbers between November and February, including nearly 3,000 Black¬

tailed Godwits Limosa limosa. Northern Pintail Anas acuta was the most

abundant of the migratory ducks and large concentrations of these birds

were seen in the open wetlands adjoining the mangrove forest. Wintering

waders were observed in the vast stretches of intertidal zones along the

Gahirmatha coast, in the sanctuary.

Breeding behaviour

In total, 82 species showed evidence of breeding in the sanctuary, including

the Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, for which breeding

records in India are very scanty (Rahmani 1989). This is the first breeding

record for Orissa. A large breeding colony of Asian Openbills Anastomus

oscitans, Intermediate Egrets Mesophoyx intermedia , Little Egrets Egretta

garzetta, Grey Herons Ardea cinerea , Purple Herons Ardea purpurea , Black-

crowned Night Herons Nycticorax nycticorax, Little Cormorants Phalacrocorax

niger, Darters Anhinga melanogaster and Black-headed Ibises Threskiomis

melanocephalus was located on Bhitarkanika Island in the sanctuary. A

survey of the heronry revealed 9,910 nests in 5,500 trees. The nesting

population consisted of 60% Asian Openbills and the next most important

were Intermediate Egrets. The birds used trees such as Heritiera fames,

Excoecaria agallocha and Cynometra iripa for nesting. Nesting started by early

June, with the birds leaving the heronry by the first week of December.

Darters, Grey Herons and Purple Herons started breeding early and young

were seen during August. Asian Openbills and Black-headed Ibises were

amongst the late breeders with young seen during September.

Lesser Adjutants Leptoptilos javanicus were observed nesting in January.

Immature Lesser Adjutants were seen foraging in the wetlands and along the

creeks in March.

10

B. PANDAV

Forktail 12

New sight records for Orissa

Three species recorded during the survey are not listed in the checklist of

birds of Orissa, prepared by the State Forest Department (Dani 1 992), and

hence are considered as new sight records for Orissa. These are Eurasian

Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura and

Chestnut-capped Babbler Timalia pileata. The Eurasian Oystercatcher is a

common winter visitor to the west coast of India, but is uncommon on the

east coast (Ali and Ripley 1 987) . A group of 1 9 Eurasian Oystercatchers was

seen in the intertidal zones of the Gahirmatha coast during December and

January. Pintail Snipe, a winter visitor to India, occurs in north-east India,

but is more common in southern India and in the Andaman and Nicobar

islands (Ali and Ripley 1 987) . In Bhitarkanika this snipe was seen along the

marshy edges of the pools and on wet litters in winter. The southernmost

limit of the distribution of the Chestnut-capped Babbler in India was

Calcutta (Ali and Ripley 1987). Small parties of 8-10 birds were observed

in the Phoenix paludosa bushes of the mangrove forest.

Change in land use pattern - a threat to the birds of Bhitarkanika

The wetlands adjoining the mangrove forests of Bhitarkanika harbour a

sizable population of migratory waterfowl in winter. However, many of

these wetlands do not come under the jurisdiction of Bhitarkanika Wildlife

Sanctuary and lack protected area status. With the recent change in land use

pattern (evident after 1993) all along the Orissa coast, the coastal wetlands

and the agricultural fields adjoining these wetlands are increasingly being

converted into brackish water prawn culture ponds. Conversion of the

coastal wetlands around Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary has resulted in a

loss of wintering ground for the migratory waterfowl.

The Asian Openbill, which constitutes a significant percentage of breeding

birds in the heronry, feeds exclusively on molluscs Pila globosa, obtained

from the agricultural fields surrounding the sanctuary. With the conversion

of these agricultural fields to prawn culture ponds, the Asian Openbills are

facing a loss in their feeding grounds. This, in the near future, may affect the

breeding behaviour of these birds in the heronry and may be detrimental for

the survival of Asian Openbills in the long run.

1996

Birds of Bhitarkanika mangroves, eastern India

1 1

BIRD SPECIES RECORDED IN BHITARKANIKA

In the list the following codes are used:

R = Resident

MM = Monsoon migrant

V = Vagrant

B = Confirmed breeding

WM = Winter migrant

LM = Local migrant

? = Status unknown

PB = Probably breeding

Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus R. B. Abundant.

Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus WM. Common. Flocks consisting of

around 200 birds were seen in the sandy beds of the river and nearby

agricultural fields in winter.

Lesser Whistling-duck Dendrocygna javanica LM. B. Common. Pairs

were seen nesting during August and October. One floating nest was located

on dry grass in a pool in August 1993. Adults with chicks were seen in

November 1992.

Ruddy Shelduck Tadoma ferruginea WM. Common.

Comb Duck Sarkidiomis melanotos WM. Rare.

Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus LM. B. Adults with chicks

were seen in October 1993.

Gadwall Anas strepera WM. Common.

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope WM. Common.

Northern Shoveler Aims clypeata WM. Common.

Northern Pintail Anas acuta WM. Common.

Garganey Anas querquedula WM. Common.

Common Teal Anas crecca WM. Common.

Common Pochard Aythya ferina WM. Common.

Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei R. B. Common.

Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus R. B. Common.

Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus R. B. Common.

Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense R. B. Common.

Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus R. B. Common.

Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala R. B. Common.

Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris R. B. Common .

Common Hoopoe Upupa epops R. B. Common.

Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis R. B. Common.

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis R. B. Common .

Brown- winged Kingfisher Halcyon amauroptera R. B. Common. Occur

along the creeks deep inside the mangrove forest.

12

B. PANDAV

Forktail 12

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smymensis R. B. Common. Mostly

occur along the edges of the mangrove forest and near the villages surrounding

the sanctuary.

Black-capped Kingfisher Ha/cjYmpi/earaR. B. Common during November

to April. Rarely seen during the monsoon months (July to October).

Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris R. B. Common. Breeds in the

monsoon and is rarely seen in winter months (November to March).

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle mdis R. B. Common. Rarely found in the mangrove

forest. Mostly occurs along the rivers surrounding the sanctuary.

Green B ee- eater Merops orientalis R. B. Common.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus R. PB. Common.

Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus MM. Common.

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus V. Only one individual

was seen, in March 1993.

Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius R. B. Common.

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea R. B. Common.

Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis R. B. Common.

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis R. B. Common.

Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri R. B. Common.

Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena R. PB. Rare.

Spotted Owlet Athene brama R. B. Common.

Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus R. B. Common.

Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus R. B. Common.

Rock Pigeon Columba livia R. B. Common.

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis LM. Common during summer

months.

Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis R. B. Common.

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto R. B. Common.

Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica R. B. Common.

Orange-breasted Green Pigeon Treron bicincta R. B. Common.

Slaty-breasted Rail Gallirallus striatus R. B. Common.

White-breasted W atekhen Amauromis phoenicurus R. B. Common. These

birds were observed foraging with chicks during September and October

1993.

Purple Swamphen Porphyria porphyrio LM. Common.

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus LM. Common.

Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura WM. Common.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa WM. Common.

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica WM. Rare.

1996

Birds of Bhitarkanika mangroves, eastern India

13

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus WM. Common. Some birds remain

throughout the year.

Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata WM. Common.

Common Redshank Tringa totanus WM. Common.

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia WM. Common.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus WM. Common.

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola WM. Common.

Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus WM. Common in intertidal zones.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos R. Common.

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres WM. Common along the sea shore

and in the intertidal zones.

Little Stint Calidns minuta WM. Common.

Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii WM. Common.

Dunlin Calidris alpina WM. Common.

Ruff Philomachus pugnax WM. Common.

Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus R. B. Common.

Great Thick-knee Esacus recurvirostris R. Rare. Seen on the sandy beaches

along the Gahirmatha coast of the sanctuary.

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus'WM.. Common. Seen only

in the intertidal zones along the Gahirmatha coast.

Black- winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus R. PB. Common.

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta WM. Common.

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius WM. Common.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus WM. Common.

Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus WM. Common.

Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii WM. Common.

Yellow- wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus R. Rare.

Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus WM. Common.

Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus R. B. Common.

Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum WM. Rare.

Heuglin’s Gull/Yellow-legged Gull Larus heuglini/L. cachinnans WM.

Common.

Pallas’s Gull Lams ichthyaetus WM. Common.

Brown-headed Gull Lams bmnnicephalus WM. Common.

Black-headed Gull Lams ridibundus WM. Common.

Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica WM. Common.

River Tern Sterna aurantia R. B. Common.

Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis R. Common along the Gahirmatha

coast.

14

B. PANDAV

Forktail 12

Common Tern Sterna hirundo WM. Common.

Little Tern Sterna albifrons. R. Common.

Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda R. B. Common.

Osprey Pandion haliaetus R. Common.

Oriental Honey-buzzard Pemis ptilorhyncus R. ?

Black Kite Milvus migrans R. B. Common.

Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus R. B. Common.

White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster R. B. Rare. One pair was

seen rearing chicks during December and January. The nest was located on

a Bombax ceiba tree. Two juveniles were seen flying and preying on fish in

April 1993.

White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis R. B. Common. Both the vultures

breed during December and January in the sanctuary.

Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus R. B. Common.

Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus R. B. Common.

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilomis cheela R. B. Common.

Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus WM. Common.

Shikra Accipiter badius R. PB. Common.

Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax R. ?

Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus R. ?

Darter Anhinga melanogaster R. B. Common. 192 nests were counted

during the survey of the heronry.

Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger R. B. Common.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta R. B. Common.

Grey Weron Ardea cinerea R. B. Common. Around 200 nest in the heronry.

Goliath Heron Ardea goliath WM. Rare. This species was seen only twice

in the Bhitarkanika block of the Sanctuary in December 1993. However,

none was seen during my subsequent visits in 1994 and 1995.

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea R. B. Common. 310 nests were counted

during the heronry survey.

Great Egret Casmerodius albus R. B. Common.

Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia R. B. Common.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis R. B. Common.

Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii R. B. Common.

Little Heron Butorides striatus R. B. Common. Mostly seen along the

creeks or on the mud-banks of the tidal rivers.

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax R. B. Common.

Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus R. Rare.

Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis R. Rare.

1996

Birds of Bhitarkanika mangroves, eastern India

15

Black-headed Ibis Threskiomis melanocephalus R. B. Common during the

breeding season from July to December. Unlike other birds in the heronry,

nests of Black-headed Ibis are clustered at one place. Nests are arranged in

the form of a ladder, one above the other on a tree.

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia WM. Rare. A flock of 18 birds was

seen wintering in the wetlands near Gupti village.

Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis MM. Rare. A flock of 24 was seen

roosting in the heronry during July and October.

Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala R. B. Painted Storks do not breed in

the heronry with other birds. Nesting takes place between December and

February. 28 nests were counted on the tall trees of Sonneratia apetala and

Xylocarpus moluccensis along the Bhitarkanika river in the Bhitarkanika block

of the Sanctuary in January 1993. The total population is estimated to be

around 70. A major threat is the poaching of chicks, which locals collect

from the nests for food.

Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans LM. B. Abundant, June to December.

Around 7,800 nests were counted in the heronry. Few Openbills were seen

during the rest of the year.

Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia epis copus W M. Nearly 20 were seen wintering

in the sanctuary from December to February.

Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus WM. B. Two birds were

seen wintering in the Sanctuary from October to March. A male stork was

seen collecting nesting materials in October.

Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javamcus R. B. The total population is estimated

to be around 20. These birds breed during December to February in the

sanctuary.

Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura WM. Common.

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Migrant. Common.

Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala grisola R. B. Rare.

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda R. B. Common .

House Crow Corvus splendens R. B. Common.

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos R. B. Common.

Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthomus R. B. Common.

Black-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos WM. Common.

Black-headed Cuckooshrike Coracina melanoptera R. B. Common.

Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus R. PB. Common.

White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis R. B. Common.

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus R. B. Common.

White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens R. Rare.

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea R. B. Common.

16

B. PANDAV

Forktail 12

Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi R. B. Common.

Common Iora Aegithina tiphia R. B. Common.

Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina WM. Common.

Tickell’s Thrush Turdus unicolor WM. Common.

Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula parva WM. Common.

Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina WM. Common.

Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyomis rubeculoides WM. Common.

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis R. B. Common.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros WM. Rare.

Chestnut-tailed Starling Stumus malabaricus R. B. Common.

Asian Pied Starling Stumus contra R. B. Common.

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis R. B. Common.

Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus R. B. Common.

Great Tit Pams major R. B. Common.

Barn Swallow Himndo rustica WM. Common .

Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica R. Common.

Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus R. B. Common.

Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus R. B. Common.

Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius R. B. Common.

Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita WM. Common.

Striped Tit Babbler Macronous gularis R. PB. Common.

Chestnut-capped Babbler Timalia pileata WM. Common.

Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus R. B. Common.

Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus R. B. Common.

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Eremopterix grisea R. B. Common. Generally

seen on the outer fringes of the sanctuary in the paddy fields.

Purple-rumped Sunbird Nectarinia zeylonica R. B. Common.

Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica R. B. Common.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus R. B. Common.

Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus WM. Common.

Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola WM. Rare.

Paddyfield Pipit Anthus mfulus R. Common.

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni WM. Common.

Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus R. B. Common.

Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica R. PB. Common.

Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca R. B. Common.

1996

Birds of Bhitarkanika mangroves, eastern India

17

I express my gratitude to Dr. Asad R. Rahmam of Aligarh Muslim University, Dr. Justus Joshua and

Anand Pendharkar of the Wildlife Institute of India for their comments on an earlier draft of this

paper. I am grateful to my field assistant Dhumala, who had rescued me many times from the waist-

deep mud of the mangrove swamps of Bhitarkanika. I express my thanks to the officials of the

Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary for their kind co-operation.

REFERENCES

Ah, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1 987) Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Oxford

University Press.

Dani, C. S. (1992) A checklist of birds of Orissa. Wildlife wing, Forest department, Government of

Orissa.

Dani, C. S. and Kar, S. K. (in press) Bhitarkanika - unique mangrove ecosystem. Indian Forester.

Dash, M. C. and Kar, C. S. (1990) The turtle paradise - Gahirmatha. New Delhi: Interprint.

Kar, S. K. and Bustard, H. R. (1990) Pilot restocking of salt water crocodiles ( Crocodylus porosus

Schneider) in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 87: 195-200.

Mukherjee, A. K. (1969) Food habits of water birds of the Sunderbans, 24 Parganas district, West

Bengal. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 66: 345-360.

Prasad, S. N. (1992) An ecological reconnaissance of mangals in Krishna estuary : A plea for

conservation. Pp. 215-227 in K. P. Singh and J. S. Singh, eds. Tropical ecosystem: ecology and

management. New Delhi: Wiley Eastern Limited.

Rahmani, A.R. (1989) Status of the Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus in the Indian

subcontinent. Forktail 5: 99-1 10.

Samant, J. S. (1985) Avifauna of the mangroves around Ratnagiri, Maharastra. Pp. 456-466 in L. J.

Bhosale, ed. The mangroves. Proceedings of the National Symposium on biology, utilization and

conservation of mangroves, November 1985. University of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

Scott, D. A. (1989) A directory of Asian wetlands. Gland: IUCN.

Bivash Pandav, Wildlife Institute of India, Post Box #18, Dehradun - 248001,

Uttar Pradesh, India.

Postal address for communication:

Bivash Pandav, House No. 25, Dhamiavihar, Jagamara, Bhubaneswar -

751030, Orissa, India.

18

Forktail 12

1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 21 - 32

19

Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India

DHANANJAI MOHAN

New Forest campus is situated in the Dehra Dun district of Uttar Pradesh

province of India. The campus houses the internationally renowned Forest

Research Institute and is regarded as one of the most beautiful campuses of

India. It is located between 77°59' & 78°01’E and 30°20' & 30°21’N, and is

670 m above mean sea level. The campus, which receives over 200 cm of

rainfall annually, is spread over an area of approximately 4.5 km2. The

temperature fluctuates between -1 and 43°C from winter to summer.

The campus is a mosaic of habitats varying from densely inhabited

housing colonies to dense mixed moist deciduous natural forests. The

northern boundary of the campus is a valley of a seasonal river called Tons

which is connected to the Himalayan ranges. The river, which is a mere

trickle in winter, has dry scrub jungle on its banks. The slopes leading to the

valley are covered with mixed moist deciduous forests. The campus is

dominated by a very large building some 75 years old which is surrounded

by sprawling lawns. There are extensive old plantations of Chir Pine Pinus

roxburghii. Teak Tectona grandis and many species of bamboo. Some mixed

plantations, a large arboretum, experimental gardens (fairly open) and a

botanical garden also occupy a sizeable area. The inhabited area has both

widely spaced bungalows, surrounded by a lot of vegetation and densely

crowded housing colonies. Such a variety of habitats as well as the influence

of both the Himalayan and continental avifauna result in a very high

diversity of birds in New Forest.

New Forest has a long history of birdwatching, with Osmaston (1935) and

Wright (1949, 1950) publishing extensive notes on the avifauna of the

campus. The most important contributions were made by George (1957,

1 962), who listed 220 birds in the campus, with details of their habitat use and

migration, after studying them for over a decade. I have been studying the

birds of New Forest since 1983, adding another 41 species to the list (1993).

Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida, which has only been recorded once from Western

Himalayan foothills has been reported from the campus. Ten species of

woodpeckers and 18 species of flycatchers are known from the campus.

SYSTEMATIC LIST

A total of 26 1 species belonging to 43 families has been recorded. Ill are

migratory, 120 are residents and 30 are considered to be vagrants. A code

following the scientific name gives the species’s status in New Forest.

20

D. MOHAN

Forktail 12

Figure 1. Map of New Forest, Dehra Dun

The codes used are : R: resident, W: winter visitor, S: summer visitor, M:

monsoon visitor, P: passage migrant (autumn and spring), V: presumed

vagarant; B: breeding confirmed, and PB: probably breeding.

The codes are followed by the abundance rating and the habitat preference

of the species. A number of habitats has been identified in the campus: Tons

river, irrigation canal, paddyfields. Tons valley forest (Moist deciduous),

Champion block forest (Moist deciduous & plantations), Tons valley scrub

jungle, experimental gardens, botanical gardens, arboretum, bungalows,

lawns and fields, main building and housing colonies. The similar habitats

have been combined together as follows:

1996

Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India

21

Water bodies:

Well-wooded areas:

Open woods:

Wooded areas:

Open areas:

includes Tons river, irrigation canal and its

distributories and the paddyfields.

includes densely forested areas, i.e. Tons valley forests,

champion block forests & other old plantations of

Pine & Teak.

includes open areas with scattered tree growth viz.parts

of experimental gardens, botanical gardens, arboretum

and bungalows.

includes both well wooded areas as well as open

woods.

includes lawns and fields, parts of experimental

gardens & housing colonies and Tons valley scrub

jungle.

Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus R. PB. Occasional. Tons Valley

scrub jungle.

Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus R. PB. Occasional. Tons Valley

scrub jungle.

Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos V. Sighted on 23 May 1 954 & 3 1 May

1957 in Tons valley forest.

Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus R. B. Common. Well wooded areas.

Common Teal Anas crecca P. Rare. Seen only in flight.

Small Buttonquail Turmx sylvatica R. Rare. Tons valley scrub jungle.

Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla W. Very rare. Tons valley scrub jungle.

Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus R. Very rare. Well wooded areas.

Grey-capped Pygmy W oodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillusR. Rare. Wooded

areas.

Brown-fronted Woodpecker Dendrocopos auriceps R. Very rare. Wooded

areas.

Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei R. Fairly common.

Wooded areas.

Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus R. PB. Rare. Well wooded areas.

Streak-throated Woodpecker Picus xanthopygaeus R. PB. Rare. Well

wooded areas.

Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus R. Rare. Well wooded areas.

Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense R. B. Common.

Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus R. Very rare. Well wooded areas.

Great Barbet Megalaima virens W. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica R. B. Common.

Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata R. PB. Rare. Wooded areas.

22

D. MOHAN

Forktail 12

Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica W. Rare. Wooded areas.

Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala R. Occasionl.

Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris R. B. Common. Wooded areas.

Common Hoopoe Upupa epops R. B. Fairly common.

Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis R. PB. Occasional. Open areas.

Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis V. One in a clearing in the dense forest of

Champion block in September 1988.

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis R. Rare. Tons river & canal.

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smymensis R. PB. Occasional.

Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris V. One on Tons river on 28

October 1993.

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis M. Very rare. Tons river.

Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyomis athertoni R. PB. Rare. Wooded areas.

Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis R. PB. Fairly common.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus S. Occasional. Open areas.

Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus M. B. Occasional.

Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius S. B. Fairly common.

Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus S. B. Fairly common.

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus S. B. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii S. B. Rare. Well wooded areas.

Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus S. PB. Rare. Wooded areas.

Drongo Cuckoo Sumiculus lugubris S. B. Rare. Well wooded areas.

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea S. B. Fairly common.

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis R. PB. Rare. Well wooded areas.

Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria R. B. Common.

Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri R. B. Common.

Slaty-headed Parakeet Psittacula himalayana W. Common.

Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala R. B. Common.

Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri W. Rare. Wooded areas.

Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris W. Rare. Wooded areas.

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba S. Rare. Tons valley.

House Swift Apus affinis R. B. Common.

Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata S. Very rare. Tons valley.

Barn Owl Tyto alba R. PB. Very Rare. Main building.

Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia S. Very rare. Well wooded areas.

Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena R. B. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo V. One in Tons valley scrub jungle in May

1986.

1996

Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India

23

Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodieiV. One in December 1950

Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides R. Very rare. Arboretum.

Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum R. PB. Occasional. Woodeed areas.

Spotted Owlet Athene brama R. B. Common.

Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata R. B. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus R. B. Occasional. Tons

valley forests.

Savanna Nightjar Caprimulgus affinis R. Rare. Tons valley scrub jungle.

Rock Pigeon Columba livia R. B. Common. Large buildings.

Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus V. Three birds on 22 February

1989.

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis R. Occasional.

Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis R. PB. Rare. Tons valley scrub

jungle.

Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis R. B. Common.

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto R. PB. Occasional. Inhabited

areas.

Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica R. B. Fairly common. Wooded area

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera R. PB. Occasional.

Wooded areas.

Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron sphenura V. Sighted on 2 October

1956 & 3 May 1991.

White- breasted Waterhen Amauromis phoenicurus M. Very rare. Water

bodies.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus W. Occasional. Tons river.

Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus R. Rare. Tons valley scrub

jungle; visits open fields in the night.

Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius V. A pair on Tons river on 12

December 1986.

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus W. Rare. Open fields in Feb & March.

Yellow- wattled Lapwing Vanellus malarbaricus R. Very Rare. Tons river.

River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii R. Very rare. Tons river.

Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus R. B. Fairly common. Open areas.

Oriental Honey-buzzard Pemis ptilorhyncus W. Occasional. Open areas

and forest edges.

Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus R. Very rare. Tons valley.

Black Kite Milvus migrans R. B. Common.

Brahminy Kite Haliastur Indus M. Very Rare. Near irrigation canal.

Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus W. Very rare. Tons valley.

24

D. MOHAN

Forktail 12

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus R. Rare.

White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis R. B. Fairly common.

Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus R. PB. Fairly common.

Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus V.

Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus R. Very rare.

Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus R. Very rare. Well wooded

areas.

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilomis cheela R. Rare. Wooded areas.

Shikra Accipiter badius R. Rare. Open woods.

Bbsra Accipiter virgatus V. Sighted on 9 February 1951 & 12 October 1953.

White- eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa R. Very rare. Tons valley.

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus W. Rare. Open woods.

Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis V. One in Tons valley on 18 October

1956.

Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus R. B. Rare. Forested areas.

Seen nesting on a Pine(Pinus roxburghii) tree in March ’86.

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus W. Rare. Open areas.

Laggar Falcon Falco juggerW . Very rare. Sighted on 2 October 1955 & 5

December 1988.

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus R. Very rare. Open areas.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta R. Rare. Tons river.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis R. PB. Occasional. Open areas & waterbodies.

Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii R. PB. Occasional. Water bodies.

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax M. Rare. Paddyfields.

Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida M. Very rare. Tons valley forests.

Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura V. One in a bungalow on 1 1 May 1988.

Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons. V. Two sightings of a pair

of these birds on 24 January 1955 and 14 March 1957.

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus. W. Rare. Open areas.

Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus. R. PB. Rare. Open areas.

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach. R. B. Fairly common.

Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocisssa erythrorhyncha. W. Very rare. Tons

valley and arboretum.

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda. R. B. Common.

Grey Treepie Dendrocitta fomiosae. W. Fairly common. Wooded areas.

House Crow Corvus splendens. R. PB. Occasional. Habitation.

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos. R. B. Abundant.

Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus. S. B. Common.

Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthomus. R. PB. Occasional. Wooded areas.

1996

Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India

25

Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii. W. Rare. Well wooded areas.

Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei. R. PB. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Black-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos. S. Rare. Wooded

areas.

Black-headed Cuckooshrike Coracina melanoptera. R. Occasional. Open

woods.

Rosy Minivet Pericrocotus roseus. P. Very rare. Tons Valley forests.

Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus. R. PB. Open woods.

Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus. W. Occasional. Open woods.

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus. W. Fairly common. Open woods.

Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus. R. PB. Occasional.

Wooded areas.

Yellow-bellied Fantail Rhipidura hypoxantha. W. Occasional. Wooded

areas.

White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis. R. Occasional.

White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola. R. Rare. Wooded areas.

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus. R. B. Common.

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus. W. Fairly common. Wooded areas.

White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens. S. Very rare. Tons valley

forests.

Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus. R. B. Fairly common. Wooded

areas.

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea. W. Very rare. Tons valley

forests.

Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi. S. B. Occasional. Open

woods.

Common Iora Aegithina tiphia. R. B. Rare . Tons valley forests.

Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus. R. PB. Occasional.

Wooded areas.

Blue-capped Rock Thrush Monticola cinclorhynchus. P. Very rare. Well

wooded areas.

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris. V. Single sighting

on 3 January 1952.

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius. W. Very rare. Main building and

the Tons valley scrub jungle.

Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus. W. Fairly common. Wooded

areas.

Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina. S. PB. Fairly common. Well

wooded areas.

Scaly Thrush Zoothera daunia. W. Very rare. Well wooded areas.

26

D. MOHAN

Forktail 12

Tickell’s Thrush Turdus unicolor. W. Very rare. Well wooded areas.

Grey-winged Blackbird Turdus boulboul. W. Very rare. Well wooded areas.

Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis. W. Fairly common. Open woods

and fields.

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus. V. Single sighting on 30 January 1957.

Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica. W. Occasional. Open woods &

forest clearings.

Aslan Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica. W. Rare. Open woods.

RuFOUS-GORGETEDFLYCATCHERFYcedw/a strophiata. W. Rare. Wooded areas.

Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula parva. W. Fairly common. Open

woods.

Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra. V. Single sighting in

December 1984 in bamboo thickets of arboretum.

Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris. P. Rare. Open woods.

Slaty-blue Flycatcher Ficedula tricolor. W. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina. W. Fairly common.

Small Niltava Niltava macgrigoriae. W. Very rare. Two sightings in the

well-wooded areas in December 1991. Rufous-bellied Niltava Niltava

sundara. W. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyomis rubeculoides. S. B. Occasional. Tons

valley forests.

Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher Cyomis tickelliae. W. Very rare. Well wooded

areas.

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis. W. Fairly common.

White-tailed R\jbythro\t Luscinia pectoralis. W. Occasional. Well wooded

areas.

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica. W. Rare. Water bodies.

Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea. V. Single sighting of a pair on 23

September 1956 in dense thickets.

Orange-flanked Bush Robin Tarsiger cyanurus. V. Single sighting in

December, 1961.

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis. R. B. Common.

Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata. R. PB. Occasional. Tons valley scrub

jungle.

Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus coeruleocephalus. W. Rare. Forest

clearings.

Black Redstart Phoenicums ochrurus. W. Occasional. Tons valley scrub

jungle.

White-capped Water Redstart Chaimarromis leucocephalus. W. Fairly

common. Water bodies.

1996

Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India

27

Plumbeous Water Redstart Rhyacomis fuliginosus. W. Occasional. Water

bodies.

Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata. R. Rare. Open areas.

Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata. R. B. Fairly common in summers in open

areas, rare in winters.

Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea. W. Fairly common. Open woods.

Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti. V. Single sighting in December, 1986

in the Tons valley scrub jungle.

Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina. V. Single sighting in December

1987 in the Tons Valley scrub jungle.

Brown Rock-chat Cercomela fusca. R. B. Occasional. Large buildings.

Spot-winged Starling Saroglossa spiloptera. P. Fairly common on passage

through the campus in April and July. Wooded areas.

Chestnut-tailed Starling Stumus malabaricus. S. B. Occasional. Open

areas and habitation.

Brahminy Starling Stumus pagodarum. S. B. Fairly common.

Common Starling Stumus vulgaris. V. Sighted on 1 May 1955.

Asian Pied Starling Stumus contra. R. B. Common. Open areas &

habitation.

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis. R. B. Abundant.

Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus. R. Rare. Open areas.

Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus. R. B. Fairly common. Wooded areas.

Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Sitta castanea. R. Very rare. Tons valley

forests.

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis. V. Single sighting of three birds

on 7 November 1991 in the Tons valley forests.

Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria. W. Very rare. Few sightings on the main

building and the Tons river gorge.

Bar-tailed Treecreeper Certhia himalayana. W. Occasional. Wooded

areas.

Spot-winged Tit Pams melanolophus. W. Very rare.

Great Tit Pams major. R. B. Fairly common.

Green-backed Tit Pams monticolus. W. Very rare.

Plain Martin Riparia paludicola. R. B. Fairly common. Tons valley.

Dusky Crag Martin Himndo concolor. R. B. Fairly common. Large buildings.

Barn Swallow Himndo mstica. W. Occasional. Open areas.

Wire-tailed Swallow Himndo smithii. R. B. Occasional. Open areas.

Red-rumped Swallow Himndo daurica. R. B. Fairly common.

Streak-throated Swallow Himndo fluvicola. R. B. Occasional.

28

D. MOHAN

Forktail 12

Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus V. A pair in the golf links in

the winters of 1950-51.

Himalayan Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys. R. B. Common. Wooded areas.

Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer. R. B. Abundant.

Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus. W. Fairly common. Wooded areas.

Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis. R. Rare. Tons valley scrub forests.

Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii. R. B. Common.

Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica. W. Rare. Open fields with tall grass.

Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis. R. B. Occasional. Open woods & Tons valley

scrub forests.

Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus. R. B. Common.

Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata. W. Very rare. Single sighting

on 1 1 April 1992 in Tons valley forests.

Grey-sided Bush Warbler Cettia brunnifrons. W. Rare. Well wooded areas.

Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum. P. Common during the

spring passage (April) in Tons valley forests.

Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius. R. B. Fairly common.

Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis. V. Sighted on 4 November

1956 in tall grass and bushes.

Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus. P. Rare. Wooded areas.

Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus. W. Fairly common.

Wooded areas.

Hume’s Warbler Phylloscopus humei. W. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides W. Occasional. Wooded areas.

Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis P. Occasional. Wooded

areas.

Grey-hooded Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos. W. Common.

GoLDEN-SPECTACLEDWARBLERSeicercwsfeur&n. W. Fairly common. Wooded

areas.

White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus. R. Flocks were

occasionally seen in the Tons valley forest in the 1950s and 1960s. Last

authentic record in 1977.

Striated Laughingthrush Garrulax striatus. V. Three sightings of a pair

from February to May, 1989 in Tons valley forests.

Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Garrulax rufogularis. R. Rare. Tons

valley forests.

Puff-throated Babbler Pellomeum ruficeps. R. B. Fairly common. Well

wooded areas.

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrogenys. R. B. Fairly

common. Well wooded areas.

1996

Birds of New Forest, Dehra Dun, India

29

WRite-browed Scimit arBabbler Pomatorhinus schisticeps. R. PB. Very rare.

Tons valley forests.

Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer. P. Rare. Well wooded

areas.

Black-chinned Babbler Stachyns pyrrhops. R. B. Fairly common. Wooded

areas.

Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense. R. B. Occasional.

Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus. R. PB. Occasional. Open areas.

Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus. R. B. Abundant.

Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea. W. Very rare. Tons Valley forests.

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca. W. Rare. Open woods.

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Eremopterix grisea. V. Sighted on 19 June

1952 & 28 September 1952.

Crested Lark Galenda cnstata. R. Rare. Tons valley & open fields.

Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula W. Rare. Open fields.

Thick-billed Flo werpecker Dicaeu m agile. R. PB. Fairly common. Wooded

areas.

Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorynchos. R. PB. Rare. Open

woods.

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus. W. Occasional.

Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica. R. B. Common

Mrs Gould’s Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae. V. Single sighting in December

1984 in the Tons valley forests.

Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja. R. PB. Occasional. Open woods.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus. R. B. Abundant. Habitation.

Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans. W. Occasional. Tons valley scrub jungle.

Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Petronia xanthocollis. S. PB. Occasional.

Wooded areas.

White-browed ST \gt ml Motacilla maderaspatensis. R. PB. Rare. Tons river.

White Wagtail Motacilla alba. W. Common. Open fields.

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava. W. Occasional. Open fields.

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea. W. Fairly common. Open fields and water

bodies.

Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus. R. PB. Occasional. Open fields & lawns.

Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis. W. Fairly common. Open woods.

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni. W. Fairly common. Open fields.

Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus. S. B. Fairly common. Open woods.

Red Avadavat Amandava amandava. V. Single sighting of a bird in

December, 1988 flying across the Tons river bed.

30

D. MOHAN

Forktail 12

Indian Silverbill Lonchura malabarica. R. Occasional. Open areas.

Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata. R. B. Fairly common. Open

woods and fields; common during monsoon.

Yellow-breasted Greenfinch Carduelis spinoides. W. Occasional. Open

fields and cultivation.

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis. W. Rare. Open areas.

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus. P. Rare in autumn but abundant

in spring passage specially on wheat fields.

Crested Bunting Melophus lathami. W. Very rare. Tons valley.

Rock Bunting Emberiza cia. V. Sighting of two birds on 4 January 1954.

W hite-capped Bunting Emberiza steward. W. Occasional in the Tons valley

scrub jungle, rare in other open areas.

Chestnut-eared Bunting Emberiza fucata. W. Rare. Tons valley.

Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala. V. Two sightings of small

flocks on 22 April 1946 and 2 May 1951 on open ground.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1983) Handbook of birds of India and Pakistan. Compact Edition. Oxford

University Press.

George, J. (1957) Birds of New Forest. Indian Forester 83: 674-737.

George, J. (1962) Birds of New Forest: 1957-1962. Indian Forester 88: 442-442.

Mohan, D. (1993) Birds of New Forest: new additions. Indian Forester 1 19: 498-503.

Mohan, D. and Chellam, R. (1990) New call record of Greenbreasted Pitta Pitta sordida in Dehra

Dun, Uttar Pradesh. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 87: 453.

Osmaston, B. B. (1935) Birds of Dehra Dun and adjacent hills. I.M.A. Journal., Suppl.

Wright, M. D. (1949) A bird count in Dehra Dun. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 48: 570-572.

Wright, M. D. (1955) Notes on the birds of a selected area of Dehra Dun: June, 1946 to December,

1950. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 54: 627-662.

Dhananjai Mohan, Indian Forest Service, 28, Trevor Road, New Forest, Dehra

Dun, 248006, INDIA.

1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 47 - 64

31

Report on an ornithological visit to

Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India,

17 February to 6 March 1992

DESMOND ALLEN, JOHN ANDERTON and KRYS

KAZMIERCZAK

A visit, in 1 992, to Buxa Tiger Reserve, in an ornithologically rich area in north-east India, produced

a total ot 22 / species, including two globally threatened and five near-threatened. Previous significant

records are discussed, and a complete annotated species list is given.

The eastern Himalaya, stretching eastward from the Arun-Kosi valley of

Nepal, is an important area of regional endemism, and has been designated

by BirdLife International as Endemic Bird Area (EBA) D08. The larger

eastern part of this EBA lies within Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar and

is not open for unrestricted scientific exploration. The more accessible

areas, for instance eastern Nepal, have suffered serious loss of lower

montane forest, resulting in the local extinction of many species (Inskipp

1989). It is a vast area and the distribution, status and movements of many

rare and/or threatened species remain little known.

West Bengal is the furthest east along the Himalaya that can be visited

with relative ease and so, following a period of three months studying birds

in Nepal, we looked for forested submontane/montane areas in this state.

The Singgalilla Hills, Darjeeling district were too wet and cloudy in early

February so we moved down to Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri District.

BUXA TIGER RESERVE

Buxa Tiger Reserve lies in the north-east corner of West Bengal between

26°30’N and 26°48’N and between 89°25’E and 89°55’E, enclosing 759

km2. It is bounded to the north by Bhutan, to the east by the river Sankosh

and Assam, and to the west by the river Pana; the southern boundary follows

what remains of the forest. It is dissected by braids of rivers which rise to the

north and flow south (see Fig. 1). The altitude at the border of the reserve

reaches 2,000 m, but the majority of the reserve lies at plains level, sloping

from c. 160 m at the base of the foothills to c. 60 m towards Alipurduar. The

forest is largely Sal Shorea robusta, with many huge emergents. It is divided

into blocks, some of which appear to be almost virgin, though there are many

teak plantations and also village settlements. The surrounding areas to the

south and west have mostly been cleared for cultivation or tea gardens. The

32

D. ALLEN ei al.

Forktail 12

Figure 1. Map of Buxa Tiger Reserve

Tiger Panthera tigris population of the reserve was estimated to be 25-30 at

that time, but it is considered to be an essential corridor for Tigers and Asian

Elephants Elephas maximus moving between the forests of north-west

Assam and southern Bhutan (Rodgers and Panwar 1988).

Administratively the reserve has been under the jurisdiction of the Forest

Department since 1 866; it has been part of Project Tiger since 1 983, and has

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

33

been managed by them since 1993. The area is divided into ‘ranges’ run by

Range Officers, who supervise Beat Officers, who patrol subdivisions

known as ‘beats’. The headquarters are in Jalpaiguri.

We visited two ranges: Jainti and Buxa.

JAINTI RANGE

Jamti range is on the northern edge of the plains and extends south from the

edge of the Buxa duars or foothills. The headquarters are at the small

settlement of Jainti. Tigers were still present in this lowland forest area,

which is probably typical of the reserve, both in its habitats and its avifauna.

We surveyed a small part of this area on 17, 18 and 20 February.

BUXA RANGE

The northern edge of this range follows the Bhutanese border, enclosing

what perhaps may now be a unique habitat range in this part of India:

continuous forest from the plains to nearly 2,000 m at the border, and forest

cover probably continues at least to Tale La (4,066 m) in Bhutan. While

almost all of the north-eastern border of West Bengal runs along the bottom

of the foothills, here it penetrates well up to the Bhutanese plateau. From

the border ridge at 1,700-1,925 m the forest descends very steeply so there

are few large trees here. In places, owing to periodic landslips, some steep

slopes are dominated by bamboo. Continuing south, the topography

becomes gentler, and small settlements of hill farmers are encroaching,

usually where they are not visible from the main paths. Trees reach 20-25

m in places, but most of the valley bottoms and ridges have been cleared for

agriculture or shifting cultivation, and many other areas of forest have had

the understorey removed to encourage pasture for grazing animals.

The main village of Buxa lies in the centre of the range at 870 m, by the

ruins of a former British fort (Fig. 1). There are some small shops, a Forest

Rest House and other accommodation. It is reached by about 1 j hours walk

from Santarabari (230 m), where the range HQ is located, and where the

road north from Jalpaiguri ends. The path is well used by locals and winds

up through the scarp to the border at the Sinchu Pass and the Bhutanese

village of Sinchula beyond. This path was particularly good for birds, with

many interesting species being recorded between the viewpoint (1,500 m)

and the pass (1,900 m).

We surveyed the area as a team on 19, 21-25 February and D.A. stayed

until 6 March.

34

D. ALLEN et al.

Forktail 12

ORNITHOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE AREA

There is little previously published information for the area, but Inglis et al.

(1920) summarized the vertebrates recorded in Jalpaiguri District, and

mentioned the Buxa Duars frequently. Inglis (1952-1969) provided details

of a few extra species from the Buxa area. Stevens (1923-1925) visited

Bhotan Ghat on the Raidak river in January 1922 and noted a number of

species. There is a printed list of the ‘Avifauna - Buxa Tiger Reserve’ (Anon,

undated), comprising 213 species, which we were kindly given by the Jainti

Beat Officer. We found many apparently previously unrecorded species -

mostly from the higher elevations. In nine days we recorded nearly 200

species of birds, and the final total was 227, of which 1 30 do not appear on

the reserve list, and 50 of these latter species are not mentioned by Inglis et

al. (1920), Stevens (1923-1925) or Inglis (1952-59). Seven additional

species were recorded by R. Singh (pers. comm.), one by Law (1953) and

one by Sanyal (1995) giving a total of 359 species for the area (Appendix).

Species listed by Inglis et al. ( 1920) for Jalpaiguri District are included in the

Appendix with indications of status where these were given.

SELECTED SPECIES OF INTEREST

Threat categories are from Collar et al. (1994).

Chestnut-breasted Partridge Arborophila mandellii (VU) A group of

partridges seen briefly on four occasions near the viewpoint, appeared to

show a white crescent on the breast and were probably referrable to this

species. Inglis et al. ( 1 920) noted that ‘specimens have been obtained in the

Bhutan duars in April, probably in this district, though we have been unable

to get it.’

Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis (VU) One pair was seen above

the fort at c. 1 ,000 m. Inglis et al. ( 1 920) record a specimen which had been

purchased live at Buxa by Mr J. R. Phillips in 1918. It was listed by Anon,

(undated).

Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa (VU) Two (- four) birds were seen near

the ridge at 1,400 m, feeding 3-6 m from the ground on large trees (15+ m),

and loosely associated with White-browed Scimitar Babblers, Lesser

Yellownapes and Lesser Racket-tailed Drongos. A soft contact call: ‘whuck’

or ‘whit’ was noted.

Long-billed Wren Babbler Rimator malacoptilus (LR: nt) A pair was seen

at c. 1,500 m (J.A.). Inglis et al. (1920) noted that ‘O’Donel met with a pair

at about 4000 ft..’, and Inglis (1952-1969) added that this was ‘above Baksa

Duar.’

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

35

Black-headed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius rufiventer (LR: nt) Small numbers

were seen regularly, usually with mixed babbler flocks.

Yellow-throated FulvettaH/czppp cmerea (LR: nt) A small party was seen

once at c. 1,500 m (J.A.).

White-naped Yuhina Yuhina bakeri (LR: nt) Small flocks of 6-12 were seen

regularly at 1,500-1,600 m. The call was a titter with a final jeer.

Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxomis ruficeps (LR: nt) Flocks

of 30+ were seen regularly in bamboo at 800- 1 ,200 m, usually in association

with Coral-billed Scimitar-Babblers. Inglis (1952-1969) recorded a small

party at Buxa on 3 December 1918.

PREVIOUS SIGNIFICANT RECORDS

Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis (VU) Inglis et al. (1920) noted that it

was getting scarce as suitable localities decrease’ in Jalpaiguri district, but

Anon, (undated) listed it as still occurring in Buxa.

Manipur Bush Quail Perdicula manipurensis (VU) ‘The type specimens

were procured in Goalpara. Primrose has seen this bird not far from the

Torsa, and Shebbeare also believes he has seen it. There is a ragged skin in

the British Museum said to have been got in the Bhutan Duars. This is

evidently the bird mentioned by Thornhill as shot by him at Alipurduar’

(Inglis et al. 1920).

Spot-bellied Eagle Owl Bubo nipalensis (LR: nt) Inglis etal. (1920) stated

‘...not often seen.’ Listed by Anon, (undated).

Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis (EN) Inglis et al. (1920) noted

that ‘this fine bird is steadily decreasing owing to the indiscriminate

shooting of hens and the increasing acreage under tea’. Anon, (undated)

listed it as probably extinct in Buxa Tiger Reserve.

Lesser Florican Sypheotides indica (CR) ‘Decidedly uncommon. Two were

shot at Neora Nuddy tea garden not very far from Baradighi. O’Donel has

recorded them from Hasimara. He has only seen them in April, May and

June’ (Inglis et al. 1920).

Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis (VU) One seen on 2 December 1992

(Sanyal 1995).

Wood Snipe Gallinago nemoricola (VU) Inglis et al. (1920) noted that it was

a very irregular winter visitor but was ‘commoner before so much jungle was

cleared for tea’.

White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis (EN) Not specifically recorded from

Buxa, but Inglis et al. (1920) noted that it was ‘Uncommon and keeping to

the larger rivers and those running through the forest. O’Donel remarks that

36

D. ALLEN et al.

Forktail 12

it disappears from the plains during the rains and that it generally feeds at

dusk, but also occasionally does so at midday’.

Spot-winged Starling Samglossa spiloptera (LR: nt) Inglis et al. (1920)

found it to be ‘very common along the base of the hills, occasionally

descending to the plains.’

Jerdon’s Babbler Chrysomma altirostre (VU) Inglis et al. (1920) noted that

it was ‘recorded from Bhutan and Buxa duars’, but it was not recorded by

O’Donel or Inglis (1952-1969).

Finn’s Weaver Ploceus megarhynchus (VU) O’Donel (1916) found a breeding

colony at Hasimara (west of Buxa on the river Torsa) in June 1912. Inglis

et al. (1920) noted that O’Donel ‘never got the birds again’, but Inglis

(1952-1969) secured specimens from the same locality on 15 February

1927. Anon, (undated) listed it as occurring in Buxa Tiger Reserve.

THREATS TO THE AREA

The Buxa range is an area noted for dacoits, and we were warned to be

careful away from the main village. Unofficial settlement within the park is

illegal, but enforcement of regulations is difficult. Encroachment by local

people is carefully concealed from most vantage points so the forest appears

continuous. The reserve is under considerable pressure, with a human

population of c. 200,000 and about 12,500 livestock. There are plans for a

large multi-purpose dam on the Sankosh river.

We would like to thank the Range Officer of Buxa Range, Mr S. K. Barai, and the Range Officer and

Beat Officers of Jainti Range for their co-operation and enthusiasm during our visit. We would also

like to thank Mike Crosby and Tim Inskipp for their help and suggestions with the manuscript.

REFERENCES

Anon, (undated) Avifauna, Buxa Tiger Reserve.

Abdulali, H. ( 1 968-) A catalogue of the birds in the collection of the Bombay Natural History Society.

J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 65-.

Collar, N. J., Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1994) Birds to watch 2: the world list of threatened

birds. Cambridge: BirdLife International, Conservation Series No. 4.

Inglis, C. M. (1952-1969) Birds of the duars. J. Bengal Nat. Hist. Soc. 25: 121-127, 164-169, 196-

200; 26: 1-8,47-56,93-99, 149-156; 27: 9-12, 55-58, 83-95, 129-155; 28: 18-51, 102-115, 153-

161; 29: 16-25,88-94, 150-160; 30: 35-42, 81-97, 166-181; 31: 14-32, 49-60; 32: 1-9, 69-73; 33:

121-123, 181-184; 34: 1-4, 85-87; 35: 1-5, 49-63.

Inglis, C. M., Travers, W. L., O’Donel, H. V. and Shebbeare, E. O. (1920). A tentative list of the

vertebrates of Jalpaiguri district, Bengal. Birds. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 26: 988-999; 27: 151-

158.

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

37

Inskipp, C. (1989) Nepal’s forest birds: their status and conservation. Cambridge, U.K.: International

Council for Bird Preservation (Monograph No. 4).

Law. S. C. (1953) Occurrence of the Smew [Mergellus albellus (Linn.)] in West Bengal. J Bombay Nat

Hist. Soc. 51: 508-509.

O Donel,H. V. (1916) The Eastern Baya ( Ploceus megarhynchus ) nesting in the same tree as the Jungle

Bee ( Apis indicus). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 24: 821.

Rodgers, W. A. and Panwar, H. S. (1988) Planning a wildlife protected area network in India. 2

volumes. Project FO: IND/82/003. Dehra Dun: FAO.

Sanyal, P. (1995) Rare crane of India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 91: 453.

Stevens, H. (1923-1925) Notes on the birds of the Sikkim Himalayas. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 29:

503-518, 723-740, 1007-1030; 30: 54-71, 352-379, 664-685, 872-893.

Desmond Allen, 1158 No Ga Ya Cho, Machida Shi, Tokyo 19500, Japan.

John Anderton, 436 E. Nelson Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301, USA.

38

D. ALLEN et al.

Forktail 12

Krys Kazmierczak, 9 Norwich Road, Northwood, Middx. HA 6 1ND, U.K.

APPENDIX

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED IN BUXA

TIGER RESERVE

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

39

Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis

Rufous Woodpecker Ceieus brachyurus

Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus

Greater Yellownape Picus flavinucha

Streak-throated Woodpecker Picus xanthopygaeus

Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus

Himalayan Flameback Dinopium shorii

Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense

Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucid us

Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis

Great Barbet Megalaima virens

Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata

Golden-throated Barbet Megalaima franklinii

Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica

Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis

Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala

Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros biroslris

Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris

Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis

Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis (V U)

Wreathed Hornbill Aceros undulatus

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops

Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus

Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis

Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus

Stork-billed Kingfisher Halcyon capensis

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyomis athertoni

Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis

Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti

Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus

Chestnut-wingeo Cuckoo Clamator coromandus

Large Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides

Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius

Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax

Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus

Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus

Banoed Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii

Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus

Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus

Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus

Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea

Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis

B

40

D. ALLEN et al.

Forktail 12

Sirkeer Malkoha Phaenicophaeus leschepaultii

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis

Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis

Vernal Hanging Parrot Loriculus vernalis

Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria

Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri

Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

Blossom-headed Parakeet Psittacula roseata

Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri

Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris

White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus

Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba

Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus

House Swift Apus affinis

Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata

Barn Owl Tyto alba

Grass Owl Tyto capensis

Mountain Scops Owl Otus spilocephalus

Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia

Collared Scops Owl Otis bakkamoena

Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo

Spot-bellied Eagle Owl Bubo nipalensis (LR: nt)

Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis

Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei

Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides

Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum

Spotted Owlet Athene brama

Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata

Grey Nightjar Capri mu Igus indicus

Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus

Savannah Nightjar Caprimulgus affinis

Rock Pigeon Columba livia

Ashy Wood Pigeon Columba pulchricollis

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis

Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

Barreo Cuckoo Dove Macropygia unchall

Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica

Orange-breasted Green Pigeon Treron bicincta

Pompadour Green Pigeon Treron pompadora

Thick-billed Green Pigeon Treron curvirostra

Yellow-footed Green Pigeon Treron pboenicoptera

Pin-tailed Green Pigeon Treron apicauda

Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron sphenura

Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea

Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia

Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis (EN)

Lesser Florican Sypheotides indica (CR)

Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis (VU)

Slaty-legged Crake Rallina eurizonoides

This survey Anon.

(undated)

and others

Jainti and Buxa Buxa

JB

B

A

A, Ab

A

B

A

Ab

S

A

B

JB

B

J

B

A

St

A

B 1200m A

J St

JB

J

A

J

JB

J

A, St

A

Sa

x, Bhutan duars

C

Inglis et al. (1920)

Jalpaiguri district

C

x, Bhutan duars

F

C

F

x

C

x

C

U

c

u

c

X

c

u

c

u

X

c

U, Bhutan duars

x

R

C

F

C

C, Buxa

Decreasing

U

F

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

41

42

D. ALLEN et al.

Forktail 12

Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos

Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus

Shikra Accipiter badius

Besra Accipiter virgatus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis

Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis

Booteo Eagle Hieraaetus perwatus

Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii

Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus

Mountain Hawk Eagle Spizaetus nipalensis

Collared Falconet Microhierax caerulescens

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera (LR: nt)

Oriental Hobby Falco severus

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

Darter Anhinga melanogaster (LR: nt)

Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger

Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis (EN)

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea

Great Egret Casmerodius albus

Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii

Little Heron Butorides striatus

Buck-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus

Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris

Dalmatian/Great White Pelican Pelecanus crispusl onocrotalus

Buck Stork Ciconia nigra

Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus

Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus (VU)

Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius (EN)

Blue-naped Pitta Pitta nipalensis (LR: nt)

Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida

Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura

Silver-breasted Broadbill Serilophus lunatus

Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae

Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella

Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons

Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropsis hardwickii

Rufous-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus

Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach

Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus

Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda

JB A

This survey Anon.

(undated)

and others

Jainti and Buxa Buxa

B

A

B

J A

B A

St

A

R

A

R

J A

A

x

A

R

A

J A. St

J A

B I

B

B A

S, St

C

R

Inglis et al. (1920)

Jalpalguri district

C

u

x

u

R

F

x

F

C

F

U

x

X

C

F

x

F

C

x

C

x

U

R, Bhutan duars

C

x

C

U.Rajabhatkhawa

C

F

U

C

Haldibari, 20 Mar 1928

C

c

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

43

Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae

House Crow Corvus splendens

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus

Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

Slender-billed Oriole Oriolus tenuirostris

Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus

Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii

Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei

Black-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos

Black-headed Cuckooshrike Coracina melanoptera

Rosy Minivet Pericrocotus roseus

Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus Solaris

Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus

Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus llammeus

Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus

Yellow-bellied Fantail Rhipidura hypoxantha

White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis

White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus

White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens

Crow-billec Drongo Dicrurus annectans

Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus

Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer

Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea

Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi

Common Iora Aegithina tiphia

Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis gularis

Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus

Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii

Blue-capped Rock Thrush Monticola cinciorhynchus

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius

Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruteus

Pied Thrush Zoothera wardii (LR: nt)

Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina

Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima

Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni

Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma

Long-billeo Thrush Zoothera monticola (LR: nt)

Dark-sideo Thrush Zoothera marginata

White-collared Blackbird Turdus albocinctus

Grey-winged Blackbird Turdus boulboul

Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis

Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica

Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica

Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficeduia hodgsonii

44

D. ALLEN ei al.

Forktail 12

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

45

46

D. ALLEN et al.

Forktail 12

Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis

Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus

Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides

Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis

Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus

Blyth's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides

Yellow-vented Warbler Phylloscopus cantator

Golden-spectacled Warbler Seicercus burkii

Grey-hooded Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos

White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus affinis

Grey-cheeked Warbler Seicercus poliogenys

Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps

Black-faced Warbler Abroscopus schisticeps

Striated Grassbird Megalurus palustris

Rufous-rumped Grassbird Graminicola bengalensis

White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus

Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax monileger

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax pectoralis

Striated Laughingthrush Garrulax striatus

Rufous-necked Laughingthrush Garrulax ruficollis

Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Garrulax rufogularis

Grey-sided Laughingthrush Garrulax caerulatus

Streaked Laughingthrush Garrulax lineatus

Blue-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax squamatus

Black-faced Laughingthrush Garrulax affinis

Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus

Red-winged Liocichla Liocichla phoenicea

Abbott's Babbler Malacocincla abbotti

Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrogenys

White-browed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus schisticeps

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis

Coral-billeo Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ferruginosus

Long-billed Wren Babbler Rimator malacoptilus (LR: nt)

Scaly-breasteo Wren Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer

Pygmy Wren Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla

Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyris rufifrons

Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps

Golden Babbler Stachyris chrysaea

Grey-throateo Babbler Stachyris nigriceps

Striped Tit Babbler Macronous gu laris

Chestnut-capped Babbler Timalia pileata

Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense

Jerdon's Babbler Chrysomma altirostre (V U)

Striated Babbler Turdoides earlei

Slender-billed Babbler Turdoides longirostris (LR: nt)

Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus

Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris

Cutia Cutia nipalensis

Black-headed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius rufiventer

White-browed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis

B 1600m

JB 870m

This survey

Jainti and 8uxa

I (Buxa)

St

Anon,

(undated)

and others

Buxa

B 600m St

A, I, St

I (Rajabhatkhawa)

B

JB

B

B 1200m

B 1300 + 1500m

B 870m

B 1500m

St

A

A, St

I (Buxa)

I (Rajabhatkhawa)

St

B A

JB

B

A

B Ab

B

B 1200m

B 1900m

B 1200m

A,Ab

J

B

B A

B

B above 1500m

B

B A, St

B

B 11 00-1 500m

B

J

St

A

Inglis et al. (1920)

Jalpaiguri district

x

x, Buxa

C

x, Buxa

U

C

F

x

F, Buxa

C

x, Buxa

C, Buxa

C

x, Bhutan duars

C

x, Buxa

C

Buxa duars

F

C

B above 1000m, flocks of 5-15 seen early in period

B

B R

1996

Birds of Buxa Tiger Reserve, India

47

48

D. ALLEN et al.

Forktail 12

Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris

Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni

Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata

Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus

Finn's Weaver Ploceus megarhynchus (VU)

Red Avadavat Amandava amandava

White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata

Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata

Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

Scarlet Finch Haematospiza sipahi

Crested Bunting Melophus lathami

Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla

Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola

Chestnut Bunting Emberiza rutila

A = Anon, (undated)

L = Law (1953)

St = Stevens (1923-1925)

(C) = Critically endangered

(LR: nt) = Low risk: Near-threatened

C = common

R = rare

A

This survey Anon.

(undated)

and others

Jainti and Buxa Buxa

B A

B

A

S

A

Ab = Abdulali (1968-)

S = R. Singh (pers. comm.)

(EN) = Endangered

F = fairly common

x = status n

C

Inglis et al. (1920)

Jalpaiguri district

C

Hasimara

x

U

C

F

U

R

F

U

I = Inglis (1952-1959)

Sa = Sanyal (1995)

(VU) = Vulnerable

U = uncommon

1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 65 - 76

49

Some bird observations from central

Bhutan, May 1994

ROBERT TYMSTRA, SCOTT CONNOP, and CHADO TSHERING

Results of a survey in western and central Bhutan in May 1 994 are presented. The survey focused on

subtropical and temperate zone areas in Jigme Dorji National Park and the buffer zone of Black

Mountain National Park and yielded 252 species of birds, including first published records for

Bhutan of Common Coot Fulica atra. Russet Bush Warbler Bradypterus seebohmi , and Forest Wagtail

Dendronamhm indicus.

An avifaunal survey in parts of western and central Bhutan was conducted

from 2 May to 26 May 1994. The project, designed to increase knowledge

of the birdlife of some of Bhutan’s less-studied areas, was sponsored by the

WWF Bhutan Programme. The ornithological survey team consisted of

Scott and Joanne Connop, Dr. Murray Gell-Mann, Marsha Southwicke,

Chado Tshering, and Robert Tymstra. In addition to documenting the

birdlife, several hours of bird song recordings were made for future use in

conservation and training in survey and recording techniques was provided

to Bhutanese biologists.

Our survey time was spent mainly in Jigme Dorji National Park and in the

buffer zone bordering the Black Mountains National Park. We found a total

of 252 species of birds, including several that were apparently new to the

country, or had only been documented once or twice before. We concentrated

our efforts on the subtropical and temperate broadleaf forests which Bhutan

has in abundance; these forests are a stronghold for several bird species

difficult to find elsewhere.

Our expedition (see Figure 1 for locations) began in Thimphu (2400 m)

from where we drove east towards Tongsa (2,100 m), stopping along the

way at Dochhu La (3,215 m), Nobding (2,900 m), and Pele La (3,300 m).

From Tongsa, we made a daytrip east to Yutong La (3,400 m), then drove

south to Wangdinala (1,000 m) where we spent three days. We continued

with a week-long trek along the Mangde Chhu (river) to Nobji (1,300 m)

via Nimshong. We camped for three nights along a watercourse 5 km

upstream of Nobji before retracing our steps to Wangdinala and Tongsa.

We next camped for three days at Chendebji (2,400 m), then moved on to

Phobjikha from where we trekked to Khebetang (2,800 m) for a four day

stay. We travelled to Punakha via Pele La, then up the Mo Chhu for a three

day stay at Rimchu (1,350 m), trekking upstream to below Gasa (2,200 m)

via Damji before returning to Thimphu. The first trek followed a trail from

Nimshong to beyond Nobji and covered an elevational range of 900-1,500

m, with a low point of 700 m while crossing the Mangde Chhu. There was

50

R. TYMSTRA et al.

Forktail 12

much mature forest in this area with secondary forest and clearings near the

villages. We found this region to be very rich in bird species, presumably

because of the increased diversity of vegetation and the presence of ‘edge’

habitat where some species were more readily encountered than they would

have been in mature forest. Beyond Nobji, we entered a narrow river canyon

where the species diversity was lower, but certain key indicator species were

found here that were scarce or absent along the trail to Nobji. Rufous¬

necked Hornbill A ceros nipalensis, Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea,

Spotted Wren Babbler Spelaeomisformosus, and White-naped Yuhina Yuhina

bakeri are good examples. The presence of mammals such as Golden Langur

Trachypithecus geei, Assamese Macaque Macaca assamensis, and Common

Goral Naemorhedus goral underscored the importance of this less disturbed

area. The weather was mostly sunny and warm during the beginning of our

trek, but degenerated to rain as we arrived at Nobji and beyond. This river area

seemed to have a wetter microclimate than areas east of Nobji.

Our second trek began at the end of the Punakha road five km north of

Rimchu at 1,500 m. The first segment wound through healthy subtropical

forest along the Mo Chhu before climbing to 2,200 m at Damji. The forest

from Damji to Gasa rises and falls between 2, 1 00 and 2,500 m with the quality

of the temperate broadleaf forests improving as one approaches Gasa. The

forest undergrowth just before Gasa contained a strong bamboo element with

a number of bamboo specialists including Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler

Xiphirhynchus superciliaris . Some of our discoveries in this area represented

species that are difficult to identify or observe, including Russet Bush Warbler

Bradypterus seebohmi. This species would have been missed if not for a

recording made near Damji, reinforcing the value of tape-recorders as tools

in detecting and documenting shy species. Rain occurred off and on during

this time but the monsoon had not yet begun in earnest. The forest between

Rimchu and the end of the road was in excellent condition and should be

afforded some protection.

The rest of our censusing involved areas closer to the main east-west

highway, but despite our proximity to human habitation, the forests were still

extensive and a number of significant birds were seen from the road. Ward’s

Trogon Harpactes wardi was initially found beside the road near Tongsa. The

trail connecting Pele La with the highway near Nobding displayed mature

forest and contained a good assortment of species, including Brown

Paradoxomis unicolor and Fulvous Parrotbills P. fulvifrons. Other surprises

included several noteworthy sightings along the road north of Wangdinala.

Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos, Yellow-vented Warblers Phylloscopus

cantator, Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax, and Rufous-necked

Hornbills were all visible from the road, as were Indian Muntjac Muntiacus

muntjak and Golden Langurs. We observed many significant species outside

of Bhutan’s parks and reserves and felt that any increase of protected areas

would result in quality additions to their already extensive parks system.

1996

Some bird observations from central Bhutan, May 1994

51

Figure 1. Bhutan, showing locations mentioned in text.

DESCRIPTION OF MAIN LOCALITIES VISITED:

Dochhu La (27°29’N 89°45’E) consists of ‘mixed conifer’ forest dominated

by fir Abies densa , Hemlock Tsuga dumosa, Spruce Picea moranda and, at

slightly lower elevations, ‘temperate’ forest of Rhododendron spp., oak

Quercus semicarpefolia and further down towards Thimphu dominated by

Blue Pine Pinus wallichiana.

Nobding-Pele La (Pele La: 27°32’N 90°12’E) area, is ‘temperate broadleaf

and mixed conifer’ forest of Birch Betula utilis, Rhododendron spp., Cypress

Cupressus comeyana, and Pinus wallichiana.

Chendebji (27°29’N 90°18’E) is an upland ‘temperate’ and ‘mixed conifer’

forest of Abies densa , Tsuga dumosa , Larch Larix griffithii and Juniper

Juniperus recurva and J. pseudosabina with Rhododendron forest and stunted

bamboo undergrowth. The Phobjikha (27°31’N 90°13’E) and Khebetang

(27°23’N 90°1 1 ’E) area is a ‘mixed conifer’ and ‘temperate broadleaf forest

of Pinus wallichiana, Abies densa, Rhododendron spp., Tsuga dumosa, Prunus

spp. with bamboo (Yushania microphylla) undergrowth. Khebetang is the

construction site of a new nature study centre.

Tongsa (27°30’N 90°3 1 ’E), Wangdinala (or Wangdigang, 27°1 3’N 90°37’E)

and Nimshong (27°1 3’N 90°36’E) areas are ‘temperate broadleaf with Chir

Pine Pinus roxburghii to ‘subtropical’ forests in the Wangdinala-Nimshong

area where dominant tree species include Quercus griffithii, Schima wallichii,

Castanopsis spp. and Sterculia villosa.

52

R. TYMSTRA et al.

Forktail 12

Nobji (27°1 l’N 90°28’E) and upper Nobji areas contain a blend of forest

types between ‘subtropical’ and ‘temperate’ characterized by Alders Alnus

nepalensis, Castanopsis spp., Quercus griffithii, Calicarpa arborea, Schima

wallichii, and Sterculia villosa.

Rimchu (27°40’N 89°45’E) area is a ‘subtropical’ forest consisting of Alnus

nepalensis , Pinus roxburghii, Castanopsis spp., Schima wallichii, Macaranga

spp., Walnut Juglans regia, Morns laevigata, Toona ciliata, Betula alnoides,

Michelia spp. and Syzygium cumini.

Damji (27°48’N 89°44’E), and Gasa (27°56’N 89°44’E) areas are ‘temperate

broadleaf forest of Alnus nepalensis, Quercus griffithii, Schima wallichii, Betula

alnoides with lots of bamboo along the route to Gasa and Alnus nepalensis in

the hot springs area.

Annotated list of selected species:

The following is an annotated list of some of the more significant species

recorded along with IUCN Threat Category, if any (Collar etal. 1994). The

complete list of 252 species observed follows in the Appendix.

Japanese Quail Cotumix japonica. This species was rather common in the

wheat fields of the Phobjikha valley at 2,800 m.

Rufous-throated Partridge/1 rborophila rufogularis. Calls we heard frequently

in the lower altitudes (1,100-1,600 m) of the subtropical valleys near Nobji

and Rimchu, we believe to be of this species though this was not confirmed.

The calls were much like those of A. torqueola but more prolonged.

Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra. One was heard below Yutong La (2,600

m) on 4 May and a female was seen at Chendebji at 2,700 m on 15 May.

Near-threatened.

Grey Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron bicalcaratum. One heard near Nobji,

8 May at 1,100 m.

Great Hornbill Buceros bicomis. Two in subtropical broadleaf forest near

Nimshong on 12 May at 1,300 m.

Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis. A flock of 1 3 birds was seen

near Nimshong at 1,300 m on 12 May; four hornbills were observed above

Wangdinala at 1,600 m on 6 May and a single bird was seen at the river camp

upstream of Nobji. Vulnerable.

Ward’s Trogon Harpactes wardi. A singing bird was recorded and seen on

4 May at 2,600 m seven km east of Tongsa. Another was heard on 26 May

near Damji at 2,200 m. Vulnerable.

Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyxfugax. Observed in small numbers in

the Nobji and Gasa valleys on several occasions at altitudes from 1,000-

2,200 m.

1996

Some bird observations from central Bhutan, May 1994

53

Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus. Individuals recorded on 7

May at Wangdinala (1,000 m) and in the Nobji Valley on 10 May in

subtropical broadleaf forest at an altitude of 1,300 m.

Parakeet. Psittacula finschii/himalayana. A single bird of one or other of

these species flew past near Damji at 2,200 m on 23 May. Its call was an

upslurred ‘phweep.’

Tawny Fish Owl Ketupaflavipes. Eurasian Jays harassing this species led to

its location high in a tree beside the Mo Chhu at Rimchu on 2 1 May at 1,300

m. Near-threatened.

Common Coot Fulica atra. A single bird was seen swimming in a small pond

near Punakha at 1,275 m on 20 May and is apparently the first published

record for Bhutan.

Pallas s Fish Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus. An adult was seen flying south

along the Mo Chhu River at 1,300 m on 20 M.ay near Rimchu. Vulnerable.

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilomis cheela. In addition to several sightings at

lower altitudes, we observed a calling bird fly over near Dochhu La on 2 May

at 3,000 m, a substantially higher altitude than normal for this species.

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus. One flying over Gasa Hot Springs at

2,100 m on 24 May.

Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii. A single bird recorded at 1,500

m at Rephe above Wangdinala on 5 May.

Long-tailed Broadbill Psansonius dalhousiae. Two heard on 13 May near

Nobji and two more seen near Nimshong on 14 May at 1,300m.

Ashy Woodsw allow Artamus fuscus. Three on 7 May at 1,300 m near

Nimshong. One was seen entering a nest cavity in a dead tree.

[Vivid Niltava Niltava vivida. One female on 23 May and another on 25

May south of Gasa at 2, 1 00 m were believed to be this species: it should be

looked for.]

White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucura. Several were seen in the broadleaf

forest in the vicinity of Nobji and in the Gasa Valley from 1,300 to 2,300 m.

Purple Cochoa Cochoa purpurea. A female seen briefly by one of our party

on 19 May at 2,750 m at Khebetang. Near-threatened.

Slaty-bellied Tesia Tesia olwea. Several along the trail from Nobji to

Nimshong (1,200-1,300 m). This species was found to be rather common

along the Mo Chhu River from 1 ,400 to 1,900 m, as well. Below Damji, we

found T. olwea in the same habitat as T. cyaniventer where altitudes

overlapped; the latter was found from 1,500 m up to 2,400 m.

Russet Bush Warbler Bradypterus seebohmi. This bird’s call was recorded

on 23 May at 2,200 m at Damji. The call, heard in the background of a tape

made for another species, was identified by Craig Robson; it represents the

first record for Bhutan.

54

R. TYMSTRA et al.

Forktail 12

Yellow-vented Warbler Phylloscopus cantator. This species was found to

be common in subtropical broadleaf forest from 1 ,000- 1 ,400 m in both the

Nobji and lower Gasa valleys. Near- threatened.

Rufous- vented Laughingthrush Garrulax gularis. A large laughingthrush

with a yellow throat and dark mask, seen chasing a considerably smaller

Streaked Laughingthrush, could only be this species. It was observed in

thickets near Nimshong at 1,300 m on 7 May. This is probably the second

record for Bhutan.

Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler Xiphyrhynchus superciliaris. Two birds

were seen in bamboo near Damji at 2,200 m on May 25. Near-threatened.

Spotted Wren Babbler Spelaeomis fomiosus. Found to be rather common

in dense vegetation near streams at Nobji and Rimchu at elevations ranging

from 1,300 to 2,400 m. Near-threatened.

Black-headed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius rufiventer. An individual was

recorded on 25 May near Damji at 2,200 m. Near-threatened.

Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis. Recorded in bamboo on 24,

25 May at 2,200 m near Gasa.

Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea. Two at 1,350 m in dense

vegetation beside a stream near Nobji on 10 May. Near-threatened.

White-naped Yuhina Yuhina bakeri. At least twelve birds were seen on 10

May at 1,250 m in streamside vegetation near Nobji.

Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxomis ruficeps. One near

Nimshong on 12 May at 1,300 m. Near-threatened.

Fulvous Parrotbill Paradoxomis fulvifrons. One at 3,200 m on 16 May at

Pele La.

Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus. Individuals were seen at Rimchu

on 22 May at 1,400 m and near Gasa on 24 May at 2,250 m. These are

apparently the first published records for Bhutan.

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava. A dark-capped male ( thunbergi? ) was

observed on 24 May near a small stream at 2,250 m. There is only one

previous published record for this species in Bhutan, a September record of

M. f. taivana seen at 4,850 m in western Bhutan (Ali and Ripley 1987).

Crimson-browed Finch Propyrrhula subhimachala. One at 3,200 m near

Yutong La on 4 May.

White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas camipes. Several were observed at Pele

La, Yutong La, and Khebetang in temperate mixed forests from 2,800 to

3,300 m.

1996

Some bird observations from central Bhutan, May 1994

55

APPENDIX

BIRDS RECORDED IN MAY, 1994

Species

Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica

Hill Partridge Arborophila torqueola

Rufous-throated Partridge Arborophila rufogularis

Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyrs

Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus

Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus

Kalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelanos

Grey Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron bicalcaratum

Speckled Piculet Picumnus irwominatus

Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker Dendrocopos hyperythrus

Crimson-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos cathpharius

Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos dar/ellensis

Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus

Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus

Greater Yellownape Picus flavinucha

Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus can us

Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis

Great Barbet Megalaima virens

Golden-throated Barbet Megalaima franklinii

Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica

Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis

Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis

Common Hoopoe Upupa epops

Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus

Ward's Trogon Harpactes wardi

Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris

Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis athertoni

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Ciamator coromandus

Large Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides

Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax

Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus

Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus

Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus

Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus

Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris

Parakeet Psittacula himalayanalfinschii

Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris

White-throated Neeoletail Hirundapus caudacutus

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba

Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus

House Swift Apus affinis

Mountain Scops Owl Otus spilocephalus

Tawny Fish Owl Ketupa flavipes

Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei

Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides

56

R. TYMSTRA et al.

Forktail 12

Species

Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus

Rock Pigeon Columba livia

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensls

Barred Cuckoo Dove Macropygia unchall

Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron spherwra

Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia

Common Coot Fulica atra

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela

Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus

Besra Accipiter virgatus

Pallas’s Fish Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus

Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii

Mountain Hawk Eagle Spizaetus nipalensis

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae

Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropsis hardwickii

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach

Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus

Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius

Yellow-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa flavirostris

Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis

Grey Treepie Dendrocitta tormosae

Buck-billed Magpie Pica pica

Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes

Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus

Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii

Buck-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos

Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus Solaris

Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus etbologus

Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus fiammeus

Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus

Yellow-bellieo Fantail Rhipidura hypoxantha

White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus

Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer

Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus

Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii

Blue-capped Rock Thrush Monticola cinclorhynchus

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius

Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus

Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima

White-collared Blackbird Turdus albocinctus

Grey-winged Blackbird Turdus boulboul

1996

Some bird observations from central Bhutan, May 1994

57

Species

Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx leucophrys

White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx montana

Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica

Ferruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata

Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris

Slaty-blue Flycatcher Ficedula tricolor

Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina

Large Niltava Niltava grandis

Small Niltava Niltava macgrigoriae

Rufojs-bellied Niltava Niltava sundara

[Vivid Niltava Niltava vivida

Pale Blue Flycatcher Cyornis unicolor

Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides

Pygmy Blue Flycatcher Muscicapella hodgsoni

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis

Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea

Golden Bush Robin Tarsiger chrysaeus

White-browed Bush Robin Tarsiger indicus

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis

Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis

White-capped Water Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus

Plumbeous Water Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus

White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucura

Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri

Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus

Spotteo Forktail Enicurus maculatus

Purple Cochoa Cochoa purpurea

Grey Bushchat Saxicoia terrea

Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnus malabaricus

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Sitta castanea

White-tailed Nuthatch Sitta himalayensis

Rusty-flanked Treecreeper Certhia nipalensis

Brown-throated Treecreeper Certhia discolor

Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

Coal Tit Parus ater

Grey-crested Tit Parus dichrous

Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus

Yellow-cheeked Tit Parus spilonotus

Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus

Sultan Tit Melanochiora sultanea

Black-throated Tit Aegithatos concinnus

Rufous-fronted Tit Aegithatos iouschistos

Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus

Striated Bulbul Pycnonotus striatus

Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cater

Himalayan Bulbul Pycnonotus leucogenys

White-throated Bulbul Alophoixus flaveolus

Ashy Bulbul Hemixos flavata

Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes mcclellandii

Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus

Striated Prinia Prinia criniger

Hill Prinia Prinia atrogularis

Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens

58

R. TYMSTRA et al.

Forktail 12

Species

Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus

Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata

Slaty-bellied Tesia Tesia olivea

Grey-bellied Tesia Tesia cyaniventer

Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Cettia fortipes

Aberrant Bush Warbler Cettia flavolivacea

Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler Cettia acanthizoides

Grey-sided Bush Warbler Cettia brunnifrons

Russet Bush Warbler Bradypterus seebohmi

Tickell's Leaf Warbler Pbytioscopus affinis

Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis

Lemon-rumped Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus chtoronotus

Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris

Blyth’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides

Yellow-vented Warbler Phylloscopus cantator

Golden-spectacled Warbler Seicercus burkii

Grey-hoooeo Warbler Seicercus xanthoschistos

White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus affinis

Grey-cheeked Warbler Seicercus poliogenys

Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps

Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis

White-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax albogularis

White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus

Striated Laughingthrush Garrulax striatus

Rufous-necked Laughingthrush Garrulax ruficollis

Rufous-vented Laughingthrush Garrulax gularis

Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Garrulax rufogularis

Grey-sided Laughingthrush Garrulax caerulatus

Streaked Laughingthrush Garrulax lineatus

Blue-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax squamatus

Scaly Laughingthrush Garrulax subunicolor

Black-faced Laughingthrush Garrulax affinis

Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrogenys

White-browed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus schisticeps

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis

Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler Xiphyrhynchus superciliaris

Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer

Pygmy Wren Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla

Spotted Wren Babbler Spelaeornis formosus

Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps

Golden Babbler Stachyris chrysaea

Grey-throated Basbler Stachyris nigriceps

Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris

Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea

Cutia Cutia nipalensis

Black-headed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius rufiventer

White-browed Shrike Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis

Rusty-fronted Barwing Actinodura egertoni

Hoary-throated Barwing Actinodura nipalensis

Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouroptera

Chestnut-tailed Minla Minla strigula

Red-tailed Minla Minla ignotincta

Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis

Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea

1996

Some bird observations from central Bhutan, May 1994

59

Species

Rufous-winged Fuivetta Alcippe castaneceps

White-browed Fuivetta Alcippe vinipectus

Nepal Fuivetta Alcippe nipalensis

Rufous Sibia Heterophasia capistrata

Striated Yuhina Yuhina castaniceps

White-naped Yuhina Yuhina baker i

Whiskered Yuhina Yuhina flavicollis

Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis

Rufous-vented Yuhina Yuhina occipitalis

Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta

White-bellied Yuhina Yuhina zanthoieuca

Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor

Fulvous Parrotbill Paradoxornis tulvifrons

Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis ruficeps

Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula

Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum meianoxanthum

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus

Mrs Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga goutdiae

Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis

Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata

Fire-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga ignicauda

Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna

Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus

White Wagtail Motacilla alba

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava

Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni

Tibetan Siskin Carduelis thibetana

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

Crimson-browed Finch Propyrrhula subhimachala

Scarlet Finch Haematospiza sipahi

Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

Brown Bullfinch Pyrrhuia nipalensis

Spot-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas metanozanthos

White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes

Crested Bunting Melophus lathami

Key: =

Habitats:

S = subtropical zone

T = temperate zone:

B = broadleaved forest

X = mixed forest

C = coniferous forest

F = fields, grazing areas, and around human habitations

R = rivers and edges

u = ubiquitous in suitable habitats and altitude

Abundance:

c = common, seen in high numbers and/or on many occasions in suitable habitat

f = fairly common, seen on more than one occasion or in fairly high numbers

r = seen on one or two occasions only and/or one or two individuals

u = ubiquitous in suitable altitude/habitat

60

R. TYMSTRA et al.

Forktail 12

Many thanks go to Mingma Norbu Sherpa, Mr. Sangay Thinley, Joint Secretary of the Forestry

Services Division, and to the Royal Government of Bhutan for inviting us to undertake this

expedition, to T. B. Mongar, Pema Namgyal, Phurba Sherpa, and the staff at World Wildlife Fund

Bhutan, Brian Penniston, and Bruce Bunting. To the ground crew and cooks: Mr. Wangdi, Mr.

Karma, Mr. Thinley, and Mr. Jamba. Also thanks to Craig Robson and Tim Inskipp for much help

in discussing the data and reviewing this manuscript.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1987) Compact edition of the handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Delhi:

Oxford University Press.

Clements, F. A. (1992) Recent records of birds from Bhutan. Forktail 7: 57-73.

Collar, N. J., Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1994). Birds to watch 2: the world list of threatened

birds. Cambridge: Birdlife International.

Inskipp, C. and Inskipp, T. P. (1993) Birds recorded during a visit to Bhutan in autumn 1991.

Forktail 8: 97-1 12.

Inskipp, C. and Inskipp, T. P. (1994) Birds recorded during a visit to Bhutan in spring 1 993. Forktail

9: 121-142.

Rob Tymstra, 1209 Nottingham, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada N7S 5B1

Scott Connop, R.R.l, Camlachie, Ontario, Canada NON 1E0

Chado Tshering, Nature Conservation Section, Forestry Service Division,

Thimphu, Bhutan

1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 77 - 94

61

Status and distribution of

Stoliczka’s Bushchat

Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

ASAD R. RAHMANI

Stoliczka s Bushchat (or White-browed Bushchat) Saxicola macrorhyncha is a rare and local resident

of the Indian subcontinent, which is listed as globally threatened. It is probably extinct in Pakistan,

but in India there have been a few sightings during the last 20 years. In 1 993-1994, four surveys were

conducted in Rajasthan and Gujarat, mainly in the Thar desert, during which 86 individuals were

seen at 18 different sites. In some places it was fairly common. Some general observations on its

behaviour were made and recommendations for further studies are given.

INTRODUCTION

About 1,300 species of birds are found in the Indian subcontinent, out of

which 7 1 species have been listed as threatened in India (Collar et al. 1994) .

Stoliczka’s Bushchat (or White-browed Bushchat) Saxicola macrorhyncha is

one of them (Rahmani 1993). F. Stoliczka first described it in 1872, from

specimens collected at Rapar and Bhuj in Kutch (Gujarat).

Former distribution

According to Ali and Ripley (1983a), Stoliczka’s Bushchat is a generally a

rare and very local resident, but not uncommon in some areas. It has been

recorded from Pakistan (east of the Indus river), Haryana (Hissar district),

western Uttar Pradesh (Aligarh), eastern Rajasthan and Gujarat (Deesa,

Kutch and Kathiawar) . There are specimens labelled Kandahar and Dubrai

in southern Afghanistan collected by Swinhoe in April 1881, in the British

Museum (Swinhoe 1882, Ticehurst 1926), but Paludan did not come

across it in his field work (Paludan, 1959), and considered that there was

only one reliable record from Afghanistan (Roberts 1992). Roberts (1992)

did not see this species during his 28 years’ residence in southern Punjab,

Pakistan, including many visits to Jhang district.

Recent sightings

During the last 20 years there have been only 15 sightings of this rare bird

(Table 1). On 2 August, 1978, a male and several juveniles were seen near

Khara village, between Phalodi and Pokharan in western Rajasthan (van

den Berg et al. 1981), Ben King saw it in Desert National Park in Rajasthan

62

A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

63

64

A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

65

(Roberts 1 992) and Richard Grimmett saw ‘a male (and probably a female)’

in Sudasari bustard enclosure inside Desert National Park on 17 February

1982 (Roberts 1992) (see Table 1 for other records).

Confusion with other species

Stoliczka s Bushchat is similar to other Saxicola species found in the desert

region. Roberts (1992) opined that it is very similar in general appearance

to the Whinchat Saxicola rubetra , except for possessing a slightly heavier bill,

and he claimed that juvenile males are probably inseparable in the field from

female or subadult male White-tailed Stonechats Saxicola leucura, another

chat of the Indus and Gangetic river systems. The tail pattern of males in

flight is similar to some wheatears Oenanthe, commonly found in the deserts.

As far as habits and habitats are concerned, Stoliczka’s Bushchat comes

closest to the Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata. However, the male

torquata is distinguished from male macrorhyncha by having a black chin and

throat, and a black tail and by lacking a white supercilium.

Moreover, torquata is slightly smaller than macrorhyncha , but the females

and juveniles can be confused in the field.

Ali and Ripley (1983a) have reported four subspecies of S’, torquata from

the Indian subcontinent: indica, maura, stejnegeri and przevalskii. Only

maura and indica have been recorded in the distributional range of S’.

macrorhyncha. However, Abdulali (1988) reported that all of the skins in the

collection of the Bombay Natural History Society appear to be indica, and

that none of them appears to be maura. Ninety-two skins of S', torquata indica

are present in the BNHS collection, with 56 males, including two spotted

juveniles, 31 females and five unsexed (Abdulali 1988). In some female

indica the chin is very light brown or beige, and the breast and flanks have

a rufous wash. These individuals at first glance look like female or juvenile

S’, macrorhyncha, but without the characteristic white supercilium. In a

freshly moulted skin (Register No. 16406), collected in Ambernath, near

Kalyan (Maharashtra) by Abdulali on 12 December 1949, the chin and

breast are almost white, and there is a semblance of a white supercilium.

Therefore, confusion between female Saxicola species would be quite likely

in the field: either macrorhyncha has been overlooked as female torquata or

a moulting female S’, torquata indica has been misidentified as S', macrorhyncha.

In order to ascertain the present status and distribution of Stoliczka’s

Bushchat, the Oriental Bird Club and Cygnus Wildlife Holidays funded a

small project, under which the first survey was done. Later, three more

surveys were done under different projects.

66

A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

METHODOLOGY

Literature survey

The existing literature on Stoliczka’s Bushchat was collected from the

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), the Oriental Bird Club (OBC)

and BirdLife International (Rahmani 1993). Richard Grimmett ofBirdLife

International provided historical records from the Biodiversity Project

Database and Nigel Redman of the OBC provided records up to 1992

(Appendix and Table 1). Dr. Philip McGowan and Tim Inskipp sent

photographs of various Saxicola species, including 5. macrorhyncha, which

greatly helped me during the third and fourth surveys. Specimens of various

Saxicola species were studied in BNHS (there is no specimen of S'.

macrorhyncha in India).

Field Surveys

This report is mainly based on four surveys conducted between February

1993 and May 1994.

First Survey: The first survey was conducted from 2 February to 1 3 March

1993. The following areas were visited (names of the districts are given in

brackets): Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur); Taal Chaper (Churu);

Diyatra, Bajju, Gajner (Bikaner); Bap, Phalodi, Khara (Jodhpur); Desert

National Park, Nokh, Nachna, Mohangarh (Jaisalmer); Undu, Shiv,

Dhorimanna (Barmer); Sonkhaliya (Ajmer); Banni, Rapar (Kutch); and

Velavadar (Bhavnagar).

Second Survey: The second survey was conducted between 15 July and

23 August 1993. The following areas were visited: Taal Chhaper (Churu);

Diyatra, Bajju, Gajner (Bikaner); Bap, Phalodi, Kanasar (Jodhpur);

Mohangarh, Nachna, Desert National Park (Jaisalmer); Shiv, Undu,

Dhorimanna (Barmer); Sonkhaliya (Ajmer); Banni (Kutch) and Velavadar

(Bhavnagar).

Third Survey: The third survey of one month was done between 12

January to 12 February 1994. The following areas were visited: Diyatra,

Bajju, Gajner (Bikaner); Bap, Phalodi, Khara, Savreej (Jodhpur); Mohangarh,

Khinya, Dhanana, Desert National Park, Phalsund, Rasla, Sankara,

Banniyana (Jaisalmer); Undu (Barmer), Sonkhaliya (Ajmer).

Fourth Survey: A brief survey of one week was conducted in Jodhpur,

Jaisalmer and Barmer districts between 17 to 23 May 1994. No Stoliczka’s

Bushchat was seen. The following areas were visited: Phalodi, Khara

(Jodhpur); Desert National Park, Rasla (Jaisalmer); Shiv and Dhorimanna

(Barmer).

1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

67

Systematic search

In all of the places visited, very thorough searches were done. Any small

Saxicola-sized bird, perched on a bush or shrub was checked through

binoculars or telescope. In summer, most of the field work was done in the

morning and evening when the birds are most active . During winter surveys,

searches were done during noon also. During the third and fourth surveys,

38 line transects of 1 .5 to 2 km were randomly conducted. These transects

were done mainly to study the general bird life (Rahmani 1994), but

Stoliczka s Bushchat was also studied. As Stoliczka’s Bushchat was practically

unknown among ornithologists in India, and easily mistaken for other

Saxicola species, a specially prepared questionnaire survey drew a blank,

except for some unconfirmed sightings.

The illustration of Stoliczka’s Bushchat in the Pictorial Guide (Ali and

Ripley 1 983b) is not good and it would be difficult to identify the species using

that alone. The illustration in The birds of Pakistan (Roberts 1992) is much

better. Before the third survey, specimens of Saxicola species were thoroughly

checked in the collection of the BNHS, and colour photographs of various

Saxicola species from the British Museum were received. These greatly helped

in field identification. Good colour photographs of Stoliczka’s Bushchat,

taken by P. Morris, were published in Rahmani (1993).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Numbers of Stoliczka’s Bushchat

During the first survey, four Stoliczka’s Bushchats were seen between Undu

and Kanasar, at the border of Jaisalmer and Barmer. During the second

survey, one was seen in the Desert National Park, on 25 July 1993, in a small

vegetated patch in an extremely dry area, 15 km before Phulia on the

Khuri-Phulia road. Another bird, perhaps this species, was seen in flight for

a few seconds on the same day near Bhiyand village on the Shiv-Kanasar road

in Barmer district. It disappeared in a roadside plantation and could not be

located again. The third survey during January-February 1994 was most

productive as a total of 81 individuals of this species was located in 16

different sites (Table 2). Once we had identified the species, studied its

behaviour and habitat, it was not difficult to locate it. In Diyatra area of

Bikaner district, where we studied this bird for two days, 25 individuals were

seen in one day on a 40 km drive and in two line-transects done in the

morning and evening. In Sam and Sudasari areas of the Desert National Park,

13 individuals were located in four days during six line-transects of 1.5 km

each. Out of the total 38 line transects done in the Thar desert at different

sites, the Bushchat was seen in 9 transects.

68

A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

Habitat

The typical habitat of the species in the Thar desert is dry, sandy areas, with

low herbs and shrubs of 50-70 cm, and very scattered bushes. The ground

cover ranged between 25% and 50%, generally around 35%. The shrubs

consisted of Crotolaria burhia, Aerva persica, A. pseudotomentosa, and Cassia

italica. The dominant bush was Capparis decidua which was seen in all the

sites. In a few areas, Calotropis procera and Leptadenia pyrotechnica were seen.

Referring to Jhang district (Pakistan), Whistler (1922) wrote that its

‘favourite haunts are the wide plains of a hard, sandy soil, ...bare of grass for

most part, but... studded with the small desert plants..., and diversified with

small sand-dunes and broken ground’. Interestingly, he found that a few

pairs also inhabited the somewhat different area of the Nurpur Canal

escape, where the run off of canal-water had produced great reed-beds,

surrounded by jungles of ‘pampas grass’. This is the typical habitat of White¬

tailed Stonechat, the female of which resembles female and juvenile

Stoliczka’s Bushchat (Roberts, 1 992) . Interestingly, Roberts ( 1992, p. 1 32)

found that one specimen in the British Museum (Tring) that Whistler had

identified as 5. macrorhyncha was actually a female leucura. Except for

Whistler, none of the earlier workers who have studied or collected Stoliczka’s

Bushchat, has noted it as occurring in tall reed-beds. I also did not find it

in the newly created reed-beds beside the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project

(IGNP) and its tributaries. All recent sight records are from dry biotope, so

it is reasonable to presume that Whistler’s description of its occurrence in

reed-beds was based on misidentification.

Curiously, in the same paper, Whistler (1922) mentioned that the future

status and even existence of 5. macrorhyncha was ‘likely to be affected by the

progress of the irrigation systems’. If it was found in the reed-beds of the

Nurpur Canal escape, why should it not be able to adapt to habitat change

by canal irrigation?

Behaviour

1. Food and feeding behaviour

Regarding the food of Stoliczka’s Bushchat, Hume (1878) wrote ‘I found

nothing but insects recognizable in the stomachs of those I examined’. Ali

and Ripley (1983a) and Roberts (1992), presumably based on Hume’s

observations also say that the food is insect matter. I also found that it spent

much time either picking up something from the ground, or making aerial

sallies to catch small, flying insects. It was never seen to take any seeds or

other vegetable matter. In July 1 993, a female Bushchat was seen picking up

Camponotus ants, and after eating them, it used to fly back to a bush top.

Thrice it sat on telegraph wires. According to T. J. Roberts (in litt. 1994) its

1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

69

foraging behaviour is similar to that of 5. torquata. Chiefly two types of

feeding behaviour were seen: picking from the ground and aerial sallies

(sorties). One bird was watched for a total of 10 hours in two days. Many

times it was seen hovering for 2-3 seconds to catch an insect. It was seen to

fly up to 20 m to catch a flying insect. On average, 1 7 seconds lapsed between

two aerial sallies. It always used to come back to a perch on a bush top, after

catching an insect. Most of the time the insects were eaten on the spot or in

the air. On both of the days, it was seen in the same area, going back again

and again to its favourite perch on a Capparis bush. In January 1994, aerial

sallies by Stoliczka’s Bushchats were seen mainly at noon and evening when

innumerable small insects were seen flying. During winter mornings, it is very

cold in the desert, so most flying insects are inactive, and the Bushchats were

generally seen picking small beetles and ants from the ground.

Beside Stoliczka’s Bushchat, the Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti was

also seen catching insects in the air. While the Bushchat was seen hovering

for 2-3 seconds only, the Desert Wheatear was seen flying and hovering for

up to one minute, and audibly snapping insects in the air.

2. Foraging time

I did not do any time-budget studies, but from our limited observations in

January, it appears that the Bushchat is active almost throughout the day in

winter. I saw many Bushchats actively foraging during mid-day on 1 8 January.

Some individuals were still actively foraging 30 minutes after sunset.

3. General behaviour

Ali and Ripley (1983a) have written that it is ‘at times fairly tame, at others

excessively wild’. Most of the birds observed by us were very tame, but some

were very wary and did not allow close approach. For example, the female

Bushchat which we saw in a small patch of about 1 acre among extremely

dry, gravel area near Phulia, was very bold and tame and allowed approach

to 3-4 metres, while some individuals in the Sudasari area were very wild and

we were able to watch them only from 50-100 m.

A curious behaviour which does not appear to be related to aggression or

territoriality, is the puffing up of the breast and swaying sideways. The

whitish breast and white belly become conspicuous and the bird appears

larger than normal. Such behaviour was seen in many individuals during

January and February and was always noted on the ground while the birds

were foraging, never while they were perched on bushes. Richard Grimmett

(quoted in Roberts 1992) has also seen this behaviour in February in

Jaisalmer. In some instances, the bird picked up something, moved and

swayed again, and then picked up another item, repeating the performance

two or three times, before flying to a perch. Most of my sightings of

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A. R. RAHMANI

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Bushchats were of solitary birds, the nearest other Bushchat being 200 to

400 m away. These Bushchats could see each other only when perched on

a bush, not while foraging between bushes, whence this puffing up was

done: so it does not appear to be in anyway related with aggression. If it is

an adaptation to flush insects, it is not clear how puffing up and swaying

sideways will help in locating prey, although Roberts (in litt. 1994) thinks

that this behaviour is in some way advantageous. Further studies may reveal

the significance of this behaviour.

4. Site fidelity

Stoliczka’s Bushchat appears to be very parochial. One bird watched for

three days was always seen in a small area of 0.5 acres. The bird had a

favourite Capparis bush where it used to return every now and then. Even

in this bush, there was one branch where it used to go and sit in the shade.

The presence of faecal marking proved that the spot had been in use for

many days or weeks (months?). For photographing, we brought our jeep

(used as a hide) 5-6 m from the bush. The Bushchat was slightly disturbed

so it started foraging nearby, but even in the presence of the jeep, it returned

to its favourite bush three times in two hours. As soon as we removed our

jeep, it returned to this bush and started foraging around it. In July 1993,

near Phulia in the DNP, a female (or juvenile) was seen foraging in an area

of approximately one acre.

5. Local Movement (Migration?)

Stoliczka’s Bushchat is considered local and resident (Ali and Ripley

1983a), and Roberts (1992) suggested that it was sedentary. An interesting

result which emerged from my four surveys in different months is that the

species appears to undergo some local or, perhaps, some long distance

movements. For instance, during January 1994, 1 saw 13 individuals in and

around Sam and Sudasari enclosures of the Desert National Park.

However, in the same areas during May (19-21), in three days of search,

no Stoliczka’s Bushchat was seen, which indicates that most individuals had

left for some other areas. However, on 25 July 1993, one bird was seen,

about 40 km from Sudasari in the DNP, which suggests that some

individuals remain in the Thar, unless it was an early returning bird.

The literature survey revealed that earlier workers found it to be common

in the winter months in certain areas and were not sure of its residential

status. Hume (1877a) had requested ornithologists to look out for this

species in the ‘next cold season’ and in his next paper on this species (Hume

1877b) he surmised that the bird must breed somewhere in Central Asia.

Later, he (1878) wrote: ‘All my birds were killed at the end of January and

during the first week of February, when the weather was singularly cold, and

the generative organs were entirely undeveloped.... Also I may say that I am

1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

71

now by no means sure from further enquiries that this is a migratory

species. . . . One would naturally suppose it to be so, but natives. ...assured me

that they breed in Jodhpur during the scanty rainy season’.

Whistler ( 1 9 1 5) in Hissar district of Punjab (now in Haryana) found it to

be not uncommon during the winter, being met with on various dates

between 19 November and 10 March. However, in the Jhang district,

Whistler (1922) was emphatic that it is strictly resident. He found pairs in

April and July, and obtained young birds in the first or juvenile plumage in

August and September. Ticehurst (1922, 1926) considered it to be resident

and very local. Dharmakumarsinhji (1954) in Saurashtra described it as a

winter migrant. Most of the records for which I know the months, were of

individuals collected/seen in winter (T able 1 ), except for those from Dubrai

and Kandahar in Afghanistan and Whistler’s records from Hissar. It is likely

that during summer Stoliczka’s Bushchat moves from the Thar desert to

more northern latitudes and returns with the rains to breed (?) because I

have seen a female (or juvenile) near Khuri on 25 July, and van den Berg et

al. (1981) saw an adult male with several juveniles on 2 August in the Khara

area in Jodhpur district. Both these sites are located in the middle of the Thar

desert. We can learn about the movement of the species only after a

comprehensive study on marked birds.

6. Aggression towards other species

One Stoliczka’s Bushchat was seen chasing a male Desert Wheatear. The

Desert Warbler Sylvia nana was frequently associated with the Bushchat but

no aggressive interaction was seen with this tiny bird. One of the reasons why

the Bushchat does not tolerate the presence of the Desert Wheatear could be

the competition for food: both the species were seen foraging on the same

flying insects. However, Whistler (1922) found that the Bushchat is on ‘good

terms with Desert Wheatear, neither shy nor pugnacious in its presence’.

7. Song

Hume (1878) writes ‘I never heard it sing or attempt to sing but it has a little

sharp chip chip note, which I now and then caught’. During January 1994, we

found that, while perched on a bush, the male uttered a soft, low, musical note

‘twitch-chhe chee chee’, lasting up to one minute. While singing, the throat

is inflated. This song is audible from 10-15 m only, so it does not appear to

be display or territorial song, because its neighbours are unlikely to be able to

hear it. Perhaps the female also sings this song though I am not sure.

8. Breeding

Nothing is known about the nest, clutch size or breeding season of the

Stoliczka’s Bushchat. During our brief study we were unable to find any

nests, not did we see any territorial behaviour.

72

A. R. RAHMANI

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CONSERVATION

Since its discovery to science in 1872, Stoliczka’s Bushchat has been

considered local and patchily distributed, but not uncommon in some areas.

Its typical habitat was described as desert biotope but it was also found in

semi-arid areas (e.g. Aligarh, Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh) and open

scrub (Saurashtra, Kandahar?) . It appears that these areas were marginal for

the species and that its main stronghold was the vast waterless, sandy plains

of the Thar desert.

Stoliczka’s Bushchat has disappeared from marginal areas in its distribution

due to habitat alteration. More than 80 years ago, Whistler (1922) warned

that the future of the species would be affected by the progress of the

irrigation systems in India, and this prediction has come true. The case of

Aligarh district is worth citing. Aligarh district, which used to be semi-arid

with vast tracts of scrub-land and waste-land, has been almost totally

converted into cropland, thanks to good irrigation facilities through a

network of canals. In Pakistan, also, the same fate has befallen to this

species. Roberts ( 1 992) thinks it is extinct in Pakistan mainly because it was

unable to adapt to the spread of irrigation and cultivation. However, the

reasons for the rarity of the species are not so simple. No individual of this

species has recently been found in Kutch district, especially in the Banni

grasslands. Cultivation has not spread in the Banni area, and suitable

scrubland is still present in this vast, sprawling district. Mr. Himmatsinhji,

a very experienced Kutch ornithologist has never seen this species during 50

years of active bird-watching. Dharmakumarsinhji (1954) wrote ‘rarely met

with except in the drier portions of Saurashtra’. He does not mention where

exactly it has been seen, or whether he himself had recorded it.

Beside habitat alteration, there does not appear to be any other threat to

Stoliczka’s Bushchat. It is neither trapped nor hunted and there does not

appear to be any threat of hybridization with the congeneric S', torquata

because the latter breeds no nearer than the Himalayas (Ali and Ripley

1983a). My recent surveys show that Stoliczka’s Bushchat may not be as

threatened as was thought earlier because in certain areas (e.g. Diyatra,

Desert N.P.) it was fairly common. However, I did not see any individuals

near Jodhpur, where it was extremely abundant a hundred years ago.

Perhaps we did not visit the exact locations where Hume had made a series

of collections.

In order to get an accurate picture of its distribution and status in India,

a comprehensive project on this species is necessary. Without knowing its

habitat requirements and local movements (if any), it will not be possible to

develop a conservation strategy for Stoliczka’s Bushchat.

1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

73

Stoliczka’s Bushchat (Photo: Asad Rahmani).

FUTURE STUDIES

A project of at least two years is necessary to study the biology, ecology and

distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat.

The following are the main aspects that should be studied:

1. A status survey in its distributional range in different seasons, with

special emphasis on visiting areas in the same seasons when it has been

earlier seen or collected.

2. A study of its local or migratory movements (?) by marking birds.

3. A study of its habitat requirements and the effect of canal irrigation

systems.

4. A study of its general biology (food, territoriality, breeding season,

clutch size, nesting success, predators, songs, etc).

The first survey of the Thar Desert in February-March was funded by a donation of £500 by Cygnus

Wildlife Holidays and the Oriental Bird Club, through Carol Inskipp. I am grateful to all of them. The

second and third surveys of the Thar desert were funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature - India,

through their Community Biodiversity Conservation Movement, and partly by the Grassland

Ecology Project, jointly conducted by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and the Centre

of Wildlife and Ornithology (CWO). The Grassland Ecology Project is funded by the US Fish and

Wildlife Service vide Grant No. 14-16-0009-90-1253 14FT 566(16).

I am also grateful to the Mr V. D. Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and to Mr R. S.

Bhandari, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), of Rajasthan for giving me permission to visit

Desert National Park and other areas. Special thanks to my friend Mr R. G. Soni, Chief Conservator

of Forests, Bikaner, for stimulating discussion about the birdlife of the Thar. My sincere thanks to

Richard Grimmett and Mike Crosby of BirdLife for providing me with historical records from their

Biodiversity Project Database, and to Nigel Redman for providing recent records (from 1985 to

1992). I am also grateful to Mr. Himmatsinhji and Dr. T. J. Roberts for their stimulating letters and

74

A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

comments on the manuscript. Dr. Philip McGowan of Milton Keynes Open University very kindly

photographed specimens of Saxicola species in the collection of The Natural History Museum. I am

grateful to Philip and The Natural History Museum. Dr Unnithan helped me in studying Saxicola

specimens in the BNHS collection.

I also want to thank my colleagues Dr. Vibhu Prakash of BNHS, and Harkirat Sangha for providing

me the recent sight records.

I thank Carl D’Silva, Brij Bhushan Sharma, Yogesh Dubey, Rajat Bhargava and Manoj Kulshereshtha

who accompanied me during the surveys. Thanks to Zafar-ul Islam for typing and formatting the

manuscript. Lastly, I want to thank my driver and field companion Mehboob Alam for help during

the surveys.

REFERENCES

Abdulali, H. (1988) A catalogue of birds in the collection of the Bombay Natural History Society-

33. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 85: 118-134.

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1983a) Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Compact Edition.

Bombay: Oxford University Press.

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1983b) A pictorial guide to the birds of the Indian subcontinent. Bombay: Oxford

University Press.

van den Berg, A. B., Bosman, C. A. W. and Rozendaal, F. G. (1981) Records of Stoliczka’s Whinchat

in Rajasthan, India in August 1978. Dutch Birding 3: 20-21.

Butler, E. A. (1877) The avifuana of Mt. Aboo and north Guzerat. Addenda. Stray Feathers 5:

207-236.

Collar, N. J, Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1994) Birds to watch 2. Cambridge, U.K.: Birdlife

International.

Dharmakumarsinhji, R. S. (1954) Birds of Saurashtra. Bombay: The Times of India Press.

Hume, A. O. (1877a) (Notes about Pratincola species in India). Stray Feathers 5: 130-132.

Hume, A. O. (1877b) Notes on some of our Indian stonechats. Stray Feathers 5: 239-244.

Hume, A. O. (1878) The birds of a drought. Stray Feathers 7: 52-68.

Paludan, K. (1959) On the birds of Afghanistan. Vidensk Medd. Dansk Natur. 122: .

Rahmani, A. R. (1993) Little-known Oriental bird: White-browed Bushchat. Oriental Bird Club

Bulletin 17: 28-30.

Rahmani, A. R. (1994) Wildlife situation in the Thar. Unpublished. New Delhi: World Wide Fund

for Nature-India.

Roberts, T. J. (1992) The birds of Pakistan, 2. Karachi: Oxford University Press.

Sharpe, R. B. (1879) Catalogue of the birds in the collection of the British Museum, 4. Campephagidae,

Muscicapidae. London: British Museum.

Stoliczka, F. (1872) Notice of the mammals and birds inhabiting Kachh.J. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 41(2):

211-258.

Swinhoe, C. (1882) On the birds of southern Afghanistan. Ibis (4)6: 95-126.

Ticehurst, C. B. (1926) The birds of British Baluchistan. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 31: 687-713.

Whistler, H. (1915) Some birds in Hissar district, Punjab. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 24: 190-191.

Whistler, H. (1922) Birds of the Jhang district. Ibis 1 1(4): 259-309.

Whistler, H. (1938) The ornithological survey of Jodhpur state. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 40:

213-235.

AsadR. Rahmani, Centre of Wildlife and Ornithology , Aligarh Muslim University,

Aligarh 202 002, India.

HISTORICAL RECORDS OF STOLICZKA’S BUSHCHAT

1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

75

76

A. R. RAHMANI

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1996

Status and distribution of Stoliczka’s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha in India

77

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1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 95 - 102

79

The current status and biology of the

White-napedTit Parus nuchalis in

Kutch, Gujarat, India

J. K. TIWARI and ASAD R. RAHMANI

The White-naped (White-winged Black) Tit Pams nuchalis is endemic to

India and has a disjunct and restricted range (Ali and Ripley 1987). Hussain

et al. (1992) have described its recent distribution but its ecology has not

been studied. Its current status is of some concern due to its very limited

geographic range, an apparent decrease in abundance and distribution, and

substantial destruction or modification of native vegetation within its

known range. It is treated as globally threatened by Collar et al. (1994) and

categorized as Vulnerable.

The species is now patchily distributed in Kutch, probably due to

fragmentation of scrub forest by human interference. A special watch was kept

for it during various surveys carried out in Kutch. S. N. Varu, N. N. Bapat and

M. K. Himmatsinhji were approached for details of any recent sightings.

The current status is described on the basis of 26 sightings between

August 1991 and August 1994, mainly from Nakhtrana and Abdhasa

talukas (= subdistricts), including some sightings made by other observers

(Table 1). Roosting and feeding behaviour were studied in a tropical thorn

forest near the village of Fulay-Chhari, at the edge of Banni in Kutch. Data

on the roosting behaviour were collected for 24 days, and the nesting

behaviour was studied for a total of 100 hours over a period of 10 days.

Study area

The village Fulay-Chhari lies on the southern edge of the famous grasslands

of Banni (23°12’N 69°54’E) in Kutch district. The village is located about

80 km north-west of Bhuj (district headquarters). Small groves of Acacia

nilotica are present around the village, which is inhabited by cattle graziers.

The Banni is a vast alluvial plain of about 3,850 km2, covered in parts with

Haloxylon salicomicum and Salsola bryosoma. Many portions of Banni subject

to inundation are covered with coarse grasses and sedges. The White-naped

Tit was found in small groves dominated by Acacia. A major part of Kutch

still has tropical thorn forest, especially near Dhinodhar, Dayapar, Moti

Virani, Piyoni, Matano Madh, Khadir, Ramvada and Barenda. Intense

studies were carried out around Fulay-Chhari on the tit and other species,

and short surveys were conducted elsewhere throughout Kutch.

80

J. K. TIWARI and A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

Figure 1. Distribution of White-naped Tit in Kutch district 1992-1994

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Current status of the species

The White-naped Tit revealed its presence in an area by its musical calls.

During the breeding season (June - August) they were very vocal. They were

very shy, flying off when approached to a distance between 30 and 50 m. The

preferred habitat of the species was scrub forest, consisting of Acacia

leucophloea, A. nilotica, Prosopis cinerarea, Ziziphus jujuba, Capparis aphylla,

Salvadora oleoides, S. persica and Grewia tenax. However, in drought years,

they have been observed in green stream beds and in irrigated fields, where

they may well come into contact with insecticides used for pest control.

The species is found patchily distributed throughout most of Kutch, but

nowhere is it common. It was always associated with dead and decaying

trees, where it roosts and nests in holes made originally by Yellow-crowned

Woodpeckers Dendrocopos mahrattensis.

It is still found at a low density in all the suitable natural habitats, wherever

appropriate snags in old or dying trees are available. There appears to be

some local movement in search of food. They apparently disappeared from

the study area for periods as long as three months, indicating that they

wander extensively.

1996

The current status and biology of the White-naped Tit

81

Table 1. Recent records of White-naped Tit in Kutch

Breeding behaviour

Very little has hitherto been recorded concerning the breeding behaviour

(Ali 1945) and the clutch size is still unknown.

In June 1993 a pair was found near a tall Acacia nilotica tree. One, perhaps

the male, was very vocal, perching on the highest branch and emitting a

variety of vocalizations, from a sweet song to bold scolding notes. It was

noted around the same tree for eight days but the nest was not located.

Fourteen apparently suitable holes were located in about 2 km2 of scrub

forest, five of which were occupied by Chestnut-shouldered Petronias

Petronia xanthocollis and two by Brahminy Starlings Stumus pagodarum. The

number of available nest holes has been considered a major factor limiting

the population size of several secondary hole-nesting species (Nilsson and

Martin 1993).

Finally, on 24 July 1993 a nest of White-naped Tit was located in in old

woodpecker’s nest hole in a 5 m tall Salvadora persica near Fulay village,

Kutch (23°12’N 69°54’E). The nest, which faced south-west, was 2.5 m

from the ground and the hole had a circumference of 35 mm. Breeding

behaviour was studied over ten days for a total of 1 00 hours, and roosting

82

J. K. TIWARI and A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

behaviour was recorded on 24 days. The male advertises his presence from

a prominent perch for several days and it seems likely that he chooses the

nest site. Food was brought by both parents to the young a total of 470 times,

at a rate of 4.68 times per hour. Caterpillars were the most frequent food,

non-hairy ones constituting 56.6% of the total, and hairy ones 21 .3%. Other

items brought were insect pupae, beetles and weevils (together comprising

13% of the total) and spiders (9.1%). Food was brought by both parents,

commencing as early as 06h25 (before sunrise) and continuing as late as

20h00 (long after sunset). The parents called when approaching the nest,

eliciting a response from the nestlings. The maximum interval between

visits was 62 mins and the minimum interval was 3 secs. When both parents

arrived simultaneously with food one would enter the nest and the other

would pass the food from outside. Sometimes the bird holding food outside

would adopt a strange posture, fanning its tail, drooping and shivering its

wings, whilst holding its neck tucked in. The parents generally remained

quiet when predators appeared near the nest. The parents frequently

removed faecal sacs from the nest: 236 times (50% of the number of

occasions when food was brought). The sacs were dropped 30-40 m from

the nest. Four chicks were reared in the nest that was studied.

The first chick left the nest at 1 Oh 1 5 on 3 August and the remaining three

the following day. The fledglings moved to the middle canopy of a thorny

Acacia nilotica and they remained in the vicinity of the nest site for about four

or five days. About 40 days after leaving the nest the young birds were found

without their parents in attendance.

The first author found a nest at the same site in August 1 994. It was noted

that only one of the pair was ringed. The nest was predated two days after

it was found but, due to heavy rainfall, the cause of predation could not be

determined. It is not known whether one of the adults from the previous year

had died or whether this species regularly changes partners.

Sexual dimorphism

Ali (1945) considered that the sexes were alike, but Adam (1873) noted that

the male’s white nuchal patch is larger and more semicircular than the

female’s. The male and female were trapped near to the nest that was being

watched, just prior to the chicks fledging, and both birds were colour tagged

to facilitate individual identification. A prominent brood patch was found

in one bird - presumably the female. This bird was smaller than the other

and had a flatter head, lacking the short crest shown by the male when it was

excited. It was noted that the underparts of both birds were suffused with

yellow, a colour which had begun to appear about one month prior to

nesting. Both birds were ringed and released immediately after they had

been measured. They appeared slightly agitated for about 15 mins after

release, but soon recommenced bringing food to the nest.

1996

The current status and biology of the White-naped Tit

83

Biometrics:

Wing (mm) Bill (mm) Tarsus (mm) Tail (mm) Weight (gm)

Male 67 12 20 53

Female 65 12 19 49 13

Roosting behaviour

The birds normally retired to roost about sunset, but occasionally it would

be as late as 20 mins afterwards. They selected natural hollows or fissures

in dead Acacia nilotica trees. The height of the roosts varied from 4 to 8 m.

Prior to retiring they were very vocal, emitting a variety of calls, including

sweet, musical whistles and bold scolding notes. The individuals studied

showed a strong fidelity to the roost sites, utilizing the same site on a number

of consecutive days. At one site a Chestnut-shouldered Petronia had a nest

in the same tree and used to chase the tits as they settled to roost; however,

the tits continued to return to the site. One roost tree was cut down by local

people and another was burnt when part of the scrub forest was cleared for

cultivation - the base of the tree was set alight when the birds were occupying

the roost. We were able to extinguish the blaze before it destroyed the tree.

This highlights the need to conserve dead and decaying trees in scrub

forests in the area. Even while nesting one parent would use the normal roost

site and, when the young birds became too big, both parents would occupy

their favoured roost site.

Food and feeding behaviour

The recorded food consists predominantly of insects and spiders. During

the course of this study some individuals were noted feeding on the fruits of

Salvador a oleoides , and on the nectar of Capparis aphylla. They usually fed

in trees but they were noted to drop to the ground to catch insects (?) on a

dungheap. On three occasions birds were noted drinking water from a small

puddle.

Predators and threat postures

A John’s Earth Boa Eryxjohni was seen trying to enter the White-naped Tit’s

nest. The snake was caught and released away from the nest site.

Shikras Accipiter badius were noted several times near the nest site, and a

White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa was seen once, but the birds were not

seen to attempt to catch the tits. In the presence of a Shikra the tits became

silent and hid in the bushes.

Rats Rattus were seen a few times in the nest tree. The tits adopted a threat

posture, waving their heads to and fro, fanning their tails and spreading their

wings apparently to give the appearance of a coiled snake with its head erect

and swaying. This display caused the rat to move away rapidly.

84

J. K. TIWARI and A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

Clockwise from top left: Scrub-forest habitat of White-naped Tit

P. nuchalis ; Chick of P. nuchalis, August; P. nuchalis on nest with

food; Male (right) and female P. nuchalis', Male (right) and female

P. nuchalis; Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Dendrocopus mahrattensis,

on which P. nuchalis depends for nest sites (Photos: J. K. Tiwari)

Conservation

This study indicates that the long-term survival of the species in Kutch is

dependent on the tropical thorn forest and the conservation of dead and

decaying Acacia trees. The main causes of deforestation in Kutch are illegal

charcoal-making, the chopping of green fuel wood for bakeries, clearance of

the scrub for cultivation, the lopping of Acacia trees for fodder, and the

cutting of twigs for use as disposable toothbrushes. We estimate that in Bhuj

alone two or three Acacia nilotica trees are lost daily due to heavy lopping to

produce toothbrushes. About 40 families in Bhuj survive by selling tender

1996

The current status and biology of the White-naped Tit

85

twigs from house to house, and it is estimated that 50% of the population

of Kutch (1,200,000) use green twigs from this tree for tooth brushing. An

estimated 100 trees are lost daily for this reason. This slow and steady use

of Acacia trees is depleting the still abundant scrub cover of Kutch.

Excellent scrub forest is present in patches in Narayan Sarovar Chinkara

Sanctuary. There is a great danger that this reserved forest will disappear or

become degraded, if proposed cement factories are established in the

sanctuary. The Government of Gujarat has initiated steps to denotify the

sanctuary and reduce its size from 765 km2 to 96 km2. There are also

proposals to build 43 factories in the area to exploit the rich limestone

resources underlying the thorn forests. If these are developed it is likely that

most of the suitable habitat for the White-naped Tit in Kutch would be

destroyed.

There is an urgent need to conserve the tropical thorn forests and to find

other areas where the White-naped Tit still occurs.

We are grateful to M. K. S. Himmatsinhji, S. N. Varu, N. N. Bapat, Trilochan Chhaya, Ashwin Pomal

and Vasant Giri Goswami of the Pelican Nature Club (Bhuj) and Abdul O. Langa (forest guard),

Nakhatrana for their help in providing valuable information. Muhammad Saidad, local assistant of

the Grassland Project, was helpful during our field work.

The field work was carried out under Grassland Ecology Project funded by a PL-480 Grant No. 14-

16-0009-90-1253, 14 FT 56(16) by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and sponsored by the

Ministry of Environment, Government of India. This project is run jointly by the Bombay Natural

History Society and the Centre of Wildlife and Ornithology (CWO), Aligarh Muslim University. We

are grateful to Prof. A. H. Musavi, the former Chairman of CWO, and to Dr Jay Samant, Director,

BNHS for necessary support. We also acknowledge the help and support of Mr David Ferguson of

the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lastly, we want to thank Yogesh Dubey and Mehboob Alam for

their help in the field.

REFERENCES

Adam, R. M. (1873) Notes on the birds of Sambhar Lake and its vicinity. Stray Feathers 1: 361-404.

Ali, S. (1945) The birds of Kutch. Bombay: Oxford University Press.

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1987) Compact edition of the handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan.

Second edition. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Collar, N. J., Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1994) Birds to watch 2, the world list of threatened

birds. Cambridge: BirdLife International.

Hussain, S. A., Akhtar, S. A. and Tiwari, J. K. (1992) Status and distribution of White-winged Black

Tit Pams nuchalis in Kutch, Gujarat, India. Bird Conservation International 2: 115-122.

Nilsson, K. J. and Martin, T. (1993) Characteristics and utilization of old Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius holes by hole-nesting species. Ibis 135: 410-416.

J. K. Tiwari, P.O. Luni Junction, District Jodhpur, Rajasthan - 342802, India.

A. R. Rahmani, Centre of Wildlife and Ornithology, Aligarh Muslim University,

Aligarh - 202002, India.

86

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1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 103 - 1 14

87

The significance of Delhi Zoo for wild

waterbirds, with special reference to the

Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala

ABDUL JAMIL URFI

Delhi Zoo, situated close to the Yamuna river, is an important site for wild wetland birds in the Delhi

region. In a field study during 1987-1992, eight species of wintering waterfowl and ten species of

nesting large waterbirds were observed breeding in its premises. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala

is the most prominent colonial nester of the heronries in the zoo. Its breeding pattern was studied

through four seasons. The ecological aspects of the zoo’s wild waterbirds are reviewed and from issues

arising, ideas for a conservation monitoring programme are presented.

INTRODUCTION

Besides its numerous caged exhibits, an extra feature of the National

Zoological Park (Delhi Zoo) in New Delhi, India is its wild waterbirds,

which fly freely in and out of the premises. Numerous species of migratory

waterfowl winter in its ponds and on some mesquite trees, planted on

islands, several species of colonial waterbirds build nests. During the winter

months, the most prominent nesters are the Painted Storks Mycteria

leucocephala , which have been nesting here regularly since 1960 (Desai

1971a).

Delhi Zoo, besides being a zoological park, is also an important site for the

conservation of wetland birds in a semi-urban setting. The colonial waterbirds

which breed here, i.e. Painted Stork, Black-headed Ibis Threskiomis

melanocephalus and several species of egrets, herons and cormorants (Table

1), constitute a group of wetland birds important from a conservation point

of view. Because of the ease with which these birds can be observed, this site

offers a unique opportunity for studying their ecology and behaviour.

This paper is primarily a review of observations made during 1987-1992

(Urfi 1992, 1993a and unpublished information) and other published work

on the wild waterbirds of Delhi Zoo. Its objective is to evaluate the

significance of the zoo as a repository of wetland birds diversity and discuss

pertinent aspects of their ecology and conservation, with special reference

to the Painted Stork.

88

A. J. URFI

Forktail 12

Entrance

Sunder

Nagar

Yamuna Connection

250 m

Figure 1. Sketch map of Delhi

Zoo showing the main network of

interconnected canals. The three

ponds having heronries are

numbered 1, 2 and 3. Islands

planted with mesquite trees are

shown as black

STUDY AREA AND METHODS

Delhi Zoo is approximately 85 ha in area and is located between the two

famous historical monuments, Humayun’s Tomb and the Old Fort, on the

western bank of the Y amuna river. Its extensive network of ponds and canals

(Figure 1) is fed by the Yamuna river which lies barely 1 km away. During

the period 1987-1992 I visited the zoo twice a month, on average (mostly

during August-May), and made observations on the wild waterbirds. On

each visit the wintering waterfowl were counted in the ponds 1, 2 and 3;

those on the ponds close to the zoo entrance and the interconnecting canals,

were counted only once each year during 1987-1991. These counts were

made on a day in January/February, generally in the afternoon, and the

results were transmitted to the Asian Midwinter Waterfowl Census

programme (IWRB, Reports of the Asian Midwinter Waterfowl Census , 1987,

1988, 1989, 1990). Some other observations on the zoo’s wild waterbirds

were also made.

From the viewpoint of nesting waterbirds three ponds, each having islands

planted with mesquite trees Prosopis juliflora , are significant (Fig. 1). The

first pond faces the old fort wall and the second one, which is close by and

connected, is also known as the ‘pelican pond’. Both of them are

1996

The significance of Delhi Zoo for wild waterbirds

89

approximately 0.8 ha in area and have two islands each. The third pond,

which is the smallest and lies in the interior of the zoo, has only one island.

In all the ponds the mesquite trees grow quite densely and their canopies

merge and appear to be continuous. During 1988-1989, some Painted

Storks also built nests on other trees in the vicinity of the ponds. The ponds

are also used for the exhibition of the zoo’s pinioned waterbirds: Great White

Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus, Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius , White Stork

Cicoma ciconia, Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus and Sarus

Crane Grus antigone. Primarily for these captive birds, the zoo authorities

dump fish (about 60-7 0 kg of dead fish per day for the three ponds combined)

in the ponds. Some of this food is also consumed by the wild waterbirds.

Through 1 988-1992, at bi-weekly intervals during the breeding season of

Painted Stork (August to May) I made roost counts of adult birds at about

18h00, from a distance of 15-20 m, using binoculars and a hand digital

counter. I counted the chicks in all the nests each month. Chicks (birds less

than one month old) were identified by white-down, yellow-tipped black bill

and their poor motor ability (Shah and Desai 1975).

OBSERVATIONS AND DISCUSSION

Records indicate that, besides other species, Eurasian Wigeon Anas

penelope , Common Pochard Aythyaferina, Red-crested Pochard Rhodonessa

ruftna, Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca , Gadwall Anas strepera and

Garganey A querquedula used to winter in the zoo, and until the 1970s wild

Greater Adjutants and Spot-billed Pelicans Pelecanus philippensis would

sometimes also visit the zoo in small numbers (Bhatia and Desai 1971). On

some occasions during 1988-1991, four to nine wild Great White Pelicans

were observed. Since the arrival of the wild birds, some Great White

Pelicans (pinioned exhibits) have bred - possibly the pinioned females were

fertilized by wild males (Urfi 1992). (It is believed that a hindrance to

breeding in captivity for such large birds is the inability of the pinioned males

to gain a secure balance on the body of the female during copulation) . Since

Great White Pelicans were seen later in the study period, and also more

recently during 1994-1995, it seems that the zoo has become a regular

breeding site for this species. Given that its nesting has not been reported

from Delhi (Ganguli 1975) this should now be considered as a new breeding

record for the region (Urfi 1996).

There is a record of Ruddy Shelduck Tadoma ferruginea and Common

Pochard having nested in Delhi zoo (Desai 1971b). In this study, Spot¬

billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha, Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus and

White-breasted Waterhen Amauromis phoenicurus were the only waterbirds

observed to breed. During March and April Spot-billed Ducks were seen

90

A. J. URFI

Forktail 12

Species

Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis

Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger

Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Br

Painted Stork Mycteria ieucocephaia

Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea

Northern Pintail Anas acuta

Common Teal Anas crecca

Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos

Common Coot Fulica atra

Status

Br

Win

Br/Win

Win

Br = breeding; Win = wintering/roosting

Table 1. Wintering waterfowl and heronry birds observed in Delhi zoo during 1987-1992

enacting their characteristic ‘head-bobbing’ courtship display. Their nests

and also those of the rails, were seen in several places in the zoo.

Wintering ducks during the study period

Eight species of wintering waterfowl were observed in the zoo ponds

(Table 1). The census figures for four species are shown in Figure 2. Little

Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis , Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

and Common Coot Fulica atra were seen sporadically, and generally in

small numbers (less than 5). The population of the resident species, the

Spot-billed Duck, was observed to swell during the winter months. Northern

Pintail Anas acuta , Northern Shoveler A. clypeata and Common Teal A.

crecca start arriving by September and among the earliest arrivals are females,

juveniles and males in eclipse plumage. Whereas for Northern Pintail, the

numbers wintering in the ponds showed a decline through 1987 to 1991, no

clear trend is apparent for the other species, in spite of considerable yearly

variations in numbers. Relatively high numbers of Comb Duck Sarkidiornis

melanotos and Common Teal were seen in 1989 and 1990, respectively. The

waterfowl species given above are known to consume vegetable matter and

invertebrates of wetlands and agricultural fields (Ali and Ripley 1987). In the

zoo they are generally to be seen resting during the day. It appears that the

concrete-lined ponds of the zoo, with hardly any rooted vegetation are

perhaps less important for the birds as a feeding ground than as a refuge from

human or raptorial disturbance ouside the zoo.

1996

The significance of Delhi Zoo for wild waterbirds

91

1500-1

1000-

500

Pintail

1500-1

10001

500-

750i

500-

250

Shoveler

Common Teal

15

10

Comb Duck

0

□ 1987 ni988 ni989 □ 1990 >1991

M

Figure 2. Midwinter counts (1987-1991) for four species of wintering waterfowl in Delhi Zoo.

Heronries

The birds nesting in Delhi zoo heronries are given in Table 1 . Although these

birds have been nesting regularly in the zoo since 1960, Black-headed Ibises

joined this list only in 1989. According to the zoo officials the Black-headed

Ibis started breeding in the zoo thanks to their programme of releasing some

captive-bred birds (Urfi 1992). Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and

Darter Anhinga melanogaster were observed to use the zoo only for roosting.

92

J. K. TIWARI and A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

Figure 3. Monthly numbers of adult Painted Storks and new chicks produced in Delhi Zoo during

1988-1992. The season 1989-1990 was a zero recruitment year for the population. For explanation

see text.

The different species nesting in the zoo heronries use the same mesquite

trees. From published literature (Table 2), and from a year’s observations

during the study period it is clear that there is considerable natural variation

in the nesting season of the different birds. Observations indicate that there

is also variation in the location of the nests on the mesquite trees by the

different species. Painted Storks, being the largest birds, generally build

nests on the topmost parts of the canopy, while Black-headed Ibises occupy

the lower and middle parts. Cormorants, herons and egrets build nests in the

inner parts of the trees. However, more field studies are required to establish

this spatial and temporal variation in nesting.

It will be useful to classify the Delhi zoo heronries according to a standard

system, so that this heronry can be directly compared with others in the

Indian subcontinent. Singh and Sodhi (1985) used a system which is based

on five sets of characteristics as follows:

1996

The current status and biology of the White-naped Tit

93

Table 2. Temporal variations in the nesting period of colonial waterbirds in the Delhi region

1 location (whether inside or outside human habitation);

2 general plant type of the heronry (tree, reed or bush);

3 breeding species of birds (pure or mixed heronry);

4 physiognomy (whether the heronry is compact or loosely structured;

and

5 whether the plants used are of one or more than one species.

According to this system the Delhi zoo heronries are ‘Associated’, i.e.

within human habitation; ‘Tree Heronry’ and ‘Mixed’, since several species

of colonial waterbirds use this site. In 1990-1991 and 1991-1992 all of the

Painted Storks nested only on mesquite. However, during 1988-1989, when

many more birds nested (Table 3), nests were also built on other trees. Of 202

nests in that season, 138 nests (68%) were in mesquite trees, 41 (20%) were

in Ficus religiosa, 11 (5%) were in Azadirachta indica, 7 (4%) were in Bombax

ceiba and 5 (3%) were in Pongamia pinnata trees in the vicinity of the ponds.

Taking these observations into account, the classification of the Delhi zoo

heronries, with respect to the last two characteristics in Singh and Sodhi’s

scheme, will vary considerably. Depending upon how many birds are nesting,

the heronry can be classified as ‘Compact’ or ‘Loose’, and ‘Homogeneous’ or

‘Heterogeneous’ with respect to physiognomy and tree species, respectively.

94

J. K. TIWARI and A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

Table 3. Breeding data of Painted Storks Mycteria leucocephala at Delhi zoo during 1988-1992

(from Urfi 1993a)

For Painted Stork and a few other species the zoo has been their only

recorded breeding site in the Delhi region (Ganguli 1975). Although, in

recent surveys, some new and hitherto unreported heronries were discovered

(Urfi and Sharma 1992) the zoo is certainly the largest and the most

consistent heronry in the Delhi region (Urfi 1993b). Indeed for a large part

of north-western India, this site is perhaps the only major breeding ground

for colonial waterbirds, second to the famous heronries of the Keoladeo

Ghana National Park at Bharatpur, about 170 km away.

Painted Storks

In the area around Delhi, the Painted Stork lives singly or in small flocks in

the non-breeding season, and starts flocking to the zoo for breeding in late

August. The seasonal changes in the size of the adult Painted Stork

population at the zoo, and the monthly production of new chicks in the three

breeding seasons during 1988-1992 are shown in Figure 3. During 1989 the

birds began nesting as usual but stopped abruptly around 25 September.

This may have resulted from disturbance due to an exceptionally large

number of visitors to the zoo, who had come to Delhi that day for a political

rally (Urfi 1990). Although the maximum yearly number of the incoming

adult storks varied, ranging from 325 to 550 (Table 3), the following pattern

is constant: after September the number of adults in the zoo declines,

probably because competition for nesting sites or mates forces some birds

to leave. Around January the number of adults increases again, due to a fresh

influx, although this time the increase in number is not as much as initially.

The pattern of recruitment of chicks corresponds to the pattern of adult

movements in that there is a major bout of recruitment during October-

November, just after the initial influx. During 1988-1989 there was a

distinct second but smaller recruitment bout in May, corresponding to the

second arrival of adults in January. It is unclear whether this represents a

second breeding attempt by some individuals, or a prolonged breeding

effort in that year. In 1990-1991, although the breeding season extended

into May, there was not a definitive second peak.

1996

The current status and biology of the White-naped Tit

95

Figure 4. Sketch map to show the location of Delhi Zoo in relation to the river Yamuna. Sites where

Painted Stork feeding parties were encountered are denoted by X. Shaded areas show the expanse

of urbanization.

The Painted Stork, which is largely piscivorous (Ali and Ripley 1987), is

believed to breed at a time of year when food is plentiful in the wetlands

(Desai et al. 1974, Kahl 1971) in accordance with the food availability¬

breeding time hypothesis (Perrins 1970). The major recruitment bout in

October is, therefore, timed in relation to the spawning of fish during the

monsoon rains in July-August. However, a correlation should be expected

between monsoon performance each year and an index of Painted Stork

breeding. Unfortunately, the data in this study are too meagre to test this

hypothesis. Secondly, is the second recruitment bout as during 1988-1989

and to a lesser extent during 1990-1991, real? If so, what is its ecological

basis? Finally, to what extent does the breeding time of other heronry birds

relate to food availability in the environment?

Since the ponds which the Painted Storks use are also used by the

pinioned waterbirds, for which food is added, the question is: what is the

significance of this food for the storks? It has been observed that when fish

for the exhibits is dumped in the ponds each morning, several Painted Storks

rush forward to grab this free and easy meal. However, the Painted Stork

colony of about 100 nests would consume approximately 24 tonnes of fish

in the breeding season. The concrete-lined zoo ponds and the dead fish

which are dumped in them are unlikely to meet these demands. So, the

majority of the food requirements of the breeding storks are presumably met

by foraging in wetlands associated with the nearby Y amuna river (Figure 4) .

During the breeding season, adult Painted Storks were observed flying

directly from their nests out of the zoo, or climbing on thermals (Desai

1971a), which is strongly indicative of preparation for a long-distance food¬

finding mission. There is also another line of reasoning which suggests that

the majority of the food for the breeding storks and their chicks is likely to

be met by catching fish from the natural wetlands of the Y amuna outside the

zoo. There is evidence (O’Connor 1984) that the food requirements of

96

J. K. TIWARI and A. R. RAHMANI

Forktail 12

chicks, in many species, are different from those of adults. Because of their

smaller gape size, Painted Stork chicks probably need to be fed by relatively

small-sized fish and the appropriate size class is likely to be abundant in

natural wetlands of the Yamuna where the fish have spawned after the

monsoon rains. However, this hypothesis has to be tested in the field. Also,

more field studies are required to locate the favourite feeding areas of Painted

Storks on the Yamuna, across a much larger area than shown in Figure 4.

CONSERVATION

Since the wild waterbirds of Delhi zoo are dependent on the Yamuna river,

any change in the quality of the river is bound to affect the zoo’s birds. On

the other hand, events or habitat changes in the zoo will also affect the bird

populations of Delhi’s wetlands. A case in point is the unusual human

disturbance during 1989, making this year one of zero recruitment. A

problem in recent years, which is now getting quite noticeable, is siltation

of the ponds. Although this is bound to affect the zoo’s wild waterbirds, the

time scale on which the changes will take place will be best understood by

a population monitoring programme, which will also help to ring alarm bells

and goad conservation bodies into action if the habitat quality deteriorates

sharply. It has to be borne in mind that the conservation of the wetland

habitats associated with the Yamuna in Delhi will depend on our ability to

check the increasing levels of pollution in the river, and the growth of

urbanization in the surrounding areas.

Since the initiation of the ‘Asian Waterfowl Census’ in 1 987 by the IWRB,

the importance of monitoring bird populations is being realized in India

(Urfi 1995). However, there are not many bird population monitoring

projects going on in India yet. In this regard, a long-term bird population

monitoring programme at the Delhi zoo, and perhaps other Indian zoos

which provide a habitat for wild waterbirds, is likely to prove worthwhile.

One advantage of such sites is that being located in urban areas they are

easily accessible to counters.

A long-term monitoring programme of the zoo’s wild waterbird populations

should be structured along the following lines:

1 an annual waterfowl count complemented by a parallel counting event

at a constant site (such as Okhla barrage and environs) on the Yamuna

river;

2 a monthly count of adults, juveniles, nests etc. for all the heronry birds;

and

3 an annual sample of Painted Stork nests should be monitored for

clutch size and breeding success parameters.

Given that the wild waterbirds use Delhi zoo premises opportunistically,

1996

The current status and biology of the White-naped Tit

97

in a certain sense the zoo authorities may not consider their care and

management as among their formal responsibilities. However, the crucial

role which the Delhi zoo can play in the conservation of wetland birds

requires a major shift in their attitude.

I thank Professor T . R. Rao and Dr N. Iyer for comenting on earlier versions of the manuscript. This

paper was written while I was a CSIR Pool Officer at the Department of Zoology, University of Delhi.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1987) Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Bombay: Oxford

University Press.

Bhatia, C. L. and Desai, J. H. (1971) Migratory and other birds in Delhi Zoological Park. Indian

Forester 97: 266-273.

Desai, J. H. (1971a) Feeding ecology and nesting of Painted Stork Ibis leucocephalus at Delhi Zoo.

International Zoo Yearbook 11: 208-215.

Desai, ]. H. (1971b) Note on breeding of Ruddy Shelduck Tadoma ferruginea (Pallas) at Delhi

Zoological Park. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 68: 243.

Desai, J. H., Shah, R. V. and Menon, G. K. (1974) Diet and food requirements of Painted Storks at

the breeding colony in the Delhi Zoological Park. Pavo 12: 13-23.

Ganguli, U. (1975) A guide to the birds of the Delhi area. New Delhi: Indian Council of Agricultural

Research.

Kahl, M. P. (1971) The courtship of storks. Natural History 80: 36-45.

O’Connor, R. J. (1984) The growth and development of birds. John Wiley and Sons.

Perennou, C., Rose, P. and Poole, C. (1990) Asian waterfowl census 1990. Mid-winter waterfowl counts

in southern and eastern Asia, January 1990. IWRB/AWB.

Perrins, C. M. (1970) The timing of birds breeding seasons. Ibis 112: 242-255.

Scott, D. A. and Rose, P. M. (1989) Asian waterfowl census 1989. Mid-winter waterfowl counts in

southern and eastern Asia, January 1989. IWRB.

Shah, R. V. and Desai, J. H. (1976) Growth and development of the Painted Stork, Ibis leucocephalus

Pennant. II. Post hatching growth pattern and motor development. Pavo 13: 88-101.

Singh, N. and Sodhi,N. S. (1986) Heronries and the breeding population density of the Cattle Egret,

Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Boddaert) during 1985, in Tehsil Kharar of the Ropar district (Punjab).

Pavo 23: 77-84.

Urfi, A. J. (1990) Mysterious disappearance of Painted Storks from Delhi Zoo heronries and abrupt

termination of their breeding. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 30(5 & 6): 3-5.

Urfi, A. J. (1992) The significance of Delhi Zoo for waterbird conservation. International Zoo News

39: 13-16.

Urfi, A. J. (1993a) Breeding patterns of Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala Pennant) at Delhi Zoo,

India. Colonial Waterbirds 16: 95-97.

Urfi, A. J. (1993b) Heronries in the Delhi region of India. Oriental Bird Club Bull. 17: 19-21.

Urfi, A. J. (1995) India takes the birds under its wing. New Scientist 15 April 1995: 47-48.

Urfi, A. J. (1996) On some new breeding records of waterbirds from the Delhi region. J. Bombay Nat.

Hist. Soc. 93: 94-95.

Urfi, A. J. and Sharma, S. C. (1992) Bijana Peepul: a new breeding site for Painted Stork discovered

in Delhi region. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 32(1 1 & 12): 10-1 1 .

van der Ven, J. (1987) Asian waterfowl - 1987. Slimbridge: IWRB.

van der Ven, J. (1988) Asian waterfowl - 1988. Slimbridge: IWRB.

Dr Abdul Jamal Urfi, 270, Jamia Nagar, Okhla, New Delhi, 11025, India

(permanent address); Sundarvan-Nature Discovery Centre, Centre for

Environment Education, Thaltej, Tekra, Ahmedabad 380 054, India (current

institutional address).

98

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1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 135 - 142

99

An assessment of common and rare forest

bird species of the Andaman islands

PRIYA DAVIDAR, T. R. K. YOGANAND, T. GANESH and

NIRAJ JOSHI

A rapid assessment of forest birds was carried out in the Andaman islands in the Bay of Bengal. Forty-

five islands were surveyed for 47 species of forest birds. The status of each species was determined

by their distribution across the islands and their relative abundance. Four species were very rare, with

infrequent sightings and found only on a few islands. Only one endemic species, the Andaman

Treepie Dendrociua bayleyi was rare. In general the status of the forest birds was robust, but the rare

species that were identified need to be monitored as an indicator of the status of the forest bird

community and of the forests of the Andaman islands.

INTRODUCTION

Rare species are under greater threat than others, and the science of

conservation biology has to a large extent focused on the conservation of rare

species (Soule 1986, Gaston 1994). Rare species can be identified by small

range sizes or low abundance or both (Gaston 1994), and can form the core

for the protection of habitats and ecosystems. The Andaman and Nicobar

islands, with a rich variety of tropical forest types and diverse flora and fauna,

are under intense developmental pressures (Saldanha 1989, Whitaker 1985).

Although a large number of sanctuaries and national parks has been

notified (Pande et al. 1991), the protected area network might not be

adequate to conserve all of the species and ecosystems (Davidar etal. 1995).

This study was undertaken to assess the status of forest birds of the

Andaman islands, in order to identify rare species and species vulnerable to

extinction. These rare species can be used as monitors to assess the status

of the forests and forest biodiversity in the Andaman islands over time, and

to measure the impact of conservation programmes.

The birds of the Andaman islands have received attention for over a

century (see Ripley and Beehler 1 989) . The most recent and comprehensive

record was by Abdulali (1965, 1981) andTikader (1984). The status of each

species was approximated from collections and field observations, but little

quantitative work has been undertaken.

We surveyed 45 islands of the Andaman group for 47 species of forest

birds in 1992, 1993 (February to May), and 1994 (February). The status

of each species was determined by the number of islands on which it was

distributed and its abundance.

100

P. DAVIDAR el al.

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Study site

The Andaman islands are part of the Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands

that extend from south-western Myanmar to north-western Sumatra, lying

between 6°45’N and 13°41’N (Srinivasan 1986). Commonly called the ‘Bay

islands’, the Andamans and Nicobars are a submerged mountain chain

which is part of the Arakan Yomas of Myanmar. These islands lie off the

south-east coast of Asia about 571 km from the Malayan peninsula and

1,330 km from southern India.

The northernmost islands are less than 300 km from Myanmar and the

southernmost Great Nicobar island is about 189 km from Sumatra. These

islands are considered truly oceanic as they were never connected to the

continent during the Pleistocene glaciation (Ripley and Beehler 1989).

The Andamans are composed of about 300 islands, of a total land area of

over 5,000 km2. The major land mass is made up of North, Middle,

Baratang and South Andaman islands, forming a super-island. Rutland,

another large island lies within 1 km of the southern tip of South Andaman

Island. Little Andaman (675 km2 in area) is located about 67 km from the

South Andamans and is the southernmost island in the Andaman group. It

is separated from the Nicobars, which lie further south, by the 140 km wide

10 degree channel.

The climate is tropical and oceanic with rainfall from both the SW and NE

monsoons. The average annual rainfall is 3,000 mm (State Statistical

Bureau 1989). The dry season extends from January to May, with another

short break in September-October.

According to Ripley and Beehler’s (1989) analysis, 104 species of birds

are known to breed in the Bay islands. Their affinities are predominantly

with Myanmar and the Malay peninsula, with 8 1 of the species also breeding

in south-western Myanmar and 75 in the Malay peninsula. There are also

13 endemic species and eighty-six endemic races.

Of the 104 breeding bird species, 47 were identified as predominantly

forest dwelling. Taxa that were excluded are nocturnal species such as owls

and nightjars, swifts, swallows and kingfishers. A few other species were also

excluded because of their particular ecology. The teals were excluded as

they were dependent on freshwater bodies, which appeared seasonal in

many places, the Narcondam Hornbill Aceros narcondami, as it occurred on

only one island which was not surveyed, and a few others like the Red

Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica and the White-breasted

Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus, appeared to favour open areas. The

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos was ubiquitous, even in towns and

villages. The Pied Triller Lalage nigra was not recorded in the survey.

1996

An assessment of common and rare forest bird species of the Andaman islands

101

METHODS

This survey covered the different large island masses and archipelagos in the

Andaman group of islands. The islands surveyed ranged from Landfall off

the northern part of the North Andaman island, to Twins and North Cinque

off the southern tip of South Andaman island. Islands in the Labyrinth

group, where the Marine National Park is located, the Ritchie’s archipelago,

islands off Mayabundar, Ariel Bay, and on the west coast of North

Andamans such as North Reef were surveyed. Different sites were surveyed

on large islnds,such as the North Andaman, Baratang, South Andaman,

Rutland and Little Andaman. On larger islands with a diversity of habitats,

separate transects were walked on each habitat type, and the number of

transects in each habitat type was related to the size of that particular

habitat. Transects of 1 km length were walked in the mornings starting at

07h00. All birds seen or heard were recorded and identified using Ali and

Ripley (1987) and King et al. (1975). Their distance along the transect line

and approximate perpendicular distance to the transect line were noted.

Transects were laid in different habitat types on each island or, in large

islands and the number of transects was related to the proportion of each

habitat type.

The status of each species was assessed by its distribution and its relative

abundance. The number of sites in which the bird was recorded, was used to

assess its geographic range and the total number of sightings, its abundance.

These parameters are commonly used to identify rarity (Gaston 1 994) . In

this study the habitat-niche was not taken into account as many bird species

were found to occupy more habitats on smaller islands (Yoganand

unpublished).

The bird species recorded on all the above-mentioned sites and islands

were ranked in ascending order according to the number of islands on which

each was recorded. These ranks were transformed into an index of 1-5.

Birds recorded from 1-11 islands were assigned a rank 1 (< 1 1 islands form

25% of the total sampled), 1 2-20 a rank of 2, 2 1 -30 a rank of 3, 3 1 -40 a rank

of 4, and finally 41-45 a rank of 5.

The total number of sightings per species in the 1993 and 1994 surveys

was ranked in ascending order. These were assessed in a total length of 70

km of transect in the North Andaman island, Baratang, Little Andaman and

associated islands.

The total number of birds recorded in these surveys was 5,028. The data

from the survey of South Andamans and associated islands (12 islands) in

1 992 were not included. Each species was given a rank from 0 to 5, from the

least abundant to the most abundant species. Species with less than 10

sightings were given a value of 0, 10-50 sightings a rank 1, 50-100 a rank 2,

100-150 a rank 3, 1 50-200 a rank of 4 and 200+ a rank 5. These ranks were

102

P. DAVIDAR et al.

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Table 1. Ranking the forest bird species of the Andaman islands by distribution and abundance

in ascending order from rare to common species

1996

An assessment of common and rare forest bird species of the Andaman islands

103

Table 2. Distributional patterns and abundances of Andaman forest birds based on feeding

categories

added to give a composite rank from 1 to 1 0 listing the species from the most

infrequent to the most common. Each species was assigned to a feeding

category based on field observations and from literature (Ali and Ripley

1987). These categories are omnivore, frugivore, insectivore, granivore,

raptor and nectarivore. There is some similarity between the omnivore and

frugivore categories and doubtful species were assigned to either of these

two categories based on field experience.

RESULTS

The results show that species are distributed evenly across the ranks, with

roughly equal numbers being common or rare (Table 1). The ranks based

on distribution and relative abundances are correlated (Kendall correlation

coefficient Z=6.05, n=47, p<0.0001) implying that species with broad

distributional range are also more abundant. However, there are some

exceptions. Some species like the Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops

leschenaulti and the Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis were widely

distributed, but at low abundances, while others such as the Andaman

Drongo Dicrurus andamanensis and the Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis

panayensis were not widely distributed but occur in large numbers.

Raptors were generally restricted in distribution whereas the Olive-

backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis, a nectarivore was found on almost all

of the islands sampled. Omnivores and insectivores were distributed evenly

across all island categories, whereas frugivores had generally a broad

distributional range (Table 1).

Twenty-seven (57%) species had fewer than 100 records, whereas 9 had

more than 200 records. These 9 were made up of omnivores, frugivores and

a nectarivore. Granivores and raptors had fewer than 100 sightings. Seven

of the 9 (78%) insectivore species had fewer than 100 sightings, and none

over 200 sightings (Table 2).

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P. DAVIDAR et al.

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Seven out of 12 (58%) frugivores had abundances between 100-200 and

only 2 over 200. Six out of the 18 (33%) species of omnivores were very

abundant with over 200 sightings and 10 (55%) had less than 100 sightings

(Table 2). Species such as the Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina striata ,

Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus , Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus

xanthornus and Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi were

encountered infrequently and at low numbers, and are considered very rare.

The Pied Imperial Pigeon Ducula bicolor was very patchily distributed, with

flocks being encountered infrequently. However, the Andaman Treepie

Dendrocitta bayleyi and Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps are not as

rare as is suggested, as they are found only in large islands and even though

fairly common are given just one point for each record on a large island. Very

common species are Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus and Olive-

backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis.

Five of the species, the Andaman Serpent Eagle Spilomis elgini, Brown

Coucal Centropus andamanensis, Andaman Drongo Dicrurus andamanensis,

Andaman Woodpecker Dryocopus hodgei and Andaman Treepie Dendrocitta

bayleyi are endemic to the Andamans. Three species, Andaman Wood

Pigeon Columba palumboides, Andaman Cuckoo Dove Macropygia rufipennis,

and White-headed Starling Stumus erythropygius are endemic to the Andaman

and Nicobar islands (Ripley and Beehler 1989). Of these 8 species,

Dendrocitta bayleyi and Columba palumboides had a rank 2 Macropygia

rufipennis a rank 3 (Table 1). The rest were common.

DISCUSSION

Forest birds are the most important and conspicuous members of the

Andaman avifauna. They are not only important in their own right, but can

also serve as indicators of the status of the forest.

The status of the birds in general was robust and there is no immediate cause

of concern. The very rare species are not so because of any external threat, but

probably because of their intrinsic ecological requirements and biology. They

are also found predominantly on large islands and therefore are rare due to a

limited distributional pattern (Davidar et al. 1995). These rare species, if

monitored regularly over time can be used as indicators of the state of the forests.

Other species can function as more efficient indicators, as they occur on

a large number of islands but in low numbers. These species, such as the

Oriental Magpie Robin Copysychus saularis, Andaman Serpent Eagle Spilomis

elgini , Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos macei, Chestnut-headed

Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti, and others have a distributional rank of 3+,

but an abundance of rank 1 . Raptors are effective indicator species as they

are at the summit of the food chain, large-bodied and few in number. Any

threat to the environment will result in a decline in raptor populations.

1996

An assessment of common and rare forest bird species of the Andaman islands

105

Frugivores dominate the ecological landscape in the Andamans. Many of

the frugivores, usually fruit pigeons and parakeets, are encountered in

flocks, which move over a broad area in search of fruiting trees. They easily

traverse over water to visit fruiting trees on small islands and probably play

a very important ecological function in the dispersal and propagation of the

plant species.

The status of the avifauna such as the Narcondam Hornbill Aceros

narcondami, the Andaman Teal Anas gibberifrons, symbolic of these islands,

needs special attention due to their unique ecological requirements and

limited distributions; in addition to these, community level studies of rarity

in broad categories, such as forest birds, are required.

This study was funded by a grant from the Ministry of Environment, France. Dr J. M. Thiollay

assisted with the survey. We thank the Forest Department of the Andaman and Nicobar islands for

permission to carry out this study and for logistical support. We especially thank the Principal Chief

Conservator of Forests, the Chief Wildlife Warden, Shri Wahel, Shri Ajay Saxena DCF (Wildlife) and

Shri Yadav ACF (Wildlife) and his staff at Wandoor for the help rendered, and many others who gave

us timely assistance and support, without which this survey would not have been possible.

REFERENCES

Abdulali, H. (1965) The birds of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 61:

483-571.

Abdulali, H. (1981) Additional notes on Andaman birds. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 78: 46-49.

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1987) Compact edition of the handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. New

Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Davidar, P., Soubadra Devy, M., Yoganand, T. R. K and Ganesh, T. (1995) Reserve size and

implications for the conservation of biodiversity in the Andaman islands. In T. J. B. Boyle and B.

Boontawee, eds, Measuring and monitoring biodiversity in tropical and temperate forests. CIFOR,

Indonesia.

Gaston, K. J. (1994) Rarity. London: Chapman and Hall.

King, B., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. (1975) Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Pande, P., Kothari, A. and Singh, S., eds (1991) Directory of national parks and sanctuaries in Andaman

and Nicobar islands. New Delhi: IIPA.

Ripley, S. D. and Beehler, B. M. (1989) Ornithogeographic affinities of the Andaman and Nicobar

islands. J. Biogeogr. 16: 323-332.

Saldanha, C. J. (1989) Andamans, Nicobars and Lakshadweep. New Delhi: Oxford and IBH.

Soule, M. E. (1986) Patterns of diversity and rarity: their implications for conservation. Pp. 117-121

in M. E. Soule, ed. Conservation Biology: the science of scarcity and diversity . Associates, Sunderland,

MA.

Srinivasan, M. S. (1986) Geology of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. J. Andam. Sci. Assn. 2: 1-12.

State Statistical Bureau, Andaman and Nicobar Administration (1989) Handbook on Andamans

district. Port Blair: Govt. Press.

Tikader, B. K. (1984) Birds of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India.

Whitaker, R. (1985) Endangered Andamans. New Delhi: Environmental Services group, WWF-India,

and MAB India, Department of Environment.

Priya Davidar, T. R. K. Yoganand, T. Ganesh and Niraj Joshi, Salim Ali

School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet,

Pondicherry 605 014, India

106

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1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 143 - 152

107

Birds of Mudumalai

Wildlife Sanctuary, India

V. GOKULA and LALITHA VIJAYAN

The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, located between 1 1°30' and 1 1°39’N and 76°27’and 76°43’E,

in the Nilgiris district of T amil Nadu in the Western Ghats (Fig. 1 ), is mainly known for its larger wild

animals such as Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus and Tiger Panthera tigris

but also harbours a good number of bird species. The sanctuary encompasses an area of 321 km2

forming 14% of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (with a core area of 72 km2), the first biosphere reserve

of India established with the view of integration of development with conservation of biodiversity.

The sanctuary has an undulating terrain with low-lying areas and steep cliffs

of about 1 ,250 m above MSL. It is drained mainly by the Moyar river with its

several tributaries of smaller rivers and streams. The South-west and North¬

east monsoons provide about 600 to 2,000 mm rain, with an increasing

gradient from east to west of the sanctuary, which is hence endowed with a

high diversity of habitats, rich in variety of plants and animals.

The broad vegetation types are scrub forest and dry and moist deciduous

forests. The scrub, dry and moist habitats cover an area of about 44, 98 and

104 km2 respectively and about 16 km2 is revenue land. The scrub is

dominated by Chloroxylon swietenia, Erythroxylon monogynum and Acacia

sundra. The dry deciduous forests have more of Tectona grandis, Anogeissus

latifolia and Terminalia tomentosa and the moist deciduous forests have besides

some Syzygium cumini, Olea dioica and Persea macaranga. The sanctuary,

although contiguous with other protected areas, namely Bandipur Tiger

Reserve and Wynaad Wildlife Sanctuary, has pressures from human

populations settled inside and outside. The Nilgiris have been undergoing

drastic changes in the landscape with the replacement of forests and grasslands

by monoculture plantations and agriculture. The other developmental

processes such as hydro-electric projects with construction of dams, reservoirs,

canals and tunnels (Prabhakar and Gadgil 1994) has also changed the

ecological landscape of this area. The human settlement, with the immigration

of people to support the above-mentioned practices, kept on increasing

pressure on the forest around to meet their ecological needs and greed. The

impact of such pressure, exerted directly or indirectly on the biota, especially

birds, has not been assessed in this region. While conducting such a study on

the plants and birds of different habitats of this sanctuary, a status report on

the birds, which have not been well documented, is prepared and presented

based on the observations made during May 1994 to August 1995.

A total of 266 bird species was recorded, of which 213 were resident, 49 were

migrants, three were local migrants and one was of unknown status (Appendix) .

108

V. GOKULA and L. VIJAYAN

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Figure 1. Map of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

There were rare sightings of four species from this sanctuary during winter.

The species, with the number of birds and the month of sighting, are given

below: the Long-eared Owl Asio otus (2 in January), Southern Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis (3 in February), Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata (2

in January) and Singing Bushlark Mirafra cantillans (2 in January). The.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus, although rare, was sighted

in almost all seasons in particular riverine patches, and two pairs were

involved. The Savanna Nightjar Caprimulgus affinis was recorded thrice by

call during winter.

The number of species recorded was high in dry deciduous (142) and

scrub forest (139), followed by moist deciduous forest (130), but this last

figure may be because the birds were not so obvious in this habitat.

However, the moist deciduous forest had a greater number of habitat-

specific birds (56) than the scrub (40) and dry deciduous (10) habitats

(Fig. 2). Forty-one species of birds were generalists present in all the

habitats. The dry deciduous habitat harboured a smaller number of habitat-

specialists because of the affinity with scrub and moist deciduous habitats

and its homogeneous nature. Moreover, Tectona grandis and Anogeissus

latifolia which dominated dry deciduous habitat produced a structurally less

1996

Birds of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

109

Figure 2. Number of bird species

present in different forest types in

Mudumalai WLS

100

80

60

40

20

■ Carnivores □ Frugivores ■ Granivores

□ Insectivores EH Nectarivores □ Omnivores

hluLimL

Scrub jungle Dry deciduous Moist deciduous

Figure 3. Feeding-guild of birds in different habitats in Mudumalai WLS

110

V. GOKULA and L. VIJAYAN

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complex ecosystem and therefore supported a smaller number of bird

species. The scrub forest is unique in the sense that many bird species

occurring in this type do not occur elsewhere, whereas moist deciduous

forests share a number of species with evergreen forests elsewhere.

Nine of the 15 species endemic to the Western Ghats (Ali and Ripley

1987) were observed in the moist deciduous forest. Only one of these was

found in dry deciduous and scrub forest, while the rest of them were found

in all habitats. Thirty-one near-threatened species occur in the Western

Ghats (Collar et al. 1 994), of which 20 were observed in the sanctuary. Two

of these were aquatic while 18 were terrestrial. Here also moist deciduous

habitat is more important, since 12 of the 18 species were observed with

seven species specific to this habitat. Although there were eight and seven

species occurring in dry deciduous and scrub forest, only two and three were

specific to those habitats respectively. The feeding-guild structure of the

bird community showed a lot of insectivores in all the habitats (Fig. 3) but

with most in the scrub forest. Frugivores and nectarivores were observed

more in the moist deciduous forest. Granivores preferred scrub and dry

deciduous forest with more open areas.

Both the scrub and moist deciduous habitats have been subjected to severe

reclamation in the form of plantation, urbanization etc.; still, they hold a

considerable number of habitat specialists. The moist deciduous habitat thus

needs special attention from the conservation point of view with respect to the

habitat specialist, endemic and rare species. However, efforts are being made

by the forest department to minimize the disturbances inside the protected

areas. More observations on the species abundance and breeding requirements

would bring out the impact of disturbances on the bird community of this area

and also help to suggest some management measures for conservation.

This study was facilitated by the project of SACON financed by the Biosphere Reserve Programme

of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. We are grateful to the forest

officials of Tamil Nadu for their co-operation and encouragement from the Director and colleagues

at SACON. We have greatly benefitted from the comments of Tim Inskipp on an earlier draft of this

manuscript.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D.(1987) Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Compact edition, Oxford

university press, New Delhi.

Collar, N. J., Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1994) Birds to watch 2: the world list of threatened

birds. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife International.

Prabhakar, R. and Gadgil, M, (1994) Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: Biodiversity and population growth,

Pp. 33-37 in Anon., ed. Survey of the Environment.

V. Gokula and Lalitha Vijayan, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural

History, Kalampalayam, Coimbatore -641010, Tamil Nadu, India

1996

Birds of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

111

APPENDIX

BIRDS OF MUDUMALAI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

In the Appendix the following codes are used

1 = Species endemic to Western Ghats and

2 = Globally Near-threatened

HAB = Habitat:

S = Scrub,

D = Dry Deciduous,

M = Moist deciduous,

A = Aquatic.

ST= Status:

R = Resident,

M = Migrant,

? = Not known,

R? = Probably resident,

M? = Probably migrant.

FG = Feeding Guilds:

G = Granivores,

A = Aquatic vegetarians,

F = Frugivores,

P = Piscivores,

C = Carnivores (animals and carrion),

O = Omnivores,

N = Nectarivores,

R = Feeding on Rodents and small animals,

I = Feeding on Invertebrates,

M = Feeding on Molluscs

112

V. GOKULA and L. VIJAYAN

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SPECIES

Brown-headed Barbet Megataima zeylanica

White-cheeked Barbet Megalaima viridis

Crimson-fronted Barbet Megalaima rubricapilla

Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala

Malabar Grey Hornbill Ocyceros griseus 1,2

Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris

Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus 2

Great Hornbill Buceros bicomis

Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops

Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx enthacus

Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis

White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smymensis

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

Green Bee-eater Merops orierttalis

Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti

Pied Cuckoo Clamaior jacobinus

Large Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides

Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius

Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus

Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii

Grey-belued Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea

Blue-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus viridirostris

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis

Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis

Vernal Hanging Parrot Loriculus vemalis

Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria

Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri

Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

Malabar Parakeet Psittacula columboides l

Indian Swiftlet Collocalia unicolor

Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus

Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis

Little Swift Apus affinis

Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata

Barn Owl Tyto alba

Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia

Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena

Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo

Spot-bellied Eagle Owl Bubo nipalensis 2

Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica

Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum

Spotted Owlet Athene brama

Long-eared Owl Asia otus

Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus

Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus

Savanna Nightjar Caprimulgus affinis

Rock Pigeon Columba livia

Nilgiri Wood Pigeon Columba elphinstonii 1,2

Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis

1996

Birds of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

113

114

V. GOKULA and L. VIJAYAN

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SPECIES

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii

Black-crowned Night Heron Nyciicorax nycticorax

Black Bittern Dupeior flavicollis

Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans 2

Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura

Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis

Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella

Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis

Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons

Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus

Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach

Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis

Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda

White-bellied Treepie Dendrocitta leucogastra 1,2

House Crow Corvus splendens

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis

Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthomas

Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei

Black-headed Cuckooshrike Coracina melanoptera

Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

White-bellied Minivet Pericrocotus erythropygius 2

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus

Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus

White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis

White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola

Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus

White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens

Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea

Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi

Common Iora Aegithina tiphia

Large Woodshrike Tephrodomis gularis

Common Woodshrike Tephrodomis pondicerianus

Blue-capped Rock Thrush Monticola cinclorhynchus

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius

Malabar Whistling Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii

Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina

Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula

Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica

Black-and-orange Flycatcher Ficedula nigrorufa 1,2

Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina

White-bellied Blue Flycatcher Cyomis pallipes 1,2

Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyomis rubeculoides

Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher Cyomis tickelliae

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis

White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus

HAB

A

S,D,M

D,M

M

D,M

S,D,M

S,D

S

S,D

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M

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M

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S,D

D

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D,M

S

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M

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M

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M

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R

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R

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R

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R

M

R

M

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I

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1

1996

Birds of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

115

SPECIES HAB

Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata S,D

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros S

Common Stonechat Saxicola corquata S,D

Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata S

Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturrius malabaricus D

Brahminy Myna Sturrius pagodarum S,D

Rosy Starling Sturrius roseus S

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis S,D

Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus S,D

Hill Myna Gracula religiosa M

Chestnut-belued Nuthatch Sitia castanea S,D

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis M

Great Tit Parus major S,D,M

Blacr-lored Tit Purus xanthogenys M

Dusky Crag Martin Hirundo concolor S

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica S

Pacific Swallow Hirundo domicola S

Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo srnithii S,D

Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica S,D

Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus S,D,M

Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer S,D

Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus 2 S

Yellow-browed Bulbul Iole indica M

Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus M

Bright-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis S

Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii S,D

Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica S,D

Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis S

Plain Prinia Prinia inomata S,D

Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus S,D,M

Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum D,M

Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus S

Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata S,D

Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius S

Eurasian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita S

Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis S

Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides D

Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris D,M

Tytler’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tytleri 2 S

Broad-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola platyura 1,2 S

Wynaad Laughingthrush Garrulax delesserti 1,2 M

Puff-throated Babbler Pellomeum ruficeps S,D,M

Indian Scimitar Babbler Pellomeum horsfieldii S,D,M

Dark-fronted Babbler Rhopocichla atriceps M

Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense S,D

Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus S

Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi S

Rufous Babbler Turdoides subrufus D,M

Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus D,M

Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis S,D

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca S,D,M

Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis S

Singing Bushlark Mirafra cantillans S

Indian Bushlark Mirafra erythropiera S

ST

R

M

R

M

R

M

R

M

R

M

R

M

R

FG

I

F

I

F

FI

I

1

I

1

I

IF

I

116

V. GOKULA and L. VIJAYAN

Forktail 12

1996

FORKTAIL 12 (1996): 159 - 196

117

Bird records from Similajau

National Park, Sarawak

J. W. DUCKWORTH, R. J. WILKINSON, R. J. TIZARD, R. N.

KELSH, S. A. IRVIN, M. I. EVANS and T. D. ORRELL

Similajau National Park is a 71 km2 coastal park in Sarawak, Borneo, consisting of mainly pristine

lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, bounded north and south by rivers with small areas of mangroves

at their mouths. Birds were surveyed in the park for six weeks in August - September 1986 and three

weeks in September 1995. About 230 species were found, a total almost as high as for any surveyed

site in Borneo, and reflects the joint presence of coastal and forest habitats, good habitat condition

and the high survey effort. There was no evidence of major change in bird communities between the

two years, although during the intervening nine-year period the park was opened for tourists and

much of the surrounding Similajau Forest Reserve had been felled. The stationing of permanent park

staff seeems to have deterred hunting. Over 70 (30%) of the species were recorded in only one of the

two years; for most of these a contributory factor to this pattern could be suggested. It is likely that

many further species remain to be found.

Records of Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta and Grey Imperial Pigeon Ducula

pickeringii may be the first from Sarawak. Twenty species were considered Globally Threatened or

Near-threatened by Collar et al. (1994). The only Globally Threatened species seen regularly in both

years was Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus; fireback sp. Lophura, Bornean Ground Cuckoo

Carpococcyx radiatus, Grey Imperial Pigeon and Storm’s Stork Ciconia stormi were seen once each.

Among Near-threatened species, populations of Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesii, Black

HornbiUAnthracoceros malayanus, Black Magpie Platysmurus leucopterus, Bornean Brisdehead Pityriasis

gymnocephala, Hook-billed Bulbul Setomis criniger and Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteron albogulare

are all large. Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii had apparently left the area, probably because of the

greatly increased disturbance in the park’s estuaries; Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus may also

have declined. Various open-country species (none listed in Collar et al. 1994) had become more

common. The park supports few endemics compared with other Bornean sites; this may be related

to its very low altitude. Protection of the birds of the park is aided by the apparent historical absence

of hunting and agriculture by local rural people.

INTRODUCTION

Similajau is a small (7 1 km2) National Park in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo,

located at 3°22'-31’N 1 13°10'-18’E, 30 km north of the town of Bintulu. It

was surveyed for birds between 6 August and 15 September 1986 (Duckworth

and Kelsh 1988). Since 1986, large areas of lowland forest have been cleared

across Sarawak, increasing the importance of forest remaining in the state’s

protected areas. Furthermore, although few birds found in 1986 had then

been assessed as Globally Threatened with extinction (King 1978-1979), the

most recent Bird Red Data book (Collar et al. 1994) considered as Globally

Threatened or Globally Near-Threatened many species found in Similajau in

1986. This change reflects both the recent and extensive habitat destruction

in the Sundaic subregion and a more comprehensive listing of birds under

threat: Wells (1985) pointed out that the species then listed in the Red Data

118

J. W. DUCKWORTH el al.

Forktail 12

Book were a selection of spectacular, rather than preferentially threatened,

forest birds. A repeat visit was therefore made to Similajau National Park

during 4-28 September 1995 with two aims:

1 . to update information on the status of Globally Threatened and Near-

Threatened species;

2. to add to the 1986 inventory, which was clearly incomplete for various

groups (nocturnal species, cuckoos, pigeons, ground-living birds and

others).

STUDY AREA

Similajau National Park (N.P.) (Fig. 1) was gazetted in 1979, chiefly for the

marine turtles breeding on its beaches. Of the three totally protected areas

in coastal Sarawak, it is the only one with significant lengths of beach

coastline (Kavanagh 1985). Behind the beach, a strip of forest at least 1.5

km wide is also in the protected area. The northern boundary is formed by

the eponymous Sungei (= river) Similajau and the southern by the Sungei

Likau. The national park is surrounded by the 1,203 km2 Similajau Forest

Reserve which is currently being logged for commercial timber. However,

at least along the Likau, a strip of riverine forest appears to have been left

along the bank outside of the national park. Very little forest clearance has

occurred within the national park, whose vegetation is almost entirely

primary. The park was opened to visitors in 1986 and accommodation and

facilities were offered at the park headquarters from the early 1990s.

Most surveyed areas supported mixed dipterocarp forest (hereafter,

MDF), approaching kerangas (forest on soil too poor to support a rice crop)

over large areas. Small areas, both tidal and freshwater, resembled swamp

forest. A coastal forest (distinct in its reduced stature and tree species

composition) lined the beach, while the estuaries and lower saline reaches

of major rivers supported small areas of mangroves and nipah palm. Small

areas of secondary growth were present at both ends of the park in 1 986; by

1995, their area adjacent to the park had expanded considerably.

Along the coast, long sand beaches are interspersed with low rocky

promontories. In Kuala (= estuary) Likau, large areas of mud were exposed

at low tide, but most of Kuala Similajau was sandy.

Work concentrated in three areas: around the lower Likau (where the park

headquarters (HQ) are now located) , at Ulu Likau (the upstream extent of the

national park, 5 km by river from the estuary) and around the lower Sungei

Similajau. Most observations were made within 2 km of the respective base

(Fig. 1), but in 1995, the recently-developed trail network around the lower

Likau allowed observations over a larger area, especially along the coast path

north of Kuala Likau to the mouth of the Sungei Kabalak, which runs mostly

at least 50 m (and often much more) within the forest. Observations were

made up to 105 m altitude; the highest point of the park is at only 113 m.

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

1 19

Most records came from opportunistic forest birding. Active searching was

mixed with prolonged watches at productive sites (fruiting and flowering

trees, treefall sites, areas with sparse understorey and river-pools). Survey

effort is presented in Table 1. In 1986, many incidental observations were

made from boats along the Likau and Similajau and considerable time

(about 20 days with 1 9 nets) was devoted to mist-netting. Little information

on bird status additional to that from field observations was gathered by the

latter method (see Duckworth and Kelsh 1988).

120

J. W. DUCKWORTH et al.

Forktail 12

Effort in person-days (and in calendar days)

Table 1: Survey effort at Similajau N.P. in 1986 and 1995.

RESULTS

The status of all species recorded in the two years is presented in Table 2,

using the sequence and nomenclature of Inskipp et al. (1996). No observer

was fully familiar with the Bornean avifauna on either visit and calling levels

were low in 1995 (see Discussion), so status assessments are based solely on

the number of records, with no allowance made for ease of detection, etc.

The home range of some birds (including White-bellied Woodpecker

Dryocopus javensis, hornbills, Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii, large

raptors and waterbirds), is likely to exceed that of each surveyed area. It is

thus difficult to establish how numerous such species are: the given status

indicates the frequency of sighting, not the population size.

Habitat is indicated for species which were rarer in MDF than in other

habitats: mangroves, the coastal fringe, main rivers or secondary growth.

Dates of first sighting are given for long-distance migrants in each year.

Reassessment of records from 1986 resulted in amendments to Duckworth

and Kelsh (1988), mostly confirmation of records previously considered

provisional. For three species the 1986 sightings were considered inconclusive

and the records are here retracted: Black Partridge Melanoperdix nigra.

Short-toed Coucal Centropus rectunguis and Hose’s Broadbill Calyptomena

hosii. These species may be present in Similajau N.P., as at least two were

recorded at low altitudes around Gunung (= Mount) Dulit, which lies only

80 km away (Hose 1893, Smythies 1981).

Bird communities of Similajau National Park

Primary Forest

Wells (1985) divided the terrestrial forest birds of Borneo into lowland and

montane species, with some of the former subdivided into extreme lowland

specialists and slope specialists. Of 45 extreme lowland specialists in

Borneo, 30 (67%) were recorded from Similajau N.P. Some unrecorded

species are easily overlooked (two gamebird species, two green pigeons, an

owl, a frogmouth, a nightjar and two pittas) and Black Ibis Pseudibis papillosa

was never recorded in this part of Sarawak (Smythies 1981). The lack of

records of Wallace’s Hawk Eagle Spizaetus nanus, Grey-headed Fish Eagle

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

121

Table 2. Bird species recorded at

Similajau National Park in 1986

and 1995.

Abbreviations

Threat codes (Collar etal. 1994):

GT = Globally Threatened;

GNT = Globally Near-threatened.

Forest-use codes (Wells 1985);

LS = Lowland forest specialist;

XLS = Extreme lowland forest specialist;

SLS = Slope lowland forest specialist;

ELS = Lowland forest edge specialist;

EXLS = Extreme lowland specialist of

forest edge;

MS = Montane forest specialist;

SIFS = Small-island forest species;

Man = Mangrove specialist.

Status in Similajau:

C = Common (detected on over two-

thirds of days in the field, often in some

numbers);

F = Frequent (found on at least a third of

days);

0 = Occasional (found on fewer than a

third of days);

P = Present (meaningful categorization

into one of the foregoing not possible);

days where observation was reduced

(because of prolonged rain, shopping in

Bintulu, etc.) were not considered as

blank days during status assessment.

[ ] = identification provisional;

? = status not resolved; * = recorded

only some distance from Kuala Likau.

Habitats in Similajau:

coas = coastal;

man = , mangroves;

riv = large rivers;

sec = secondary growth.

Dates are the first dates for migrants;

n/r = species was not recorded that year;

n/d = species was recorded but arrival

date could not be established meaning¬

fully.

** Middendorff’s Warbler not ruled

out on 1986 sighting.

* * * Clamorous Reed Warbler not

ruled out.

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Forktail 12

Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus, Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina striata and two

blue flycatcher Cyomis species may reflect a genuine scarcity in, or absence

from, Similajau N.P. which could not be predicted from the species’s ranges.

Only seven (22%) of Wells’s (1985) 32 slope specialists were found,

reflecting the flat topography and low altitude of Similajau. Surprisingly, two

species classified as montane were located, Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis

and Besra Accipiter virgatus. However, Black Eagle occurs over a range of

altitudes in Borneo, although it is more frequent at higher altitudes (Mann in

prep.); the assessment of this species as montane in Borneo was inappropriate.

The presence of these slope and montane species is probably related to the

proximity of Gunung Dulit (summit 1,400 m); submontane species occur

down to sea level in hilly country (Fogden 1976).

Wells (1985) listed a few forest-adapted small-island species: only one was

recorded (Grey Imperial Pigeon Ducula pickeringii) , and it was seen only once.

Many forest species were found only in one year (18 in 1986, 24 in 1995),

demonstrating that further species await discovery in Similajau N.P.; at least

60 Bornean lowland forest birds remain unrecorded. Nocturnal birds remain

particularly poorly known. Few calling birds were heard during considerable

time spent in forest by night in 1995. September may be a poor month for

calling by owls, cuckoos, nightjars and frogmouths; few were heard at Barito

Ulu (Kalimantan) in September 1989 (Wilkinson et al. 1991b). Calling levels

of diurnal birds also seemed low in Similajau in 1995 (see Discussion).

Quantitative comparisons between different forest-types in the park

cannot be made, as observers moved continuously through a complex

mosaic of MDF, kerangas and swamp forest, with some parts at the northern

end of the park affected by past human interference. Brunig (1974) also

found that transitions between these three forest-types were gradual and

difficult to define. Furthermore, the habitats are so close to each other that

bird mobility would obscure differences in importance to birds.

Mangroves

At least 16, possibly up to 21, bird species in Borneo depend mainly, or

wholly, on mangroves (Wells 1985). Similajau supports seven of the 1 6 (and

four of the other five), a high total considering the small area of mangroves.

Two species categorized as total specialists (Copper-throated Sunbird

Nectarinia calcostetha and Mangrove Blue Flycatcher Cyomis mfigastra )

were found. However, re-examination of records of the flycatcher shows

that in Borneo it also occurs in secondary forest, plantations and coastal

scrub, and is not a total specialist of mangroves (Mann in prep.). Many

species seen in the lower Likau mangroves are not typical of that habitat; the

mangroves were of such limited extent that most species of MDF pass

through them while moving between different patches of forest.

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

129

Scrub and open country

About 35 landbird species found in Similajau N.P. were not classed by Wells

( 1 985) as dependent upon forest or mangroves. All eight species which were

markedly more common in 1995 than in 1986, occur commonly in open,

scrub, or edge habitats (Table 3) , reflecting ongoing forest clearance outside

the reserve. Many other such species occur in Bintulu and are likely to

colonize the park in the future.

Coast

Thirteen species of waders were recorded in low numbers. The only regular

species were Common Sandpiper^crms hypoleucos and (in 1 986) Malaysian

Plover. The largest flock was of 25 Common Redshanks Tringa totanus. The

surveys were earlier than the main wader passage; however, relatively few

would be expected as the coast is predominantly coarse sand (D. Parish

verbally 1986).

Sea

Pelagic seabirds were represented by single Bridled Terns Sterna anaethetus

offshore on 16 September 1986 and 17 September 1995, and by three single

unidentified frigatebirds Fregata. Small numbers of terns (particularly, in

1986, Little Terns Sterna albifrons) were frequent, and concentrations of

feeding terns were present close to the shore on 16 September 1986, 18 and

27 September 1995. On 13September 1995, 40 terns were found roosting on

rocks out to sea in an area not visited subsequently. Some offshore movements

of birds were observed: numerous Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica (over 100

south per hour on some days), occasional south-bound wader flocks

(particularly in late September 1 995), and, on 1 3 August 1 986, 40 unidentified

terns heading north.

Globally Threatened and Globally Near-threatened species

Twenty species considered by Collar et al. (1994) to be either Globally

Threatened (Endangered or Vulnerable) or Globally Near-threatened were

found in the two years combined, with provisional records of a further one

species. All information gathered on these species is presented below. All

1995 records come from forest around the lower Sungei Likau unless

otherwise stated. Provisional records are placed in square brackets.

Fireback sp. Lophura Vulnerable (both potential species). A group of at least

four Crestless Firebacks L. erythophthalma or Crested Firebacks L. igitita was

flushed at the margin of mangroves and MDF on 14 September 1995. Single

pheasants (Great Argus A rgusianus argus not excluded) were seen twice on the

Batu Ancau trail on 8 September 1995. No pheasants were seen in 1986.

130

J. W. DUCKWORTH et al.

Forktail 12

Malaysian Honeyguide Indicator archipelagicus Near-threatened. Singles

heard at Ulu Likau on 29 August 1986 and 15 September 1995.

Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesii Near-threatened. One to three

most days in fruiting trees around HQ in September 1 995, with birds heard

in forest every few days. One heard by the Sungei Similajau on 1 3 September

1995, but none at Ulu Likau in 1995. In 1986, the species was common at

all three sites, with 2-3 dispersed birds frequently audible from a single

point; over 20 were estimated around the Sungei Similajau.

The difference in recorded status between the two years probably reflected

calling activity, low levels of which in 1 995 seemed widespread among forest

species.

Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus Near-threatened. In 1995 two

pairs, sometimes aggregating, were seen regularly around HQ in primary

forest and adjacent degraded areas, including around the park HQ. At least

one other pair was in the surveyed area of the lower Likau; a flock of at least

seven was seen on two days around Ulu Likau and a pair was found at Sungei

Similajau.

In 1 986, singles were seen around HQ on four occasions; both sexes were

present. Up to three were seen about 2 km up the Sungei Likau on three

dates and around Ulu Likau on 1 2 occasions. Groups of three and two were

found around Sungei Similajau. These groups temporarily joined at least

once, and individuals frequently left for periods of hours; up to two were also

found towards the boundary on two dates.

Although adjacent pairs aggregate not infrequently, larger groups, such as

that at Ulu Likau in 1995, are more often of subadults (Kemp 1995). The

species is an extreme lowland specialist (Wells 1985) with most records

from below 200 m (Kemp 1995).

Helmeted Hornbill Buceros vigil Near-threatened. Heard on 8 September

1995 by an observer previously familiar with the species. None was found

in 1986. This species’s highly distinctive call, audible for up to 2 km, is

frequently given by territory holders throughout the day (Kemp 1995), so

the species is clearly unusual at Similajau N.P. It occurs primarily in foothills

(Kemp 1995).

Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros comigatus Vulnerable. Groups of up to three in

the lower Likau forest on three dates in September 1995 were supplemented

by nine flying north on 22 September low over the mangroves. Three were

seen daily at Ulu Likau on 13-15 September 1995, but none was recorded

at Sungei Similajau.

In 1986, Wrinkled Hornbills were found on a total of 22 days and there

were regular pairs around each of the three study sites; the members were

often seen separately. The birds around Ulu Likau had tails stained much

darker than those at the lower Likau. Three further birds were seen at Ulu

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

131

Likau on 25 August. Another pair was seen 700 m upstream along the

Sungei Similajau on 15 September 1986.

Thus, records were less frequent in 1995 than in 1986, but groups were

larger. Birds range over large areas and may gather in large numbers at

suitable fruiting trees (Kemp 1995). The differences in status between the

two years are likely to be related to fruiting.

The species prefers lowlands, especially swamp forest near the coast; most

records are from below 30 m altitude (Kemp 1995). The frequency of

records at Similajau in 1986 compares well with Bornean sites listed by

Kemp and Kemp (1975), but density estimation is notoriously difficult

(Kemp 1995).

Bornean Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiatus Vulnerable. One by the coast

path on 22 September 1995. There were no records in 1986 and although this

path was traversed frequently in 1995, this was the only record. A bird was

collected near Bintulu last century (Sharpe 1877). The species is recorded so

infrequently that it is difficult to put this record in context.

Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus Near-threatened. A flock of five at

Kuala Similajau on 13 September 1995. In 1986 there was a single from the

lower Likau, up to 15 on six days at Ulu Likau, flocks of 20 and nine seen

along the Likau, and two records (a single and two) at the Sungei Similajau.

This considerable decline in records may reflect a real status change; indeed

the species was probably under-recorded in 1 986, due to prior unfamiliarity

with the call.

Grey Imperial Pigeon Ducula pickeringii Vulnerable. One on 7 September

1995 roosted in the mangroves with two Green Imperial Pigeons D. aenea.

It was probably present on 6 September, but from 8 September only two

imperial pigeons were in the area. Numbers of this genus were higher in

1 986 and this species may have been overlooked. This little-known species,

occurring primarily on islands, is widespread in Sabah, but Collar et al.

(1994) traced no records from Sarawak.

Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii Near-threatened. In 1986, single

pairs were resident in both Kuala Likau and Kuala Similajau; on 12

September an additional female was at the Similajau. None was found in

1995 despite frequent careful checking of the Likau and Kabalak estuaries

and a visit to Kuala Similajau.

Both estuaries formerly occupied are now used heavily by people, the

former by park staff and tourists, the latter by loggers and others. This may

render the entire park unsuitable for the species, which occurs mainly in

muddy areas: birds in 1986 were frequently noted foraging on muddy and

rocky substrates, but never on sand. The species is absent from some long

stretches of the Sarawak coast which are predominantly sand (Smythies

1981).

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Forktail 12

Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni Near-threatened. Singles on 1 September

1986 at Ulu Likau and 17 September 1995 in the Likau mangroves.

Darter Anhinga melanogaster Near-threatened (refers to A. m. melanogaster

treated as a separate species in Collar et al. 1994). Singles along the Likau

on four dates in 1986. These sightings probably involved only one bird,

making the significance of the probable absence from the Likau in 1995

difficult to assess. It is unlikely to have declined due to park-related

disturbance as, for example, in September 1994 a Darter was observed on

a pool of diameter 50 m within the Damai Beach resort complex on the

Sarawak coast; although the pool was surrounded by natural vegetation and

rarely visited by people, construction was occurring within 1 . 6 km in several

directions (R. A. Lewis verbally 1994), and, in Similajau, other large birds

(hornbills, owls, etc.) have become confiding around the Likau.

Storm’s Stork Ciconia storrni Endangered. One flew south about 200 m

above Kuala Likau on 10 August 1986.

Black Magpie Platysmurus leucopterus Near-threatened. Up to three groups,

usually of 4-5 birds, on most days in 1995 in MDF and mangroves around

the lower Likau. In 1986, up to six birds on eight dates around the lower

Likau, two records at Ulu Likau and 1-2 around Sungei Similajau on six

dates. Groups were often with Bornean Bristleheads.

Bornean Bristlehead Pityriasis gymnocephala Near-threatened. One or two

groups (of up to five) were seen in MDF and mangroves around the lower

Likau on 1 1 days in 1995. In 1986, up to five birds were found around the

lower Likau on nine days, and up to four were found at Ulu Likau on three

days. The species was not recorded around the Sungei Similajau; for such

a conspicuous species, this suggests that it was scarce or absent during the

survey. It was difficult to establish the number of groups present at a study

site; there was little consistency in counts of group size. Because groups

foraged with the individuals spaced over a wide area and because non¬

calling birds were inconspicuous, it was difficult to count groups unless they

flew across a river. Variation in group-size counts might also have arisen if

several groups lived at each site or if they were of fluid composition.

Individuals were seen frequently within the mid-storey but groups as a

whole used mainly the canopy and even emergents. Nash and Nash (1986)

noted a preference for the mid/upper canopy. Birds observed twice in

secondary growth tended to use tall trees left from the primary forest. Birds

were frequently observed foraging in MDF, and, in 1995, in the mangroves

(however, a large number of forest species foraged at least briefly in the

mangroves). A group observed throughout one day moved through the

forest at about 100 m per hour. Birds foraged in a manner similar to the

Helmet Vanga Euryceros prevosti oi Madagascar, with frequent clumsy sally-

gleaning (see Evans et al. 1992). They also explored foliage in a heavy yet

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Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

133

acrobatic fashion, rather like large tits. Particularly large food items (cicadas,

katydids, etc.) were eaten braced against a large branch.

Bristleheads were frequently in mixed-species flocks, as noted by Witt and

Sheldon (1994b). In 1986 they were twice seen with Checker-throated

Woodpeckers Picus mentalis; in 1995 they accompanied Black Magpies

many times, as in Sabah (Ahlquist et al. 1 984), and they were seen once each

with Checker-throated and Olive-backed Woodpeckers Dinopium rafflesii.

This Bornean endemic is an extreme lowland specialist (Wells 1985) and

is rare or uncommon over most of Borneo (Witt and Sheldon 1994b). As

such it will always be potentially threatened by habitat loss. The many

previous records from coastal areas include Similajau in 1953, but an

association with the coast may be an artifact of past collecting and surveying

patterns; it seems to be difficult to find the species repeatedly at any given

site, suggesting that birds may be present only intermittently (Witt and

Sheldon 1994b). The number of records around the Likau in two periods

separated by nine years is therefore perhaps surprising as Witt and Sheldon

(1994b) considered that, while the bird occurred over a wide range of

altitudes and forest-types, it was perhaps mainly found in tall forests on good

soil. Further survey around Sungei Similajau, to assess whether the lack of

records there reflects a real absence, is desirable before concluding that the

poorer soils of this part of the park are responsible for the lack of Bristleheads.

Hook-billed Bulbul Setomis criniger Near-threatened. In 1995, one in

MDF around the lower Likau on 1 1 September and at least three (in ones

and twos) on both 13 and 14 September at Sungei Similajau. In 1986, 1-2

were seen thrice around the lower Likau and twice at Ulu Likau. Birds were

seen on seven days around the Sungei Similajau, in groups of 1-2, with a

peak daily count of seven (and four were netted there).

One on 7 August 1986 was carrying food. One on 14 September 1995

displayed to another by lowering its head and shivering its outstretched

wings.

The species is distributed patchily in Borneo, primarily in areas of

nutrient-deficient soil and there are previous records from Similajau and

Bintulu (Sheldon 1987). In both 1986 and 1995, it was clearly more

common around Sungei Similajau than around Sungei Likau, and this may

reflect the greater area of kerangas- type forest around the former.

White-chested Babbler Trichastoma rostratum Near-threatened. One on

1 1 September and two on 19 September 1995 around the lower Likau. In

1986, four singles around the lower Likau and two records of 1-2 at Ulu

Likau were probably this species.

Ferruginous Babbler Trichastoma bicolor Near-threatened. In 1986, two

were netted in secondary forest near HQ, 1-2 were seen five times at Ulu

Likau (with two netted there) and one was seen at Sungei Similajau. None

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J. W. DUCKWORTH et al.

Forktail 12

was recorded in 1995. There is no obvious reason why the species would

decline in Similajau between 1986 and 1995, and this pattern of records

may have arisen by chance.

Grey-breasted Babbler Malacopteron albogulare Near-threatened. In 1 995,

1-2 were recorded on three dates around the lower Likau. In 1986, a single

was seen by Sungei Similajau, a group of four around the lower Likau (with

one netted there) and two were netted at Ulu Likau.

Birds were not found in mixed-species flocks, a difference from many

other babblers also noted by Holmes and Wall (1989) and Dutson et al.

(1991). All birds were in the understorey or lower mid-storey, as noted by

Dutson et al. (1991).

This species, as Hook-billed Bulbul, occurs mainly in forest over soils low

in nutrients and there are previous records from Similajau and Bintulu

(Sheldon 1987). Dutson et al. (1991) stated that the species was common

in secondary forest in Similajau, but this was a misinterpretation of

information received.

Bornean Wren Babbler Ptilocichla leucogrammica Near-threatened. Singles

in the lower Likau forest on 17 August 1986 and 19 September 1995 (heard

only) and around Sungei Similajau on 1 3 September 1 986. It was surprising

that this species was not seen in 1 995, as, with the creation of paths through

the forest, other terrestrial birds were much easier to detect.

[Brown-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum everetti\ Near-threatened. Singles

(provisionally identified) on 1 9 and 24 August 1 986 at Ulu Likau and on 28

September 1 995 around the HQ. On all occasions the thick bill was seen but

the sightings were too brief for confirmed records.

Other species of interest

This section details all species which underwent a marked change in

recorded status, which includes:

1 . species recorded in only one year, with four or more records (excluding

species where it is likely that fewer than four individuals or flocks were

involved);

2. species recorded in both years which changed from Common to

Occasional or vice-versa;

3. commonly recorded species showing changed numbers recorded per

day, or a change in the location of records.

Hornbill records are discussed for all species because, elsewhere in South-

East Asia, as a group they seem more sensitive to human pressure than are

other large birds (Round 1984, Thewlis et al. in prep.). Further species are

included which were unexpected based upon published information,

primarily Smythies (1981).

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

135

All 1995 records come from forest around the lower Sungei Likau unless

otherwise stated. Provisional records are placed in square brackets.

Great Argus Argusianus argus One or two were heard on several dates

around the lower Likau in 1995. In 1986, none was heard around the lower

Likau, but 4-5 were present at Ulu Likau (and a display ground was found)

and birds were heard on three dates around Sungei Similajau.

Smythies (1981), writing in the 1960s, noted that Great Argus was

decreasing in Borneo and Nash and Nash (1986) presented circumstantial

evidence that the bird had been trapped out from Tanjung Puting,

Kalimantan. However, at least in some areas of Sarawak, it seems very

resilient to human pressure (E. L. Bennett verbally 1995), as it is in Brunei

(Mann in prep.).

Buff-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis Up to four birds on six days in

1995 in mangroves and MDF around the lower Likau; two at Ulu Likau on

15 September 1995. Unrecorded in 1986.

Grey-and-buff Woodpecker Hemicircus concretus Recorded twice each at

Ulu Likau (groups of four) and Sungei Similajau (groups of two) in 1986,

but unrecorded in 1995.

Red-throated Barbet Megalaima mystacophanos Four records of 1-2

around the lower Likau and one from Ulu Likau in 1986, but unrecorded

in 1995.

Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostns Two at the mouth of the

Sungei Similajau on 13 September 1995, where in September 1986 a party

of four was resident. Also in 1986, three singles in coastal vegetation around

the HQ and one by the coast 1 km south of the Sungei Similajau.

This is the rarest hornbill in Borneo, occurring mainly in coastal areas

(Kemp and Kemp 1975), but it is of low global conservation concern as it

persists well in cleared areas and has a wide world range. Pairs or groups of

4-6 are usual (Kemp 1 995); the difference in numbers at the Sungei Similajau

between the two years is most likely to be due to breeding cycle differences.

Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros Groups of two, probably the same,

around the lower Likau on 1 0 September and at Ulu Likau on 1 4 Septembei

1995. One around the lower Likau on 10 August 1986 and five records at

Ulu Likau in that year, usually of single birds but once two were suspected.

The species has distinctive calls and so was probably uncommon in the

surveyed areas; it is usually common, widespread and frequently heard in

suitable habitat (Kemp 1995). Although numbers may fluctuate, most birds

live as resident territorial pairs and call throughout the day (Kemp 1995).

Bushy-crested Hornbill Anorrhinus galentus Up to three around the lower

Likau on six dates in 1995; possibly all records refer to one party. In 1986,

a group of 4-5 birds roamed from 1 km south of the HQ to at least 600 m

north of the Viewpoint on four dates; two were found thrice in fruit trees at

136

J. W. DUCKWORTH et al.

Forktail 12

Ulu Likau; and a group offour was seen at Sungei Similajau on 1 3 September.

Kemp and Kemp (1975) recorded this species once every 8.6 hours in

their poorest study site in Sarawak; this is much more frequently than at

Similajau. Furthermore, the species usually lives in groups of 8- 1 0, with five

being the lowest mentioned by Kemp and Kemp (1975). It therefore

appears that Similajau provides sub-optimal conditions for the species.

White-crowned Hornbill Aceros comatus Two over the Likau 3.5 km

upstream of the HQ on 29 August 1986; there were no records in 1995. This

slope specialist (Wells 1985) usually occurs in groups of 4-5 (Leighton

1982) and the calls were known to some observers. Thus, even though it is

easily overlooked if not calling (Kemp 1995), it is probably not common in

Similajau. Harrisson (1966) recorded a flock near the Bintulu hills.

Red-naped Trogon Harpactes kasumba At least one seen regularly in 1995

around the lower Likau, with two other groups of two on 10 September

1995. In 1986, the species was unrecorded, although a male of this species

or Diard’s was seen near Sungei Similajau on 13 September.

Diard’s Trogon Harpactes diardii Singles or pairs around the lower Likau

on four dates in September 1995. A male was seen at Ulu Likau on 13

September 1995. The lack of records in 1986 is not easily explicable

[Cinnamon-rumped Trogon Harpactes orrhophaeus ] Sightings of one on 23

August 1986 and 1-2 on three days in 1995 involved no adult males and the

records are treated as provisional because of the difficulties of excluding

Scarlet-rumped Trogons with brown rumps.

Smythies (1981) assessed the species as a submontane, occurring at

1 ,000- 1 ,500 m; Wells (1985) however categorized the species as a lowland

slope specialist and MacKinnon and Phillipps (1993) noted occasional

lowland records. See also Mann (1988, 1991, in prep.).

Blue-banded Kingfisher Alcedo euryzona Singles or pairs on four dates in

September 1 995 on the lower Likau or on forest streams. A male at Ulu Likau

on 14 September 1995. The lack of records in 1986 is not easily explicable.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus Up to three at all three study

sites in 1986, although in 1995 none was recorded from Ulu Likau or Sungei

Similajau. Birds were closest in plumage to the rufous-backed form

Crufidorsu s’) and could be taken as such in the field, but most of the 1 1

caught in 1986 showed some characters of black-backed (‘ erithacus ’); some

had extensive dark feathering on the back. Birds in Borneo often show mixed

characters (Ripley and Beehler 1987).

[Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx basalis] One in trees around HQ

on 1 9 September 1995 was identified provisionally by its head pattern and call

of descending whistles. It appeared to have a dark forehead and a pronounced

supercilium which curved round the rear border of the ear coverts.

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

137

Swiftlet sp. Collocalia On most evenings in 1995, up to 20 (once 30,

frequently only six or so) swiftlets fed around Kuala Likau. The only higher

count was of about 50 feeding over the HQ and adjacent degraded forest one

showery morning. Up to 20 were seen at Ulu Likau and 10 at Sungei

Similajau. However, in 1986, up to 20 were at Ulu Likau, up to 50 at Kuala

Similajau, and up to 200 fed low over Kuala Likau every evening. A major

decline has probably occurred in the numbers congregating to feed over

these two rivers.

Silver-rumped Needletail Rhaphidura leucopygialis On most evenings in

1995, fewer than a dozen birds fed over Kuala Likau. Larger numbers (up

to 30, once 50) fed over the forest and HQ by day. Up to ten were seen at

Ulu Likau. In 1 986, 5- 1 0 were seen in the evenings at Ulu Likau and Kuala

Similajau, with 35-50 feeding over Kuala Likau most evenings. As with

swiftlets, evening numbers at this latter site have plummeted.

Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis On most days in 1 995, 1 5-

30 Grey-rumped Treeswifts fed around the area cleared for the HQ; odd

birds were noted on most days over the forest and the estuary of the Likau.

One was seen at Ulu Likau on 14September 1995. In 1986, records showed

a different pattern: most birds around the lower Likau (up to 14, usually 6-

10) were seen with the evening flocks of swiftlets over the estuary, with only

small numbers seen by day. At Ulu Likau, 2-6 were seen most days, and up

to 70 were seen beside the Sungei Similajau; these latter were beside another

artificially cleared area (for the purposes of logging).

Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata About five birds seemed to be

resident in the cleared area around the HQ in 1995. In 1986, none was

recorded around the HQ but 2-3 pairs were seen along the Likau, the

Similajau and at Ulu Likau.

Brown Wood Owl Strix leptogrammica In 1 995, up to three in the artificially

lit areas around the HQ on most nights could be approached within 6 m and

illuminated with a powerful (about 500,000 cp) spotlight without flying off.

One was flushed from its daytime roost in coastal forest on 10 September

1 995 . In 1 986, groups of two were seen roosting by day at both coastal sites

and one was heard at Ulu Likau on 22 August 1986.

Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea Up to two on most days in 1995

around the estuary and mangroves of the Sungei Likau. Fifteen by the lower

Sungei Similajau on 14 September 1995 after two the previous day. By

contrast in 1986, there was one record from Ulu Likau, up to eight birds

almost daily around the lower Likau, and up to 36 roosting in riverside trees

by the Sungei Similajau.

It is not possible to decide whether the reduction in the number of records

between the two years indicates a population decline, but Green Imperial

Pigeon has declined greatly in Laos (Thewlis et al. in prep.) and Thailand

(Boonsong and Round 1991).

138

J. W. DUCKWORTH et al.

Forktail 12

Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes Up to four on four dates from 1 7

September 1995 at the Viewpoint and at Kuala Kabalak.

[Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii\ Seen on four days in 1995, maximum

about 20 on 27 September. About 80 of this species or Lesser Crested on

16 September 1986 (all identifications provisional).

Little Tern Sterna albifrons No terns of any species were observed in 1995

resting or feeding within the estuaries of the park, although up to seven Little

Terns were seen foraging and resting in Kuala Likau and up to 13 in Kuala

Similajau (with up to three recently-fledged juveniles) in 1986. Little Terns

persisted in the area, however, in 1995: four were seen from HQ on 22

September 1 995, at least 40 small terns probably of this species were found

perched on rocks out to sea on 13 September and nine, probably of this

species, were seen fishing off Kuala Likau on 14 September.

The species was described as occasional in Borneo by Smythies (1981).

The first confirmed breeding for Borneo was reported by Mann (1989),

from Brunei. Juveniles were flying in early September, a timing similar to

that in Similajau in 1986.

Besra Accipiter virgatus One hunting from posts around the HQ on 27

September 1 995 was viewed down to 30 feet by an observer familiar with the

species; the bold mesial streak and barred lower breast and belly were seen

clearly. This is a surprising record as the species is regarded as montane in

Borneo (Francis 1984, Wells 1985), with a lower limit of 300 m (Smythies

1981). There was only one other, unidentified, accipiter seen during 1995.

Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis Single adults on 25 August 1986 (Ulu

Likau) and 14 September 1995 (Sungei Similajau). Although categorized

by Wells (1985) as a montane species in Borneo, Harrisson (1963) and

Smythies (1981) recorded it down to sea level.

Rufous-bellied Eagle Hieraaetus kienerii Single adults on 25 August 1986

(Ulu Likau) and 20 September 1995 (near the HQ). Smythies (1981)

considered this to be ‘a rare bird of uncertain status’ in Borneo.

Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius Up to four were seen

daily around the HQ in 1995. In 1986, the sole record was of a pair in MDF

near the HQ on 3 September. The species probably benefited locally from

the extensive forest clearance, although birds in primary forest are easily

overlooked as they perch mainly in emergent trees.

Little Heron Butorides striatus Up to three on nine dates on and after 15

September 1995 at and around Kuala Likau. None was seen in the 1 1 days

in 1995 prior to 15 September or in 1986, when observations ceased on 16

September. Most sightings were towards dusk.

The relative status of migrant and resident birds in Borneo is poorly

known (Smythies 1981). The dates of birds in Similajau N.P. strongly

suggest that they were migrants. Although in Thailand, estuarine mangroves

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

139

are typically used by resident birds, with migrants occurring on forest

streams (Boonsong and Round 1991), mangroves in Borneo appear to

support both classes of birds (Mann in prep.).

Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectans One or two on eight days from 9

September 1995 onwards. The lack of records in 1986 may reflect the earlier

cessation of observations in that year.

Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi In 1986 single birds were

recorded twice each at Ulu Likau, the lower Likau and Sungei Similajau, but

the species was not found in 1995.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta A bird at the lower Likau

on 10 and 12 September 1995 was identified as this species rather than

Asian Brown M. dauurica or Dark-sided Flycatchers M. sibirica by the

following features, which were checked against museum skins and with

Alstrom and Hirschfeld (1989): the noticeable braided streaks down the

flanks; the upperparts the same tint of grey-brown as Asian Brown in the

same season; the beak shorter than Asian Brown but longer than Dark¬

sided, with limited pale at the base of the lower mandible. The observer saw

many of the two confusion species in Laos in the preceding spring, and saw

several Asian Brown Flyctchers in Similajau (from 18 September) and in

Thailand afterwards. Brown-streaked Flycatcher M. williamsoni was

eliminated by upperpart colour: all skins at BM(NH) were markedly

warmer brown above than were Asian Brown or Grey-sided Flycatcher.

Smythies (1981) listed only three Bornean records, all from Sabah.

Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane Seven singles by the coast path on 27

September 1995 represent a remarkably concentrated arrival for a non-

flocking species, but, given the effort searching for ground birds, it is

unlikely that significant numbers were present on previous days.

Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis At least 20 birds were defending

territories in and around the cleared areas of the HQ in 1995. In 1986, the

sole record was of a single in secondary growth near the HQ on 6 August.

White- rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus Shamas were common in both

years, with several trapped in 1986. All were this species, rather than the

northern White-crowned Shama C. stricklandii, which Hose (1893) recorded

south to Bintulu. Smythies (1981) did not record C. stricklandii from so far

south.

Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis A flock of 30-40 daily in fruiting

trees around HQ during 4-11 September 1995, with smaller numbers on

five subsequent days and 1 9 on 28 September. The lack of records in 1986,

when trees were in fruit in this same area, perhaps relates to the presence of

thick surrounding forest then.

Black-and-white Bulbul Pycnonotus melanoleucos Singles on 10 and 12

September 1995 contrasted with six records of 2-3 around the lower Likau,

140

J. W. DUCKWORTH ei al.

Forktail 12

daily records of 1-3 at Ulu Likau from 22 August onwards, and up to three

at Sungei Similajau on five dates in 1986. The difference in records is

probably due to short-term nomadic behaviour: in 1986 the species was

unrecorded prior to 20 August, but from then was recorded almost daily.

Grey-bellied Bulbul Pycnonotus cyaniventris Small numbers (1-4) at Ulu

Likau on six dates and at the lower Likau on two dates in 1986, but

unrecorded in 1995.

Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier At least four (usually in twos)

around the park HQ throughout September 1 995, but unrecorded in 1 986.

Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris Up to two birds daily around HQ

in 1995; in 1986 there was only one record there. Birds were found easily

in scrub around Sungei Similajau in both years.

Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus Up to fifty on many mornings in

1 995, dispersing from a presumed roost in or near the mangroves. Very close

views on several dates around the HQ allowed confident elimination of

Everett’s White-eye Z. everetti. Apart from one flock (of 4-5) in coastal forest,

white-eyes were not recorded in forest canopy in 1995, but in 1986 the only

records were of 1-4 (not identified to species) seen five times within MDF.

Smythies (1981) lists the species from few localities in Borneo, all well south

of Similajau, but Mann (in prep.) included Brunei in the species’s range.

Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata One on 12 September 1995 in

the mangroves. Smythies (1981) listed only a few records from Borneo;

Mann (in prep.) added only one record.

Abbott’s Babbler Malacocincla abbotti Up to three birds on five dates in

1995 in the mangroves and nypah around the lower Likau. All records

probably involved the same party. In 1986, two records of 1-2 in similar

habitat around Sungei Similajau were provisionally identified as this species.

Abbott’s Babbler is atypically scarce on Borneo. Most of the few records

traced by Witt and Sheldon (1994a) were in scrub at low altitudes,

particularly near the coast and in association with nypah and mangroves.

The records from Similajau are thus in typical habitat.

Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyris rufifrons Two at Ulu Likau on 14

September 1995 and one in a mixed-species flock in forest around the lower

Likau on 23 September. Five records of 1-3 in 1986 around the lower Likau.

Regular occurrence is perhaps surprising as Smythies (1981) described the

bird as a rare submontane species; Wells (1985), however, listed it as a

lowland slope specialist.

Striped Tit Babbler Macronous gularis Up to three around the HQ and in

forest daily in 1 995, with calls believed to be from this species heard on many

other days. In 1986 the species was recorded only around the Sungei

Similajau, where it was seen twice. The change in number of records may

be entirely due to observer ability.

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

141

Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus percussus Two males on

three days in 1995 around the lower Likau, with several more records of

birds of either this species or Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker P. xanthopygius.

Two singles around the lower Likau and five singles at Ulu Likau in 1986.

Most prior records from Borneo come from the south, with the closest coming

from Kuching (Smythies 1981); however, the species occurs in Brunei (Mann

in prep.) so it is not surprising to find the bird regularly in Similajau.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Large numbers (at least 50) were

found around the HQ throughout September 1995. In 1986, there were

four records of small numbers, most staying only briefly, although one

remained for two days.

DISCUSSION

Differences between the two years

Differences in birds recorded between the two years are presented

together with possible explanations of these differences in Table 3. Birds

may have appeared to change status for four reasons:

1 . A genuine long-term change in occurence;

2. Seasonal or other cyclical patterns;

3. Natural year-to-year variation;

4. Sampling effects.

The first possibility is of most practical concern to conservation. In order

to identify conservation gains and losses between the two years, it is

therefore necessary to tease out its effects from factors 2-4.

The 1995 visit was timed to coincide with the 1986 survey, to minimize

seasonal changes. Nonetheless, some were apparent, and not only because

the two visit periods were not entirely congruent. Observations ran during

6 August - 16 September 1986 and during 4-28 September 1995. The

prolongation in 1 99 5 doubtless explains why more Palearctic migrants were

recorded in 1995 than in 1986 (25 species compared with 17). As, even in

1995, observations finished while migration was just underway, no

significance can be attatched to migrants recorded in one year but not the

other.

Irregular, sometimes long-distance, movements are undertaken,

particularly by frugivores (Wells 1985). Timing can vary between years

depending on fruiting patterns. Many surveys would be required to

demonstrate that frugivorous species had changed in overall status.

Birds show seasonal variations in detectability based upon their calling

frequency. Vocal activity appeared to be much lower in 1995 than in 1986.

Visual finding rates of birds such as Red-crowned and Blue-eared Barbets

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Table 3. Bird species recorded at Similajau N.P. in only 1986 or only 1995, or showing a change in

status between the two years.

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Changes:

few records:

low calls:

mainly UL/SS:

migrant/nomad:

identification difficulties:

forest floor:

open / secondary species:

river quality:

human disturbance:

X = the species was recorded fewer than four times.

X = calls were heard surprisingly infrequently in 1995, or not at all.

X = species was recorded at only Ulu Likau or Sungei Similajau;

(X) = species was recorded mainly at one or both of these two sites.

Xm = a regular long-distance migrant;

Xn = a nomad or irregular short-distance migrant.

X = significant numbers of the species may have been overlooked

due to identification difficulties.

X = species occurs mainly on the forest floor.

X = species occurs mainly in open areas or in secondary growth.

X = species feeds in or over rivers and may have been affected by

changes in their water quality

X = species may have been affected by changing levels of human

activity in and around the park.

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

145

Megalaima australis , Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis, Eurylaimus

broadbills and Malaysian Eared Nightjar Eurostopodus temminckii were

similar in the two years, yet all were heard much less frequently in 1 995 than

in 1986. In 1995, calls were also heard surprisingly infrequently (or not at

all) for green pigeons Treron, Oriental Bay Owl Phodilus badius, nightjars

Capnmulgus , Banded Kingfisher Lacedo pulchella. Moustached Malacopteron

magnirostre and Sooty-capped Babblers M. affine , Golden-bellied Gerygone

Gerygone sulphurea and Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala grisola. At

Semongoh, Kuching, high levels of singing were found in late September

and October after a summer lull (Fogden 1972) and it may be that in 1995

the cycle of most birds was somewhat retarded.

Random effects on birds recorded, both natural and artificial, cannot be

eliminated from any survey. For this analysis, species recorded fewer than

four times in one year and not at all in the other were taken to be recorded

too infrequently for status trends to be assessed. This threshold is probably

too low, as some species recorded in only one year for which it is difficult to

suggest plausible reasons for increase or decrease in populations (e.g. Asian

Paradise-flycatcher, Buff-rumped Woodpecker) were recorded four or

more times in the other.

Aside from low total number of records, the various factors discussed

below (some due to chance, some reflecting real changes) may contribute

to differences in the results of the two years.

Changes confounding the results

The observers in 1986 lacked prior experience of tropical forest birding and

of the South-East Asian avifauna, but the observers in 1995 had between

them amassed several years surveying birds in South-East Asia. Thus,

detection and identification skills were much higher in 1995 than in 1986.

This has been regarded as an important factor in Table 3 where a species

difficult to identify may have been missed among another species, one difficult

to find may have been overlooked, or where it is difficult to get views clear

enough for identification of the birds, such as flowerpeckers flying overhead.

In 1986 there were no existing paths around the lower Likau or the

Similajau; at Ulu Likau there was the boundary trail. In 1995 there was an

excellent path network around the lower Likau, including a boardwalk of

several hundred metres through the mangroves (a habitat particularly

difficult to survey in 1986). There were also some good paths at Ulu Likau.

Observers therefore spent much more time looking for and at wildlife in

1 995 than in 1 986, when the physical needs of negotiating through the forest

detracted severely from birding opportunity, and the noise of doing so

probably flushed shy species. This effect was particularly prominent for

forest floor birds (Table 4), both in terms of the range of species detected

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The number of records represents the number of visual contacts; flocks constitute one

record.

Emerald Dove was also recorded in both years, but mostly in flight. Great Argus was

heard but never seen, in both years. Siberian Blue Robin is excluded as it is unlikely

that significant numbers arrived during the 1986 survey.

Table 4 Records of ground-living birds in Similajau N.P.

and their frequency of sightings.

Coverage of Ulu Likau and Sungei Similajau was poorer in 1995 than in

1986, but effort was higher around the lower Likau in 1995 (Table l).Thus,

patchily distributed species were less likely to be found in 1995 than in 1986.

Nonetheless, the number of species found around the lower Likau in 1995

which in 1986 were found only around Ulu Likau or Sungei Similajau

(Table 3) suggests that patchy distribution across the park is of less

importance than was suggested by Duckworth and Kelsh (1988).

Real changes likely to be reflected in the results

In 1986, Similajau Forest Reserve was a large (1,203 km’) area of lowland

evergreen forest completely surrounding the landward margins of the national

park. By 1 995 it had been almost completely felled for timber and is scheduled

to be replaced by oil-palm plantations (S. Aban verbally 1995). Forest birds

from the felled areas are likely to have dispersed into adjacent remaining forest

(including Similajau N.P.) in the short term (although population densities

in remaining forest are unlikely to change much in the long term) and thus

more birds of more species would be expected in 1995. Similajau is now less

well connected to other forest areas and a gradual loss of species (particularly

those at low densities) is likely for birds unwilling to disperse across plantations,

scrub and open areas. This is unlikely to have had a major influence on the

park’s birds by 1 995, but the number of submontane species in the park might

show long-term decline as forest is no longer continuous with Mount Dulit.

Open-country species are likely to increase. Clearance south of the Likau

(and outside the park boundaries) for the park HQ has already benefited

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

147

numerous scrub species (Table 3). In fact, this is likely to be the major

explanation for 10 of the 19 species showing an increase in records between

the the two years; all 10 are widespread and thriving and increases in them

are not gains for conservation.

Hunting in the park was rife in 1986, but it was not shown to be affecting

any bird species. Although Aken (1982) suspected that hunting was the

main reason for the low numbers of hornbills recorded at Similajau N.P.,

densities in 1986 were lower than in some other areas of Sarawak with much

higher levels of hunting (M. J. Lewis verbally 1986). On the basis of group

size and distribution of records in 1 986, A. C. Kemp (in litt. 1 987) suspected

that poor habitat was the main cause of the low numbers. This suspicion is

strengthened by the observations in 1 995, which showed that hornbills were

similar in status to 1 986; by contrast, records of quarry species of mammals

were much more frequent in 1995 (Duckworth in prep.). With the

implementation of management and tourism, hunting has effectively ceased

in the lower Likau area. The behaviour in 1995 of primates, a popular target

for hunters, suggested that hunting was infrequent (if it occurred at all)

around Sungei Similajau and at Ulu Likau (Duckworth in prep.).

In contrast to hunting, incidental human pressure has increased. Many

tourists visit the park at weekends. Over festivals, hundreds may be around

the lower Likau. These people might disturb wildlife, but most enter the

forest only briefly if at all, preferring the beaches. No forest degradation

appears to have resulted from tourists. At the northern end of the park, the

Sungei Similajau is used for transporting logs, and boat traffic on the river

is heavy. Many people live on the north bank of the river near its mouth

(outside the park), but they seem to enter the park’s forest infrequently. It

is therefore unlikely that human pressure is having a major effect on forest

birds. However, the loss of Malaysian Plover and the change in behaviour of

Little Terns probably stem directly from the heavy use made of the mouths

of the two main rivers. The latter species is notoriously sensitive to human

pressure in at least some other parts of its range (e.g. Lloyd et al. 1991).

Water quality changed dramatically in the Likau and Similajau between

the two years. In 1986 these were both clear-water rivers, turbid only after

heavy rainstorms and regaining their clarity within a day or so. In 1995, after

felling in the Similajau Forest Reserve, the rivers were permanently muddied

with heavy loads of sediment. The increase of sediment in streams in a

logged area in Sabah were discussed by Douglas et al. (1992). The decline

in swiftlets and Silver-rumped Needletails between the two years might

relate to the changed water quality and the Darter might also find the area

less attractive with turbid rivers: the species was found to be restricted to

areas of clear water in Cambodia (Mundkur et al. 1995).

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Changes in the community

Changes in the perceived bird community are shown in Table 3, with

possible contributory factors.

All eight species recorded in both years which were recorded markedly

more often in 1995 than in 1986 occur in scrub, edge or open areas. Except

perhaps for Striped Tit Babbler, these are likely to be real increases

reflecting the extensive clearance around the park, including that for the

park HQ and accommodation.

Seven species found in both years were recorded less frequently in 1995

than in 1986. This includes two swift species that may be affected by changes

in water quality. Little Tern appears to have ceased breeding in response to

disturbance and to have changed its feeding sites with a reduction in water

quality. There is no obvious explanation for the decline in Blue-rumped

Parrots, but one of such a magnitude in such a conspicuous species is unlikely

to be an artefact. Two other species may be nomadic and Red-crowned

Barbet seemed to be calling much less frequently in 1995 than in 1986.

Twenty-eight species were recorded in 1986 but not in 1995. Only seven

of these (all resident) were found at least four times in 1986. Four were

mainly or solely seen at Ulu Likau and Sungei Similajau, areas which were

poorly surveyed in 1995. There is no clear explanation for Asian Paradise-

flycatcher and Red-throated Barbet, so perhaps these are sampling errors,

despite the fact that both were recorded six times in 1986. Malaysian Plover

is probably a genuine loss due to disturbance.

Even among the species recorded fewer than four times in 1 986, for many

species a clear factor can be identified which may have reduced the chances

of detection in 1995: 13 species were recorded mainly at Ulu Likau and/or

Sungei Similajau; six are migrants; four are primarily detected by voice (and

calling levels seemed lower in 1995 than in 1986); while Great Slaty

W oodpecker Mulleripicus pulvemlentus and Temminck’s Sunbir d Aethopyga

temminckii were both recorded only once each.

Among these 28 species, only three are open-country or scrub birds, and

none is a forest-floor bird.

Forty-five species were recorded in 1 995 but not in 1 986. Only 1 1 of these

45 were found four or more times (a remarkably similar proportion to that

shown by ‘lost’ species) . Of these 1 1 , only two (surprisingly) are open-country

species; four or five are migrants; and two may have been overlooked in 1986

through identification difficulties. Four are resident forest birds: Buff-

rumped Woodpecker, Blue-banded Kingfisher, Red-naped and Diard’s

Trogons, recorded seven, five, seven and five times respectively. Three of the

four were recorded at both Likau sites, suggesting that they have healthy

populations. Although these birds may have been displaced by the felling of

the Similajau Forest Reserve, they may merely represent chance vagaries of

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

149

recording, just as Asian Paradise-flycatcher and Red-throated Barbet were

recorded in 1986 but not 1995.

As with ‘lost’ species, for most species recorded only in 1995 and three or

fewer times, factors probably contributing to the observed pattern can be

identified: 19 are migrants or nomads; 1 1 are difficult to identify; four are

forest-floor birds; ten are scrub or open habitat birds (compared with three

‘losses’); and only one was found only away from the lower Likau. Four

resident species, each recorded 2-3 times, lack an obvious reason: Lesser

Cuckooshrike Coracina fimbriata, Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchos

macrorhynchos, Large Woodshrike Tephrodomis gularis and Mangrove Whistler.

Globally Threatened and Near-threatened species

In both years, 16 Globally Threatened or Near-threatened species were

found in the park, with 12 common to both years. The Near-threatened

Brown-backed Flowerpecker was also recorded provisionally in both years.

Thus, there is no evidence of a disproportionate loss of species of elevated

conservation interest. However, it may be of concern that two species in

Collar et al. ( 1 994) showed a decline in records between the two years, while

none of the eight species showing an increase was listed in that work.

Future additions

Many species were recorded in one year but not the other (73, from a total of

235 including provisional identifications), suggesting that many more remain

to be found in Similajau. At least 60 landbirds not yet recorded from the park

are likely to occur on the basis of habitat preferences and geographical and

altitudinal ranges. Nocturnal species and Palearctic migrants have been

particularly under-recorded. Surprisingly few species of flycatchers, babblers,

pittas, woodpeckers and pigeons have been found. However, woodpeckers

and babblers appear to show reduced sympatry in Sarawak, compared with

elswhere in the Sundaic subregion, for unknown reasons (Wells 1985).

CONCLUSIONS

The foregoing analysis shows that for most species showing an apparent

change in status between the two years, only rarely can the change in records

be taken as a real change in the bird’s status. Distinguishing real changes in

the bird community at the level of a single site such as Similajau N.P. is likely

to be difficult, because species likely to show greatest change are those

already on the edge of their ecological range, and thus probably only ever at

low density in Similajau N.P.

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The importance of Similajau

With a total of about 230 species, Similajau compares well with other

surveyed parts of Borneo (Table 5). Coverage varies between sites included

in this comparison; only Barito, Danum and Sepilok include observations

from more than one visit. Although further work at any of them would

doubtless provide new species, various patterns are evident.

The high total at Similajau is partly due to migrant species, but even when

only resident species totals are compared, Similajau still has the third

longest list. Barito Ulu, with the highest total, shows a much wider

altitudinal range than does any other site in the comparison, while Barito

and the other two sites with totals comparable to Similajau N.P. (Danum

Valley and Tanjong Puting) are all much bigger than is Similajau. Similajau

has many coastal species and when comparison is restricted to forest-

dependent species, it appears that the narrow altitudinal range and perhaps

small area may limit the species richness of Similajau N.P., as it drops to

fourth place and is over 20 species poorer than are some sites. The site with

the most similar habitat to Similajau is Tanjong Puting. The latter has more

swamp forest than does Similajau and covers 3,000 km2 compared with the

71 km2 of Similajau. Both were surveyed with similar observer effort and both

support similar numbers of resident and forest-dependent resident species

Protection of species under elevated risk of extinction is an important aim

for protected areas. Similajau supports five Globally Threatened and 15

Globally Near-threatened species; only Danum Valley and Tutoh support

more Globally Threatened species (six each; T able 5) . While four other sites

support more Globally Near-threatened species, even Danum Valley, with

the most, has only four more than Similajau. Further Threatened and Near-

threatened species probably remain to be found in Similajau N. P.: of the

20 recorded so far, eight are known from only 1-2 records.

Borneo supports almost 40 endemic species, of which about one half

depend on lowland forest (Wells 1985, modified to follow the taxonomy of

Inskipp et al. 1996). Only four were found: Bornean Ground Cuckoo,

Bornean Bristlehead, Bornean Wren Babbler and Yellow-rumped

Flowerpecker. Dusky Munia Lonchura fuscans is also almost endemic to

Borneo (it also occurs on Cagayan Sulu, Philippines), but occurs widely

outside forests (Smythies 1981). Seven of the unrecorded forest endemics

are slope specialists; it would not be surprising to find one or two of them

in Similajau. Three lowland endemics would be major extensions of known

range if they occurred in Similajau N.P. The only endemics which might

reasonably be expected in the park are Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudi and

Black-throated Wren Babbler Napothera atrigularis ; Bornean Peacock

Pheasant Polyplectron schleiermacheri might also occur and the status of

White-crowned Shama in this part of Sarawak is not clear (see above). The

1996

Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak

Forest-dependent species are as defined by Wells (1985).

Site data are from: this study (Similajau), Wilkinson etal. (1991a; Barito Ulu); Lambert (1992;

Danum); Pearson (1975; Kutai); Fogden (1976; Semengoh andTutoh); De Silva (1981; Sepilok);

and Nash and Nash (1986; Tanjong Puting).

Table 5: Bird communities at eight primarily lowland sites in Borneo.

other four sites in T able 5 which have all land below 200 m also support few

endemics. Further analysis is clearly necessary to establish whether extreme

lowland sites truly support few endemics.

Focus on individual species may obscure the overall problem of ‘bird

communities facing wholesale collapse through the mass conversion of

natural forest to other uses’ (Wells 1985). Lowland evergreen mixed

dipterocarp forest has the most species-rich and the most threatened bird

fauna in Malaysia, with the highest richness below the hill foot boundary

(Wells 1985). Similajau N.P. supports such forest, although the park was

gazetted primarily for its coastline. Beach habitats are not well represented

in Bornean protected areas, either Malaysian or Indonesian. The coastal

resident of most conservation importance (Malaysian Plover) appears to be

extinct in Similajau (although specific management of human pressure

could probably bring it back) and the sandy beaches appear to be important

for few other resident bird species. Thus, for bird conservation purposes,

protection of Similajau N.P. is particularly important for its forests.

Protection of Similajau may not be important only for the birds of the

national park itself. Wells (1985) suggested that for many primarily lowland

species, populations on slopes may depend on regular upward dispersion

from conspecifics in the lowlands. Thus, bird populations in Similajau N.P.

may be important in maintaining populations on the nearby Mount Dulit.

The felling of the Similajau Forest Reserve is likely to have prejudiced this

function and it is likely to inhibit dispersal from the slopes and hills into the

lowlands of the park. It is possible that peat forests and kerangas, which cover

parts of the park, also need regular dispersal from forest on more productive

soils (Wells 1985).

152

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In Sarawak, widespread shifting cultivation has degraded large areas of

primary lowland forest. This appears never to have happened in Similajau

N.P., and furthermore the absence of indigenous forest people means that

culturally sensitive issues related to forest use are unlikely to impede the

park’s protection and management. The value of the Danum Valley

Conservation Area (Sabah) from both scientific and conservation perspectives

is greatly enhanced by the near-absence of hunting and shifting cultivation

(Marsh and Greer 1992). Thus Similajau is likely to be a particularly

effective place to concentrate conservation activity.

We are extremely grateful to the National Parks and Wildlife Office of the Sarawak Forest

Department and the Section Forest Office, Bintulu, for their official support of the 1986 survey.

Advice and encouragement was particularly appreciated from Francis Gombek, Paul Chai P. K.,

Penguang Manggil and Peter Wong. Advice was also gratefully received at various stages from Paul

Andrew, Liz Bennett, Geoffrey Davison, Adam Gretton, Richard Grimmett, Derek Holmes, Carol

and Tim Inskipp, Andrew Johns, Michael Kavanagh, Alan Kemp, Clive Mann, Duncan Parish,

Crawford Prentice and David Wells. This survey was funded by numerous sources listed in

Duckworth and Kelsh (1988), with major sponsorship from ICI (Malaysia), Fauna and Flora

International, Castrol (Malaysia) and Malaysian Airline Systems. The dedication and hard work of

Forest Department staff who came in the field was much appreciated: Stephen Antang, Sabri Bohari,

Dambul Inggom, David Labang, Patrick Lasah Laing, Philip Chandang Moringai, Lair Bin Razak,

Deru Sido, Suhim Sudin 1 aha and Josip Yakub Bin Zunaidi. Much valuable assistance was received

in 1995 from Liz Bennett, Mike Meredith and Francis Gombek. The park staff, in particular Siali

Aban, made our stay very pleasant and were very accommodating to our wishes.

Peter Colston and Robert Prys-Jones allowed access to the incomparable bird collections at The

Natural History Museum, Tring, UK (BM(NH)). Paul Burn, Tim Orrell and Moray Lewis

contributed field observations. Clive Mann provided many valuable comments on the manuscript.

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of the Barito Ulu region. Central Kalimantan. Kukila 5: 99-1 16.

Wilkinson, R. J., Dutson, G. C. and Sheldon, B.C. (1991b) The avifauna of Barito Ulu, central Borneo.

Cambridge, U.K.: International Council for Bird Preservation (study report 42).

Witt, C. C. and Sheldon, F. H. (1994a) The status of Abbott’s Babbler in Borneo. Kukila 7: 47-53.

Witt, C. C. and Sheldon, F. H. (1994b) A review of the status and distribution of the Bornean

Bristlehead. Kukila 7: 54-67.

J. W. Duckworth, East Redham Farm, Pilning, Bristol BS 12 3JG, U.K.

R. J. Wilkinson, 27 Blackbrook Park Avenue, Fareham, Hants P015 5JN,

U.K.

R. J. Tizard, 1901 Nueces Drive, College Station, Texas 77840, U.S.A.

R. N. Kelsh, 67 Wickham Way, Park Langley, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3 AH,

U.K

S. A. Irvin, 15 Mill Street, Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 7 DP, U.K.

M. I. Evans, Montrose, Llandeiniol, Llanrhystud, Ceredigion SY23 5 AN, U.K.

1996

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155

Some observations on the nesting

activities of Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters

Merops leschenaultii and Green Bee-

eaters M. orientalis in Chittagong,

Bangladesh

K. M. NURUL HUD A

During the winter of 1 99 1 , 1 observed the nesting activities of the two species

of bee-eaters in a hillock at Chittagong city (22°03’N 9 1°08’E), Bangladesh.

The city has many hillocks at elevations below 100 m. The Prabartak hill is

one such, and is situated in front of the local medical college. Its elevation

ranges from 80-100 m, and covers an area of about 1,000 m2. The top of the

hill was flattened in the past to accommodate an orphanage, a students’

hostel and a school. The north and west facing slopes support some

denuded remnants of former semi-evergreen forest, that existed all over the

hilly areas of Chittagong nearly half a century ago. On the other sides, the

hill has been subjected to excessive human activities, including the

establishment of housing units and the removal of earth. These sides are

exposed to severe erosion following monsoon rain. Thus steep slopes

appeared with no visual barrier in front. These steep earth banks attracted

numbers of breeding bee-eaters Merops.

From the end of December 1990 until April 1991 I kept notes on the

nesting activities of some birds on Prabartak hill. These included the

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti and Green Bee-eater M.

orientalis. They utilized the earth banks for nesting purposes.

A pair of Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters appeared near the earth bank on 2

January 1991. My attention was drawn when I saw them frantically digging

in the earth bank. Whilst one bird was digging the other kept a constant vigil

from a nearby perch. Upon sighting an intruder, the bird on watch uttered

a specific call that alerted the digger, who would immediately leave the

nesting tunnel and join the waiting partner in mobbing the predator, usually

a House Crow Corvus splendens.

The digging of the tunnel apparently continued for almost a month,

because during this period the digging bird did not spend long enough in the

tunnel for it to be incubating. At the end of this time the partners started to

spend periods of 1 0- 1 5 minutes inside the tunnel, indicating that they were

busy incubating. The longest single session of incubation was 25 minutes.

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It had not been possible to check the contents of the nest and establish the

exact date of laying because the nest tunnel was high up in an inaccessible

position. On 20 March one of the parents carried the first food item into the

tunnel, indicating that the young were hatched. The other parent also

carried food into the nest soon after the other bird emerged.

In summary, it appears that in Bangladesh the Chestnut-headed Bee-

eater starts nesting activities in January (mid winter), lays eggs in mid

February (late winter), and the first nestlings hatch by mid March, indicating

the incubation period of about a month.

The feeding sorties continued until almost the end of April. The prey

identified included small moths Lepidoptera and dragonflies Odonata. The

adults arriving with food paused only very briefly at the entrance to the nest

tunnel before slipping inside. After the young had flown I measured the nest

tunnel; it was about 30 cm deep and 8 cm in diameter.

By mid January, the Green Bee-eater started appearing on the steep slope

of Prabartak hill, where the Chestnut-headed Bee-eater was already digging

its nest. However, there were dozens of Green Bee-eaters and, by the end

of January, 13 pairs had built nest tunnels within 5 m of the Chestnut¬

headed Bee-eaters nest. The digging of the nest tunnels, incubation period

and care of the nestlings by the Green Bee-eaters appeared quite similar to

those of the Chestnut-headed. The Green Bee-eaters fed their chicks almost

entirely with dragonflies, supplemented with smaller insects occasionally.

Before entering the nest tunnels they paused for a couple of seconds on a

nearby perch, perhaps to check for imminent danger.

Four species of bee-eaters Merops have been recorded in Bangladesh

(Khan 1982). Khan (1987) noted that both the Chestnut-headed and

Green Bee-eaters lay eggs during summer (April to July). The Chestnut¬

headed was stated to lay in holes made on hill slopes or river banks, while

the Green occupied holes in the isles dividing paddyfields, or in the earth

banks alongside highways.

The above observations indicate that both species may start breeding in

Bangladesh as early as January, and that they may both occupy an urban

habitat. The observations also constitute the first detailed observations of

the breeding of bee-eaters in Bangladesh.

I am very grateful to Dr Reza Khan, Head of Zoo Section, Dubai Zoo, United Arab Emirates for

kindly revising the original draft of this note.

REFERENCES

Khan, M. A. R. (1982) Wildlife of Bangladesh - a checklist. Dhaka University.

Khan, M. A. R. (1987) Bangladesher bonnyaprani. Second volume. Dhaka: Bangla Academy.

K. M. Nurul Huda, Department of Zoology, Chittagong University, Chittagong,

Bangladesh.

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157

Birds feeding on flowers in India

V. SANTHARAM

Between the months of November and January in 1991-1992 and 1992-1993,

I saw birds feeding on the flowers of Clitoria tematea (Fabaceae), a common

climber at the Peech-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary (Trichur District, Kerala).

Four bird species: Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea, White-cheeked Barbet

Megalaima viridis, Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella, and Red-vented Bulbul

Pycnonotus cafer were observed feeding on the flowers on at least 1 6 occasions.

While some birds consumed the whole flowers, the others discarded the large

(standard) petal. Up to three flowers were consumed in succession by the

birds. Apart from the above-mentioned species, I have noticed Purple

Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica, Vernal Hanging Parrot Loriculus vemalis and

Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons consuming nectar (and also

possibly eating pollen) from these flowers without damaging them. On 27

November 1992,1 saw a Red-vented Bulbul feed on a Clerodendron infortunatum

(Verbenaceae) flower. Earlier, in January 1988 at the Mundanturai Tiger

Reserve, Tamil Nadu, I had seen Plum-headed Parakeets Psittacula

cyanocephala plucking Helicteres isora flowers which were then squeezed with

the mandibles for nectar and discarded (Santharam 1996).

References about flower-eating by birds are scanty in standard works on

pollination biology (e.g. Faegri and Pijl 1978). Welty (1979) mentions that

some birds eat flowers and flower buds. In Africa, the habit of flower-eating

is more common and widespread than seems generally appreciated. There,

bulbuls, starlings and weavers were noticed feeding on flowers (Pettet 1977,

Oatley and Skead 1972). In the Neotropics and West Indies, there are very

few reports of birds consuming flower parts (Skutch 1944, Feinsinger et al.

1 979, Janson etal. 1981, Riley and Smith 1986), and the bird species involved

are Prong-billed Barbet Semnomisfrantzii , Emerald T oucanet Aulacorhynchus

prasinus, saltators Saltator and parrots Psittacidae. In Sri Lanka, the Yellow-

browed Bulbul Iole indica was seen feeding on flowers and flower buds of

Apama siliquosa in the Makandawa Forest Reserve (Mahendra Shiriwardhane

pers. comm.).

Observations of birds feeding on flowers in India are scattered in the

literature. In Table 1,1 present a summary of these reports, and Table 2 gives

some details of the flower species. A total of 30 species of birds from 13

families has been reported feeding on flowers in India, including the present

observations. The majority of the birds involved are basically frugivorous or

granivorous species, and some are generalized feeders. However, most of

these species are known to feed on nectar (Ali and Ripley 1983). Records of

birds feeding on flowers at Peechi have been in the late wet season or the dry

season. Riley and Smith (1986) have observed birds feeding on flowers both

Bird family Bird species Plant species References

Picidae Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos nanus Madhuca indica Ali & Ripley 1983

Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Dendrocopos mahrattensis Firmiana colorata Ali & Ripley 1983

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Corvidae White-bellied Treepie Dendrocitta leucogastra Bombaxceiba Nair 1 994

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1996

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159

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Table 2. Plant species with flowers eaten by birds in India.

in dry and wet seasons. All reports of flower-eating by birds in the neotropics

are by frugivorous species. Further, they found Emerald T oucanets feeding

on flowers when fruits were readily available.

These reports indicate that eating flowers by birds is widespread but not

very frequently reported. Flowers are perhaps consumed to access the

nectar and pollen that are otherwise difficult to obtain by birds. Nectaries

may be located along petals of some flowers, making them attractive to birds

that seek nectar (T. Ganesh pers. comm.). Flowers in general probably

supply a high energy mixture of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates, particularly

if the entire flower is consumed (Riley and Smith 1986).

The observations were made during the course of a study on the ecology of woodpeckers, supported

by the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, U.S.A. I thank T. Ganesh, colleague at the

Pondicherry University, for his comments and observations and Ms Hema Somanathan and

Aasheesh Pittie for helping me with literature. I also thank Dr Richard Noske and an anonymous

referee for comments on an earlier draft of this paper.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1983) Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Compact edition. Bombay:

Oxford University Press.

Bharos, A. M. K. (1992) Interesting feeding pattern of Yellowthroated Sparrow Petronia xanthocoUis

(Burton). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 89: 128.

Desai, P. K. (1967) The common House Sparrow and Canna flowers. Peacock 4: 46-47.

Faegri, K. and Pijl, V. (1978) The principles of pollination ecology’. Third edition. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Feinsinger, P., Linhart, Y. B., Swarm, L. A. and Wolfe, J. A. (1979) Aspects of the pollination biology'

of three Erythrina species on Trinidad and Tobago. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 66: 451-471.

Hume, A. O. and Oates, E. W. ( 1 890) The nest and eggs of Indian birds, 3. Second edition. London: R.

H. Porter.

1996

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161

Janson, C. H., Terborgh, J. and Emmons, L. H. (1981) Non flying mammals as pollinating agents in

the Amazonian forest. Biotropica 13 Suppl.: 1-6.

Johnson, J. M. (1989) Redvented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer (Linne) eating petals of Magnolia. J. Bombay

Nat. Hist. Soc. 86: 103.

Jose, K. S. (1996) Feeding behaviour of Indian Koel ( Eudynamis scolopacea ) on male flowers of papaya

plant. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 36: 59.

Khacher, L. J. (1987) The Pariah Kite Milvus migrans (Boddaert) feeding on flowers. J. Bombay Nat.

Hist. Soc. 83 Suppl.: 201.

Nair, M. V. (1994) Some random observations. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 34: 131.

Oatley, T. B. and Skead, D. M. (1972) Nectar feeding in South African birds. Lammergeyer 15: 65-74.

Pettet, A. (1977) Seasonal changes in nectar-feeding by birds at Zaria, Nigeria. Ibis 119: 291-308.

Prasad, J. N. and Kumar, U. H. (1992) Flowers in the dietary of Jerdon’s Chloropsis. Newsletter for

Birdwatchers 32(3-4): 10.

Riley, C. M. and Smith, K. G. (1986) Flower-eating by Emerald Toucanets in Costa Rica. Condor 88:

396-397.

Santharam, V. ( 1 996) Visitation patterns of birds and butterflies at a Helicteres isora Linn. (Sterculiaceae)

clump. Current Science 70: 316-319.

Siromoney, G. (1963) Bulbuls eating flowers. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 3(6): 12.

Welty, J. C. (1979) The life of birds. Second edition. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing.

V. Santharam, 68, I Floor, Santhome High Road, Madras - 600 028, India.

Unusual feeding behaviour of

Black-faced Spoonbills Platalea minor

DESMOND ALLEN

The Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor is regarded as a Critically

Endangered species (Collar et al. 1 994) but, unfortunately, the details of its

biology are still poorly known, and this poses problems for its conservation

(Chong et al. 1996). Ten to twenty birds overwinter in north Kyushu, Japan,

preferring narrow river mouths with tidal mudflats and stands of reeds, in

this area, at least, they appear to feed more actively than the Eurasian

Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia, sometimes running after prey; they seem to

have a more stabbing feeding action, and hold their bills slightly wider open,

and they have been regularly observed to feed on fish of up to 20 cm length

(Niall Moores pers. comm.).

On 27 December 1 994, 1 observed a pair of Black-faced Spoonbills feeding

co-operatively in the shallow water of the Hakata Bay mudflats, Kyushu,

probably for fish. At about 17h00 on 27 December 1994 I was watching a

single Eurasian Spoonbill feeding in shallow water in Hakata Bay. At about

17h30, as the light began to fade, ten Black-faced Spoonbills left a small

shrubby island where they had been roosting; eight of them flew singly or in

pairs along the bay and out of sight. Two all-white birds (i.e. in non-breeding

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plumage) alighted closer to me, at about 100 m distance and proceeded to

feed in the 10-15 cm deep water. They stood facing each other about 1 m

apart, with their bills immersed in the water at the same spot. They seemed

to be searching for small prey. Periodically they quickly circled by running

sideways, but keeping their bills in the centre, and continuing to face each

other. They appeared to be feeding during this time, judging by their bill

movements. On several occasions after this circling, one of them would dash

off to one side for 1 -4 m, bill in the water, apparently chasing a prey item which

had been disturbed by their activity but had escaped their circle. They also

performed occasional mutual preening and bill-rubbing while standing

opposite each other. However, the overall behaviour mentioned above did not

appear to be a stereotyped mating ritual, as no movements appeared to be

exaggerated beyond that expected purely for feeding. The birds flew off at

about 1 8h00. Unfortunately, I was not aware of the sexual differences of this

species at the time, and have not been able to determine the sex of the two

individuals. The birds were observed with a Nikon Fieldscope ED78A with

a 1 9X eyepiece, so that, although they began at dusk and continued into what

for the naked eye was darkness, they were still clearly visible. Roseate

Spoonbills Ajaia ajaja have been observed chasing after prey, but this

behaviour is poorly documented. No behaviour of the kind observed above is

described for Black-faced Spoonbills in Hancock et al. (1992), despite their

extensive literature search. A winter study in Taiwan in 1993 (Yen 1994)

revealed that they spent most of the daytime in the T sen-wen estuary roosting,

and they were rarely seen foraging in the mudflats; however, the study was not

continued after dark. More recent research in North Korea during the breeding

season indicates that the male mainly feeds nocturnally (Chong etal. 1996) and

collects food for the female, which alone incubates between 1 9h00 and 07h00.

Perhaps this feeding technique is regularly employed after dusk for nocturnal

prey items. Much surely remains to be learned about this species.

I would like to thank Dr Frank Lambert and Tim Inskipp for helpful comments and suggestions, and

Niall Moores for his help and information on Kyushu birds.

REFERENCES

Chong, J. R., Pak, U., Rim, C. Y. and Kim, T. S. (1996) [Breeding biology of Black-faced Spoonbill

{Platalea minor).] Strix 14: 1-10 (In Japanese).

Collar, N. J., Crosby, M. J. and Stattersfield, A. J. (1994) Birds to watch 2. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLife

International (Conservation Series No. 4).

Hancock, J. A., Kushlan, J. A. and Kahl, M. P. (1992) Storks, ibises and spoonbills of the world. London:

Academic Press.

Yen Chong-wen (1994) [Winter behaviour of Black-faced Spoonbill ( Platalea minor ) inTaiwan.] Pp.

? in Lu Jian-jian, ed. Waterbird research in China. Shanghai: East China Normal University Press.

(In Chinese.)

Desmond Allen, 1158, No Ga Ya Cho, Machida Shi, Tokyo 195.00, Japan.

E-mail: dw6d-alln@asahi-net.or.jp

1996

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Some additions to the list of birds of

Vietnam

JONATHAN C EAMES

This short note documents records of 10 species of bird not listed for

Vietnam by Delacour and Jabouille (1931), King et al. (1975), Vo Quy

(1983) and Mlikovsky and Inskipp (in prep.), which I subsequendy recorded

between 1993 and 1 996 and are therefore judged to be new for the country.

Seven of the species listed (Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis,

Little Stint Calidris minuta, Pallas’s Gull Larus ichthyaetus, Lesser Frigatebird

Fregata arid , Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus armandii, Sooty Babbler

Stachyris herberti and Brambling Fringilla montijringilla) were included in a

recent list of the birds of Vietnam on the strength of the records listed below

(Vo Quy and Nguyen Cu 1995).

The following records refer to observations made by myself in the

company of others, and I would like to acknowledge the following individuals

who are referred to by their initials in the text: Shanthini Dawson (SPD),

Noritaka Ichida (NI), Le Trong Trai (LTT), Frank Lambert (FRL),

Nguyen Cu (NC) and Anita Pedersen (AP) . To substantiate the authenticity

of the records, additional data were obtained whenever feasible. Thus,

sound recordings were made of two of the species ( Numenius madagascariensis

and Stachyris herberti ), Phylloscopus armandii was trapped and photographed

in the hand and a specimen of Stachyris herberti was obtained. For each

record, date, locality (including province) and geographical coordinates are

given. Those diagnostic features of plumage and call used to determine the

specific identification are mentioned where relevant.

Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis

A single individual was observed and its call recorded at Cam Ranh Bay,

Khanh Hoa Province (1 1°51’N 109°07’E) on 18 February 1993 by NC and

myself. The bird was roosting on a drained shrimp-pond together with three

Eurasian Curlews N. arquata. It was identified at rest by the extensive pink

on the basal half of the lower mandible and absence of a white rump . In flight

the bird showed a uniformly dark grey-brown underwing and a brown rump .

It gave a “clear” call in flight.

Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus

A single individual was recorded on Luu Island in Xuan Thuy Nature

Reserve, Nam Ha Province (20°16’N 106°34’E) on 8 January 1996 by FRL

and myself. The bird was found roosting amongst Spotted Redshank Tringa

erythropus, Common Redshank T. totanus and Nordmann’s Greenshank T.

guttifer and was also observed feeding on the falling tide. Readily identified

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as an American dowitcher (either this species or Short-billed Dowitcher L.

griseus) by a combination of its jizz, (recalling a snipe Gallinago rather than

a godwit Limosa ) together with small body size and short stature, being

smaller and shorter than the three aforementioned Tringa species. In flight

it showed a white lower back and a uniformly dark upperwing, which

contrasted with a narrow white trailing edge to the primaries and secondaries.

Identified as L. scolopaceusl griseus in winter plumage by a combination of

uniformly dark grey brown upperparts with narrow white (rather than

chestnut) fringes to the wing-coverts and tertials. Identified as L. scolopaceus

by the kick call heard once in flight and the tail pattern, where black

predominated over white. Additional supporting features included fairly

abrupt demarcation between grey breast and white belly, and dark grey

throat with no speckling on the throat or breast.

A dowitcher species, probably L. scolopaceus , and indeed possibly even the

same individual, was recorded briefly again amongst roosting Spotted

Redshanks on a saline marsh between the Van Uc and Thia Binh River

Mouths, Haiphong Province (20°39’N 106°41’E) by JCE and NC on 5

February 1996.

Little Stint Calidris minuta

An adult in summer plumage was observed on Luu island, Xuan Thuy

Nature Reserve, Nam Ha Province (20°16’N 106°34’E) on 23 April 1995

by SPD, NC and myself. It was extremely confiding, feeding no more than

5 m away along the high-tide line in the company of several Red-necked

Stints Calidris ruficollis (showing summer, transitional and winter plumages),

Sanderling C. alba , Spoon-billed Sandpiper C. pygmeus, and Broad-billed

Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus. This bird was identified from summer

plumage Red-necked Stint by the following combination of features:

Although body-size was similar, the longer tarsus and longer stride, combined

with a longer, finely-tipped bill, suggested a more slender and less compact

appearance. The tertials and wing-coverts showed black centres and were

broadly edged with chestnut. The throat was white with greyish markings

across the chestnut breast. The legs were black rather than blackish.

Pallas’s (Great Black-headed) Gull Larus ichthyaetus

An adult in winter plumage was observed in flight at Xuan Thuy Nature

Reserve, Nam Ha Province (20°16’N 106°34’E) on 24 October 1994 by

SPD, NC and myself. It was identified by a combination of its large size, black

mask through the eye and along the side of the head, white wing tips with a

black sub-terminal band, large yellow bill with a black sub-terminal band and

yellow legs and feet, which were clearly visible when it flew directly overhead.

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

A single individual was recorded roosting together with 12 Black-faced

Spoonbills Platalea minor on 6 January and with 71 on 7 January 1996 on

Luu Island, Xuan Thuy Nature Reserve, Nam Ha Province (20°16’N

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106°34’E) by FRL and myself. The bird was identified at rest by its slightly

larger size, white-feathered face with black loral line, small yellow nail to the

otherwise black bill and yellow skin between the mandibles (black spotted

with flesh in Black-faced Spoonbill).

Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel

A single adult female was observed at Dat Mui, Minh Hai Province

(08°36’N 1 04°44’E), on 1 4 September 1 993 by NC and myself. Good views

were obtained as the bird flew parallel with our boat at a distance of c. 200

m. It was identified by the diagnostic white spurs on the underwing and the

inverted white V on the breast. The following day a distant frigatebird sp.,

possibly the same individual was observed at the same locality.

Rosy Starling Stumus roseus

An adult was found roosting with Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus in

mangroves at the Thai Binh river mouth (20°37’N 106°35’E), Thai Binh

Province on 8 April 1 996 by NI, LTT, NC, AP and myself. Being an adult,

this individual did not present an identification problem.

Yellow- streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii

Two were observed and one trapped and photographed (Figure 1) by AP

and myself on Mo Island off the Day River mouth, Nam Ha Province

(19°57’N 106°N09’E) on 26 April 1994. Both birds were medium-sized

Phylloscopus warblers, showing olive-brown upperparts, no wing-bars, a

pronounced supercilium and eye-stripe, and buff under-tail coverts. This

combination of features is only additionally shared by Radde’s Warbler P.

schwarzi and Dusky Warbler P. fuscatus. However, in the field both individuals

were heard to give the diagnostic bunting-like tsic call. The trapped

individual showed yellow streaking on the otherwise off-white throat and

breast, sullied yellow-buff flanks and belly with a cinnamon vent. Additionally,

these birds appeared structurally less robust and with a finer bill than

Radde’s Warbler. Dusky Warbler lacks the cinnamon vent and is never so

buff below (Boonsong and Round 1991, Leader 1995).

Sooty Babbler Stachyris herberti

This species was discovered in Vietnam, and a specimen collected at Phong

Nha Nature Reserve, Quang Binh Province (17°25’N 106°E) in July 1994.

A full account of the discovery and notes on the biology of the species are

published elsewhere (Eames et al. 1995).

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla

A flock of at least 40 feeding amongst conifers in Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province

(22°20’N 103°50’E) on 25 December 1994 and 1 1 January 1995 by SPD,

NC and myself. Heard flying over the forest canopy on Fan Si Pan on

various dates between 29 December 1 994 and 4 January 1995. Unmistakable,

this species shows a combination of black and orange plumage and a

diagnostic white rump.

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Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus

A flock of 8 seen together with Bramblings in Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province

(22°20’N 103°50’E) on 25 December 1994. A small yellowish-green finch,

separated from Black-headed Greenfinch C. ambigua by the combination of

yellow rump, two yellow wing-bars and yellow sides to tail.

Subsequently, R. Eve (in litt. to T. Inskipp) found and described a male

Eurasian Siskin singing in Hanoi zoo on 14 May 1995.

REFERENCES

Boonsong Lekagul and Round, P. D. (1991) A guide to the birds of Thailand. Bangkok: Saha Kara

Bhaet Co. Ltd.

Delacour, J. and Jabouille, P. (1931) Les oiseaux de Tlndochine frangaise. Paris: Exposition Coloniale

Internationale.

Eames, J. C. (1995) Rediscovery of the Sooty Babbler Stachyris herberti in central Vietnam. Bird

Conservation International 5: 129-135.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. W. (1975) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Leader, P. J. (1994) Field identification of Dusky, Radde’s and Yellow-streaked Warblers. Pp. 170-

180 in Carey, G.,ed. (1995 ) Hong Kong Bird Report 1994. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Birdwatching

Society.

Mlikovsky, J. and Inskipp, T. P. Ornithological bibliography and checklist of Indochina, 1758-1996.

Unpublished manuscript.

Vo Quy (1993) [A catalogue of the birds of Vietnam] . Pp. 12-43 in L. N. Medvedev, ed. [Fauna and

ecology of the animals of Vietnam] Moscow: Nauka. (in Russian).

Vo Quy and Nguyen Cu (1995) Danh Luc Chim Viet Nam. Hanoi: Nha Xuat Ban Nong Nghiep.

Jonathan C Eames, 17 M 13 Lang Trung, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Records of Blunt- winged Warbler

Acrocephalus concinens in northern

Vietnam

E. MEY

Between 6 April and 3 May 1 995, in the Cue Phuong National Park (north¬

west Bac Bo, or south Tonkin), around 100 km SSW of Hanoi, I trapped

a total of 189 birds belonging to 54 species, which were thoroughly

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167

examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera and Amblycera)

infestation, then released. The detailed ecological and taxonomic results

will be discussed elsewhere; a general report has already been published

(Mey 1995). During this study five Blunt-winged Warblers Acrocephalus

concinens were trapped in two nets c. 5 km apart, two of the birds on 1 1 April

and three on 2 1 April. Both locations were in semi-open country with dense

shrubby undergrowth. Three of the birds had flown along the edge of

secondary woodland bordering forestry plantations, which were partly open

and partly overgrown with Imperata cylindrica.

Identification of the warblers was confirmed using wing formulae from

King era/. (1975). One individual, which was recovered freshly dead on 1 1

April, is retained as a skin in the Museum of Natural History, Rudolstadt,

Thuringia, Germany.

Blunt-winged Warbler is described by Vo Quy and Nguyen Cu (1995) as

a passage migrant of uncertain abundance and occurring only in Vung Nam

bo, or Cochin China, based on ‘several birds, believed to be this species,

were observed at close range in Nam Bai Cat Tien National Park, on 31

December [1989]’ (Robson etal. 1993). Vo Quy and Nguyen Cu (1995) do

not list any records for the other six districts of Vietnam. However, Kinnear

(1929) reported that three clutches of eggs, possibly from this species, were

collected by H. Stevens in northern Tonkin in 1923-1924. Nearby, in Laos,

Dickinson (1970) reported that A. David-Beaulieu collected a specimen at

Savannakhet on 13 November 1944. It is also recorded as a winter visitor

in southern and eastern Myanmar, and north-west and south-east Thailand

(King etal. 1975). It maybe a more common passage migrant and/or winter

visitor in eastern Indochina than has previously been ascertained.

REFERENCES

Dickinson, E. C. (1970) Notes upon a collection of birds from Indochina. Ibis 112: 481-487.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. W. (1975) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Kinnear, N. B. (1929) On the birds collected by Mr H. Stevens in northern Tonkin in 1923-1924,

with notes by the collector. Ibis (12)5: 107-150, 292-344.

Mey, E. (1995) fiber einen Forschungsaufenthalt im vietnamesischen Regenwald. Jb. Landkreis

Saalfeld-Rudolstadt 1995: 156-160.

Robson, C. R., Eames, J. C., Nguyen Cu and Truong Va La (1993) Further recent records of birds

from Viet Nam. Forktail 8: 25-52.

Vo Quy and Nguyen Cu (1995) Checklist of the birds of Vietnam. Hanoi: Nha Xuat Ban NongNghiep.

Dr Eberhard Mey, Museum of Natural History Rudolstadt, Schlofibezirk 1, D-

07407 Rudolstadt (Thuringia), Germany.

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Corn Crake Crex crex in Vietnam: the

first for South-East Asia

ERIC R. MEEK

During a visit to Vietnam in January 1996, 1 visited the small town of Phung

Hiep in Soc Trang province in the Mekong delta. Phung Hiep lies about half

way between the towns of Can Tho to the north and Soc trang to the south.

We were advised to visit Phung Hiep because of its interest as a snake market

but it soon became apparent that as well as snakes large numbers of birds were

also on sale as food or, in some cases, as traditional medicines. The birds on

sale were chiefly Rallidae, and their numbers are detailed in Table 1 . Almost

all of the birds were still alive, although some had begun to succumb.

In one wicker basket containing some 30 Slaty-breasted Rails Gallirallus

striatus, I noticed a single example of a different species which I immediately,

but somewhat incredulously, recognized as a Corn Crake Crex crex. I

photographed the bird (below) and then went to fetch our interpreter so that

I could make enquiries as to the bird’s origin. Through our interpreter I was

able to discover that all of the birds on sale had been caught in Soc Trang,

but whether this meant in the vicinity of the town of that name or within the

province, was not clear. What was clear was that capture must have been

very recent as few of the birds on sale could have survived more than one or

two days in the conditions in which they were being kept.

There are no previous records of Corn Crake in South-East Asia. Records

from the Oriental region are few: one from Pakistan (Roberts 1991), two

from Sri Lanka (Phillips 1978), one from a boat near Sri Lanka (Ali and

Ripley 1987), two from Ladakh, India (Vaurie 1972, Williams and Delany

1 985), one collected in the Indian subcontinent in the 1 870s (Ali and Ripley

1987), and from extreme

north-west China (Cheng

1987). There are also two

records for Australia and one

for New Zealand (Marchant

and Higgins 1993), but the

vast majority of Corn

Crakes, even those from the

eastern part of the range of

the species at nearly 120°E

in Siberia (Cramp 1980),

apparently winter in south¬

east Africa.

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Species Number

Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 10

Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis 25

Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica 1 5

Slaty-breasted Rail Gallirallus striatus 50

Corn Crake Crex crex 1

Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla 100

Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca 100

White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus 5

Watercock Gallicrex cinerea 1 50

Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 1

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1

Pintail Snipe Gallianago stenura 1

Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis 1

Table 1 . Estimated numbers of birds for sale in Phung Hiep market, Soc Trang province, Vietnam,

14 January 1996

The figures presented in Table 1 suggest that, if this rate of capture is

repeated in many other localities, then considerable numbers of Rallidae must

be involved. I did not record a market on this scale anywhere else during our

three day tour of the delta, but on 13 January at Long Xuyen (An Giang

province) there were c. 50 Slaty-breasted Rails on sale, together with several

cages of Baya Weavers Ploceus philippinus, while on 14 January on a ferry

crossing in Ving Long province, a bundle of 10 Watercocks and 10 Black¬

winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus were being offered round the boat.

REFERENCES

Ali, S. and Ripley, S. D. (1987) Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. New Delhi: Oxford

University Press.

Cheng Tso-hsin (1987) A synopsis of the avifauna of China. Beijing: Science Press.

Cramp, S. ed. (1980) The birds of the Western Palearctic, 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Marchant, S. and Higgins, P. (1990) The handbook of Australian, New Zealand, and Antarctic birds, 2.

Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Phillips, W.W. A. (1978) Annotated checklist of the birds of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Colombo: The Wildlife

& Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka in association with the Ceylon Bird Club.

Roberts, T. J. (1991) The birds of Pakistan, 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vaurie, C. (1972) Tibet and its birds. London: H. F. & G. Witherby.

Williams, C. and Delany, S. (1985) Migration through the north-west Himalaya - some results of the

Southampton University Ladakh expedition. Bull. Oriental Bird Club 2: 10-14.

Eric R. Meek, Smyril, Stenness, Orkney Islands KW16 3JX, U.K.

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Guidelines for contributors

Forktail publishes original papers in the English language (also, in certain cases, English translations

of papers in Oriental languages) treating any aspect of the ornithology (e.g. distribution, biology,

conservation, identification) of the Oriental region, i.e. the region bounded by the Indus River to the

west, Lydekker’s Line to the east (i.e. the eastern boundary of Wallacea), the Chang Jiang (Yangtze

Kiang) basin to the north and the Chagos Archipelago, Lesser Sundas, Christmas Island and Cocos

(Keeling) Islands to the south; the Japanese Nansei Shoto (islands south-west of Kyushu) are

included, and indeed material concerning any part of China or Pakistan may be published.

Submissions are considered on the understanding that they are being offered solely for publication

by the Oriental Bird Club, which will retain copyright. Referees are used where appropriate; all

submissions are reviewed by the Forktail Editorial Committee, and those accepted are normally

published in order of receipt. (Some further indication of the type of material appropriate for the

journal is provided in the inaugural editorial, ‘The scope of Forktail’, Forktail 1; 3-5.)

Submissions should be in one of the following ways: a) in duplicate, typewritten on one side of the

paper only, and double-spaced; or b) a single double-spaced typescript, accompanied by a word-

processed version on disk, preferably IBM compatible and in WordPerfect 5.1. Macintosh and other

word-processing packages are acceptable, but in such cases two files should be sent, one in the original

word-processed format and one converted into an ASCII text file. The approximate position of

figures and tables should be indicated in the margin of the typescript. Papers should be concise and

factual, take full account of previous relevant literature but avoid repetition of established information

as much as possible; opinions expressed should be based on adequate evidence. Tides of papers must

be accurate and concise, and (for the benefit of abstraction services) include any relevant scientific

(taxonomic) name.

Whenever possible, authors should consult an issue of Forktail for style and layout. Spelling follows

The shorter Oxford English dictionary, except that external features of birds are spelt and hyphenated

in accordance with the entry under ‘Topography’ in A dictionary of birds (1985). Spelling of place-

names accords (unless another source is specified) with the most recent edition (currently seventh,

1985) of The Times atlas of the world ; we use ‘South-East Asia’ and ‘Viet Nam’. Localities with well-

known other spellings or older names should have these placed in parentheses after their first mention.

For localities too small to be in the Times atlas a source of the spelling adopted should preferably be

indicated and the precise geographical coordinates provided (these should be double-checked where

possible). It is appreciated that authors will not always have access to the above sources; in such cases

the editor will seek to introduce conformity.

English and scientific names of birds should follow those provided by Inskipp, T., Lindsey, N. and

Duckworth, W. (1996) An annotated checklist of the birds of the Oriental region. On first mention of a

bird both English and scientific name should be given, thereafter only one, preferably the English.

Scientific trinomials need be used only if subspecific nomenclature is relevant to the topic under

discussion. These recommendations also apply for any other animal or plant species mentioned.

Underlining (= italics ) is used for all words of foreign languages, including generic and specific

scientific names. Metric units and their international symbols should be used; if it is necessary to cite

other systems of measurement, these can be added in parentheses. Temperatures should be given in

the Centigrade (Celsius) scale. Numbers one to ten are written in full except when linked with a

measurement abbreviation or higher number, thus ‘five birds’ but ‘5 km’ and ‘5-12 birds’; numerals

are used for all numbers above ten, four-figure numbers and above using the comma thus: ‘1,234’,

‘12,345’. Details of experimental technique, extensive tabulations of results, etc., are best presented

as appendices. Authors of papers containing statistical analysis should observe the provisions of the

relevant section of ‘Notice to contributors’ in a recent Ibis. Dates should be written 1 January 1985,

times of day as 08h30, 1 7h55 (24-hour clock;), etc. When citing a conversation (‘verbally’) or letter

(‘in lilt. ’), the contact’s name and initials should be included, preferably with the year of communication.

A full-length paper must include a summary not exceeding 5% of the total length.

Any figure, diagram, line-drawing or map should preferably be in black ink on strong white or

translucent paper; it should be called a Figure, numbered appropriately, and fully captioned. Maps

must be marked with a scale and north arrow. Lettering on figures should be very neat, although the

publishers will re-draw figures and typeset lettering. Good photographs are also considered. Captions

for figures and photographs should be typed on a separate sheet.

Authors of papers are encouraged to offer their work to one or more ornithologist or biologist for

critical assessment prior to submission to Forktail. Such help as is received should naturally be

mentioned in an acknowledgement section before the full references are presented.

References in the text should follow the form ‘(Campbell and Lack 1985)’ and ‘King et al. (1975)

suggest...’. More than one within die same parentheses should be chronologically listed, alphabetically

if of the same year. Publications by the same authors in the same year may be distinguished by ‘a’, ‘b’,

etc., after the date. Full references must be listed alphabetically at the end in the form:

Campbell, B. and Lack, E. eds. (1985) Al dictionary of birds. Calton (Staffordshire, U.K.): T. and A. D.

Poyser.

King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. and Woodcock, M. W. (1975) A field guide to the birds of South-East Asia.

London: Collins.

Kuroda, Nh., ed. (1984) Ketteiban seibutsu daizukan ; chorui [ Illustrations of animals and plants: birds],

Tokyo: Sekai Bunkasha. (In Japanese.)

Roslyakov, G. E. (1985) [‘Information on the distribution and number of Aix galericulata and Mergus

squamatus over Khabarovsk Territory.’] Pp. 101-102 in N. M. Litvinenko, ed. Rare and endangered

birds of the Far East. Vladivostok: Far East Science Center, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. (In

Russian.)

Sien Yao-hua, Kuan Kuan-Hsun and Zheng Zuo-xin (1964) [‘An avifaunal survey of the Chinghai

province.’] Acta Zool. Sinica 16: 690-709. (In Chinese.)

Smythies,B. E. (1981) The birds of Borneo. Third edition. Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur: The Sabah

Society and the Malayan Nature Society.

Somadikarta, S. (1986) Collocalia linchi Horsfield & Moore - a revision. Bull. Brit. Om. Club 106: 32-

40.

White, C. M. N. and Bruce, M. D. (1986) The birds of Wallacea (Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Lesser Sunda

Islands, Indonesia): an annotated check-list. London: British Ornithologists’ Union (Check-list no. 7).

It will be noted from these examples that references to non-Roman scripts need to be transliterated

and/or translated (or even, with more recondite sources, both); either the transliterated title may be left

as it is, or a translation of it can be substituted in square brackets (but where an abstract provides its

own English title, this may be cited in inverted commas within square brackets), and the language

involved should follow the reference, in parentheses.

The author’s name and postal address should appear in italics at the end of the article.

Authors will receive proofs for checking, which they are required to return within one week of receipt

(no more than four weeks can be allowed between posting out and taking return of proofs). All joint

communications must indicate the name and full postal address of the author to whom proofs should

be sent. Textual changes in proof cannot normally be countenanced. Reprints are available on request.

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