Table Of ContentMISCELLANEOUS NOTES
RISHADNAOROJI
The upper limit ofthe species is variously
recorded as 1,800 m (Ali and Ripley 1981), Godrej Bhavan,
2,500 m (Ali 1996) and 1,372 m (Fleming et al 4-A, Home Street,
1984) for the Indian subcontinent. Interestingly, Fort, Mumbai 400 001,
the site where the birds were observed is at an Maharashtra,
elevation of c. 3,500 m, considerably exceeding India.
the record from Rara Lake in Nepal on April 1, Email: [email protected]
m
1976 at 3,050 (Inskipp and Inskipp 1991).
MAAN BARUA
Feb. 7, 2001 HARKIRAT SINGH SANGHA 107, M.C. Road,
B-27, Gautam Marg, Uzan Bazaar,
Hanuman Nagar, Guwahati 781 001,
Jaipur 302 021, Rajasthan, India. Assam,
Email: [email protected] India.
References
Au, S. (1996): The Book of Indian Birds. 12th revised Kathmandu.
&
andenlarged edn. BombayNatural History Society, Grimmett, R., C. Inskipp T. Inskipp (1998): Birds ofthe
Mumbai. Indian subcontinent. Christopher Helm, London.
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1981): Handbook ofthe Birds of Inskipp, C. & T. Inskipp (1991): A Guide to the Birds of
India and Pakistan. Vol. 1, 2nd edn. Oxford Nepal. 2nd edn. Christopher Helm. London.
University Press, New Delhi. Kazmierczak, K. & B. van Perlo (2000): A Field Guide
Fleming, Sr. R.L., R.L. Fleming Jr. & L.S. Bangdel tothe Birds ofthe Indian Subcontinent. Pica Press.
(1984): Birds of Nepal. 3rd edn., Avalok, Robertsbridge. U.K.
SIGHTING OF LESSER FRIGATEBIRD FREGATA ARIEL GRAY
3.
IN THE KOLE WETLANDS OF THRISSIJR, KERALA
(With one plate)
Kole wetland in Thrissur district is one of the west coast and is about 4 km away from the
the important wintering grounds for migratory sea. Local people noticed a live bird and brought
birds coming to Kerala. The area lies in between it to the Thrissur Zoo. On examination, the bird
10° 20' - 10° 40' N and 75° 58' - 76° 11' E, was identified as an adult female of the lesser
extending to about 1 1 ,000 ha. Kole wetlands are frigatebird. The bird had a black head and red eye
situated below sea level and paddy is cultivated rings, black throat and white breast extending into
during the months of October to April, after a complete collar around the neck. The bird stayed
draining water. During monsoon (June to alive for a week in the zoo, after which it was
September) the whole area is inundated. As a part skinned and preserved.
ofecological studies on wetland birds initiated in Only a few sighting details of the lesser
1998, we have been surveying the area regularly. frigatebird are reported from Kerala State.
Duringthe period, a lesser frigatebird Fregataariel Ferguson and Bourdillon (1 904) recorded it from
Gray was recorded from Guruvayur, Thrissur Trivandrum. Ali (1984) has not reported the
district on June 16, 2000. The place is situated on species from Kerala. Faizi (1985) reported the
JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 100(1), APR. 2003 107
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
species from Quilon, based on a museum November 25, 2000 *E.A. JAYSON
SIVAPERUMAN
specimen. This is the first report of the species C.
from central Kerala and also from the Kole Division of Wildlife Biology
wetlands of Thrissur. The individual seems to Kerala Forest Research Institute
be an accidental straggler that landed in the Peechi 680 653,
coastal zone due to the heavy monsoon winds Kerala, India.
prevalent in June. *Email: [email protected]
Refer
E N C E S
Ali, S. (1984): Birds ofKerala. 2Md Edn, Oxford University Soc. 82(1): 191.
Press. Delhi. 444 Pp. Fergusson, FI.S. & T.F. Bourdillon (1904): The Birds of
Faizi, S. ( 1985): An additional record oftheLesserFrigate Travancore, with notes on their Nidification.
Bird Fregcita arid in India. J. Bombay nat. Hist. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 16: 1-18.
INDIAN POND-HERONS ARDEOLA GRAYII FEEDING ON DRAGONFLIES
4.
Following the failure of monsoon in our tamarind tree outside my house attempting to
area in 1 999-2000, Rishi Valley (Chittoor district, catch dragonflies in flight.
Andhra Pradesh) wore a drab look with the With the disappearance ofwaterbodies, the
drying up ofponds and other waterbodies. Even Indian pond-herons had to change their foraging
the percolation tank, which usually harbours strategies and had taken to vantage points on trees
A
water even in the lean period, was reduced to a to catch dragonflies. few others were seen
muddy puddle. stalking insects in dry fields and, following cattle
was out on a walk along the road lined and goats just like cattle egrets Bubulcus ibis
I ( )
with trees such as Ficus and Spathodea outside which were also occasionally seen with the herons.
the school campus, on the evening of March 5, I had, on an earlier instance, noticed Indian pond-
2000, when noticed three Indian pond-herons herons attempting to catch dragonflies from the
1
(Ardeola grayii perched on a banyan tree Ficus ground at Adyar Estuary in Chennai when the
)
m
bengalensis c. 8 above the ground. It was too insects were flying low over the islets and water.
,
early for them to roost and there was no major Prasad and Hemanth (1992; JBNHS89 246) have
:
m
disturbance that might have forced them to fly reported Indian pond-herons perched on a 7
to a tree. paused to look around, and within a willowtree in Bangalore, feeding on bees that came
I
NLBW
few minutes was able to find the reason. to the flowers. Jose noticed (1999; 39(2):
Just above the Indian pond-herons was a 39) cattle egrets feeding on insects visiting
small group of dragonflies, flying close to the flowerheads of mango Mangifera indica and
foliage ofthe banyan tree. Even as was watching Carissa trees. These observations show how birds
I
them, an Indian pond-heron attempted to snap adapt their behaviour to changed circumstances
at a dragonfly that was just a few inches above to survive.
it. This and the attempts that followed were all
SANTHARAM
unsuccessful for the few minutes that I observed April 16, 2000 V.
them. A little later, the dragonflies moved away Institute ofBird Studies & Natural History,
from the tree and the Indian pond-herons flew Rishi Valley Education Centre,
to forage in the dry, barren fields. A few days Rishi Valley 517 352,
later, I noticed another Indian pond-heron on a Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, India.
108 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 100(1), APR. 2003
