Table Of Contentoce
SIONAL PAPE NO. 141
BI DS OF ARID A D
EMI-A D TRACTS
A. K. MUKHERJE
ZOOLOGICAL URVEY OF IND I A
1995
RECORDS
OF
mE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 142
Birds of Arid and Semi-Arid Tracts
AJIT KUMAR MUKHERJEE
ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA, CALCUTTA
Edited blf the Director
ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
1995
C Copyright Government of India, 1996
Published : October, 1995
PRICE
INDIAN: Rs. 300.00
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Printed by Asian Printers, P-12, C. I. T. Roa,d, Calcutta-700014 Phone: 244·5340
Published by the Director, Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta.700020
AUTHOR'S PREFACE:
The avifauna of the northwestern India during the past in hundred years or so, reported by
Ferdinand Stoliczka, A.O.Hume, C. D Lester, High Wishtler and others, though quite informa
tive and useful, yet are scattered. Such literature hardly serves the purpose as a guide for bird
study of that area. Mention may however be made of two contributions of significance.
viz.,Salim Ali's 'The Birds of Kutch' brought out in 1945 and the other of
Dharmakumarasinhji's 'Birds of Saurashtra' that appeared in 1954. These works are no doubt
classic but are restrcited to particular regions only. The present author has therefore designed
this publication as an introduction to the avifauna of t~e arid and semi-arid tracts of northwest
India spread over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The author has great appreciation for the enthusiasm of Dr. M. L. Roonwal, Director
(Retired) of Zoological Survey of India, for launching a project of general faunistic survey of
the Great Indian Desert which got started in 1956 and continued for two decades, intensively in
some areas, viz., Sambhar Lake (Central Rajasthan), Jodhpur district (West Rajsthan) and the
dry deciduous forest of Gir (South Central Gujarat), and extensively in the arid and semi-arid
tracts. The author who was one of the members of the faunistic exploration parties, being an
ornithologist, had special interest, brought invaluable collections of birds from inhospitable
desert areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. These collections form the basis of the present book.
Enactment of the Wild Life (Proctection) Act of 1972 of the Government of India together
with restrictions imposed by the forest departments of different states affected collections of
bird samples and bird study was limited to field observations only for the last one decade.
The physiography of the Great Indian Desert is fast changing as a result of habitat destruc
tion, construction of canals, setting up of new water reserviours, dams and dykes, and als~ ex
perimental afforestation and crop raising. The cumulative effect of such changes is likely to
affect the fauna and flora in general and avifauna in particular. What is found and described
today in this book may require additions or deletions in future.
•
CONTENTS
Author's Preface
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1
Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. 3
Arid and Semi-arid tracts .................................................................................... 3
Geological history of the Great Indian Desert ................................................. 4
Physiography of the area ...................................................................................... 5
(a) Topography ......................................................................................... 5
(b) Climate-factors regulating the ecosystem ........................................ 6
(c) Biota ..................................................................................................... 12
1. Flora (vegetation of the area).
2. Fauna.
(d) Ecological distribution of birds ........................................................ 20
(e) Zoogeographical distribution ............................................................ 25
(t) Migration-migratory birds .................................................................. 38
(g) Colouration of birds in desert environment .................................... 39
Description of species and subspecies of birds ................................................. 42
List of status of species (Including rare, straggler and
vagrant) in aried and semi-arid tracts (Statewise) ...................................... 264
References ............................................................................................................. 285
Index(Birds only) .................................................................................................. 29()
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SYSTEMATIC CONTENTS
Order: PODICIPEDIFORMES
Family: Podicipedidae
1. Podiceps cristatus cristatus (Linnaeus) ........................................................... 42
2. Podiceps nigricollis Brehm ............................................................................... 42
3. Podiceps ruficollis capensis Salvedori ....................................... ,. .................... 43
Order: PELECANIFORMES
Family: Pelecanidae
4. Pelecanus onocrotalus Linnaeus ..................................................................... 44
5. Pelecanus philippensis crispus Bruch .............................................................. 44
Family : Phalacrocoracidae
6. Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (Shaw) ............................................................. 45
7. Phalacrocorax tuscicollis Stephens .................................................................. 46
8.Pahalcrocorax niger (Vieillot) ......................................................................... 46
9.Anhinga rufa melanogaster Pennant ............................................................... 47
Order: CICONIIFORMES
Family: Ardeidae
10. Ardes cinerea rectirostris Gould .................................................................... 48
11. Ardea purpurea manilensis Meyan ............................................................... 48
12. Ardea alba modesta J. E. Gray ..................................................................... 49
13. Ardeola striatus chloriceps (Bonaparte) ....................................................... 50
14. Ardeola gravii gravii (Sykes) ........................................................................... 50
15. Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Boddaert) ......................................................... 51
16. Egretta intermedia intermedia (Wagler) ....................................................... 52
17. Egretta garzetta garzetta (Linnaeus) ............................................................... 53
18. Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus) ................................................ 54
19. Botarus stellaris stellaris (Linnaeus) .............................................................. 54
Family: Ciconiidae
20. Mycteria leucocephala (Pennant) .................................................................. 55
21. A~astomus oscitans (Boddaert) .................................................................... 56
22. Ciconia episcpus episcopus (Boddaert) ........................................................ 57
23. Ciconia ciconia ciconia (Linnaeus) .............................................................. 57
24. Ciconia nigra (Linnaeus) ................................................................................ 58
25. Ephippirhynchus asiaticus asiaticus (Latham) ............................................. 58
Family: Threski ornithidae
26. Threskiomis aethiopica melanicephala (Lahtma) ....................................... 59
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27. Pseudibis papillosa papillosa (Temminck) .................................................. 60
28. Plegadis falcinellus falcinellus (Linnaeus) .................................................... 60
29. Platalea leucorodia major Temminck and Schlegel .................................... 61
Family: Phoenicopteridae
30. PhoenicopteTlls roseus Pllas ........................................................................... 62
31. Phoeniconaias minor (Geoffroy) .................................................................. 63
Order: ANSERIFORMES
Family: Anatidae
32. Anser anser Tllbrirostris Swinhoe .................................................................... 63
33. Anser indicus (Latham) .................................................................................. 64
34. Dendrocygnajavancia (Horsfield) ................................................................. 64
35. Tadrona Fe TTllginea (Pallas) .......................................................................... 65
36. Tadoma tadoma (Linnaeus) ......................................................................... 66
37. Anas acuta (Linnaeus) ................................................................................... 66
38. Anas crecca crecca (Linnaeus) ...................................................................... 67
39. Anas poecilorhyncha poecilorhyncha (J. R. Forster) .................................. 68
40. Anas platyrhynchos (Linnaeus) ..................................................................... 69
41. Anas sterpera strepera (Linnaeus) .................................................................. 69
42. Anas penelope (Linnaeus) ............................................................................. 70
43. Anas querquedula (Linnaeus) ....................................................................... 70
44. Anas clypeata (Linnaeus) ............................................................................... 71
45. Netta Tllfina (Pallas) ........................................................................................ 72
46. Aythya ferina (Linnaeus) ................................................................................ 73
47. Aythya nyroca (Guldenstadt) ......................................................................... 73
48. Aythya fu,ligllla (Linnaeus) ............................................................................. 74
49. Nettapus coromandelianus coromandelianus (Gmelin) ............................. 75
50. Sarkidiomis melanotos (Pennant) ................................................................. 76
Order: FALCONIFORMES
Family: Accipitridae
51. Elanus caeruleus vociferus (Lathem) ............................................................ 76
52. Milvus milvus milvus (Linnaeus) ............................•..................................... 77
53. Milvus migrans govinda (Sykes) .................................................................... 78
54. Milvus migrans lineatus (J. E. Gray) ............................................................. 78
55. Haliastur indus indus (Bodeaert) .................................................................. 79
56. Accipiter gentilis schvedowi (Menzbier) ....................................................... 80
57. Accipiter badius dussumieri (Temminic) ...................................................... SO
58. Accipiter nisus nisosimilis {Tick ell) .............................................................. S1
59. Buteo rufinus Tllfinus (Cretzchmar) ............................................................ S2
60. Butaster teesa (Franklin) ................................................................................. 83
61. Hieraaetus fasciatus fasciatus (Vlellot) ........................................
000 •••• 0.84
62. Hieraaetus Pennatus (Gmelin) .. o. S4
0 .0 .0.0 .0000.00.00000 •• 0. 0 ••• 0. 0 0.0 ••••• 0 ••••••••••••• 00 ••••••
V111
63. Aquila heliaca heliaca (Savigny) ................................................................... 86
64. Aquila rapax vindhiana (Franklin) ............................................ ". .................. 86
65. Aquila clanga Pallas ...................................................................................... 87
66. Haliaeetus albicilla (Linnaeus) ...................................................................... 88
67. Haliaeetus /eucoryphus (Pallas) ...................................................................... 88
68. Aegypius calvus (Scopoli) .............................................................................. 89
69. Aegypius monachus (Linnaeus) .................................................................... 90
70. Gyps fulvus fulvescens (Hume) ................................................................... 90
71. Gyps indicus indicus (Scopoli) ...................................................................... 91
72. Gyps bengalensis (Gmelin) ............................................... " ........................... 91
73. Neophron percnopterus percnopterus (Linnaeus) ......... , .............................. 92
74. Circus fnacrourus (S. G. Gmelin) ................................................................... 93
75. Circus pygargus (Linnaeus) ............................................................................ 94
76. Circus aelUginosus aeruginosus (Linnaeus) ................................................. 94
77. Circaetus gallicus ga/licus (Gmelin) .............................................................. 95
78. Spilomis cheela melanotis (Jerdon) ............................... ., ........................... 96
79. Pandion haliaetus haliaetus (Linnaeus) ........................................................ 97
Family: Faicollirlae
80. Falco biannicus cherrugl. E. Gray ...................................... " ........................ 98
81. falco biarmicus jugger J. F. Gery .................................. .............................. 98
~
82. Falco peregrinus babylonicus Sclater ............................................................ 99
83. Falco peregrinus peregrinator Sundevall ....................................................... 100
84. Falco subbuteo subbuteo Linnaeus ............................................................... 101
85. Falco chicquera chicquers Daudin .............. ~ ................................................. 102
86. Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus Linnaeus ...................................................... 102
Order: GALLIFORMES
Family: Phasianidae
87. Francolin us francolinus asiae Bonaparte ....................... . ........................... 103
88. Fran colin us pictus pallidus (J. E. Gray) ....................................................... 104
89. Francolin us pondicerianus interpositus Hartert ........................................... 105
90. Cotumix columix cotumis (Linnaeus) .................................. ,. ....................... 105
91. Cotumix coromandelica (Gmelin) ....................................... ,. ...................... 106
92. Perdicula asiatica asiatica (Latham) ............................................................. 107
93. Perdicula argoondah meinertzhageni Whistler ................... " ....................... 108
94. Galloperdix spadicea caurina Blanford ................ " ..................................... 109
95. Gal/us sonneratii Temminck .............................................. " ......................... 110
96. Pavo cristat::: Linnaeus ....................................................................... ~ ......... 111
0rder
~ GRUIFORlv!~S~
Family :
Turni(~itiae
97. Tumix sylvatica dussumier (Temminck) .................................................... 112
98. Tumix tanki tanld Blyth ................................................................................. 112
99, Tumix suscitator taigoor (Sykes) .................................................................... 113
IX
Family: Gruidae
100. Gros gnJs lilfordi Sharpe .............................................................................. 114
101. Gros antigone antigone Linnaeus ................................................................ 115
102. Anthropoides virgo Linnaeus ...................................................................... 115
Family: Rallidae
103. Rallus striatus a1biventer Swains on .............................................................. 116
104. Rallus aquaticus korejewi Zarudny ............................................................. 117
105. Prozana porz,ana (Linnaeus) ................................................................. _. .... 117
106. Porz,ana pusilla pusilla (Pallas) ................................................................... 118·
107. Amauromis aleool akool (Sykes) ................................................................. 118
108. Amauromis phoenicuros phoenicuros (Pennant) ...................................... 119
1()9. Gallicrex cinerea (Gmelin) ........................................................................... 120
110. Gallinula chloropus indica Blyth ................................................................. 120
111. Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus (Lathem) ............................................ 121
112. Fulica aua atra Linnaeus ............................................................................. 122
Family c Otididae
113. Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) ........................................................................... 123
114. Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii J. E. Grey ............................................ 124
115. Sypheotides indica (J. F . Miller) .................................................................. 124
Family: Jacanidea
116. Hydrophasianus chirurgus (Scopoli) ........................................................... 125
117. Ma tapodius indicus Latham ....................................................................... 126
Family: Rostratulidea
118. Rostratula benghalensis benghalensis (Linnaeus) ...................................... 127
Family: Recunirostridae
119. Himantopus himantopus himantopus (Linnaeus) .................................... 128
120. Recurvirostra avosetta Linnaeus .................................................................. 129
Family: Burhinidae
121. Burhinus oedicnemus indicus (Salvadori) .................................................. 129
122. Esacus magnirostris recurvirostris (Cuvier) ................................................ 130
Family: Glareolidae
123. Cursorius cursor cursor (Lathem) ................................................................ 131
124. Cursorius coromandelicus (Gmelin) ........................................................... 132
Family: Charadriidae
Subfamily: Charadriinae
125. Vanel/us leucurus (Lichtenstein) ................................................................. 132
126. Vanellus gregarius (Pallas) ........................................................................... 133
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127. Vanellus indicus indicus ( Boddaert) ........................................................ 127
~28. Vanellus malabaricus (Boddaert) ............................................................... 135
129. Pluvialis squatarola (Linnaeus) ................................................................... 135
130. Charadrius leschenaultii leschenaultii Lesson ............................................ 136
131. Charadrius dubius jerdoni (Legge) ............................................................. 137
132. Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus Linnaeus ....................................... 137
133. Charadrius mongolus atrifrons Wagler ....................................................... 138
Subfamily: Scolopacinae
134. Numenius phaeopus phaeopus (Linnaeus) ................................................ 139
135. Numenius arquata orientalis C. L. Brehm .................................................. 139
136. Limosa limosa limosa (Linnaeus) .............................................................. 140
137. Tringa totanus curhinus (Oberhotser) ........................................................ 140
138. Tringa stagnatilis (Bechstein) ...................................................................... 141
139. Tringa nebularia Gunnerus .......................................................................... 142
140. Tri!lga ochropus Linnaeus ............................................................................ 142
141. Tringa glareola Linnaeus .............................................................................. 143
142. Tringa hypoleucos Linnaeus ......................................................................... 144
143. Gallinago gallinago gallinago (Linnaeus) ................................................... 144
144. Gallinago minima (Brunnich) ..................................................................... 145
145. Calidris temminckii (Leisler) ....................................................................... 145
146 . Calidris minuta min uta (Lerster) ................................................................ 146
147. Calidris alpina alpina (Linnaeus) ................................................................ 147
148. Calidris testacea (Pallas) .............................................................................. 147
149. Philomachus pugnax (Linnaeus) ................................................................. 148
Family: Laridae
150. Larus bmnnicephalus J erdon ...................................................................... 149
151. Lams ridibundus ridibundus Linnaeus ....................................................... 149
152. Childonias hybrida indica (Stephens) ......................................................... 150
153. Gelocheidon nilotica (Gmelin) .................................................................... 151
154. Sterna acuticauda J. E. Grey ........................................................................ 152
156. Rhynchops albicoliis Swains on ................................................................... 153
Order: COLUMBIFORMES
Family: Pteroclididae
157. Pterocles alchata caudacutus (S. G. Gmelin) ............................................. 153
158. Pterocles exustus erlangeri (Newmann) ....................................................... 154
159. Pterocles senegallus (Linnaeus) ................................................................... 155
160. Pterocles orientalis orientalis (Linnaeus) .................................................... 156
161. Pterocles indicus indicus (Gmelin) .............................................................. 157
Family: Columbidae
162. Treron phoenicoptera chlorigaster (Blyth) .................................................. 157
163. Columba livia intermedia Strickland .......................................................... 158
164. Cloumba eversmanni Bonaparte ................................................................. 159
.
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