Table Of Content)
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Table 3 Summary ofthe Brambling sightings around Dharamsala Chaffinch (Fringillacoelebs)
The Chaffinch have observed yearly around
Date Number Height(m) Place Migration 1
Dharamsala, mostly during migration time (Table 2).
4.xi.1997 3 3300 llaka Identification was in most cases obviousthrough the double
24.x.1999 1 2800 Ghalu whitewing-bars(whiteon lesserandgreatercoverts),greyish
7.xi.1999 2 2800 Ghalu
10.xi.1999 1 2200 Dharmkot East rump, dullbrownunderparts(female)andsalmonunderparts
16 xi.1999 2 3300 llaka SE (male) with bluish-grey crown. Most ofthe birds that were
3 12000 2 1300 Kanyara seenperchingcalledthecharacteristic, loud“tink,tink”,while
1x12000 2200 Dharmkot
7.xi.2000 11 2200 Dharmkot several ofthe seemingly migrating ones often made a short
28.xi.2000 2 2400 Leta SE stayinthetreetopsandcalled. Inflight,theyinvariablymade
41.5x.ixi..22000100 22 21490000 LMectLaeodGanj SE their soft “tup, tup” calls.
8 x12001 1 1900 McLeodGanj
Brambling(Fringillamontifringilla)
tjuk”or“chu,chu,chu”,often inrowsofthreesyllableseach, Though lesscommonthanChaffinch,theBramblingis
butalso in rowsofmoresyllables. Calls laterinthemorning, alsoaregularmigrant/wintervisitorinsmallnumbers(Table
underthewarmsun,were interspersedwiththemoremusical 3). Whilethe darkhead pattern andwhiterump arethe most
notes that are part oftheir song. obviousfieldmarksonwhich I conclusively identifiedsome
Theoneobservationfromthehigherpartsofthedistrict ofthesesightings,thecharacteristiccall formedthebasisfor
concerned 3 birds flying up from a bush-covered hillside at identification ofthe other sightings (apart from the typical
2,400maround0800hrs.Thiswasthefirstclearmorningafter nasal “gheeep” call, which all the birds sighted used the
the first significant snowfall ofthe season and saw a strong “tuk, tuk” call is different from the similar call of
southeastward movement of over 10,000 Hodgson’s the Chaffinch). I am very familiar with all these calls from
Mountain-Finch(Leucostictenemoricola)andAltaiAccentor Europe.
(Prunella himalayana).
Havingsurveyedbird life inthe higherpartsofKangra February 2002 JAN WILLEMDENBESTEN
1 1,
district since 1996 and only focusing on the lowest areas Schaikseweg83,4143 HDLeerdam,
since2001, 1didn’tcomeacrosstheEurasianLinnetbefore, ft The Netherlands.
willbe interestingtoseewhethermore invasionstakeplace in Present Address: Kuldeep House,
the future andwhether likethe Chaffinch(Fringillacoelebs) McLeodGanj,Dharamsala 176219,
andBrambling(Fringillamontifringilla wefind indications Himachal Pradesh,
of an expansion in their wintering range through the India.
northwestern Himalaya. Email: [email protected]
REFERENCES
Hingston,R.W.G.(1920):AlistofthebirdsofDharamsala.J. Bombay Whistler, H. (1926a):ThebirdsoftheKangra District. Punjab-Pt1.
Nat. Hist. Soc. 27: 555-572. Ibis 12(3): 521-581.
Roberts, T.J. (1992): The Birds of Pakistan. Volume 2, Oxford Whistler,H. (1926b):ThebirdsoftheKangraDistrict,Punjab-Pt11.
University Press, Karachi. Ibis 12(4): 724-783.
24. RECORDS OF SOME NEW AVIAN SPECIES IN THE THAR DESERT
OF RAJASTHAN
The Thar desert, located in western India, is a November2000and February2001 inJaisalmerand Bikaner
predominantly sandy hot desert. It is unique because the districts of Rajasthan. A study ofthe impact ofecological
fauna isanadmixtureofthe Saharan, PalaearcticandOriental changes on the avifauna in the command area and
elements. Afterthe Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojana (IGNP) its surroundings, revealed that a number of forest and
became operational, large-scale ecological changes have aquatic birds never noticed about a decade ago are now
occurred in thedesert, duetoplantation inthecanalareaand common.
creation of wetlands, some of them perennial, because of According to Rahmani (1997), the habitat changes in
mismanagement and seepage ofwater. the area can be categorized into four groups: a. Change in
Thispaperisbasedonfoursurveysconductedbetween crop pattern from subsistence fanningtocommercial farming;
326 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 101 (2), May-Aug 2004
.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Table 1: New records of birds in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan
S.No Commonname ScientificName Previous Record (Rahmani, 1997) Author’s Observation
1 MarbledTeal Marmaronetta angustirostris NotReported Ten individualsseen at 1140 RD,
Escape Reservoir,
Jaisalmer,23.ii.2001
2 Ferruginous Pochard Aythyanyroca Eightbirdsfrom Gujarat, Two individuals seen in
Guda-Vishnoian and Kolayat IGNPMainCanal15kmtowardsSultana
lake
3 Osprey Pandion haliaetus Not reported One individualseen on Digga lake,
Mohangarh,Jaisalmer, 24.ii.2001
4 BlackFrancolin Francolinus francolinus Only call heard, 15.vii 1993 near One individual seen at Depression
Lankaransar, Bikaner No. 7, 2.xii.2000
5 White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus Two birds in Gajner, 161.1994, Three individuals seen at 1356 RD,
three in Badopal, 191.1994. Two EscapeReservoir, Jaisalmer,22 n 2001
birds in Seepage water at 507
RD,201 1994
6 Black-headedGull Larus ridibundus One bird nearSambharLake, Six individuals seen at 1140 RD
141.1991, three birds on seepage Escape Reservoir, Jaisalmer,
at507 RD, 201.1994 23.ii.2001
7 RiverTern Sterna aurantia Two individuals recorded in Guda Two individual seen at Digga Lake,
Vishnoian, 7.iii 1994 Mohangarh,Jaisalmer,24.ii.2001
8 Lesser Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis One individual seen inside Two individuals seen at 1356 RD,
Suratgarh town, 191 1994 EscapeReservoir,Jaisalmer,22 ii 2001
9 SmallBlueKingfisher Alcedo atthis One bird seen atvillage tank near One individualseen atDigga Lake,
Kolayat, 171.1994 Mohangarh,Jaisalmer, 15.i 2001
10 Lesser Golden-backed Dinopium benghalense One individual seen near Two individuals seen at 582 RD,
Woodpecker Rolsabsar, Fatehpur, Dist. Sikar, Chhattargarh, Bikaner, 3.xii.2000
41L1993
11 Grey-headed Culicicapa ceylonensis Not reported Five individuals seen at 582 RD,
Flycatcher Chhattargarh, Bikaner, 3 xii 2000
12 White-browed Rhipidura aureola One bird seen near820 RD, Four individuals seen at582 RD,
Fantail-Flycatcher 21 i 1994; one bird seen near Chhattargarh, Bikaneron 3xii 2000
Mohangarh, 4.in 1994; one bird
seen nearChhattargarh in IGNP
plantation, 15vii 1994
13 OrientalMagpie-Robin Copsychus saularis Not reported One individual seen at 582 RD near
Chhattargarh, Bikaner, 3 xii 2000
14 White-capped Chaimarrornis Not reported 507 RD heard in Bikaner, 4.xii 2000
Redstart leucocephalus
15 OrientalWhite-eye Zosterops palpebrosus Not reported Eight individuals observed at 582 RD
near Chhattargarh, Bikaner, 3.xii.2000
b.Plantationonbothsidesofthecanalandreservoirs;c.Seepage thatdonotoccurinthe desert. In additiontothe information
fromcanalshas ledtorise inthewatertable, andtheformation from Rahmani(1997),thepresentstudyrevealedfiverecords
of interdunal reservoirs has resulted in new wetlands, thus ofbirds belonging to three families, observed for the first
changing the ground cover from xerophytic and time in the area. They are, the Marbled Teal Marmaronetta
psammophytic to hydrophytic and mesophytic plants; d. angustirostris', Osprey Pandion haliaetus; Grey-headed
Displacement ofgrazers to non-command areas has exerted Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis\ White-capped Redstart
pressureonthealreadyovergrazedcountryside.Thischanged Chaimarrornis leucocephalus and Oriental White-eye
scenario is nowattractingmany water lovingbirdsto thehot Zosteropspalpebrosus. Besidesthese,tenspeciesbelonging
desert. to six families have also been found to extend their range
Nodetailedsystematicstudywasmadeoftheavifauna further west and southwest because ofthe suitable habitat.
oftheThardesert,tillRahmani(1997)reported213 speciesof The details ofobservation by Rahmani (1997) and present
birds, ofwhich nearly half, including water birds, are those sightings are given in Table 1
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 101 (2), May-Aug 2004 327
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS October25,2001 ANIL KUMAR
WildlifeInstituteofIndia,
IamgratefultoDr.Q.H. Baqri,PrincipalInvestigatorof PostBox 18,Chandrabani,
theproject“StudiesontheFaunal DiversityintheTharDesert DehraDun24800 Uttaranchal,
1,
ofRajasthan” forfacilities, andthe MinistryofEnvironment India.
and Forests,New Delhi forfinancial assistance. Email:[email protected]
REFERENCE
Rahmani,A.R. (1997): TheeffectofIndiraGandhi Nahar ProjectontheAvifaunaoftheTharDesert.J BombayNat. Hist. Soc. 94(2): 233-266.
25. SIGHT RECORD OF POLYPHENIC FORMS OF APPIAS ALBINA DARADA C. & R.
FELDER (LEP1DOPTERA: PIERIDAE) IN THE NILGIRI BIOSPHERE RESERVE
TheCommonAlbatrossAppiasalbinadaradaC.& R. was collected on 9.ii.2000 from the same locality as
Felder, protected under Schedule II ofthe Indian Wildlife f. semiflava, and is deposited in the KFRI collections (Coll.
(Protection) Act, 1972 (Anon. 1990), is one of the most C.F.Binoy).
abundantbutterfliesfoundat lowerelevations inthe Western
Ghats. The species has a wide geographic range and is Remarks
distributed almost throughout the Oriental Region (Larsen Occurrence of the polyphenic forms of A. albina
1987). Bothsexesareusuallywhite,withtheforewinghaving daradacoincidedwiththepopulation build-upandmigration
a narrow dark apical and a series ofterminal markings. The ofthisspeciesalongwiththepieridsA. indrashivaSwinhoe.
females usually bear 4 to 5 additional apical white spots on A. wardii Moore and Cepora nadina remba Moore in New
the forewing. Amarambalam during February 2000. It was interesting to
During a recent study on insect diversity of New note that these forms were not observed during rest ofthe
AmarambalamforestsoftheNilgiri BiosphereReserve,afew year.
specimensofA. albinawerecollectedfromthebanksofRiver
Karimpuzha at Meenmutti located at an elevation of650 m ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
duringFebruary2000. Thefemalesshowedpolyphenismand
twoforms,namelyformsemi/Javaandform/lavabesidesthe CFB is grateful to Dr. Konrad Fiedler, Professor,
usualfemalefoimwerecollected.Thedetailsofthepolyphenic University ofBayreuth, Germany, fora useful discussion on
formsrecordedaregivenbelow. the subject and N. Chaturvedi, Curator, Bombay Natural
A. albina darada f. semiflava: The underside ofthe History Society, for sparing some literature. This study was
forewingapexandthatofthehindwingareyellow, insteadof made in connectionwith aprojectsponsoredbythe Ministry
white. Although Wynter-Blyth(1957) statesthatthis form is ofEnvironmentandForests,Govt,ofIndia. Wearegratefulto
notrare,only5 specimenscouldbecollectedfrom Meenmutti the Director, KFRI, forhis interest inthis study.
inthisstudy.Ofthese, 3 specimenswerecollectedon8.ii.2000
and 2 on 9.ii.2000 (Coll. C.F. Binoy). The specimens are March19,2002 C.F.BINOY
deposited in the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) GEORGEMATHEW1
collections. DivisionofEntomology
A. albina darada f.flava: This form isyellowon both Kerala Forest Research Institute,
the dorsal and ventral side and has been reportedto be ‘very Peechi680653,Kerala,India.
rareinSouth India’byWynter-Blyth(1957).Asinglespecimen 'Email:[email protected]
REFERENCES
Anonymous (1990): The Indian Wildlife Act (Protection), 1972. Natraj Publishers, Dehra Dun. Pp. 86.
Larsen,T.B. (1987): ThebutterfliesoftheNilgiri mountainsofSouth India(Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera).J BombayNat. Hist. Soc. 84(1): 26-54.
Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957): Butterflies ofthe Indian Region. Bombay Natural History Society, Bombay. Pp. 523.
328 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 101 (2), May-Aug 2004
