Calls of harriers (Circus spp.) near Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

1 Pages·1991·0.63 MB·

by  T Ganesh

448 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURALHIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 88
References
& &
Ali, S. Ripley,S.D. (1978):Handbookofthe BirdsofIndia Cramp, S. Simmons, K.E.L. (1983): HandbookoftheBirds
andPakistan.OxfordUniversityPress,Delhi. of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Vol. 2.
Brown,L.H.&Amadon,D.(1968):Eagles,Hawks&Falcons OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford.
oftheWorld.HamlynFeltham,Middlesex. Gensbol, B., (1987): Collins Guide to the Birds of Prey of
& &
Brown,L.H.,Urban,E.K. Newman,K.(1982):HieBirdsof Britain and Europe. William Collins Sons Co. Ltd.,
Africa,Vol.I.AcademicPressInc.,London. London.
Clark,W.S.&Wheeler,B.K.(1987):AFieldGuidetoHawks Newton,I.,(1986):TheSparrowhawk.T.&A.D.PoyserLtd.,
ofNorthAmerica.HoughtonMifflinCompany,Boston. Calton.
9. CALLS OF HARRIERS (CIRCUS SPP.) NEAR HYDERABAD, ANDHRA PRADESH
We havebeen monitorin—gthe roostingbehaviour Male paleharriers also gave a similarbut a more shrill
of three species of harriers marsh harrier Circus call. Marsh harriers have, however, remained silent.
aeruginosus Montagu's harrier C. pygargus and pale The calls were heard throughout their wintering
,
harrierC. macrouruswhichcometoroostontheground period (September to February), but were seen to be
in a grassland 18 km north ofHyderabad. dependent on the number ofbirds duringthe pre-roost.
Before roosting the harriers show a pre-roost Ifonly a fewbirds cameto roostthenno call washeard.
behaviour by flying over their roost site just before or Wealsoneverheardanycallatanyothertimeoftheday.
after sunset. Itwas duringthis time that weheard some The exact purpose of such calls remains a
of the birds making a distinct shrill call. There is, mystery, but perhaps it has something to do with
however, no record of any such call for these birds in identifying its own species in the mixed pre-roost
their wintering grounds (handbook of the birds of gathering.It is also not clear whether only males ofthe
INDIAandPakistan, Ali, S. and Ripley, S.D. 1983). But abovetwo species call, since inthe pre-roost gathering
in all our four years (1985-89) ofwatching them, we it is impossible to distinguish from a distance the
have recorded them calling. species and sex which are calling.
We m
heard the birds calling about 300 from us.
Twice a male Montagu's harrier came close to us. Its T. GANESH
KANNAIAH
call, roughly keck-keck-keck, lasted a few seconds. December 2, 1989 P.
10. BLUEBREASTED BANDED RAIL RALLUS STRIATUS LINN. NESTING IN KERALA
According to the birds ofkerala (Ali, S. 1969) ofseeing the occupants ofthe nest. At 0930 hrs on 30
the nesting of the bluebreasted banded rail Rallus July 1989 therewere seven eggs inthenest; at0900hrs
striatushad notbeen recorded fromKerala. According on 1 August 1989, it contained eight eggs; and at 1700
to theReportoftheVemay Survey oftheEasternGhats hrs on2August,nine eggs.Nomore eggswerelaid. On
(1936,JBNHS38: 690)J.Darlingfoundanestwith five ourvisiton 10August 1989,thebirdwassoagitatedthat
eggs in a swamp at Sultan’s Battery, Wynaad, on 26 wedecidedtoleavethenestaloneforsomedays.Onour
August 1874. There seems to be no later report ofthe nextvisit at 1745hrs on 15August 1989, we foundthat
We
breeding ofthis rail in Kerala. place on record the all the eggs had hatched. Nine egg-shells, each with a
We
discovery of a nest of this bird at Kavassery (Palghat large hole on one side, were in the nest. could not
m
district, Kerala, c. 90 above msl). find the chicks or the parents anywher—e in the vicinity.
On 28 July 1989 Achuthankutty Nair, while Occupants ofthe nest: Eight times on 28 July, 30
walkingalongabund inhispaddy fieldsintheevening, July, 1 August (once in the morning and aga—in in the
sawawaterhen-likebird flyingoutofa dense growthof evening), 2 August, 6 August and 10 August a bird
grass and lentils almost at his feet. This led to his was flushed from the nest. But on most occasions,
discoveryofanestcontaining5eggs.Heshowedmethe apart from noting that it was a rail smaller than a
nestthe next morning.Afterthat, we frequently visited whitebreasted waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus, we
the nest and spent about an hour every time inthe hope could not get any details as the bird just fluttered into