Table Of Content398 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HIST SOCIETY, Vol. 94 (1997)
Observations on nests and nesting down so that the beak was brought in contact
activities: with the top ofthe nest. Then, with the beak as a
i) About twelve mounds ofmud were present centre (pivot) thebird would move the beak along
amidst the shallow water. the rim at the top. During this circular movement
ii) Of these, about nine were clustered it was seen trampling or pressing down the
together, whereas others were located away top of the nest by raising its feet one after
from the cluster. another.
iii) The spot where the cluster of nests was About two to eleven individuals were
located, was not densely covered with present at Shahwadi on different occasions after
grasses, hedges or other macrophytic the emigration oftheir colony (Table 1). One can
vegetation. rightly doubt that the individuals staying behind
iv) Some of the nests were conical in shape at Shahwadi, even after the departure of the
while others were cylindrical. The shape colony, would breed at the site. However, from
ofa few mounds was irregular. Depression 13th August to 25th September, neither nest
at the top of the nests (concave and shaping nor breeding display were observed
cylindrical) could not be seen because we among these birds. They were remarkably silent
did not approach the nests closely to avoid and always busy feeding in the rapidly drying
disturbance. waters. They were always seen away from the
v) On nests, individuals were found either nests. Moreover, the birds were absent on
sitting, standing, displaying or busy subsequent visits on 27th September and 10th
shaping the nests. November, 1992.
Nest construction: Standing on top of the
nest, the flamingo moved its beak on the top of August 11,1993 KETAN S TATU
.
the nest, describing an arc, it also moved its beak Research Student, Department ofBotany,
along the flank ofthe nest in linear up and down University School ofSciences,
manner. To shape the nest with its legs, it would Gujarat University,
stand on top of the nest, the neck would be bent Ahmedabad-380 009.
Refer NCES
Abdulali, H. (1964): On the food and other habits ofthe Himmatsinhji, M.K. (1991): The ‘flamingo city’ in the
greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus Pallas) in Rann ofKutch. NewsletterforBirdwatchers31 (5+6):
India. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 61(1): 65. 3-4.
Au. S< & S.D. Ripley (1983): The handbook ofthe Birds Hussain, S.A. (1991): Flamingo breeding - Conservation
ofIndiaandPakistan. OxfordUniversity Press,Delhi. action needed. NewsletterforBirdwatchers31(3-4): 5.
CONTAMINATION IN EGG SHELLS OF
9.
HIMALAYAN GREYHEADED FISHING EAGLE ICHTHYOPHAGA NANA PLUMBEA
IN CORBETT NATIONAL PARK, INDIA
A
study ofthebreeding biology ofresident 70° 41' E. long. According to Ali and Ripley
raptors ofCorbett National Park, Uttar Pradesh, (1978), the Himalayan greyheaded fishing eagle
India was undertaken during the years 1990 to Ichthyophaga nana plumbea extends from the
1993. The Parkis situated in thelower Himalayan lower foothills upto 2400 m, optimally between
m
foothills known as the Sivaliks within the 1000 to 1500 in western Himalayas and under
m
Bhabar tract, between 29° 3T and 29° 35' N, lat., 1000 in the eastern Himalayas. The middle
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 399
reaches ofthe Ramganga river flow through most significant. Dieldrin, which is highly toxic to
of the Park. The topography is undulating, birds of prey, has been implicated in the
varying in altitude from 200 to 1000 m, which is population decline ofraptors in Europe and North
the preferred range and habitat of the species. America (Cooke et al 1982, Newton 1979,
The Park is one ofthe strongholds ofthe species Risebrough 1989, 1994). Shell Chemicals, the
in India. In Kumaon the species was never seen manufacturers, have stopped its manufacture and
m
above 1000 and prefers rivers with forested sale anywhere in the world. Locally, it is most
banks. Sibley and Monroe (1990) treat it as a likely derived from aldrin, which until recently
separate species Ichthyophaga humilis now atleast, has been widely used in northern India.
;
widely accepted. Kumaon comprises the four hill These contaminants could have been passed on
districts of Almora, Nainital, Udham Singh only through the prey base, which for this species
Nagar and Pithoragarh in northern Uttar Pradesh is solely fish. Thepresence ofthesecontaminants
29° N, 80.1° E and 30.1° N, 80.5° E. in the local riverine food web is, therefore, a
From 1991 - 96 the greyheaded fishing plausible cause ofatleast some ofitsunsuccessful
eagle bred unsuccessfully. Eggs from seven nests breeding attempts, in Corbett National Park.
monitored during this period did not hatch, while On thehigherreaches ofthe Ramganga, the
three nests hatched, young ones were either found densely populated hillsides are covered with
dead in the nest, or disappeared within a week intensely terraced cultivation. Information
of hatching. Eggshell fragments which were obtained from agricultural supply shops and
collected from one nest in April 1991, were farmers indicate that pesticides are used on a
deformed. Thinner than normal eggshells, were large scale, in order to control agricultural pests.
analysed in the U.S. byDr. RobertW. Risebrough The contaminants probably run offinto the water
of The Bodega Bay Institute, California. Since system during the heavy monsoon which the
no yolk remnants or membrane fragments region experiences.
remained on the shell, a quantitative analysis that The burgeoning human population
couldbe compared with data in the literature was especially along hillstreams and rivers is having
not possible. Nevertheless, a number of a direct impact on the fishing eagle; through
organochlorine compounds were detected; their over-fishing (using several illegal methods such
ratios provide clues to the local contamination as extensive use of pesticides to poison fish and
pattern in the area inhabited by the eagles. dynamiting upstream beyond the Park’s northern
DDT
The parent compound, that is the boundary), damming of rivers and degradation,
insecticidal ingredient, p,p’- DDT, constituted or completedestruction ofriverine forest, directly
36% of the DDT compounds measured; the affecting the species through loss of nesting
amount ofo,p’- DDT, the minor ingredient in the habitat. Monitoring the reproductive success of
original DDTmixture, was 10% that ofp,p’-DDT. the local population of the eagle in Corbett is
The relatively high amounts of these two continuing and theresults ofsubsequent analysis
DDT
compounds indicate recent applications in for organochlorines is being carried out.
local or nearby areas; the evident thinning ofthe The species is probably seriously
shell is most likely an effect ofDDE, usually the threatened at Corbett and likely to be similarly
DDT
principal metabolite of in the environment affected throughout its range in India. Besides
and the compound considered primarily the negative impact from chemical
responsible for shell thinning. PCB congeners contamination, this mainly sedentary species is
and dieldrin were detected, but at relatively low fully dependent on theHimalayan riverinesystem
6%
levels of about and 2%, respectively, of the and further at risk due to loss of habitat and
total DDTs. The dieldrin levels, however, are disturbance in the upper limits of its range.
400 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HIST SOCIETY, Vol. 94 (1997)
Acknowledgement Daniel, Principal Investigator provided able
support throughout the study period. Mr. A. S.
The study was conducted as part of Negi, former Field Director of Corbett National
an Indo-US co-operative project on Indian Birds Park, provided logistic support. Their help is
of Prey, through the Bombay Natural History gratefully acknowledged.
Society, funded by the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and sponsored by the October 28, 1995 RISHAD NAOROJI
Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt, of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.
India. Dr. Risebrough’s help and comments are Godrej Bhavan, 4A, Home Street,
appreciated. David Ferguson, Office of Mumbai 400 001,
USFWS
International Affairs, and Mr. J. C. India.
References
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley, (1978): Handbook ofthe Birds of B.-U & R. D. Chancellor eds., Raptors in the
India and Pakistan, second edition, Vol 1 Oxford ModemWorld,WWGBP: Berlin,London &Paris,515-
UniversityPress,Delhi. 525.
Cooke, A.S., A.A. Bell & M.B. Haos (1982): Predatory Risebrough, R. W. (1994): Toxic Chemicals and Birds of
&
Birds, Pesticides Pollution, Institute ofTerrestrial Prey: Discussionsin Berlinin 1992, In Meyburg, B.-U
&
Ecology,Cambridge. R. D. Chancelloreds., RaptorConservation Today,
Newton, I. (1979): Population Ecology ofRaptors, T & WWGBP/ThePicaPress, 685-692.
&
A.D. Poyser, Berkhamsted, England. Sibley,C.G. B.L. Monroe,Jr. (1990): Distributionand
Risebrough, R. W. (1989): Toxic Chemicals and Birds Taxonomy of Birds of the World, Yale University
of Prey: Discussions at Eilat in 1987, In Meyburg, Press, New Haven & London.
A RECORD OF PALLAS’ FISHING EAGLE HAUAEETUS LEUCORYPHUS
10.
FROM VALLEY
SPITI (H.P.)
In June, 1995 a live subadult specimen of the villagers took it home and applied some
the Pallas’ fishing eagle was recovered from medicine on the bird’s leg. After 35-40 days of
m
“Shego” at an altitude of about 3800 in the capture he consulted the local Veterinarian, who
Spiti valley, of Lahaul Spiti dist., Himachal gave a Gentamycin injection and recommended
Pradesh, India. This is the first record of the regular draining of the pus. Unfortunately,the
species in Spiti Valley and probably the first eagle died 6-7 hrs after the Gentamycin dose.
record in the Indian Trans-Himalayan region. Some researchers from WII Dehradun on tour to
The individual was recovered by local this areaconfirmed it’s identity. Its morphometric
villagers from “Shego forest” which is about measurements are summarized as under:
7 km from the Park headquarters, Kaza. Shego i
Length of stretched wings: 154 cm
forest is a high altitude cold desert area situated Length of body (Beak to tail) 92 cm
on the banks of the river Spiti. Poplar, willow
trees and Hippophae bushes are the main The skin is preserved and kept in the office
vegetation of the forest. The local villagers as record.
informed that the bird was chased by two crows
RANA
on the bank of the river, and was running with November 9, 1995 B.S.
spread wings. When the villagers captured it, it Director
was not in aposition to fly, because ofa leg injury. Pin Valley National Park,
Its right leg, specially the talon, was infected and Kaza, Lahaul Spiti dist.
the infection had spread all over the leg. One of Himachal Pradesh 172 114.
