Sighting of the Black Stork Ciconia Nigra and Lesser Adjutant stork Leptoptilos Javanicus At Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka

4 Pages·2001·2.5 MB·

by  Anish P Andheria

MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
During this time, five birds started courtship Kushlan(1984)mentiona briefruby-red flushof
display. Ofthese, two had a pale red iris. The the iris (from yellow) prior to egg-laying in the
bills were black, the orbital skin bright green, largeegretinAustraliaandNorthAfrica.Theydo
andthetibiapale fleshcoloured. Theotherthree notmentioniriscolourchangeinthemedianegret,
birds had a pale orange iris, the orbital skin and butreportitinthelittleegretEgrettagarzetta(turns
bill coloration was as in the other two, but the red during the height ofcourtship) and the grey
tibiawasbrightfleshcoloured. Twoofthebirds heronArdea cinerea (changes from deep yellow
withorange irisespairedoffandstartednesting. to deep orange). My observations on the change
It was noted that the pale red or pale orange in iris colouration in the large and median egrets
colourofthe irispersisted inbrightsunlightand are interesting, as ithas notbeen reportedfor the
in the shade. In earlier observations of 10-30 median egret, or for E. garzetta or A. cinerea in
breeding median egrets, from 1991 to 1996, the India. The significance of the changes in iris
iris under bright or diffused sunlight was light coloration, the colourvariations under shade and
orange to bright red in some of the birds. But sunlight, and why they do not appear in all
wheninshade (aswhenthebirdducksto accept individualsofacolony, isyettobeknown.
nestmaterialfromthemate),theirisrevertsback
to the normal yellow colour. March 27, 1999 V.GURUSWAMI
Change iniriscolorationhasbeenrecorded Simpson Estate,
for certain egret species elsewhere. Hancock and Chennai 600 001, TamilNadu, India.
References
Ali,S.&S.D.Ripley(1987):HandbookoftheBirdsof London. Pp.178-179.
India and Pakistan. Compact Edition. Oxford Hancock, J. & J. Kushlan (1984): The Herons
UniversityPress,Bombay.Pp.18. Handbook. CroomHelm.London.Pp.288.
Brown, L., E.K. Urban & K. Newman (1982): The Roberts,T.J.(1991):TheBirdsofPakistan. Volume I.
Birds of Africa. Volume I. Academic Press, OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford.Pp.89-92.
SIGHTING OF THE BLACK STORK CICONIA NIGRA AND
8.
LESSERADJUTANT-STORKLEPTOPTILOSJAVANICUS
ATNAGARHOLENATIONALPARK,KARNATAKA
Nagarhole National Park (NP) (643 sq. Kabini River Lodge at Karapur village, located
km), along with the Bandipur Tiger Reserve about 8 km to the east of Sunkadakatte Forest
(875 sq.km)andMudumalaiWildlife Sanctuary RestHouse, NagarholeNationalPark, I decided
(325 sq. km) to the southeast and the Wynaad to take ajeep ride into the Park. After about 15
Wildlife Sanctuary(350sq.km)tothesouthwest, minutes from the Bisalvadi waterhole, the jeep
form a part of Nilgiri biosphere, the largest reachedarivuletamidstaverydenseforesttract.
protected forest tract in peninsular India. The Whilescanningthebanksforwaders, Iobserved
bird life in this region is impressive, due to a two large birds, the lesser adjutant-stork
denseforestcoverinterspersedwithinnumerable Leptoptilosjavanicus and black stork Ciconia
rivulets that feed the Kabini river. The existing nigra. The scarlet red beak and legs of the
birdlisthasnearly270species(Anon 1987),and C. nigra were perfectly illuminated by the sun
during my visit to the National Park between and the white underparts were unmistakable.
January 12-14, 1999, 1 sighted 97 bird species. Iobservedthebirdsforagood 15minutesbefore
On the last morning of my stay at the returning to the lodge. On mentioning -the
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 98(3),DEC. 2001 443
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
m
sighting to Mr. Sarath, the chief naturalist, c. 900 alt.) and the Gangetic plain to eastern
Kabini River Lodge, I gathered that though Assam, souththroughRajasthanto aboutKutch
L. javanicus had been occasionally sighted, no and northern Gujarat. It is considered to be rare
one had ever come across a Ciconia nigra, in inDeccan, southofc. 18°N. (Sholapurdistrict).
spite of a close vigil by many visiting field However, there are sporadic records ofthe bird
biologists and naturalists. from peninsular India, as can be seen from
Althoughthelesseradjutant-storkhasbeen Table 1.
sightedintheWesternGhatsonseveraloccasions Inthelightoftheabovementionedrecords,
(Anon 1987,Ali 1969,Baker 1935,Jerdon 1839- one can safely concludethat, forreasons notyet
1840), its true status and movement within the clear, there seems to be a distinct southward
biogeographiczoneisnotclear.However,reports movementofthe bird, which a few decades ago
of its breeding in Periyar Tiger Reserve have was never known to even stray into these areas.
confirmed the existence of a small viable Madsen (1988) speculated that this may be due
population in south India. tothe severedroughtinthenorth. However, this
According to Ali and Ripley (1987), southwardmovementmayhavebeenforcedupon
C. nigraisawintervisitortowestPakistan,north the species by the loss of precious habitat in
India from Baluchistan, Sind, North West Pakistan, West, North and Northeastern India
FrontierProvince andPunjab throughNepal (to (Khachar 1976, Khacher 1986, Himmatsinhji
Table
1
SIGHTRECORDSOFBLACKSTORKINPENINSULARINDIA
Nameofarea District State No.of. Date Source
Storks
RatapaniWildlifeSanctuary Bhopal MadhyaPradesh NM 6Mar. 1994 Misra, 1994
KanhaNationalPark Mandla MadhyaPradesh 1 Jan. 1995 Andheria,1995
NM
GirSanctuary Junagadh Gujarat 11 Baskaran 1995
ShindovaniLake Pune Maharashtra 6 NM Naik, 1989
JanunaLake Buldana Maharashtra 5 Winter1990 Sawji, 1990
Rollapadu Kumool AndhraPradesh 2 Nov.1985 Manakadan,1988
Rollapadu Kumool AndhraPradesh 6 Dec. 1985 Manakadan,1988
Bolarum Hyderabad AndhraPradesh 1 5Apr. 1987 Kanniah&Ganesh, 1990
Parambikulam
WildlifeSanctuary Palakkad Kerala 1 14Feb. 1984 cf.Neelkantanet.ai, 1983
Parambikulam
WildlifeSanctuary Palakkad Kerala 1 16Feb. 1986 cf.Neelkantan
Chamravattom Malappuram Kerala 1 7Jan. 1987 cf.Neelkantanet.al.,1983
Malampuzhareservoir Palakkad Kerala 11 16Feb. 1987 cf.Neelkantanet.al., 1993
PeriyarTigerReserve Idukki Kerala 1 24Feb. 1987 cf.Neelkantanet.al., 1993
Walayardam Palakkad Kerala 7,8, 14 12, 16,25,Jan. cf.Neelkantanet.al., 1993
1991resp.
Walayar Palakkad Kerala 14 8Jan. 1994 Praveen, 1997
NearMunnar —Idukki Kerala 1 4Feb. 1997 Prasad,1997
&
KaliveliTank Pondicherry 1 30Jan. 198 Perennou
and5Feb. 1988 Santharam,1990
Helawe&Baguraplane Kumana SriLanka 1 20Mar. 1938 Phillips,1940
MadangiriSaltWork UttarKannada Karnataka 3 13Dec. 1987 Madsen,1988
GothehalliVillage Belgaum Karnataka 2 26Feb. 1994 Sant,1994
(NM:NotMentioned)
444 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 98(3), DEC. 2001
: .
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
1985, Pandey 1989, Buckton and Morris 1990, Acknowledgements
Sivasubramanian 1992, Barman and Talukdar
1995, Gandhi 1995, Barua et. al. 1997), where I thank Dr. S. Subramanya, University of
it is known to exist in greater numbers. Agriculture Sciences, Gandhi Krishi Vigyan
There is also aremote possibility ofsome KendraCampus, Bangalore, forprovidingvital
individuals straying from their normal course references and deliberating on the initial
during migration to the Subcontinent from manuscripts. Hisinterestinthisarticlehasbeen
Eastern Europe. However, it would be difficult inspirational throughout. I also thank Mr.
to ascertain this. Samba Kumar, Program Officer, Wildlife
Consideringthese facts, I sincerelyappeal Conservation Society India Program,
to all fieldbiologistsandbirdwatcherstokeepa Bangalore, forinformationonvariouslocations
close watch on the movements ofthe stork, so in the Park.
thatwecanmakeaconcertedeffortatprotecting
the new emerging haunts of Ciconia nigra in July 8, 1999 ANISHP.ANDHERIA
SouthIndia. Also, weneedto stepup ourefforts 2, SagarBuilding, V. P. Road,
to ascertain the true status of Leptoptilos Andheri, Mumbai 400 058,
javanicus within the Western Ghats range. Maharashtra, India.
ReferENCES
Ali,S.(1969):BirdsofKerala.OxfordUniversityPress, andgeographicaldistribution,anddescriptionofnew,
NewDelhi. doubtfulandimperfectlydescribedspecies. Madras
Ali.S&S.D.Ripley(1987):HandbookofbirdsofIndia J. Lit. Sci. 10: 60-91, 234-269; 11: 1-38, 207-239;
andPakistan.OxfordUniversityPress,Bombay. 12: 1-15, 193-227.
Andheria, A.P. (1995): A checklist ofbirds ofKanha Kanniah,P.&T.Ganesh(1990):OccurrenceoftheBlack
NationalPark, 19-21 Jan. 1995.Unpublished. storkCiconianigranearHyderabad. Mayura 7& 8:
Anonymous (1987): Apreliminary checklistofbirds of 46-48.
Nagarholeandenvirons.Unpublished.WildlifeDept., Khachar,Shivrajkumar(1976):OccurrenceoftheBlack
Karapur,JungleLodgesandResortsLtd. stork (Ciconia nigra) in Saurashtra. J. Bombay nat.
Baker,E.C.S.(1935):ThenidificationofbirdsoftheIndian Hist. Soc. 73:390-391.
Empire,4.London:Taylor&Francis. Khacher, L. (1986): The White and Black storks.
Barman,R.&B.K.Talukdar(1995):NewrecordofBlack NewsletterforBirdwatchers26(3&4): 12-13.
Stork Ciconia nigra in Deepoor Boel, Assam. Madsen, S.T. (1988): Black storks in Nepal and India.
NewsletterforBirdwatchers35: 15. OrientalBirdClubBull. 11 34-35.
Barua, M., G.C. Chettri & P. Bardoloi (1997): Manakadan, R. (1988): The Black stork Ciconia nigra
Endangered birds sighted in Pobitora Sanctuary. (Linnaeus) in Kurnool District (Andhra Pradesh). J.
NewsletterforBirdwatchers37: 109. Bombaynat.Hist. Soc. 84:675-676.
Baskaran, T. (1995): An audio guide to the birds of Misra, M.K. (1994): Stork watching at Ratapani.
southernIndia,andnotesonNightheronsandBlack NewsletterforBirdwatchers34: 118.
storks.NewsletterforBirdwatchers35:50. Naik,S.(1989).BlackStorks(Ciconianigra)nearPune.
Buckton, S. & P. Morris (1990): India and Nepal, NewsletterforBirdwatchers29(7&8): 1
December 1989-June 1990.Unpublished. Neelkantan K.K., C. Sashikumar & R Venugopalan
Gandhi,S.S.(1995):NewandraresightingofBlackstork (1993):AbookofKeralaBirdsWWF-1,KeralaState
nearDehraDun(UP).NewsletterforBirdwatchers35: Committee.Pp. 11-12.
97-98. Pandey, S. (1989): Black stork. Newsletter for
Himmatsinhji,M.K.(1985):TheBlackstorkinKutch:old Birdwatchers29(1 &2):9.
recordconfirmed.JBombaynat.Hist. Soc. 82:403. Perennou,C.&V.Santharam(1990):Statusofsomebirds
Jerdon,T.C.(1839-1840):Catalogueofthebirdsofthe in southeastern India. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 87:
peninsulaofIndia,arrangedaccordingtothemodem 306-307.
systemofclassification;withbriefnotesontheirhabits PhillipsW.W.A.(1940):TheoccurrenceoftheBlackstork
JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 98(3),DEC. 2001 445
.
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES
(Ciconianigra)inCeylon.Ibis4(14thseries):333-334. NewsletterforBirdwatchers34(2):39.
Prasad, A. (1997): BlackstorkinKerala.Newsletterfor Sawji, P.G. (1990): Black storks in Maharashtra.
Birdwatchers37:65. NewsletterforBirdwatchers30(11& 12): 11
Praveen, J. (1997): Storks ofWalayar. Newsletterfor Sivasubramanian,C. (1992): Indian SkimmerRynchops
Birdwatchers37:9. albicolli—s Swainson and Black stork Ciconia nigra
Ramani, R. (1985): Black storks. Newsletterfor (Linn.) newadditionstotheavifaunaofKeoladeo
Birdwatchers25(3&4): 15. National Park, Bharatpur. J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc.
Sant,N. (1994): SightingofBlackstorknearBelgaum. 89:252-253.
9. LONG-BILLED VULTURE GYPSINDICUSINDICUSNESTING ON TREES IN
THE THARDESERT, RAJASTHAN
(With oneplate andone text-figure)
There are two subspecies of longbilled 1916) and the nests were on trees. I took some
vultures GypsindicusintheIndiansubcontinent, photographsandmadenotesonthebirdandnest
differentiated on the basis oftheir distribution, (Plate 1, Fig. 1).
nesting habits and physical features. The long- Icameacrossanothernestofthesamebird
billed vulture (Gyps indicus indicus) is in December, 1997 near Saanchu in Bikaner,
distributed south of the Gangetic plain, except Rajasthan (Fig. 1). The nesting bird was paler
extreme southwest India and Ceylon. The and the neck ofthe subadult was covered with
Himalayan long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus whitishdown. Theneckofthebirdguarding the
tenuirostris) isfoundintheGangeticplainnorth nest was partially covered with down. One was
toandalongthelowerHimalayasthroughNepal, sitting onthe sametree andthe otheron another
BengalandAssam,whereitisverycommonand tree some 15 m away. The feathers on the legs
ineasternAssamandBangladesh(AliandRipley extendedwellbelowthekneejoints.Thebilland
1987). cere had a yellowhorn-like colour.
Nest-site selectionisthemainbehavioural The nest was placed on the highest crotch
m
differencebetweenthetwosubspecies.Thelong- ofa Prosopis cineraria tree about 8 from the
billed vulture nests on ledges of cliffs and hill ground,andwasopenfromallsides.Itmeasured
forts, while the Himalayan long-billed vulture 68 cmx 90 cm and had a depth of 103 cm. The
nests on trees in small colonies (Roberts 1991). measurement ofonly one nest was taken, after
The breeding season for both ranges from thejuvenile had left it.
November to end of February, or latest up to ThenestmaterialsweretwigsofCapparis
March. decidua Prosopis cineraria Acacia arabica
, , ,
The long-billedvulture hasbeenobserved Brassica campestris stubble from a nearby field
nesting on cliffs in many areas of Rajasthan, and some pieces ofcloth. The tree on which the
while the Himalayan long-billed was reported nest was placed was surrounded at its base by
breeding in Ambala district, Haryana (Jones Capparis decidua Prosopisjuliflora and an
,
1916). WhenI foundfive nests ofthe longbilled unidentified thorny bush which grows to 2 m.
in Nagaur district, Rajasthan in May 1994 on AllthefivenestswereonProsopiscinerariatrees
Prosopiscinerariatrees,Iassumedthattheywere growing in about one sq. km area.
nests of the Himalayan long-billed vulture, This subspecies was confirmed by John
because the species is already reported from Schmitt, abirdartistfromUSA, withthehelp of
Ambala inthe adjoining state ofHaryana(Jones aphotographofthelongbilledvultureonitsnest.
446 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY, 98(3), DEC. 2001