Table Of Content)
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 403
In normal southwest monsoon conditions, Acknowledgements
the rains peak in the last two weeks ofJuly. Until
early August there are frequent spells of rains This study was funded by the US Fish &
when it can rain for two or three days Wildlife Service and was sponsored by the
continuously. Thus the risk of inundation of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt, of
nest is high until mid-August. Females India. I wish to thank the Gujarat Forest
commence laying at such a time that the risk of Department, Kheema, Madhya Pradesh Forest
loss of eggs through inundation or bad weather Department, J.C. Daniel, Mehboob Alam and
is reduced. Thus females begin egg laying only A.R. Rahmani for their support and guidance.
in early August, with a peak a little later, and
ANKARAN
avoid the majority of the rains of the southwest December 20, 1995 R. S
monsoon. Heavy rains arebrieffrom mid-August, Bombay Natural History Society
and barring the early nesters, most others Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road
,
effectively minimise the risk of nest inundation. Mumbai 400 023
Several studieshave shown that inundation
orbad weather comprises a significant proportion PresentAddress
:
&
of factors that destroy eggs and nests (Shipley Salim Ali Centrefor Ornithology
1984, Warriner et al. 1986). Thus females have Natural History
adapted to nest when the probability of bad Kalampalayam P.O.,
weather is least. Coimbatore 641 010
References
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1969): Handbook of the birds bengalensis(Gmelin). Ph.D. thesis,Univ. ofBombay.
ofIndiaandPakistan. OxfordUniv. Press, NewDelhi. Sankaran, R., A.R. Rahmani & U. Ganguli-Lachungpa
Dharmakumarsinhji, K.S. (1950): The Lesser Florican (1992): The distribution and status of the Lesser
[Sypheotides indica (Miller)]: Its courtship display, Florican Sypheotides indica (J.F. Miller) in the
behaviour and habits. 7. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 49: Indian subcontinent. 7. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 89:
201-216. 156-179.
Earle, R.A. (1981): Factors governing avian breeding in Shipley, F.S. (1984): The 4-egg clutch limit in the
Acacia Savanna, Pietermaritzburg. Part 1: Extrinsic Charadrii: an experiment with American Avocets.
factors. Ostrich 52: 65-73. South Western Naturalist 29: 143-147.
Jerdon, T.C. (1864): Birds of India. Vol. 2. Publ. by Shukla, J. (1987): Interannual variability of monsoons.
&
authors, Calcutta. In Monsoons. Fein, J.S. Stephen, P.C. eds.. John
Osborne, P, N. Collar & P.D. Goriup (1984): Bustards. Wiley & Sons, New York, pp 399-463.
Dubai Wildlife Research Centre. Dubai, U.A.E. Warriner, J.S., J.C. Warriner., G.W. Page & L.E.
Sankaran, R. (1991): Some aspects of the breeding Stenzel (1986): Mating success and reproductive
behaviourofthelesserfloricanSypheotidesindica(J.F. success ofa small population of polygamous Snowy
Miller) and the Bengal florican Houbaropsis Plovers. Wilson Bull. 98: 15-37.
THE RELATION BETWEEN BUSTARD BODY SIZE AND DISPLAY TYPE
13.
(With two text-figures
)
The variation in body size within the 10 kg (wing length 629-761 mm) and the
family Otididae is extreme. The smallest species heaviest great bustard (Otis tarda) can weigh
(lesser ftoric&wSypheotides indica weighs about over 15 kg. Bustard display types are also
)
0.5 kg (wing length 180-248 mm) while the varied and include both ground and aerial
largest species Kori (Ardeotis kori weighs over displays.
404 JOURNAL BOMBAYNATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 94 (1997)
Wing Length (mm)
Fig. 1. Bustard wing length and body weight
In this analysis of bustard body size and and the type of display. The first is the jumping
display type, all data has been extracted from type of display. This is of very short duration,
Ali and Ripley (1969), Cramp and Simmons e.g. lesser florican one secondjump, littlebustard
(1980), and Collaretal. (1986). The use ofbody Tetrax tetraxhalfsecondjump, (Shulz 1985), and
weights in the analysis was unsatisfactory consists of a brief vertical display leap.
because variation in available data was large The other type of aerial display is a display
(± 50% of the mean). Body weights are variable flight thatlasts for6 or moreseconds and consists
and dependent on several factors such as season, of a short or extended flight from one point to
availability of food and condition of the bird. another. This type of display is seen in the
Wing length, however, shows less variation black bustard Eupodotis afra, buff crested
(± 20% of the mean), and once birds reach bustardEupodotis ruficrista (?) and black bellied
adulthood, wing length becomes more or less bustard Eupodotis melanogaster (Osborne et al.
fixed and unless in moult, will not vary in 1984) and the Bengal florican Houbaropsis
response to extrinsic factors. Both wing length bengalensis.
A
and body weight are indicators ofbody size, and distinct correlation is seen between body
body weight is directly correlated to wing length size and display types. The small bustards have
(Fig. 1). Thus, in this analysis, wing length is aerial displays, with the smallest ofthese having
used as a measure of body size. a jumping display, those species with increased
Bustard attraction displays are divisible body size having flight displays, and beyond this
into two groups, namely aerial displays and body size all bustards have ground displays
ground displays. Aerial displays can be further (Fig. 2). This analysis also shows thatthe Bengal
classified into two types, based on the duration florican and the black bellied bustard are at the
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 405
180 230 280 330 380 430 480 530 580 630 680 730 780
Wing Length (mm)
Fig. 2. The relation between bustard wing length and display type
1 = Jumping display; 2 = Flight display; 0 = Ground display
size threshold beyond which all bustards frequency. Beyond a certain size threshold, all
have ground displays. The next large species bustards have ground display.
i.e. the houbara is 12-15% larger than the
black bellied bustard and only has a ground Acknowledgements
display.
The Bengal florican, being at the body This study was funded by the US Fish &
size threshold of aerial displays, has few and Wildlife Service and was sponsored by the
sporadic displays. This bustard also has adistinct Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt, of
A
ground display, the neck fluff display. ground India. I wish to thank Mr. J. C. Daniel and
display is also seen in the black bellied bustard Dr. A.R. Rahmani for their support and guidance.
(pers. obs., Cramp and Simmons 1980). At the
SANKARAN
other extreme of the size scale is the lesser December 20, 1995 R.
florican, which has very frequent display jumps Bombay Natural History Society,
and no distinct ground displays. It is most Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road,
probable that in bustardsbody sizeplays a strong Mumbai 400 023.
role in the type of displays seen. The smallest
bustards have short display leaps that are made Present Address
&
very frequently, larger species have longer flight Salim Ali Centrefor Ornithology
displays, and as body size increases, frequency Natural History
of displays reduces. Ridley et al. (1985) also Kalampalayam P.O.,
suggest that ashort leap is associated with greater Coimbatore 641 010
406 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 94 (1997)
References
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1969): Handbook of the birds Vol II Hawks to Bustards. Oxford Univ. Press,
of India and Pakistan. Oxford Univ. Press, New London.
Delhi. Osborne, P., N. Collar & P.D. Goriup (1984): Bustards.
Collar, N.J., P.D. Goriup, & P.E. Osborne (1986): Dubai WildlifeResearchCentre,Dubai,UAE.
Suborder Otides, Family Oiididae.InThebirds of Ridley, M.W.,R.D, Magrath&J.C.Z. Woinarski (1985):
&
Africa. Vol. II (Urban, E.K., Fry, H.C. Keith, S. Display leap of the Lesser Florican Sypheotides
eds.). Academic Press, London, pp 148-179. indica. J. Bombay not. Hist. Soc. 82: 271-277.
Cramp, S. & K.E.L. Simmons (1980): (eds.) Handbook of Schulz, H. (1985):GrundlagenforschundZurBiologieDer
thebirds ofEurope, MiddleEastandNorthAfrica. Zwergtrappe Tetrax tetrax. Braunschweig.
FLOCKING AND COURTSHIP DISPLAY IN REDWATTLED LAPWING
14.
VANELLUS INDICUS)
('
The redwattled lapwing Vanellus indieus 37 to 62 during February-March. These flocks
is one ofthe most common bird species found in are usually seen on the margins of waterbodies
and around Kota (25° 10’ N, 75° 52’ E), in early in the morning, the birds then disperse to
Rajasthan. There are always a couple oflapwings feed nearby, but flock together once the feeding
permanently present near open drains, sewage is over.
nullahs, shallow pools & margins oftank. When Courtship display is not a very elaborate
the water dries up, they are quite capable of affair in redwattled lapwings but still it is
living on dry sunbaked land; they even nest and attractive. Themale bird presentsitselfin thebest
breed in April-May, when the temperatureranges possible manner to the probable mate. The male
between 38°C to 45°C in this part of India. Ali bird flies off, circles the area a few times giving a
and Ripley (1987) write in their ‘compact different call, and returns a little later near a
HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN’ prospective female. After alighting a few feet
that redwattled lapwings do not form large away, the male raises its head, fluffs its breast
flocks (6-12 birds only), there is no mention of feathers, so the white abdominal and contrasting
any courtship display. This note is to report a black front are presented to the female. Only the
different behaviour pattern, which I have little black head, red wattles and bill are seen
observed. over the puffed up breast. The bird looks upright
Large congregations of redwattled and proud. In shuffling steps, the male
lapwings ranging from 26 to over 200 approaches the female and circles around it a
individuals, were seen flocking on large open few times. If the female is responsive it lowers
drains, nullahs, pools and tanks. In this paper its head to about 45° from the ground and lets
the term flocking does not include loose the male come close, otherwise the female flies
,
congregations of birds which remain scattered offor moves away, putting an end to the advances
on wetlands, but is strictly limited to the of the eager male. The male bird tends to repeat
gathering of birds, where they stand closely this with different females, also many males
packed apparently doing nothing. Incidentally, (3-4) may be displaying close to each other with
redwattled lapwings breed in Kota mainly from females in audience. Once thepair formation has
April to September, and a good number of eggs taken place birds become highly aggressive and
and chicks can be seen during this period. Just noisy. Theybecome territorial and actively defend
before commencement of breeding in April, their territories against all creatures including
I have seen large flocks near waterbodies. The grazing cattle, otherbirds, snakes, dogs and man.
number of individuals in a flock varied from The redwattled lapwings while defending their
