Additions To the Checklist of the Birds of Pakistan, Vol. 1 Non passeriformes, Vol. 2 Passeriformes

3 Pages·2002·2.2 MB·

by  T J Roberts

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
times, and was therefore seen in both Sindh Eds: The author has photographic
and Baluchistan. The bird was seen again one evidence of all the sightings.
week later (October 25) by my wife and my
driver, but was not present on subsequent visits. February 23, 2000 ROGER A.L. SUTTON
Roberts does not include it in his book, but he Faculty ofHealth Sciences,
and others tell me that it has been seen and The Agha Khan University,
reported on at least one previous occasion in Stadium Road, PG. Box No 3500
Pakistan, by a bird watcher from Finland, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
I
believe, who was resident in Islamabad for some Present Address: 3254 W. 20'h Avenue,
years. Vancouver, BC, Canada.
ADDITIONS TO THE CHECKLIST OF THE BIRDS OF PAKISTAN,
24.
VOL. NON-PASSERIFORMES, VOL. 2 PASSERIFORMES
1
In these volumes published by Oxford ornithologist and long-time resident in Karachi,
University Press, Karachi in 1991 and 1992 visited the Hab Valley along the border between
respectively, attempted to set out what was Sindh and Baluchistan Provinces, in an arid
1
currently known about the status ofbirds recorded mountainous region with savannah vegetation
within the political boundaries of modern and a large dam-reservoir. He and his wife were
Pakistan, including a baseline checklist totaling alone, but spotted a winter plumage common
663 species. dotterel, which Rolf Passburg photographed.
Since that time nine, if not ten, additional This photograph was subsequently enlarged and
species have been recorded and in the majority widely exhibited in November 1991 during the
of instances, these records have been published visit of the Duke of Edinburgh to Pakistan, in
WWF
by the observers. As the author of the above his capacity as President of International.
volumes, I feel that it is desirable to gather The new record attracted widespread interest at
together these scattered records and to give them that time. Compared with other similar
wider publicity, especially as some ofthem could plumaged plovers, the dotterel has a distinctive
be new subcontinental records. broad creamy white supercilium extending
1. Eurasian Dotterel Eudromias morinellus around to the nape, as well as a thinner creamy
In the Buceros Vol. 3, No. 2 1998, titled white band separating the “dirty” buff upper
,
“Standardised English Names ofthe Birds ofthe breast and throat from the paler bufflower breast.
Indian Subcontinent - A Proposal”, the common Passburg wrote to the Oriental Bird Club (OBC)
dotterel is omitted, presumably because the panel about this record, but without sending the
ofexperts did not know of, or did not accept, the photograph, and for some reason OBC refused
inclusion of this species in “An Annotated to accept it. Rolf has kindly promised to send
Checklist of the Birds of the Oriental Region”, me a copy of this photo, which 1 shall, in due
by Inskipp, Lindsey and Duckworth (1996), course, deposit with the Picture Library of the
though the Editors of that Buceros issue state BNHS.
that they are following the taxonomic sequence
ofthat Checklist. Since Inskipp et al. do not give 2. Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata
any distributional data for inclusion of the A single individual frequented the
common dotterel, our Pakistan record is mangrove creeksjust west ofKarachi in January
important. In January 1991, a Swedish 995, and this new record was published by Juha
1
JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 99(2), AUG. 2002 323
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
6.
Kylanpaa in Forktail Vol. 13, 1998. p. 126. In was seen in late June 1998.
,
October 1998, another individual was
photographed by Dr. Roger Sutton in the Hab Common Reed Warbler
Valley, close to the site where the dotterel was Acrocephalus scirpaceus
seen3.. Dr. Sutton kindly gave me copies ofseveral The Finnish diplomat, Mikko Pyhalaa
ofhis photographs, and he has submitted a paper made a number of valuable contributions to the
to the Oriental Bird Club on this and other ornithology of Islamabad region, during his
sightings (In press). posting to that capital city. During a visit to the
Sindh Province in Larkana district, he observed
Oriental Tree Pipit Anthus liodgsoni three specimens of the reed warbler at Harnal
A party of5 ornithologists visited Pakistan Lake (27° 23' N; 67° 55' E) in Phragmites reeds,
for a faunal survey under the Himalayan Jungle where he was able to compare it with
Project, which focused on the best remaining A. stentorius and A. agricola all three of which
,
population of the western tragopan. While were seen in the same small area. He published
dealing with officialdom in Islamabad, they this record of sighting the birds on January 12th
recorded all the birds in that area, which is very 1996, in the first edition ofthe newly established
4.
rich in both flora and animal wildlife. In scattered Pakistan Journal ofOrnithology. As published,
forest on the banks of the Rawal Lake, they he observed them at close range with binoculars
observed a party of 1 5 oriental tree pipits from and telescope, and noted the pale supercilium
January 29 to February 4, 1996. Their record was only in front of the eye in A. scirpaceus the
,
published in official reports to several sponsoring noticeably smaller size and less vociferous song
WWF
agencies, including BirdLife International, of A. scirpaceus compared with A. stentorius.
Internationa! and the World Pheasant Blyth’7s. reed warbler A. dumetorum is only
Associ5.ation. They cited my exclusion ofthis pipit reliably separable in the hand (wing formula),
in Volume 2 of Birds of Pakistan. but in Pakistan this species always stays in low
bushes and trees in dry land areas and is not
Redwing Turdus iliacus found in water emergent Phragmites. A.
In February 1989, Juha Kylanpaa, a scirpaceus being such a difficult bird to observe,
Finnish Missionary, picked up the decomposed and known to breed in Iran and to winter in
body of a thrush in his compound in Tonk, in Afghanistan, its occurrence this far to the East
Dera Ismail Khan, NWFP. He sent the wings to is not surprising. Dr. Aleem Ahmad Khan,
a museum in Finland, where they confirmed that OBC’s representative for Pakistan, also told
it was a redwing. After much time and Pyhalaa that he had seen this species, but
correspondence, Juha sent one wing to me and I unfortunately I do not have details and Miko
was able to deposit this wing in the collection of Pyhalaa is now serving in South America!
the Bombay Natural History Society.
Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Rafiq Ahmad Rajpoot, at the time ajunior
Undoubtedly a new subcontinental record. Field Officer working for the Sindh Wildlife
Again it was Dr. Roger Sutton who discovered Board, visited the Karchat Information and
this individual, frequenting thorn scrub along the Conservation Centre in the south western corner
banks of Ghizri Creek, just on the southeastern of the Kirthar National Park in Sindh. During a
outskirts ofKarachi. have several copies ofclear survey from October 24 to November 1992,
I 1 1,
photographs which he took of this bird, which he recorded 120 different bird species, including
324 JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 99(2). AUG. 2002
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
A
three little buntings, which were drinking from at the foot of the Margalla Hills. second
a small seepage zone, in this dry hilly area. I European robin seen by Juha Kylanpaa in Kao
know Rajpoot personally and he is a keen forest below Dunga Gali, Hazara district on
birdwatcher, with a good knowledge of reptiles December 28, 2000. Major Erkki Kallio, a keen
and mammals as well. All the other species and reputed birdwatcher in his own country, was
UNMOGIP
recorded in his Karchat list had been previously working with as a Military Observer,
recorded there. Rajpoot did not have a camera; and based in Islamabad at the time, and Juha
his observations were not substantiated by any Kylanpaa is a missionary based in the NWFP,
other companion, and have not been submitted who has already published two articles ofhis bird
for publication. All the known records of this sightings in Pakistan, in the Journal of the
uncommon wintering visitor to the Subcontinent Oriental Bird Club, Forktail and he was the
have been in the far northern areas of the individual who picked up a wing ofthe redwing
Himalayas. His report and lists of species are Turdus illiacus deposited by me in the BNHS
deposited in the Sindh Wildlife Board Library, Collection, as mentioned above. I was so
open to the public. However, the record should surprised at the robin sightings that Major Kallio
be treated with caution and probably should not kindly sent me a slide that he took of the bird,
be included in a definitive Checklist. and there is no mistaking his identification. I
understand from him that it has also been
8. Indian Pied Hornbill recorded in India for the first time in 1999 at
Anthrcicoceros malabaricus Rajouri, also in Poonch, and this information was
Seen on March 13, 1999 in Mirpur, in passed on by Erkki to the Indian Deputy High
Poonch by Major Erkki Kallio. This was in the Commissioner Sudhir Vyas in Islamabad, who
area presently on the Pakistan held side of the also writes in the JBNHS.
Cease-fire line. I think it is important to record unusual
distributional records where they represent
9. Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae extensions of known range. Sadly, so often
Seen on August 21, 1999 by Major Erkki there is shrinking of range of so many species,
Kallio at Kotli in Poonch, presently on the and in the case of the European robin it is
Pakistan held side ofthe Cease-fire line. not normally considered a long distance
Both these records i.e. the Indian pied migrant.
hornbill and long-tailed broadbill, are of interest
in that they must be the westernmost record for February 23, 2000 T. J. ROBERTS
these species from the Himlayas. Cae Gors, Rhoscefnhir,
Nr. Pentraeth,
10. European Robin Erithacus rubecula Anglesey LL75 8YU,
Seen on February 13, 2000 in Islamabad United Kingdom.
SOME INTERESTING BIRD RECORDS FROM THE DELHI AREA
25.
A
four-year posting at Delhi from mid- phenomenally, particularly to the east and south,
1995 to mid-1999 provided me with an and some of the most fruitful birding localities
opportunity to review the bird life in the area, no longer exist. The formerly bird-rich marshes
and compare it with notes made during earlier near the Coronation Pillar and Model Town in
periods of stay in 1977-79 and 1984-86 (Vyas north Delhi have been drained and built upon.
1995). In ten years, the city of Delhi has grown Large areas of reed beds about 5 km south of
JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 99(2), AUG. 2002 325
,