Recent sightings of speckled piculet (Picumnus innominatus Burton) in Pakistan

2 Pages·1997·1.6 MB·

by  P J Benstead

568 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 94 (1997)
References
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1983): Handbook ofBirds ofIndia nesting nearNasik, Maharashtra.J. Bombaynat. Hist.
and Pakistan. Compact Edition. Oxford University Soc. 74(3): 525.
Press, Bombay. Mundkur, T. &V. Taylor (1993): AsianWaterfowl Census
Anjaneyulu, M. (1991 ): Status ofWetlands and Survey of 1993. AsianWetlandBureau, KualaLumpur, Malaysia
Avifauna at Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh, India. and International Wetland Research Bureau.
Ph D. Thesis Osmania University, Hyderabad. Slimbridge, U.K.
Balachandran, S. (1994): Breeding Records of Coot Nadarajan, N.R., PA. Azeez & C.R. Ajithkumar(1993):
(.Fulica atra Linnaeus) in south Tamil Nadu, India. The CootFulicaatra Linnaeus breeding further south
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 91(2): 314. intheIndianPeninsula.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 90(2):
Betham, R.M. (1902): Nesting of Coot Fulica atra at 289-290.
Poona. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 14(1): 176-177. Navarro, S.J. (1980): TheNestingoftheCoot(Fulicaatra)
Dalgliesh, G. (1907): NestingofCootFulicaatrainIndia. in the village pond ofKhandala. J. Bombay nat. Hist.
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 17(4): 1013. Soc. 77(1): 137.
Dharmakumarsinhji, K.S. (1947): BreedingofPalm Swift Perennou, C. (1993): The Asian Waterfowl Census. In:
Tachomis batasiensispalmarum(Gray) acootFulica Wetland and Waterfowl Conservation in South and
atra atra Linn, in Bhavnagar. J. Bombay nat. Hist. West Asia. (Eds. Moser, M. and Van Vessen, J.)Proc.
Soc. 46(4): 724-725. Inti. Symp. Karachi, Pakistan, pp 62-69.
Himmatsinhji, M.K., S.N. Varu & N.N. Bapat (1991): Vijaya Kumar, V. (1994): Breeding Seasons of some
Occurrence, status and breeding ofPodicepscristatus Wetland Birds ofManjira. Mayura 9 (1988-92): 19.
(Linn.) andFulicaatra Linn.J. Bombaynat.Hist. Soc. Vijaya Kumar, V. & B.C. Choudhary (1994): A Report
88(3): 439-441. on Waterfowl Studies in Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary,
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J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 14(2): 392-393. management of this Sanctuary. Pavo 32(1&2)
Khacher, L. (1978): The coot Fulica atra Linnaeus, 47-57.
RECENT SIGHTINGS OF SPECKLED PICULET
14.
(PICUMNUS INNOMINATUS BURTON) IN PAKISTAN
Roberts (1991) describes the speckled vocal male speckled piculet feeding in the bare
piculet in Pakistan as extremely rare and local, branches ofa small tree. Both observers saw the
occurring in deciduous forest at low elevations, bird well and were already familiar with the
at only a few sites. The speckled piculet hasbeen species from elsewhere in its range.
recorded inthe Murree Hills and Margalla Hills, There are only two previous sightings of
near Islamabad, and the Malkandi Reserve in this species inthe MargallaHills (singles in July
the Kaghan Valley, NWFP. Breeding has been 1977 and April 1982), despite fairly extensive
recorded in Pakistan, egg-laying taking place coverage by birders over a number of years
from early to mid-May andbrooding lasting only (Roberts, 1991). Roberts (1991) concludes that
11 days. the species must be an occasional visitor to the
Margalla Hills and this sighting therefore
Details of recent sightings constitutes only the 3rd published record of
1. Margalla Hills, Islamabad: During a speckled piculet at this site.
week long stay in Islamabad in May 1994, we 2. Palas Valley, District Kohistan, (35° 30' N
spent several daysbirding inthe nearbyMargalla 72° 40' E): Whilst walking up the main river
m
Hills, an area ofdry deciduous scrub forest (600 valley in Palas Valley, Kohistan dist. (1300
m
above msl). During one ofthese visits on 11th above msl) on 22nd May, a very vocal pair of
PW
May, 1994, drew PB’s attention to a very speckled piculets were locatedby DS, low down
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
569
in a Quercus baloot. On closer examination, a Acknowledgements
nest-hole was located in one of the smaller
branches. Calls from within indicated the The authors would like to thank their
presence ofyoung. colleagues Naeem Ashraf and Abdul Ghafoor,
This is the first record ofthis species for of the Himalayan Jungle Project, for their help
the Palas Valley and represents a slight north- whilst working in Palas Valley.
westerly range extension in Pakistan.
This small woodpecker is often overlooked June 3, 1996 P.J. BENSTEAD
in mixed species flocks (Ali and Ripley, 1983) N.J. BEAN
and may in fact be commoner than it appears to D A. SHOWLER
be throughout its range in Pakistan. It would PA. WHITTINGTON
seem likely that suitable areas in the foothills of Beaver House,
the westernHimalayas hold undetectedbreeding Norwich Road,
populations. Reepham, Norwich NR10 4JN
References
Ali, S. and S.D. Ripley(1983): Handbook ofthe Birds of Roberts, T. J. (1991): Birds ofPakistan. Volume 1: Non-
Indiaand Pakistan. Oxford University Press, Delhi. passerines. Oxford University Press, Karachi.
MIMICRY BY GREY DRONGO DICRURUS LEUCOPHAEUS
15.
my km
In orchard at Vashishta, 3.5 its metallic, challenging calls to pause and then
up the valley above the now overcrowded try out the whistles, some longer and more high
hill station of Manali in Himachal Pradesh, pitched than others, sounding like the familiar
I have the pleasure of the company of several Ioras warming up to full vocalisation in late
mid-altitude Himalayan birds. Among these are March and April. It is at this time that the grey
a couple of pairs of rather aggressive, highly drongos are coming into prenuptial vigour just
visible and vocal grey drongos Dicrurus prior to leaving the plains. Both Ioras and
leucophaeus. On the morning of 9th May, drongos share the common flower-laden coral,
1996 while walking to the house I heard Iora- flame of the forest and other trees during that
like piping whistles. To my astonishment and period.
delight, I traced the sounds to a drongo perched
LAVKUMAR KHACHER
atop a pear tree. The bird continued the whistles July 10, 1996
which alm—ost sounded like tentative attempts at 646, Vastunirman,
mimicry not sure of itselfthe bird burst into Gandhinagar-382 002.
RECORD OF THE SIGHTINGS AND BREEDING OF PIED MYNAH
16.
STURNUS CONTRA AT LAHORE
The handbook (Ali and Ripley, 1987) distributional range. However, Dr. Rees Davies
reported the pied mynah Sturnus contra as reported it to T.J. Roberts as far back as 1965.
( )
missingwestofalinefromabout 76°E (Ludhiana This and subsequent records by Z.B. Mirza in
and Hissar) thus excluding Pakistan from its 1982 and Dr. Mubashir Hasan in 1985, all from