Table Of Content

oce SIONAL PAPE NO. 141 BI DS OF ARID A D EMI-A D TRACTS A. K. MUKHERJE ZOOLOGICAL URVEY OF IND I A 1995 RECORDS OF mE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA OCCASIONAL PAPER NO. 142 Birds of Arid and Semi-Arid Tracts AJIT KUMAR MUKHERJEE ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA, CALCUTTA Edited blf the Director ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA 1995 C Copyright Government of India, 1996 Published : October, 1995 PRICE INDIAN: Rs. 300.00 FOREIGN: $ 20.00 ; £ 1 5.00 Printed by Asian Printers, P-12, C. I. T. Roa,d, Calcutta-700014 Phone: 244·5340 Published by the Director, Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta.700020 AUTHOR'S PREFACE: The avifauna of the northwestern India during the past in hundred years or so, reported by Ferdinand Stoliczka, A.O.Hume, C. D Lester, High Wishtler and others, though quite informa tive and useful, yet are scattered. Such literature hardly serves the purpose as a guide for bird study of that area. Mention may however be made of two contributions of significance. viz.,Salim Ali's 'The Birds of Kutch' brought out in 1945 and the other of Dharmakumarasinhji's 'Birds of Saurashtra' that appeared in 1954. These works are no doubt classic but are restrcited to particular regions only. The present author has therefore designed this publication as an introduction to the avifauna of t~e arid and semi-arid tracts of northwest India spread over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The author has great appreciation for the enthusiasm of Dr. M. L. Roonwal, Director (Retired) of Zoological Survey of India, for launching a project of general faunistic survey of the Great Indian Desert which got started in 1956 and continued for two decades, intensively in some areas, viz., Sambhar Lake (Central Rajasthan), Jodhpur district (West Rajsthan) and the dry deciduous forest of Gir (South Central Gujarat), and extensively in the arid and semi-arid tracts. The author who was one of the members of the faunistic exploration parties, being an ornithologist, had special interest, brought invaluable collections of birds from inhospitable desert areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. These collections form the basis of the present book. Enactment of the Wild Life (Proctection) Act of 1972 of the Government of India together with restrictions imposed by the forest departments of different states affected collections of bird samples and bird study was limited to field observations only for the last one decade. The physiography of the Great Indian Desert is fast changing as a result of habitat destruc tion, construction of canals, setting up of new water reserviours, dams and dykes, and als~ ex perimental afforestation and crop raising. The cumulative effect of such changes is likely to affect the fauna and flora in general and avifauna in particular. What is found and described today in this book may require additions or deletions in future. • CONTENTS Author's Preface Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. 3 Arid and Semi-arid tracts .................................................................................... 3 Geological history of the Great Indian Desert ................................................. 4 Physiography of the area ...................................................................................... 5 (a) Topography ......................................................................................... 5 (b) Climate-factors regulating the ecosystem ........................................ 6 (c) Biota ..................................................................................................... 12 1. Flora (vegetation of the area). 2. Fauna. (d) Ecological distribution of birds ........................................................ 20 (e) Zoogeographical distribution ............................................................ 25 (t) Migration-migratory birds .................................................................. 38 (g) Colouration of birds in desert environment .................................... 39 Description of species and subspecies of birds ................................................. 42 List of status of species (Including rare, straggler and vagrant) in aried and semi-arid tracts (Statewise) ...................................... 264 References ............................................................................................................. 285 Index(Birds only) .................................................................................................. 29() • v SYSTEMATIC CONTENTS Order: PODICIPEDIFORMES Family: Podicipedidae 1. Podiceps cristatus cristatus (Linnaeus) ........................................................... 42 2. Podiceps nigricollis Brehm ............................................................................... 42 3. Podiceps ruficollis capensis Salvedori ....................................... ,. .................... 43 Order: PELECANIFORMES Family: Pelecanidae 4. Pelecanus onocrotalus Linnaeus ..................................................................... 44 5. Pelecanus philippensis crispus Bruch .............................................................. 44 Family : Phalacrocoracidae 6. Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (Shaw) ............................................................. 45 7. Phalacrocorax tuscicollis Stephens .................................................................. 46 8.Pahalcrocorax niger (Vieillot) ......................................................................... 46 9.Anhinga rufa melanogaster Pennant ............................................................... 47 Order: CICONIIFORMES Family: Ardeidae 10. Ardes cinerea rectirostris Gould .................................................................... 48 11. Ardea purpurea manilensis Meyan ............................................................... 48 12. Ardea alba modesta J. E. Gray ..................................................................... 49 13. Ardeola striatus chloriceps (Bonaparte) ....................................................... 50 14. Ardeola gravii gravii (Sykes) ........................................................................... 50 15. Bubulcus ibis coromandus (Boddaert) ......................................................... 51 16. Egretta intermedia intermedia (Wagler) ....................................................... 52 17. Egretta garzetta garzetta (Linnaeus) ............................................................... 53 18. Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus) ................................................ 54 19. Botarus stellaris stellaris (Linnaeus) .............................................................. 54 Family: Ciconiidae 20. Mycteria leucocephala (Pennant) .................................................................. 55 21. A~astomus oscitans (Boddaert) .................................................................... 56 22. Ciconia episcpus episcopus (Boddaert) ........................................................ 57 23. Ciconia ciconia ciconia (Linnaeus) .............................................................. 57 24. Ciconia nigra (Linnaeus) ................................................................................ 58 25. Ephippirhynchus asiaticus asiaticus (Latham) ............................................. 58 Family: Threski ornithidae 26. Threskiomis aethiopica melanicephala (Lahtma) ....................................... 59 VlI 27. Pseudibis papillosa papillosa (Temminck) .................................................. 60 28. Plegadis falcinellus falcinellus (Linnaeus) .................................................... 60 29. Platalea leucorodia major Temminck and Schlegel .................................... 61 Family: Phoenicopteridae 30. PhoenicopteTlls roseus Pllas ........................................................................... 62 31. Phoeniconaias minor (Geoffroy) .................................................................. 63 Order: ANSERIFORMES Family: Anatidae 32. Anser anser Tllbrirostris Swinhoe .................................................................... 63 33. Anser indicus (Latham) .................................................................................. 64 34. Dendrocygnajavancia (Horsfield) ................................................................. 64 35. Tadrona Fe TTllginea (Pallas) .......................................................................... 65 36. Tadoma tadoma (Linnaeus) ......................................................................... 66 37. Anas acuta (Linnaeus) ................................................................................... 66 38. Anas crecca crecca (Linnaeus) ...................................................................... 67 39. Anas poecilorhyncha poecilorhyncha (J. R. Forster) .................................. 68 40. Anas platyrhynchos (Linnaeus) ..................................................................... 69 41. Anas sterpera strepera (Linnaeus) .................................................................. 69 42. Anas penelope (Linnaeus) ............................................................................. 70 43. Anas querquedula (Linnaeus) ....................................................................... 70 44. Anas clypeata (Linnaeus) ............................................................................... 71 45. Netta Tllfina (Pallas) ........................................................................................ 72 46. Aythya ferina (Linnaeus) ................................................................................ 73 47. Aythya nyroca (Guldenstadt) ......................................................................... 73 48. Aythya fu,ligllla (Linnaeus) ............................................................................. 74 49. Nettapus coromandelianus coromandelianus (Gmelin) ............................. 75 50. Sarkidiomis melanotos (Pennant) ................................................................. 76 Order: FALCONIFORMES Family: Accipitridae 51. Elanus caeruleus vociferus (Lathem) ............................................................ 76 52. Milvus milvus milvus (Linnaeus) ............................•..................................... 77 53. Milvus migrans govinda (Sykes) .................................................................... 78 54. Milvus migrans lineatus (J. E. Gray) ............................................................. 78 55. Haliastur indus indus (Bodeaert) .................................................................. 79 56. Accipiter gentilis schvedowi (Menzbier) ....................................................... 80 57. Accipiter badius dussumieri (Temminic) ...................................................... SO 58. Accipiter nisus nisosimilis {Tick ell) .............................................................. S1 59. Buteo rufinus Tllfinus (Cretzchmar) ............................................................ S2 60. Butaster teesa (Franklin) ................................................................................. 83 61. Hieraaetus fasciatus fasciatus (Vlellot) ........................................ 000 •••• 0.84 62. Hieraaetus Pennatus (Gmelin) .. o. S4 0 .0 .0.0 .0000.00.00000 •• 0. 0 ••• 0. 0 0.0 ••••• 0 ••••••••••••• 00 •••••• V111 63. Aquila heliaca heliaca (Savigny) ................................................................... 86 64. Aquila rapax vindhiana (Franklin) ............................................ ". .................. 86 65. Aquila clanga Pallas ...................................................................................... 87 66. Haliaeetus albicilla (Linnaeus) ...................................................................... 88 67. Haliaeetus /eucoryphus (Pallas) ...................................................................... 88 68. Aegypius calvus (Scopoli) .............................................................................. 89 69. Aegypius monachus (Linnaeus) .................................................................... 90 70. Gyps fulvus fulvescens (Hume) ................................................................... 90 71. Gyps indicus indicus (Scopoli) ...................................................................... 91 72. Gyps bengalensis (Gmelin) ............................................... " ........................... 91 73. Neophron percnopterus percnopterus (Linnaeus) ......... , .............................. 92 74. Circus fnacrourus (S. G. Gmelin) ................................................................... 93 75. Circus pygargus (Linnaeus) ............................................................................ 94 76. Circus aelUginosus aeruginosus (Linnaeus) ................................................. 94 77. Circaetus gallicus ga/licus (Gmelin) .............................................................. 95 78. Spilomis cheela melanotis (Jerdon) ............................... ., ........................... 96 79. Pandion haliaetus haliaetus (Linnaeus) ........................................................ 97 Family: Faicollirlae 80. Falco biannicus cherrugl. E. Gray ...................................... " ........................ 98 81. falco biarmicus jugger J. F. Gery .................................. .............................. 98 ~ 82. Falco peregrinus babylonicus Sclater ............................................................ 99 83. Falco peregrinus peregrinator Sundevall ....................................................... 100 84. Falco subbuteo subbuteo Linnaeus ............................................................... 101 85. Falco chicquera chicquers Daudin .............. ~ ................................................. 102 86. Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus Linnaeus ...................................................... 102 Order: GALLIFORMES Family: Phasianidae 87. Francolin us francolinus asiae Bonaparte ....................... . ........................... 103 88. Fran colin us pictus pallidus (J. E. Gray) ....................................................... 104 89. Francolin us pondicerianus interpositus Hartert ........................................... 105 90. Cotumix columix cotumis (Linnaeus) .................................. ,. ....................... 105 91. Cotumix coromandelica (Gmelin) ....................................... ,. ...................... 106 92. Perdicula asiatica asiatica (Latham) ............................................................. 107 93. Perdicula argoondah meinertzhageni Whistler ................... " ....................... 108 94. Galloperdix spadicea caurina Blanford ................ " ..................................... 109 95. Gal/us sonneratii Temminck .............................................. " ......................... 110 96. Pavo cristat::: Linnaeus ....................................................................... ~ ......... 111 0rder ~ GRUIFORlv!~S~ Family : Turni(~itiae 97. Tumix sylvatica dussumier (Temminck) .................................................... 112 98. Tumix tanki tanld Blyth ................................................................................. 112 99, Tumix suscitator taigoor (Sykes) .................................................................... 113 IX Family: Gruidae 100. Gros gnJs lilfordi Sharpe .............................................................................. 114 101. Gros antigone antigone Linnaeus ................................................................ 115 102. Anthropoides virgo Linnaeus ...................................................................... 115 Family: Rallidae 103. Rallus striatus a1biventer Swains on .............................................................. 116 104. Rallus aquaticus korejewi Zarudny ............................................................. 117 105. Prozana porz,ana (Linnaeus) ................................................................. _. .... 117 106. Porz,ana pusilla pusilla (Pallas) ................................................................... 118· 107. Amauromis aleool akool (Sykes) ................................................................. 118 108. Amauromis phoenicuros phoenicuros (Pennant) ...................................... 119 1()9. Gallicrex cinerea (Gmelin) ........................................................................... 120 110. Gallinula chloropus indica Blyth ................................................................. 120 111. Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus (Lathem) ............................................ 121 112. Fulica aua atra Linnaeus ............................................................................. 122 Family c Otididae 113. Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) ........................................................................... 123 114. Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii J. E. Grey ............................................ 124 115. Sypheotides indica (J. F . Miller) .................................................................. 124 Family: Jacanidea 116. Hydrophasianus chirurgus (Scopoli) ........................................................... 125 117. Ma tapodius indicus Latham ....................................................................... 126 Family: Rostratulidea 118. Rostratula benghalensis benghalensis (Linnaeus) ...................................... 127 Family: Recunirostridae 119. Himantopus himantopus himantopus (Linnaeus) .................................... 128 120. Recurvirostra avosetta Linnaeus .................................................................. 129 Family: Burhinidae 121. Burhinus oedicnemus indicus (Salvadori) .................................................. 129 122. Esacus magnirostris recurvirostris (Cuvier) ................................................ 130 Family: Glareolidae 123. Cursorius cursor cursor (Lathem) ................................................................ 131 124. Cursorius coromandelicus (Gmelin) ........................................................... 132 Family: Charadriidae Subfamily: Charadriinae 125. Vanel/us leucurus (Lichtenstein) ................................................................. 132 126. Vanellus gregarius (Pallas) ........................................................................... 133 x 127. Vanellus indicus indicus ( Boddaert) ........................................................ 127 ~28. Vanellus malabaricus (Boddaert) ............................................................... 135 129. Pluvialis squatarola (Linnaeus) ................................................................... 135 130. Charadrius leschenaultii leschenaultii Lesson ............................................ 136 131. Charadrius dubius jerdoni (Legge) ............................................................. 137 132. Charadrius alexandrinus alexandrinus Linnaeus ....................................... 137 133. Charadrius mongolus atrifrons Wagler ....................................................... 138 Subfamily: Scolopacinae 134. Numenius phaeopus phaeopus (Linnaeus) ................................................ 139 135. Numenius arquata orientalis C. L. Brehm .................................................. 139 136. Limosa limosa limosa (Linnaeus) .............................................................. 140 137. Tringa totanus curhinus (Oberhotser) ........................................................ 140 138. Tringa stagnatilis (Bechstein) ...................................................................... 141 139. Tringa nebularia Gunnerus .......................................................................... 142 140. Tri!lga ochropus Linnaeus ............................................................................ 142 141. Tringa glareola Linnaeus .............................................................................. 143 142. Tringa hypoleucos Linnaeus ......................................................................... 144 143. Gallinago gallinago gallinago (Linnaeus) ................................................... 144 144. Gallinago minima (Brunnich) ..................................................................... 145 145. Calidris temminckii (Leisler) ....................................................................... 145 146 . Calidris minuta min uta (Lerster) ................................................................ 146 147. Calidris alpina alpina (Linnaeus) ................................................................ 147 148. Calidris testacea (Pallas) .............................................................................. 147 149. Philomachus pugnax (Linnaeus) ................................................................. 148 Family: Laridae 150. Larus bmnnicephalus J erdon ...................................................................... 149 151. Lams ridibundus ridibundus Linnaeus ....................................................... 149 152. Childonias hybrida indica (Stephens) ......................................................... 150 153. Gelocheidon nilotica (Gmelin) .................................................................... 151 154. Sterna acuticauda J. E. Grey ........................................................................ 152 156. Rhynchops albicoliis Swains on ................................................................... 153 Order: COLUMBIFORMES Family: Pteroclididae 157. Pterocles alchata caudacutus (S. G. Gmelin) ............................................. 153 158. Pterocles exustus erlangeri (Newmann) ....................................................... 154 159. Pterocles senegallus (Linnaeus) ................................................................... 155 160. Pterocles orientalis orientalis (Linnaeus) .................................................... 156 161. Pterocles indicus indicus (Gmelin) .............................................................. 157 Family: Columbidae 162. Treron phoenicoptera chlorigaster (Blyth) .................................................. 157 163. Columba livia intermedia Strickland .......................................................... 158 164. Cloumba eversmanni Bonaparte ................................................................. 159 . 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