First Record of Lesser Florican Sypheotides Indica (Miller) from Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan

2 Pages·2003·1.3 MB·

by  Ashok Verma

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
In correspondence with the Moscow Ringing We thank the Moscow Ringing Centre for
Centre, we came to know that this bird was ringed providing us with the relevant details.
as apullet on 23.vii.1989 at Lake Barun-Torey of
Russia, Chita O (50° 05* N, 15° 40' E. The bird December28, 2002 S.N. VARIJ
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had travelled 4,9 7 km and was found dead after Junavas, Temple Street,
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3,115 days (about eight and a half years) in Madhapar, Tal Bhuj,
Kutch. Dist. Kutch 370 020, Gujarat, India.
Earlier, Dr. Taej Mundkur had collected a
demoiselle crane with a ring atNyrari Reservoir in M.H.TRIVEDI
Rajkot, Gujarat on February 10, 1992, which had Range Forest Officer, Anjar,
been ringed on 1 1 .vii.1990 near Barun-Torey Lake Tal. Anjar, Dist. Kutch,
in Russia(Mundkur 1992). Gujarat, India.
Reference
Mundkur, Taej (1992): Observation ofa Colour Banded Demoiselle Crane in Gujarat. Newsletterfor Birdwatchers
32(7&8): 8
FIRST RECORDOF LESSER FLORICANSYPHEOTIDESINDICA (MILLER)
5.
FROM KEOLADEONATIONAL PARK, BHARATPUR, RAJASTHAN
A male lesser florican, Sypheotides indica to the breeding grounds. They are known to move
in breeding plumage was sighted in the grassland from the breeding grounds immediately after
ofKeoladeo National Park (27° 7.6’ to 27° 12.2’ N nesting, into peninsularIndia (Ali and Ripley 1983).
and 77° 29.5’ to 77° 33.2’ E), Rajasthan, India, at The dispersal areas are still not known. The bird
around 0830 hrs on June 19, 2000. sighted in the Park could be in transit to the
The bird was identified by its black and breeding ground and was probably using
white plumage, with a tuft ofnarrow ribbon-like Keoladeo National Park as a staging ground. The
black feathers behind the head, three on either nearest known breeding grounds of the species
side. It was sighted in the grassland of Block-G are more than 300 km southwest ofthe Park (in
(locally called Koladehar), dominatedbytwo grass Tonk, Ajmer, Bhilwara and Pali districts of
species, namely Vetiveria zizanioides and Rajasthan). There have been sightings ofbreeding
Desmostachya bipinnata Koladehar is the major males in transittowards western Indiaduring June,
.
grassland habitat spread over c. 3 sq. km in the July and August from Karera Bustard Sanctuary
southeast part ofthe Park. The grass was green, in northern Madhya Pradesh where they did not
with an average height of50 cm. We saw the bird display, and breeding has not yet been recorded
for about half an hour without binoculars, as it from the region (Sankaran et al. 1 992).
m
wasjust 1 5 away. It could not be located again The lesser florican is among the smallest
in the same area during the next two days of bustards of the world and is endemic to India.
intensive search. Once ranging from Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujaratand
The lesser florican breeds during the Madhya Pradesh in central India to Karnataka,
southwest monsoon, which begins by the end of Keralaand TamilNadu in the south (Ali and Ripley
June or early July in western Gujarat, eastern 1995), it is now restricted to Gujarat, Madhya
Rajasthan, western Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. In recent
Pradesh (Sankaran andManakadan 1990, Sankaran years, the bird has become very rare (Sankaran et
et al. 1992). This is the time when the males return al 1992).
JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 100(2&3), AUG.-DEC. 2003 625
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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
As the lesser florican is highly endangered, Mr. J.C. Daniel, Honorary Secretary,
every sighting is important, and information on Dr. A.R. Rahmani, Director, and Dr. Vibhu Prakash,
BNHS
dispersal and distribution must be recorded to Principal Scientist, for encouragement and
help in their conservation. critical assessment ofthe manuscript.
Acknowledgements November 2001 *ASHOK VERMA
7,
BRIJENDRA SINGH
We are grateful to the Rajasthan Forest Bombay Natural History Society,
Department for permission to work in the Park, 33 RajendraNagar,
1,
especially Ms Shruti Sharma, Director, Keoladeo Bharatpur 32 001 Rajasthan, India.
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National Park, for facilities. We thank *Email: [email protected]
References
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1983): Handbook of the Birds records ofthe lesser florican, Sypheotides indica
of India and Pakistan. Compact Edn, (Miller) from Andhra Pradesh. J. Bombay nat.
Oxford University Press, New Delhi. Pp. 143- Hist. Soc. 87(2): 294-296.
&
144. Sankaran, R., A.R. Rahmani U. Ganguli-Lachungpa
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1995): A Pictorial Guide to the (1992): The distribution and status of the lesser
Birdsofthe Indian Subcontinent. Bombay Natural florican, Sypheotides indica (J.F. Miller) in the
History Society, Mumbai. P. 94. Indian Subcontinent. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc.
Sankaran. R. & R. Manakadan (1990): Recent breeding 89(2): 156-179.
6. ON THE LONGEVITYOFTHE GREATPIED HORNBILL BUCEROSBICORNIS
IN CAPTIVITY
Two young female specimens of the great environment and the particular conditions under
pied hombill, Buceros bicornisLinn., were received which it lives. Perusal ofthe literature didnotreveal
at Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar, any information on the longevity ofthis species in
Orissa on June 26, 1967 through an animal dealer captivity. The longevity of32 years, 4 months and
basedinCalcutta(=Kolkata). Theylivedfor32years, 4 days recorded in this Park appears to be the
4 months and 4 days in captivity, and died at an longest so far reported forthis species in captivity,
estimatedage of33 years. Both thebirds were found though the death was due to unnatural causes.
dead during the super-cyclone that hit coastal
Orissaon October29-30, 1999. November 12, 2001 L.N. ACHARJYO
These hombills were always displayed in a House No. M-71,
spacious enclosure encompassing one or more Housing Board Colony, Baramunda,
trees, and with provision to protect them from Bhubaneswar 75 003, Orissa, India.
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extreme weather conditions. They were fed with
goat’s meat and liver, banana and boiled rice. VINODKUMAR
Multivitamin supplements were added to the diet Nandankanan Zoological Park,
intermittently. Mayur Bhawan, Janpath, Saheed Nagar,
The great pied hombill is uncommon in Bhubaneswar 75 007, Orissa, India.
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captivity. Itrarely breeds under captive conditions.
SalimAli (1996) inthebookof Indianbirds, BNHS/ S.K. PATNAIK
OUP, mentionsthattheagetowhichabird is capable 7, Saheed Nagar,
of living varies according to the species, its Bhubaneswar 75 007, Orissa, India.
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