Pompadour Green Pigeon Treron Pompadora Affinis and Large Hawk cuckoo Hierococcyx Sparverioides on the Palkonda Hills, Peninsular India

4 Pages·2002·2.8 MB·

by  Aasheesh Pittie

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
References
Adam, R.M. (1874): Additional notes on the birds ofthe Western Palaearctic, Vol. Ill Waders to Gulls.
Sambhar Lake and its vicinity. Stray Feathers 2: Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 629-639.
&
337-341. del Hoyo, J., A. Elliot J. Sargatal (Eds.) (1996):
Ali, S. & S.D. Ripley (1980): Handbook ofthe Birds of Handbookofthe BirdsoftheWorld, Vol. 3. Hoatzin
India and Pakistan, Vol. 2, 2nd edn. Oxford to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Pp. 532.
University Press, NewDelhi. Pp 323-325. Roberts, T.J. (1991): The BirdsofPakistan, Vol. 1. Oxford
Cramp, S. & K.L. Simmons (1983): The Birds of the University Press, Karachi. Pp. 362-363.
POMPADOUR GREEN PIGEON TRERON POMPADORA AFFINIS
15.
AND LARGE HAWK-CUCKOO HIEROCOCCYXSPARVERJOIDES
ON THE PALKONDA HILLS, PENINSULAR INDIA
We visited Talakona Reserve Forest (13° Large Hawk-Cuckoo
49' N, 79° 13' E) along with- members of the Hierococcyx sparverioides Vigors
Bird Ringing Training Programme, organized While we were returning from the waterfall
by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), on the morning ofAugust 28, 1999, a hawk-like
from August 27-29, 1999, led by the second bird flew on to a bare branch of a tall tree
author. We camped at the Andhra Pradesh Forest (c. 30 m), at eye level. In flight, we suspected it
Department’s Guest House Complex at the was a brainfever bird Hierococcyx varius Vahl.
Siddeswaraswamy Temple. Talakona is c. 70 km But through the binoculars it turned out to be a
northwest of Tirupati town in Chittoor district, large hawk-cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides
Andhra Pradesh, and situated past Bhakarapeta Vigors! It looked slightly bigger than H. varius
,
near Nerabylu village in the foothills of the and a yellow circle was clearly visible around its
Palkondas, in what are collectively known as orangish eye. It had very prominent dark grey
the Eastern Ghats. The hills that lie between horizontal bars on its white belly and its tail was
Nerabylu and Mogilipenta, which is on the distinctly banded dirty brown and dark grey. This
northeastern side, have several peaks higher will be the second published record of
than ,000 m in this part ofthe Palkonda Range. H. sparverioides from what are known as the
1
Talakona is in the midst ofa sacred grove, some Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh State. The first
5 sq. km in area, with Semi-Evergreen jungle, was by Ripley et al. (1988: 553), who recorded
including several endemic tree species (Anon. two immature females collected by them at
1996: 14, 20, but specified location ofTalakona Jyothimamidi “in disturbed forest” on the “Vizag
on page 20 is incorrect). We bird-watched along Ghats” (that lie in the Northern Circars section
a narrow 3 km stretch ofriparian forest on either ofAndhra Pradesh, north ofthe Godavari river)
side of a perennial stream, Bugga Vagu. This is on February 23 and 25, 1985 (see also Taher and
a frequently used pilgrim route that proceeds Pittie, 1989: 14). However, ifthe biogeographical
eastward from the temple and leads to the sub-areas of Ghorpade {in litt. 22-ix-1999 and
Talakona, or Papanasanam waterfall. One walks map, 1 999: 4) are scientifically more correct, the
almost parallel to the stream most of the way, ‘true’ Eastern Ghats occur only south of the
m
on a path at least 20-25 above the water Godavari and east of the Western Ghats: the
level, and affords excellent views into the “Vizag Hills” and others north of the Godavari
canopy of the trees that rise from the valley being ‘incompatible’ with them, and belonging
below. to what Ghorpade terms the Central Highlands
302 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 99(2), AUG. 2002
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
sub-area, which later reveal a distinct Himalayan “Western and southwestern India - the Western
influence and domination ofsal (Shorearobusta) Ghats complex (including the Nilgiris, Palnis,
jungle that is absent south ofthe Godavari (Legris and associated hill ranges) - from about 20° N
and Meher-Homji 1977). This means that our southward through western Mysore (Malnaad)
sighting is actually the first ever record of the and Kerala. Affects forest and well-wooded
large hawk-cuckoo from the true Eastern Ghats country in evergreen and wet deciduous biotope;
ecosystem. The handbook (Ali and Ripley 1987) lowlands and up to c. 1200 m. altitude.” Jerdon
mentions wintering and passage records of (1864) claimed to have “killed it in Central India,
H. sparverioides from Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and in the Eastern Ghats” but gave no details of
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, indicating location or date! Sugathan (1983) reported that
that this Himalayan-breeding cuckoo uses an “One specimen of T. pompadora was ringed in
BNHS
easterly route to its wintering haunts on the 1969 at the ringing camp. Subsequently,
Wynaad, Nilgiris, Palnis, and other highlands two pompadora ...were ringed in April/
south to the erstwhile Travancore on the Western December 1970,” in Point Calimere Sanctuary,
Ghats (Abdulali 1949: 1985: 210). The present Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu (Krishna Raju
record from the Palkonda Hills is the second from and Shekar 1971). It is significant that Point
Andhra Pradesh, and confirms this easterly Calimere is just 48 km away from Sri Lanka,
migratory route ofthe large hawk-cuckoo. separated by the Palk Strait, where T.p.
pompadora (Gmelin) is “Resident subject to local
Pompadour Green-Pigeon movements” (Ripley 1982). Unfortunately, the
Treron pompadora affinis (Jerdon) race of this green-pigeon was not noted in both
Also on August 28, about half way to the these instances {teste Balachandran). Abdulali
temple fromthe waterfall, we were walking under (1985), however, questioned several identifica-
an unidentified Ficus tree in fruit, when B. Raha, tions of Sugathan (1983), but Hussain (1985),
one of the participants, looked up and said who was the project in-charge at Point Calimere,
“Green-pigeon!” Some 3-4 birds were seen attempted to justify most of these ‘bird-in-the-
moving in the canopy directly overhead, giving hand’ determinations. Surprisingly, Hussain
us a brief glimpse of themselves between the (1985) refers to Sugathan’s 1T. pompadora’ as
foliage. Just before all ofthem flew away, we got “pompadora affinis”, stating that “its occurrence
a better view of one green-pigeon and noticed in Point Calimere is noteworthy.” The second
that it had a maroon back. We were then sure it author has regular sight records of pompadour
was a Pompadour green-pigeon Treron pigeons during winter (Octoberto February) from
pompadora affinis (Jerdon), but we needed at Point Calimere between 1981-1987. He also has
least one more sighting to confirm its identity sight records ofthe green-pigeon [= pompadour
positively. So we returned that very evening at green-pigeon] from Tirumala...at Papanasanam
1700 hrs, but could see no green-pigeons on the (regularly sighted in flocks of 20-40) during
same tree. After some time, we started back and 1989. Two of our bird watcher colleagues, who
then, near the temple, about 7-8 green-pigeons have visited this area, were contacted for
flew over us and settled in a tree on the edge of information on this species/subspecies. Krys
the road, close at hand. One landed on a bare Kazmierczak (in litt. 20-ix-1999) quoted from
branch, clearly visible to all of us. Thus, we his Talakona diary of 10-ii-1993, “Treron
identified them as a flock of Pompadour green- pompadora 10.” Bharat Bhushan (in litt. 20-ix-
pigeons! Ali and Ripley (1987) reported the 1999) also recorded the ‘Pompadour pigeon’ in
distribution of this species and its habitat as the Eastern Ghats. He recalls seeing it “at
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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
different occasions ... near Mamandur (13° 42' subspecies (known from 20° N near Mumbai to
N, 79° 27' E, Andhra Prades, [A.P.]), and also the Ashambu Hills in south Kerala and Tamil
in a permanent patch ofthe peninsular endemic Nadu), on the Eastern Ghats, is significant, as it
red sanders tree (Pterocarpus santalinus) near reinforces the “vicaria—nce” model propounded by
Renigunta (13° 35' N, 79° 30' E, A.P). Further Ripley et al. (1988) that these present-day
to these records, the second author has a sight peninsular rain forest ‘relicts’ are those now
record from Auroville (Pondicherry), where he stranded in surviving, humid, forested refuges,
saw a bird on a banyan tree in July 1996. It was associated with the rain-capturing scarps, on the
the same race that breeds in the Western Ghats, eastern hill ranges (see also Daniel et al. 1986,
(Balachandran and Alagarrajan 1997). Priya for an endemic gecko of peninsular India, also
Davidar of Pondicherry University (in litt. 14-x- rediscovered on the hills near the Tirumala
1999), informed that she has “not seen the grey- temple).
fronted green pigeon here (in Pondicherry) nor
have any of my students. However, there is no Acknowledgements
reason why it cannot be a straggler here if
recorded in other areas along the east.” We would like to thank Kumar Ghorpade
This note is, therefore, a confirmation of for reviewing the manuscript and for suggestions
Jerdon’s purported first record of“affmis” from for improving this paper, and also Krys
the Eastern Ghats, based upon positive Kazmierczak, Bharat Bhushan and Priya
identifications from Chittoor district and Davidar for responding promptly with their
Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu State. The presence supporting information.
of Treron pompadora in Point Calimere is
recorded, but details about race are lacking, December 13, 1999 AASHEESH PITTIE
preventing us from ascertaining whether the 8-2-545 Road No
7,
birds are affinis, orthe nominatepompadora that Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034,
is believed to be endemic to Sri Lanka. Further Andhra Pradesh, India:
BALACHANDRAN
observations will clarify this matter in the Point S.
Calimere region. The presence of this Bombay Natural History Society,
predominantly Western Ghats species or Hornbill House, S.B. Singh Road,
Mumbai 400 023, Maharashtra, India.
References
Abdulali, H. (1949): Some peculiarities of avifaunal Balachandran,—S. & S. Alagarrajan (1997): Birds of
distribution in peninsularIndia. Proc. natl. Inst. Sci. Auroville Final Report, Bombay Natural History
India. 15(8): 387-393, 5 maps. Society, Bombay.
Abdulali, H. (1985): Comments on “Some interesting Daniel, J.C., B. Bhushan & A.G. Sekar (1986):
aspects of the avifauna of the Point Calimere Rediscovery ofthe Golden Gecko Calodactylodes
Sanctuary, Thanjavur Dist., Tamil Nadu by R. aureus (Beddome) in the Eastern Ghats ofAndhra
Sugathan (JBNHS79,pp. 567-75, 1983)”.J. Bombay Pradesh. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 83(1): 15-16,
nat. Hist. Soc. 82(1): 209-210. I col. pi.
Ali, Salim & S.D. Ripley (1987): Compact Handbook of Ghorpade, K. (1999): Letter from an insect-hunting
the Birds of India and Pakistan. 2nd Edn. Oxford ornithologist-21 Pitta 93: 3-4.
.
University Press, Delhi. Hussain, S.A. (1985): Comments on Mr. Abdulali’s note
Anon. (1996): Sacred and Protected Groves of Andhra on Dr. Sugathan’s paper on Avifauna of Point
Pradesh. World Wide Fund forNature-India Andhra Calimere. J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 82(1): 210-212.
Pradesh State Office. 96 pp, 3 Annex., 40 col. Jerdon, T.C. (1864): The Birds ofIndia: Being a Natural
photographs. Historyofall the Birds known to inhabitContinental
304 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 99(2), AUG. 2002
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
India; with descriptions of the Species, Genera, Bangladeshand Sri Lanka. 2nd Edn. BombayNatural
Families, Tribes, and Orders, and a brief notice of History Society, Bombay. Pp. xxvi+653. 1 map.
such Families as are not found in India. Making it a Ripley, S.D., B.M. Beehler&K.S.R. KrishnaRaju(1988):
Manual ofOrnithology Specially adapted for India. Birds ofthe Visakhapatnam Ghats, AndhraPradesh.
Published by the author. 2 (2): 450-451. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 84(3): 540-559 & 85(1):
Krishna Raju, K.S.R. & P.B. Shekar (1971): Some 90-107.
interesting bird records from Point Calimere. Sugathan, R. (1983): Some interesting aspects of the
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 68(2): 457-459. avifaunaofthe PointCalimere Sanctuary, Thanjavur
Legris, P. & V.M. Meher-Homji (1977): Phytogeographic District,Tamil Nadu.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 79(3):
outlines ofthehill rangeofpeninsularIndia. Tropical 567-575.
Ecology 18(1): 10-24. Taher, S.A. & A. Pittie (1989): A Checklist ofBirds of
Ripley, S.D. (1982): A Synopsis ofthe Birds ofIndia and Andhra Pradesh. Published by the authors,
Pakistan together with those of Nepal, Bhutan, Hyderabad, ix+39 pp.
EURASIAN EAGLE-OWL BUBO BUBO TJBETANUS BIANCHI
16.
AT 2,100 M IN NORTH SIKKIM
On March 3, 1 995 while on a visit to North Of the four subspecies of Bubo bubo
Sikkim, we met an old hunter who had a big owl (Linn.) in the Indian subcontinent, Bubo bubo
skin. On inquiry, he said that he had found the bengalensis is the darkest and most richly
bird electrocuted by a high-tension wire at coloured, both B.b. turcomanus and B.b.
Khedum c 2,100 m) in Lachung Valley about hemachalana are paler, while B.b. tibetanus is
( .
two and a half months earlier, i.e. around mid- browner.
December, 1994. It had the following According to the handbook of the birds of
measurements: india and Pakistan (1983) by Ali and Ripley,
B.b. bengalensis is resident throughout the
mm m
Wing length : 480 Subcontinent from c. 1,500 (and rarely
mm
Bill (From feathers) : 232 c. 2,400 m) in the western Himalayas up to west-
mm
(From base of skull) 48 central Nepal “...possibly further east, but not
:
mm
Tarsus length 72 yet recorded from Sikkim, Bhutan or NEFA...”
:
mm
Tail length 300 Both B.b. turcomanus and B.b.
:
Length of unstretched hemachalana are recorded from the western
mm
skin laid flat 68 Himalayas (Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh) and
:
extralimitally from northern Pakistan, northern
Its overall colour is pale buff and black, Baluchistan, and western Tibet right up to
with dark heavy streaks on the breast and finely Kazakhstan.
vermiculated streaks on the abdomen. The toes According to Vaurie (1965: 587) B.b.
are completely feathered, with feathers tibetanus has “...Range within our limits
overhanging and concealing the base ofthe dark, hypothetical...” though “...probably also
it
slaty claws. Local people from Gangtok identified inhabits the eastern Himalayas at high
it as ‘Pwongma’ (Lepcha) and ‘Koiralo’ (Nepali) altitudes...” Thus, it may occur in northern
and as the owl that “eats cats”, the last possibly Sikkim and perhaps also North Bhutan and
being the tawny fish-owl Ketupa flavipes. The NEFA...”
hunter reported that its mate was still in the area, Considering the length, measurements,
but so far we have neither seen nor heard ofmore colour and locality, the specimen appears to be
ofthese birds. the Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo bubo tibetanus
JOURNAL BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 99(2), AUG. 2002 305