Range extension of white wagtail Motacilla alba leucopsis at Pocharam Lake, Medak District, Andra Pradesh

2 Pages·1998·1.2 MB·

by  Aasheesh Pittie

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
347
GECKOS AS FOOD OF MAGPIE ROBIN
17.
On 2 August 1995, 1 was watching birds organs of the gecko. From the skin, the gecko
in the courtyard of my bungalow in Morena, was identified as Brook’s gecko (Hemidactylus
north Madhya Pradesh, when my attention was brooki).
caught by a wriggling gecko in the mouth of a Earlier, in a similar incident on 26 July
magpie robin Copsychus saularis). The rainhad 1995, a magpie robin was seen to feed on a dead
(
H
stopped halfan hour earlier after a very heavy northern house gecko flaviviridis).
(
downpour. The gecko that was probably weak The magpie robin normally feeds on
after enduring the rain, was caught by the bird, insects picked offthe ground and flower nectar.
thatrippedopen its stomach. The sub-adultgecko These two species ofgecko are recorded here as
died soon. The birdjerked it to take outthe softer the food ofthis bird.
inner parts.
Soon a fledgling magpie robin descended February 27, 1997 RAJIV SAXENA
from a tree on to the wet ground, and the male MIG-853, Darpan Colony,
parent began to feed it with the softer inner Thatipur, Gwalior-474 Oil (M.P.)
RANGE EXTENSION OF WHITE WAGTAIL MOTACILLA ALBA LEUCOPSIS AT
18.
POCHARAM LAKE, MEDAK DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH
On 12th January 1997, we visited so it is possible thatthesebirds were dukhunensis.
Pocharam Lake, 18° 8' N, 78° 10' E (part of though there is nothing to prevent from being
Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary, Medak dist. baicalensis, as both are indistinguishable from
Andhra Pradesh), to count waterfowl for the each other in winter. However, there is no record
Asian Waterfowl Census. For this purpose, we (specimen) of baicalensis from South India (S.
satonthe eastern shore ofthe lake, approximately Unnithan 1997, BombayNatural History Society,
m
15 from the edge ofthe water. The shore was in lift).
covered with grass stubble, a few Prosopis The other race in question could be
bushes, and litteredwith small stones andbroken identified with more conviction and accuracy.
boulders. Among the various species of birds There were two birds with a black back, black
present on this narrow strip ofland between the cap, white forehead, white sides ofhead andneck
water’s edge and us, we noticed what seemed (including the lores region) and a black bib. The
like two different races of the white wagtail only two races which have a black back are M.
Motacilla alba. a. alboides and M. a. leucopsis (Ali and Ripley
On closer examination through binoculars 1987). The formerhas black ear-coverts, and the
and telescope, we confirmed that there were latter white ear-coverts. The birds we saw
indeed two races of the white wagtail, quite certainly didnothave blackear-coverts (a sketch
clearly distinguishable from each other by the was made in the field). This is, therefore, an
differences in their plumage. One was identified extension ofthe known range ofthis race, which
as either Motacilla alba dukhunensis or M.a. is reported from N.E. India, with the western
baicalensis. Two specimens of the former race most record from eastern Uttar Pradesh and also
have been collected in Andhra Pradesh earlier Andaman Islands (Ali and Ripley 1987). The
(Ali and Whistler 1932, Majumdar 1984), and possibility also remains that they are spread over
348 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURALHIST SOCIETY, Vol. 95 (1998)
a much larger area all the time, but have been May 27, 1997 AASHEESH PITTIE
overlooked as just another “White Wagtail”! 8-2-545 Road No 7, Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad-500 034.
Acknowledgement M.S. KULKARNI
Srinidhi Apt, # 207 2nd Floor,
We would like to thank Mr. Humayun Street 8, Habshiguda, Hyderabad-500 007.
Abdulali and Dr. S. Unnithan, of the Bombay RAJEEV MATHEW
Natural History Society, for their comments on 6-3-912/1 Kapadia Lane,
the above note. Somajiguda, Hyderabad-500 482.
Refe ENCES
&
Ali, S. S.D. Ripley (1987) Compact Handbook ofthe Soc. 36(4): 898-919.
Birds of India and Pakistan. 2nd edition. O.U.P. Majumdar,N. (1984): RecordsoftheZSI. Miscellaneous
Delhi. Publication Occasional Paper No. 65. On a
&
Ali, S. H. Whistler (1933): The Hyderabad State collectionofbirdsfrom AdilabadDistrict, Andhra
Ornithological Survey. Part3.J. Bombaynat. Hist. Pradesh. Zoological SurveyofIndia, pp. 1-63.
WHITE-EYE {ZOSTEROPS PALPEBROSA) FEEDING THE CHICKS OF
19.
PARADISE FLYCATCHER {TERPSIPHONEPARADIS!)
We
were birdwatching near Udaipur on on top ofthe nest of the paradise flycatcher. The
13th July, 1996. At 0930 hrs we found a nest of chicks raised their necks with wide open beaks
paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi) on a andbeggedforfood. The white-eye fedthe chicks,
(
bare branch ofa mango tree Mangifera indica). or at least was seen to put its beak into the mouths
(
We observed the birds from a distance of about oftwo nestlings. When the chicks calmed down,
m
15 from the nest, behind some bushes. There the white-eye started feeding on the nest material
were four chicks in the nest and both the male of the paradise flycatcher’s nest. The rocking of
and female were feeding their nestlings. Soon the nest agitatedthe chicks andthe white-eye once
we saw that on a leafy part ofthe same branch, again calmed them down by putting its beak in
two white-eyes Zosterops palpebrosa) were the mouth ofthe chicks.
(
We
darting in and out of the leaves. found the It remained on the nest for three minutes
m
nest ofthe white-eyes about 2 fromthe nest of and then flew away.
the paradise flycatcher on the same branch.
At 1015 hrs, the frequencyoffeedingby the 22nd October, 1996 RAZA H. TEHSIN
paradise flycatcher slowed down. Both the birds 38, Panchwati, Udaipur-313001.
flew away, out ofthe vicinity oftheir nest. At this HIMALAY TEHSIN
juncture, one ofthe white-eyes came and perched 41, Panchwati, Udaipur-313001.
SHORT TAILED AGAMA IN SOUTHEAST RAJASTHAN
20.
A small lizard was caught on 25 December which 37 mm was tail and 48 mm snout to vent
1994 from Sorsan Bustard closed area in Baran length. It had a triangular head, a well defined
dist. in southeast Rajasthan. On a warm neck and upper body varigated with dark brown
afternoon in winter, it was scurrying from one irregular lines and circular spots along the spine.
jujube bush to another. The lizard was caught The ventral surface was pale with faint brown
and measured. Its total length was 85 mm, of lines on the lowerjaw and belly. Front and hind