sept-oct 2008

Vol. 48 No. 5 Sept. - Oct. 2008

Dr. A.M.K. BharosHarish R. BhatDr. S.P. BhatnagarDr. A.K. ChakravarthyDr. Ranjan Kumar DasDr. S. DevasahayamB.S. KulkarniArvind MishraDr. Geeta S. Padate

Publisher : S. Sridhar

Editorial Board

Vol. 48 No. 5 Sept. - Oct 2008

Prof. S. RangaswamiK. Mrutumjaya RaoA.N. Yellappa ReddyDr. Rajiv SaxenaDr. A.B. ShanbhagArunayan SharmaS. SridharDr. Abraham Verghese, FRES (London)

died in April 2008. �It shows that feathers were likely being

used for ornamentation for many millions of years before theywere modified for flight,� says Angela Milner, an expert at

London�s Natural History Museum who was not involved in the

research. �It provides fascinating evidence of evolutionary

experiments with feathers that were going on before smalldinosaurs finally took to the air and became birds.�

It is not easy to draw a distinction between the most bird-likedinosaurs and most dinosaur-like birds. Most of the dinosaurswith avian features were not ancestors of birds; nonetheless,Epidexipteryx hui has revealed that feathered dinosaurs weremore inclusive and diverse than previously presumed.

The pigeon-sized dinosaur Epidexipteryx, published in thejournal Nature, looks rather like a weird Mesozoic pheasant.Epidexipteryx�s body is said to be covered with fuzz-like feathers,

and it has two pairs of long, ribbon-like feathers on its short tail. Theskull is even stranger: short and tallwith the nose further back thanwould be expected. The dinosaur isbuck-toothed to boot; its sharp teethjutting forwards at the front of itsmouth, forming a sort of scoopsimilar to what is seen in presentday mammals that feed on insects.

Experts believe that althoughit is quite unusual in many

aspects, Epidexipteryx isrecognizable as beingone of the maniraptors,the same group thatcontains dinosaurs like

Albertonykus andVelociraptor. Within this larger

group, it most closely resemblesa small feathered dinosaur announced in 2002 namedScansoriopteryx. �Dinosaurs of a feather, seem to flock

together � exclaims a reporter. This is significant because

Epidexipteryx and Scansoriopteryx together are the closestrelatives to early birds like Archaeopteryx and Jeholornis. Thenew analysis in the Nature paper places Epidexipteryx andScansoriopteryx within a group called Avialae, which includesbirds (Aves) and their closest dinosaur relatives.Paleontologists explain this way: Epidexipteryx andScansoriopteryx were the dinosaurs most similar to birdswithout being birds themselves.

But a few skeptics, who aren�t bemused with the findings of the

paleontologists, have showered a barrage of comments thatinclude - �The feathers from this critter really did stick out straight

back. It is really quite strange-looking�, and �as for the

reconstructions, in the media at least I think this is becausethe average reader would not be able to make out much of atypical roadkill fossil smeared across a slab with a bunchof filaments, and a nice reconstruction is basically prettyand uncomplicated�.

Thanking you,

Your�s in bird conservation,

S. Sridhar,Publisher, NLBW

CONTENTS Note from the Publisher

Fossil Find - Epidexipteryx: a tall tail?

Articles

Breeding biology of Purple Swamphen Porphyrioporphyrio, by P. K. Thakur and P.C. Bhattacharjee

Arrival of passerine migrant birds in thePeechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India,by S. Babu and E.A. Jayson,

Current checklist of birds in Keoladeo National Park,Bharatpur, Rajasthan, by R. Venkitachalam,Lalitha Vijayan and Devojit Das.

Book Review How to be a bad birdwatcher to the greater glory

of life, by Simon Barnes, Review by G Narasimha

Raghavan

Note from the Publisher

Dear fellow Birdwatchers,

Fossil Find- Epidexipteryx: a tall tail?

Birds appear very different from other living groups of vertebratessuch as reptiles, at a glance. Many features such as hollowed-out bones, endothermic metabolism, brooding on top of nests,and feathers are often presumed to be exclusive to Class Aves.But, a flood of new fossil discoveries over the past few yearshas shown that these features primarily evolved in dinosaurs.

This hypothesis got a shot in the arm this October, with thediscovery of a strange fossil of a bird named Epidexipteryx huiin China. The discovery baffled paleontologists across the worldand a peer reviewed journal even called the finding as �bizarre�.

Exhumed in China by researchers led by Fucheng Zhang, ofthe Chinese Academy of Sciences, Epidexipteryx hui is probablybetween 152 and 168 million years old. This would make itslightly older than the earliest known bird Archaeopteryx.Talking to the media, Zhang said �This is very exciting indeed,

since it gives us a window into a stage of avian history justpreceding the appearance of the classic �first bird�. Fellow paper

author Zhonghe Zhou, added, �Therefore, it could provide a lot

of information about the transition process from dinos to birds�.

Apparently, the name comes from the Greek for �display� and

�feather� (�Epidexi� and �pteryx�) and the late paleontologist

Yaoming Hu. Hu was an expert in Mesozoic mammals who

66 Newsletter for Birdwatchers 48 (5), 2008

In all the three cover types of the wetland, the survival ratewas high in early breeders than the late breeders. For earlybreeders the survival rates were 66.6%, 57.4% and 50%respectively while in case of late breeders they were 57.1%,50.0% and 42.8%, respectively in the three cover types(Table 1).

The chicks of the late breeders face shortage of food stuff.The insect population, which is a favourable food of thespecies, starts decreasing due to drying up of aquaticvegetation. Moreover the cold weather faced by the chicksof late breeders is another factor to be noted for low survivalpercentage. The young birds (1 � 3 years) were seen to

breed late. The old and middle aged bird (3 � 5 years) breed

early. This parental quality of early and late breeders mayalso be a factor of high and low survival rate. Pedreck andCare (1992), opined that age is a potential measure ofindividual quality and in many bird species breeding successincreases with age.

Competition for breeding territory (nest sites) may beimportant because of middle and old aged birds force theyoung aged birds to breed later (Feldsa, 1973). Due tointraspecific competition the young ones are dislodged fromthe territory occupation and hence they defer their breeding.

Table 2. Nest distribution

Sl. Cover Number of No. of nest in vegetation No. of nest in vegetationNo. Type Year nests above 90 cm height below 90 cm height

1 I 1993 48 36 (75%) 12 (25%)

1994 42 34 (80.95%) 8 (19.04%)

1995 40 30 (75%) 10 (25%)

2 II 1993 22 16 (72.7%) 6 (27.28%)

1994 28 21 (75%) 7 (25%)

1995 24 19 (79.16%) 5 (20.84%)

3 III 1993 10 7 (70%) 3 (30%)

1994 7 6 (85.7%) 1 (14.3%)

1995 8 6 (75%) 2 (25%)

Table 1. Survival rate of early and late breeders.

Brood Cover Year No. of No. of No. and No. of No. of No andType nests Brood percentage of nests Brood percentage

survival of survival

1 I 1993 1 6 4(66.6%) 1 7 4(57.1%)

2 II 1994 1 7 4(57.4%) 1 6 3(50.0%)

3 III 1995 1 6 3(50.0%) 1 7 3(42.8%)

Table 3. Nest lost in different cover types

Year Cover Type I Cover Type II Cover Type III Total number of nests

1993 Number of nest 48 (60%) 22 (17.3%) 10 (12.5%) 80Number of nest lost 4 (8.33%) 3 (13.7%) 1 (10%)

1994 Number of nest 42 (54.5%) 28 (36.4%) 7 (9%) 77Number of nest lost 5 (11%) 4 (14.3%) 1 (14.3%)

1995 Number of nest 40 (50.5%) 24 (33.3%) 8 (11.1%) 72Number of nest lost 5 (12.5%) 6 (25%) 2 (25%)

Newsletter for Birdwatchers 48 (5), 2008 67

recorded (Easa and Jayson, 2004) and among them 202species were recorded from the Peechi-Vazhani WildlifeSanctuary situated in the southern Western Ghats. Out ofthe 202 species, 20 are migrants (Jayson and Sivaperuman,2005). Even though the occurrence of these passerinemigrants was recorded previously, there was scantyinformation on the appearance timings of these wintervisitors.

Among the wintering migrant birds, some were passagemigrants to the sanctuary. The present investigation mainlyfocuses on a single species, the Greenish Leaf-Warbler

Nest distribution and nest lost survey:

In 1993, 1994 and 1995 in the cover type I the number ofnests were 48, 42 and 40 respectively, of which 36 (75%)and 12 (25%), 34 (80.9%) and 8 (19.04%), 30 (75%) and 10(25%) were located in vegetation above and below 90 cm(Table 2).

In cover type II the number of nests were 22, 28 and 24respectively, of which 16 (72.72%) and 6 (27.28%); 21 (75%)and 7 (25%); 19 (79.16%) and 5 (20.84%) were located invegetation above and below 90 cm high in the three years,respectively.

Again in cover type III number of nests were 10, 7 and 8respectively in the three years, of which 7 (70%) and 3 (30%);6 (85.7%) and 1 (14.3%); 6 (75%) and 2 (25%) were foundto be distributed in vegetation above and below 90 cm high.

In 1993 a total of 80 nests were located in all the covertypes, in 1994 it was 77 while in 1995 there were only 72nests. Every year more than 70% of the nests were foundto be distributed in vegetation above 90 cm high and majorityof the pairing birds preferred cover type I. This indicatesthat there exists a strong relationship between habitat andnest initiation. This is probably preferred because the birdcan conceal themselves from enemies easily in this covertype.

The late breeders also get minimum territory and as a resultsurvival rate decreases.

Cover type III was the most vulnerable area of the wetlandwhere nest lost was high. Nest lost was found to be high inthe late breeders because by that time paddy crop cultivatedon the wetland margins gets matured and farmers frequentlyvisit the paddy crops. The birds breed successfully in thewetland where aquatic vegetation density is high andanthropogenic activities are less or occasional and establishitself as a pest of paddy crop in the neighbouring areas.

References:

1. Ali, S and S. D. Ripley (1983) : Hand book of birds of India and

Pakistan: Oxford University Press.

2. Bhupathy, S. 1991, Population and resource utilization of water fowl

in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur : Ph.D Thesis submitted to

University of Rajasthan.

3. Brinkholf, W. G. M., A. J. Cave, F. J. Hage and S. Verhulst (1993) :

Timing of reproduction and fledgling success in the coot Fulica atra

: evidence for causal relationship: J. of Animal Ecology, 62:577-

587.

4. Ely, C and D. G. Ravelling (1984) : Breeding biology of pacific white

fronted geese: J. of W.L. Management, 48 (3): 823-937.

5. Hall, M. R. (1987) : Nesting Success in Mallards after partial clutch

loss by predators: J. of W.L. Management, 51 (3): 530-533.

6. Haramis, M. G. and D. Q. Thompson (1984) : Survival of Juvenile wood

ducks in northern green tree impoundment: J. of W.L. Management,

48 (4): 1364-1369.

7. Murphy T. M. (1986) : Temporal components of reproduction variability

in Eastern King bird (Tyrannus tyrannus): Ecology, 67(6) : 1483-

1492.

8. Mathew, D. N. (1963) : Observations on the breeding habits of Bronze

winged Jakana [Metopidius indicus (Latham)]: J. of B.N. H. S., 61

(2): 295-301.

9. Perrins, C. M. and T. R. Birkhead (1983) : Avian Ecology: Blackie, USA,

Chapman and Hill, New York, 1 - 213.

10. Qadri, S. S. (1989) : Ecological factors effecting water fowl in the

wet lands of Kashmir: Ph. D. Thesis submitted to Kashmir University.

11. Robindran, P. K. (1995) : Breeding of the Purple Moorhen in Kole wet

land, India: News letter for bird watchers, 35 (1), 2-5.

12. Thakur, P. K. (1999): An ecological study of Porphyrio porphyrio

Linnaeus with reference to crop depredation in Brahmaputra valley,Assam: Ph. D. Thesis submitted to Gauhati University, Assam.

Arrival of Passerine Migrant Birds in thePeechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India

S. BABU and E.A. JAYSON, Division of Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation,Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi-680 653, Kerala, India

Introduction

Appearance of Palearctic migrant birds in the tropicalcountries is largely governed by the change in the climaticconditions in the northern temperate regions (Karr, 1976).Moreover the appearance and exodus are crucial factors,which are controlled by the climatic changes occurring inthe wintering quarters as well as in the breeding grounds.Breeding grounds of these Palearctic migrant birds areknown to be in North and Central Asia. The Indiansubcontinent attracts 159 winter visitors and among them19 species are passage migrants (Grimmet et al. 1998). Inthe State of Kerala a total of 486 species of birds were


(Phylloscopus trochiloides) and few other migrants.Greenish Leaf-Warbler is a small insectivorous leaf gleaningbird that breeds in forests over a range spanning much ofthe Palearctic region. Five sub species were identified onthe basis of morphology and plumage patterns and it wasconsidered as a �ring species� (Ticehurst, 1938). A ring

species is one which forms a chain of intergradingpopulations, encircles a barrier and the terminal formscoexist without interbreeding provides a situation in whichvariation in space can be used to infer variation in time.Phylloscopus trochiloides spends more or less 6 monthsduring winter in the southern Western Ghats (Table 1).Although the ecological aspects of Phylloscopustrochiloides have been broadly studied in the breedinggrounds like Himalayas (Price and Jamdar, 1989; Price,1991; Price and Jamdar, 1992), not many studies werecarried out on the ecological and behavioural parametersof this species in the wintering grounds (Price, 1981; Katti,2001). Besides ecological studies, appropriatelydocumented information on the arrival timing of thepasserine migrants is also necessary for understandingthe climatic change in the breeding range as well as in thewintering grounds. The arrival date of migrant birds in thewintering quarters reported here is the first such report inthese species from the protected areas of Kerala.

Materials and Methods

Study site

Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the ThrissurDistrict of Kerala State, India and lies between 76o15� E

and 76o 27� E longitude and 10o 30� N and 10o 42� N latitude

and it extends about 125 km2 (Fig. 1). Primary vegetationtypes in this sanctuary are the West coast tropicalevergreen forest, West coast tropical semi-evergreen forest,southern moist mixed deciduous forest, wet bamboo brakesand teak plantations. The altitude ranges from 100 m to700 m msl. Vegetation and other details are reported nManagement Plan (2006).

Methods

Point count census method was adopted for censusingthe species in the moist deciduous forest of the Olakaraand Peechi dam area of the Peechi-Vazhani wildlifesanctuary. A total of ten census points (30 m radius) wereselected five each in the teak plantation and the moistdeciduous forest. Parameters like number of individualsand the height preference of the species were also recorded.Greenish Leaf-Warbler�s call alone was sufficient for the

identification in most of the occasions. Publishedinformation on the species is compared to understand thearrival dates in different bio-geographic zones. Arrival datesof other species are based on visual observations.

Results and discussion

Arrival dates of fourteen passerine migrant birds wererecorded from the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary. Out

of them, six species were recorded in November and it wasthe peak arrival period of migrants to this protected area.Greenish Leaf-Warbler was first recorded on 1st September2005 in the Kerala Forest Research Institute campus atPeechi and the calls were heard clearly from the top canopyof thick foliaged trees in the moist deciduous forest and teakplantations. There was variation in the number of birds per

point in these two habitats ( X =2.4 birds in the moist

deciduous forest; 2 birds in teak plantation). In teakplantations a maximum of four individuals were encounteredfrom a census point, which was near to a river. During thesettlement phase (arrival) warblers were vocal and aggressivewith the conspecific neighbours and strangers for establishingtheir wintering territories. The birds arrived earlier, preferredto establish their territory in the riparian forest with muchoverlap and the later arrivals occupied the dry forests whereoverlap is less (Katti, 1996).

The arrival time of Greenish Leaf-Warbler is delayed by halfmonth in the Palni hills (11th September) than the otherlocations of the Western and Eastern Ghats. In Palni hills,the Greenish leaf warbler was f irst sighted in thePerumalmalai shola (1600 amsl) and in the rest of thesanctuaries they were observed at altitude around 100-300msl. Altitude may have some influence on the appearanceof warblers in the wintering ground. Katti and Price (2003)associated the arrival time with the availability of larger preyin the Mundanthurai plateau. The earlier reports suggestedthat the arrival of this migrant is well influenced by the rainfalland availability of larger prey in the wintering ground.

Other migrants

Arrival information on other migrant birds that spent the winterin this protected area is presented in the Table 2. Greywagtail (Motacilla indica) arrived earlier than other migrantsin the Palni hills (Balachandran, 2003) whereas in this study;it was recorded that the species reached only after the arrivalof Greenish-leaf Warbler. Indian Pitta (Pitta brachyura) wasrecorded earlier in this protected area i.e. by the end ofSeptember, which may be the early arrival date of thisspecies. Indian Cuckoo�s appearance time has been

continuously monitored for the last four years in the KeralaForest Research Institute campus at Peechi. All the arrivaldates were more or less similar i.e in the early or late ofMarch. Out of the four observations two were earlier (7th and2nd March) and two were later of March (28th and 22nd March).Acrocephalus dumetorum was recorded one month earlierin Eastern Ghats (Price, 1979) and Palni hills (Balachandran,2003) than in the Peechi-Vazhani wildlife sanctuary but theinflux increases in the beginning of November (Price, 1979).

Conclusions

Arrival time of Greenish Leaf-Warbler in different geographicalzones of southern India is similar.


Table 1. Arrival dates of Greenish-Leaf Warbler in the Western and Eastern Ghats of IndiaS.No Area Arrival date Source1 Western Ghats (Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary) 1st September Present study (2005)2 Eastern Ghats 30th August Price (1976)3 Western Ghats (Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve) Last week of August Katti (2001)

4 Western Ghats(Palni hills) 11th September Balachandran (2003)

References

Anonymous. 2006. Management Action Plan for Peechi-VazhaniWildlife Sanctuary. Kerala Forest Department, Kerala.



Balachandran, S. 2003. Revaluation of bird community structurein the Palni hills with special reference to threatened andendemic birds. Second year annual report submitted toMinistry of Environment and Forests.

Easa, P.S and Jayson, E.A. 2004. Biodiversity Documentationfor Birds�Part 11: Birds. Kerala Forest Research Institute,Peechi.

Grimmett, T, Inskipp, C and Inskipp, T. 1998. Birds of the IndianSub continent. Oxford University Press, Delhi. Pp 888.

Jayson, E.A. and Sivaperuman, C. 2005. Avifauna of ThrissurDistrict, Kerala, India. Zoo�s Print 20: 1774 -1783.

Karr, J.R. 1976. On the relative abundance of migrants from theNorth Temperate Zone in tropical habitats. Wilson Bulletin83: 433-458.

Katti, M. and Price, T.D. 1996. Effects of climate on Palaearcticwarblers over-wintering in India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.93: 411-427

Katti, M. 2001. Vocal communication and territoriality during the

non-breeding season in a migrant warbler. Cur. Sci. 80:

419-423.

Katti, M and Price, T.D. 2003. Latitudinal trends in body size

among over-wintering leaf warblers (Genus Phylloscopus).

Ecography 26: 69-79.

Price, T.D. 1979. The seasonality and occurrence of birds in the

Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. J. Bombay Nat. Hist.

Soc. 76: 379-422.

Price, T. 1981. The ecology of the Greenish Warbler

Phylloscopus trochiloides in its winter quarters. Ibis 123(2):

131-144.

Price, T and Jamdar, N. 1989. Where 8 leaf warblers breed.

Hornbill (2): 7-11.

Price, T. 1991. Morphology and ecology of breeding warblers

along an altitudinal gradient in Kashmir, India. J. Animal

Ecol. 60: 643-664.

Price, T and Jamdar, N. 1992. Breeding of eight sympatric

species of Phylloscopus warblers in Kashmir. J. Bombay

Nat. Hist. Soc. 88(2): 242-255.

Ticehurst, C. B. 1938. A Systematic Review of the Genus

Phylloscopus. Johnson Reprint. New York.

Table 2. Arrival dates of other migrant bird species in the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife SanctuaryS.No Common name Species name Arrival date Year

1. Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura 23rd September 2005

2. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 13th October 2005

3. Asian Brown Flycatcher Musicapa dauurica 16th October 2005

4. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea 1st November 2005

5. Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina melonoptera 6th November 2005

6. Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus 19th November 2005

7. Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi 20th November 2005

8. Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus 26th November 2005

9. Blyth�s Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum 29th November 2005

10. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus 2nd December 2005

11. Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis 15th December 2005

12. Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus 17th December 2005

13. Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus 2nd March 2006


Current checklist of birds inKeoladeo National Park, Bharatpur. Rajasthan

R. Venkitachalam¹, Lalitha Vijayan² and Devojit Das³

¹ & ³Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, S.B.Singh Road, Mumbai, Maharastra 400023, India.

²Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty (Post).Coimbatore 641 108, India

Correspondent: [email protected]

Introduction

An extensive ecological study was carried out in theKeoladeo National Park (KNP), Bharatpur by Vijayan (1991).Several other studies also highlighted the status, diversityand composition of avifauna in KNP (Fisher 1990,Sivasubramanian 1992, Norman et al 1992, Jamdar 1998,Holt 1999, Bhupathy et al. 1998). The systematic study ofKNP avifaunal diversity recorded 350 bird species (Vijayan,L. 1994). It represents approximately seventy percent ofthe avifauna of Rajasthan (Islam & Rahmani, 2004). However;the park biotic environment had changed in varying degreesduring a decade from those previous studies. So, it wasessential to study the impact of such changes on the birdcommunity in this well known Ramsar site of North India. Inthis present communication we have documented the recentsighting of the avifauna in KNP Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

Materials and methods

The KNP is located between 27°7.6� to 27°12.2� N and

77°29.5� to 77°33.9E and lies 50 km west of Agra and 180

km south of New Delhi. The average elevation of the area isabout 174 m above sea level. The submersible area hasbeen divided into various un-equal blocks by means of dykes.Its total area is about 29 sq.km and about 8.5 sq.km iswetland area. (Fig .1)

The avifaunal study was carried out for three consecutiveyears from 2003 to 2006. Bird species were recorded fromvantage points using a telescope (29X) and binocular(40X10) and walking along untarred roads and dykesintersecting the aquatic area. Spot identification was doneusing field guides (Ali & Ripley, 1983; Grimmett et al., 2001).

The checklist was prepared by using standardized commonand scientific name of the birds of the Indian Subcontinent(Manakandan et al., 2001, Jhunjhunwala, et al., 2001, Islamet al 2002, Kumar et al., 2003, Wetlands International 2002,Birdlife International 2001, 2003, Islam & Rahmani, 2004).

Fig.1.Keoladeo National Park

mailto:[email protected]


Result and Discussion

In all 343 bird species of 71 families were recorded duringthe three year study period. (Annexure.1). Out of 343 birdspecies recorded 108 are wetland species, 25 wetlanddependent and associated species, 6 vulnerable, 1conservation dependant and 8 near threatened species.

The previous avifaunal study documented 354 bird species,which was higher than the present record (Kumar 1994).However, significant changes have taken place during theintervening decade in the park environment. The changes invegetation was one of the major contributing factors ofdecrease in the avifauna of the KNP. Socio-economicchanges in the neighboring areas have also played a role inaltering the bird diversity in the national park (Authorsunpublished data).

Once commonest resident bird species like the Whitebacked vulture, Gyps bengalensis, and the Long-billedvulture Gyps indicus were already extinct from park(Prakash, V 1999). Similarly, winter migratory birds suchas Siberian Crane, Grus leucogeranus, Palla�s fish-Eagle,

Haliaeetus leucoryphus, Lesser fish eagle, Ichthyophagahumilis, Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus, were also not recordedin the study area. Nevertheless, Fire-capped tit,Cephalopyrus flammiceps was recorded for the first timefrom the Park during this study period (Venkitachalam, 2008).The reappearance of Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna,after a decade is also a significant finding during the studyperiod (Authors unpublished data).

The sufficient water level poised a serious threat to theexisting environment of this artificial wetland. Besides these,increased cattle grazing, poaching and shooting down theferal dog population had negatively impacted the bioticenvironment in the KNP. The revised checklist will be usefulfor researchers and decision makers for taking up suitableconservation efforts to save this famous Ramsar site of NorthIndia.

Acknowledgment

The second author would like to thank the Ministry ofEnvironment and Forest for giving financial assistance andFormer Director V.S.Vijayan, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithologyand Natural History (SACON). Our special gratitude goesto Rajasthan Forest Department and K.C.A Arun Prasad,Park Director for the permission to carryout the census.Finally, the authors would like to thank field assistantsBijendra Singh and Randira Singh.

ReferencesAli , S and S.D. Ripley.(1987). Handbook of the Birds of India and

Pakistan Compact Edition. Oxford University Press. Delhi.

Bhupathy, S., Vijayan, V. S. & Mathur, R. (1998): Populationecology of migratory waterfowl in Keoladeo National Park,Bharatpur. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 95(2).287-294.

BirdLife International.2001. Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLifeInternational Red Data Book. Cambridge, U.K.: BirdLifeInternational, 3026 .

BirdLife International.2003. Saving Asia�s threatened birds: a

guide for government and civil society. Cambridge, U.K.:BirdLife International, 246 .

Fisher, D. (1990): Olivaceous Warblers in Bharatpur. OBCBulletin 11: 35-36.

Grimmet,R.C.Inskipp and T.Inskipp (2001). Birds of IndianSubcontinent. Oxford University Press.Delhi. 384.

Holt, P. (1999): Long-billed Dowither Limnodromus scolopaceusat Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India: a new species for the Indiansubcontinent. Forktail 15: 95-96.

Islam, M. Z. & Rahmani, A. R. (2004): Important Bird Areas inIndia: Priority sites for conservation. Indian Bird ConservationNetwork: Bombay Natural History Society and BirdLifeInternational (UK). Pp xviii + 1133.

Islam, M.Z. and Rahmani, A.R.2002.Threatened Birds of India.Buceros 7(1&2):i-x,1-102.Compiled from Threatened Birdsof Asia. Birdlife International Red Data Book (2001).Cambridge, U.K., Birdlife International.

Jamdar, N. (1998): Southern Blackheaded Munia Lonchuramalacca malacca in Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur,Rajasthan. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 95(3): 509-510.

Jhunjhunwala, S., Rahmani, A.R., Ishtiaq, F. and Isalm,Z.2001.The important Bird Area Programme in India.Buceros6 (2):1-50.

Kumar Arun. Sati, J.P.Tak, P.C and Alfred, J.R.B .(2005) Handbookon Indian Wetland Birds and their Conservation. ZoologicalSurvey of India. Kolkata. 700 020.

Norman, D. and Sivasubramanian, C. (1992): Occurrence ofLongtailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus Bangs & Phillipsin Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan. J. Bombaynat. Hist. Soc. 89(2): 256.

Prakash.V. (1999): Status of vultures in Keoladeo National Park,Bharatpur, Rajasthan, with special reference to populationcrash in Gyps species. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 96(3):365-378.

Sivasubramanian, C. (1992): Indian Skimmer Rynchopsalbicollis Swainson and Black Stork Ciconia nigra (Linn.) -new additions to the avifauna of Keoladeo National Park,Bharatpur. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 89(2): 252-253.

Venkitachalam, R. (2008). Fire-capped Tit (Cephalopyrusflammiceps), an addition to the Keoladeo National Park,Bharatpur. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 48(1):11-12.

Vijayan .L. (1994). Ramsar Sites of India �Keoladeo National

Park�, Rajasthan.WWF Report: 1-77.

Vijayan.V.S. (1991). Keoladeo National Park Ecology Study (1980-1990),Final Report.Bombay Natural History Society,India.337.

Wetlands International. 2002. Waterbird population Estimates-Third Edition, Wetlands International Global SeriesNo.12.Wageningen, The Netherlands.


Annexure.1. List of the avifauna of KNP

Family Podicipedidae (Grebes)

1. Little Grebe (Dabchick) Tachybaptus ruficollis2. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

Family Pelecanidae (Pelicans)

3. Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus4. Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus CD

Family Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants/Shags)

5. Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger6. Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis7. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

Family Anhingidae (Darters)

8. Darter (Snake-bird) Anhinga melanogaster NT

Family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets & Bitterns)

9. Little Egret Egretta garzetta10. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea11. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea12. Great Egret (Large Egret) Casmerodius albus13. Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia14. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis15. Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii16. Little Green Heron Butorides striatus17. Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax18. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus19. Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis20. Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis

Family Ciconiidae (Storks)

21. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala NT22. Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans23. Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus24. Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticusNT

Family Threskiornithidae (Ibises & Spoonbills)

25. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus26. Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalusNT27. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

Family Phoenicopteridae (Flamingos)

28. Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus rubber29. Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor NT

Family Anatidae (Swans, Geese & Ducks)

30. Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica31. Greylag Goose Anser anser32. Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus33. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea34. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna35. Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos

36. Cotton Pygmy-Goose(Cotton Teal) Nettapus coromandelianus

37. Gadwall Anas strepera38. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope39. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos40. Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha41. Northern Shoveller Anas clypeata42. Northern Pintail Anas acuta43. Garganey Anas querquedula44. Common Teal Anas crecca45. Red-crested Pochard Rhodonessa rufina46. Common Pochard Aythya ferina47. Tufted Pochard Aythya fuligula

Family Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Old WorldVultures, Kites, Harriers)

48. Oriental Honey-Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus49. Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus50. Black Kite Milvus migrans51. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus52. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus53. Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus NT54. Short-toed Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus55. Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela56. Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus57. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus58. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus59. Shikra Accipiter badius60. Besra Sparrowhawk Accipiter virgatus61. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus62. Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis63. White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa64. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo65. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus66. Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius67. Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina68. Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga Vul69. Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax70. Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Vul71. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis72. Bonelli�s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus73. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

Family Pandionidae (Osprey)

74. Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Family Falconidae (Falcons)

75. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus76. Red-headed Falcon Falco chicquera77. Merlin Falco columbarius78. Laggar Falcon (Laggar) Falco jugger79. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

Family Phasianidae (Pheasants, Partridges, Quails)

80. Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus


81. Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus82. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix83. Jungle Bush-Quail Perdicula asiatica84. Painted Spurfowl Galloperdix lunulata85. Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus

Family Turnicidae (Buttonquails/Bustardquails)

86. Yellow-legged Buttonquail Turnix tanki87. Common Buttonquail Turnix suscitator

Family Gruidae (Cranes)

88. Sarus Crane Grus antigone Vul89. Demoiselle Crane Grus virgo90. Common Crane Grus grus

Family Rallidae (Rails, Crakes, Moorhens, Coots)

91. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus92. Brown Crake Amaurornis akool93. White-breasted WaterhenAmaurornis phoenicurus94. Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca95. Watercock Gallicrex cinerea96. Purple Moorhen Porphyrio porphyrio97. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus98. Common Coot Fulica atra

Family Jacanidae (Jacanas)

99. Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus100.Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicusFamily Rostratulidae (Painted-Snipes)

101.Greater Painted-Snipe Rostratula benghalensis

Family Charadriidae (Plovers, Dotterels, Lapwings)

102.Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva103.Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola104.Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula105.Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius106.Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus107.Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus108.Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus109.Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus110.Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus111. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus112.Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius Vul113.White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus

Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers, Stints, Snipes, Godwits& Curlews)

114.Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola115.Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura116.Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago117.Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus118.Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa119.Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata120.Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus

121.Common Redshank Tringa totanus122.Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis123.Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia124.Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus125.Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola126.Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus127.Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos128.Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus129.Little Stint Calidris minuta130.Temminck�s Stint Calidris temminckii131.Dunlin Calidris alpina132.Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea133.Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus134.Ruff Philomachus pugnax

Family Recurvirostridae (Ibisbill, Avocets & Stilts)

135.Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus136.Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta

Family Burhinidae (Stone-Curlew & Stone-Plovers/Thick-knees)

137.Eurasian Thick-Knee(Stone-Curlew) Burhinus oedicnemus

138.Great Thick-Knee(Great Stone-Plover) Esacus recurvirostris

Family Glareolidae (Coursers & Pratincoles)

139.Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelicus140.Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola141.Small Pratincole Glareola lactea

Family Laridae (Gulls, Terns & Noddies)

142.Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus143.Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus144.River Tern Sterna aurantia145.Little Tern Sterna albifrons146.Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda NT147.Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus

Family Rynchopidae (Skimmers)

148.Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis Vul

Family Pteroclididae (Sandgrouse)

149.Chestnut-bellied SandgrousePterocles exustus

Family Columbidae (Pigeons & Doves)

150.Blue Rock Pigeon Columba livia151.Oriental Turtle-Dove Streptopelia orientalis152.Laughing Dove

(Little Brown Dove) Streptopelia senegalensis153.Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis154.Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica155.Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto156.Yellow-legged Green-PigeonTreron phoenicoptera


Family Psittacidae (Parakeets)

157.Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri158.Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala

Family Cuculidae (Cuckoos, Malkohas & Coucals)

159.Pied Crested Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus160.Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius161.Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus162.Grey-bellied Cuckoo

(Indian Plaintive Cuckoo)Cacomantis passerinus163.Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea164.Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis

Family Tytonidae (Barn Owls)

165.Barn Owl Tyto alba

Family Strigidae (Owls)

166.Oriental Scops-Owl Otus sunia167.Collared Scops-Owl Otus bakkamoena168.Eurasian Eagle-Owl Bubo bubo169.Dusky Eagle-Owl Bubo coromandus170.Spotted Owlet Athene brama171.Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata172.Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

Family Caprimulgidae (Nightjars)

173.Grey Nightjar(Indian Jungle Nightjar) Caprimulgus indicus

174.Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus175.Savanna Nightjar

(Franklin�s Nightjar) Caprimulgus affinis

Family Apodidae (Swifts)

176.Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis177.Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba178.House Swift Apus affinis

Family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)

179.Small Blue Kingfisher Alcedo atthis180.White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis181.Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata182.Lesser Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

Family Meropidae (Bee-eaters)

183.Small Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis184.Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus185.Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus

Family Coraciidae (Rollers)

186.Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis

Family Upupidae (Hoopoes)

187.Common Hoopoe Upupa epops

Family Bucerotidae (Hornbills)

188.Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris

Family Capitonidae (Barbets)

189.Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica190.Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala

Family Picidae (Woodpeckers)

191.Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla192.Brown-capped

Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos nanus193.Yellow-crowned

Woodpecker (Yellow-fronted)Dendrocopos mahrattensis

194.Streak-throated Woodpecker(Little Scaly-bellied Green) Picus xanthopygaeus

195.Black-rumped FlamebackDinopium benghalense

196.White-naped WoodpeckerChrysocolaptes festivus

Family Pittidae (Pittas)

197.Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura

Family Alaudidae (Larks)

198.Singing Bush-Lark Mirafra cantillans199.Indian Bush-Lark Mirafra erythroptera200.Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix grisea201.Rufous-tailed Finch-Lark Ammomanes phoenicurus202.Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla203.Common Crested Lark Galerida cristata204.Sykes�s Crested Lark Galerida deva205.Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis206.Oriental Skylark (Eastern)Alauda gulgula

Family Hirundinidae (Swallows & Martins)

207.Sand Martin Riparia riparia208.Plain Martin Riparia paludicola209.Dusky Crag-Martin Hirundo concolor210.Common Swallow Hirundo rustica211.Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii212.Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica213.Streak-throated Swallow Hirundo fluvicola

Family Motacillidae (Wagtails & Pipits)214.White Wagtail Motacilla alba215.Large Pied Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis216.Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola217.Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava218.Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea219.Richard�s Pipit Anthus richardi220.Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus221.Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris222.Blyth�s Pipit Anthus godlewskii223.Eurasian Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis224.Olive-backed Pipit

(Oriental Tree Pipit) Anthus hodgsoni225.Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus226.Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta


Family Campephagidae (Cuckoo-Shrikes, Flycatcher-Shrikes, Trillers, Minivets, Woodshrikes)

227.Large Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina macei228.Black-headed

Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina melanoptera229.Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus230.White-bellied Minivet Pericrocotus erythropygius231.Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus232.Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus

Family Pycnonotidae (Bulbuls & Finchbills)

233.White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis234.Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer

Family Irenidae (Ioras, Chloropsis/Leafbird, Fairy-Bluebird)

235.Common Iora Aegithina tiphia236.Marshall�s Iora Aegithina nigrolutea

Family Laniidae (Shrikes)

237.Rufous-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus238.Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus239.Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus240.Long-tailed Shrike

(Rufous-backed Shrike) Lanius schach241.Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus242.Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor

Family Turdinae (Thrushes, Shortwings, Robins, Forktails,Wheaters)

243.Blue-headed Rock-ThrushMonticola cinclorhynchus244.Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius245.Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrine246.Scaly Thrush Zoothera dauma247.Tickell�s Thrush Turdus unicolor248.Grey-winged Blackbird Turdus boulboul249.Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis250.Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope251.Bluethroat Luscinia svecica252.Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis253.Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicata254.Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros255.Stoliczka�s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha256.Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata257.Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata258.Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea259.Variable Wheatear Oenanthe picata260.Rufous-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna261.Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti262.Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina263.Brown Rock-Chat Cercomela fusca

Family Timaliinae (Babblers, Laughingthrushes, Babaxes,Barwings, Yuhinas)

264.Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense265.Common Babbler Turdoides caudatus

266.Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi267.Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus

Family Sylviinae (Goldcrest, Prinias, Tesias, Warblers)

268.Ziting Cisticola(Streaked Fantail-Warbler)Cisticola juncidis

269.Rufous-fronted Prinia Prinia buchanani270.Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis271.Plain Prinia Prinia inornata272.Cetti�s Bush-Warbler Cettia cetti273.Lanceolated Warbler

(Streaked Grasshopper-Warbler) Locustella lanceolata274.Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola275.Blunt-winged Warbler Acrocephalus concinens276.Blyth�s Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum277.Indian Great Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus278.Thick-billed Warbler Acrocephalus aedon279.Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata280.Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius281.Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita282.Plain Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus neglectus283.Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus284.Tickell�s Warbler Phylloscopus affinis285.Sulphur-bellied Warbler

(Olivaceous Leaf-Warbler) Phylloscopus griseolus286.Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus287.Brooks�s Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus subviridis288.Hume�s Warbler Phylloscopus humei289.Greenish Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides290.Tytler�s Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus tytleri291.Western Crowned WarblerPhylloscopus occipitalis292.Greater Whitethroat Sylvia communis293.Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca294.Desert Warbler Sylvia nana295.Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis

Family Muscicapinae (Flycatchers)

296.Rusty-tailed Flycatcher Muscicapa ruficauda297.Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula parva298.Ultramarine Flycatcher Ficedula superciliaris299.Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina300.Tickell�s Blue-Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae301.Grey-headed

Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis

Family Monarchinae (Monarch-Flycatchers & Paradise-Flycatchers)

302.Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi

Family Rhipidurinae (Fantail-Flycatchers)

303.White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola

Family Remizidae (Penduline-Tits)

304.Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps


333.Common Myna Acridotheres tristis334.Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus

Family Oriolidae (Orioles)

335.Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus336.Black-headed Oriole Oriolus xanthornus

Family Dicruridae (Drongos)

337.Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus338.Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus339.Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus

Family Artamidae (Woodswallows/Swallow-Shrikes)

340.Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus

Family Corvidae (Crows, Jays, Treepies, Magpies)

341.Indian (Rufous) Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda342.House Crow Corvus splendens343.Jungle Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

Terms used to indicate stratus: NT: Near threatened,Vul: Vulnerable, CD: Conservation Depenedent

BOOK REVIEW

HOW TO BE A BAD BIRDWATCHER: TO THE GREATERGLORY OF LIFE, by Simon Barnes (Illustrations by AlexFox). Short Books. London. 2004. 198 pp. Size 20 x 13.5cms. Hardback. Price UK Pounds 9.99.

Review by G Narasimha Raghavan, PhD candidate, Dept ofEconomics, PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore � 641 014

The bewitching ability of the birds to take to flight crosses one�smind on reading the Tennysonnian verse: He watches from hismountain walls / And like a thunderbolt he falls (The Eagle),which is mirrored in Simon Barnes� book: �Flight, to us

earthbound creatures, is a form of magic�� (p.29). It is this

sense of fascination, paired with the birds� �colour of outrageous

perfection and sounds of perfect beauty�, that has made Barnes,

a sports writer for the Times by profession, and birdwatcher byadulation, to come out with this book that serves to be an�invitation to bring birds into your life�. After all, birdwatching is

one of the finest and noblest of activities � all one does is to

observe birds, adore their gait, respect their independence,value their presence and their songs, and be awed at theireffortless manner of flying. And the real pleasure is in notcausing any harm to the bird in the process.

Ubiquitous Birdwatching

It is not without reason that Barnes finds the question, �How

often do you go birdwatching?� redundant, for one does not

have to look for birds, since one is �always looking at them[birds]�. Evidently, for Barnes, birdwatching is a state of living,

not something conjured and heavily dependent on the knack ofthe person, or the technological superiority of the birdwatchingequipment. It is all about being conscious of the winged beingsaround us, being wakeful to their twittering and chirping, beingalert to their mesmerizing flight, and all the more, being attentive

Family Paridae (Tits)

305.Great Tit Parus major

Family Sittidae (Nuthatches, Wallcreeper)

306.Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch Sitta castanea

Family Certhiidae (Tree-Creepers, Creepers)

307.Spotted Creeper Salpornis spilonotus

Family Dicaeidae (Flowerpeckers)

308.Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile309.Tickell�s Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos

Family Nectariniidae (Sunbirds & Spiderhunters)

310.Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica

Family Zosteropidae (White-eyes)

311.Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus

Family Emberizinae (Buntings)

312.Crested Bunting Melophus lathami313.Chestnut-eared Bunting

(Grey-headed Bunting) Emberiza fucata314.White-capped Bunting Emberiza stewarti315.Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala316.Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps

Family Fringillidae (Finches)

317.Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

Family Estrildidae (Munias (Estrildid Finches))

318.Red Avadavat (Red Munia) Amandava amandava319.Indian Silverbill

(White-throated Munia) Lonchura malabarica320.White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata321.Scaly-breasted Munia

(Spotted Munia) Lonchura punctulata322.Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca

Family Passerinae (Sparrows)

323.House Sparrow Passer domesticus324.Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis325.Chestnut-shouldered Petronia

(Yellow-throated Sparrow) Petronia xanthocollis

Family Ploceinae (Weavers)

326.Black-breasted Weaver Ploceus benghalensis327.Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar328.Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus

Family Sturnidae (Starlings & Mynas)

329.Brahminy Starling Sturnus pagodarum330.Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus331.Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris332.Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra


to the fact that they are a �part of our lives�. Indeed, then,

birdwatching is not so onerous a task as is usually made outto be, warranting exceptional observational skills and sincerenote taking. Rather, birdwatching is an act of love, a genuinegesture to observe the birds around us, noticing with marveltheir squabbling and their expression of affection. How doesone, after all, gauge the pleasure of seeing a house sparrownibble a grain of rice, savoring it with relish, or the cacophonouscongregation of crows, doing their daily rounds? The largerquestion to ask would be to see if one is ready to perceivethese commonplace occurrences as a pleasure. One needsto mentally align oneself with these common activities of thebirds around us, and take pleasure in the ordinary.

What is Bad Birdwatching?

Watching birds must be a voluntary act of delight, buttressedby enthusiasm and fondness. Configuring birdwatchingactivities into a stressful and nerve-racking schedule does nogood to the pleasure-seeking part of a birdwatcher. It is betterto seek pleasure in birdwatching, and be content to be a �bad�

birdwatcher, than make birdwatching traumatic, and acquirethe label of a �good� birdwatcher. As a cultural and civilizational

bundle, humans come with coded information about theenvironment and living beings around them, and hence it is�impossible to know nothing at all about birds�. We all can

become bad birdwatchers, if only we develop the habit oflooking, underl ines Barnes. Even otherwise, Barnesphilosophizes; bad birdwatching is �an inescapable part of our

lives�. The formula for becoming a conscious bad birdwatcher

(p.24) cannot be simpler, and is worth emulation:

Look out of the window / See a bird / Enjoy it / Congratulations.You are a bad birdwatcher.

The Essentials

While it is brash to brand the act of watching birds (withoutknowing their names or without a binocular) as a badly informedone, Simon Barnes, argues that naked-eye observation hasits own sliver of pleasure, just as informed birdwatching (notstressful) has its unique fragment of delectation. The authorgoes on to suggest a three-pronged approach for makingcasual and informal birdwatching a truly memorable event:

a.First, one must take possession of a field guide � the narrower

the geographical scope of the field guide, greater will be itsuse. Getting to know the names of the common birds is oneway of getting close to them, for �the ability to put a name to

things, was important�, recommended Barnes.

b.Secondly, it is essential to carry a binocular (just a simple,cheap one) since they give the birdwatcher intimacy, �the delight

of being able to observe without being observed�.

c.Lastly, the most important thing for a birdwatcher, once thefield guide has been digested and a binocular has beenpurchased, is to select the right place for watching the birds.One must be in a position to know where to go to see the birds.As suggested by Barnes, �to discover birds�, one must �discover

place�.

Knowing what bird one is looking at, getting intimate with it,without disturbing it, and knowing the place where one couldcome again and again to meet it, makes all the differencebetween plain and pleasurable birdwatching, and an educatedand enjoyable birdwatching. It is the latter form of birdwatchingthat will aid in transmission of knowledge to the next generationor to any interested novice.

Experiencing Heaven

How to be a bad birdwatcher is quite clear about its readership� it is for the urban dweller, who has lost touch with the natural

environment around him / her, and gets immersed irretrievablyinto the day-to-day activities, of which nature forms no part. Thebook aims to create in the potential birdwatcher the sense ofbeauty and joy involved in birdwatching, and informing thereaders that it is a cost-free endeavour, requiring only the abilityto observe with a trained eye, and the ability to appreciate the�wonderful variety of creature� called birds. All this reminds one

of Emily Dickinson�s typical averment: �I hope you love birds

too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven�. As a biographical

account of the author�s experiences in birdwatching, peppered

with advice from experts, the book provides hearty food for thereaders. There are no technical usages or jargons known onlyto birdwatchers. Illustrations (one per chapter) are simple andattractive in their own way. However, the book focuses on UK�sbirds and milieu. This does not, still, prevent a reader frombenefiting from the book�s insights. All one needs is to just be

sensitive to the existence of the winged creatures, and SimonBarnes is vehement in stating without reservation that �one of

the greatest pleasures of birdwatching is the quiet enjoymentof the absolutely ordinary�.

Address for Correspondence :Newsletter for Birdwatchers

No 10, Sirur Park B Street, Seshadripuram,Bangalore 560 020, India.

Tel. 080 2356 1142, 2346 4682E-mail : <[email protected]>

Printed and Published bi-monthly byS. Sridhar at Navbharath Enterprises,Seshadripuram, Bangalore - 560 020, India

for Private Circulation only.

Front Cover: Shikra (Accipiter badius), is a charming hawkof the open woods, deciduous jungles, orchards and farms.Shikra sits bolt upright on a distended branch to scan thelandscape for birds, squirrels, lizards and frogs. On sightingan unwary prey, it launches itself swiftly in that direction,suddenly arresting flight to pounce on its prey.

Back Cover: A pair of Indian River Terns (Sterna aurantia).A graceful grey and white tern with long pointed wings, deeplyforked tail and a black cap, this tern occurs in pairs or smallflocks, in placid rivers, reservoirs and lakes dotted withsimmering islands . Photos : M.R. Rajaram

mailto:[email protected]>

sept-oct 2008

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