Full text of "NLBW3"
T—
Vol, 3, No. 1
jSLETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
January 1963
CONTENTS
Minutes of the Second Annual General Meeting ..,
Houbara or Macqueen's Bustard in Suffolk, By S.K, Reeves
The Great Indian Bustard. By K.S* Lavkumar
Cuckoos in Bihar. By (Mrs.) Ja^fial Ara
Demoiselle Cranes as indicators of weather. By N. Singh
How Birds are named and classified. By P.V. George
(Concluded) ...
Bird watching in the United States, By Richard F, Bernard
and George J. Wallace
Review: BIRDS IN THE SUN. (L.F.)
i
Notes and Comments ...
Correspondence ,, #
Page
1
3
3
4
6
7
8
10
10
10
SECOND ANNUaL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ciUBSCitlBERS
TO THE NE WSLET TER FOR BIRDWATCHE RS HELD aT
RESIDENT^TSFI^TTZaFAR FUTeHaLLY aT 4 P.M. ON
SUNDAY, 23 0ECKKSER 1962
M i n u t e s
The following were present:
Dr. Salim Ali
Dr. B. Biswas
K.S. Lavkumar
Mr. & Mrs, V. Neelakant
Mr, J.S. Serrao
Mr. P.W-. Sooan
Mr, J.C. Daniel
Mr, N. T. Nadkarny
Mr. Uilliam Selover
Mr, & Mrs. Zafar Futehally
Ma j or W . V , S oman
Mr, V,C. Ambedkar
Mr. V,K, Chari
Mr. Hasan Tyabji
Mr, J-A. Gaitondc
Dr, Salim Ali was elected Chairman of the meeting.
Letters from Yuvrajshri Shivrajkumar, Mrs, Usha Ganguli, Capt. N,
EuP^W 1 ' Fr ? f -* K#K * Neelakantan, and Joseph George in connection
witn tnis meeting were read out.
^V Zafar Futehally reoorted that about Rs75Q/~ have been collect-
ed by way of subscription so far. This amount will be handed over
to the new Committee for 1963 as expenses so far would be absorbed
by Messrs Garlick & Co. Private Ltd. who did the cyclostyling of
MVpVBPpflHH
e^
2 :
of the Newsletter free of charge, and Messrs Dynacraft Machine
Co. Private Ltd. "who bore the expenses of postage and stationery.
A proposal by Mr. P.D. 3tracey that the Newsletter should reser-
ve space in the Cheetal magazine rather than be in the Tor^ oi
an independent publication was considered. However, it was
thought that independent existence of the Newsletter was desir-
able as it was helping to create a lot of interest in birds.
It was suggested that the Editorial Board should be reconstitu-
ted in such a way that there was only one editor _ in each n»
as it was felt that divided responsibility occasionally cr bo
confusion. It was decided that the Editorial Board for T-
should consist of:
(1} Dr. Salim Ali, Bombay (2) Dr. R.M, Haifc. 3
'3) Dr. B.Biswas. Calcutta (4) Mrs. Jamal Aia 3 Bi r
' (5) tfrs. Usha Ganguli, Delhi (6) Mr. E.D. Avari, ^rjee-
(7) Prof. K.K. Neelakantan, (S) Kumar Shri Lavlcumar,
Trichur Sa^rashtr*
(9) Zafar Futchally, Editor
Dr*. Salim All recommended that the BIRDWATCHERS' F ELD CLUB OF
13 UIA should be constituted with the object oi doing llelc ~ic
and studying the life-histories of the birds of the country.
kl±\ouldbe~ sending outTa- circular to guide the regional ors
detailing the type of worl: which should be dene.
The Newsletter would become the organ of the BIRDtfATCI^S* FIELD
CLUB OF ETDIAT The membership of the Club of *s5/- *»? ve - r wuld
entitle members to get the Newsletter free o^. cost.
This proposal was unanimously adopted and K.S, Lavkumar un^rtook
the responsibility of drawing up the constitution oi the u.l id Dy
of January 1963. Mr. Uilliara Selover also agreed lp
Lavkumar in drawing up the constitution.
desirability of holding the Annual Birdwatcher* 1 Conr on
was uiscussed. It was felt that the competition £- _ d ? k „tS
on regional lines, and regional editors-cum-secre^aries should
decide about this taking local conditions into acccu
Dr. Salim Ali in winding up the proceedings scngrattiUted all
men -rs of the Editorial Board on the good work they .;a,e -one.
He also thanked Messrs Garlick & Co. Prvt, Ltu ; , ar s.
Dynacraft Machine Co. Prvt, Ltd. for helping the Ne-rfsletteg in
its initial stages.
• ■*
The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the
: 3 :
HOUBARA OR MaCQUEEN'S BUSTARD IN SUFFOLK,
ENGLAND
Readers in India may be interested to know that considerable er- ?
citeraent has been aroused in ornithological circles here by the
appearance in Suffolk, four or five miles inland from Dunwich-
of a Houbara or Macqueen T s Bustard ( Chla m vdotis undul?ta macque-
eni ) . ' M —
This is only the fifth time that the bird has ever been recorded
in the British Isles , All four previous visits were also to the
eastern part of the country and each occurred in October, The
last was in 1398,
My friends and I first saw the bird on 6th December, but I gather
that it had been seen and identified about a fortnight previously.
It was not shy and wary, as bustards are reported to be. and could
be easily approached to within about 125 yards. The bird spent
most of its time in a mustard field, from which it was reluctant
to be driven and to which it would return as soon as it felt it
could with safety.
Excellent views were obtained of the bird both on the ground and
on the wing.
The nearest areas to India in which the Houbara breeds are Afghan
-istan, Baluchistan and the Mekran Coast e To India it is a winter
visitor, generally arriving at the beginning of October and leav-
1 ? S j* the end of March or early in April, It is to be found in
the dry, sandy, semi-desert parts of the Punjab, Rajasthan, Sind,
Kutch, S auras htra, and northern Gujarat, and, apart from strag-
glers, does not occur south and east of a line from Delhi to
Baroda,
The Houbara is beautifully illustrated and authoritati*. aly dealt
with in GAME BIRDS OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON, by E*C, Stuart
Baker, vol, II, p, 186.
5,K. REEVES
57, West Kill Ave., Epscra, Surrey
^photograph of a Houbara by Eric Hosking, presumably of the
Ti^S^lfxiTki! SfS lia t h S d in the Su *»8 Stolon of the London
Wyr. - i&.j 9 ] Under the ca P tion ,p ^st Visit. of the Cen-
THE GREAT INJIaN BUSTaED
It was very interesting to read the information regarding the
Great Indian Bustard in western Rajasthan in the October "issu.
of the Newsletter. It is heartening to learn from this source
that the bustard is still quite plentiful in the desert tract;
?L vL!i!£;' However, such publicizing of the birds status an.
It^tHlZ SS^?/^ 1 « e , Seen in ,^me numbers is danger
rftM^rf* h H - ltS ^ f ' as P^chers are bound to take advantage
of this information. The suggestion mooted of establishing a
large sanctuary with pinioned birds ranging over tl e area° is
worth consideration, with certain reservations of course.
4
The best method to safeguard the Great Indian Bustard is to Include
it on the list of the "farmers T friends 1 '. Specially in Rajasthan,
where locust -fighting is a major project, the introduction of the
bird to farraers and herdsmen should be made so as to make them
aware of the value of the bird as a destroyer of locusts and cuuier
such pests. An effort in this way to elicit positively their help
in protecting the bustard would go further than all the legisla-
tion banning its shooting. Once the villagers realise the bird ! s
value to their economy, they will no doubt extend it protection
from poachers in the same way as sentiment has safe-guarded so
large and possibly such a good eating, bird like the Sarus Crane
and the peafowl, I am certain that it is mainly indiscriminate
killing which has sadly reduced the numbers of. the Great Indian
Bustard, The spread of agriculture is not the main cause, as they
could no doubt range across cultivated land for their omnivorous
fare. During the rains when they breed, there is sufficient shel-
ter for them in the crops, Bustards wherever they are not harried
by man, are remarkably tolerant of his proximity.
There is little purpose served by establishing sanctuaries v;ithout
proper staff to protect the inmates, and Dr. Salim Ali is right
in claiming that the interests of the bustard are little served
by publicity about its status and present range, and surveys car-
ried out by all and sundry to determine the species localization
only helps to expose the surviving elements to persecution and
final extermination. Publishing the status of the Great Indian
Bustard even in this Newsletter will undoubtedly have its adverse
repurcussions. Information has got to be gathered, I a^ree, but
all well wishers of the Bustard should work without publicity.
Bustards are omnivorous and this makes me confidently suggest that
chicks just hatched can be reared in better managed zoos, or by
qualified individuals, and when matured, they most certainly would
breed in captivity. The Great European Bustard has been success-
fully kept in captivity, but as yet bustards have not been bred
under captivity to my knowledge. However, any such experimentation
at handrearing bustard chicks should be done only on authorization
by the Vild Life Preservation Board, as to experiment and kill
the chicks in the process is, I expect, as much an offence as to
^hoot an adult bird.
Finally may I again caution those members who are fortunate enough
to be living in areas where zhe Great Indian Bustard is still to
be found to keep their knowledge of the bird in the area strictly
to themselves, and to only pass on their information to the Editor
of the Newsletter ,, who could then accumulate a dosier on the
species fcT possibly working out a method of preserving it from
extinction,
K,S, Lavkumar
CUCKOOS IN BIHAR
Of the cuckoos the papiha and the koel thrust theus elves on one's
attention by their repeated calls. The easiest way to identify the
cuckoos is by their calls.
The European Cucko ( Cuculus canorus ) , found in Monghyr, Hazaribagh
and Ranchi calls Cook-kgo; near the female in display cook-cook-
cook-koo . According tu" Stuart Baker, Blanford and others foun a it
in Chotanagpur during April, May, and June, I found a pair in dis-
play at Kalimati, 16 miles from Ranchi on the Chaibassa Road dur-
ing the month of July, Undoubtedly it breeds there.
The Himalayan Cuckoo ( Cuculus saturatus ) , reported from Bihar by
Stuart Baker as a winter visitor, but seen by none after that.
Its call is: hook po-po-po, similar to the Hoopoe's,
The Indian Cuckoo ( Cucul uc ^ic ropterus ) , found in all fcrest
areas of Bihar, has a call wnien" is variously rendered by differ
-ent people as: orange-pel: ■? * , crosswcrd-puzzle , ___j_Q_____kkc , koi-
dekho-to , and ham-sot a -t .7.»
Papiha or Common Kayrk-Cuck o (C u cuius varius ) , found all over
the State calls; pee -pe e--.' or, j, ikahan or p a- pee-h a or kaj__h___ ■
pucca . Large Hawk -Cuckoo ~i • i c uius parveroiaes ) loiuid in~ 'lasari -
bagh, calls like the Papi^" "Hut the call is less shrill*
The Plaintive Cuckoo (Cue "f merulimis) found in Hazarihagh has
a
a call: pee -peak follow J'iy tay-ta-tay « It is also rendered as
ih-chalte-rahi.
The Drongo Cuckoo (Surnio iT as lugubris), found in Ifcnghyr, Haza-
ribagh, and Singhbhua, cj-' rfre, "has a human whistle of six notes
and a plaintive note ye e^fr j-jj (Stuart Baker). Five or ^ix whist-
ling notes on an asceHoiii^ ocale (Smythies) e
The Pied Crested Cuckoo (Cl ^-natcr jacobinus ) found, all ov?r the
State has a wild metallic ../"."_ j.e. note piu - piu- pe e - pe e - \:< :. u ~ pe e - pe e ■
piu and a number of un;\Le- /*-, screams,
The Redwinged Crested Ci". iz [ Ciimator coromandus ) has b- o.i re-
ported from Chotanagpur by ,"]tul.rt Baker but I have not err- ac-
ross it. Inglis reports i-, from Anarh in Darbhanga disl" '.t. It
has a loud harsh screech and ■ hoarse whistle, according to
Smythies.
The Koel ( Eudynamys scoior uer: ) found all over the Stat a, calls
coo^oo, ku-hu-»ku-hu . It ca.i also be rendered you r r e 111, •" ou're
ill , etc, Mimics the Golden OrioJe. '""
The Malkoha (Taccocua trivia J found in Ranch!, Singhbl. . , and
:':anbhuffi has a soft cHucTcT > ;' nc; o . a low cook cook r^c : t :-,,.-
times ending with a ruij op- ^-cpj-co-co (Smythies j 7
The Sirkeer (Taccocua lesc_i_nsv.it i) found all ovei Monghyr. San-
thal,Parganas, Palamau, .rioa&n, Singhbhum and iranbhun has a
so^t chuckling note khpki • . - r. h t
The Crow -Pheasant [ Centropus sine nsis ) found all ever the State
calls hud, hud , hud or c o o ^ "c o o p ~*c o op .
All the cuckoos are arboreal except the Sirkeer and the fr. w-
Pheasant. The Sirkeer:, Crcr- Pheasant, and zhe Malkoha aro the only
members of the tribe that- e> not foist their eggs for h' chine
on other birds. 6
The Sirkeer is slightly si -..lor than the Crow-Pheas: :nt ^ t; so
different that it cannot i confused with it. The sirkos- is an
earthy-brown bird with sh. :■ . " shafts of black all ever i:-.". The
short and curved bill is rl— ry-rod; the eyes are c^imsor md
^ne outer tail feathers a\ - tirped white.
The large-green-billed malKcha has a long tail, and measles in
all up to 23 inches, that ncans it is considerably larger than
the tree-pie and the large racket-tailed drongo. The four white
Uouble -spots ciown its tall -jad the wide red patch around its
eyes are excellent distinguishing marks. The bird is fend c* 1
t?SffJ fhff!?? therefore appears very dark except for the white
H P ?^£L the tail-feathers, _. ~_3 partial to wate^^nd therefore
tenhS,™ ^r^ at ,Ku C T °P ch2r ^ hi *& Dimna nullah rcservoii-fSi
Manbhum and Singhbhum respectively, It also occurs on tre Piras-
JfVjJ 1 in Hazaribagh 1 r long the Deo River at Patur" n
tne Kolhan Forest Diviii- , Singhbhum District.
(Mrs* ) Jamal Ara
: 6 :
DEMOISELLE CRANES AS BUJICaTOhS OF FATHER
It is a well-known fact that the Common and Demoiselle Cranes
are migratory birds and visit our country in the winter months •
I have always been interested in these birds first as a shikari
and then as a birdwatcher* One thing very remarkable about these
birds is that they start arriving in North India after the mon-
soon In late September or early October, But sometimes one or
two smaller flocks may arrive before the last rainfall. But once
3 , 4 or more flocks arrive the prediction of end of the monsoon
can safely be made. The arrivals and a few events at Lucknow are
given below.
Year
1950
1952
1955
195S
1959
f
I960
1961
1962
Arrival date and num-
bers
Sept. 29 - 1st ilock
Oct. 3-3 flocks
Oct, 7-2 flocks,
and so on
Oct, 1 -
Oct, 3 -
Oct. 4 -
Oct. 5 -
and so
2 flocks
1 flock
2 flocks
2 flocks ,
on
Sept*
27
- 1st flock
Oct,
12 -
3 flocks
Oct,
14 -
6 flocks
Sept.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct,
30
1
4
6
- 3 flocks
- 2 flocks
- 4 flocks
- 1 flock
Sept,
Sept,
Oct,
Oct.
Oct.
27
29
3 -
- 2 flocks
- 1 flock
1 flock
1 flock
3 flocks
Sept,
Sept,
Oct.
Oct.
24
25
19
22
- 1 flock
- 2 flocks
- 6 flocks
- 3 flocks
Sept, 26-1 flock
Oct, 11-5 flocks
Sept. 20-3 flocks
Sept. 24-4 flocks
Sept. 25-5 flocks
Weather
No rain after 19
Sepc
Heavy clouds on 30
Sept* Weather dry
throughout
Last rain 22 Sept*
Fair weather
throughout
Last reported rain
-fall Sept. lo
Heavy rains or. :9
and 30th Sept.
Last rain Sept. 23
Fair weather
Last resorted rain
Sept. 19
Fair weather
Last rail- Sept- 15
Very heavy rains on
ath and 9th Oct.
It rained about I?,
in, , and in the nei-
ghbouring distr: cts
it raineo i,s much
as 16 in* in 24 hrs
Last rain Sept. IS
Heavy rains on Oct.
3 and 4*
Last rain Sept , 13
i hope this will be of interest to the readers of the N ewsletter *
Naresh Singh
Wild T.ii'e Warden. Forest Dent. U.F. , Lucknow
HOW BIRDS ARE NAMED AND CLASSIFIED
( Concluded )
Nomenclature
Nomenclature means a system of names (Latin nomen : name , c alar c z
to call). It is the naming of organisms. All scientific names
must be words which are either Latin or Latinized, or are treat-
ed as such in case they are not of classic origin.
The scientific name of the Paradise Flycatcher is Tcrpsiphone
paradisi (scientific: names are always printed in italics J , The
l irst word * Terpsiphone * denotes the generic name and the second
1 paradisi / the specific trivial name. The specific trivial name
is a qualifying of the genus. The generic name always begins
with capital initial letter and the specific trivial name with
small initial letter. Since the scientific name has always two
words, this system of naming is known as binomial nomenclature.
The system of binomial nomenclature for animals came into exist-
ence with the tenth edition of Linnaeus's STSTEMA NATUUaE
(effectively from 1 January 1755). Linnaeus who has bt.cn right .y
called as the father of Taxonomy, knew only 564 species of birdrs;
the number of species of birds known at present is 8600.
To denote the subspecies within a polytypic species a third nam*
is attached to the specific name. Thus the scientific name of a
subspecies consists of three words denoting the genus, species,
and subspecies respectively. Since it has three words, this
method of naming is called trinomial nomenclature.
The man who first describes a bird can choose what specific and/
or subspecific name he likes. Usually names chosen refer to a
peculiarity of the bird's appearance (Jungle Crow, Corvus mac ro-
beak), where it lives (Yellow-
denotes the place, Mala
iriber names it in honour
of a friend or specialist in the same group (White-eye, Zoster op/;
palpebrosa salimalii ) •
The scientific name is usually followed by the author's name,
When the author originally described the species as a member of
the genus in which it is now placed, his name is written without
parenthesis. On the contrary, if the author placed the species
in another genus than the one followed now, his name is written
within parenthesis. To cite an example the Black-and -orange
Flycatcher Saxicola nigrorufa was first described by Jcrdon. He
kept the species in the genus 3c/: ic ola. Now the species is kept
under the genus Muscicapa . So his name is written* within paren-
thesis, thus Muscicapa nigrorufa (Jcrdon).
Binomial and trinomial nomenclature as the case may be, is an
internationally accepted system. In all scientific works these
scientific names arc used, which as is put by Dr. Salim Ali
'enables the reader of one nation to understand what the writer
of another nation is talking about T .
Taxonomy is most advanced in birds than in any other animals.
The amateur will always play a most important role in collecting
much of the raw materials with which taxonomist work. New systei.
-atics is the sum total of the sound and intelligent conclusions
derived from other biological pursuits such as physiology, ecology
ethology, population genetics, zoo -geography, etc. Professional
taxonomist s hardly gut any time after their routine work in the
laboratory to work in the field. The amateur who possesses an
Ohfi^rTTArvt'. rvr, Anrf an nnrlr ir*R+",a nH-i ncr Kr art ^in rivmip-i^n -, T „+. ~-p
: 6 :
valuable information from field, especially on breeding activi-
ties, behavioural patterns,, habitat, etc., which we need very
badly about our birds.
During the rule of foreigners they used to collect bird skins
and send them to foreign museums. There museum men giving more
stress on the external resemblances classified them. Whether
this arrangement made mainly on external characters is a natural
one or not is to be tested by well-planned field 'work.
The most recent phase in taxonomy is the study of spec iat ion:
How species originate?
P,V. George, M.Sc.
Research Training Scholar, Bird Section,
j, Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta
BIRD WATCHING IN THE UNITED STATES
■
Probably the most popular type of bird study in the United States
is bird watching, or just plain birding. For the beginner, fluid
identification of a few' local birds may be the aim. For others,
the desire is for compiling as large a list as possible during a
day, a year, or possibly a lifetime.
'
It is generally agreed that the late Ludlow Griscom, of Cambridge,
Massachusetts, holds the* record of having seen the most birds dur-
ing a lifetime. His world life list is well over 3 000 species
identified in the field.
■
In a single year, observers who live close to salt water will com-
pile local lists of 300 or mpre species* In the more inland states,
a little over 200 birds is a good year's total. For a time, the
largest one year's list for North America .\. as 572 species, made by
Roger T, Peterson, More recently, Stuart Keith piled up a grand
total of 594 species to set a new record.
Perhaps the two most highly organized bird watching events of the
year are the Christmas and May-day counts. In each case, indivi-
duals or groups of birdwatchers attempt to compile as large a
list of birds as possible within a single day. The Christmas count
is held on any day during the Christmas week; whereas, the May-day
tournament is usually held in mid-Lay,
The Christmas count, initiated by Frank M# Chapman of the American
Museum of Natural History in 1900, has' increased in popularity
and magnitude ever since. On the first count 27 people at 25 sta-
tions participated, but in I960 close to 10,000 people at 594
stations in 49 states, Canada, and the District of Columbia, list-
ed 501 species of birds. Charles Rogers of Princeton University
has not missed a Christmas count since the idea started back in
1900,
Although originally intended as a winter bird census, the Christ-
mas count has developed more and more into a competitive game
between groups of bird listers. To gain larger lists, observers
often separate into several smaller groups and pool their lists
at the end of the day. However, they must stay within a circle
fifteen miles in diameter. There is much plotting dono on maps in
order to place the circle in such a way, as to include some of
the best bird places in the area.
All of the birds seen are jotted down in a notebook or on a check
list and notes on weather, temperature, wind velocity, and habitats
are also included. The number of each species of bird is recorded,
o
unless the flocks are sg large that only an estimate can be
made. If a rare bird is seen, all of the substantiating evi-
dence must be given. Results from the counts are later compiled
and sent to the National Audubon Society for publication in
Audubon Field Notes.
Frequently 100 or more birds arc recorded during the Christmas
count, but the largest number of birds recorded seems to be 196
at Cocoa, Florida, in I960,
The second of the two big yearly events is the May-day count.
Although generally similar to the Christmas count, the rules are
somewhat different. For this event, the object is to compile a
list of as many as possible in a dog* day, although 100 species
is usually the aim. Often, the count is made locally, but there-
is no restriction as to the area covered. Observers frequently
make plans weeks in advance. Each hour of the day is mapped out
so that the most productive places are visited at the bust tine,
.Sirding goes on from dark to dark and the observers attempt to
search out every last bird in the area. Many times a limit of
four people to each car is set, in order to place each observer
next to a door. In this way, a minimum of time is spent getting
in and out of the cars to record roadside species. There is no
limit as to the size of the groups participating and frequently
the larger the group the larger the list will be. Sometimes there
is a considerable rivalry among competing observers in their
eilorts to secure the longest list. At the end of the day, the
individuals that have not dropped out from physical exhaustion
compile their list, For those with 100 or more birds there is the
satisfaction and pleasure of a days job well done, but for the
disappointed and tired observer with less than 100 species, the
only comfort is that maybe next year will be much better.
Among the most famous May-day trips were those organized by the
late Charles Urner in New Jersey. Urncr's lists usually exceeded
150 species of birds, and once was as high as 173 for a single
day,
A variation of the May-day count is the 'Roundup 1 . For this type
of count there are no restrictions on distance or number of
groups, providing they all start from the same point. All the
lists are combined at the end of the day. By 'pooling* lists in
this manner, observers from the Delaware Valley Ornithological
Club checked off a record 232 birds in a single day in I960, For
this record a total of 55 observers in 13 groups took part, as
a result, hardly any one individaal even approached seeing this
many birds.
Truly, birdwatching of this type cannot be considered very scicn-
wJli but , som ? information on migration, bird invasions, distri-
oution, extension of range, and periodic increases and declines
?i*Z + S- been gained from these counts. To most of us, how-
ever, tms sort of thing is a game; not one to be engaged in
¥Ll7Z C ™ cn S but * ^po of recreation that can bc\ery enjoy-
aoie once or twice a year,
Richard F. Bernard
George J. Wallace
14 June 1962
10
1U
BIKDS IN THE SUN. Text by Malcolm Macdonald. Photographs by
Christina Loke, pp. 128. H l\ and G. Withcrby Ltd. Price fos.
It is possible that this gorgeous volume ought to be classified
as an art book rather than a bird book, Christina Lokc's photo-
graphs have already been , "blished as illustrations to Malcolm -
Macdonald 's BIRDS IN M DELHI GARDEN, But this is her first col-
lection of colour photographs; and some of the most successful
pictures can stand comparison with the work of Eric Hoskin*,from
whom, indeed she acknowledges that she has received a great deal
of advice and help,
».
aphs some have the qualities of well-
action, pictures which bear testimony
of eye possessed by the photographer,
re can be judged as an integrated
ocumentation of nature. The copper-
Picture of the Short-toed Eagle, for
ity of a Japanese painting. Black
our to reproduce well. The pictures
Crow -Pheasant, and Indian Robin lose
Darts appear a pale blue -grey.
Of the 42 full page photog"
posed portraits, others are
to the incredible quickness
V;hichevcr it is, each pict\
piece of art. as well as a •
coloured background of the
instance, gives it tho qur
seems to be a difficult col
of the Pied Kingfisher, t 1
something because the blae'
In the first chapter Mr, Id
zes the photographer, Chri^
an idea of the amount of r>l
apart from mere skill, is t
The body of the text gener:
each photograph and the c".
rather than of the bird i J
ted towards aspiring photcy
gists.
Icolm Macdonald introduces and oulogi-
tina Lokc's own short preface gives
tick, determination and resource which,
he price for securing every exposure,
lly consists of the descriptions of
- ^stances in which it was taken,
i- If. To that extent it seems oricnta-
raphers rather than 'pure* ornitholo- -*
L.F.
i
NCa**3 AND CQMi&wTS
The formation of the Birdwatchers' Field Club of India (see minu-
tes of the meeting) will r^t necessarily result in increased bird
study in this country. Qui:., a few of the well-known natural his-
tory clubs in India are languishing for want of support from its
members, and it can only *oe hoped that readers of our New sletter
will put in the sustained off ort that is required to mWF.
new club a success.
tE3
13
suggestion put forwar
readers should do int
gaps in the knowledge
quickly bridged by
One
all
are
can
the country. Dr, Salim Al ;
work, and an initial contr
future issues of the Ncwsl;
field is of crucial import
note book and pencil about
up round the corner,
- the meeting was that during 1963
*lvc work on the House Sparrow. There
r the life-history of this bird which-
.r.reful observation by birdwatchers in'
- as agreed to guide persons in this
.ration will be given in one of the
•ttcr* Systematic note taking in the
ace, and it is important to carry a
always. One never knows what will turn
■-■
Oct despondence
BlitDS AND LOCUSTS
On the 27th July, while we .ere having cricket practice, there
came along a huge swarm o~ locusts. Doubtlessly you must have
heard about it in the papers.
The swarm kept on passing us for about an hour or so, and occas-
ionally limited our vision
V
Following the horde which was in some respects like that of the
Yellow Mongols there came a few birds. Among the birds of prey
were the Pariah Kites, The kit^s used to follow the locusts from
behind and tried to catch them with their beaks, One could almost
hear the snap of their beaks as they gripped the hoppers.
When the kites failed to take them in this manner they tried a
different strategy, and flew against the in-coming cloud. This
was more successful. The crows too had a wonderful time. They
caught the locusts from behind just as they catch small bats at
dusk. Unlike the crows the pigeons and the Scavenger Vultures
were having a difficult work on hand. The Scavengers flew above
the cloud of insects and the pigeons had to accelerate very fast
at times to break through the opening in the cloud.
The farmers of Rohtak in Delhi might be having a tough time, but
the feathered friends seem to be quite happy. Even as I write this
(27 July 1962) the locusts are passing by,
Anwar Khan of Sultanabad-
DUSKY CRAG-MARTIN ( Riparia concolor Sykes) HACKING FEaTHERS
The note by Mr, Vaid and Joseph George in the Newsletter No, 11 of
November 1962, about collection of nest material by swifts reminds
mo of pigeon cages of our neighbour who had as many as 50 pairs -
some v^ry good fliers.
We often joined in a party and enjoyed the fun of flying the
pigeons higher and higher until suddenly a hawk or a falcon or
a merlin would swoop on them and then all of us would shout very
loudly to frighten the raptor and try to save our birds from his
talons; most of the time we were successful in this.
The youngsters who were not allowed to join in our fun enjoyed a
difiorcnt game. They collected small feathers of birds and stood
with these between two fingers before a wall. They blew at the
leather along the wall. They would try to blow it higher and
higher or clap their hands to displace some air below it. In doing
this many times they had to collect the fallen feather and blow
it again. With the wind in their favour the T birds f - the boys
called them with different pet names, viz. makwa, lili, kalia, etc.
would rise up and up sometimes to appreciable heights, A Dusky
Crag-Martin which used to have a mud nest below the parapet of
our house would suddenly swoop on the air-borne feather and
carry it away to its nest,
I am sure that the Dusky Crag-Martin collects its nest materials
irom the ground also, unlike the swifts mentioned by Vaid and
Joseph George.
P. W. Soman
TjJL NEWS_LI:TT ER FOR BIRDWATCHERS
I am very impressed by the Newsletter which I have long felt was
essential to bring together all of us interested in birds in this
vast country where there is so much field work to be done.
Peter F.R. Jackson
Reuters, Now Delhi 11
12
*
: 12 •
SKA SANCTUARY'
On 29th August, wc saw, in the school, a most fascinating nature
picture 'Sea Sanctuary' by tho courtesy of the British Information
m™ I \l hc ' r0Qky , and forbidding rock of Langton lighthouse
(■'Though three men dwell on Flannan Isle') is visited
and flock after flock arrive for th<
by spring,
Guillemot ,
s are made
.— breeding season,
Shag, Penguin, Puffin, Gull and the Arctic Tern. Stak.
i-or nesting sites, in hollows, on precarious lodge. The keening
ox the birds and their sudden wheeling over turned something over
inside you. The chick appeared and were fed with fish. An erring
i-Udgcling had little chance of survival, for the Terns (which
make such a lovely silhouette in flight) demonstrated 'nature red
in tooth and claw'.
Reproduced from Shri Shiva ji Preparatory Military
ol's Samachar. Nn- #*i . ?Ot.Vi .Qnn-hr.mh.-*- ioAo
School's Samachar , No, #5, 20th September, 1962
*
*
'OUR FEATHEPED ENEMIES'
I want to draw your attention towards an article published in the
Liic magazine of U.S.A. of 30 July 1962. The heading of th. article
is rour Feathered Enemies'. In this article it is said that many
birds are very dangerous for human beings. They spread many deadly
virus diseases. The article stresses that pigeons are one of the
most dangerous of birds because they take prominent part in spread-
ing the dangerous virus diseases.
I want to know for the safety of all concerned how
I hope you will throw some light over this problem
tcr.
far it is true,
in your Newslct-
Karnes hwar Pal Singh,
Dist, Patna
^?e will be commenting on this subject in a future
issue
- Ed.7
Zafar Futehally
Editor, Mewslettcr for Birdwatchers
Juhu Lane, Andheri, Bombay 5$
£*-
>
m*
FOR BIKIUVATCHERS
Ulnar H96S Frimn
^
NE1- -rS LETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol, 3, , No. 2 i February 1963
CONTENTS
Page
Cooperative Field Studies of Birds, By Salim Ali , , 1
A Trip to Tukerwara Lake in Raj as than. By Director,
Natural Hist, Soc, Mayo College, Ajmcr ••
Occurrence of the Painted Partridge, Francolinus pictus ,
3
in Rajasthan, By S.C. Sharma , , .. 4
Nesting Activities of the Baybacked Shrike : Observations
made in the Lodi Gardens, New Delhi. By Capt. N.S.
Tyabji, I.N. .. .. ,, 5
The Uryneck, Jynx torquflla . 3y S.K. Reeves , . $
* Observations on the nesting of the Purple Sunbird, Nee -
tarinia asiatica, made in Satara District, MaharasHtra.
By K. L Janakiraman • • . » . , 9
Review: THE BIRDS OF SOUTHEiiH INDIA (S.V. NilakantA),. 10
Notes and Comments ., .. ,, 12
Correspondence .. ,. . , 22
COOPERATIVE FIELD STUDIES OF BIRDS
At the annual meeting of readers of the Newsletter for Birdwat cher s
in December (1962) a suggestion was made by Mr. ZafarTutehally
that during the current year we should try and conduct a cooperative
study on some one particular bird species. The House Sparrow was
named,- and I was asked to prepare a sort of questionnaire for the
guidance of participants in the scheme. Below are a few simple
topics on which collective observations over the entire year would
prove worth while. Since there is so little exact data available,
almost anything based on methodical observation Would be of value.
The data will naturally vary with season and conditions prevailing
in the different parts of the country, but all this should add to
the comprehensiveness of the investigation.
Apart from observations on the local sparrow population in general ,
two or three particular pairs of birds, should be selected for
detailed nesting and behaviour ,study. It will be essential to mark
the birds either by daubing parts of the plumage with distinctive
dyes — blue, red, green, etc, -- or ringing them with coloured
rings so that the individuals may be recognized with absolute cer-
tainty.
"When do the birds commence nesting?
By which sex is the nes.t-site selected?
Is the selection made before or after pair formation?
How does, pair formation take place?
Is there rivalry among different birds for the nest-sites
and/or for mates?
Is the number of males and females (sex ratio) equal, or
are there more birds of one sex?
Does each male have only one female, or several as in the
closely related Baya weaver Bird? In other words, is
there any evidence of polygyny or polyandry?
How many broods does the House Sparrow raise in a year?
Does it breed continuously, or is there a definite season?
Does the pair remain constant, or does the partnership
change for each brood?
Is the same nest, or nest-site, used for successive broods
and in successive years?
Is it used by the same occupants, or by any one of the pair,
or by a totally different pair?
Does, the House Sparrow ever nest in trees?
If so, under what conditions, and what sort of nest does
it build in a tree?
How is the labour of nest building shared between the
sexes?
Are there any particular spots in your neighbourhood where
House Sparrows are more abundant than in other spots?
What are the factors that bring about this i^atchiness in
local distribution?
Are there any favourite trees or thorn thickets in which
House Sparrows roost at night?
Are these roosts used throughout the year, or only at cer-
tain seasons?
Do both sexes share a common roost, or do males and females
occupy separate roosts?
Do the same occupants return to the same roost each night,
or are the birds unattached to any roost?
Is the same branch or place occupied by the same indivi-
dual night after night?
How far around the roost do the birds disperse to forage
during daytime? (This can be studied by spraying huddled
birds at the roost at night with indelible dyes — say
red at one roost, blue at another and so on — and obser-
ving their daily rhythm, )
Do birds from the same roost show any tendency to communal
segregation during daytime, or do they freely intermix
with members of other roosts?
What is the House SparrovMs clutch size, i,e* total number
of eggs laid in a nest, in your region? (Average of at
least 10 clutches desirable.)
What is the interval between the laying of each egg?
*-
^
*.*
What is the incubation period and role of the sexes in
incubation? (This can be determined by marking the date
on each egg as it is laid, to be quite certain when it
hatches, )
1/hat is the share of the sexes in nest feeding? (Number of
visits by male and female- with food for the nestlings per
hour at different stages of rearing* Determine nature of
food brought, if possible,)
What is the mortality of young in nest, and at the flying
stage? Chief causes? (Growth rates of nestlings can be
studied by daubing then with different dyes and weighing
them daily at a fixed tine,)
What is the mortality among adults? Chief causes?
What are the House Sparrow's companions, competitors, and
enemies?
What specific advantages does the bird derive in your region
by living in association with man?
These are only a few of the innumerable points which members could
study, wherever they are, A cooperative investigation of this sort
can furnish information of very great value and interest. However,
instead of taking on too much all at once, it might be better to
restrict the effort to just one or two topics for the start, say
Nesting (which could include a number of sub-headings-) , and/or Roost
-ing. This does not, of course, mean thart observers should shut
their eyes to everything else J Moreover, while the House Sparro 1
has been suggested for convenience, as a bird likely lo be founa
wherever members live in India, often no doubt even sharing their
flat or bungalow, it may be that in some remote 'uncivilized 1 plo.ee,
or in a settlement only recently established, the bird nay as yet
be absent. There is every chance that the Sparrow will arrive there
before long, but in the meanwhile it is not recommended that members
should sit with folded hands awaiting its advent. They should select
and start off on the commonest and most convenient-to-study bird of
their region. It may be possible to find other persons similarly
placed elsewhere, to start a parallel cooperative study of their
own.
Salim Ali
A TRIP TO TUKERWARA LAKE IN RaJASTHaN
This lake is about 45 miles from Ajmer on the way to Chit or. It is
a big lake with a small island in the middle. This island which is
about one furlong in length is the breeding ground of about 500
Painted Storks, The island appeared to remain undisturbed by men
and beasts throughout their breeding season.
I, along with Mr, Gibson, went to this island in a small canvas
boat for different purposes. In the beginning the birds were very
much disturbed and the sky was full with flyin^ storks. The place
was full of babool trees and all of these irrespective of their
size were full of nests of different siscs. Many nests could be
reached standing on -one ground, host of the nests were with young
storks ranging from a week old chick to a near-grown-up who could
not fly. Although they are supposed to lay more than 3 eggs, I did
not see any nest with more than two young, I collected addled eg^s
from two nests on the same tree, three eggs from each nest. To my
dismay I discovered the skeletons of a pair of storks under the
tree - may be of the oarents of these unhatched eggs,
. . I,
The near-grown-ups were disturbed at my approach near their nests
and on two occasions I observed them disgorging their meal of fish
containing barbs and snakeheads , and climbed to a nest higher than
their oim. However, they were never so scared as to try to fly or
trample young ones on their way up.
Parent storks came and settled at safe distances from their nests.
It was quite a fun to watch them looking at me suspiciously through
the corner of their eyes.
Nests of cormorants and little egrets were also seen among the stork
nests. Young ones of these birds wore also observed.
I was intrigued to see a pair of ' hit ebr east ed Munias under one of
the nests. After a little observation I found out that they were
sub-tenants in one of the stork »s nest; with a few straws here and
there they had built a comfortable home for themselves and their
future ones without much trouble. I saw later another nest of munj
in the same circumstances.
Another interesting fact I noticed was, that crows, kites, and buz-
zards which flew past nests with young chicks in it, never stoopec
to pick up young ones. Normally, they would never miss a chance like
that.
On the other side of the lake about 200 pelicans and 500 flamingos
could be seen. They flew in a big formation an hearing the firing
of guns at ducks and geese.
Director, Natural History Society,
Mayo College, Ajmer, ttajasthan
OCCURRENCE UK THE POINTED PARTRIDGE, FitAiJCOLBIUS
PICTUS , IN liAJASfHAN
Stuart Baker (1398, FAUNA OF BUITISH INDIA, Birds 4:137-133). and
Salim All (1961, THE BOOK OF INDIAN BIItDSiSl) mention that the
range of the Painted Partridge, Fra nc olinus pi ctus Jardine & Selby,
is south of, the range of the Black Partridge, f , Trancolinus , which
is distributed in the Peninsula but is wanting on the Malabar coast,
south of Bombay. Stuart Baker records its northern boundary in
Gujarat,
v
*
water canals. They were usually found under Zizyphus nummular ia »
Prosopis julif lora , and Prosopis spicigera bushe s ,
Since Painted Partridge were always observed along water canals,
it appears that this species entered Rajasthan through water canals
from southern boundaries, touching Gujarat, As more irrigation
canals are coming up in these parts of Rajasthan, it is felt that
the range of this species will extend further,
3,C, Sharma
Dept, of Zoology,
University of Jodhpur, Jodhpur.
NESTING ACTIVITIES OF THE BAYBaCKED SHRIKE :
OBSERVATIONS MADE IN THE LODI GARDENS, NEW
DELHI
In a note on 'Bird Nesting in the Lodi Gardens, Delhi', Vol, 2(B),
I had indicated certain survival figures of nests species -wise
against total numbers observed. This note deals v/ith my observations
on the Baybacked Shrike, Lanius vittatus , from the time of pairing
to hatching, and just after.
Unfortunately, out of the five nests observed, three were destroyed
immediately after the eggs were laid, and I only discovered the other
two just a couple of days before leaving Delhi for a month. There
had been other breaks in my observations as well, and, therefore,
all that I am going to attempt here is to provide a composite picture
01 the general pattern of pairing and nesting activities of this
species, as it emerges from my notes on observations in the Lodi
Gardens,
31.1,1962, Time: 1430, Bright sun but cool
Two birds seen in company for the first time this year, first on
a n eem and then on a babool . Obviously paired, since they kept to-
gether for the whole period of observation - lj hours. They kept
themselves occupied with their normal feeding sallies to the ground
but remained in company throughout,
7,3.1962. Time: 0700, Chilly with the sun just coming up
Pair seen together about i+0 ft, up on an eucalyptus (most uncom-
mon as these birds normally prefer lower branches of small trees
and are seldom seen perched higher than 20 ft, from ground). One of
the birds, presumably the male, was singing loudly but most pleasant
-ly, including in its song a number of other bird-calls. Its compan-
ion was altogether silent during this performance. The male bird',
however, seemed greatly excited and kept turning towards its compan-
ion in jerky movements as it poured out its heart in ecstatic song.
The birds kept following each other from branch to branch (in no
particular order) and eventually took to wing together and were lost
to view. Total period of observation about 20 minutes,
10,3.1962, Time: 0730 (approx.)
V
Single birds seen on the higher branches of trees (mostly at the
top) singing loudly and delightfully with other bird-calls woven
into the song. Could this be an invitation?
16.3.1962, Time: 0735 (approx,)
Pair seen collecting nesting material — long strands stripped
off green vine stems. Both birds made two sorties each within a
period of about 15 minutes to the same vine. The bird would perch
on the stem, neatly prize up a thin strip from as far up as possible
and thereafter opening up about 6 inches to 3 inches take to wing
pulling out a strip from IS in. to 24 inches long,
0n the second visit a Tree Pie ( Dendrocitta vagabunda ) was noti-
ced perched on a "near-by neem. and was subjected to a lightening
attack by both shrikes. The Tree Pie happened to be just above me
and I heard distinct sounds of packing as the birds attacked on the
first run. However, this did not seem to worry the Tree Pie much,
and he only took to wing, with 4Lome show of dignity, as the Shrikes
came in for the second attack. It was chased for a short distance
after which the Shrikes returned to the vine for some more buildine
* < u * ;
Is it possible that the attack on the Tree Pie nay have been
due to the instinctive need to prevent disclosure of the nest site?
15.4.1962, Time: OSOQ (approx.)
First completed nest observed in a horizontal fork of one of
the lower branches of an apricot tree about 7 ft. from ground.
Nest typical of the species made of t soft grasses, cobwebs, etc.
It was discovered by chance as birds were observed to enter thick
overhanging foliage, so contrary to their normal habits. The bird
left the tree soon after, and I spotted the nest immediately I
walked under the tree — it was untended at the time. About fifteen
minutes later, I observed a bird sitting in the nest but it left
soon after. Though the nest was well hidden from outside it could
be easily spotted as soon as you went under the canopy, the tree
itself being in the midst of open and well-frequented lawns. The
nest was found destroyed a few days later.
On the morning of 11 May 1962, just two 4&ys before we were to
leave Delhi again, I discovered a nest sited in a babool about
ft, above ground and the tree itself just 3 ft, away from the edge
of a well-frequented road within the park, I kept a watch on this
nest from 1415-1615 on 11th May, and Q714-0&05 on 12th Kay. During
this period of observation all the feed was picked up from within
a well-defined area whose boundaries seemed to be determined by
certain trees. The following sketch will give an idea of the actual
area. I am not using the term 'territory 1 , as the periods of obser-
vation would hardly justify a categorical assumption in this regard,
I now reproduce my notes in full.
11.5.1962.
0?20 : Female bird seen in nest. Male first seen near nest and
then fetching food for mate 2 or 3 times. Once, when female left
nest for about 5 minutes male at once appeared near the nest but
seemed uncertain and flew off in same direction as female. After
a short time both birds returned to nest together, and whilst the
female moved in over the eggs, he remained nearby for a while and
left.
At this time about 0730, I am certain the eggs had not
hatched as there was no activity in -the nest, and male bird only
brought feed for his mate,
I visited the nest again that afternoon and the next morn-
ing and give below a chronological account of the behaviour of the
parent birds as observed,
1415: Bird seen sitting in nest (presumably female).
1430: Male arrived at nest with worm which it transferred to
female who got up very deliberately from the nest to take it.
Note: Nest about 4 inches deep and 4 inches across made
of grassy strands, plastered externally with cobwebs and lined
with piece of cloth. Bird's rump and tail overhang nest, bird
seen to stand up every few minutes but crouch down again as soon
as she heard sounds of approaching feet on the road 3 ft. away.
1445: Male arrived at nest with a winged insect. He was at the
nest for a few seconds before female .took insect from his bill,
and left nest with it. Male remained at edge of nest for about
j minute and left.
.1450: Male returned to nest (without food) and remained on
the edge. j . , . ,, .
1454: Male left; female returned to nest and kept standing in
nest till 145$.
145#: Male returned with insect, transferred to fejaalo and left,
150? * Male with food; female stood up in nest and took insect,
1510 : Male with food, transferred to female,
1515: Male \;ith food; female sot up and swallowed faecal sac.
After this female kept standing with spread wings to protect young
from direct sun. It seemed young had recently been hatched. No feed
-ing of young observed,
1520 : Male with food; transferred to female who fed young for
first time.
1525: Female left as male arrived, hovered over nest and left,
1527: Male arrived at untended nest and fed young,
1530 : Male at nest again with food for young,
1535: Female returned to nest without food*
1535: Male arrived with food, transferred to female who fed one
young; the worm was swallowed after considerable travail,
153°: Female left nest,
1545: Male arrived with food and fed young,
1550 : Male and female returned to nest together; male with food
which was transferred to female who fed two young, then stood in
nest with wing spread against sun,
1600 : Male to nest with food for female only, who continued to
stand in the nest with spread wings against westering sun,
1615: Male to nest with food, transferred to female who feeds
young ,
Note : Number of nestlings -4*
12.5.1962,
0?14: Female in nest facing west,
0715: Male arrived with worm, alighted near nest; flew away to
w v near-by tree and swallowed worm,
0717: Male arrived at nest with food, transferred it to female
who fed young; male l^ft immediately,
0720 : Female left nest.
0722: Female arrived at nest, looked within and left. Nest unten-
ded,
0724: Female returned to nest and sat facing cast-,
0725: Hale with food transferred to female who stood up in nest
and fed young,
0729: Male with winged insect sat on edge of nest; female sudden
-ly turned her head, took insect and fed young and herself,
0731s Male with food; female fed young
0735 :{ do,
0737:1
0739: Female left nest,
0740 : Male with food and fed young.
0741 : do.
V 074lJ:Female returned to nest but sat on edge.
0742: Female with food followed by male with food; young fed;
female sat in nest, after feeding, facing east.
0745: Female left nest
O74S; Male with food; fed young,
0749: Both birds at nest with food; female arriving first. Fed
young and female sat in nest,
0750 : Female left nest.
0752. 0755, 0757, oaO0: Male with food; fed young.
0502: Both birds at nest with food and left after feeding young.
0#04: Female returned to nest with food and fed young.
Q£05: Female settled in nest,
... 6
: 8
Pa tK
s s
- 00 S u IT w v 1
R
a
Lodi Gardens, New Delhi, Illustrating nesting
activities of the Baybacked Shrike
Capt. N.S. Tyabji, I.N-
THE WRYNECK, JYNX TORQUILLA
I hope I may be forgiven for referring, at this late date, to an
article which appeared in the June issue of the Newsletter , but
this is due to the fact that I have only recently Vccono a subs-
criber to the Newsletter, and the June issue has only just cone
to my notice through the kindness of a friend,
I was most interested in Mrs. Usha Ganguli's article on the Wry -
neck, Jynx torquilla , and whilst unable to solve her problem, I
can, I think, throw some further light upon it*
With reference to paragraph 6 of her article and, in particular,
to the differences she lists, I would like to comment on them in
the order in which she details them:
1) I feel that the plate in THE FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF BRI-
TAIN AND EUROPE to which 'she refers, is rather small and indistinct,
and barely adequate for the settlement of such fine points of detail
THE HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS (Vol. II, p. 294) thus describes
the coloration of the chin and throat of adult birds of the Euro-
pean race (JU t. torquilla ) in winter plumage: 'apex of chin and
along ed~es of~~Iower mandible white narrowly barred brown-black,
9
rest of chin and throat buff (varying in shade) barred same*'
The corresponding plate (Plate 56 of the same volume) -shows a
distinct, large, buff patch barred brown covering the chin,
cheeks and upper breast,
2) For the same reason as that mentioned at (1) above, I do
not think too much importance should be attached to the shape
of the r brown,line r as depicted by Petersen, In any case, this
line docs not appear to be racially diagnostic, THE HANDBOOK OF
BRITISH BIRDS thus describes the coloration of the 'sides of
head* of adult birds of the European race in winter plumage:
'centre portion of ear coverts forming a streak rufous narrowly
barred black; rest of ear coverts, lores and under eye buff,
sometimes uniform, sometimes barred brown-black. '
The effect of the centre portion of the car coverts for:.!
a streak is to produce a buff stripe running from the eye back-
wards and downwards. This is clearly shown in the plate,
3) The plate mentioned at (1) above shows T the two dark br out-
lines' extending the full length of the back down as far as
upper tail coverts. THE HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIuDS (Vol, II, I .
296) states that the Japanese race ( J. t. japponica ) ! has mc
buff under parts and is slightly smaller than typical form ! ( J .
t. torquilla ). It describes the background colour of the main
portions ol" the underparts of the typical form, in winter plum-
age as 'creamy -white r .
Discrimination between the European and Asiatic races in the
field must be extremely difficult, if not impossible. In respect
of the specimens he collected during his ornithological survey
of Gujarat, Dr, Salim All says: »I can see little constant dif-
ference in winter between the typical European race and the
Asiatic form chinensis which breeds in Kashmir, and therefore
hesitate to assign my specimens to either' (J^ Bombay nat. Hist,
So Cj ^ 52:449), The articles in the Journal were published in book
form in 1956 by The Gujarat Research Society, 4&-4S Esplanade
Mansion, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay as THE BIRDS OF GUJaKaT,
by Salim Ali, and sold at Rs5/-.
I can find no reference whatever to the race himalayana in the
literature I possess. Stuart Baker docs not mention it in THE
FAUNA OF BiIITISH INjJIA scries, and, most significantly of all,
Dillon Ripley docs not recognize the race in his recent A SY1
SIS OF THE BIRDS OF INulA AND PAKISTAN,
S.K. Reeves
Surrey, England
OBSERVATIONS ON THE NESTING OF THE PURPLE SUNBIRD,
NECTARINIA ASIATIC A . MADE IN 3ATAHA DISTRICT, MAHA-
RASHTRA
A pendulous grass nest with a graceful portico fastened to f.
Lantana shrub about 3 feet from the ground -was located on 29th
March.
It contained two young ones with well-developed eye furrows
indicating that they were about to see the world soon. They
were just moving in the nest and were grown enough to lift
their head up. The underside was yellow in colour and the back
dusky grey, more or less similar to adult female.
On the next day they opened their eyes. Then they were seen
.. 10
close to the entrance hole keeping their beak at the entrance ana
waiting for the meals. They had black "beaks les3 curved than the
adult's. They were aMs to spread, their wings slightly. Both par-
ents fed the young "but the female r.iade more trips with food than
the male.
On 3.4.62 about 4.30 p»:a. when I went to the site I saw the female
feeding the young. After feeding it just pulled one of the young
out by its weak. .The voting one first fell down on the ground. The
female immediately went to the rescue. The young gradually got up
and stood on its tranbling legs. The mother flew up to a near-by*
bush and started calling. The young started following the mother
with short flights. After about ten minutes of these trial flights
round about the nest the mother caught the young in its beak by
the leg and brough ■ it >ack to the nest ■ .
On 5.4.62, i,e. t.bc fifth day after opening their eyes, the ycuog
ones made good their flight from the nest, led by the parents.
Components r>f thfi ne st: The nest was 'secured to the Lantana stem
by means of wood boring caterpillars' faeces and cobweb. The bulk
of the nest was mads of grasses wA dried Lantana , leaves. Small
pieces of wood bark and a little tow were also round. The inner
lining was of smooth grasses and the sun-shade portico was ele-
gantly built with tre flowering Hollu^o sp.
Measurements of the n^st: Total length of the nest: 4£ 'in. j Max,
width: 2 in. ; portico protrusion: 1-
in. ; length of entrance hole
li in.; diameter; 1 in,; depth of egg chamber: 2£ inches, Tote]
number of nests seen: 9,
K. Janakiraman
Eat Research Camp, Kelghar,
via Medha, Satara Dist,
j£ln teres tJng as this incident is, it requires confirmation, as
thei^ n-- . ■" - ; a a recorded incident in bird literature.
EBVI
THE B3BD3 0? SOUEHEEK INDIA. By Lt*-COl* H«B* Baker, Indian
Army (Eetd.) and C.L, IngliSj Curator, Barjeeling Museum. Print-
ed by The Government Press, Madras* 1950.
The book is an early attest to include in one handy volume in-
formation of considerable u^o tc birdwatchers ana sportsmen .
In the better integrated India, of Lt.-Col. Baker's time, 'South-
ern India" meant practically the entire peninsular portion. There
-fore, the "book covers 544 species in its 500 pages. There are
only 22 coloured plates oovsrlag 44 species. All plates were sup-
plied by the Bombay Ha t oral History Society. The technique of
colour printing cannot be compared favourably with what has b^en
achieved in recent tines. The paucity of colour plates, probably
forces some birdwatchers to observe more carefully and make
notes of details instead of hurriedly turning over the pages of
their field book and Laying 'Ha. 1 There 'a the picture of my biro ' -
The authors make no pretence of contributing original matter «
In fact, most descriptions are ezcerpts from the j?aUKa Qj? HJT-
ISE INDIA, Birds, or extracts from 'news letters* received by
Col. Baker from his friends ■
When it comes to the jucier game birds. Col, Baker, who has ap-
parently done uuite a bit of b.irdwatching with a shot gun, givss
lengthier accounts ^ The Great Indian Bustard receives 3£ pages,
and the Grey ' Junglef owl 4 pages. About thu former he regrets that
J^s.
-
adult's. They were able to spread taeir wings slightly. Both par-
ents fed the young "but the female male more trips with food than
the male.
On 3,4,62 about 4.50 p,s, when I went to the site I saw the female
feeding the yeunz. After Tending it just pulled one of the young
.out "by its bealc* The yotfrg one first fell down on the ground. The
female immediately went to the rcscLio, The young gradually got up
and stood on its trasblins; legs. The mother flew up to a near-by
hush and started calling. The young started following the mother
with short flights. After about ten minutes of these trial flights
round about the nsst tija mother caught the young in its "beak by
the leg and brought it bade to the nest*.
On 5,4.62, i.e. tho fifth day aftor opening their eyes, the young
ones made good their flight from the nest, led "by the perents*
Components r>f the n est:. The r^st was 'secured to the Lantana stem
"by means of wocS Sorfns caterpillars ' faeces and cobweb. The hulk
of the nest was made of grasses axA dried Lantana leaves. Small
pieces of wood hark and a little tow were also round. The inner
lining was o>.' smooth grasses a^ the sun-shade portico ?;as ele-
gantly built with th3 flavoring LIollu^o sp.
Measuremen t s of the nost: Total length of the nest: 4£ in.; Max.
width: 2 in, ; portico protrusion: 1$ in. ; length of entrance hole:
l£ in. j diameter: 1 21C i depth of egg chamber: 2£ inches* Tota]
number of nests seen? 9,
K. Janakiraman
Eat Research Camp, Kelghar,
via Medha, Satara List.
^Interesting as this incident is, it requires confirmation, as
Lher° aroC'irs *' be-,** . .* '~. recorded incident in biid literature *
BEVOT
THE BIBD3 0? SOUTHEEE INDIA, By Lt.-Col. H.B. Baker, Indian
Army (Betd, ) and D.II- Ingiis, Curator, Darjee ling Museum, Print-
ed, by The Government Press, Madras, 1950.
The book is an early attempt to include in one handy volume in-
formation of considerable u^e tc birdwatchers ana sportsmen.
In the better Integrated. India, of Lt.-Ool, Baker's time, 'South-
ern India" meant practically the entire peninsular portion. There
-fore, the book covers 544 species in i^ 500 pages. There are
only 22 coloured plates aoysring 44 species. All plates were ^sup-
en
forces some birdwatchers to observe more carefully and make
notes of details ins load of hurriedly turning over the pages
their field book aad Laying 'Hai There's the picture of my biru E -
The authors make no irre tence of contributing original matter.
In fact, most descriptions are ezcerpts from the FaUNa Qj? BblT-
ISH INDIA, Birds, or extracts from 'news letters* received by
Col. Baker from his friends.
When it comes to the jucier game birds, Col, Baker, who has ap-
parently done uuite a bit of birawa toning with a shot gun, gives
lengthier accounts L The Groat Indian Bustard receives 3t Paget:,
and the Grey ' Jung lef owl 4 pages. About thb former he regrets that
the birds took tr flight before he could get the chance of
shot and about the latter he says 'The flesh of the cockbv,
J^L
especially is most delicious and gamey, if, as can "be done in tin
hills, the carcase is hong for a few days before being cookea. '
Short descriptions of orders, families, and genera are includea
but more recent taxonomists have simplified matters and rendortxi
some of these descriptions redundant.
Books available are not in perfect condition. The type of paper,
so much favoured "by Governments, has not, fortunately, "been so
satisfactory to silver fish. The book is sold at the reduced
price of-RslO/- plus tel.50 for postage. The "book may be obtained
by sending a money order for fell. 50 to the Superintendent, Govt.
Publications Depot, 166 Mount Boad, Lauras 2.
S.V. Nilakanta
XOTtiS ANL COlfluiENTS
Newsletter for Birdwatchers, January 1965 :
Reference Mr. Lavkumar's note on the Great Indian Bustard on p
4. One could agree with his view, that indiscriminate shootii., .
and not the spread of cultivation, is the main or proximate
cause of the gradual extermination of this bird, provided the
qualifying word 'direct' is inserted before 'cause* and uhderli--
-ed. Personally I feel convinced, that it is the increasing
spread of cultivation which pushes the bird into closer contact
with man and exposes it to his hunger for meat. Advancing culti
vation, moreover, brings greater insecurity to its eggs and yo.^
directly through human vandalism and indirectly through various
v predators like jackals, rats, and mongooses that thrive in the
neighbourhood of cultivation and human habitations — and possi-
bly also village dogs.
Thus spread of cultivation and the destructive forces that fol-
low in its wake ~ human as well as non-human — are primarily
responsible for squeezing the bustard to its doom. But for culti
-vation, the pressure on its 'lebensraum' and direct persecution
by man and his evil confederates would be far less serious.
As regards the suggestion of breeding bustards in captivity in
order to boost the declining natural regeneration, I saw it re-
ported somewhere recently (I cannot recall the source at the .
moment) that a pair of European Great Bustards (Otis tarda ] in
captivity had bred — at least mated and lain an egg (or eggs? J.
This pair, however, was not of wild caught birds, but hatched
from eggs in an incubator and hand reared. Perhaps this method
— or even very young wild caught birds — might prove success-
ful in the case of our own 'tugdar' also, provided a sufficient-
ly experienced and devoted human foster-father could -be found.
So now Mr. Xahiri of Alipore Zoo, how about it?
On p. 5, paragraph 2, the Large Hawk-Cuckoo (Cuculus sparverioi-
des] is said to have a call like the Common Hawk-Cuckoo (or Brair.
^fever Bird - C. varies) but 'less shrill'. My impression is ,
the call is actually shriller and more piercing! Perhaps this i/
what the writer meant?
Whenever any birds are described, such as in the note on Cuckoos
in Bihar, I suggest that it would be of great advantage for
those unfamiliar with the species if the writer gave a reference
wherever possible, to some easily accessible illustration, e.g.
in THE BOOK 01 IMLIAN BIKLB, Whistler's POPULAR EAKUBQOK OF
INDIAN BIRDS, or some other.
Pa&e 11, last paragraph of Mr. P.W. Soman's note. Owing to the
Short descriptions of orders, families, am genera are lnciuaeu
but more recent taxonomists have simplified matters and remuitu
some of these descriptions redundant.
Books available are not in perfect condition. The type of paper,
so much favoured lay Governments, has not, fortunately, "been so
satisfactory to silver fish. The "book is sold at the reduced
price ofRslO/- plus Rsl.50 for postage. The "book may "be obtained
by sending a money order for fell. 50 to the Superintendent, Govt.
Publications Depot, 166 Mount Boad, liauras 2.
S.V. Nilakanta
NOTfciS jiNli COMENTS
Newsletter for Birdwatchers. January 1965 :
Reference Mr. Lavkumar's no tie on the Great Indian Bustard on p
4. One could agree with his view, that indiscriminate shootii^
and not the spread of cultivation, is the main or proximate
cause of the gradual extermination of thi3 bird, provided the
qualifying word ♦direct 1 is inserted before 'cause 1 and utiderl.il.
-ed. Personally I feel convinced that it is the increasing
3pread of cultivation which pushes the bird into closer contact
with man and exposes it to his hunger for meat. Advancing cultl
vation, moreover, brings greater insecurity to its eggs andyou_^
directly through human vandalism and indirectly through various
predators like jackals, rats, and mongooses that thrive in the
neighbourhood of cultivation and human habitations — ana possi-
bly also village dogs.
Thus spread of cultivation and the destructive forces that fol-
low in its wake — human as well as non-human -- are primarily
responsible for squeezing the bustard to its doom. But xor culxi
-vation, the pressure on its 'lebensraum' and direct persecution
by man and his evil confederates would be far less serious.
As regards the suggestion of breeding bustards in captivity in
order to boo3t the declining natural regeneration, I saw it re-
ported somewhere recently (I cannot recall the source at th« ■
moment) that a pair of European Great Eustard3 (Otis tarda J in
captivity had bred — at least mated and laid an egg rpr eggs? J .
This pair, however, wa3 not of wild caught birds, buthatched
from eggs in an incubator and hand reared. Perhaps this method
— or even very young wild caught birds — might prove success-
ful in the case of our own •tugdar* also, provided a sufficient-
ly experienced ana devoted human foster-father could.be found.
So now Mr. Lahiri of Alipore zoo, how about it?
On p. 5, paragraph 2, the Large Hawk-Cuckoo (Cuculus sparveri ai-
des) is said to have a call like the Common Hawk-Cuckoo (or .Brain
^FSver Bird - C, varius ) but 'less shrill 1 . My impression is that
the call is actually shriller and more piercing! Perhaps this i;:
what the writer meant?
Whenever any birds are described, such as in the note on Cuckoos
in Bihar, I suggest that it woula be of great advantage ior
those unfamil^r with the- species if the writer gave a reier^ic.
whprsver possible, to some easily accessible illustration, e.g.
li THE BOof OP JllllM Blhlfi, Wnis tier's POPULAR HAMBOOK OF
INDIAN BIKC6, or some other.
Pr,*?fl 11 Inst Dara^raph of Mr. P.W. Soman's note. Owing to the
ItrSctire ofa^if t's foot and its inability to settle^ the
: 12 :
gixw nd and vaUc about as swallows and nartins can, the only way
in which it could eollec* feath : is of course by
'hawking* them as they float on the air.
Salim All
* * * * .
Ringing of African Flamingos
•
Readers may be interested to know that as a result of a coopera-
tive effort by the East African Natural History Society, Karen,
Kenya, the British Museum,- and the African Flamingo Fund, 8000 ^
young Lesser Flamingos ( Phocniconaias minor ) and 80 young Greater
Flamingos ( Phoenicopteru~ruber ) were ringed at Lake F&gadi,
Kenya Colony, this year* The r "ings used were 16 mm. monel rings
supplied by the British Museum, and they wore attached above the
tibio-tarsal joint on the young birds. .
East African Natural History Society is naturally most anxious
to learn of any recoveries of rings, which will help to elucidate
the movements of Lesser and Greater Flamingos in Africa* Should
anyone find a Lesser Flamingo with a ring on its log, or even the
ring itself, the ring should be returned to the Bird Ringing
Committee, British Museum ( f "Nat. Hist.), Cromwell Road, London
S.W.7, with details of the locality and the date.
Although the British Museum will be coordinating all recoveries
the East African Natural History Society should be most interest
-ed to hear of any locally. Anyone who feels able to do this
should also send 'details of the ring number, date and locality
to the Ringing Committee, East African Natural History Society,
Coryndon Museum, Nairobi. The ring itself should always be return
-cd to the British Museum.
East African Natural History Society very much hopes that readers
will be able to cooperate in this matter.
CORRESPONDENCE
Competition between the Spotted Owlet and the Common Myna
Mr. Peppe (Newsletter 2(M:10) writes that the possession of the
1 lodge' of the Spotted Ov;let, Athene brama , was 'at other times
taken by the Common Myna ( Acridot hares tnstis ) '. In Jaipur City,
three owlets were living in a hole in a wall facing our courtyard.
Th^ hole was later found to be a straight pouch, about a foot long,
Owlets were observed every now and then popping their heads out
of the hole. It was also a daily feature to witness three, some-
times four, Common Mynas sitting just near the hole, on a projected
stone. No sooner the owlet popped its head out the myna attacked
it furiously on the face. The owlets were so much attacked by the
mynas that they were forced to leave their 'den' and shifted to a
Ficus tree, quite near by. One of the pairs of the myna at once
acquired the abandoned hole. It was later observed that the other
pair of Acridotheres followed the owlets to their new abode on the
Ficus tree and succeeded in getting it vacated.
Competition between these two species of birds observed at Basti,
U.P. and in Jaipur, Rajasthan, is interesting and warrants fur-
ther observations.
(Mrs.) Lakshmi I. Prakash,
J odhpur
# * * *
Coloration of the Night Heron
«
Salim Ali
* # * *
Ringing of African Flamingos
Readers may be interested to know that as a result of a coopera-
tive effort by the East African Natural History Society, Karen,
Kenya, the British Museum,- and the African Flamingo Fund, £000
young Lesser Flamingos ( Phoeniconaias minor ) and 80 young Greater
Flamingos { Fhoenicoptcru~ruber J were ringed at Lake Magadi,
Kenya Colony, this year c Tnc rings used were 16 mm. monel rings
supplied by the British Museum, and they were attached above the
tibio-tarsal joint on the young birds.
♦
East African Natural History Society is naturally most anxious
to learn of any recoveries of rings, which will help to elucidate ft
the movements of Lesser and Greater Flamingos in Africa. Should
anyone find a Lesser Flamingo with a ring on its leg, or even the
ring itself, the ring should be returned to the Bird Ringing
Committee, British Museum ('"Nat, Hist,), Cromwell Road, London
S.W.7, with details of the locality and the date.
Although the British Museum will be coordinating all recoveries
the East African Natural History Society should be most interest
-ed to hear of any locally* Anyone v/ho feels able to do this
should also send 'details of the ring number, date and locality
to the Ringing Committee, East African Natural History Society,
Coryndon Museum, Nairobi. The ring itself should always be return -^
*ed to the British Museum,
East African Natural History Society very much hopes that readers
will be able to cooperate in this matter.
CORRESPONDENCE
Competition between the Spotted Owlet and the Common Myna
Mr
*lodi
tak<
three owlets
The hole was later found to be a straight pouch, about a loot long.
Owlets were observed every now and then popping their h^ads out
of the hole. It was also a daily feature to witness three, some-
times four, Common Mynas sitting just near the hole on a projected
stone. No sooner the owlet popped its head out the myna attacked
it furiously on the face. The owlets were so much attacked by the
mynas that they were forced to leave their *den T and shifted to a
Ficus tree, quite near by. One of the pairs of the myna at once
acquired the abandoned hole. It was later observed that the other
pair of Acridotheres followed the owlets to their new abode on the
Ficus tree and succeeded in getting it vacated.
Competition between these two species of birds observed at Basti,
U.P, and in Jaipur, Rajasthan, is interesting and warrants fur-
ther observations.
(Mrs,) Lakshmi I. Prakash,
J odhpur
* * *
Coloration of the Night Heron
Night Herons were abundant at Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) till the
]3
: 13 :
closing of 1961, from when the birds disappeared (possibly a lo-
cal migration}* They were seen flying long before dusk in large
flocks. The birds were seen resting in Tamarind trees, by th<
day* What we noticed was that the colour of the back of the b:
was not greenish-black as given in Dr # Salira All's book, but
deep blue. This colour was visible even from a long distance.
Though the birds have disappeared generally we still see one or
two of them at times*
V, Ravi, and the members of Nature
Studying Club of Hindu
College, Guntur
$ # * *
The Fantail Snipe in Greater Bombay
The capture on 31 December 1962 of a Fantail Snipe while netting
swallows at a mongrove roost in the Mahim Creek, off Boran Road,
Bandra (Salsettc Island) recalls the notes under this species in
'The Birds of Bombay and Salsettc' (J, Bombay nat. Hist. Soe.
40(4) :643, 1939)*
Citing E.R*. Aitken from his COMMOi' BIRDS OF BOMBAY the notes say:
'EHA (C.B,B.:167) mentions that snipe were shot on the Flats
(meaning chiefly about Mahaluxmi and Tardeo) every year. Condi-
tions have altered greatly since that time and suitable marshes
no longer exist within town limits* The snipe have gone the way
of the malarial mosquito. T
At the time wc captured the Fantail, we were being harried by
the urchins of the locality At the nets, and the Kohli (Bombay
fishcrfolk) section of them recognized the bird, they pleaded
that the dimbu (so they called the snipe in Mar at hi) be given
to them for the pot, That these urchins who are otherwise unfami
-liar with birds should recognize the snipe and know that it
is good eating suggests that snipe, as it did in the days of
EHA, still keeps on visiting and feeding in such swamps, marshes ,
and tidal creeks as are yet available within the limits of what
is now Greater Bombay, The bird may still be commoner than it
seems, about the filthy tidal marshes at Dharavi and elsewhere,
but overlooked for the reason suggested by EHA in his own
inimitable way* Says ho 'the peculiarity of the Snipe is that
it is rarely seen except by those who seek its destruction'
(C.B.B. :167). And Greater Bombay and Salsette Island arc now
totally closed to shooting.
J.S. Scrrao
/Eimb u. (also dimbul or timbul) presumably is the general name
r'or all small "sand'pipur-liku birds , and not for the snipe speci-
fically, - Ed_j7
Zafar Futehally,
Editor, News letter for Birdwat c hers
32-A, Juhu Lane
Andheri, Bombay 5$
'
\
editorial board
Dr. Salim AH, F.N. I.,
33 Pall Hill. Bandra, Bombay 50
K. S. Lav ku mar,
Raj ku mar College, Rajkot
Dr. R. M. Naik,
M. S. University, Baroda
Mrs. Usha Ganguli,
10 Cavalry Lines, Delhi 6
Mrs. Jamal Ara,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda, Hinoo P.O., Ranehi, Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avari,
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Darjeeling
Dr. Biswamoy Biswas,
Indian Museum Zoological Survey of Ind a,
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan,,
Meena Nivas, Amlwttupalayam.
Chittur- Cochin (Kerala)
£
Editor :
Mr. Zafar Futehally,
Juhu Lane, Andheri,
Bombay 58
§
'
UI1HI IIM.
FPU BUDWHCHEU
Inline MSB torn
i
NEWSLETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol. 3, No. 3
March 1963
CONTENTS
Our Fine-feathered Friends, By Jamal ara.
Birds in Ladakh in Winter. By Peter Jackson
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana. By S, Ranganathan
March, By K.S, Lavkumar of J as dan
House Sparrows as Subtenants, By S,V, Nilakanta
The Ibis and the Cattle Egret in England, By S.K. Reeves
Review: BIRDS FROM BRITANNIA. (L.F,) ; #
Notes and Comments .. ,,
Correspondence .. ,,
Page
1
3
k
(
A
9
10
n
12
OUR FINE -FEATHERED FRIENDS
After reading Mr, Tinsley's article l Our Fine-feathered enemies 1
(Life International Vol, 33, No, 3 , P. 9 - 1962), I was not
quite sure whether to take it seriously or just treat it as the
attempt of someone to attract attention to himself by standing
on his head J After reading and re-reading it, however, I came
to the conclusion that a critical analysis, at least, was neces
-sary.
The main burden of Kr» Tinsley's attack is that birds create
unsightly spots in cities, are carriers of different Virus dis
-eases, and in certain instances, are positively damaging and
harmful; specially those birds that have become commensals of
Man in one way or another.
Agreed, that pigeon's nests and droppings do not add to zhe
beauty of a structure, a pertinent question is, who is respon-
sible for creating conditions that cause a population explosion
amongst them? The answer is MAN. By creating artificial jungles
of brick, concrete and steel he has driven away the natural
checks, particularly birds of prey, that prevent pigeons or
starlings from becoming a nuisance, and then he turns round and
complains about it. So typical of the logic of civilized Homo
sapiens . And the remedy? To embark on an orgy of killing. No
one has heard of pigeons and starlings becoming a menace either
in great open spaces or in the jungles. As for 'bird-nuts » pro
-testing against 'civilized man T taking steps for his comfort
and survival, has the writer forgotten similar steps taken by
his forefathers in the early days of American colonization?
Forests were cut down, swamps drained, large stretches of the
Prairie set on fire. The result? The biggest dust bowl in the
world, ghost cities, dried up streams and rivers, fertile acres
turned to barren eroded wastes. The U.S.A. is now faced with a
V,-!11 -t- U.^ 4- _..._.*. J _J. _ — - „ T t. 1 —J _. J 1 "I i J.TT. A. I
NEWSLETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol. 3, Mo. 3
March 1963
CONTENTS
Our Fine-feathered Friends. By Jamal Ara
Birds in Ladakh in Winter. By Peter Jackson
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana, By S. Ranganathan
March. By K.S* Lavkumar of Jasdan
House Sparrows as Subtenants. By S.V. Nilakanta
The Ibis and the Cattle Egret in England. By S.K, Reeves
Review: BIRDS FROM BRITANNIA. (L.F.) ; 4
Notes and Comments , , , #
Correspondence .. , .
Page
1
3
4
6
3
9
10
11
12
*
OUR FINE -FEATHERED FRIENDS
After reading Mr, Tins ley *s article *Our Fine -feathered enemies .'
(Life International Vol. 33, No. 3, p. 9 - 1962), I was not
quite sure whether to take it seriously or just treat it as the
attempt of someone to attract attention to himself by standing
on his head J After reading and re-reading it, however, I came
to the conclusion that a critical analysis, at least, was neces
-sary.
The main burden of Mr. Tinsley's attack is that birds create
unsightly spots in cities, are carriers of different Virus dis
-eases, and in certain instances, are positively damaging and
harmful; specially those birds that have become commensals of
Man in one "way or another.
Agreed, that pigeon *s nests and droppings do not add to the
beauty of a structure, a pertinent question is, who is respon-
sible for creating conditions that cause a population explosion
amongst them? The answer is MAN* By creating artificial jungles
of brick, concrete and steel he has driven away the natural
checks, particularly birds of prey, that prevent pigeons or
starlings from becoming a nuisance, and then he turns round and
complains about it. So typical of the logic of civilized Homo
sapiens . And the remedy? To embark on an orgy of killing. No
one has heard of pigeons and starlings becoming a menace either
in great open spaces or in the jungles. As for 'bird-nuts' pro
-testing against f civilized man* taking steps for his comfort
and survival, has the writer forgotten similar steps taken by
his forefathers in the early days of American colonization?
Forests were cut down, swamps drained, large stretches of the
Prairie set on fire. The result? The biggest dust bowl in the
world, ghost cities, dried up streams and rivers, fertile acres
turned to barren eroded wastes. The U.S. A* is now faced with a
bill that runs into several thousand million dollars to undo
2
: 2 :
the effects of such steps.
Any change in conditions always has effects, which in due course
affect the entire animal kingdom, as well as the vegetation. The
beginnings may be humble, but so delicate is the balance of Nature'
that decreases or increases of any species react;, on all others,
favourably or unfavourably. Mr. Martin Duncan cites the very in-
teresting example of an owl, a field mouse, a bumble-bee, a flower
head of red clover and a farmer. Owls prey on mice and all kind-
red rodents, who in turn feed on the honey stored in the hives
of the bumble-bee and the corn ricks. The fertilisation of the
clover and production of seed depends on the number of bumble-
bees present, because they alone can transfer the pollen from one
flower to another. Therefore, if the owls are reduced in number,
the rodents multiply, and by swallowing all the honey kill off
the humble-bees offspring. The bees are decimated and the output
of clover seeds goes down. When the honey runs out the rodents
turn their attention to the farmer's corn ricks. But oxvls prevent
Mr, Tinsley from sleeping soundly at night and therefore, must
be exterminated J
Not that attempts have not been made to exterminate birds consi-
dered to be enemies. In 1#99 Scotch farmers shot hundreds of Rooks
and destroyed thousands of their eggs. An injurious grub became
so prolific that since then Rooks have been left severely alone.
More recently, China launched an all out attack upon sparrows,
which most civilized men regard as a nuisance and a grain thief.
The sparrows were almost wiped out, but the subsequent year China
laced arte of the biggest famines in history, and has not recover-
ed fully from it, even now. The Chinese forgot that in a single
year a pair of sparrows destroy something like 250,000 insects.
If sparrows are allowed to be kept in check by natural means,
such as birds of prey, they never become a menace. But the fact
is that birds of prey have been persecuted since the days of
Adam, in the interests of game preservation. So far pigeons have
not been exterminated from any area; but it is certain that such
a step will result in something equally disastrous.
The major vectors of virus infections are insects, particularly
of the bug family. Birds alone keep them in check. On che other
hand diseases spread by birds are almost negligible, al any rate
there are no records of any epidemics of psittacosis, encephali-
tis or histoplasmosis, caused by birds. And why blame the birds
alone? The only known carrier of Infective Hepatitis is Man him-
self, and this can break out in epidemic form. The same is true
of venereal diseases, Man is the' only vector, and these diseases
are more prevalent now than ever before.
Human innovations always lead to troubles with birds, on account
of their specialized habits, and the grouping of starlings on
airfields is a case in point. In the incident cited, along with
the plane -load of men, several hundred innocent and helpless
birds were killed as well. This is a nice commentary on our civi-
lization and humanistic behaviour that we think nothing of this
mass murder. The obvious remedy is to change the location of the
airfield, because birds do not congregate everywhere. Such
places are known in advance and should be avoided by aircraft.
There is no practical way of removing them; attempts at destruc-
tion are useless as others will always come in to take the place
of those destroyed. One can only hope that in time birds will
learn to avoid aircraft, just as they do telegraph wires, automo-
biles, and other modern engines of destruction.
The greatest consideration in favour of birds, however, is that
these disadvantages are microscopic compared with the advantages.
3
*
To take only one case, the damage caused by rats ^nd similar
rodents to agricultural crops is several times that caused by
birds, and if birds are eliminated, the burden will become un-
bearable* It is estimated that in spitL of the activities of
birds, insects still succeed in destroying nearly 10$ of the #
-:ricultural produce of the U.S.A., and the value was placed by
Hinds in 1934 at $2500 million or at present day prices : r 10,000
million, It is interesting to recall that for the fiscal year
1962-63 President Kennedy has asked Congress to sanction „>53 >000
million for defence, and this is the biggest defence budget in
the world. For India the loss was estimated in 1921 as worth
■t Rsl#5 crores, and at present prices would amount to Rs?40 crores,
or nearly equal to the entire Revenue expenditure of the Govern-
ment of India • What those figures would be if insects were al-
lowed to multiply unchecked by birds, is something which staggers
the imagination. The people of France once in the 19th century
tried to live without birds, and then came to the conclusion that
'birds can live without man, but man cannot survive without birds'.
The story can be repeated so many times. The Australians found
the fishing on the River Murray deteriorating, ascribed this to
the Cormorants, and promptly destroyed cormorants in larfee num-
bers. The fishing got worse, and then it was found that along
with some fish, the cormorants destroyed large numbers of crabs,
eels, and other enemies of fish spawn. Their protective value
was far greater than their destructive. .
Let us for a moment try to picture a birdless world. It would be
a desolate wilderness, without a leaf on any tree, a flower any-
where, and in due course without a single plant growing. Agricul
-ture would become impossible and human life intolerable. Hordes
of catorpillars would immobilise our trains by committing mass
g suicide beneath locomotive wheels. Birds provide the best check
upon the multiplication of insects, as also upon rodents, small
mammals and obnoxious weeds. Y/ithout birds, the world would be
taken over by insects, and practically all other forms of life,
animal or plant, would become extinct. Indeed, one of the best
friends of Man in wild Nature are birds.
The trouble arises by considering species in isolation. No one
species can be considered apart from the fauna of which it
forms a part. There is a finely adjusted balance in Nature, in
which every single species has a vital role to play. Even a
seemingly injurious species cannot be eliminated without disturb
-ing this delicate balance and producing results disastrous to
Mankind, The vulture-like ladies who lobby for birds, arc doing
nothing more than giving Mr. Tins ley an elementary lesson in
self preservation, because bird life, as a whole is undoubtedly
beneficial to human interests in the highest degree,
(Mrs. ) J anal Ara
BIRDS IN LADAKH IN WINTER
A brief visit to Ladakh recently gave mo an opportunity to sec
some of the birds there in winter. Unfortunately work prevented
me doing any intensive observation but the following notes may
be of interest.
I reached Leh on December 15. It was a bright sunny morning with
a sprinkling of snow on the ground. The altitude of the saucer-
shaped valley at this point runs between 11,000 and 11,500 feet.
The ground is covered with fine beige dust. The few poplars and
willows were stark and bare, and the temperature was around
freezing, dropping at night to minus ten centigrade.
dU Magpies {Pica pica bactriana) scavenging around the town were
4
: 4 !
the most noticeable birds. They were very bold and only moved away
when they became conscious that undue interest was being taken in
them. There were large numbers of Carrion Crows (CoTyus cor one
orientalis ) , and flocks of House Sparrows ( Passer domes ticus par-
kin! ) . A "party of Turkestan Rock Pigeons (Columba rupostris) flew"
&in± ) . a party 01 rurKcstan kock ngeons (uoiumoa rupostris ;■
over, and frequently Lammorgoicrs ( Gy pact us barbat'us ) soared over
-head, I saw one Himalayan Griffon Vulture ( Gyps himalayonsis )
planing over the valley. An occasional solitary Tibetan Raven
( Corvus c prax ) hung around.
In the bare branches of the trees there were Kashmir Grey Tits
( Par us major caschmirenais ) , and the Robin Hedge Sparrow ( Prunel -
la rubcculoidcs ) « I saw one Guldenstadts Redstart ( Phocnicurus
crythrogastcr grand is ) with them. This beautiful bird, which re-
sembles the' \'Jhito capped Himalayan Redstart ( Chaimarrornis lcuco-
cephalus ) with the addition of white wing pat c he s , wa s a Is o i o b e
seen alongside the frozen Indus River southeast of Leh,
* ■>
I went by jeep for about 140 miles southeast along the Indus,
Some 30 miles from Leh the valley narrows to a gorge about 50
miles long, and by this time no trees are to be seen. There is
an occasional patch of coarse vegetation. The river was frozen
over, except for one point where vapour rose from a hot spring
in the river bed. On* a patch of clear water in the gorge I saw
a Moorhen ( Gallinula chloropus ) .
The gorge finally opens out into a broad desert plain. This is
a very arid area and despite the season and the cold there was
onl^ a light dusting of snow on surrounding mountains of 20,000
ft, or more. The river valley is about 15,000 ft, A huge dark
predator was tugging at some carrion, I should like to think it
was a Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetus hodgsoni ) , but we were un-
able to stop the jeep as we were ploughing through dust in four
wheel drive and I could not use my binoculars.
Ravens scavenged around Army camps in this barren area. The most
common bird, however, was the Shore Lark ( Eremophila alpestris
elwcsi), an attractive little lark with black nor ns , eneck pat-
ches, and breast band. With them were some Short-toed Larks
( Calandrclla acutirostris ) ". They flow past constantly as. I climb
-ed a hillside and were also feeding near an Army camp, although
it was difficult to see anything but dust,
I did not meet any birdwatchers among the Army there, but if
there arc one or two they would "be able to contribute a lot to
Indian ornithology since they arc likely to be resident in areas
where only occasional travellers have passed,
Peter Jackson
Reutcr, New Delhi
THE PHEASANT-TAIIED JACANA
My first serious expedition in "bird watching, shortly after
becoming a convert to this pastime was on a Sunday morning in
August last year when I went to see the Pheasant-tailed Jacana,
Mr, Scrrao of the Bombay Natural History Society kindly offered
to take me to a place where these birds could be seen, and we
motored out at about 10 a.m, along with Scrrao f s teenage niece
and my little son,
* - - - 5
Ve reached the Jacana 's habitat half an hour later, a lilv cover
the S^, a ^n° X ^ atCl r 30 ° yardS SqUarG out5idG ^ Win:/ near
tne t>ant a Cruz airport.
The tank is next to St. Mary's High School, and our appearance
n u t r ff d . an assorted collection of little boys to whom, it was
quite obvious, Serrao was both uncle and hero, S remarked they
were his henchmen and rendered valuable service, although bribcrv
and corruption in the shape of sweets helped to oil th<Twhecls.
With the help of a couple of thest y lads we unfastened a tin boat
which was shackled with an impressive chain and padlock to a post
ijnd launched it embarking as we did so like the Owl and the
Pussycat and a few more.
^°^^ n boat did not ins P irQ confidence but as we could all swim
it did not matter. Besides it was drizzling any way. I brooded a
trilie anxiously over my new binoculars.
We spotted the first Jacana almost immediately, about 30 y~rds
hTSi* ^a ^ r ? e to ? a11 vicwcd ^ though the binoculars, md-
dled and poled the tub in the direction of a clutch which Serrao
naa visited the previous week.
The nest., a floating pad of wild rice ( dev-bhat ) ,was neatly hid-
den among the reeds and consisted of nothing more than a few
reed pieces as lining, holding four coffee coloured eggs about
37 x 2Smm, A clutch has normally four eggs but sometimes my
ha '° ^Jfjy J 8 S ^- The colour ° f the eggs, Serrao told m/chan
-ges irom dark coffee or bronze when newly laid to bluish white
^st before they hatch, a matter of 26/27 days from the laying
oi tne iirst egg. ^
A hide had been constructed a dozen feet away from the nest but
?u v. 5 not brou snt a camera we decided to get a closer view of
the birds. We had now spotted three or four of them.
The- female Jacana is larger than the male, and has the last word.
Alter accepting a nest, and laying her eggs, she tells hubby to
take over and with a perfunctory goodbye flung over her shoulder
is oi i shopping -- for another husband. In her own way, though,
she serves the clan by laying as many eggs as possible— ouitc
5e?llghtE is 0b fIckle!° U C ° me t0 ^^ ° f tt ~ S ° d ° n0t diSMiSS
A large percentage of the eggs have a dim future cither ending
up inside hungry birds (the ubiquitous crow is one such frequent
and unwelcome visitor to the Jacana household) or at the bcGtom
?1 th ° lake .i f the eggs get dislodged from the nest as happens
Jj 6 ? l™ r ? X t VJ ™' Thi ? unfortunately did happen, Serrao told
me a few weeks later, to the clutch we inspected;
Mister Jacana has a higly developed sense of responsibility. Im-
mediately after his wife deserts him he forgets her, which is
just as well for him, and becomes an extremely devoted parent.
From a chap quite docile and humble when Missus was around he
turns into a resourceful and cunning fellow,
Serrao proved this by taking us to a secluded part of the t nk,
where he said there were some Jacana chicks. As we approached
the place (not without difficulty because paddling and poling
through the thickly growing reeds was tough work and brought to
mind Amundsen and others hemmed in by ice floes) Father Jacana
expressed his distress by exhibiting in rapid succession his
repertoire of tricks.
6
: 6 :
First it appeared he had a broken wing and was an easy prey to
a predator. When the ruse did not work he zigzagged off in all
directions like Leacock's horseman as though his young on
were anywhere but where we were heading. Failing to achieve his
purpose he next turned into a Viking and pretcntcd he meant to
dive bomb us. We thought then we would leave him in peace and
did so, father becoming placid and unconcerned the moment he saw
our interest lay elsewhere. We did not see the chicks whi^
were either hiding among the reeds or had submerged.
In another corner cf the tank we saw enacted the drama of the
eternal triangle. There is no escape from this even for Jacanas,
There were mock attacks and retreats. At times it looked too
as though the female was making a pretence of attacking one or
other of her suitors. It could be she was only trying to get
them to make up their minds. Quite clearly she thought three
was a crowd.
On the way back from the Jacana tank and at about 1 p.m. we
stopped on the Western Express Highway (which at the time and
I daresay even now, is a continuous chain of ghastly potholes)
opposite the Bandra East Housing Colony, about half a mile
from where the Highway meets the Mahim Causeway. In the marshes
there we thought we might see some waders.
First however we had to wade, ourselves, through an open sewer
between the Highway and the Housing Colony. The smelly, soupy
muck was nearly knee deep and although Serrao, a keen natural-
ist that he is, sloshed blithely through it, I was for a whole
squelchy minute acutely uncomfortable thinking of the millions
of microbes gambolling in my golf shoes. However, I was able
to put the thought of them out of my mind when I saw the teem-
ing bird life in the marshes.
We spotted Blackwinged Stilts, Common- and Spotted Sandpipers,
and Curlews; also a couple of Pied Mynas.
The return through the sewer wasn't half as bad as the first
time, and on the whole I felt it had been an extremely enjoy-
able morning's outing,
S. Ranganathan
MARCH
The month of March, is an interesting month in this part of the
country. We experience the return migration of birds from their
winter quarters in the more southern parts of peninsular Indi",
and possibly Ceylon as well. It is well that a keen fcirdwatc; r
should try to find time to be out with his binoculars and
notebook, in the field as often as possible. He will see many
interesting old friends who had passed him on their inward
migration after the monsoon, and he will now see these same
birds in their summer plumage, much brighter than ever; in
many cases their plumage will be quite unlike the autumn plum-
age, while some birds will still be partly moulting into their
nuptial fineries.
The Yellow Wagtails make a very active and beautiful show on
wet grass along river banks and in irrigated fields. There
are very large numbers around for a short time. This is the
time really to get binoculars trained on them, for now one
can identify them more readily. Large numbers of Tree Pipits
spend a few days around shady groves of trees quietly feeding on
the ground, and then suddenly one day they are gone* Also to be
seen in fair numbers are the Common Swallows and all of them are
beautiful in their glossy attire. The western and the eastern
races can now be readily made out by the amount of pi»k in the
lower plumage* By the end of the month almost all of them will
have gone, though a few will be met even later in the hot season.
In fact this swallow comes in rather early and stragglers will
put in an appearance in early August, Last year in this month,
we had a very strong migration of the Wirctailed Swallows, which
are generally supposed to be resident birds* It was quite obvious
by the large numbers which were around for a few days only, that
the augmented numbers where in reality passage migrants.
In gardens there is a sudden influx of Redbrcastcd Flycatchers,
the males looking very bright with their red shirt-fronts. They
arc recognizable by their clicking sounds and a single whistle
uttered at regular intervals interspersing the clicks. The sound
is very subdued and very likely to be overlooked unless one is
observant. It is surprising how common these little flycatchers
arc during this month. Redstarts are also around in greater num-
bers and the males arc wonderfully bright* It is interesting to
sec how very active these little birds are when they put in an
appearance for the winter and just before they depart for the
summer; they almost seem to be nervous about something and fly
from one perch to another very agitatedly and seldom give a good
view of themselves as they do in winter, when they hop around con
-fidently on the ground and often at a very close range at that.
Willow Warblers of various types .arc also proclaimed by thoir
sounds, and they too seem to be here for a few days and then they '
arc no more. They appear to arrive and depart in waves.
All the while, the resident birds are calling loudly, more so as
the. days become hotter and hotter — the Tailorbirds, Coppersmi-
ths, and the Koels. The Sunbirds have got half way through their
nesting and some of the males are already looking very delapidat-
ed after their glittering winter apparel. But they are still sing
-ing with great vigour and will do so through most of the early
part of summer, I am looking forward to the flowering of the Flame
of the Forest ( Butea monospcrma ) trees, when they will make a
flaming show against a blue sky and their flower-laden branches
will be thronged with Purple Sunbirds, bright green parakeets in
festive best and those most interesting of all little birds, the
White -eyes, which alas are not resident in this part of Saurashtra.
but spread out in winter from the breeding grounds in the Gir,
For a beginner there is nothing better than to keep a detailed
diary of the going on in the avian world, and sooner than expect-
ed, there will be quite a good amount of material at hand, and
it is only by looking at the familiar birds , that the rarer ones
will be met and of course immediately identified.
I have just received the very interesting KEY TO THE - WATERFOWL
OF THE WORLD, by Peter Scott, and reading about them, it reminds
me that With: the rising mercury, most of the duck will be moving
north. However, we have a fair number of Garganey Teal around well
into the summer and isolated parties cf the Common Teal h:
around even through the hot months, but these might well be wound
-ed. birds which are not in a position to undergo the long flight
north, Brahminy Duck very often stay on through March, but their
migration is not very ^ectacular, and their summer breeding
grounds are very close, just across the Himalayas on the Tibetan
lakes. Talking of Garganey Teal, I would like to record the fact
that we had for long considered these duck to be passage migrants,
but now after seeing them on some of the waters around Rajkot, I
have come to the conclusion that they winter with us, and are
quite common almost throughout the season, and again are the very
last to remain here in appreciable flocks. It is interesting to
note that they are partial to sewage waters and in this prefer-
ence* they have something in common with Shovellors. Both^these-
duck inhabit the dirty waters of the Aji River below the city.
In the open countryside, where the summer winds are now strong
and dust raising, though not hot, the Great Grey Shrikes will
be breeding, and their nests, which are deep well-constructed
cups of sticks, fibres, and very comfortably lined with all the
softest material to hand, are placed inside the thickest of ba-
bool trees; with them are the Large Grey Babblers in noisy par-
ties, very amorously inclined and rather garrulous. In tall fod-
der crops , the Indian V/ren Warblers will soon start thrilling in
a wheezy song preparatory to pair formation. In fact, .11 our
residential birds are now becoming active, and to the birdwatch-
er, summer with all its discomforts, is as rewarding as any of
the other periods of the year. No really, for the enthusiastic
naturalist every season is to be looked forward to; that is why
it is so very worthwhile to be fond of wild things.
K.S, Lavkumar
Rajkot
HOUSE SPARROWS AS SUBTENANTS
A pair of kites ( Ililvus migrans } used to build their nest in
banyan tree situated in a ship repair workshop. In the last few
years, increasing use of the tree for nest building is being
made by House Crows, Part of the nesting season of late kites
and early crows overlap's.
For various reasons the young kites used to die before being
able to fly. They were continuously harassed by crows for one
thing, and by body vermin for another. They also appeared to
suffer much from thirst in the hot months. One or other of the
parents had to keep a constant vigil against marauding crows .
In five years only one young kite grew up to fly away*
Last year the kites shifted their nesting site to the framework
of a water tank in an adjoining shipyard. The tank is supported
on long steel columns, with the usual diagonal and horizontal
bracings of angles. The nest was constructed in the topmost tier
of angles, against a vertical column at about 40 ft. from the
ground.
This year, the nest was repaired and the eggs laid, very early
in the cool weather. The two nestlings arc already (6th Fob.)
larger than House Crows and can be seen exercising their wings.
On the 11 of January, while observing the young kites, I noti-
ced a House Sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) flying straight into
the kite nest. The sparrow was joined by its mate which also
vanished under the kites * nest. Further observation proved
that the sparrows were carrying building material. With the
help of field glasses, it has now been ascertained that the
sparrows are nesting under and partly within the kites' nest.
The straw and grass of the sparrows < nest is wedged firmly in
the untidy overhanging lower sticks of the kites 1 nest, A
straw nest, at a height of 40 ft. from the ground and construct
-ed in any other corner of the tank truss is likely to be blown
away by the wind.
The sparrows seldom fly straight into the nest* They usually
perch on one of the steel diagonals and hop upwards to the
nest.
spend a few days around shady groves of trees quietly feeding on
the ground, and then suddenly one day they are gone. Also to be
seen in fair numbers are the Common Swallows and all-^rf them are
beautiful in their glossy attire. The western and the eastern
races can now be readily made out by the amount of pink in the
lower plumage. By the end of the month almost all of them will
have gone, though a few will be met even later in the hot season.
In fact this swallow comes in rather early and stragglers will
put in an appearance in early August. Last year in this month,
we had a very strong migration of the Wiretailod Swallows, which
are generally supposed to be resident birds * It was quite obvious
by the large numbers which were around for a few days only, that
the augmented numbers where in reality passage migrants.
In gardens there is a sudden influx of Redbreasted Flycatchers,
the males looking very bright with their red shirt-fronts. They
arc roc ogniz able by their clicking sounds and a single whistle
uttered at regular intervals interspersing the clicks. The sound
is very subdued and very likely to be overlooked unless one is
observant. It is surprising how common these little flycatchers
arc during this month. Redstarts are also around in greater num^
bers and the males are wonderfully bright. It is interesting to
sec how very active these little birds are when they put in an
appearance for "the winter and just before they depart for the
summer; they almost seem to be nervous about something and fly
from one perch to another very agitatedly and seldom give a good
view of themselves as they do in winter, when they hop around con
-fidently on the ground and often at a very close range at that.
Willow Warblers of various typos .are also proclaimed by their
sounds, and they too seem to be here for a few days and then they
arc no more. They appear to arrive and depart in waves.
All the while, the resident 'birds are calling loudly, more so as
the; days become hotter and hotter — the Tailorbirds, Coppersmi-
ths, and the Koels. The Sunbirds have got half way through their
nesting and some of the males are already looking very de lapidat-
ed after their glittering winter apparel. But they are still sing
-ing with great vigour and will do so through most of the early
part of summer, I am looking forward to the flowering of the Flame
of the Forest ( Butca monosperma ) trees, when they will make a
flaming show against a blue sky and their flower-laden branches
will be thronged with Purple Sunbirds, bright green parakeets in
festive best and those most interesting of all little birds, the
White-eyes, which alas are not resident in this part of Saurashtra,
but spread out in winter from the breeding grounds in the Gir,
For a beginner there is nothing better than to keep a detailed
diary of the going on in the avian world, and sooner than expect-
ed, there will be quite a good amount of material at hand, and
it is only by looking at the familiar birds , that the rarer ones
will be met and of course immediately identified.
I have just received the very interesting KEY TO THE WATERFOWL
OF THE WORLD, by Peter Scott, and reading about them, it reminds
me that With: the rising mercury, most of the duck will be moving
north. However, we have a fair number of Gargancy Teal around well
into the summer and isolated parties of the Common Teal hang
around even through the hot months, but these might well be wound
-cd. birds which are not in a position to undergo the long flight
north. Brahrainy Duck very often stay on through flare h, but their
migration is net very Spectacular, and their summer breodi
grounds are very close, just across the Himalayas on the Tibetan
lakes. Talking of Gargancy Teal, I would like to record the fact
that we had for long considered these duck to be passage migrants,
but now after seeing them on some of the waters around Ra jkot , I
have come to the conclusion that they winter with us, and are
quite common almost throughout the season, and again are the very
last to remain here in appreciable flocks. It is interesting to
note that they are partial to sewage waters and in this prefer-
ence* they have something in common with Shovcllors, Both these-
duck inhabit the dirty waters of the Aji River below the city.
In the open countryside, where the summer winds are now strong
and dust raising, though not hot, the Great Grey Shrikes will
be breeding, and their nests, which are deep well-constructed
cups of sticks, fibres, and very comfortably lined with all the
softest material to hand, are placed inside the thickest of ba-
bool trees j with them are the Large Grey Babblers in noisy par-
ties, very amorously inclined and rather garrulous. In tall fod-
der crops, the Indian Wren Warblers will soon start thrilling in
a wheezy song preparatory to pair formation. In fact, all our
residential birds are now becoming active, and to the birdwatch-
er, summer with all its discomforts, is as rewarding as any of
the other periods of the year. No really, for the enthusiastic
naturalist every season is to be looked forward to; that is why
it is so very worthwhile to be fond of wild things,
K.S, Lavkumar
Rajkot
HOUSE SPAMOwS AS SUBTENANTS
A pair of kites ( Hilvus migrans ) used to build their nest in
banyan tree situated in a ship repair workshop. In the last few
years, increasing use of the tree for nest building is be:
made by House Crows, Part of the nesting season of late kites
and early crows overlaps,
•
For various reasons the young kites used to die before being
able to fly. They were continuously harassed by crows for one
thing, and by body vermin for another. They also appeared to
suffer much from thirst in the hot months. One or other of the
parents had to ktop a constant vigil against marauding crows,
In five years only one young kite grew up to fly away.
Last year the kites shifted their nesting site to the framework
of a water tank in an adjoining shipyard. The tank is supported
on long steel columns, with the usual diagonal and horizontal
bracings of angles. The nest was constructed in the topmost tier
of angles, against a vertical column at about 40 ft. from the
ground.
This year, the nest was repaired and the eggs laid, very early
in the cool weather. The two nestlings are already (6th Feb,)
larger than House Crows and can be seen exercising their wings.
On the 11 of January, while observing the young kites, I noti-
ced a House Sparrow ( passer domesticus ) flying straight into
the kite nest. The sparrow '.was joined by its mate which also
vanished under the kites* nest. Further observation proved
that -the sparrows were carrying building material. With the
help of field glasses , it has now been ascertained that the
sparrows are nesting under and partly within ehe kites' nest.
The straw and grass of the sparrows *ncst is wedged firmly in
the untidy overhanging lower sticks of the kites 1 nest. A
straw nest, at a height of 40 ft, from the ground and construct
-ed in any other corner of the tank truss is likely to be blown
away by the wind.
The sparrows seldom fly straight into the nest. They usually
perch on one of the steel diagonals and hop upwards to the
nest.
V
%~
I wondered what would happen to the young sparrows, when thoy
start their flying lessons. The possibility of one of the kites
catching a young sparrow for breakfast, seemed likely. Now Liv-
ing seen how fast the young kites were 'developing it \p- 'rs
thut they will desert their nest and fly away before the young
sparrows venture out.
5i?2 ^ 1 ?K° r w StlnS t0 mcntlon «»* as many as eight crow fam
-ilics had the banyan tree to themselves for nesting last year,
Mochcr crows could hop off their nest, feed on banyan fruit and
™ *E • t° °??^ S t t ^ ng in a fcw minutes. Whenever the sun shone
on their beautiful blue eggs, the crows allowed the sun to keep
tne eggs warm and went around enjoying themselves.
S.V, Nilakanta
WHITE IBIS AND CATTLE EGAET IN ENGLAND
Since writing my note on the occurrence of the Houbara or Mac-
quocnts Bustard in Suffolk ( Newsletter for Birdwatchers , Vol, 3,
No. 1, p. 3), it occurred to me that, altEough the occurences
took place some time ago, it may be of interest to record ehc
appearance in England of two common Indian birds, namely the
White Ibis ( Threskiornis mclanocnphala ) and the Cattle Egret
(Bubulcus ibis ) . ~
The White Ibis stayed for a week on more at Grove Kerry, # miles
NE. of Canterbury in Kent, My friend and I must have been the
last birdwatchers to sec the bird, on the 27 August 1961, during
its stay in this country, to
We had just got to the marsh, which the bird had been frequent ing
when someone fired a shot, and all the birds on the marsh took
to wing, including the Ibis,
We watched it in flight for about ten minutes, as it flew around
at a considerable height and then disappeared into the distance
over some hills and was lost to view. As far as wo could ascer-
tain, this was the last that was seen of it. We were most disap-
pointed to have been denied the opportunity of seeing it oa the
ground and at close quarters.
It was evidently a juvenile bird, as the neck was feathered with
what appeared to be perfectly white feathers.
There is, of course, the possibility that the bird was one that
had escaped from captivity, but if the record is officially ac-
cepted it will -bo a new bird for the British List.
Three or four Cattle Egrets were seen on, or about, the 2? April
1962 by a farmer on his land, 3 or 4 miles NW. of Bognor Regis
m Sussex. The farmer, who was somewhat interested in birds,
realised that they were most uncommon in this country and that
• 2 u ^ ht ' in conSGC lucnec, to acquaint ornithological circles
with his discovery. He could have done no better than what he
did j which was to contact that very experienced and well-known
ornithologist, Major V/.W.A. Phillips, one of our readers, and
who was of course very familiar with the bird during many years
of residence in India and Ceylon. Major Phillips was thus the
* first person to identify the birds.
My friends and I had arranged to spend the 29th April bird watch
-ing with Major Phillips, always, incidentally, both an instruc-
tive and enjoyable experience, and were thrilled when he mot us
and gave us the khubba* that there was still one of the party
left; for us to see,
Apparently Cof -k- habar ( Hindi ) - news , - Ed % / , io
This wo lost jio tine in doing and were treated for about an hour
to excellent views of the bird both on the ground, feeding among
cattle and sheep, and in flight. Subs pec if ie identification, how-
ever, was not possible.
This is only the third occasion on which the species has been
seen in this country, the previous being in 1917*
Apropos of this subject of birds common to Britain and India,
Douglas Dewar discusses it in the first chapter of his charming
book BIRDS OF THE PLAINS, and in an Appendix lists 1&*. such
species. Since the time that Dewar was writing, data on the sub-
ject has accrued considerably, and in an idle moment or two of
browsing in the literature I increased the number to 200, and a
little research would doubtless advance it even farther,
S.K. Reeves
Surrey, England
REVIEW
BIRDS FROM BRITANNIA. By H.R.H, The Duke of Edinburgh, pp.
215, 59 plates. London, 1962, Longmans,
The first time the Duke of Edinburgh ever deliberately took i
photograph of a bird was while the * Britannia* was rounding
Cape Horn on the voyage back from Australia in 1956. The long
days at sea when* our only company were the seabirds of the
southern oceans' started a new interest in birdwatching as well
as bird photography, although 'needless to say not one of the
photographs I took on that leg of the journey is printable'*
Three years later, on a second almost round-the-world trip he
was taking pictures which were very printable indeed. This book
is a collection of the best photographs taken on these two
trips held together with an amusing commentary on the whole
trip.
The range of the two cruises covered the whole of the Southern
Hemisphere, from the tropics to the Antarctic islands* And it
is the pictures of the birds of the Antarctica — the penguins ,
the petrels, the ducks — which readers will find the most
fascinating in the book. There are comparatively few picture
of those birds in existence for the reason that there are a few
eople who have the chance to go to these places. Another won-
crful group are the pictures of the sea birds in flight, taken
from the deck of the yatch. These include the albatrosses, the
gulls, and terns, the boobies, the noddies, and the various
ducks. It was. indeed, mainly while the ship was moving that
the Duke of Edinburgh had the time to concentrate on birdwatch-
ing and photography. As soon as they touched land, the necessi-
ty for doing the chores which attached to his station cut into
the time he could devote to photography. Nevertheless, he did
manage to put in a couple of days of strenuous photography on
land as well, and this has added some fine pictures of tropical
birds.
The Duke of Edinburgh does not consider himself an ornithologist;
the last section oft he book written by Capt. G.S* Tuck, consists
of ornithological notes on the birds mentioned in the book. Com-
mander Hughes has done some very fine drawings to illustrate
these notes,
L.F.
11
: 11 :
KOTES AND COMMENTS
The Calls of Bird*
With the approach of March birds have started to sing.
The Iorafe long drawn whistle (one full octave according to
Vihistlcr), the Golden Oriole's rich tri-syllabic notes, the
dainty 13 -note song of the Spotted Fantail Flycatcher, the
steady outpourings of the Magpie Robin, the vivacious twitter-
ing of Sunbirds, the unending towit , towit of Tailor Birds, and
the forceful teen ■ o e en , t e en of Ashy Wren warblers add a new
pleasure to a stroll" in the garden. Latterly a Large Cuckoo
Shrike has been seen arour.a, I do not recall seeing this bird
here before. Its call 5s ."oud and piercing — a double note the
second higher than the first — and can be heard distinctly
from about 200 yards away<
Describing bird calls is a most difficult business. Crows and
kites are easy to deal with caw, caw , and c hoc -e e l , c he c -c c 1 .
But other sotinds are not easy to convey by words unless one
hits upon a phrase which catches the accents correctly like
Did he do it ? for the L4j ing, and Crossword puzzle of the
Indian Cuckoo, Hot; can one describe the pleasing and sustained
singing of the Magpie Robin? Would any of our readers try and
make the attempt? Ornithologists so far have not been too suc-
cessful in dealing with this problem. The tabulation bulow
shows the manner in which CJalira Ali and Hugh Whistler have des
-cribed the calls .e cf our birds.
Common Iora
Redvented
Bulbul
Purple rum ped
Sunbird
Golden Oriole
histler
A long drawn wail
w:-o-c> , - 1 with
a suudcri crop of
an octave rn the
last syllable
I re is something
extremely cheerful
and 'attractive about
the voice cf a Bul-
bul, though he has
only one or two call
notes and r:o song.
The call is a feeble
shrill sort of chirp
easily distinguish-
able rroia *he louder
call of the Purple
Sunbird,
, . , loud mellow whis
wi'.cl-a- vo -S one of
trie pleasant est and
cost far:'.? ' ar of In
-dian bird sounds,
, . r There is, in addi
-tion; a faint but
very sweet and plain
-tire so:. • though
,ta very faint-
Salim Ali
Sweet long drawn musical
whistle and short chirrups,
Its Hindi name Sheubecgi
is onomomotopocic •
Has no song as such but
its joyous notes * ■ .
make it a welcome visitor
to every garden,
The male sings excitedly
tity cu, -citycu ,
t i t y cu t r r -r - r-r -tit and
so on.
A harsh c he can and clear
fluty v/hi sties something
like p_Qglolo *
r.e js it
known.
is little
12
Whistler
Magpie Robia Cock bird ... pours
out hi? delicious
Gong,
-lim All
During ncn-brccding sea-
son thr ' male utters
plaintive; s wee -c o and a
harsh chur-r t During
brecdir:^ season male
sings lustily.
*
*
*
:!:
Need Tor an 'Abstract section in our Newsletter
Some rs have suggested that it would be desirable to have
a sect:. re gleanings from various bird - .^a zincs are pre-
sented in a condensed form. This could be done if members make
it a it to send in notes cf interesting matter which they
come acre 3 a. Each abstract can be just a 100-150 word*? and its
main purpose should be to draw attention to the original arti-
cle.
start with this, The Ring for November 1962 conta:
cle by the Editor on the longevity of birds, To cc
To make a auaru wxuri cms, ; xor November lyoii contains
an article by the Editor on"THe'*Iongevity of birds, To cone to
correct conclusions about the age of wild bards is understand-
ably a difficult problem. But recoveries of ringed birds make
it possible to come to some definite conclusions, It is ouit
surprising how long some birds livej a few are reproduced here:
Are area : Grey Heron ♦ ..
^nas platyffiynchos : Mallard
But c feutc 5 : C 5 i - - 3uz z ar d
PanoL I laetus : Osprcy , , ,
Fa an cu ius : Kestrel , , .
got ; eoturnix : rsmmon Quail ,.,
Hal 3 es l rale ^u: : Ovster catcher
Ca^e'T 'j iirago fT-Snipe
^^iri_ rquata : Curlew ♦,,
la-' 6undus : Blackheaded Gull
Hirur. liica : Condon Swallow ,,,
Kotac " ale a" : Ihite Wagtail , , ,
jtvLi, /'-' useus ": Rosy Pastor ,,,
1 demo; icus ; House Sparrow
24 yrs 6 months
20
1
23
9
20
11
2
n
6
z£
c
n
2
31
6
30
3
11
b
11
$
1
25 -
20
12
2k
9
25
21
12
IB
2
24
s>-
C CORRESPONDENCE
Newslct. _ ' . for Bi rdv-^-.chers Vol, 3. No. 2, Feb 1963
1, He -j exciting it must be for a birdwatcher and for shika-
ris tc able to hear the challenging call of the Painted Par
-tridgo for the first time in the grass ef Etajasthan, There is
little doubt that the recording of this f rankclin from Rajasthan
means a spread of the species as claimed by Mr. 3.C. Sharma, as
had this bird been originally in the area it *ould have not
been missed in a Sta;e where shikar was on the daily itinerary
of people who mattered It might be interesting to enquire if
the Black Partridge which replaces this species in North India
is also found side by side,
I } .ravelled several times along the metru gauge line
from c Delhi and have noted a rather extensive a:
of verj interesting grass -cove red hills between Mt, Abu and
Erinpura, where there is the new irrigation " f ^rks. Was this
area ever the original home of pic t us ? It is a very suitable
c our..
3 m m « • 13
. J»>
2, Capt, N,S. Tyabji has really provided a very interesting
sketch of the territory of a breeding pair of L anius vittatus .
The area occupied by the pair i. \-i was it so restricted because
of other pairs holding lease oi adjacent lots, or docs this
represent the saturation maximum required by the pair? v.'e could
well follow up this interesting study with the same species
in other parts of the country as this shrike is a very charming
bird and is quite a conspicuous personality.. I might suggest
marking them with various dyes so as to make them more recogni*
sable* and here is a very simple method of trapping a required
bird. I have done it myself. Two strips of cane, tied cross-wise,
and bent to form a raised fram should hold a cricket dangled
in the centro by a fine string- The ends of the »legs ' .re to
be smeared by semi-hardened lnt x of the p i pal ( Ficus religiosa ) ,
This contraption is to be placed in an open space in full view
of the desired bird and without fail the keen-eyed hunter will
fly down for the kicking insect and get entangled. After remov-
ing it, the feathers should be carefully cleaned with a little
spirit. The white breast could :e daubed with some gay colour,
and the bird released. The entire operation needs to be done
with respect for the curved ti > of the shrikean beak. Shrikes
know how to use their beaks i
3» Could the East African Navural History Society let us know
at what stage in the life of tfco young flamingos did thuy put
the rings on? In the Rann of Kv.tch, the possibilities are great,
but in the running stage there is but a most ignominious ly muddy
future for the prospective banc" or of running chicks. The results
are not worth the breath and m uing loss of good clothing I
4* The snipe seems to cause t uch comment whenever it turns up,
and readers of the back number:, of the Journal of the Bombay nat,
H is t . Soc , will no doubt have ? sad many notes' on snipe reeding
In 'bhe -open and the like. Snipe are really quite common in win-
ter, but their habitat and the: Lr wonderful camouflage render
them invisible to all but those who 'seek their destruction* ,
and for that matter to those lil:e the humble birdwatchers who
certainly do not entertain anything but the best pf regards for
the dimbu. It is indeed astounding how few people have ever
seen so gorgeous a bird as the olden Oriole, though it enhan-
ces its colours by loud and di .inctivc calls both attractive
as well as harsh. What chance 1 on a snipe which courts seclu-
sion?
K *S . Lavkumar
* # * *
Wagtail and Swallow Roosts in C .leutta
I had been to the Salt Lake wit . my colleagues in search of
a wagtail roost on Monday, the ch February. We located a very
big wagtail roost and a Swallov ( Hirundo rustica ) roosts. Wag-
tails were in thousands and the Swallows in hundreds! Bo btL the
roosts are in the same reeds standing in 2 to 5 ft. depth of
water, side by side.
P.V. George
/fcaders' attention is draw, to the article Wagtail Roost
in Kerala, in Vol, 2(4) , April >-962, issue of the Newsletter .
— ToT7
* $ •;- ; : ;
14
: 14 :
Bird News from Delhi
^
On 3 February wc had gone out birding. ... This was enc of our
rare Birdwatching Society 's trips. Capt. Tyabji was there with
four other men. Wc saw a lot cf birds including nine flamingos-,
a solitary pelican, a lone sui curlew, and one Imperial Sand-
grouse. ... Robert Fleming (Dr. Fleming's son) is coming to
Mussoorio to teach biology. Ho is doing his Ph.D. on the Whist-
ling Thrush. He will be coming to Delhi too.
(Mrs.) Usha Ganguli
Zafar Futchally
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwatchers
32A Juhu Lano
Andheri, Bombay 53
R e m i n d e r
Readers are requested to send in their subscription for the
current year if they have already not done so.
imr
<~
■
editorial board
Dr. Salim All. F.N.I..
33 Pali Hill, Bandra, Bombay 50
K. S. Lavkumar,
Raj ku mar College, Rajkot
Dr. R. M. Nalk.
M, S. University, Baroda
Mrs, Usha Gangull,
10 Cavalry Lints. Delhi 6
Mrs. Jamal Ara,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda, Hinoo P.O., Ranchi, Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avari,
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Darjeeling
Dr. Biswamoy Biswas,
Indian Museum, Zoological Survey of India,
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan,,
Mtena Nivas, Ambattupalayam,
Chittur- Cochin (Kerala)
i
I BWSl I TTER
MR It I R II t\ \ T T II H It N
ViIum WW 4pril
I
NEWSLETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol* 3, No, 4
April 1963
CONTENTS
Birds around Bombay : A Visitor's Impressions. By
Jasper Newsome . . ,,
The Calls of young Cuckoos, By Joseph George
The Great Indian Buatard, in Rajasthan Desert, By
Ishwar Prakash, and Pulak K. Ghosh ••
Extraordinary Courtship (?) of the House Sparrow,
By Dr. Wilbur G, Downs
The Wryneck, Jynx tor qui 11a . By Mrs, Usha Ganguli
The Birds of Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra. By
P.W, Soman ••
Bird Notes from Saurashtra, Gujarat, By K,S* Lav-
kumar • •
Review; THE CRY OF A BIRD. \ (H.H.W. Wake)
Notes and Comments
Correspondence
Page
1
3
5
5
6
11
]
13
14
BIRDS AROUND BOMBAY : A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS
For a birdwatcher coming from England, to step off a boat at
Bombay is twice as exciting as it must be for an ordinary visi-
tor. Not only has one entered a completely new human world, but
also a complete new world full of wonderful new birds*
At first all one can do is to sink low in the scale of ornitho-
logists to become what we call a 'tick hunter' or maniac tally-
list increaser. And this is what happened to me,
Just for tht record, the first bird I saw was completely new to
me was your redoubtable House Crow, After that I saw only Pariah
Kites and Blackheaded Gulls, both of which we have in Europe,
until I reached Andheri, where I saw about ten new species
without moving from a comfortable chair in the editor's garden.
In the heat (your winter is hot to us) I fell asleep for a fe*
minutes, to be awoken by a Koel with its loud and abruptly ris-
ing call, I rose abruptly too, and stared at this no doubt tc
you a common garden bird, with great interest as it moved thr
ugh the branches of a mango tree, and then ticked it on my liijt
Among the ten birds I saw were the Whitebacked Vulture and t
Magpie Robin, which was tuning up for its summer song.
The first full day in this country produced 47 new species, tfu
went north of the city into the fertile vegetable-growing art
where there was a great variety of habitat ranging from aquati;
to heavy scrubland. Near the water we saw Large Egrets, Pond
Herons, and the Gullbilled Tern, a species that occurs occasion
-ally in England, is known to have bred once, and is otherwise
quite widely distributed in Europe, A most interesting and
beautiful water bird is the Whitebreasted Kingfisher, which at
first I could only hear calling, but later I caught a glimpse
as it flashed past us. We only have one species of kingfisher
in Europe, the Common Kingfisher ( Alcedp a tt his ) which apart
from being a larger race, is identical to" the Common Kingfisher
here. Our Kingfisher is well known at home as England's most
colourful bird. That is a notable difference between the Indian
avifauna and ours : there are far more species of very brightly
coloured birds here, Besides the Kingfisher there is not one
other brightly coloured bird that is at all common. Such colour
-ful birds as the Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Golden Oriole, and the
Roller are only rare visitors, or at the best scarce annually
occurring species.
Moving off from the water* s edge we walked through small fields
and amongst thick scrub, V.'e had soon seen a fair variety of
species: both the Bay- and Rufousbacked Shrikes, the former
was already singing well. There were numerous small birds skulk
-ing about in the cover, and amongst those identified were
Franklin's Wren Warbler and the Whitebacked Munia.
In the open country we saw several species of the type of bird
that one invariably sees on the ground, moving about between
the grass and stones and which usually present quite a problem
to the uninitiated because as well as frequently vanishing from
sight behind some object, they ^are nearly always very similar-
ly plumaged, being a nondescript collection of brown and grey
streaks and mottles, But notwithstanding these obstacles we
managed to see two species of larks, and the more easily iden-
tified Blackbellied Finch-Lark;
In the trees of the thicker part of the cover, we picked out
half a dozen or so species of small birds that quickly became
members of unfortunate clan on my liie-list e Amongst them were
Flower-peckers of two species, two more wren -warblers, the
beautiful Iora and some bulbuls. Unfortunately, I only managed
to see the Redvented clearly, but a few days later I saw the
Whit ebr owed and Redwhiskered in the jungle around the lakes in
the National Park,
A morning at the National Park was a great success. We saw an
Os prey, some Blackwinged Stilts, a Greenshank, some Common
Sandpipers, endless Little Cormorants, which were new to me,
and several species of egret and heron.
In the jungle round the lake we saw over twenty species, among
the more Interesting ones new to me were the Tree Pie, Large
Cuckoo-Shrike, Wood Shrike, and the fabulous Racket-tailed
Drongo, My first meeting with this wonderful and exotic bird
will certainly remain amonst the gallery of more significant
experiences in my bird-watching life, in the company of such
beautiful birds as the Avocet and such striking birds as our
Eagle Owl #
But the editor's garden still had treats in store for me* There
I saw two birds which for a visitor are most interesting, and
they were the superb Paradise Flycatcher, which even though
a female was wonderful to see, and the Crimsonbreasted Bar bet
sitting in a tree, singing its coppersmith's song.
The total of over 60 new species that I saw in less than a week
round Bombay are a mere nothing in terms of the numbers of new
: 3 :
i
birds that I hope to see while at the migration camp at Bharat-
pur and in the far noroh, where I hope to go before returning
to our drab, but nevertheless rewarding collection of Europ
birds* .^ r
J as per *N ews ome
THE CALLS OF YOUNG CUCKOOS
Young cuckoos of four different species were seen in New Forest
Dehra Dun, every summer. They were the Koel, the Common Hawk-
Cuckoo, the Pied Crested Cuckoo, and the Indian Cuckoo, Crows
were the fosterers for the first, and Jungle Babblers for the
second and third. The calls of the fledgeling cuckoos, as they
followed their foster parents, were a poor imitation of the calls
°Ji t % latter » Tne calls were also similar to, but distinguish-
able from the calls of the legit imate young ox the fosterers
themselves.
The Black Drongo was the only bird seen fostering the Indian
Cuckoo for several years. In I960 and again in 1961 one young
bird was seen fostered by Goidcn Orioles while two or three
others were, as usual, fostered by Black Drongos. The call of
the Drong-reared Indian Cuckoo was, as was to fee expected, no
or less the same as the call of young Drongos, But contrary to
what might have been expected, the Oriole-reared Indian Cuckr .
also called the same call as Drongo-reared Indian Cuckoos,
only noticeable difference was that the 'Oriole Indian Cuckoos*
sounded more musical than 'Drongo Indian Cuckoos'. Their calls
were not similar to the calls of either adult or young Oric
Because there were young Orioles and both Drong- and Oriolc-r :r
-ed Indian Cuckoos not far from each other at the same time in
New Forest, it was possible to go from one to another and comp
the calls within a. few minutes of each other. Nevertheless, I
should like my observations to be confirmed by birdwatchers in
Dehra Dun and other suitable places,
If I am not mistaken in my observations, they raise some inter-
esting questions. Were the 'Oriole Indian Cuckoos' really the
descendants of 'Drongo Indian Cuckoos ' who laid their eggs in
Orioles' nests because suitable nests of Drongos were not avail-
able? Do young Indian Cuckoos, 'know' their fledgeling calls and
do not have to learn from their foster parents? /Obviously ail
cuckoos 'know' their adult calls without being taught # 7 Are fchi
calls of young birds influenced by the sounds around them, for
instance their foster parents' calls? Are the Orioles not parti
-cular how 'their' young one called? How did they recognize the
young Indian Cuckoo as 'theirs » even after it had left their
nest? And so on.
Perhaps the answers are already known for some of these questions
Joseph George
■ ■ Central Building Research Institute,
Roorkee, U.P,
* * # $
m » * m
A : 4 :
THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD IN RAJASTHAN DESERT
Some more information has been gathered regarding the occurren
-ce of the go dawa n or the Great Indian Bustard, Choriotes nigri -
ceps , in the desert area of south-western Rajasthan, between
Jaisalmer and Barmer, since our last report on this bird in the
October 1962 issue of the Newsletter ,
During our survey, we were told about a century-old proverb,
viz# g oda wan -ka -g od (the repentance of the Great Indian Bustard)
prevalent in the Pokaran-Jaisalmer area. The proverb owes its
origin to the commonly held belief that extreme thirst in the
hot summer months in the desert leads these birds to break open
their own eggs, usually laid in May-June, and to drink the con-
tents only to repent later in the rainy season that with so
much water all around, they had to destroy their own eggs for
quenching thirst. Its deep, doleful ho onks during the monsoon
rend the desert air and the villagers fondly take it as an
expression of their self-pity. We have not got any evidence of
the birds actually consuming their egg-contents, but the wide-
spread popularity of the proverb makes one inclined to check
the truth behind it, because if the proverb were found to be
backed by facts then self-destruction of eggs might be the one
single major factor in the great reduction of population of
this species.
There has been some criticism ( Hows letter 3(1) :3-4) about our
mentioning the names of localities where the godawans are seen
in numbers on the plea that poachers are likely to take advan-
tage of this information printed in the* Newsletter . Educated
shikaris who arc likely to take advantage of the reports in
the Newsletter are invariably conscious of the dwindling popu-
lation oi this bird and of the necessity to preserve as many
of them as possible. Moreover, it is extremely difficult for
anyone to search for this bird in the difficult terrain of the
desert. It is the illiterate poachers who are a real menace to
these birds. In any case, the information given by us would be
superfluous for the illiterate poacher who is a keen naturalist
and knows a good deal about the local fauna. What allures him
to go for the go da wan is the amount of meat he gets from the
bird per shot he fires. Being a man of slender means, he would
hesitate to try his gun powder and shots on a partridge, or a
sandgrouse, or even on a hare. It nicely suits him to bag a
chinkara, or a blackbuck, or a godawan with one shot of his
muzzle-loader, Such illiterate poachers are plentiful in the
desert and they roam about in their search for game, complete-
ly unmindful of the damage they are doing to the animal and
bird wealth of our country by their indiscriminate shooting.
It is not rare to come across a poacher in the heart of the
desert who claims a bag of a score of godawans to his credit.
It is our misfortune that our illiterate masses are completely
unaware of the necessity of preserving at least our vanishing
wildlife,
Ishwar Prakash, and
Pulak K. Ghosh
« - Special Animal Studies Division,
Central Arid Zone Research Institute $ Jodhpur
. : 5 ■
EXTRAORDI" HIP .?) OF THE HOUSE SPARROW
Noting in the February 1963 letter for Birdwatchers — yc
request for information on.tl 1 case Sparrow — T send you th
following notes en unusual . iour observed at Pine Ore hard ,
Connecticut, April 22, 196*;*
At 3 a.m. in a small tree just outside my house, I noted a female
Passer d. doroesticu s , a cosmor. bird hereabouts, on a branchlct
lO reet above the ground, holding something quite large in her
beak, I thought it v/aa .a mouse, out on looking more closely, saw
that she held a mals House Sparrow by one or two feathers of the
crown of its heai la dangling down quite limply, I thought
the male was dead, rhrt watched the almost motionless scene i
over a minute* Some weak movements of the male were seen, and I
thought it had been injured. For another full minute the birds
remained thus, and my curiosity overcame my desire to wait out
the performance, Kb on I got about 6 feet away, the male suddenly
»came to life* and fi< i\ followed by the female.
By April 22, sparrows '"■.re commonly observed courting, and possi-
bly this was a courtship performance, which by some unusual fli
developed into -~ onusual variation.
Dr a Wilbur G. Downs
10 Ilalstead Lane, Pine Orchard,
Conn,, U.S.A.
# * * *
[ , JTJ1 TORQUILLA -
I am grateful to ;.lr e Reeves of Surrey for trying to throw s.
light on the racial differences ot Jynx torquilla mentioned in
my article of th . ime nan i
^nx torquilla hliraJ Loned in Ripley's A SYNOPSIS
THE BIftDb ' ' M in the Addenda as *797a.
jynx tor qu i 11 Lurie (1959, Amer. Mus. Novit. No,
Wo, lyo^-yj . O Valley, Kashmir*). Range: Breeds
in W, Pakistan and India arram Valley (?) to Chitral,
Gilgit and Kashmir; i . I* 1
My young friend Julian Donahue has just sent me a copy of
Vaurie's origin r mentlo ned above in which he describes
all the seven 3ut les of jyr:--. torquilla together with photo-
graphs. I realf that the pj'xnts of difference which appeared
significant were really ur it«
I am quoting Vaurie for M .ription. of Jynx torquilla
himalayana a new subspecies.
'Diagnoses: Differs from all other races of the species by being
more vermiculaied, rather than spotted on the lower breast, ab-
domen and flanks .'The markings are broader, less sagittate in
shape, and ten to. coalesce with the result that the abdomen
appears to be ' an spotted.
•Measurements: tfing length - adult males #1 (type), 32, 34,
Adult females, 30, 63.
' Discus si on - ' hinalayana ' resembles f chin ens is f in coloration
abpve, being greyish as in the latter ,~ less 'rufous than * .japon -
ca T but is somewhat more be Idly marked with black on the nape,
"Back, scapulars and inner secondaries than r chinensis T . The
ground colorr of the under parts averages slightly darker than
in r j aponic a T and is more uniform than in the latter or in the
other races, showing less contrast between the color of the
throat and that of the abdomen, *
Julian, who collected a specimen in Delhi, should be able to
say if it belonged to this subspecies.
Incidentally, I may correct a statement in that article* I
claimed that 17th April was the latest date for Jynx torquilla
in Delhi * I found later that Sir N,F, Frome had seen one on
23rd April, His earliest date for it was 8th August (N.F.
Frome, Birds of Delhi and District, J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc .
47(2), December 1947.
(Mrs.) Usha Ganguli
$ $ # #
THE BIRDS OF RaTNaGIRI DISTRICT s MaHARaSHTKA
Ratnagiri District is a hilly country lying between Bombay and
Goa on the west coast of India, with a heavy rainfall* To its
east stand the Western Ghats, and the Arabian Sea is its wes*
tern boundary. The Arabian Sea has many tidal creeks intercept
-ing this District at many points forming a network of water-
ways. The forest of this District is of a scmi-evorgrccn type
with scrub jungles on the open tops of the rocky hills, inter
-spersed by villages and cultivated fields at many places.
Betel and coconut palms, jak fruit trees, mango orchards, cas-
hew trees, etc, are the main plantations, *Ain T ( Tcrminalia
tomentosa), 'Kinjal' (T, paniculata ) , 'Khair 1 ( Acacia catechu) ,
"Ttuda*' ( flo&arrhena antTHy sent eric 57 t T Kajra» ( Strychnos nux-
yomica ), 'Karvanda f ""T ^arissa carandas ), etc, arc the natural-
ly growing trees and shrubs in the jungles, while the sides
of the creeks are covered with mangrove patches. The geogra-
phical situation, the natural vegetation, and plantations
make this District attractive for birds of many types.
During my 12 [days* stay in the area I could sec as many, as
130 species of birds within a radius of 15 miles. They are
listed below with their common English and Marathi names, to-
gether with their status wherever possible.
Corvus splendens : House Crow, Mar, son kawla , Common in and
a r ound villages
Corvus macrorhyncus : Jungle Crow, Mar, dom kawla. Status as
above,
Dendrocitta vagabunda : Tree Pie, Mar, ? . Pair 3 in betel and
coconut 'plantations , and mango orchards,
Parua xanthogenys : Ye 11 owe he eked Tit* Often seen near jun-
Hies and houses,
Turdoides striatus : Jungle Babbler, Liar, chamhar. Common
all over in Hocks of 5 to 30,
Dumetia hyperithra : Rufousbellied Babbler, Occasionally seen
in Hocks of 5 to 10 in jungles only,
Aegithinia tiphia : Indian Iora, Mar. shil pakhru . Common
all over, jumping from branch to branch collecting insects,
Ohloropsis aurif rons : Goldfrontcd Chloropsis, Common on
the flowering trees feeding on insects too *
Pycnonotus cafer: Redventcd Buiibul, Mar, kala bolanda , Com-
mon throughout the area
Pycnonotus jocosus : Redwhiskercd Bulbul, Mar, Bolanda , As
above,
7
Pycnonotus lut solus : Whit obr owed Bulbul, Seen twice near
village, '
Phocnicurus ochruros : Redstart, Winter visitor; seen once.
Saxicolcides"~Tulicata : Indian Robin. Very common on Ih ills;
co&tly in pa irs
Copsychus saularis ; Magpie Robin, Very common all over J al-
ways in pairs
Erithacus syecicus : Bluethroat, Common in mangrove patches
Turd us moru la: Blackbird, Common in the orchards; very tame
Zoothera citrina : Whit ethr oat ed Ground Thrush, Common in
" sha'dy "or c hards ; 3 to 5 per orchard
Monti cola solitaria : Blue Rock Thrush, Seen once by the side
Bl:xxx£x£XlmafcjExx2&x££fluc of the seashore.
My io phone us horsf icldi : Malabar Whistling Thrush, Seen once
by, the side of a freshwater stream,
Muscicapa tlckelliae : Tickell»s Blue Flycatcher, Very common
in -the shady places and heard commonly amongst bushes.
Turps iphone paradisi : Paradise Flycatcher: Commoner than
House Sparrow around houses. Both phases seen together,
Muscicapa parva: Redbreasted Flycatcher, Seen often but i
lated.
Monarcha a2urea : Blacknaped Blue Flycatcher, Common in t
jungle but isolated in this season.
Rhipidura albogularis : Whitespotted Fantail Flycatcher: Mar,
nnavi Jmeaning bar bar) known so for its chap-chap call.
Common all over in thick bushes and mangroves,
Lanius y it at us t Baybacked Shrike, Common but lesser than
s'chaoh' ,
Lanius collurio: Redbacked Shrike, Seen only one tailless
individual in a bamboo clump.
Lanius schach : Rufous backed Shrike, Common in the opene coun
-try or harvested fields sitting on a stump
Tephrodornis pondiccrianus : Common Wood Shrike, Met often in
the high mango trees or jak fruit trees
Fericrocotus f lammeus : Scarlet Minivet, Met often but lesser
than cinnamomeus
Fericrocotus cinnamomeus : Large Cuckoo Shrike, Mar, rani
pdkhru * Common all over in a flock of five to eight,
Coracina novaehollandiae : Large Cuckoo Shrike, Visitor mov-
ing isolated; seen and heard many times near the villages
and jungles ,
Dicrurus adsimilis : King Crow or Black Drongo, Mar. govind ,
Common and the only drongo seen in the area.
Orthotonus sutorius; Tailor Bird. Mar, shimpi pakshi . Common
like all over the other parts
Prinia gracilis : Franklin's Wren Warbler. Only Wren Warbler
seen commonly in the open fields and jungles.
Or i olus oriolus : Golden Oriole. Mar, haldya . Rare to find;
seen only thrice,
Oriolus x ant nor mis : Blackheaded Oriole, Mar. kaladok haldya ,
Very 'common all' over the area.
Acridothorcs fuscus : Jungle Myna. Mar. salunki. As common
common myna in the city, the only myna seen m the area,
Ploceus phillppinus t Common Weaver Bird. Mar. sugrin . Seen
in Hocks in winter plumage, nests on coconut palms are
common sight,
Lonchura striata: Whitebacked Munia, Mar, kali chimni , C<
monly seen in flocks of five to ten; found feeding on
ground near houses.
Petronia xanthocollis : Yellowthroated Sparrow. Restricted
to areas in flocks of 5 to 10. (House Sparrow not met.)
Hi ru n d p dauricaj Hedrumped Swallow, Common near water and
on t'he creeks
Hirundo smithi: Wiretailed Swallow, Same as above
g
* : 9 i
Motacilla caspica: Grey Wagtail. Mar, Dhabi . Isolated birds on
open grounds and in the harvested fields near water or in the
summer crop fields*
Motacilla c ltrcola : Yollowhcaded Wagtail. Mar. dhobi. Common in
the summer crop fields,
Motacilla alba : White V/agtail. Mar. dhobi . Single." v birds seen
near water and in open patches near water.
Anthus cam pestris ; Tawny Pipit. Common on the rocky open tope
oi" th cHFTiJJLs .
Galcrida malabarlca: Malabar Crested Lark. Mar, bhatuk . Very
common in the open country alone with pipits.
Ammomanes phoon.ici irus i Rufous tailed Finch LarkL Ifoxx xira*x:d:i:ia; jtx
Seen occasionally by the seaside and on the dusty roads.
Eromoptcrix, grisea : Blackbellied Finch Lark. Mar. kala bhatuk .
Coomon on the sea shores and in the open country, or in har-
vested fields,
Ncctarinia a^iatica: Purple Sunbird. Mar. madh pakshi . Occasion
-ally seen on drumstick, and cashew trees which were in flower c
Ncctarinia r eylanica: Purplerumpcd Sunbird, Mar, madh pakhru.
The most con^on sunbird of the area often seen on flowering
trees,
Ncctarinia loj as Loten's Sunbird. Mar, same as above. Often
seen feeding on spiders and flying insects, as well as on
nectar •
Dicaeum crytJ-rorhynchos : Tickell»s Flowcrpecker. Very common
bird on the mango trees feeding on the nectar and berries
Lonanthus ,
Dicaaum agile : Thickbillod Flowcrpecker, Common on fig trees
reeding on g.jc smalls r berries, and insects, in it.
Dendrocopos mahrattonsis : Mahrata Woodpecker. Mar. sutar. Coma<
in mango orchards and bamboo clumps.
Dinopium lior:^!.;jIioais ; Golden Woodpecker. Mar. soneri sutar.
Common on coconut palms having holes in series on a tree.,
Micropternus brachyurus: Hufous Woodpecker. Mar. kharba sutr.r
As common as the Mahrata Woodpecker in the jungles, plSnta- "
tions,, and near the villages too. Very tame to observe at
few feet distance.
Megalaima haemacephala : Coppersmith. Mar. tambat . Very common
on the f'igV" banyan, pipul or such fruiting trees, along wi
the following, in company with Koels,
M eg alaima scvJ onica t Large Green Barbet. Mar. cuckda . Very cc;:-
'" mbn' in "the company of all aitHiHKfi mentioned in the preccdij.
species,
Eudynamys scolopacea: Koel. Mar. kokil. As like the barbet s
a pair or two. at a time in a tree. One young one being fed
House Crows was also seen.
: y :
Centropus sinensis : Crow-Pheasant. Mar. tupia , or bharadwaj ,
Commoniy seen in a pair in the bushes but not more than two
pairs in the area*
Psittacula krameri: Roseringed Parakeet, Mar. popat . Common on
iruiting trees , In flocks of four to ten.
Psittacula cyanocephala: Blossonheaded Parakeet. Mar. karta
po j pa t_ t Status same as above «
Lor i cuius vernalis : Lorikeet. "More common that the two precec -
mg species. Seen everywhere.
Coracias benghalensis : Roller, or Blue Jay. One 'seen often ^.t
the same place ' on a dry tree amongst the harvested fields.
Not seen anywhere else*
Merops oriental Is : Common Green Bee-eater. Mar* pj.chuk . Coi
all over the country in open or jungles. In open on rocks
suddenly rising for' insects and on the tops of trees in the
jungles or mangroves.
Ceryle rudis : Pied' Kingfisher. Mar* pandhra dicha. Occasions-
seen on the creeks,
Alcedo atthis : Common Kingfisher. Mar. dicha. The commonest
kingfisher p£ the area near water; one occasion seen it
catch a Skipper Frog and bang it on the stone on which it
sitting till it was dead^ the swallowed it head first.
Ramphalcyon capons is: Brownheaded Storkbilled Kingfisher. S<
occasionally by the side of water but not very common.
Halcyon smyrncnsis : Whit ebr east ed Kingfisher. Mar* la l dicha.
Very common but wherever seen was away from water*
Halcyon pile at a ; B'lacfecapped Kingfisher* Not very caramon but
seen many times on the mangrove 'stumps by theside of the
creeks ,
Sauropatis chloris : White collared Kingfisher* Seen only twtc
on the open sea shore; very faat flier*
Anthracoceros cor gnat us: Malabar Pied Hornbill* Mar. garud.
Very common in flocks of five to fifteen. Feeding on fruit,;
of banyan, pipul, and Nux -vomica*
Upupa epops : Hoopoe. .Common in the open country in flocks of
Hemiprocne coronata: Crested Swift* Seen only once, a pair
i light ,
Capr:imulgus indicus : Indian Jungle Nightjar. Very commo]
the open tops of the rocky hills at night.Calling the
ommon on
pecu-
liar call cnuk-chuk-chuk-chokur-rr-rr-rr in the evenings*
Glaucidium r adiatum: Jungle Owlet. Mar. ghubad , Very commonly
found in pairs , heard during the day as well night,
Ninox scutulata : Brown Hawk Owl* Seen only once; nothing more
known^
Sarcogyps calvus : King Vulture, Mar. kala gidhad* Occasionally
found with the other species.
;. 10
: 10 : n
GyP s indicus: Longbilled Vulture. Mar. gidhad. Cominon with the
next i'eeding together.
Pseudogyps benghalensis : Whitebacked Vulture. Mar. Same as above*
Common in the company of the preceding species.
Neophron pcrenopterus ; Scavenger Vulture. liar, pandhri gMr, Seen
many times but only on the seaside; not seen on the creeks .
Falco chiequera: Redheaded Merlin* Very common in the area. The
Common Drongo very commonly immitatcs its call.
Falco tinnunculus: Kestrel. Only once seen in the area, perched
on a bamboo.
Aquilla rapax: Tawny Eagle. A doubtful record, seen once at a t
-tance ,
Spizaetus cirrhatus : Crested Hawk Eagle. Mar. kural. Occasional!^
seen near the village ;well known to the people as lifter of
fowls •
Spilornis cheela : Crested Serpent Eagte • Commonly met with ii.
t n ic ker ' part s of the jungle,
Butastur teesa : White-eyed Buzzard, Only once seen in the oi>cn
country,
Hallaetus Jeucogasterr Whitebcllied Sea Eagle • Commonly met with
on the creeks and on the sea shores,
Haliastur indus ; Brahminy Kite, The most common kite of the area,
Found on nest at one place on a tall mangrove tree,
Milvus migrans lineatus: Large Indian Kite. Mar. ghar. More com-
moner than the next; fishing near water,
Miluus migrans govinda: Common Pariah Kite, liar, ghar. Not so cor..
-mon as in the cities like Bombay,
Circus ma cr or us ; Pale Harrier, See occasionally in the open eoun-
try *
Astur badius : Shikra. Common like the Merlin, heard many times,
ana round in pairs in this season.
Croc opus phoenicoptorus : The Southern Green Pigeon, Mar. pusawa .
Met wit n occ as iona lly on banyan or fig trees which were in
fruit.
Chalcophaps indica: Emerald Dove. Mar, bhil-kavda. Commonly met
with in the jungles . Found feeding on the ground many times,
Columba livia : Blue Rock Pigeon. Mar, parva . In flocks but very
ai&rt when on the ground; rarely seen near the villages.
Streptopelia orientalis : Rufous Turtle Dove. Mar, ghati kavda.
Rare In the area; seen only once,
Streptopelia chinens is: Spotted : Dovc, Mar, kavda. Very common in
the area, flocks of five to ten feeding in the harvested paddy
fields,
Payo cristatus- Common Peafowl, Mars o Mor and Landor or . Common
in the thickets in flocks of five to~ten maximum. Very wary in
behaviour,
^alloperdix spadicea: Red Spurfowl. Mar, ran kombadi. Common in
the thickets and ravines; not so wary asThe peafowl.
Ferdicula asiatica: Jungle Bush-Quail, Mar, lavi . Common in flocks •
varying irom tf-iu to 20, One big flock witF~I2 chicks of two h
broods together were seen,
Francolinus pictus : Painted Partridge, Heard only once,
Amaur orn is pfi o c n i c ur us : Whit cbreas ted Waterhen. Mar, kuwakarin .
Common near water streams and in the mangrove patches,
Fulica atra: Coot, Mar, kamla , Two passing migrants stayed only
two days m the area in the creek.
Curs or jus coromandclicus t Cream-coloured Courser, Occasionally
seen m flocks of three to five all standing still and straight
on the leg more over in a line, in the open country.
Glareola maldlvarum: Indian Large Swallow Plover, Seen in flocks
flying on the creeks,
Larus ichthyaetus : Great Blackheaded Gull, Doubtful sight record,
Larus ridibundus^ Blackheaded Gull. Very common near fishing
boats,
11
ix :
Larus brunicephalus : Brownheadcd Gull, Occasionally seen nixed
in the i locks oi the preceding species.
Lcuc opolius alcxandrinus ; Kentish Plover, Very very common on
the rocks on the shores. In big flocks of ten to hundred,
Charadrius dub jus jerdoni: J or don's Ringed Plover. Very common
on open grass patched and near the shore on sandy beaches.
Pluvialls apricarius : Golden Plover. Very common on the marshy
patches after the tides arc over,
Lobivanellus indicus : Redwattled, Lapwing. Mar. titvi. Common
as everywhere,
Hinantopus himantopus : Blackwinged Stilt, Met occasionally
with Greenshanks by the side of the crocks in low water.
Nu menius arquata : Curlew. Met occasionally in the company of
Intermediate Egrets and Green Bitterns, feeding in the marshy
patches,
Limosa limosa limosa: Blacktailed Godwit. Mar. tiwla — this
name is commonly used for all waders including sandpipers
and stint, and Red- and Green Shank. Occasionally seen singly
or in pairs along with sandpipers.
T ring a ochropus : Green Sandpiper. Commonly met all over the
creeks I'lying suddenly with a call,
Tringa stagnatilis : Marsh Sandpiper, Rare in the area; seen 2
riocks in the mud.
Tringa hypoleucos: Common Sandpiper, Common as its name suggests,
ta
Tringa totanus: Redshank, Only one in the area was moving for
many days .
Glottis nebularia : Greens hank. Commoner than Redshank; in
or !> to iu,
Erolia minuta: Little Stint, Common flocks of five to 30-40
along the creeks •
Cape 11a gallinago: Common Fantail Snipe, Mar. isnipc. Common
in the marshes,
Phalacrocorax aiger : Little Cormorant. Mar, pan-kavla . Common
in tnc creek waters.
Anhinga melanogas'cer : barter. Only one seen many times in the
area .
Egrctta intermedia: Smaller Egret, Mar. balai . Isolated birds
m tne lields riying away on human approach with a call,
Egretta garzetta: Little Egret. Mar, bag la , Common flocks by
the s id e "of wa"fc e r or in the fields mixed in the company of
cattle and smaller egrets,
Bubulcus ibis: Cattle Egret* liar. Same as above. Common as men-
tioned above,
Demiegretta as ha : Reef Heron. Mar, kala dhok, Commonly seen at
water but only single birds,
Ardcola grayii : Pond Heron. Mar, jakitwala. Common everywhere.
But or ides striatus : Green Heron. Resting in the mangrove pat-
ches during day time and active by dusk.
These observations were made from 7th to 19th January, this
year. This note will testify to the uniqueness of the district
for b ir dwa t c her s ,
P.W. Soman
Bombay Natural History Society
* -:- * #
BIRD NOTES FROM SAURASHTRA
The aftermaths of a very lean monsoon , are influencing us. Water
is rather low and most of our lakes and other water supplies
are dwindling. It is quite hot too and there appears to bo
signs of an early summer,
.,,,.,., 12
: 12 :
The birds arc proclaiming summer's advent, and the loud chirrup
of the Tailorbird is hoard more and more frequently. The little
Coppersmith is really quite vociferous, and quite a few birds
are tonking away in the trees in the compound.
Sparrows have started collecting grass and exploring cavities
and cornices under the eves, However, this is all still in the
exploratory stage, Whitethroated Munias seem to have no fixed
time for breeding for there is a pair already at it in a thick
clump of bougainville.
All the resident birds, however narc not as optimistic as the
barbets and the sparrows, and the Kocl is very subdued, while
the Rcdvented Bulbuls seem to be quite furtive in their ways.
Purple Sunbirds arc of -course very gayyand are carolling every
-where, but then this is their normal breeding season and in
a month or so they will be 'raising their last broods of the
year. How wonderfully they synchronise their breeding with the
flowering of most of our- trees in this dry part of the. country,
for March and April deck the trees with blooms and make them
the festive places for insects.
Talking of flowering trees, the Red Silk Cotton is -in flower,
and its blossom covered branches are the favourite haunt of.
Sundbirds, Common Mynas, and squirrels. Goats feast on the
fallen blooms. The drumstick trees are also about to flush
into inflorescence, and then they will be* alive with Sunbirds
after spiders and other insects and droning bumble bees.
Green Bee-eaters are still in flocks, and we have a tall tree
in which a small flock comes to roost,- It is interesting to
note how they all huddle onto the outer' thin branches jib t at
sundown, and sleep closely packed side by side along a twig
facing the opposite side of the tree, from which side, inci-
dent!} 9 the prevailing wind also blows — NE, wind.
No Rosy pastors have cone to town, though they are around in
small scattered flocks in the countryside, but then the Fie us
are not fruiting, Wc shall soon have the revellers among us
though.
The Peacocks have started growing new trains, but they still
look leggy and very unprepossessing. What a pity they shed
their trains for many months- of the year. They do not appear
more proud because of the recognition by the nation.
The crows have starred to be amourously inclined, and they are
really most attentive and delicate in their advances, some-
thing not to bo seen in the love life of many a more attract-
ive bird,
K .S . Lavkumar
Rajkot, February 10, 1963
---
THE' CRY OF A
Price 25 sh.
REVIEW
BIRD, By Dorothy Yglcsias, William Kimbcr,
This book is the story of the Wild Bird Hospital started by
the authoress and her sister in the village of Mousehole in
Cornwall- more than thirty years ago. The sisters began their
13
vontv an becon .thing of a national ins i
tion* wit, 3 or knowledge of bird life and w_
PSnn^" a: °* Lhc local villagers, but of
4000 injured b: rhich passed through their hands most wc
appare ntly sua : fully returned to conditions of wild li;
Miss Iglesias est claim to be a trained ornithologist
is modest about conclusions which she draws from her
of sympathetic! ; i^aeer. standing, between human beings and birds it
must be almost unique* .
H.M, Wake
.:
.11 a ♦ ■. ' .
MOTES AND COMMENTS
Studying the i S parrow i
- re x ;r
Our project tudying.thc life history of House Sparrows
( Newslett er, Feervaar$r7<l?6j) is. we hope being taken seriously by
our readers. annot collect all the vital statistlcs"6f
this bird hei i of -the' year it will reflect poorly it
our^capaci: purposefully — • for sparrows are Qfifry-
where an ae^rticuiarly secretive.
- ' . .
So far only ' .'come in, one published in this issue
ana another by j . -J ■ iiakanta (aged 9) who complained that a
part oi her ^ wotl/ was used by a sparrow as nesting
material, ■ r ■* 6
j p ;v
Movements,, of jj gjjgysy
Ros y nnually to the western suburbs of
Bombay about tin Lc of 'January, as soon as the Erythrina and
templatin; tli umey to their homelands. Will readers
look up their i,:::..c j Lnd -end their reports about the date
and pjacc where they have seen these birds? We would like to
collate the jjata hat has , -en recorded so far.
F fro Id Iden t i£ic at i m ; of B ir ds
1 — ■ — ' — — * — — —
A competent psychologist says that half of any new matter pre-
sented is i or r — en after the first half hour, twothrids after
nine hours, a r earths after six days and fourfifths after a
month. The impor of taking down notes on the spot or with-
in a lew minutes oi observation is therefore quite essential,
National Bird
The Peacock has bee- designated our National Bird, There is
little point now an continuing the controversy but as a raatti
oi interest read aght refer to an earlier issue of the
Newsletter where a c a ade for the selection of the Gr^ -t
• » » • « » i ■ * *
14
Indian Bustard for this honour. Anyway, the peafowl will multi-
ply and strut even cere arrogantly than they do now, while the
Bustard is. quietly extinguished from the face of the earth.
The Crow : CORRESPONDENCE
Mr, Mohd Ishaq Siddiqi of Luc know has sent this Extract; »It is
firmly believed, and there is more ground for the belief than
usual, that crows hold punchayats, caste-councils or committees,
and inflict summary punishments on offenders. It is atleast cer-
tain that in India, as elsewhere, a maimed or disabled bird,
unable to escape or hide himself, is set upon by his kind and
killed. This habit :s reported to have suggested a strategem by
which omnivorous gypsy foU£ catch crows. A live crow is spread-
eagled on his back, with forked pegs holding down his pinions.
He flutters and cries and other crows come to investigate his
case and presently attack him* With claws and beak he seizes., an
assailant and holds him fast. The gypsy steps from hiuing, and
secures and pinion" the second crow. These two catch two more,
the four catch four nore, and so on, until there arc enough. -.f or
dinner, or to take into a town, where the crow catcher stands
before some respectable Hindu *s shop and threatens to kill the
bird he holds in has hand. The Hindu pays a rasom of a pice or
two and the crow is released** — John Lockwood Kipling in
BEAST AND MAN IN HA (London 1904) pp. 2S-29.
/Perhaps some reader may be in a position to try out this
method or to toll us whether it is still in vogue in any part
of the country and as successful as the account leads one to
believe. On the face of it it would seem that the crow is far
too cunning a bird to be taken inby this simple device. Hc_ may
try it once, but that other crows seeing the predicament of the
victim should allc ■* themselves to be taken in in the same way
seems difficult to believe, — Ed. 7
Abstracts section in the Newsletter
As regards the Abstracts Section to be opened in the News letter
I think it has to bo a cooperative effort. First of all, we
have "to find out who gets the various journals on birds* Next
we have to find out vhethcr they can devote the necessary time
to abstract interesting articles for publication in the News -
letter , Even if all the journals were available here, I couldnt
do the abstracting of all the articles. It will be too much
work J Too much for the tine at my disposal, I mean J At present
I am a etting only one. journal} the Audubon Magazine, which
contains articles en birds. I can take up the responsibility
for abstracting -papers from this. The Avian Biology Department
of the Baroda University should be able to do much in this
task, I should imagine. There is no better way of studying a
paper than by preparing an abstract of it.
Joseph George, Roorkee
^5hy offers? - 'T:U7 \
Zafar Futchally,
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwatchers,
32A. Juhu Lane,
Andneri, Bombay 5&?
Reminder
Readers are requested to send in their subscriptions by check,
bank drafty tir* trcrrcy order to the above address.
I
,
editorial board
Dr. Salim Ali. F.N.I.,
33 Pali Hill, Bandra, Bombay SO
K. S. Lavkumar,
Rajkumar College, Rajkot
Dr. R. M % Naik.
M, S. University. Baroda
Mrs. Usha Ganguli.
10 Cavalry Lines. Delhi 6
Mrs. jamal Ara,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda, Hinoo P.O., Ranchi, Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avari,
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Darjeefing
Dr. Biswamoy Btswas,
Indian Museum. Zoological Survey of India.
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan..
Meena Nivas, Ambactupalayam,
Chittur- Cochin (Kerala)
I
J*
NEWSLETTER
for iiRiinmiEis
Volume :: UK \U\
. w NEWSLETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol. 3, No, 5 May 1963
CONTENTS
Page
Crimsonbreasted Barbet and Large Green Barbet casualties.
By Capt. N.S. Tyabji, I.N. „. i
A Jungle Crow's mysterious behaviour. By Rrof. K.K. Neela
-kantan
A birdwatching outing in Rajkot. By K.S. Lavkumar and Wil
-liam D« Selover e .. ... 4
Flight Safety : An article from air clues dated March 1962*
By Fit. Scrgt. C.J. Bridgman (M.B.O.U.). A reproduction
communicated by Capt. N.S, Tyabji, I.N.
Crow- Pheasant eating water snails. By Mrs. Usha Ganguli
Reviews :
*
1. THE HOUSE SPARROW. (S.A.)
2. COLLINS GUIDE TO BIRDWATCHING. (Mrs . Laeeq Futehally) :
Notes and Comments
• * .
...
• . .
Correspondence
■ ♦ »
. . •
...
11
Abstracts
. . •
. * «
• • *
14
- "CRTOS ON BREASTED BARBET AND URGE GREEN
BARBET CASUALTIES
At Cochin in March 1959, I was a helpless witness to a double
tragedy involving two Crimsonbreasted Barbets ( Megalaima hac
- cephala ) which I quote here as a sombre opening I or another
which came to notice recently. As all my Cochin notes have 1
lost, I must rely on a somewhat rickety memory for details -4
but the general picture is fairly straightforward.
On this day at approximately 1700 as I was standing outside
office overlooking the Cochin airfield, my attention was draw
to a pair of Crimsonbreasted Bar bet which took off in quick
succession from a drumstick tree in the office compound and
flew directly westwards towards a whitewashed brick structu
about 50 yards away. The hut stood solitary on the grass sh
-dors flanking the runways. The height of flight was about ;
feet from the ground, It was a clear cloudless afternoon;
sun still high in the west.
My initial interest in the flight was casual though I was
-what intrigued by its direction as there was no tree near
than 400 yards distance on the western perimeter of the air
- 2 *
I was, however, given little time for idle speculation as
birds, maintaining direction and height crasted into the
side of the hut and were found dead when la i at the l
a few seconds later » 3oth birds had hit the *ide with
bills and were bleeding from the mouth.
Now we come to a more recent episode in Delhi involving the
Large Green Barbet ( Megalaima zeylonicus) two of which are per
nanently resident in tne garden* The bird involved, however,
was a casual visitor. The house faces east-west and is, exter-
nally, washed a light cream.
The garden has fairly extensive lawns, dotted with large sha
trees some of them quite close to the house,
• On 16th March -1963, strolling round the house, I cams across v.
Large Green Barbet lying dead on the ground at the base of
east side-- bleeding from the mouth. The time then was 1&05
■ {sunset 1#2#) and the body was still warm. On examining the
bird I discovered the tip of its bill covered with a white
chalky substance and the Cochin episode sprang to mind. On \
■ careful examination of that portion of the wall I discover
an obviously fresh cavity (about l/#th inch) in the plaster
a 10 feet up and 9 inches from the right hand corner of the
building, exactly above the dead bird. It was then not too dif
. . -f icult to reconstruct the tragedy.
There is a medium-sized tree directly to the east and 50 fei
distant from the right hand corner of the house which is fre-
quently used by these birds. There is another neem tree hall'
way along the north side of the house with its branches over-
changing the flat- roof. It- is just possible that the bird hau
left the first tree- to reach the overhanging branches of th<
neem (directly in its line of flight) but had misjudged eitj
height or direction and come to a 'Violent end,
— Is there a relation between the Cochin and Delhi episodes; i
it a pure coincidence that both involved birds belonging to
*.same genus? Has anyone a similar" experience to report?
Capt. N,S. Tyabji, I.N,
A JUNGLE CROW'S MYSTERIOUS BEHAVIOUR
Instances of song-birds and others which maintain 'territories 1
attacking their reflections in polished surfaces are well kr ■ .
But, apart from one instance where a Jackdaw attacked a pic;
of a bird of its own species in a book, I have not come acr-
any report implying such a proclivity in the crow family,
wish to make it clear at the outset that the behaviour her
reported did not suggest that the bird was attacking its c
image in the glass.
I took up residence in a house at Ernakulam on 29 November 1
We had hardly begun exploring the new house when my wife notic-
ed the strange behaviour of a Jungle Crow and drew my attention
to it. The- -crow *was clinging to a window with glass panes and
pecking at the glass. This was at about # a*m. Thereafter, till
the 21st of December, the crow used to visit the same spot at
the wind oh at least once every day. On most days it came 3 or
4 times. It did not appear to be following a strict time tabic >
but its visits were usually round about 7.30, 11, 15*30, ai
16.30 hrs. On some days it came at 7, 9, 10, 12, and 17 hrs*
Every time it came, it went through- a very curious routine.
The routine was as follows. The crow used to appear suddenly at
0^ the window, cling to one particular wooden cross-piece and at
once begin tapping on the glass-pane. Its bill was always dir
-ted straight at the glass so that only the tip of the upper
mandible made contact with the glass. After tapping 4 or 5
times vigorously (it was always this resounding noise that an-
nounced the arrival of the crow), the bird would 'bite' t
toe/ middle /of its right foot near the ankle with the very tip 01
its bill and tumble headlong to the ground I The crow's foot-hold
on the window was always precarious, and the whole routine bad
the sound of threshing wings as its accompaniment.
On dropping to the ground, the crow presumably spent a few si -
conds digging its bill into the dust, and then flew up to the
top of a wall some 3i feet away from the window* Quite oft 01
it used to return to the window from the wall and run throu
the whole performance again* V/hen perched on the wall it oi
called raucously for a while.
The cross-bar to which the crow clung was 54 feet above the
ground. What the crow did on reaching the ground was not ob
w -ved* But the scratches and pits left in the dust, as well
the coating of dust on its upper mandible when it flew up to
the wall, suggested that it dug its bill in the dust and rub:,
the tip of the bill on the ground, ■
From the 22nd to the 25th of December the crow was not notcr:
at the window. On the 26th it came at 9 a.m. and I watched i
very closely, standing only a foot or two away from the glaa
pane. This time, after vigorously tapping the pane half-a-u ■:...
times, the crow gripped the right foot at the ankle, grip
all the toes at once, and fell to the ground. In a few secc
it was back at the cross-piece, tapping. This time it bit the
middle toe of the right foot, released it on losing its foot-
hold, regained the perch, and, then bit the middle toe of the
left foot, only to release it at once and take hold of the
usual middle toe of the right foot. Gripping this, it fluttered
to the ground, flew up to the wall, cawed a number of times,
and flew off. It came again at 15 hrs,, but the presence of
children near the wall prevented it from approaching the windc
A-fter the 26th the crow appeared to have released itself i
the spell of the window, for it never came again.
On 5 or 6 occasions I was able to watch the antics of the c:
at close quarters from within the room. Either the crow* coul^
' not see me (the room was rather gloomy) , or was so pre-occupi a
with its routine that it did not notice my presence. As I had
a suspicion that there was something wrong with the middle toe
of its right foot, I looked for signs of injury or evidence of
some kind of dermatitis. But, as far as I could see, the toe
was quite normal.
At first I thought that the crow was attracted by its reflec-
tion in the glass, and that the 'toe-biting' was some kind
'displacement activity' (resulting from its failure to get at
the other bird). But I found that the glass was dirty and dull
and would not give a good 'image' at all,
4
The window faces the west. There are 4 panes in all. But the
crow used only one of these « the upper pane, on the northern
side. The top of the wall was level with the top panes of th
window.
I may also mention that the crow was always alone, and appeared
to be an adult in good health. But once, and once alone, another
Jungle Crow was seen with if on the wall. And the stranger fed
this one J ^*
Prof. K.K* Neelakantan,
Ernakulam, Kerala
* # * *
A BIRDWATCHING OUTING IN RAJKOT
A group of us, mostly representing the amateur birdwatchers
Rajkot, went to the Lalpuri Reservoir some three miles from
Rajkot City, on a hot Sunday afternoon on 31 March 19&3*
The lake was sadly depleted of its water, but this had ex:
great expanses of weeds and squelchy mud, rich in organic
sits. In this bonanza of fish, frog and Crustacea had gather..
a great convention of avian gourmets to endow this normally un-
interesting lake with great possibilities for field observ
of water-side birds of the area, both resident and migrator? ■
The sun was high and harsh, but a cooling breeze from the
made it surprisingly pleasant to be out, even for the American
member of our party. From the dam, we were able to gain a pai -
ramie survey of the variety of birds in and around the water :
the basin. On the water was a small bunch of Coots, and swim _
with them were several pairs of Bluewinged Teal, the drakes
being conspicuous for the broad, white supercilium. This duck
seems to be fairly common this time of the year, and, when fly-
ing, the characteristic pigeon -grey shoulder patches in both
the sexes differentiate it from the other small-sized duck
found side by side with the Common Teal of which we observed
one example, also dibbling in the shallows.
A long tongue of mud and rocks extended into the vegetation-
choked water upon which drowsed a mass of Black Ibis, Spotbill
Ducks, a few Grey Herons, and a couple of Openbilled Storks,
Resting on the rock piles with long serpentine necks were solo
Snake Birds. Around their feet sat the Little Cormorants. A
Blacknecked Stork towered disdainfully over the lesser fry,
packed around his red legs were somnolent Spoonbills. The wh
concourse, however, would have been a trifle boring to watch .
it snoozed were it not for the moving frieze of flamingos f
-ing meticulously in small groups- around the lake. There were
about forty of them in all, and a few were in full adult plu.
age with bright pink on the coverts, pink bills and legs. K:
and then a solitary bird would rise and, on rose-tinted wings
fly -acorss the lake making a lovely picture against the b]
sky* In flight, the flamingo is a wreath of white and rose, its
grotesqueness lost in the sinuous grace of its long neck. The
shortness of the wings, beating *the air vigorously light up
with colours for which the flamingo is *so fanous. While flyi
as well as in the water feeding, walking, or resting, the impro
bable form of the flamingo strangely attains a grace which wxfcia
is difficult to explain.
There was a rather large flock of Little Ringed Plovers, So
many, in fact, that they were carefully appraised for being
5
£bovG b tho R h?f^ * lovors ' However, ail of then, had a white band
above the black one across the forecrown, and they did not shcr-
thl rSf ^ r Y h S? S lying - Xt is certain,' however /that Ly
the individual birds were of the migratory form, possibly c
represented local migrants forced to aggregate here by t he-
ap of their places of water. There were no Sand Plovers which
arc normally present at this time of the year. \ie had hoped " bo
see a couple in their bright summer dress. The Temminck's Stinte
and the Little btmts were insignificantly attired, which was a
disappointment, though a solitary Blacktailed Godwit had flushed
chestnut and it was a pity there were no other specimens in"
winter colours for comparison. Sandpipers were also not plentiful
ana ^-ne Green- and Common Sandpipers were conspicuously absent.
ine lew Spotted sandpipers were distinctly plumed, and a Mar
Sandpiper conveniently fed around a Grecnshank in repose, proviu
-mg a good contrast in the sizes. A scattering of Ruff and Ree-
ves probed in the slush but seemed jittery at being approach .
Across the water, and out of effective range of the field giassc
-eTst n ? n,bcr 0f ikVocets and a very large convocation of Openbill
^ * <pite obvious that most of the fish population had ben
^™ ed r a ? there were only a few Lesser Egrets and no Groat
Egrets, Painted Jtorks, White Ibis, or River Terns, all of which
congregate when fish face despair.
Finally, after watching a small flock of Common Swallows, aj
Dusky Crag Martins, we dispersed, well content with the aft
K.S. Lavkumar & William C. Sel«
* * #
*
FLIGHT SAFETY : AN ARTICLE FROM AIR CLUES DhTED
MARCH 1962
Fit. Sgt. C.J. Bridgman (M. B. 0. U.)
(A Reproduction)
The bird is in the winf ?
b5l?S»n^ hR 5 ard , t0 a J" raf t. This' is the tindery for Mrd'-
crir? saSAKSSSiS to drop nesting -*A?LB"S
Flight Sergeant Bridgman is a koen ornithologist and ha = «.
a study of this problem during his Service carefr. to this
-cle he has produced some interesting and pertinent facts ab
bird nestxng habits and their possible effects on aircraft!
There are, up to the time of writing, no recorded cases of
accident being cuased by a bird's nest. In an aircraft! This
h-ST* * 3 * n \ d0 ^ bt d ?V° a hi S h st andard of servicing with,
"¥t P U ^M?t f ?o ocl ^tune _ to help, but this record could
-ly be spoilt during the nesting season which is just start!
To leave vou in no doubt that the problem can be a serious
one I would ^uote the example of a bird's nest built in a Bever
~ly fin? The dippings of the birds at their nest were the cause
of corrosion in the skin of the fin.
\/hy do they?
Man in his progress is gradually destroying the habitats and-
nesting sites 5 birds, as*origlnally supplied by nature. E: .
under the same law of evolution that compells man to progrc .
must progress with him for their species to survive,
Thev must, therefore, take advantage of human endeavours
it isauite likely that some of the sites manufactured by nan, ;
albe!t q unwlttSg, are better suited to the bird's purpose than
the original ones that have been destroyed.
Some recorded examples.
Tn lQi.6 when Tempests were being assembled at Karachi f or
use to the Far East, birds' nests were found in. varying stages
or astmbly and use! They often contained eggs and in some
cases even young birds before they were discovered.
Subseauentlv. nests have been discovered at the time of I
ine with eggs' in them, with young in them, and long after th«
bird! have finished with them when an aircraft was on a mm
servicing Sraily the further ^•^lng^rge^^^
*a thP crpater the danger* since there is an merest* iji&j.-*!
'o! d time in which the nesl, If in a vital position, could be I
cause of an accident.
Buildinfr sites for nests have been within engine cowlings
profiler spinners , mainplanes , fins and flying control sur
and although entry has often been made where access panels 1
been removed it is more frequently gained through apertures
are normally open in the aircraft ^ructure. Lightening hcl
which are exposed when a flying control is away f ro mthenu-
position, holes where control ™ds enter or leave a suriacc^
air intakes and gill openings are ^Pical examples o± ways
access which are always available to the birds.
Birds normally select ingress holes that are just big en
to the^easy entry from.flight but at the same time p.
^ tu* ™+-™r ^f iar?pr snecies: birds themselves can usuaii
vent theentryof larger species, i & ^.^
cope with smaller oiras. in*, e"J*J £"? . f S„ qurnrisine how
encugh to allow a nest to be built but it ^f. s ^ r ^? ^f 5 °eauirc
small some of the holes can be and still suit the bird s require
-ments«
Favourite sites »
The siae of entry available is probably the reason why cer-
tain speciesappea/to have favourite sites on ^liferent ty P;
of aircraft. The house sparrow, for xnetance will ^U^
fin of a Hastings; this has been noted five times, the £«*
entering alongside the top hinge ^ctoent t gJ ^gSStoSu*
old bird, with food, perched on the ""^el rod ^ains^the
sitating their being left to fledge and depart of their own
free will* fl 7
7
Jackdaws will build in the wing tips of the Beverley, wh
accesses provided by a lightening hole in the wing structi;
which is exposed when the aileron is away from the neutral m
-tion. One example of this was not discovered until the ailerc
th^r/w^ V % d f ° r th ? renew ?\ of hinge pins, and in this ease
thtl %E G t f a u e ? 0f egg she11 in thc nest indicating either
that the nest had run its full cycle and the young had fi
in flightf 1VG Y Chat thG 6ggS had br ° ken whe " th ° aircr aft V
Nest technique,
^u A!? 11 * Pasting in ari aircraft will use the normal materi
that it would use elsewhere but in addition locking wire,st
sma 11 tools and aircraft parts, all more locally available ,
been brought into use; the loose article risk is quite obvi
ine classic case of aircraft matcriajte being used occurred
one week-end a pair of jackdaws placed 62 metallic objects
the rear heater duct of a Beverley. These were not all od
tne heaviest item being a spanner weighing ij oz.
Birds are instinctively secretive when nesting in an at
to protect their nests from discovery by their enemies. Alt*
quite capable of building a nest 'under the very noses » of t
-men working on an aircraft, unbeknown to them, birds usually
n? J£S^ their nesting construction in the first and last hour;
oi daylight and do not normally approach the nest site if there-
is much movement in the area. They can build a nest in a day c
othc^busincst ntage ° f thS weokend when humans are about
*
Birds can be persistent; for instance a pair of blackbirds
who built two nests in the port engine of a Varsity started
the second as soon as thc first one was pulled out, and when
hn? fh?o n ?- SUf ^ Cre u the same fate thQ y started to build a thiru,
out tnis time in the starboard engine. This nest was removed
immediately before the Whit sun grant and the birds made use
the holiday to build yet another nest in the port engine: by
the time work was resumed after the holiday thc nest was comp-
leted and contained one egg.
As the aircraft was to be unserviceable for a considerable
time it was decided that the "birds should be allowed to raij
JS^k f? 0d , b uB I 3U &g cst this decision was quite wrong, humane
though it might have been. Birds very quickly develop habit-
and a case of persistent nest building such as this one shoul
tn It^lu ^ to the bitter end * As it is. allowing the bird:;
hS J? + th ?Jf l oung may wcl1 have Produced a generation who^e
instinct will be to look for nesting sites in aircraft.
It seems securely established that bird nesting in aircr
may increase both by example and by fixations acquired by birds
reared in such nests. It would be an interesting, though con-
nio?* ex P^iment to colour-ring the adult and young birds found
o„k« g J? air craft so that observations could be carried on in
subsequent years.
Preventing, nests.
+ u ??*!?. the £°?*S ner and the servicing crew can help to thwart
the bird's ambition to nest in an aircraft. Holes of any sort
in an airframe are an invitation to birds and where these holes
are allied to control runs a hazard must inevitably exist, Whil*-
designers may find there is little they can do to reduce the
: S :
number or size of access points, there is a lot that the chap
who works on the finished article will find possible*
Remember that birds arc security minded and also persistent.
Use covers or blanks as much as possible and fcr as long as
possible between flights and during the nesting season, the
couple of months particularly, keep a weather eye open fcr
bird droppings, or signs of dropped nesting material, aroun
aircraft.
Remove nests or materials as soon as you find them and do n
be tempted to leave the nest in situ on humanitarian grour ,
Finally, remember that having removed a nest from one site
the birds can be expected to start building again nearby alr.io^
immediately and the vigil cannot therefore be given up.
(Communicated by Capt. M.S. Tyabji, I.tJ.j
* # * *
CRCW-PHEaSaNTS EATING WATER SNAILS
On the afternoon of August 4, 1962. I saw a crow- pheasant a"
the edge of my small lilypool. He (?) generally comes then.
a drink. But instead of drinking, I saw him bend low, (th<
level was nearly 4 inches from the edge of the pond) pick up
wator snail from the surface, place it on the ground, hold i
with his left foot then quickly pull out the meat from the
with his long powerful bill. Sometimes he brought the mc
in one attempt, sometimes he was successful after two or
attempts. He would watch carefully — then bend and pick up
and eat it as described. He ate 16 to 17 snails before he c
off. I examined the shells. Each was picked clean and then.
not one broken shell among them*
Mrs. Usha Ganguli, Dell
* # ^ *
REVIEWS
THE HOUSE SPARROW. By J.D. Summers -Smith, pp. xvi plus
-
(13.5 x 20.0 cm.). With a colour frontispiece, 32 photograph-
in black and white, and 36 text figures, London 19o3 (Colli;
Price 25s. net. (Monograph No'. 19 of 'The New Naturalist* s
In the Newsletter for Birdwatchers of February 1963 was pub Li; !
-ed a questionnaire concerning the house sparrow by way of
-gestions to amateur birdwatchers past the listing stage hr.
they could contribute usefully to scientific knowledge. Bcf.-r
wc could receive any answers from readers, this book has ansi
-ed practically all the questions posed in an authoritative and s
fascinating way!
Although the house sparrow is one of the commonest, most fai.ii-
liar, and may be even the most numerous species of land birds
in Great Britain, not much more was precisely known about it&
lif© history than of our Indian bird till Mr. Summers-Smith
entered the field. For 11 years continuously he studied, with
the aid of colour-ringed local populations, the yearly cycK
of the house -sparrow and every individual phase connected with
it in a rural as well as urban-industrial environment. Pair
formation, nest building, sexual and communal display, court-
ship, egg-laying, clutch size, incubation and nesting success,
care of the young and their subsequent dispersal, enemies, mor-
tality, sex ratio, and the behaviour patt°rns motivated by all
these activities are some of the topics that .form this fascina-
ting record.
Readers of the Newsletter will recall the note reproduced in
the June 1962 issue iron one of Dr. Salim All's boyhood bird
diaries, of several cock house sparrows pairing up in quick
succession with the female occupant of a nest as they were shot,
one after another almost daily. On p. kK of this book is cit
a case which, curiously enough, is more or less identical almost
down to details. Apparently there is always a'waiting list*, or
reservoir, of unmatcd birds of both sexes during the brccdi?
season available for rapidly filling any vacancy that may occur
through the accidental death or disappearance of one member of
a mated pair, of either sex. Possibly the replacement of ,c
is somewhat slower. The book is a mine of well-documented first
hand information on every sparrow activity and behaviour pattern.
The house sparrow pairs for life and is also faithful to it
nest. Mated pairs have been observed to breed together f or k
5 years. A wild sparrow lived f^r 11^ years;, one in captivJ
12 years. It is an extremely sedentary bird, and reluctant
cross even a few miles of unsuitable country. It is a hi
adaptable species capable of leading a sedentary (non-ni f )
existence in countries as extreme in temperature as «-15 j?«
110°F., and at altitudes from sea level to 15,000 feet. It
everywhere in close comnensalism with man, and has learnt U
take full advantage of the liveable conditions ho has artifi-
cially created for himself in inhospitable climes. It has I
introduced into many parts of the world where it did not ex'.
before , and it now shares with man an almost universal dist.
but ion. The secret of its overwhelming success as a colonis
lies in its great adaptability in the matter of food, its
-ssive and domineering disposition, and its thorough acclimati-
zation to man-made conditions. Its pre-conditioning to life in
human habitations provides it with an ecological niche which
has usually not been exploited by any native species, therefore,
the house sparrow enjoys freedom from competition for nest
sites etc* from local residents.
The work deals primarily with the house sparrow in Great Bri-
tain, and it is but natural that details will vary in differ
ent parts of the world under different climates and ccologi.
conditions. Thus there is a clear case for equally thorough
investigations on the house sparrow in India. The extreme
entarincss of the species is responsible for the genctj
different populations that have developed in different parti
of its geographical range, and our Indian house sparrow ( fr
domesticus indicus ) is one of them.
This monograph, so fascinatingly written and fully docun
should serve as an admirable model for future effort here, i
a valuable reference source. It will also serve as a renin
of what can be achieved by a single, even part-time observer
with the necessary store of patience and dedication to field
investigation.
*> , A •
10
COLLINS' GUIDE TO BIHD IIG. By R,S, Fitter, pp. 254.
London 1963. Collins, Price 21s.
Some time ,a^o I .reviewed in the NewBletter COLLINS. POCKLT
TO BRITISH BIRDS, by'R.S.R, Fitter and R.A. Richardson. Mr. Fit-
ter has now produced the COLLINS GUIDE TO BIRDWaTCHING, T>i
-ference is the emphasis in the title very accurately reflce
the difference between the two books. The first book aimed only
at helping in the identification, of British birds. The present
volume has a wider objective t It is nothing less than to turn a
complete ignoramus into a complete birdwatcher.
The complete birdwatcher must know how to choose a good pair
binoculars, how to construct nest boxes, and feeding tables, ir.d
how to apply first aid to injured birds; he must know the 1
of bird protection, he must be able to take bird photograrjhs
record bird song, he must be able to take bird counts and cei
and finally he must know what sort of data he should at ten p.
collect in order to contribute something towards scientific
ornithology . All this formidable list of information the au
gives in the first part of his book which he entities »Hcw 1
Watch Birds*.
The secona and third parts are concerned with identifier t
and so much of the material is inevitably like that in the eaj -
lier book. However it is organized in a completely differs
way, instead of classifying birds by their size the author n
groups them by their habits as well as habitats. The classifies
-tion is careful and accurate. Even the photographs are arr:
so that pictures of 3 or 4 birds are accompanied by a general
view of the kind of country in which they are normally found.
The photographs are 'not coloured but they are very sharp and
beautiful,
A particularly useful feature of the book is the hundred pat
of Topography Guide . at the end. Here the author goes through t
British Isles county by county, listing all the special places
which are rewarding for birdwatchers, the special birds whi
can be found, the reserves and sanctuaries, and the relevant
literature for that area. I wish we could have a book like this
for India.
Mrs. Laeeq Futehally
ii, .
NOTES AND COMMENTS
Calls of Young Birds
Appropos the note of Mr. Joseph George in Newsletter 3(4),
1963 regarding the varying calls of young cuckoos there is
interesting paragraph on the subject in the book BIRD, by Lois
& Louis Darling, just published in England, The authors say
most y.oung birds sing the song peculiar to their species even
if they have never come in contact with their parents at all*
For instance many birds brought up in incubators have no diffi-
culty in singing in the traditional manner. But in the case
young nightingales they learn the song of their companions with
wnom they are brought in contact. If, however, at a later stage
they are placed in contact with adult nightingales then they
discard quickly the new calls which they have learnt and revert
to the time honoured pattern of their species.
11
sing loudly after the young ones come out of the nest to in
the song on the mind of the youngsters.
$ * # *
Local Birdwatching Clubs
It is encouraging to find that two local birdwatching cent-
have recently been formed. On page 4 of this issue there is
note on a birdwatching outing at Rajkot. This was done under
the auspices of the local club of which K.S, Lavkunar is the
President, and Lalsinh M. Raol, the Secretary. No subscription
has been laid down for the local club but individual members
have been asked to join the Birdwatchers' Field Club of Indi ■-..
A 4 ftature Study Centre has been started at Guntur, South Inula*
V. Ravi is the. President. They bring out monthly bulletin,:
contain interesting accounts of birds seen in the locality.
We hope that members in other regions will form similar cl
and arrange for local outings.
CORRESPONDENCE
Notes on Lanius vittatus
I must thank Mr. K.S. Lavkumar for providing me with the
opportunity to amplify my notes in Newsletter 3(2), 1963, wi
particular reference to the territory aspect. As a matter oi
fact, there were two other nests belonging to the sane sp^ci.
in adjoining territories which were both destroyed prior to
hatching. No detail ~<d observations were made in regard to th
nests,
I would also like to put the record straight in so far as
the sketch of the territory is concerned. By an oversight th
medium sized trees within the territory have been left out;
these presumably have an effect on the 'entomology 1 of the area,
C apt. N.S. Tyabji, I.N.
* * * •
Visitors to a flow e ring Coral tree
In early March while I was out with the cadets of the Nation
-al Defence Academy for birdwatching in the nursery garden of
the Academy, I noticed only one Coral tree (Erythrina indie a )
in blossom. Naturally it was a great attraction Tor birds. Just
as a curiosity I went on counting the species of birds which
came for nectar or otherwise and found that 15 species visi
the tree within an hour's tine. They are listed below:
1, Yellow-eyed Babbler 2. Large Grey Babbler .
3. Franklin's Wren Warbler 4* Common Myna
5. Brahnini Myna 6. Purple Sunbird
7. Furple-runped Sunbird 8. White-eye
9. Jungle Crow 10- Rcdventcd Bulbul
11. Ashy Wren Warbler 12 • Lesser Whitethroat
13. Baya Weaver Bird 14. Roseringed Parakeet
15- Little Brown Dove.
The last two were not seen feeding on the nectar.
12
: 12 :
All throughout the N.D.A. estate I found only a few Coral trc
while there were nany Silk Cotton trees. Both the species we
in blossom but still the birds seemed to have a preference to
the Coral tree over the Silk Cotton.
P.W. Soman
* * * . *
Poachers and the Great Indian Bustard
In connection with the observations made by Ishwar Prakash
and Fulak K. Ghosh on the above subject in the Newsletter for
April, the following extract from A BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER IN INDIA
by Lowther should be of interest, *It is ,,. worth noting that
whilst my friend... a humble guard on the railway.., dec lines
shoot or assist in the killing of this magnificent bird.., no is
a keen shikari and a first-class shot.. .others in higher walks
of life, some of them placed by Government to maintain law and
order, do not hesitate to shoot the Great Indian Bustard when-
ever they can. .
»How often does a sense of what is right or wrong work among
individuals in inverse ration to what might be expected. 1
Joseph George, Roorkec,'
$ # * ^
Swallow nest
Of late on my way to office, I have been observing the ri
of a swallow at the entrance of the Punjab National Bank Lt
on Phirozeshah Mehta Road. I first saw it by chance when
-lowed the flight of a swallow. I saw it slowing down near
bank entrance. The nest is a very small thing, made of mud
other things. For a few days after that I saw the swallow nib -
ting in the nest. And now. when I pass by, I se*c two small
heads popping out and awaiting their mother eagerly. Tner<
a white patch on their heads, and I hope my identification
correct, . ■*•,..* i«i
B.A. Palkhiwalla
12.4.1963
/Thd bird is probably a Dusky Crag Martin. - Edj,/
*■* * * * *
Birds seen in and around Bombay
Rosy Pastors : On February 17th between 3 and 9 a«m. we saw c
large flock of rosy pastors in a grove of silk cotton trees in
bloom on a tongue of land that runs out into the Powai Lak,.„
There were several birds in every tree.
Darters and Cormorants: I saw Darters at Powai Lake, but
T u ' lsi th 1 c e~a M "g'r' eat number of cormorants but never darters,
I correct in this?
F ant ailed Flycatchers , Orioles, etc.: On the slopes of the
Hanging Gardens above Babulnath Road between Siri Road and
Babulnath Temple I saw oh April 6th at 7 a.m.
(i) a pair of Fantailed Flycatchers; (ii) a pair of ori
(I have seen orioles here and from the main Gibbs-Ridge Ro*
since January), (iii) several srrt bhai at different places
the hill-slope. Hoard* Tailor Birc! and bulbuls. From the oaj
road — Gibbs Road — saw Magpie Robin, green parakeet floe
Coppersmith on banyan fruit, and for the first time heara
tinctly and saw a Spotter Babbler in a tree off the road.
:13:
A point I would like to make on the above* On theso slopes,
-cral children and adults have learnt to recognize and know
some of our common birds. But these slopes arc being shorn
destroyed — houses., huts, garbage heaps are being pushed up
Siri Road and the- hillside, and a refuge of birds and bird lov-
ers may gradually, or even quite soon, disappear •
House Sparrow: Outside my first floor window at Hughes Ro
a sparrow pair is often to be seer! in a rather bare drumsti
tree. The cock sparrow resents the occasional appearance of
Redwhiskered Bulbul in the tree. Since the beginning of the
week «•« 7th April — I have observed the pair mating several
tines, corning and afternoon, with a particular continued chirp
that always attracts my attention* They may have begun earlier",
and I notice it now, because I am more at home this week.
(Mrs.) M. Choksi
* # $ #
Birds Hawking Insects on wing:
Birds like Bee-eaters and Drongos are well known for their
insect hawking on wing but while I was at the National Defer
Academy I found one early uorning the following species busy
catching insects on the wing in and around a jowar field on t.*<.
banks of the Kharakvasla Lake. The victims were mainly May l
The birds noted doing so are:
1, Purple Sunbird 2 . Bluet hr oat
3. Baybacked Shrike 4. Rufousbacked Shrike
5. Sykes* s Tree Warbler 6. Collard Bushchat
7. Common Green Bee-eaters $. Common Drongo
9. Blyth»s Reed Warbler 10. Ashy V/ren Warbler
11. Indian Pipit 12. Tree Pipit
13. Wiretailed Swallow 14. Redrumped Swallow
15. Yolloweyed Babbler 16, Little Ringed Plover,
The last bird was seen twice, rising a few feet above the g
and settling more or less at the same place.
P.W. Soman
* * # #
Painted Par tridge in Ra jasthan
Reference correspondence in Newsle tter 3(3) j by Shri Lavkuj
referring an article by Shri £»TC. T^Tharma in Vol. ^(2) of the
Newsletter .
Painted Partridge is not new to Raj as than. It seeus that
have penetrated by the route suggested long time ago. I have
a skinned specimen collected from a place near Udaipur at le«
10 years ago. njdaipur and Kotah division is full of Painted
Partridges. A few years ago I noticed one** at a place about ;
miles from Ajmer, and now Mr, Sharma has collected specimens
from Pushkar which is only B miles from Ajmer. It seems that
Fainted Partridge is found all over Raj^ethan except in the
drier parts.
Black Partridges arc found in Alwar division of Rajasthan,
is certainly surprising that it^was not checked before.
R.N. C hatter joe
Nat. Hist. Soc, Mayo College,
: 14 :
Notes for the Newsletter
mJL? !*? I Can ma l E - e s ° od by siting you masterpieces for
W ith°P c tcr D Jaok S on.!^!° W ° CkS tln °' * *" g ° inS ° Ut t0 "»*»*»*
Jasper Newsomc,
Nopal
30 March 1963
/Let us have the notes quickly. - EoV/
ABSTRACTS
From the Now Scientist . No, 331, 21 March I963
The means by which migrating birds navigate at night ar
still m dispute. One view is that they have a remarkable horo
-ditary mechanism for orientating themselves by the stars.
Others disagree with the interpretation of tho supporting 1 x-
permients, which involved. the orientation of birds towards
stars projected on a planetarium dome,
+ u A ? J nt jesting implication of the star navigation theory
that birds must somehow bo able to make adjustments to thJ
-iy changing pattern of constellations. It has recently beer
suggested in Evolution by 3.L. Agron of the State Univcrsit-
Ncw Jersey, that birds 'could probably do this.
^ An important astronomical change, affecting bird navigation
is due to the precession of the Earth's axis — similar "to the
wobbling motion of a spinning top — resulting in a changed
relationship between the constellations and the seasons. Th«
precession cycle takes about 26,000 years to complete. Conse-
quently star patterns shift completely from one season to
next every 6500 years (spring stars of one year being winter
stars 6500 years later) and there will be a complete reversal
?C ™!? ier and vjintcr * and of autumn and spring, stars every
13,000 years, Tho stars therefore shift almost one minute
arc per annual bird migration.
The author emphasises that the stars possibly used by tin
^?£5 lcr t0 £ a y in its journey from Europe to Africa arc quit<
aillerent from the ones guiding its ancestors 6000 years t
As significant evolutionary changes have been shown to occur
in vertebrates m as little as 3S0 years, the bird's probL-
oi ^adjustment to the rapid change — from a biological vi>
point — in the astronomical pattern is not as great as it
might at first appear.
Communicated by Mr. George Verghese,
The Times of India, Bombay
Zafar Futchally
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwatchers
32A, Juhu Lane,
Andheri, Bombay 5 8
< - I
1
editorial board
Dr. Salim AlU FJNX,
33 Pali Hill. Bandra, Bombay 50
K, S. Lavkumar,
Raj ku mar College, Rajkot
Dr. R. M. Naik.
M. S. University, Baroda
i Mrs. Usha Ganguli,
10 Cavalry Lines, Delhi 6
-S-
Mrs. jamal Ara,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda< Hinoo P.O., Ranchi
Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avari.
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Darjeeling
Dr. Biswamoy Biswas,
Indian Museum. Zoological Survey of India,
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. NeeJakantan,,
Meena Nivas, Ambattupalayam,
Chittur- Cochin (Kerala)
r
I E ffSLETTH
FOR IIIIIHITI'UEIS
Itlumr SUB I
j
'
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol. 3; No. 6
June 1963
CONTENTS
Recoveries of ringed birds, By Dr. Salim All
The nesting habits of the Purple Sunbird. By Col. Baljit Singh .,
Some more Indian birds : Further impressions of a visitor. By
Jasper Newsome ... ... ( . .
The Great Indian Bustard in Rajasthan, By Pratap Singh ...
Revised check-list of the birds of Delhi and the Common Names of
Indian birds. By Joseph George. With Comment by Dr. Salim Ali
Finding" the 'Daiyar' or Magpie-Robin's nest. By Zaf ar Futehally
REVIEW
BIRD, (J. G.)
HiiKAHL JaL PaKSHI . (J.G.)
notes k comwrs
CORRESPONDENCE
, • *
...
« ■ •
* • t
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
9
9
TO
r
RECOVERIES OF RINGED BIRDS
Since the last announcement (Newsletter Vol, 2, No. 9, 1962) of recoveries
of blrde ringed under the BNKS/WHO Bird Migration Field Study Project, in-
formation regarding three more recoveries of our ringed birds has come in.
The particulars are as follows 1
Date
Kinged
Ring No, &
species
Place ringed
[Date re-
Icoveri. d
Place re-
covered
Remarks
23.3.62
2,2.63
A- 10220
fasser domes
-tic us parkini ?
(Kashmir Spar-
row)
A-33005
Motacilla
f l'iva be en a
(Blue headed
Yellow Wag-
tail)
Bharatpur,RaJ
-asthan, £.2?°
I3 r N. x 77°
32* E.
,2.6.62 ■
Edanad, Chenga-
nur, Alleppy
Dist., Kerala,
c.9°20tN.x76o
38 'L,
0.5,63
Near Chemol
-gan, Kaske
-Ian Dist.,
Alma-Ata
region, Kaz-
akh SSR. c.
43°l2'N.x~
76°37'E. J
Neighbour-
hood of Now
-#abad-Bag
-rami vill-
age, east
of Kabul, c.
34°30'N, x
69°13'E.
c.i
km.dir
north
of Bha-
ratpur
c.2800
km. north
of Eda-
rj-ud
Date Ring He . i
Ringed species
. 1 - '--
Date recc- rTaci r: : : -
ered
25.2.63
AB-7960
Motacilla
indie a
(Forest
Wagtail)
Ed anad, Cheng a-
ur,Allep£y Dist.,
Kerala, c,9°20'
N. x 76°j8'E.
25.4.63
., Chin
Hills, surma,
c, 2^50' N,
x 53^70' L.
HE,
of Eda-
nad
The last record is particularly gratifying since even less is known of the
Forest Wagtail's migrations than of other species'. There is some speculative
evidence to suggest that the bird arrives in South India by way of the Anda-
Salim All
*
*
WE NESTING HABITS OF THE PURPLE SUNBIRD
I have observed quite a few pairs of Purple Sunbird nesting in March, April,
and Hay in the National Defence Academy Estate, Many nests are typical of this
species as described in Salim All's and Whistler's books. However, I have alsc
noticed a few sunbird 5 who have chosen to breed in the large greyish coloured
nests of the spiders ( Stegodyphus sarasinoruci ) .
I have observed the Purple Sunbird nesting in the Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Raja-
sthan and now here (Foona), but never before have I seen this bird make use
or the spider's' nest. G.M. Hfcnry in his book A OIIDE TO THE BIRDS OF CEYXON
has described the Purple Sunbird and Loten's Sunbird using the spiders* nests
fOl* breeding and all the nests I have come across here are as described by
him, I quote :■ wherever the gregarious spider Stegodyphus sariisinorum makes
its large communal nests of * greyish cobweb in bushes, Loten's Sunbird saves
itself a lot of work by simply pressing a cavity into the side of one of
these masses of cobweb and lining it with vegetable down, (Does it deal with
its spider— landlords by eating them?)" and according to him the majority of
nests of the Purple Sunbird are made in the cobweb masses of the gregarious
spider.
My observations of the two types of i L*e« the typical and the spider <s
web, have brought to light an interesting fact. The typical type of nests
were liable to be robbed by other birds and animals while the ones made in
the spiders' nests were not. Of the 10 typical, type of nests I observed 6
were robbed, while all the 4 nests made in the spider's cobwebs survived.
I wonder if the Purple Sunbird in India is becoming wiser and Changing its
>ing habit, to. protect itself from other birds etc. and learning to save
itself lots of work, I wonder if other observers have noticed this, More
information and study of this subject would be of interest.
The t Purple rump ed Sunbird also nests in this area, but the time it breeds is
different to the Purple Sunbird, i.e. from Julv to September, Last year I
came across quite a few nests but none was made in a spider's nest. This
may be due to the fact that during this period the rainfall here is quite
heavy and spiders' nests are probably not very comfortable to use or are
not available at that time.
I have been able to take" some quite good colour pictures of the Purple Sun-
bird nesting in a spider *s nest, ana would be glad to make them available
to the readers for study.
Col. Baljit Singh
t
ft
National Defence
Academy, Kharakvasla, Poona
ft
1
*
SO>fc MORE INDIAN BIRDS : FURTHER IMPRESSIONS CF A VISITOR
In ray last note in the Newsletter (Vol, 3 (4), April 1963) I recorded some
impressions of the bird life around Bombay in February.
At the beginning of March I went north to Delhi, by train* From th_ comforts
of the air-conditioned express I looked out at a cross section of Indian
countryside. I saw almost fifty species of birds from the train, including
many new to me, such as the Whitenecked Stork, Adjutant, Sarus Crane, White
Ibis, Peafowl and others.
I arrived in Delhi and arranged to stay outside the city at Mehrauli, under
the shadow of Qutab Minar. There was a large well irrigated tomato planta-
tion, surrounded by a high wall and many large trees. This was an ideal
place for birds. In the evening they would collect to drink from the chan-
nels, and in the trees there was a large roost of Roseringed Parakeets.
Among the birds that I saw there for the first time were Brahminy >|ynas,
the Goldenbacked Woodpecker, and the Common Green Pigeon.
One day Mrs. Ganguli kindly took me out to Najafgarh lake. This was certain
-ly one of the most memorable experiences of my bird-watching life. Never
have I seen so many species in a day, or so many water birds collected to-
gether on a single lake.
There were innumerable species of Palaearctic duck and waders which I know
as breeding birds or passage migrants in Europe, and also several species
of Palaearctic waders, which owing to the eastern bias of their range occur
only very seldom in western Europe, Among these was the Marsh Sandpiper,
surely one of the most beautiful waders because of its perfect elegance,
and another fine wader, the White tailed Lapwing, which has a superb wing
pattern.
Out of the fourteen new species of that day, the most interesting was the
Desert Wheat* ar, which strangely enougJi was in full song, a chattering
affair offered up from the ground.* I found this bird interesting because
becoming acquainted with it here increases my chances of detecting it one
day in the British Isles, to vhich it is a very rare straggler for the same
reasons as the waders mentioned above .
Another interesting thing about the birds of northern India in winter was
that many of them I know in Europe in the summer were there for the winter,
and' behaving differently. For example the pipits were hard to identify
because they did not call, similarly the leaf warblers, Lesser Whitetnroats,
and Moust ached Warblers only became obvious when I sat down by bushes and
waited for them to emerge, or put up mist-nets and caught them.
After two weeks in the Delhi area I went down to Jodhpur, Jaipur, and then
across to Agra, In Raj as than I saw several interesting birds of prey, the
Pied Harrier, the Longlegged Buzzard, and also the Hobby, a bird I know
from my own country as a summer migrant, I also saw the two Adjutants,
Painted Storks, Siberian Cranes, and several lone Houbara bustards, a bird
readers of the Newsletter call having recently occurred in England
for the first time for sixtyseven years.
From Agra I went along the' Gangs, to Mokameh, then across the river and up
to Raxaul and into Nepal,
On the beaches of the Ganga I, saw several interesting birds, among them
the Lesser Sand Flover and, the Small Indian Pratincole and several terns.
The birds I saw in Nepal were so many and so varied that 1 should not know
where to start describing them, and besides, perhaps they are really beyond
the. scope of this Newsletter , so I am saved the trouble, (or forbidden the
pleasure Y)'o£ going into detail.
After fepal I went back to Delhi and on to Calcutta,
excellent morning in some small jungle with Mr, P.K,
where I spent an
Sen Gupta, seeing
4
very fine woodland specie* sucb as t&e Luxated oarbet, Bladcnap
Blue Flycatcher, Little Mlnli -, Ziaerald Dove, sad the Crested Serpent
Eagle,
Leaving Calcutta I went to Konarak and Furi, but failed to reach the Chilka
Lake, However, at Puri I saw many waders on their way north, among them
(to me) a new species, the Large Sand Plover, several example a of which
were in full breeding plumage with superb brick red napes, necks and pec-
toral bands,- A magnificent bird to see was the Whitebellied Sea Eagle, a
juvenile, whiih flew along the sea front of Pari only fifty feet above
the crowds of bathers,
: '#i t .
To end my days there I saw three species of tern, among them the Large
Crested, another new species for me.
• At the time of writing I am back in Calcutta, preparing to leave for Dar-
jeeling and Assam, where 1 hope to see a lot of birds. In late May I go
to Kashmir and then to Afghanistan, If the editor chases me vigorously
enough, I may produce a final article to conclude this wonderful visit to
India and her birds,
Jasper Newsome
THE GfiLiiT INDIaM BUSTARD IN RaJaSTHAN
Talking about the Great Indian Bustard, I am reminded of my home district,
Kota in Rajasthan, The bird is not very uncommon in the area and on count-
less occasions I have come across this magnificent bird. Though the majo-
rity of the district is under the plough there are certain areas which
because of the hard rocky surface layer are uncultivable. To the west and
to the south of the main township of Kota there extends a vast 'pathart %
It is an undulating expanse of rocky land through which the river Chambal
makes its awe-inspiring gorge. The plateau gradually rises as you go south
and finally ends in the fault of the hills of ffukundwar, Bhanisrorgarh,
Chittor and Bijolia, This desolate, harsh, rugged and windswept landscape
I have often traversed and apart from coming across gazelle and blackbnck
I have on countless occasions encountered the Great Indian Bustard.
Hy attention to the existence of these birds was first drawn in March
1952. I was collecting fish for ray aquarium from the nail ah s, and scat-
tered small ponds when I was attracted by a bird in flight. From a dis-
tance it looked like a vulture, but the wing beats were regular and power
-ful. When it passed near me I discerned the stretched neck, the extended
legs and the white underparts. I had seen the bird for the first time,
but it was unmistakable. Following this I made constant endeavours to
observe more birds whenever I was home during the vacations. At that time
I was ignorant about the dwindling population of these birds and I am
guilty of shooting one myself. However, I observed lots of birds in subse-
quent years. The birds are more frequently met during the ~iiny season,
though I have also seen them during the summer months an*" le winter months.
The early months of the monsoon probably bring these birds to this area
either for food or for breeding. In July 1955 in my short round of t5 milts
from my home I came across 17 birds. They were mostly seen in pairs, Tne
hitherto bleak and forbidding landscape had become alive with the rains
and these birds were feeding on sprouting shoots or making short runs and
catching grasshoppers or crickets. One bird even burst forth from a near-by
bush but I failed to detect any nest. Perhaps the most fascinating sight
was a congregation of 12 birds. They were just lousing around, a few of
them sat as if on nests. On my approach they started scattering and J. made
a detour and let- them alone, Again in October 1957 while on my usual
escapades, I came across two birds. They were far apart. The one nearer
to me started calling as 1 approached it. It maintained a distance of about
60 yards from me and kept on walking without taking to the wings, I suspect
-ed a nest somewhere and started searching the ground. When I was nearing
the other bird I. came across two young ones. Now their age I would not be
5
able to guess. They stood nearby as tall as the White Ibis, thogh very much
slimmer • Their appearance was shabby for they had not attained the full adult
plumage, even the black crown was missing in parts* The inneoent creatures
eyed me with curiosity and -allowed me near enough when I could clearly see
the bright yellow pupil of their eyes. When I stood and watched them instead
of passing by their curiosity turned to fright and they took to their wings.
Their flight was "unsteady and they settled down again a -furlong away.
It clearly indicates that the birds, if not disturbed by the cattle, do suc-
cessfully breed in this area and here was perhaps one case which I observed.
What the conditions now are, I cannot say. The last time when I went out for
a search was in July 1-961, and I returned disappointed, Though the local shi-
karis of the Kota township are quite ignorant of their existence in this area,
lately a lot of cattle have migrated- here from rtarwar and Ajmer, It is quite
possible that the birds have moved further away. However, as a matter of inter
-est I may add that three such successive plateaux extend southwards from Kota
to Susuer in Shajapur District of Madhya Pradesh,
Pratap Singh,
A.S.P, Khargon, W, Nimar (M, P.)
REVISED CHECK-LIST OF THE, BIRDS OF DELHI AND THE COMMON NAMES
OF INDIAN BIRDS.
Recently I assisted General Williams in the production of a revised Check-list
of the 'Birds of Delhi and District', Most of the additional information in
this list was provided by Mrs, Usha Ganguli and Mr, Julian Donahue, Copies of
the check-list are available with the Honorary Secretary of the Delhi Bird
Watching Society (Capt, 5.K, Chatterjee, Naval Headquarters, New Delhi), and
I am sure that he would be glad to send a copy to anyone specially interested
in it.
We ran up against a number of problems in naming so©e of the birds logically.
The arrangement of birds is the one used by Hipley in his SYNOPSIS. To our
dismay we- found that in many instances not only the scientific name but also
the common (trivial) name of birds had been changed. This is very confusing
to the amateur. We are not quite certain that we have not made mistakes in
locating the new names of birds. On the other hand, we saw with a sense of
relief that Ripley does not give common names to- subspecies except in rare
instances such as Saker and Laggar Falcons, However , this policy seems to
have led him to the use of some extraordinary common names. The • Black-
throated Thrush' is called the 'Redthroated Thrush 1 and the 'Indian Pipit*
becomes the 'Paddyfield Pipit',
Books by Salim Ali, Dharmakumarsinhji, Whistler, and others were also consult
-ed and that did not make it easier for us to decide- on the common names to
be used. Some of our difficulties are given below in the belief that they
will give the experts some idea as to how the amateurs feel about the names
of Indian birds, .
The word 'Indian' is sometimes used before. the names of birds. At other times
it is not used. In this connection it is well to remember that the Tree Pipit
and the Indian Tree Pipit are two different species, (Ripley calls the latter
'Hodgson's Pipit 1 ,) Le^ Us be certain where we want to use 'Indian' and where
not.
The use. of the word 'Common' bothers seme people when used for a bird that
is not common, as for instance the Common Cuckoo in Delhi, Ripley calls this
bird 'The Cuckoo', perhaps the only bird he dignifies with the definite arti-
cle. This is insufficient, for if one speaks of 'Ihe Cuckoo' the question is
often asked by other amateurs: 'Which Cuckoo?', The Delhi list contains five,
f
The "European Cuckoo' is unsatisfactory because there this an 'Asiatic
Cuckoo', probably the one we are concerned with. That leaves only the
'Common Cuckoo' and the objection remains.
The names ordinarily current in Europe are being used itr some of the
Indian birds. Examples are 'Lapwing' and 'Shelduck' . It is not clear
Why we should go half way in doing this. "Willow Warblers" are now called
"Leaf Warblers'. The logic of this seems to be that there are no willows
in India, But in Europe where the willow presumably occurs (and also
leavesl) the Yellowbrowed Willow Warbler is plain 'Yellowbrowed Warbler",
•Wren-Warblers' are now 'Lbngt ailed Warblers". One wonders why? All
that has been stated above seems to show that the common names of Indian
birds are yet to be standardised. In doing this the use of descriptive
names' such as "Collared Sand Martin' and 'Blackheaded Myna' are preferable
to such names as 'European Sand Martin' and 'Brahminy Myna' .Similarly the
use of full names rather than only the first names deserves encouragement.
Examples are 'Sirkeer Cuckoo' and 'Openbill Stork". The scm^hat indiscri-
minate use of words such as 'Lesser' , 'Smaller", 'Snail', and 'Little' is
confusing.
We realize that what appears to be advantageous can have its disadvantages.
One point, however, is very clear; the common name a of Indian birds require
to be standardized. Our remarks are only for the consideration of the
experts. Meanwhile, there are 'Willow Warblers' in the Delhi list although
there are no willows in Delhi,
Joseph George,
Central Building Research Institute,
Roorkee, U*P.
COMMENT
Mr. George Joseph has touched upon a point of which the unsatisf actoriness
— inconsistency, and even absurdity — has long been felt by students of
Indian birds. Most of the incogruitles, of course, stem from the fact that
English names for our birds were 'manufactured* or bodily transposed by
Britishers familiar with their own birds when up against species in this
country for which naturally no English names existed before. Many of the
qualifying words they employed, such as ' Common", really applied to what
was common to them in England, thus The Common Kingfisher ( Alee do atthis ).
In other cases they very sensibly took over the names in local use, thus
Pitta, Cutia, Bulbul, Jtyna, Koel, and others. While admitting the unsuit-
ability of many English names and some recently proposed ' improvements " , I
personally feel that it would be rather a waste of effort to try to 're-align'
more or less well understood trivial names at this stage. Since our main
objective now is to popularize bird study among our own count rymen for
which Hindi or regional language books are absolutely essential — what
seems to me most needed is the selection and standardization of such names
as already exist, in whatever Indian language, or to invent or adapt simple
names from foreign languages where such are not available. For this it
would be necessary first of all to create some competent central authority
— preferably a small committee of bird students of recognised competence
— whose writ can reasonably be expected to function without too much
pettifogging argumentation. The position as regards current trivial English
names emphasizes what I have consistently advocated, namely the need for
all serious bird watchers to familiarize themselves with, and memorize and
use, the internationally accepted scientific names of birds. .This is a far
simpler exercise than it appears, and is indeed the only means of expanding
ones ornithological horizon beyond narrow parochial limits,
Salim AH
* * * • ' #
able to guess. They stood nearby as tall as the White Ibis, thogh very much
slimmer. Their appearance was shabby for thay had not attained the full adult
plumage, even the black crown wa3 missing in parts. The innocent creatures
eyed me with curiosity and allowed me near enough when I could clearly see
the bright yellow pupil of their eyes. When I stood and watched them instead
of passing by their curiosity turned to fright and they took to their wings.
Their flight was unsteady and they settled down again a 'furlong away.
It clearly indicates that the birds, if not disturbed by the cattle, do suc-
cessfully breed in this area and here was perhaps one case which I observed*
* ; What the conditions now are, I cannot say. The last time when I went out for
a search was in July 1-961, and I returned disappointed. Though the local shi-
karis of the Kota township are quite ignorant of their existence in thie area,
lately a lot of cattle have migrated- here from rtarwar and Ajmer, It is quite
possible that the birds have moved further away. However, as a matter of inter
-est I may add that three such successive plateaux extend southwards from Kota
to Susuer in Shajapur District of tiadhya Pradesh.
Pratap Singh,
* m.S, P. Khargon, W. Nimar (M, P.)
* * * . , *
REVISED CHECK-LIST OF THE BIRDS OF DELHI AND THE COMMON NAMES
OF INDIAN BIRDS,
Recently I assisted General Williams in the production of a revised Check-list
of the 'Birds of Delhi and District*. Most of the additional information in
this list was provided by Mrs. Usha Ganguli and Mr, Julian Ebnahue, Copies of
the check-list are available with the Honorary Secretary of the Delhi Bird
Watching Society (Capt. S.K. Chatter jee, Naval Headquarters, New Delhi), and
I am sure that he would be glad to send a copy to anyone specially* interested
in it.
We ran up against a number of problems in naming so#e of the birds logically.
The arrangement of birds is the one used by Ripley in his SYNOPSIS. To our
dismay we» found that in many instances not only the scientific name but also
the common (trivial) name of birds had been changed. This is very confusing
• _ to the amateur, We are not quite certain that we have not made mistakes in
locating the new names of birds. On the other hand, we saw with a sense of
relief that Ripley does not give common names to- subspecies except in rare
■ instances such as Saker and Laggar Falcons, However, this policy seems to
have led him to the use of some extraordinary common names. The f Black-
throated Inrush" is called the 'Redthroated Thrush 1 and the 'Indian Pipit '
becomes the 'Paddyfield Pipit',
Books by Salim all, Dharmakumarsinhji, Whiatler, and others were alec consult
-ed and that did not make it easier for us to decide- on the common names to
be used. Some of our difficulties are given below in the belief that they
will give the experts some idea as to how the amateurs feel about the names
of Indian birds. J :
The word 'Indian' is sometimes used before. the names of birds. At other times
it is not used. In this connection it is well to remember that the Tree Pipit
and the Indian Tree Pipit are two different species. (Ripley calls the latter
"• -Hodgson^s Pipit',) Let us be certain where we want to use 'Indian* and where
not.
The use. of the word 'Common 1 bothers some people when used for a bird that
is not common, as for instance the Common Cuckoo in Delhi. Ripley calls this
bird 'The Cuckoo', perhaps the only bird he dignifies with the definite arti-
cle. This is insufficient, for if one speaks of 'The Cuckoo' the question is
often asked by other amateurs: 'Which Cuckoo?'. The Delhi list contains five,
£,
: 6 :
The 'European Cuckoo' is unsatisfactory because there this an 'Asiatic
Cuckoo i, probably the one we are concerned with. That leaves only the
■Common Cuckoo' and the objection remains. ■
?^!Tt? f' 11 ™ 1 ^ current in Europe are being used Xcr some of the
Indian birds Examples are "Lapwing t and 'Shelduck'. It is not clear
.^f^M ( g °^ W 5 *? d0ing this " ' miow Warblers t are now called
iS LT* T, : ^ l0giC * tMs "^ to to that *»« are no wUlows
ll^w^Vf/T^ Wh6re thE ldllow P««»>ahly occurs (and also
™^!i } S" Y ! 2 lowbro ** d * illow Vartiler is plain 'Y e iicwbrowed Warbler',
■Wren-Warblers' are now 'Longtailed Warblers', One wonders why? AH
tnat has been stated above seems to show that the common names of Indian
Dirds are yet to be standardised. In doing this the use of descriptive
names such as 'Collared Sand tfartin' and 'Blackhearted Mynai w preferable
to such names as 'European Sand Martin' and ifirahminy *nai. Similarly the
SSL i R f^ S , rather than only the first names ^serves encourageiaent,
Exmples are 'Sirkeer Cuckoo' and -Openbill Stork', The somewhat inSiscri-
conTusi * ^ * LeMepl * '^^Ler', 'Small', and .Utile* ia
One^f h^ 1 ,Allt . fl PP e « J 6 te advantageous can have its disadvantages.
One point, however, i s very clear; the common names of Indian birds require
elofrtf T"^' *? r€marks ^ Cnly f0r th * consideration ofthe 6
tnlrfa^e^^ws ^k^.™*™ "**»***' in the Delhi list although
Joseph George,
Central Building Research Institute,
Roorkee, U,P,
C M M' E H T
-*i£Zff t J ° S£ph h ^ t0UChedu P° n * P°int of Which the unsatisfaetoriness
todi^^SS^'*""? trV hSa ^ ty ~ h88 l0 "8 been felt * ^dents of
SS^h^ f 8t ° f u h6 lnco « ruit i 6 ^ of course, stem fro* the fact that
English names for our birds were 'manufactured' or bodily transposed by
Britishers familiar with their own birds when up against spTcTeTS this
quamying words they employed, such as 'Conraon', really applied to what
Pitta Lf S B ,^ ,8 2' SenSibly tO0k 0Ver the ,M — ^ lo^TTIse-tKur
Smtv^*' i^J J"*' K ° e1 ' 8nd ° thers - M* 1 " admitting the unsuit
perstnal?v fl"l ^ f? """J Z? ^ reCent ^ pr °P° sed ' lavements., I
personally feel that it would be rather a waste of effort to try to 're-alien'
ob^ctl^w^tT^r^ tA 32- nameS at thi8 sta ^ Si ™ ?™ ™^
which hZ* ?1 * *? P ?^ 31 '" 6 blrd ^dy among our own countrymen - for
which Hindi or regional language books are absolutely essential - what
•TSrEd^'t T*£ f tte T selection and atandaruization of surnames
Sn^r™ r < ' *? **""* ^i* l^guage, or to invent or adapt simpL
names from foreign languages where such are not available. For this it
^ef^ n K? 6S8ary &"* * aU to Crcate «« °«P«tent central authority
- 5E£ ^? 3 ^^ colmittee ° f bi ^ d indents of recognised ^eience
ZtMolZlKT re f ° nabl y ^ e ^ ec ted to function without too Zch
Pettifogging argumentation. The position as regards current trivial English
STLSSl""^ ^V h T con « i3t ^ntly advocated, namely the netdToT
u^ 1h w bird watchers to familiarise themselves'„ith,lnd memori 8 e and
=wi internationally accepted scientific names of bi>ds. Biis is a fax
onet orn!fho?oH ^ S ^u^*' "« ±S ***«'»* ^ ««i of e^anai^g
ones ornithological horizon beyond narrow parochial limits. •
Salim All
: 7 i
FINDING THE 'DiilYitR' or MAGflEr-ROBIN<S NEST
The nest of the daiyar or Magpie-Robin is not a difficult thing to find. One
gets an early indication of the general area where it is likely to be by the
position taken up by the cock bird when pouring out his mcrning song, There-
after while the male stands guard the female can be seen carrying nesting
material to the nest for long hours during the day. All this time the male
does not help in the least.
During this season, however, in spite of a clear indication that the nest
was somewhere near my house I was unable to find the location. Once or twice
I saw the female with casuarina needles in her beak perched on a gul mohr
tree but my binoculars made her somewhat apprehensive, and in the game of
patience she ultimately won.
On the T3 May while I was in the office I got a frantic telephone from my
servant asking me to come as there were five daiyar chicks under a Mangalore
tile on the roof of my house. The tile was removed for the routine pre-mon-
soon repairs, I went home and found that there were five chicks on the roof
exposed to the sun and looking very uncomfortable, Their eyes were still
closed,
I hurriedly removed a nest box which I had put up on a mango tree and trans
-f erred this family into it. The nest box was again put up on the tree about
50 feet away from the original site of the nest. During the transfer of the
m
nursery from the roof to the nest box in the tree the parent birds were not
in evidence at all, and I was extremely apprehensive that the family would
not be reunited, and the chicks would die.
This transfer took place at about 9 in the morning, I telephony the house
again at about 1 p,m, and was delighted to learn from my servant that both
the male and the female daiyar had established contact with the chicks and
had been feeding them since about 10,30 in the morning,
When I came home in the evening I found that the parents were feeding the
chicks by just perching outside the nest box, and it seemed to roe that once
or twice they attempted to get into the box without success , the l£ inch
entrance hole seemed to be a little too small. I brought the box down
again and made the hole a little wider. This enabled the birds to get in
from time to time.
At the time of writing (22nd May) the family is doing very well.
Zaf ar f utehally
REVIEWS
BIRD. By Lois and Louis Darling. 26 1 pp. London 1963, Methuen. Price
30 oh.
About ten years ago this reviewer cams across a book which was a summing
up of general ornithology applicable to all birds. In THE BIRD, as the
book was called, Gertrud Hess presented a striking picture of the astonish
-ing perfection of birds.
BIRD does this too and more. It conveys the beauty of the 'intricate adap-
tedness' of the bird's body and its present capacity for performance. The
process of evolution which produced this perfection is described in the
first part of the book. In the orderly progress of evolution, the authors
find a suggestion that it has a preconceived direction, or a goal. Since
evolution itself is not a conscious process, this seems to imply that
something other than itself gave it that direction and set that goal.
Part two which deals with Behaviour gives concise accounts of instict, dis
-play, learning, reproduction, social behaviour, and migration. The word
instinct as applied to behaviour is • a name to our ignorance ' , Instinctive
activity is often inappropriate to unusual situations. For example, Pen-
guins which feed on shrimp in the water will sit quietly on land and starve
to death beside a heap of the same shrimp. The reviewer has watched the
Common Hawk-Cuckoo on trees whose branches were covered with the white por-
cupine-like bug Fhromia , Now and then one of these creatures would move
and the bird would immediately take it. The masses of Fhromia that remained
motionless were not touched. Was the bird's behaviour appropriate in this
naturally occurring situation?
We all have heard of the 'peck order* among flocks of domestic fowl. The
leader of such a flock is, however, not the bird highest in the peck order,
but some lowly member of the group, often a female J Leadership is not
dominance ,
Part three on anatomy and physiology contains many Latin names, but a study
of this section will give us a "new dimension of appreciation" for birds.
The chapter on flight is a very lucid account of the subject. In spite of
all the advances in plastic foams and synthetic textiles, men have not been
able to make a better material for warm sleeping bags than eider down,
BIKD is profusely illustrated with drawings and delightful sketches by the
authors themselves. The treatment of bird life in the context of all other
Hfe is another interesting feature of the book. Hawks and birdwatchers
for instance, have their ears spaced too far apart to determine the loca-
tion of short wave length, high frequency alarm, calls of small birds,
vMle birds and baseball players alike have a moral advantage in being on
home grounds 1
BIRD should help us to understand not only birds but also ourselves better.
J. G.
* ■ * # *
HAMARE JAL PaKSHL. By Rajeshwarprasad Narain Sinha. pp. 87. Publications
Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1962.
a book of the National Book Trust. Price Rs2.50
This small book in Hindi abounds in mistakes, misleading statements, and con
-fusion. It is to be regretted that such a book should have been published
by the Government,
In describing some seventyfive ducks and waders, the author has of'ten relied
on his imagination rather than on careful study or observation. He writes,
for instance, that the -Fantail Snipe, has a fan- shaped tail and the Pintail
Snipe a pin- shaped tail. Incredible though it may seem, the feather pattern,
in the tail of both snipes is illustrated! But the author -makes no use of
it.
The book is profusely illustrated, but some of the illustrations are sure
to confuse rather than help the reader, a drawing of the Reef Heron (which
is not even mentioned in the book) appears where the Pond Heron is .cleocrib-
ed. The Pinkheaded Duck is illustrated under the name laJprr which, .^cord-
ing to the text, is the Common Pochard but according to the glossary is the
Rede rested Pochard.
The Pinkheaded EUck which is virtually extinct is described as being widely
distributed. The epithet 'lily among birds' which Hume used for the Gr^at
White Crane is transferred to the Sarus Crane. The flamingo gets first posi
-tion among ducks. It is stated that some ducks swim several miles under
water, that flocka of 200 to 300 Tufted Pochards (the author lias no name for
this bird) disappear under water on the- approach of human beings, and that
half the head of the White Ibis is black.
The Bombay Natural History Soci sty receives special mention. It is reported
that this Society prepared 'with great effort' a list of the birds of India
'but even today several birds do not find a place in iH.
One fails to understand how HAMARE JAL PhKSKI could have 4 been accepted e.a a
book of the National Book Trust.
■ J.G.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
Attention is being drawn all over the world by responsible bodies to the
havoc caused by toxic chemicals to wild life in general end birds in parti-
cular, Rachel Carson's classic SILENT SPRING has had a powerful fmpact on
public opinion in America and England, and the unthinking use of pesticides,
particularly the chlorinated hydrocarbons will perhaps be arrested to a cer
-tain extent. But it will take a long time even to undo the damage that has
already been caused. In Bird S tu d y of iiarch 1963, there is a report of the
Birds of Prey Conference which was held in Cambridge in i l iarch this year.
The Conference f f inds conclusive evidence of an alarming decline in numbers
of birds of prey in Britain over the past six years., . ,, t the chief factor
in this rapid decline is the use of toxic chemicals.....'
In America the decline in the number cf Bald Eagles, their National Bird,
has been causing grave concern, Actually the National Audubon Society's
Bald Eagle Project revealed a slight increase in the eagle population —
3807 in \962 as compared to 3642 in 1961. But in many areas nesting success
has been rather poor and toxic chemicals can be -one of the reasons, This Is
certainly the cause of the decline in the case of many other species of
birds. The President of the National Audubon Society in his annual report
suggests that the U.S. Department of Agriculture shift the emphasis from
the general reliance on toxic chemicals to research in biological controls.
In our country we must avoid the mistakes of the more r advanced 1 nations who
are paying such a heavy price for the careless use of pesticides, insecti-
cides, and herbicides on their farms, fields and rivers, *I^t us always remem
! 1*
IV
ber the saying of the Bantu tribes of South-** st Africa that 'A person
sLuS not stoot a bird resting on his own head' . Unfortunately this sound
advice is not being followed.
CORRESPONDENCE
A new sketch for the Newsletter cover
Herewith a sketch of Whitebacked Munias ( Lonchura striata) perching on
a cSa tree (Casuarina equisetifcl^) . J** birds parted bulling a
globular nest on SundayTThe 12th, and finished the same on the 14th May.
g^eSlng on the top of my car, I was able to put my finger in the lat-
eral entrance of the nest on the 16th, and found no eggs.
S.V, Nilakanta
The Theosophical Society, Adyar,
Madras 20
/The sketch will be used for the cover of the July issue.- EdJ
* * * *
The House Sparrow
It is observed near my house at Goregaon during the months of October
and November 1962, the House Sparrows (Pa^ posticus) cut of f *£*
bit complete flowers of Canna Indies . TnTse-f lowers were mos ^^ i ^ 1 ^
and orange colours. First^Twas thought that the birds are »^*** for
any insects in the flowers, but after careful observation 1 could see that
the petals of the flowers are slowly eaten up.
Two nests were built by some of these sparrows on the waste-water pipes
aloS tS biding walL Ifter eating they were seen to visit th.se nests.
Therefore, these nests were also examined for parts of the petals. But
nonfcoSd be recovered. It also confirms that the petals are eaten up by
them. I feel this observation may be oi interest.
ji.K, Joshee, Ph.D.
Goregaon (West), Bombay 62
Domestic Fowl
I saw at some places in Goregaon and Matunga that the feathers of 2 or
3 fowls weie more erected and almost tending in a forward direction. 1
would like to know whether it is a known genetic factor or the fowls have
the capacity for such movements of feathers? 1 have not observed these
fowls over and over again. ^ ^^ ^
Goregaon (West), Bombay 62
/Frizzled plumage in fowls is genetically controlled. In this artif icial
freed the upright set of the feathers is believed to be an adaptation to
tropical conditions, permitting free escape of body heat. In Europe the
birds have ?o be kept in heated rocs in winter, otherwise they succumb
to the cold. — Edj/
Colour difference in House Sp arrow eggs
1 had a chance to observe a pair of House Sparrows nesting in *?***--
mal house. They had been chased from their nest sites twice by mynas.
Still they are building tirelessly the third nest right in front of ray
working table. Ihey have laid four eggs and incubation is carried on.
The striking difference is that out of the four eggs three are of 'sandy
grey colour blotched with brown spots. The fourth one is blotched with
brown spots densely on the broad end and the general colour is white in-
stead of sandy grey as in the other three. Does the colour change In the
eggs has any significance with the sex of the young that has to hatch?
K. Janakiraman,
Ford Foundation Project Institute
of Agriculture
Anand
It is not unconmon for one egg in a house sparrow's clutch* and also
n many other birds', to be differently coloured from the rest. This
variation has often led to the mistaken assumption that it was laid by
a different bird, or by a parasitic cuckoo. The difference in compara-
tive size and weight of a cuckoo's egg, usually larger and heavier than
the fosterer 'sj provides the clue, as far as is known the different egg
coloration has no significance for the hatchling. — Ed^/
Fatality to Barbets flying a&ainst walls
Reference Capt, lyabji's interesting note on the fatality to barbets
flying against walls of buildings in the Newsletter for May 1963, I think
the explanation in the first case is that the birds were so encrossed in
chasing one another that they paid no heed to where they were going till
too late to realize that they were going to the wall: In the second case
of/ also— that/the Large Green Barbet in New Delhi — the explanation could
well be the same, one of the birds either chaser or chased, being lucky
to get away without colliding with the building.
It is well known that even normally shy birds, and other animals, .possess
enviable powers of concentration and will face reckless hazards when driv-
end by the vital urges of sex or hunger. I once fired at a peregrine as
it stooped at a wounded white tailed lapwing struggling on the water of a
jheel. So intent was the bird on its quarry that it stooped again and
again regardless of three charges of dust shot at fairly close range which
sent its feathers flying and showed blood on its underside, and the loud
reports of the gun, I had two cock sparrows fly straight into me while
watching a game of hockey in an open maldan before they realized that I
was made of flesh and not thin airlih Orissa I once fired at something
rolling over and aver among dry leaves on the forest floor which turned
out to be two male purplerumped sunbirds locked in vicious combat. One
of the birds got killed by a pellet, but the other continued to wrestle
with it regardless. He only woke to tt)e situation when I picked up the
tangled pair, and then he promptly let go its adversary and flew off
unhurt, I have recorded in my report of the Travanco re-Cochin bird survey
30 years ago, picking up a Bronze winged Dove that had been killed by
impact with the whitewashed wall of a coffee plantation bungalow, I wae
informed by the owner that Bronze winged Doves were constantly coming to
grief in this way and that numbers had been picked up dead at the foot
of thib wall. In this case it was probably that the birds, always dashing
at great speed, took the sunlit patches on the wall seen through the 'dense
surrounding shrubbery, to be patches of open sky and only discovered their
mistake too late , .
Mist netters will tell you that the best chances of getting a wagtail
or two, or larks or pipits, into a net optimistically placed in an open
field in daytime are when one bird suddenly attacks and chases another
as is their wont. They then become completely oblivious of the net which
a few moments before they had so studiously (and aggravating ly) tf edge-
hopped or bye-pa seed I
Salixa All
* » * *
12
.: 12
Crow- Pheasants eating water snails
The note by Mrs, Usha Ganguli on page 8 of your May 1963 issue about
Crow-Pheasants eating water snails, serves to emphasize further the catho
-licity of the bird in the choice of its animal food, and its versatility
in procuring it. It would be interesting to get the snail identified. Per
-haps Mrs, Ganguli could collect a few of the shells and send them to the
Bombay Natural History Society?
In Bahawalpur I once found a Crow-Pheasant flopping on the water, and
hanging from a fish hook. This was one of many hooks suspended at inter-
vals by the local fishermen from a rope stretched taut across a narrow in-
let of a jheel a few inches above the water surface. The bird had evidently
settled on the rope, hauled up the line and, in an excess of greed, swallow
-ed the bait together with the hook. The barb of the hook had pierced the
gullet and was sticking outside , The stomach of this specimen, as also of
another shot in this neighbourhood, contained exclusively remains of small
fish such as .those baited on the hooks, so this food item apparently formtd
the main attraction for crow-pheasants in the locality.
Salim All
*
Bulbuls eating flowers
The Whitebrowed, the Redvented, and the Redwhiskered Bulbuls have the
habit of eating the white petals of the T single* Eryatamia coronarda flowers
in the garden. The Whitebrowed Bulbul finishes off about six or more flowers
at one stretch and sane times flies away with the petal in its beak. This
bulbul visits also the Argyreia c^mpanulata plants in the garden and eats
the tin portions of the pale mauve corolla of the flowers. Unlike E^ coro-
narla a. companulata is an introduced plant.
I was able to observe the birds for about three weeks from April 12, 1963
at different localities of the College Campus. Their favourite time is
around 2,30 in the afternoon when it is quite hot.
Gift Siromoney,
Madras Christian College, Madras,
#. # # ■ #
About our Newsletter
" I became acquainted with birds at an early age, seven, through, my
elder brother. It was, however, at Udaipur that I really gained knowledge
in the subject. Unfortunately soon after that my brother went into the
army and 1 was at a great loss and when I grew up there was nobody to
guide me in making notes and observations. To tell you very frankly, I
have never made notes for I did not know what to note downi ifost of. the
observations I passed as being of no importance and not until Mr. Lavkumar
gave me a copy of Newsletter for Birdwatchers at Mount >tbu last year I
realised that many observations which I just passed as trivial could have
been of importance,
Pratap Singh
A..S.P, KhaTgone, W, Nimar (M # P.)
Zaf ar Futehally
Editors Newsletter for Birdwatchers
3 2 A, Juhu Lane, Andheri
Bombay 58
editorial board
Dr, Sallm Ali. F.N.I. ,
33 Pall Hill, Bandra, Bombay 50
K. S. Lavkumar,
Raj ku mar College, Rajkot
Dr. R. M, Nilk t
M. S. University, Baroda
Mrs. Usha Gangull,
10 Cavalry Lines, Delhi 6
Mrs, Jamal Ara,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda, Hlnoo P.O., Ranch I, Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avart,
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Dar|eellng
Dr. Biswamoy Biswas,
Indian Museum, Zoological Survey of India,
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan,
Meena Nivas, Ambattupalayam,
Chlttur- Cochin (Kerala)
J,
*
*r
Nil BIRBffATCBEtS
NET'fLET^ER
FOR
BIR&T'ATCFERS
Vol. 3, No. 7
July 1963
^T
CONTENTS
The parasitic Koel. By David Altaf ,.
On the alleged inferiority of the Southern Grackle
/Gracula religiosa indica (CuvierJ7 as a talking
bird. By Salim All
A young Kingfisher's greedii. : leading to death. By K
Kt Neelakantan . . *
Migration of the Bluecheecked Bee-eater Merops super-
ciliosus . By Zafar Futehally
Habitat and Migration. By (Mrs.) Jama! Ara
Birdwatching around Rajkot. By Lalsinh M. Raol
Jynx torquilla hi ma lay ana in Roorkee, U.P. By Joseph
George . . • .
Reviews:
SILENT SFRI1TG. (Z.F.)
ADVENTURE LIT TTIR STAR. (Mrs. Laeeq Futehally) .
Notes and Comments • » •
Correspondence , , . .
Page
i
3
4
4
5
e
10
ii
li
THE PAr.ASlTIC KOEL
Baisaki came end went away and with it went the last traces of
coolth. The summer is directly on us and the sun has^ developed
a sharp sting* The breeze 1 olden with the aroma of flowers lazdly
and languidly sighs through the newly foliaged trees , collecting
the dead leaves or whatever is left of them. The mulberry! the
shi sham , the muwha , the neero , end the vine stand proudly and
majestically in their Sunday best displaying their flowers and
tender new leaves which shine in the sun. The black bee hums
incessantly round the flowers and a varied colour is added by
the visit of many birds like parrots, roynas , starlings, bulbuls,
and green pigeons which raid the mulberry and muwha $rees .
And yet a fascinating drama of nature unfolds itself in all these
busy activities. The paramount purpose, the survival of race,
goes on in a subtle way behind these scenes. The bees, the but-
terflies, and the birds attracted by the aroma and the lure of
honey, inadvertently and unknowingly pollinate and fertilize the
flowers and later on act as agents for dispersal of seeds. The
birds on their own sing, woo, dance, and fight in a wild chorus
almost nonstop throughout the day.
There are nests of at least a dozen kinds of birds in our com-
pound and there is a frantic rush by others to settle down before
it is too late. The raynas ha*e come and occupied two holes in
our verandah, ne^r, t %ty§ cellin" and in hastily constructed nests
have lain some eggs. They are perpetually quarreling with each
other. In the general scramble you find two of them on the ground
pecking and clawing at each other for all they are worth and
then suddenly the others come and join the fray and unsportingly
hitting the fallen foe. I do not understand this. Near the mynes
on the beams, patiently sits the female pigeon, controlling the
brood, while the male pigeons come and go noisily, A pair of
sparrows persist in building a home on the top portion of a ceil
-ing fen and in spite of repeated failures they even deposited
two eggs in it the other day. Of course they immediately fell
down, I feel sorry for them but they havent given up their futile
pursuit. The bulbuls have made a neat little nest in our jasmine
creeper and the male and the female sit over three eggs in turns
without much fuss. Not far away from these in the same creeper
is a cozy nest of a tailor bird without any egg in it so far, A
pair of turtle doves perched themselves in one corner of the sky-
light in our sitting room and within a matter of days brought out
two ugly looking young ones with big innocent eyes who keep on
fluttering all over the place in the room, much to my wife's
disgust. The parrots have monopolized the holes in the rieera trees
and made at least six nests in them and there is day long fight
amongst themselves. A sturdy male partridge, full of fight, stands
on the compound wall and gives out every morning and evening his
full-throated challenging call of titlo- titlo- titlo , as he
stands sentinel over the nest in the near-by shrub where sits
the female unobserved, A pair of Indian Rollers have made them-
selves comfortable in a hole in a Gul Mohar tree and in an impro-
vised nest sits the female over three Jade coloured eggs. The
male sits on the dry branches above and woe unto anyone who
passes nearby, Uithout provocation he darts like an arrow and
pecks furiously, A smooth head like mine is like a red rag to
him and my little dog Fluffy with his inquisitive nose receives
a lot o,f attention. The Hoopoes have occupied the garage, and
the male one sits on the roof opening and closing his feather
crown contiruoucly.
But the most exciting of them all is the episode of the crow
and the koel. In the on-e corner of our lawn is a big neem tree.
It must have been very old as half of it is dried up, and its
trunk is almost hollow. In one dry branch of this tree high up
a pair of crows have built their nest, a sloppy, untidy collec-
tion of sticks and wires, find in it sits the female crow over
her eggs doing her day long vigil. The male crow is round about,
doing sentry duty and ever ready to pounce upon any unwelcome
Intruder, A crow is particularly vicious while guarding eggs or
young ones. Not for away from this tree is a small mango grove,
a favourite haunt of the Koel and the Golden Orioles. A few
mornings back, from my verandah I watcher" a most fascinating
drama enacted there. A big black koel came and settled down on
an Indian cork tree, not far away from the crow's nest and let
out its shrill stammering call in quick succession. Something
like cowuh , cowuh, cowuh. The male crow always alert shot out
and darted on her and chased her out into the mango grove. The
koel kept on jumping from branch to branch, avoiding the vicious
onslaught but continuing his teasing call. This kept on for a
minute or so and then lo 1 . and behold suddenly the female crow
also got up and joinet* the chase, leaving the nest unprotect-
ed. The rest was a simple matter. The ruse worked and the female
koel hiding in the mango grove and waiting for such an opportu-
nity quietly slipped into the crow's nest unobserved and by the
time the shrewed crows returned from their triumphant chase the
damage had been done and tfteir nest was plus en extra egg.
A koel is a legendary bird in our country, known for its light-
hearted, happy, and playful nature. It is therefore too much of
a botheration for a fun-loving creature like her to accept the
3
responsibility of building: a nest, sitting on eggs, and then
rearing the young ones. Hence cleverly it has evolved a simple
solution for all this. It sinply leys its eggs in the crowte
nest and takes no further part in the life history of the young
ones till they are fully grown. The crows not only hatch them
with their own but also rear the young ones, r^hen they are ready
and are able to fly, all that a koel does is to let out her
haunting and infectious calls near them continuously and then
nature takes over. Hearing this rallying call, the young koels
may be one or two in a brood, get restless and then unceremoni-
ously and ungratefully leave their parental nests and their
foster parents and go and join their own crowds.
Here is a phenomenon where the koel acts as a parasite and the
most amusing part of the joke is that it has chosen the crow as
its host, proverbially the most cunning amongst birds.
David i.l taf,
Meerut, U.F.
ON THE ALLEGED INFEHIor.ITY OF THE SOUTHERN GRACKLE
/GHACHLA RELIOICSA INPICA (CUVIERJ/ *-S A TALKING
BIRD
I had often wondered about the truth and/or explanation of the
common assertion, and rooted belief, that Pahari Mynas coming
from the Himalayan foothills and Chota Nagpur make better talkers
and are more easily taught than the smaller South Indian birds.
They certainly command ridiculously higher prices from bird fan
-ciers on that excuse. There seemed no biological reason why
this should be so considering that, despite their recognition
as geographical races, the populations ropresent little more
than a continuous cline,
A fact brought out in a recent conversation with Mr ■ K.I. Mathew,
the State r/ildllfe Officer of Kerala, suggests a possible expla-
nation for the alleged difference in the learning and talking
abilities of northern and southern birds. According to Mr.
Mathew, in Kerala these mynas (g, r. Indica) are normally cap-
tured with bird lime when the common forest shrub Helieteres
isora is flowering gregariously, attracting large flocks to
feed on the nectar. The majority of South Indian grackles are
caught as adults in this way, and it is thuso understandable
why they do not learn to talk so readily. However, some of the
birds do learn quite well, and I suggested that perhaps these
belonged to the small minority that is taken as nestlings end
hand-reared, Mr. Mathew confirmed that fledgling.s taken from
the nest did in fact learn to talk quite proficiently. .
As against adult-caught South Indian birds, the bulk of those
that come from the Gorakhpur area of U.P., and eastern and nor-
thern central India — which enjoy a special reputation as good
talkers — have been taken from the nest and reared in captivi-
ty; therefore more acclimatized to human company and readily
learning to reproduce human speech and other sophisticated
noises.
'wnile on the ornithological survey of Orissa in 19 50 I learnt
that the Forest Department of the State auctioned the rights
for collecting hill myna nestlings, along with other, minor
forest produce, levying a royalty of four annas (= 25 n.P.) per
bird. The total revenue from this source came to about Rs3000/-
annually, thus representing a legal take of some 12,000 nest-
lings.. How mrny nore v^nishec 1 in the process of collecting and
accounting wcs not recorded; neither was the effect of this an-
nuel drain on the Prhari Myna population assessed.
Salim Ali
A YOtING KINGFISHER'S GREED LEADING TO DEATH
During the third week of Mry c neighbour brought me c full-grown
"Tiitebreasted Kingfisher (with the pale-tipped dark brown bill
of a juvenile) which he had rescued from fi flock of crows, Ke
had found t the kingfisher on the ground, half dead end being peck
-ed by crows. The long tail of a nediuia-sized garden lizard
(Calotes) projected from the gape of the kingfisher, dcngling
like a monstrous tongue, I found that the bird was still breath
-ing, though the eyes were closed by the white nictitating mem-
brane. It wrs clear that the bird had greedily gobbled up a liz-
ard whose body length was hardly less thai its own. Thinking
after a time the stomach juices would act on the lizard and that
the bird would recover, I left it i,n an empty parrot cage after
dashing a handful of water on it. Two hours later the bird sat
up when touched and opened its eyes. Confident that it was on
the way to full recovery, I let it alone. At 6 p,n, however it
w^s found dead.
There was a patch of naked skin on one side of the neck and the
gullet appeared swollen. I thought that the crows had nlucked
the feathers of that side, but the skin was found to be intact,
K, K. Neelakantan
Ernakulam, Kerala State
MIGRATION OF TFE BLUECEEECICED BEE-EATER MEROFS
SUPERCILIQSUS
I have come pcross these birds in many different arers. In Sau-
rashtra we caught a few in mist net* during the BNHS/TJHO Bird
Migration Study Project camps; in Bombay they are occasionally
seen behind Juhu Beach, In the Kolaba District of Maharashtra
they are found in the cold weather both near the sea coast and
near the inland creeks in the Interior, In almost all cases their
far-carrying calls te-tew, te-tew have given me the first warn-
ing of the presence of these birds.
On the morning of 23rd May I was having ny morning swim at Juhu
when I heard the calls of these birds overhead. Without my spec
-tacles I could not see anything except a blur but the call was
unmistakable. Several birds seemed to be going in a NT?, direc-
tion. Curiously the sane night at about 10 p.m. when I was read-
ing in bed I heard the call of these birds overhead, I rushed
out into the garden. It was a cloudy though moonlit night, and
even with my spectacles this time I could not see the birds.
But the te-tew . te-tew continued for some time and the birds
seemed to be going in the same direction that I had noticed that
morning ,
According to Ripley's A SYNOPSIS OF THE BI3DS CF INDIA AMD PAK-
ISTAN these birds breed from North Africa, Israel, rnd Iran
south to Egypt, Iraq, and East /frica and east to India. R. S.
Dharmakumarsinhji found these birds nesting in Saurashtra a few
years ago.
Zafar Futehally
• 5
■ V m
; I
F/BIT/T AND KIGR/TION
If you ramble along & forest rord, observant, or take a short-
cut r cross field and mango tope, or, rest at a seat in a park
or in your garden, or merely open your window to have a look
at the tracery of lerf and branches formed therein you will
surely get a peep at Indian Birdland. Though so close, it is a
foreign land. Except for a feu leading types like the crow and
the nyna, the majority of the inhabitants of Indian Birdland
arc strangers to you. Of the 2500 different clans and tribes,
you nay not be able to recognize more than a dozen, though at
least a hundred different bird-forms can be seen where human
beings live.
Once curiosity has boon aroused about these close neighbours,
you nay find their land one of mystery and wonder. Indian Bird-
land is a country by itself, with the population still uncount-
ed (as distinct from unclassified) with a definite system of
econony which, though it effects human living, is only vaguely
understood, ond manners and customs so quaint and picturesque
that you could not say they were those of your closest neigh-
bours . The birds constantly arc seen flitting from one tree to
another engaged in vocations very similar to those of humans
and calling for a great deal of craftnanship. The tools these
feathered artisans use are very specialised ones; they court
and love their mates, have various manners of housekeeping,
and rearing their children; end their foeds have a bearing on
human econony and r similarity to human morsels; they change
their dress, and use a r language T . Feu humans have any idea of
the variety that prevails in Indian Birdland.
Birds are to be found wherever there are plants in India and
Pakistan, There are types that burrow down to ii feet into the
earth, go to a hundred feet below the surface of the sea, and
fly over 29,000 feet above sea level. Having a history as long
as 130 million years, Indien birds are not affected by the
course of human polities', and violate many human political fron
-tiers \ Much of India and Pakistan have the same bird types ,
and as many as 500 of our birds winter here from the Arctic
cold of Siberia, They fly across frontiers, without bothering
about passports and custom duties, save whet they dearly pay
as a result of human shootings.
Indian Birdland, known to zoogeographers as the Oriental Region,
juts out as a peninsula from the main zoogeo graphic a! continent
of the Palaearctie Region extending from Britain to Japan. The
peninsular characters are most intense in an area south of an
arc connecting the Bay of Bengal and the Rann of Kutch, passing
obliquely through Narayangan j , Rajmahal , Delhi , and /gra. In
this area Ceylon is r separate Province, while Assam and Burma
to the east form one sub-division. This peninsular sub-division
is connected to the Palaearctie Region by the Indo-Gangetic
Plain pnd the Himalayas,
These five primary divisions of Indian Birdland can be divided
into various secondary and tcriary sub-divisions on the basis
of the annual rainfall and temperature, in ereh, These factors
affect the character of the vegetation, and through vegetation
the types and kinds of birds to be found , Birds subsist on
plants, and the distribution of birds over an area varies with
their respective food supply. Their environment has variations
other than those depending on changes in topography and climate.
In em area with the same topography and climate there may be
forests, agricultural fields, pastures, groves, gardens and
: 5 ;
E/BIT/T JOB) KIGR/TION
If you ramble along £ forest road, observant, or take a short-
cut rcross field end nango tope, or rest at n sect in a park
or in ycur garden, or nerely open your window to hcve a look
at the tracery of leaf and branches formed therein you will
surely get a peep at Indian Bird land. Though so close, it is a
foreign land. Except for a few leading types like the crow and
the nyna, the majority of the inhabitants of Indian Birdland
arc strangers to you. Of the 2500 different clans and tribes,
you nay not be able to recognize more than a dozen, though at
least a hundred different bird-forms con be seen where hur.:m
beings live.
Once curiosity has been aroused about these close neighbours,
you nay find their land one of mystery and v/ondcr, Indian Bird-
land is a country by itself, with the population still uncount-
ed (as distinct from unclassified) with a definite system of
econony which, though it affects human living, is only vaguely
understood, and panniers and custons so quaint and picturesque
that you could not say they were those of your closest neigh-
bours. The birds constantly are seen flitting fron one tree to
another engaged in vocations very einiler to those of humans
and calling for a great deal of craftnanship , The tools these
feathered artisans use are very specialised ones; they court
and love their nates, have various Limners of housekeeping,
and rearing their children; end their foods have a bearing on
hunan econony and a similarity to hunan morsels; they change
their dress, and use a 'language'. Few hunrns have any idea of
the variety that prevails in Indian Birdland,
Birds are to be found wherever there are plants in India and
Pakistan, There are types that burrow down to ii feet into the
earth, go to a hundred feet below the surface of the sea, and
fly over 29,000 feet above sea level. Having a history as long
as 130 nillion years, Indian birds are not affectec by the
course of hunan politics, and violate nany hunan political fron
-tiers'. Much of India end Pakistan have the sane bird types,
and as nany as 500 of our birds winter here fron the Arctic
cold of Siberia, They fly across frontiers, without bothering
about passports and custon duties, save what they dearly pay
as a result of hunan shootings.
Indian Birdland, known to zoogeographers as the Oriental Region,
juts out as a peninsula fron the nain zoo geographical continent
of the Palaearctic P.egion extending fron Britain to Japan* The
peninsular characters are most intense in an area south of an
arc connecting the Bay of Bengal and the Rami of Kutcfa, passing
obliquely through Harayangan j , Ea jnahal , Delhi, and /gr&» In
this area Ceylon is a separate Province, while Assam and Burna
to the east forn one subdivision , This peninsular sub-division
is connected to the Palaearctic Region by the Indo-Gangetic
Plain and the Himalayas.
These five primary divisions of Indian Birdland can be divided
into various secondary and terlary sub-divisions on the basis
of the annual rainfall and temperature, in ec eh. These factors
affect the character of the vegetation, and through vegetation
the types and kinds of birds to be found. Birds subsist on
plants, and the distribution of birds over an area varies with
their respective food supply. Their environment has variations
other than those depending on changes in topography and climate.
In an area with the sane topography and climate there may be
a fo rests, agricultural fields, pastures, groves, gardens and
"towns. Each of these constitutes a separate habitat for birds,
and, in that respect, is a sub-division of Indian Birdland,
And eny one of these habitats can be further sub-divided. In
the forests of ST. India it is possible to describe about eight
storeys of plant growth, one on the top of the other, with e
special bird fauna to each.
In these variations of habitat are hidden the surprises that
Indian Bird land holds. However snail your range of activity,
and the territory over which you watch birds, the knowing of
birds and their habits will be an unending source of wonder end
pleasure. Even if you do not have the patience for birdwatching,
or cannot afford nore tine than for occasional peeps at Indian
Bird land, the surprises and the pleasures will not be the fewer
if you have the correct angle for those peepa, know what to
look for, and where and when.
(Mrs.) J anal Ara
BIRDT7ATCF.ING AROUND RAJKOT
So far as I have found out there are two good places for bird- .
watching around Rcjkot, viz. Lalpuri Lake and the River Aji —
downstrean off Central Jail. I have cone to know by personal
experience that a visit to either of these places is always re-
warding, /s is evident, nostly waders and water birds are net
with here. Both of these places are so ri^ch in avifauna espe-
cially fron October to March that it is very connon to see about
25 to 30 different species without noving nuch around* I have
never rfcurned disappointed fron the excursions to these two g
places, I cannot say this about other places in or about Rajkoti
Lalpuri Lake has therefore now be cone a favourite haunt, for sone
of the nenbers of the local birdwatcher's club.
Below are given the inpressionf; of ny several visits to these
two places, sonetimes alone, and sone tines in conpany with other
nenbers of the local club.
Flaningos are of course a great attraction. Theseff lying roses
of Nature are a delight to behold. Occasionally we have counted
sixty to seventy of then within the range of ny fieldglasses
(7 x 35). Many nore could be judged on the opposite aide but
beyond the effective range of the glasses. I first saw these
curiously lovely birds at Bhavnagnr seacoast. It was a pleasure
for ne to hove then here at Ra,tkot up to ny last visit to Lalpuri
Lake on 5 May 1963.
Both the species of Godwits, i.e. Blacktalled as well as Bartail-
cd bftve been seen on the lake, the latter only once and a. single
specinen. Twice or thrice Blacktailed Godwits were seen quarrel-
ling (?) on the near-by Raudarda Lake, They were hopping facing
each other, crouching, then leaping and seizing the bill of the
other. This continued for sone tine. Then one of then used to
fly away, Of the two thus seen, one had the foreneek and breast
rufous,
whenever I. see and identify a new species I do get delighted.
This nay prove that I an still in the initial stage of Mrdwateh
-ing hobby. But then, this is what it is and I adnit it,. I was
particularly elated when I identified the Pheasant-tailed Jacana
on ny first visit on Lalpuri Lake, It was in a non-br ceding cos
-tune at that tine, Sone of then have now put on their wedding
dress .
The flash of shinning green head, neck, rndspeculun of the Shovel- ^
ler, when the rays of the sun fall upon it at a favourable angle,
is quite an unforgettable sight. Ve were not fortunate enough .
to see the Shoveller nore than once in spite of our keenness I
And any one of these habitats can be further sub-divided. In
the forests of ST. India it is possible to describe about eight
storeys of plant growth, one on the top of the other, with a
special bird fauns to each.
In these vprirtions of habitat are hidden the surprises that
Indian Birdland holds* However snail your rrnge of activity,
and the territory over which you watch birds, the knowing of
birds and their habits will be an unending source of wonder and
pleasure* Even if you do not have the patience for birdwatching,
or cannot afford more tine than for occasional peeps at Indian
Birdland, the surprises and the pleasures will not be the fewer
if you have the correct angle for those peeps, know what to
look for , and where and when •
(Mrs.) J anal Ara
BIRDUATCFING AROUND RAJKOT
So far as I have found out there are two good places for bird- .
watching around Rajkot, viz* Lalpuri Lake and the River Aji —
downstrean off Centrel Jail, I have cone to know by personal
experience that a visit to either of these places is always re-
warding, /s is evident, nostly waders and water birds are net
with here. Both of these places are so ri-ah in avifauna espe-
cially fron October to March that it is very conmon to see about
25 to 30 different species without noving nueh around, I have
never riurned disappointed fron the excursions to these two ^
places, I cannot say this about other places in or about Rajkot,
Lalpuri Lake has therefore now be cone a favourite haunt for sone
of the .nenbers of the local birdwatcher's club.
Below are given the inpressions of ny several visits to these
two places, sonetimes alone, pnd sone tines in conpany with other
nenbero of the local club*
Flaningos are of course a great attraction, Thesetflying roses
of Nature are a delight to behold. Occasionally we have counted
sixty to seventy of then within the range of ny fieldglasets
(7 x 35), Many raore could be .judgec" on the opposite side but
beyond the effective range of the glasses. I first saw these
curiously lovely birds at Bhavnagar seacoast* It was a pleasure
for ne to hove then here at Rajkot up to ny last visit to Lalpuri
Lake on 5 May 1963. +
Both the species of Godwits, i*e, Blacktailed as well as Bartail-
ed bsve been seen on the lake, the latter only once and a single
specinen. Twice or thrice Blacktailed Godwits were seen quarrel-
ling (?) on the near-by Raudarda Lake. They were hopping facing
each other, crouching, then lerping and seizing the bill of the
other. This continued for sone tine* Then one of then used to
fly away. Of the two thus seen, one had the foreneck and breast
rufous.
Whenever I.SQe and identify a new species I do get delighted.
This nay prove that I an still in the initial stage of birdwatch
-ing hobby. But then, this is what it is end I adnit it,. I was
particularly elated when I identified the Pheasant-tailed Jacana
on ny first visit on Lalpuri Lrke, It was in a non-breeding cos
-tune at that tine. Sone of then have now put on their wedding
dress ,
The flash of shinning green head, neck, and speculun of the Shovel- A
l<=r f when the rays of the sun frll upon it at a favourable angle,
is quite an unforgettable sight. *7e were not fortunate enough .
to see the Shoveller nore than once in spite of our keenness J
to spot it, Among other such VIP's (0 cone the Brahniny Kite, ^
the Demoiselle Crane, the Bart ailed Godwit, and the Pintail.
The Spoonbills gathered together in a solemn congregation were
always seen dozing on every of our afternoon and evening visits
to the Lake, The Spotbills also were hardly seen active'. They
rested nerr the edge of water in two's and three's,
The Whiskered Terns, which were available only in snaller nun-
bers on our former visits to the Lake, were in great number —
at least more than 50 — on my Inst visit on 5.5.1963. They were
delicately and deftly picking up sone white little lumps (as
seen through the fieldglasses) apparently fron the vegetable
growth in the -water, Their graceful figure and flight pinpoint
-ed our eyes upon then. Some of them were sitting on the bank
near water.
Are the Whiskered Terns mischievous? I saw some of then harass-
ing or teasing a Great Stone Curlew, which was standing alone
and a little away from other waders, Spoonbills and Herons, and
Egrets, The rr hiskered Tern circled overhead of that quiet gen-
tleman and divec- upon it. The poor thing had to take recourse
to swift footwork to avoid the attack of that bully, the TThist
kered Tern,
The Purple Coot has favoured the downstream portion of the waste
weir of the Lalpuri Lake. Every tine we went to the place, one,
two, or three could be seen. But on 5 May a stately procession
of eight members was seen winding its way sone tines through the
reeds and scretines in the open on the edge of the water.
On our earlier visits the Eabchick was not seen. But later on
it nadc its appearance first not on the Lake itself but down-
stream of the waste weir. On 5 May many were visible on the
gradually tlrying waters of the Lake,
One thing which attracted our attention was the gradually dec-
reasing numbers of the migratory birds such as Shanks, Ruff-
Reeve, Sandpipers , Swallows, Teals, Ducks, Stints, Plovers, God
-wits, etc., etc, after 3i March 1963.
The Common Coots which virtually ruler the Lake on their nuncri
-cal strength, were sadly depleted in numbers — hardly five
were on wator where they were more than a hundred before.
The portion of the Aji river mentioned in the first paragraph
is comparatively convenient for observing especially the waders
fron close quarters, K,S, LaVkunar considers this portion of
the river admirably suitable for netting operations,
Lalsinh M. Raol ,
Rajkot
JYNX TORQUILL/ KIM/.U-YiJlA HI RCORKEE, U.P
The ^ryneelc appears to be a regular winter visitor to Roorkee.
Mrs, Dinesh Mohan has Seen the bird in her garden during the
past few seasons. There were two birds this winter and I had
the opportunity to have a close look at one of these birds. It
in/ was feeding on the lawn, and/the bright morning sunshine I not-
Iced that its flanks and lower breast were beautifully vermicu-
Jated, In fact the whole breast and lower parts that were visi«
ble appeared to be barred. This agrees with the description of
Jynx torqullla hi rial ay ana quoted by Mrs.. Usha Ganguli in the
■ Newsletter for April 1963, and with the illustration in Vaurie's
paper vblcl I was able to see through her kindness,
Mrs, Binesh Mohan has recorded the date of departure of the Wry-
neck from Roorkee this year as 20 April.
Joseph George,
Roorke, U,P,
REVIEWS
SILENT SPRING. By Rachel Carson, pp. 304. London 1963. Banish
Hamilton. Price 25s,
Most of us are aware of the close rnd vital connection that exists
between all living things in this world. Those of us who are in
constant or even casual touch with nature csn never forget the ex
-istence of this "intimate web of life', while those who stay
under artificial conditions behind brick and mortar. . nay perhaps
forget for a while how dependent they are for their existence on
the unseen forces of nature, ,\fter reading SILENT SPRING one can
never slip back into the infantile belief that nan can manipulate
his environnent as he wishes, without also taking into account
the requirements of other foms of life around him. He nay be
the dominating influence on the earth today but it is becoming
obvious that he must lear to co-exist with all the lowlier
creatures of the world, and if he thinks of exterminating then
he will set off a chain reaction which will exterminate the
human species as well.
Rachel Carson's book deals principally with the effects, the
ghastly effects of synthetic chemicals on various forms of life.
Yrtien DDT was discovered in 1939 by Paul Muller, it was thought
that a pajor victory was won by nan against his insect enemies,
Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize. The soldiers battling in
various corners of the world got some relief for they were now
able to keep the insect pests at bey with the help of DDT sprays.
But this discovery was to lead fo fearful consequences. Since
1939 hundreds of insecticides, pesticides,' and herbicides have
been market ted end the net result in many cases has been that
while the chemicals have been unsuccessful in exterminating the
pest, they have brought calamitous side results in their wake.
For instance:
(i) since the introduction of DDT a superior race of resist
-ant insects have developed, which cannot be exterminated by
the existing chemicals. To kill them by these means would in-
volve producing even more deadly chemicals, with even more
dangerous effects all round,
(2) Gene nutations occur as a result of insect sprays,
(3) The chlorinated hydrocarbons, and. organic phosphorous
insecticides are all built on the basis of carbon atoms. These
get stored in our systems and subsequently are subject to
biological magnification.
It has been found that on original spray of the concentration
of i/iO of i part per million (which is a safe limit) results
in a storage of 15 parts per million — a hundredfold increase.
This happens because of the interaction of one chemical en
another, and the biological process itself is unpredictable
in its effects, Sometimes it has been found that water sprayed
with DDT resulted in the formation of 2, 4-D by the action of
sun, air and water in the open basin. Heptachlor, Dieldrin,
Aldrin, Endrin rre the nain culprits, and in England an awak-
ened public is now usinc these chemicals with great eircuns-
: 9 :
The effect of these chemicals on birds has been too tragic for
words. Literally thousands have died the most painful death in
recent years as a result of eating insects or seeds, or fish
which contained traces of these death dealing chemicals. In
Clear Lake in California anglers were apparently bothered by
the gnat Chasborus apt i etc pus . To save then from this annoyance
DDT was sprayed in the ratio of l/50 per million. Seven assaults
v?ere made on the gnat population. Very soon serious consequen-
ces ensued. Clear Lake has traditionally been a breeding area
of the Western Grebes, and is also the winter quarters of visit
-ing birds of this species; The birds were attracted here beca-
use of the abundant fish of the lcke.'It is a bird of spectacu
-lar appearance and beguiling habits, building its floating
nests in shallow lakes of western United States and Canada. It
is called the f Swan Grebe' with reason fcr it glides with scar
-cely a ripple across the lake surface, the body riding lev,*,
while neck and shinning black head held high. The newly hatched
.chick is clothed in soft grey down; in only a few hours it takes
to tjie wa^er and rides on the back of the father or mother
nestled under the parental wing coverts. 1 After the DDT treat-
ment a large number of birds started to die, and when their tis-
sues were analysed they were found loaded with DDT in the extra
•-ordinary concentration of 1600 parts per million. The poison
obviously picked tip initially by the smallest organisms was
transferred to the predators: from plankton to plant-eating
fishes, to carnivorous fishes, and to the birds. Miss Carson
warns that at the opposite end of the food chain nan himself
is involved.
At the end of the book, the author gives a list of the Principal
Sources. This runs into 50 pages, One would have thought that
putting into one book the erudition of such a vast bibliography
would make it heavy reading. But almost every page contains fas
-cinating examples supporting the theory which has been propound
-ed. In the chapter on ' Earth's Green Manfl&he author writes
about the two-way relationship between the sage bush and the
sage grouse. »The sage is all things to these birds of th<-
plains. The low sage of the foothill ranges shelters their nests
and their young; the denser growths are loafing and roosting
areas; at all tines the sage provides the staple food of the
grouse. Yet it is a two-way relationship. The spectacular court
-ship displays of the cocks help to loosen the soil beneath
and around the sage aiding invasion by grasses which grow in
the shelter of the sagebrush?. These grasses together with the
sage provide valuable grazing for cattle and the pronghorn
antelope. But the destruction of the sa^o bush by herbicides,
in the misguided attempt to convert it into grassland seems to
have been a ruinous enterprise. Man has yet to learn that he
cannot impudently upset the ecological balance of a particular
area at will.
So far we have dealt only with the grimmer aspects of the auth-
or's thesis. But it is not as if nan has always behaved foolish
-ly or that there is no way of dealing effectively with a hos-
tile environment. In the final chapter of the book entitled
'The Other Road', Miss Carson reviews what has been achieved by
biological controls. Spectacular results have been achieved in
various fields, TRentyfive years ago, Dr. Edward Knipling of
the U.S.Dept, of Agriculture, Entomology Research Branch, sug-
gested that if it "were possible to sterlize and release a large
number of insects, the males would conpete successfully with
the normal wild males, only infertile eggs would be produced
and the population would be severely curtailed, Iri 1954 a full
scale experiment was tried against Screw Worms, which cause an
annual loss- of as much as $20,000,000 in the south-eastern
states of the U.S. The experiment was a complete successSand in
AU
in some places the Screw T/orn has been completely eradicated.
Many examples are given of how by maintaining the ecological
half nee of a habitat, nc pest can overstep its bonne's.
In the Preface to the book Julian Huxley says 'Cuckoos have
becone quite scarce owing to caterpillars — their staple diet
— being killed. Song-birds, ore suffering from shortage of in-
sect and. worn food as well as from the pdsoning of what is left
Country hedgerows and road verges and meadows are losing their
lovely and familiar flowers* In fact as my brother Aldous said
after reading Rachel Carson's bock, .we are losing half the sub
-ject matter of English poetry ■'
Let us earnestly hope that mankind will follow 'The Other Road*
which has been recommended ip SILENT SPKING.
•(Z*F.)
ADVENTURE LIT THEIR STAR. By Kenneth Allsop. pp.xi+222. Il-
lustrated by Antony Smith* London 1963. Macdonald. Price 18s,
There have been novels before where the central figures have
been birds. KESTREL KLEE, by Kenneth Richmond, and Paul Galli-
co's classic TEE SNOT7 GOOSE have both been outstandingly suc-
cessful novels which have managed to please literary critics
as well as ornithologists* Kenneth All sops fastidiously written
story about the Little Ringed Plovtr joins this particular
group of novels which are most keenly enjoyed and understood
by bird-lovers.
■
The novel opens with a magnificent description of a large mix-
ed flock of migrants as it approaches the English "coast • f A
main run was of swifts, long, thick herds of them, whose narrow
wings carried then at an unwavering seventy miles an hour *•
through the cold air. They sped in silent dark squadrons, beak
to tail, overtaking weaker-v/inged birds lagging with exhaustion. 1
The casualties as the packed migration force dips towards the
rocky coast on a stormy April night is shockingly wasteful; but
among the survivors is a/pair of Little Ringed Plovers who have
come to England for the first time to bretu 1.
The rest of the slow moving evocative but never boring book is
a description of their efforts to establish themselves and to
raise a family in semi-urban England. The birds are never human
-ized and the writing is scrupulously unsentimental* The only
human characters brought in are a couple of birdwatchers and
one egg collector. Readers will be glad to know that the Little
Ringed Plover's ultit ate success in raising a family is due in
part to the:" .- alert helpfulness of th£ birdwatchers.
The slight tenuous thread of the story is based on faot, The
Little Ringed Plover was first found breeding in Britain in the
immediate post war years; its numbers have since grown, and
it has now its own place among the species which breed in
Britain, Kenneth Allsop was an official of the Middle Thames
Natural History Society when the first pair of the Little Hinged
Plovers were observed breeding in the outskirts of London, in
1944, His book ba^ed as it is on first hand, observation is
written with an almost docunentary accuracy. . . .
Th<> drawings of Anthony Smith have a pleasant, angular style,
'rney are often impressionistic illustrations of the habitat
rather than, careful -bird studies, and they convey very well
the spirit of the book,which is n binocular lens view of bird
life in- a setting which is dominated by human activities.
NOTES A*?B COMMENTS
Our Librrry
The books thft we have receiver 1 either for review from pub-
lishers or as gifts from friends have so far benefitted only
the Editor. This is obviously unfair, and subscribers are most
welcome to send for any of the following books. The condition
is thr t they must be sent securely packed and the cost of the
postage both ways will have to be borne by them. To date the
following volumes have been received.
NIDIFICATION OF BIRDS OF TTE INDIAN EMPIRE. By Stuart Baker
(All four volumes)
THE BIRDS OF INDIA. By T.C. Jerdon
ADVENTURE LIT THEIR STAR. By Kenneth AH sop (1962)
COLLINS GUIDE- TO BIRD HATCHING. By R.S.ft. Fitter (1963)
THE MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS. By Jean Dorst (i962)
A BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER IN INDIA. By E.H.N. Lowther (1949)
The Ring magazine received in exchange
Mr. Samir Sen, F.Z.S., who set the bal 1 rolling by sending in
the four volumes of NIDIFIC/TION OF BIRDS OF THE INDIAN EMPIRE
has now informed us that n case of books has been forwarded to
us for our library, The consignment is eagerly awaited and the
contents will be announced in the- next issue*
CORRESPONDENCE
Painted Partridge in Ra.jasthan
Mr, R.N, Chatter jee is quite right about the wide occurrence
of this bird in Ralasthan and I am rather surprised how Sri S*C«
Sharma missed it. (Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 5)
I am a resident of Ajmer and for last 20 years I have shot this
bird regularly between Sarwar and Kekri on Nasirabad Deoli-Kota
Road and before me my uncle who was a Tehsildar at Kekri . This
bird is commonly found in Kota, Bondi , Deoli end many other
places, I have not yet seen one near Pishkar, though I have shot
quite a lot in that area also.
The area I an talking about near Kekri has no water channels
but is more or less red kankar country with small prickly shrubs.
The partridge can be seen on both sides and on the road itself ,
feeding on cowdung in the evenings and mornings,
A - 8 0vid
Birds at Devlali
At Devlali I saw some boys with shot guns and slinks trying
to shoot at innocent mynas, This place abounds In mynas, bulbuls,
koels and many other birds which I could not identify on the
spot. However, after referring to Salin All's book on my return
to Bombay I could identify the other birds as follows: Grey Tits,
Indian Robins, Magpie Robin, Ashy rren Warbler, Brahminy Myna,
Stone Curlew, artd Brahminy Kite.
I srw the Robins in large numbers near our house, I also saw
the Brahminy Myna for the first tine, I could not identity the
smaller birds.
B.A. Palkhiwalla
May 29, 1963
Bird Keeping
I have been getting your Newsletter for Birdwatchers regu
-larly and. I fine then interesting, particularly the March
issue which gives r Calls of various Birds 1 on p # 11.
I am however more interested in keeping birds as pets than to
watch them which also * do and recognize them. I have been
keeping birds for meny years, find at present I have Goldfront
-ed Chloropsis ^hich are the best song birds and mimics, I
have also e Golden Oriole for the last so many years which
sings regularly during the^ present season, I have also had
Laughing Thrush, (Brown with white topee), Himalayan Whistling
Thrush, Magpie Robin, Pekin Robins, Blue Robins, end Bhutia
Bulbuls . As you may. be knowing faeerut is a very big market for
birds which are exported tc foreign countries. I have had too
many of them and could not look after then, as it becomes a
whole time job, so I advertised. A Russian couple bought a pair
of Chloropsis for taking them to Moscow.
I have also had Goldfinch, Greenfinch, and other seed eating
birds, budgerigars, etc. If you happen to come to Delhi I shall
be pleased to see you. I would take you to Meerut where you
will be surprised to see variety of birds which they sell and
breed ,
P. Edalji,
New Delhi
£l hope the Game Laws are properly observed by the persons con-
cerned. — Ed_;7
* «, * ♦
Birdwetchinf- in Valparri
Valparri is a plrccin the .Anamalais (S. India) situated shout
3500 ft, above mem sea level.
The most common bird here is the Redwhlskered Bulbul, There are
practically no crows and I have not yet seen any sparrows. Even
the Redvented bulbuls are not common. Twice I came across, the
grackles (hill mynas). Once I saw them on a tree by the side of
a bridge busy eating a kind of fig.
I saw the Mrlabar Whistling Thrush once. The shinning blue shoul
-ders are very beautiful. Early morning its sweet whistle is
heard repeatedly.
On 8th evening an Emerald Dove flew past me at top speed.
I have learnt from local people that a white bird with a long
tail is seen here frequently. Could it be the Paradise Flycatcher?
Master Shahulhaneed
V a 1 pa r ai , Col nb at o re f
i ; 11,3.63
Zafar Futehally
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwatchers
32A, Juhu Lane
Andheri, Bombay 58
*
V
e ?V-
'
•
*
<
editorial board
Dr. Salim All. F.N.I..
33 Pali Hill. Bandra, Bombay SO
K, S. Lavkumar,
Rajkumar College, Rajkot
Or. R. M. Najk,
M. S. University, Baroda
Mrs. Usha Ganguli,
10 Cavalry Lines. Delhi 6
Mrs. Jamil An,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda. Hinoo P.O., Ranch!, Bihar
Mr. E, D. Avar I,
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Darjeelmg
Dr. Blswamoy Biswas,
Indian Museum. Zoological Survey of India,
Calcutta
*
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan,
XXI/12799 Karikkamurl Road.
Ernakalum.
I
*
S
Editor ;
fOH BIRDHATCHBltS
Volme 3-1963 Aujisl
#^
i
MErf/S LETTER
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol. 3, Ko. 8
August 1963
COUNTS
How birds fly. Ity S.V, Nilckrjito (With 8 figures)
Tlic- nesting hubita or the Purple Sunbird. % Salim All
A weekend at Keoludeo, Jty Stouter RriiGanathan «, ,,
Sorec uncommon bird visitors observed in .rid around Tambrraa, By
Prof. Gift Siromoney , # .
Bustard habitat in Rr.jtsthan desert, ty Ishwur Prrknsh -jid Pulak
K. Ghosh
IfemdlBC lost. 3y Prof. K.K. NtelrJusitrji .. , # , (
Review*
THK RETtfiQT OP Til OSPKEY. (s,K,R.)
Hates and Comments ..
Correspondence •• »_
10
11
12
13
14
HOW BIRDS PLY
Introductory :
It is generally supposed that birds fly by pushing the air downwards
and backward* with their wings. The reaction of pushing the air down-
ward© is supposed to push the bird upwards anf the reaction of pushing
the air backwards is, likewise, supposed to push the bird forwards.
After the down stroke, the wiqgB have to be. returned to the upward -
forward position. In doing s$~ ttos bird must, naturally, fall down-
wards and go backwards. £von if the bird succeeds in, partially fold-
ing its wings, the upstroke will have to be considered a negative
stroke. Anybody who has seen a bird fly will agree that this sort of
inefficiency is incompatible with not onl^r bird flight but with entire
naturt*
Some people have compared bird flight with a man rowing a beat. The
oarsman can lift the blade out of the water or feather the blade for
the return stroke. Whereas the boat skims over the surface of the
water, the bird i3 completely immersed in the air in which it moves.
This is a big difference. The bird also can feather its wings on the
upstroke and except for this similarity between boat and bird, the
entire comparison is net correct.
I- f
Even in rowing a teat, le.Es will he acnlered if the nater is actually
pushed back to any extent. la feet, the less the turbulence created,
the greater the efficient , The t^rd indeed proceeds through the air
very neatly, without ;reatin^ any turbulence.
In this discussion an effort will be made tc show that bird flight
is fundamentally akin'~tr the flight of a twin engined aircraft, using
contra-rotating airscrews. -Jet propelled birds are not known, al-
though the squids of the ;cean are so equipped. '
The Paper Kite ;
A flat plate,' like a paper kite, when inclined to the direction of
motion and moved herizontc-lly, rises vertically. In still air, the
kite has to be pulled along quite vigorously. With a stiff breeze,
however, the kite is held steadily by i1?s string, while the breeze
does the needful* In either case, it is the relative motion of the
kite with respect to the air that matters »
-^
•Pi£. 1 shows a paper* kite in an air stream. It will be seen that
the air impinging rn the lower surface, is diverted downwards. This
produces an upward reaction. Also, it will be noticed that the
streamlines of air are crowded together at the front of the upper
surface. This means that iven volume of air, as represented by
each streamline, has tc pass through a narrower space* This can only
be achieved by the air stream increasing in speed. It is a well -
known lav/ that speed of a fluid increases at the C03t of pressure and
vice versa. Therefore, there is a decrease in pressure at the por-
tion where the streamlines coae close together • This in turn has the
effect of sucking the kite upwards.
Both the pressure from be lev; and the suction from above act at right
angles to the surface of the kite. In addition, due to the skin fric-
tion of the air passing ever the surface, the kite is being pushed
backwards. The r. ' thes« forces is shown by the vector R in
the figure.
Utt*
This foree R can be analysed into two forces; L or lift which is al-
ways at right angles tc the undisturbed air stream and D or drag In
the direction of the air stream. Lift and drag should 'not be refer-
red to as vertical and horizontal forces because later on it will be
seen that the air stream, is not always horizontal.
. The angle 'a' at which the kite is inclined to the undisturbed air
flow is known as the angle of attack*
The Aerofoil :
As the angle of attack nt b kit! Ls increased, the lift and drag in-
crease but soon a limit is reached when turbulence is created cr-
upper surface, the cb comes enormous, the lift bee- sea negligi-
ble and the kite comes down. Fig- 2 shows a body of aerofoil shape
3ituated in the same manner as ~ L | late in Fig. 1.
sound.
. ~
It will be noticed in ?x:* 2 that there is. great crowding of stream-
lines in the forward part of the upper surface. This leads to great
speeding up of the air stream, with consequent loss cf pressure and
enhanced suction, Ihe Wx is large and the drag is small* As the
angle of attack io increased, the lift increases steadily and the
drag slightly. At an en^ie of attack of about 4 degrees the lift
may be 25 times the val^j of the drag. Both lift and drag increase
till the angle of attack is 15 degrees or more before turbulence and
stalling take place.
Even with a negative pr.gl3 of attack of -2 degrees the lift has a
small positive value. A - ;,£ oils may be of many shapes, some with
very high values for lii co enable large weights to be supported,
even at low air speech mi" some of such a section as to afford mini-
mum drag at extremely '...' eir speeds.
Within reasonable li-nlt; Jy l. bird can alter the camber or curvature
of the upper surface :i 1 , 3 v,lng and thus change its aerodynamical
properties. The bird car. also change the angle of attack. This may
easily be observed whc,x an erret comes in tc land in shallow water.
The bird glides down =uo*\' end using* the wings as an air brake,
touches down with hardly r, ripple.
The powerful suction ^n the cambered surface of an aerofoil can be
demonstrated in the fc-ll^ing way. An ordinary teaspoon is gently
held, suspended by the handle, and the back of the spoon (approxi-
mates to aerofoil she??) is brought in contact with a jet of water
from a water tap* See Fi-. 3, It will be noticed that the spoon
is drawn towards the jet ?f water and net thrown off as might be ex-
pected.
IS- J.
From the above observations, it will be seen that a bird has to merely-
spread out its wings, which are of aerofoil shape, and hold them at a
suitable angle of attack. As soon as the bird is propelled forward
against the air, it gets airborne. How the bird succeeds in propell-
ing itself forward will be discussed in the next chapter.
Propulsion : -
Two Parts cf Wing :
For the purpose cf analysis the bird wing is considered to have two
parts. The portion of the wing from the shoulder tc the wrist, corres-
ponding to the upper arm and fore arm in us, is one part* The portion
of the wing, corre spending to our hand with fingers, is the other part.
The secondary feathers are attached to the fore arm and the primaries
to the hand.
When the wings are spread out, and the bird is propelled forward at
reasonable speed, the portion of the wing from shoulder to wrist, or
inner part, is sufficient to provide enough lift to sustain the bird
in flight. This allows the primaries or cuter part to be used for
another function - propulsion.
The Airscrew:
Fig. 4 depicts the blade of an airscrew as it starts to rotate in the
direction shown. To start with, the angle of attack is very large.
The lift OL which is always at right angles to the direction of motion,
is therefore forward. This force naturally draws the aircraft forward.
Fxont View
Vi'e wed ]*o~m t€ ft
Section
1
yy
p net low
Fig. 4.
B
Fig. 5 shows the same section of the blade, after the aircraft has
started to move forward. The direction of motion of the blade sec-
tion is a combination of the downward rotating motion OB and the
forward motion ef the aircraft OA and is represented by the resultant
OR,
Fig, 5.
It will be noticed that the angle 'of attack is smaller and more con-
ducive to efficiency. As the aircraft frains more sneed. th<^ ni +.rh
iiuui g«»7 owyc uuscrvanyiia, it w±jl_l t*: seen xnat a oira has to merely
spread out its wings, which are of aerofoil shape, and hold them at a
suitable angle of attack. As soon as the bird is propelled forward
against the air, it gets airborne. How the bird succeeds in propell-
ing itself forward will be discussed in the next chapter.
Propulsion ;-
Two Parts of Wing ;
For the purpose of analysis the bird wing is considered to have two
parts. The portion of the wing from the shoulder to the wrist, corres-
ponding to the upper arm and fore arm in us, is one part. The portion
of the wing, corresponding to our hand with fingers, is the other part.
The secondary feathers are attached to the fore arm and the primaries
to the hand.
When the wings are spread out, and the bird is propelled forward at
reasonable speed, the portion of the wing from shoulder to wrist, or
inner part, is sufficient to provide enough lift to sustain the bird
in flight. This allows the primaries or outer part to be used for
another function - propulsion.
The Airscrew :
Pig. 4 depicts the blade of an airscrew as it starts to rotate in the
direction shown. To start with, the angle of attack is very large.
The lift OL which is always at right angles to the direction of motion,
is therefore forward. This force naturally draws the aircraft forward.
Front View
Viewed jvo77j tzft
Section
GtCCYtZ.S
y>
i
jy net low
y Qf7H0tt'O7t
&L
B
Pig. 5 shows the same section of the blade, after the aircraft has
started to move forward. The direction of motion of the blade sec-
tion is a combination of the downward rotating motion OB and the
forward motion of the aircraft OA and is represented by the resultant
OR.
Pig. 5.
It will be noticed that the angle of attack is smaller and more con-
ducive to efficiency. As the aircraft gains more speed, the^ pitch
of the blade will have to be changed to present a suitable angle of
attack. In Other wnnis. ATI ^ll+.rims+.-i r» ^PTrine Ha i nAnmnw+o J +« +«rio +
the blade of the airscrew.
Left Wing of Bird ; *
The airscrew blade shown in Fig. 4 & Pig. 5 corresponds to the outer
portion of the left wing of a bird as it appears during the down-beat
when viewed from the left.
As the bird gains forward speed, the wing tip is twisted to an angle
which is more horizontal, as shown in Pig. 6.
ft <
Direction of motion of bird.
Down-beat of wing.
Resultant motion of wing
Fig, 6. with respect to air.
The lift OL is forward and upwards.
The Up-Beat of the Wing :
If the air'-screw blade, on arriving at the lowest position, were to
twist itself, as to completely reverse its pitch and rotate upwards,
it would behave like a bird wing. The camber of the aerofoil would
be wrong. The bird wing on the other hand, can do exactly this and,
being flexible, can maintain a more suitable camber, as shown in
Pig. 7t
*c*
Direction of motion of bird.
Up-beat of wing.
Resultant direction of motion
of wing with respect to air.
The lift OL is forward and downCwards.
The right wing of the bird is a mirror image of the left wing and
behaves in exactly the same way. By both wings being beaten down-
wards or upwards at the same time, the bird is able to maintain
itself on an even -keel.
It has been shown in Figs. 6 & 7 that, both during the down-beat
and during the up-beat, there is a forward component to the lift
(lift is not vertically upwards but at right angles to relative
motion).
So, all that a bird has to do is to beat its wings up and down,
twisting the primaries slightly at the end of each stroke, to pre-
sent a suitable positive angle of attack, and it is propelled for-
ward. See Fig. 8.
-
Dow/w- Ea^iT
-
Fig. 8.
*
It will be noticed that about half the primaries in most birds, grow
in an outward direction, which enables these feathers to be twisted
with great effect.
An exact division between inner and outer portions of the wing does
not exist. In fact, there is a gradual merger of the two portions.
Observation, of bird flight, will show that not only the wing tips,
but the entire wing is flapped up and down. However, the up and down
velocity of the inner portion, nearest the shoulder, is negligible in
comparison to the forward velocity of the bird*
The maximum up and down velocity can exist only at the wing tips and
even here its value is less than the forward velocity of the bird.
If this point is remembered, and a , vector diagram drawn to scale, it
will be seen that the wing does not have to be twisted much from the
: 7
Actual Observation of Flights
The above principles can be observed only in the flight of large birds
whose wing movements are slow enough to be followed with the eye. The'
flight of egrets, kites and gulls, especially gulls, is most fascinat-
ing to watch. The twisting down of the leading edge of the wing on
the down-beat and the twisting up on the upbeat, can be noticed, when
the bird is flying in level with the eye and across the line of vision,
S. V. Jttlekante
:.
E3B B35VI :C FABI&S Gfi &AS ma>I& 3U r.
.1)
Reference tf* note ih the jre^OcU^ or June iyC3 on Purple SimfaLnta
bintfi I huve hud -Wis opportunity 01 eMdjnLa* t«n n- -...,„ J
Tt ™L ' , , th '" atx ° COlf "^te nuata v/crc hidden tdtl in
ox toWo Sur.oirda in Ceylon rpl te i,o ,, si.ail^r coadition Cin
aia6 deter Calotcs lisardfcte! ^ " * t! * labrl ° W0Uld " trtfc I*
■
1* Does the cunbird deliberately choose o brnr;, i« „->,> r.
a-other ^d t,on*al it, neat JZ Se ££ £}*&£? "
»»»*»£, ££ ^nd^fi/f." ^ accord , fi "t discover a noxml
The nechanics of tills symbiosis — as it clear** R.-nm, +rt **
w*s x»tccan — v/hero babool trees are often seen dr nod vri+h U.M.
the Ami 1 * t^.^4 * .,... tt * i ***?i c ««' it is doubtless some species of
xne sane fcrosid ,-enus 3tc°ody phus as in Ceylon,
Salim AU
*
•*•••••*+«
A ;:-.EKt:.D AT K^CLA^O
Luring the first week of April t'ic year I spent a weekend iit the
Keol-deo Ghana Sanctuary neat Bhuratpur. I was- informed at the Bombay
Natural History. Li ocicty's office that It. Somen and Mr. /mbodkar of
their staff would be there engaged in the '7110 sponsored study on IBird
Migration and I thought that Q visit to t e Sanctuary while they were
there would make my trip both interesting aril educational.
The motor ride from Delhi to KeolLdeo, a distance of a little under
120 mile3 took 3i hours and I reached 'Shanti Kutir* the Rest House
inside the Sanctuary at 10.30 a.m.
The Keoladeo Gnana comprises approximately 7000 acres, mainly scrub
jungle and low-lying land, divided by bunds into numerous jhcels.
Y*'ith the approach of suraier when the jhcels boffin to dry up, v/ater
from the Ajan bund, a reservoir nearby, is let into the jheels*
The Sanctuary has t^ good network of roads no that even ti ose allergic
to walking, provided they have transport, can see a fair amount of
bird and animal life without exerting themselves.
During and for some Line after the rdLno when t iero is v/ater everywhere,
I am told that one could just ait on the verandah of the -'test House and
yet see hundreds of water birds. But in April when I visited the Sanc-
tuary the nearest jheel was a mile from the Rest House.
Work on the migration stud/ had beon in progress since the 20th fearch,
and in three weeks over 4000 birds had been ringed* Most of these were
Spanish Sparrows wrdeh roosted in some fields off the main road between
Deeg and Bharatpur and about 12 miles from the Sanctuary.
I would have liked very much to see the Spanish Sparrows being netted.
Soman find Ambedk&r said there were enormous 1 numbers of them that roosted
at this place. They thought half a, million v/cs a conservative estimate.
As luck would have it the jeep' "" that took them and their paraphernalia
did not turn up on the weekend I was there and my taxi driver from
Delhi was loth to have any poles tied to his car, so ye had to be content
with netting the wagtails wfcich roosted in a bulrush bed in a jfceel near-
by.
The total number of birds netted on the twp evenings was 1-70. Except
for ti Great Seed Warbler, a Hcdheaded Bunting, and a Baya v/eaver Bird,
the rest wore all wagtails*
Bitting on the bank of the jheel whi^q the netting proceeded in the
bulrushes I gazed over an expanse of shallow water a half mile square.
In it were more water birds than I had ever seen anywhere else* Ibises,
spoonbills, openbillcd storks, adjutants, puintcd- storks, d arus cranes*
purple herons, grey herons, large aid small egrets-,- dorters, cormorants,
coots, dc.bchieks, purple moorhens, 3potbill ducks, nukta ducks, coercion
sandpipers, ringed plovers, s Lints, and a solitary rosy pelican.
Beyond, on dxy land was a gathering of thirty or forty whitebacked vul-
tures. I could not sec nfcut they were feasting on. A few hundred yards
to the right feeding on land by the water's edge were a pair of burhc.vded
geese and a pair Of Brehminy ducks, and beyond them browsing on tender
green grass was a herd of bluikbuck.
It was a primeval- and' ipeae'eTul scene, r ? ere was a continuous murmur among
the bird3, as clucking, muttering, flapping, flurrying they constantly
sought vantage positions in their search for food.
The elegant and dignified looking Sarus* Cranes were, strangely, the most
vociferous. Every once in n v/hile four or live of these birds that were
<
*
-
■ •
-or 3 AT K'W-xr.o
Eurin, the first , ** Pi >*"£££? I ^<2f2 SJSL*
Kcol-deo Ghons 3a*tu ary "-^^^4. S^ »dTr. /abedkar of
Migration and I tnou^-i xi^t, « V151 " "* +4 rt ™i
th£o Uu neico «7 trip both interests, ad educational.
inside tie Sanctuary at 10*30 »•*»■
jJn^c and **-Wf ^ L wSn tb. Jl»el» bc^n to dry up, water
S5 £ ^bu^Y^ervoir nearby, is lot into the Jftd*
The Scnotuary too a C ood network of roads no that ^?**j£***
to JSSSV*W they have tr. f port, can sec ■ xaxr anount ox
bird end animal life without exertina .heraselves.
jrrjar^ 1 ^ srjs *«« **** £ sanc-
tuary the «st Jheol *ae a mLK. fro* the Beat Houe*.
ffKk on the tfg-ita. ^^^^^ e «^^.^
^an^^^tdr^efit^c Sft t* main roe, between
i&7&*£efr* and about 12 niles from the Sanctuary.
STS^SS^TS-SJP U^» «« * conservative estate.
A8 luck would have it the Jeep'that t0*^'-**£ *£ &%?%£*
did not |a up on the -eelbril I "* *?»?" ^,/had to L oontcnt
" £ rsss as; r^wusr. ft****
. the rest ware ell w>siifi* ^
S itUn S on the »** of * ^^^^^Cir^^^.
brushes I eased ™**l°X£iLT^^££™ S«. ^ e .
SSWSS^SSpS £**i g I solitary ro Sy pelican.
Be*-, on a,y la f ^ E^SSu/Lf H^^^
green grass ras a herd of bUckbuck.
v_,--„wr„i , WM . "ere viae a continuous murmur amonc
It m a primeval and peace J^"" 01 *' .1??! ttuwyinfi they constantly
the birds, ao eluojdiw, muttering, *laPP»6» t-Z*T^
sought v ; :ntace positions in their search xor food.
». d^ and deified lookin, ■£• « JfjuW^lhSIJ?
^
Curing the firut week of April t" is year I spent e weekend iit tine
Keol^deo Ghana Sanctuary near Efcaratpur* I wesr informed at the Bombay
Natural Hi story^ Society's office that l T r« Soman and Tflr. /mbedkar of
their staff would be there engaged in the \7JI0 sponsored study on Bird
Migration and I thou^' t tliat a visit to t e Sanctuary while they were
there, would iieJcc my trip both interesting and educational*
The motor ride from Delhi to Keoltdeo. a distance of a little under
120 mile3 took % hours and I reached 'Shanti Kutir' the Host House
inside the Sanctuary at 10,30 a.m.
The keoladeo Ghana comprises approximately 7000 acres, mainly acrub
jun^Lc and low-lyin^ lend, divided by bunds into numerous Wheels.
With the approach of suirraer when the jheels be?:in to dry up, water
from tho A.jan bund, a reservoir nearby, is let into the jhecls*
The Sanctuary has a cood network of roads so that even those, allerrlc
to walking, provided they have transport, can sec a fair amount of
bird and animal life without exerting themselves.
Dux-in^ and for soae Lime after tine rti.no when i-iere is water everywhere,
I am told that one could Just ait on the verandah of the /test House and
yet see hundreds of water birds * Sut in April when I visited the Sanc-
tuary the nearest jheel was a mile from the Best House.
Work on the migration study had been in progress since the 20th Iferch,
and in three weeks over 4000 birds had been ringed* Most of these were
Spanish Sparrows w dch roosted in some fields off the main road betv/een
Deeg and Bharatpur end about 12 miles from the Sanctuary,
I would have liked very much to see the Spanish Sparrows being netted*
Soman and AmbecLkar said there were enormous numbers of them that roosted
at this place. They thought half a. million was a conservative estimate.
AS luck would have it the jeep that took them and their paraphernelia
did not turn up on the weekend I was there and my taxi driver from
Delhi was loth to have ony poles tied to his car, so we, had to be content
with netting the wagtails which roosted in a bulrush bed in a jfceel near-
• by*
The total number of birds netted on the two evenings was 170, Except
for a Great SUM ,rr arblcr, a Bcdheaded Bunting f and a fiaya v/eaver Bird,
r* the rest were all wagtails*
Sitting on the bank of the jheel v/hi^e. the netting proceeded in the
bulrushes 1 gazed over en expanse of shallow water a half mile square*
In it were more water birds than I had ever seen anywhere else* Ibises,
spoonbills, openbillcd storks, adjutants, painted- storks, ^arus cranes,
purple herons, grey herori3, large aid small egrets^- darters, cormorants,
coots, dabchicks, purple moorhens, spot bill ducks* nukta ducks, common
sandpipers, ringed plovers, s lints, end a solitary .rosy pelican.
, 1 ■:>■.■' •
Beyond, on dry land was a gathering of thirty or forty white backed vul-
tures* 1 1 could not sec what they were foeafcine on* A few hundred yards
to toe right feeding on land by the water's ed t ~e were a pair of barhc^ded
geese and a pair of Brahminy ducks, and beyond them browsirv, on tender
green grass was c herd of bl^ckbuck*
•
It was a primeval- and' p'eac'eTul scene, Tare was a continuous murmur among
the birds, as clucking, muttering, flapping, flurrying they constantly
sought vantage positions in their search for food*
The elegant and dignified looking Sanaa Cranes were, strangely, the most
vociferous. Every once in « r : wliile four or iivc of these birds that were
feeding together would raise tneir heads and spread out their Hinge as
thou h expressing indignation*, this bein^ accompanied by much chirruping,
9
trumpettin-, end mewing. But just x#en it appeared that feathers would
start to fly the birds would most unaccountably subside into silence
and resume tneir interrupted dinner.
During; the six hours pr so that I spent birdwatchin;; over the weekend
I spotted one hundred a^d eleven species. The figure would have been
^f ifS u Ui t '° r S0 " Cllta help ^ £ nUraber 0I ' ' L,IC bird3 ***■ my 'first,
«ind woula have taken me very much longer to identify on
. i :
- •
*
Ret erring to the list of lend biido
tfta'^SSHS booklet on the Keoladeo Ghc.
saw there in April,
S
»
Brahmin/ j^rna
ELed Ityna
Sgya .Veaver Bird
Maharat ta Y/oodpe c);e r
Pied Kingfisher
Created Bunting
Hodheadcd Bunting
Painted Snipe
lioney Buzzard
Yelloweycd Babbler
*
*
my owu
(observed in October) appended to
na I liat below some more that I
Tawny Rqglq
Stone Curlew
Red iviunia
Blackbellied Finch lark
Indian Skylark
Indian Hpit
Hed JJush-Chat
fciradisc Flycatcher
Coironon Iora
Shcnkar Ranganathsn
* *
'
sair; ui*coim? Bins visis-chs cssirta m An? aioiud tcta'am
Birds have been recorded at T^baram (80° V E, f 12° 5 5**U since 1938
fc Jfeag-gfa PUt, 3oc. 40i4o7fei 744-7, and 56*637), 4'd I vdah
1 tvi^J lCr ^° in ^ rC 3p6Ci£JS that teTO ao f£ * not teea recorded from
thiourea. The 30Oac re campus of the Madras Christian Ccllere is made
up oi scrub junfele, open fields, marshy areas, nd flowerinr trees.
Around the campus there arc several tanks which dry up during the hot
weather. The observations ^iven here are confined to an are^of tl4e-
mile radius, and those made from I960.
The Honey Buzsard (Pernis ptilorhggcug,) is met with sin^ in the scrub
a u ™" ***»*« *° April. It i 3 usually mobbed by t. c common crows
and chescd from tree to tree, ^^rogrtoo Palcon (Falgo pcre^rL usT
' 0«rVnn C ^r en + thC T? "J* 8 ** in »•«*« I960. Wlfe dwin^d Cre sted
o^« fi P?®^ SSESffiaaia) «•■ *>«n by Mrs. Siromonoy and re on October
' ■? ! w , PPGd 10r * fcw minutes in the garden in the Argyroia camp
9gM *£»• The Indian Plaintive Cuckoo feacomantis mrSS&±f^
April! eV017 y6£r ™* U a WintCr awBanSBBfi November and
-h£ K € f e f l 5 Baa (Sturn^ m^abarlciis ) were seen in Ifebruexy 1962,
^StnfJSA^T "? B ° nth th±S ****** C0mpa ^ of Blackheadcd i^s
22*™ ^r f f° m *" SaafiffiooMEiy^ bushes. In frtemJSwL
mSSL&^ 1Ti ^ thaa ® Grde oifflKwsji and a sin r lc^osy '
^f^ni|~~^^ ) WaS B ' een 0n ^ b ™ 14. W2 in the compe^of
■
teLlT lB » ^ dbr0a8 f « Flycatcher QiSOicc^^va) ,.,.d noted 6*cry veer
tod no Mack borders on the breast. Ilx bird usually confines itself
n4r ^* -^ comiata "B-'sa*-^-^ S*> It.
The Southern Qreu^ihoadea Grouiid Thruoh (Zoothera eiirlnc c^totii.) is
weh less common then the northern variety. In jSkuSyUgSTFSn&T
biro c^e to '.« bird-bath rc^icrly ;J ,d v^.s seen by my vAfc tnd ^.
ifh U ? °^ 110 ! ^ £teil ° feiilife) "ere oeen in -.local to rf:
bed between .Me rch 20 1961 a^ April 25, 1951 almost every iey in croups
varying from 3 to 20. £be Forest v'^tril which -,ve k-vo -tOrerfv recorded
is known to stop at Tsmteron during: its southern and return movements
every year. ,-:\
The Rufous breasted I.Iannikin (Lonchura kclaarti ) was seen once in the
jungle on U6veBibcr # 3 19^t> ©nd a^fin after 3 days. It was racking inces
-sent noise and its mate could not oo seen but was heard, ^ne Spotted
llunia (Lonchura punctujatfi ) jla seen occasionally in pairs.
The number of species of birjis recorded in Tambaram is 96 but the list
docs not contain some of the common biras which I have observed. They
are the Cattie, the Little, and the Lar&e- typrets, the Common Bustard
Quail , the Y/hitebreasted ,'atorhen, Wood Sandpiper, the Pantail Snipe,
the Little Stint, the Indian Courser, the Whiskered-, Gullbilled, and
Caspian Terns, the Swallow, Blyth's Reed v/arblcr, and the Dull Green
Leaf .srbler.
Prof. Gift Siromoney,
Madras Christian College, Tambaram, S.I.
* *
BUSTARD HABITAT IN KAJASTtlAH" DESERT
Since our deports on the Great Indian 3ustard Choriotis nigriceps
(Uewalette* , October 1962; and April 196?), wc have observed many
more bustards and we are now convinced that thio bird is quite common
in the desert. Authentic reports of their ecc-layine have also been
received. Many groups of 8 to 10, and 12 to 15 birds were ajLso obser-
ved. During the last few months we studied the vegetation at Pokran,
Chandan, and Jaisaliacr by the linear transect method, collected insects,
reptiles and mammals, and observed t) e birds at these places with a
view to have an idea of the blotic factors Influencing the bustard
* population in this habitat.
- The vegetation comprises , of s large bushes of Zizyphus nummular! a ,
Salvadora peraica (only at Fokran), Calotropi3 procora , Cappario,
deciaua Tmore at Pokran and-near tanks), mid. Prosopis. apiciflera
Xmorc frequent at Chandan and Jaisairacr); low ohrub of Haloxylo n
salicomicum (H,»6? at Chandan), Dactyloctenium sindjeum , Crotalaria
burhia (5.4f> at Chandan, and'" 14.3, at J.iioalmer }j and the grasses
Eleusine compressa (16.6$ at Chandan, ...and 33 .2f. at Jaisalmpr),; Loai-
urus alndicua (54«4 and 26*5$ at either place), 'Cymbopogon jwaraneusa
(12£ at Pokran and Jaisalmcr), and Panicum turfffdum (4»9fiJ* Other
grasses like Cenchrus ciliaris , C t cathartics , etc. have ajlow per-
centage cover. The total plant cover varies from 10 to 14$ at these
places which is a considerably good cover in a desert. The bustards
have been observed to take shelter under - Salvadora , Capparis , ,Ce lo-
tropis, and Zizyphus bushes. Two bustards were seen sitting in between
big clumps of Cymbopogon also*
Locusts invade this region in summer, and are available as food to
most of the birds in lar^o numbers. The grasshoppers found in this
habitat are t Poecilocer J3 pictus , Ocdaleus nannoratus , Chrotoronus
sp,, ?:ieroglyphus nir.ro-repletus , Mantis 's p., Creobater urbena ,
Hicroduja codructota , Gryllus saggilatua ; termites: Angcpnthotermcs
mccrocephalus i beetles: Anthia sex^uttata , JUliode_s alkinsoni ,
Blaps oilGnt.4is , Helicopris buciphaLug ; dung roller i Onthopha r 'us
lon&icornis \ Scarabeus ^sp., Aphodius sp. : , etc. These insects belong
to the orders" Orthdptera, Isoptera, and Coleoptera.
The following reptiles occur in this region « the earth snake, jMlBZ.
rhynchus paradoxus , the, rat snake , Ptyas mucosuq , Coluber diadema,
" C. halena, thu 3iiid.ati-lc Eryx johnii ani ^V conicu3 ; the krait
- Bun.qarua cac rulers , and Bj_ sindi anum , the Cobra Bafla naja, the viper
Echi s carina ta , the Monitor lizard Varinug rionitor and V. /vriseuB ,
other lis?,rds like Uro^riyfci* hajrdwickii t ' Stc'nodactylus ap., Gymno-
dactvlus so*, and i.ubleo::aru3. sp, ,< Ifebuvi?. fccfularia, Kg aurata,
Eupccea fc^aiofctug, and Orfcloaorus tridactrlrs. Host or these U^rts
ana snail suttee are lively to- be c:-sy food of the custards.
l G ^ P 8telctih c thc **** of ^rds to ruptores only, as only these will
be the limiting factors for any increase in bustards jJOpuErtien as ttey
may prey upon their e^a or young. Amons suen birds, the following spec-
lea arc commonly observed In thc bustard country i Common ifcrlah Kite
VggKf. ateBt )i , Shi] '~- (Accipiter badiuq). tawar Eagle (Aguila rapes ).
Short-toea Ea£Le (Ci rcaetus ^UicugTpcancaded Berlin (McT7hicque"ra ) .
Kestrel fe-lco tinnv- ulus J 9 and v.hite-eycd Buesard ?Biit.a^^tolsaT f
Of the mammals, the Jackal (c*nis awgus ), Soocrt Pox (Vulpw vulpes
pusiilaj, Bengal Pox {Vulpes ben^alcnsis k BoogMoe v^- : ^T7s"i^unc.
tatus pallipes) and fe. pdwardal fergwrinouB 1. Indian Desert Cat (Fells
libyca ornataj, and the Jiy^lgffet (g. ohaiia 'pretert ) are quite conT^n"
in these arid tracts and these arc likely to r^'ell" on the bustard.
A factor which will induce in the bustard a tendency to migrate locally
is the availability of drinking: water, Small pool ?' cn^isaiks are scat-
tered in tliia desert re^.on, aac water is av^l&Ue.Ttinroutfioot the year
except during %&? '&& June,
I.
, ■ • * lahwar Ti .Jknch ,
Pillafc "Km '"IlOCh:
Special Animal Studies Division,; Central Arid
.1
Sone Research Intfiiftito, Jodhpur, Raj as than
--
a .'.
;&lHADIS2-.iv#e
;;ir; - : ■
=;o
% hone village of Kavaea^ri in the ^.Ighat £8&p (r.eraic ) V s -n -vian
paradise some ten years age/ There were stretcher crf-**wifio and plenty
of U E ber-land where teak and ether trees v-- to : &Ka into minor forests.
, The. innumerable tolling Mils were overgrown with v^riouc kinds of bushes
and trees end one could spend hours watching tires in «« .ft for solitude. A
few years ago these hillocks were eroded. Mrs c^rubber plantations
came into existence. KTov; one does not see even one-tea in'- of the number of
birds ono- used to some ten years ago. -ost of the ty^es one used to see
are, still sere, but ti>eir nv-bcro have decreased: Aevead credence. The
very small number of unusual birds (the Red Spurfofti, the Sreenbilled
Malkoha, the Whitethroatsd Ground thrush, to nation' a few examples) are
clinsxne on to the minute patches of scrub ana rootfs that remain. Hundreds
oi poor families in the area used to gather all thc firewood they required
from the. scrub and the woods, .Jfcr they arc forced to concentrate on the
same tiny patches of scrab -here these bird* ho* b-u^ht belter, and,
consequently, they will soon be driven out of these rTrucec too e
Could not nature lovers ir 4 out- country try to poroKsdo the authorities
to adopt a policy which would ensure the retention cf *.?. * BC t one-tenth
aL£ ^ 3CnAb £Lnd wo( * Qd Isnd in ' ^1 *£aeos when our economy
demands the consersion of ouciH.land into rubber or other plantations?
Tea, coffee t and cardonora plantation a are known -to - £ *^rd plenty of
shelter to birds. In fact<sQi^ of these are tie most r3vvard*o- Peaces
from the birdwatchers • point of view, But rubber pla-scatiknc attract
ou^ EjX'fS &&&"&** ** ^MW «d.r^»t*te-ti«* la replacing
our scrub forest. ».--..-*
-
Prof. Xig, i^ii-laka+rfcan
■ i Bmaiiilam..
r
!
TEE EEOTHH 0? 7*^ 0SF5EY. Qr Biilip Brown and George Titers tan.
pp. 223, 20 monochrome photographs, taidon 1962. Collins. Price 21 3.
Everybody loves a success story and everybody loves a story ?/ith a happy
ending. This one abundantly fulfils both these desiderata. It is the
account , pleaaurably yet unpretentiouoly chronicled, of a magniiicent
achievement on the part of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds?
the record of a goal attained as the result of thorough planning, sheer
hard work, devotion to the cause of bird protection, but above ell an
intense love of birds. Conservationists and nature lovers alike can be
justly proud of a series of triumps, for the book deals not only with
the return of the Osprey, but also with that of the Avocet and the
Blacktailed Godwit as breeding species to Britain after a lapse of 50
to a 100 years*
There is a short, but apposite, Foreword by R.S.R. Fitter, followed by
two chapters on t e Osprey — one on its return by Philip Brown and the
other concerning its natural history by George V.'aterston. These form
the main portion of the book. The next two chapters deal with the Avocet
— first by Gwen Bevies with the bird's return, and the second by Fnilip
Brown with it3 behaviour. Peter Conder deals with the return of the
Blacktailed Oodwit in the next, and in the final chapter E.S.R. Fitter
writes of other former breeding birds.
The return of the Osprey to its traditional breeding haunts in Scotland,
after an absence of 50 years or so, can be attributed, we learn, to a
westerly spread of the bird's breeding range in Scandinavia.
The extermination of the Osprey in Britain is due entirely to the nefa-
rious practices of game -keepers, gunners, end egg-collectors, for nan
is the bird's only enemy. The more effectively the first two slaughter-
ed the birds, tl?e more attractive and lucrative egg-collecting became.
This part of the story makes melancholy reading indeed, and one feels
both sick at heart and Tilled with rage at people who could be so cruel,
callous, and thoroughly anti-social as to systematically rob complete
clutches of eggs and even nestlings end then, for good measure, shoot
the adult birds, seme times on the nest, to the point of exterminating
the species in sn entire country. One is sorely tempted to agree with
Colonel Meincrtzhagon when in PUPATES AST FCTATO'S he declares man
to be 'the prime predator and the lilest vermin'.
One's spirits rise sharply when one reads that after being unsuccess-
ful for four years in succession (in 1958 due to a collector eluding
the watchers one dark night, climbing the nesting tree, and taking
the eggs) the birds have brought off young successfully since 1959;
a total of nine young having reached the free-flying stage up to and
including the 1962 breeding season.
The Society very wisely decided that each year, as soon as it was safe
to do so, the public, carefully controlled, should be allowed to watch
the Ospreys from a hide specially erected for the purpose, What a tes-
timony it is to the change in public attitude to wildlife, and to the
way in which the whole project has caught the imagination) that nearly
70,000 people had, by the end of last season, been to sec the splendid
birds, if only for a few brief moments*
The otoiy of the Avocets is by now veil known — of how, had it not
been for a stray 3hell from a near-by firing range damaging one of
the sluice gates, the water level in the lagoons on Favengate Island,
in the river Aide in Suffolk, may never have been suitable for t*ifl
Avoceto to nest — of the damage that was caused by the floods in
1953, and how by v/orking day and night the R.S.P.B. Staff and volun-
tary helpers repaired the damage, only ^ust in time for the returning
avocets to enjoy 9 successful breeding season. Despite the depredations
tEB HEOTffl 0? 5TE OSFSEY. ^r HxLlip Brown and George aterston.
pp. 223, 20 Esonochror^c photographs • London 1962. Collins. Price 21s.
Everybody loves a success story and everybody loves- a stoiy with a happy
ending. This one abundantly fulfils both these desiderata. It is the
account* pleaaurably yet unpretentiously chronicled, of a magniiicent
achievement on the part of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds;
the record of a goal attained as the result of thorough planning, sheer
hard work* devotion to the cause of bird protection, but above all im
intense love of birds. Conservationists and nature lovers alike can be
Justly proud of a series of triump3, for the book deals not only with
the return of the Osprey, but also with that of the Avocet an£ the
Blacktalled Godwit as breeding species to Britain after a lapse of 50
to a 100 yearB.
There is a short, but apposite, Foreword by 8*5«B« Fitter, followed by
two chapters on t e Osprey — one on its return by Philip Brown and the
other concerning its natural history by George Waterston. These form
the main portion of the book. The next two chapters deal with the Avocet
— first by Gwen Uivieo with the bird's return, and the second by Philip
Brown with it3 behaviour. Peter Conder deals with the return of the
Blacktailed Godwit in the next t and in the final chapter B»S«B. Fitter
writes of other former breeding birds.
The return of the Osprey to it3 traditional breeding haunts in Scotland,
after an absence of 50 years or so, can be attributed, we learn, to a
westerly spread of the bird's breeding range in Scandinavia.
The extermination of the Osprey in Britain is due entirely to the nefa-
rious practices of game-keepers, gunners, rnd egg-collectors, for ncn
is the bird's only enemy. The more effectively the first two slnughtcr-
ed the birds, the more attractive and lucrative egg-collecting became.
This part of the story makes melancholy reading indeed, and one feels
both sick at heart and filled with rage at people who could be so cruel,
callous, and thoroughly anti-social as to systematically rob complete
clutches of eggs and even nestlings end then, for j:ood measure, shoot
the adult birds, sometimes on the nest, to the point of exterminating
the species in an entire country* Cne is sorely tempted to agree with
Colonel Meincrtahagen when in PIRATES AI'E F35DASCTC8 he declares man
to be 'the prime predator and the illest vermin' •
One's spirits rise sharply when one reads that after being unsuccess-
ful for four years in succession (in 1958 due to a collector eluding
the watchers one dark night, climbing the nesting tree, and tsking
the eggs) the birds have brought off young successfully since 1959;
a total of nine young having reached the free-flying stage up to and
including the 1962 breeding season.
r
The Society very wisely decided that each year, as soon as it was safe
to do so, the public, carefully controlled, 3hould be allowed to watch
the Ospreys from a hide specially erected for the purpose. What a tes-
timony it is to the change in public attitude to wildlife, and to the
way in which the whole project has caught the imagination, that nearly
70,000 people had, by the end of last season, been to sec the splendid
bird3, if only for a few brief moments.
The story of the Avocets is by now *oll known — of how, had it not
been for a stray 3hell from a near-by firing r^ige damaging one of
the sluice gates, the water level in the lagoons on Favengate Island,
in the river Aide in Suffolk, may never have been suitable for tte
Avocets to nest — of the damage that was caused by the floods in
1953, and how by -working day and night the R.S.P.B. Staff and volun-
tary helpers repaired the damage, only just in time for the returning
avocets to enjoy e successful breeding season. Despite the depredations
of rats and gulla, the Avocet is now well established, to the extent
of 65-70 breeding pairs annually, on the island which the ruS.P.B.
,::,.•
bou.^rt, 'pilmrilyji: as a sr.iictuury; for them.
M:! '--■■■ •■ ** J Mxtv ■.V-X.-.---I v / ■- ;,. =v inu --■^■' ■
: . The return of the Blacktai led* Godwit act. a breeding species to Britain,
after just over 100 years ^ v/ac first jdiscovered in 1952. Its breeding
localities have bean kept- a closely-^ardcJd secret, and despite egg-
stealing by crows and the danger to; nests of grazing cattle, numbers
L have increased., tp. the .present figure of about 12 breeding pairs* The
r future of. the Elacktailed' Godwit us. a brooding species in 'Britain
t< depends upon" the birds -spreading; '.to other" suitable areas of wet grcse-
-cr land, t-.nd upon the proccrvation of this very scarce habitat.
The, preponderance of apnee devoted to the Osprey gives the book as a
*^ whole a 'slight lock of balance, \jui surprisingly enough the plurality
S f i^*^ 3 - 1 ? doc3 n<ft result in the uncvenncoo of style one right
$w otMlqsD. have expected. The lack of an index ac~tract3 from the otherwise high
standarflL^f-^h-c- "bookc The general format of the volume is excellent,
. -* '■-" ' as arc the illustrations, 'with two or three minor exceptions, in which
the quality of the photographs fall, be-low the level of the remainder.
On page 148 the reader is referred to a photograph which has been
omitted*
• ;^One whole-heartedly wishes this book the success it should have, as
;\ ;the royalties from it are being devoted to the Boyal Society for the
3 - Protection of Birds, San^y, 3edforshire, from whom, incidentally, the
4 book may be obtained, with financial benefit to the : Society.
■„•-•*'■■ « "
Footnote :
, .- — ' . . * - ; J -
Your reviewer nostalgically recalls seeing three' Osprcys in Janu-
, ary 1958 at a large talao called •Kahewal*, in what used to be the
Nawab.of Camboy's territory, but' is now part of the Kaira District,
Gujarat State. One of the birds dived into the water with a great
splash, but was apparently unsuccessful in securing a fish. I see
that Salin All saw the bird at near-by Golana in late 1945 or. early
•r 1946 (J. Bombey rat . Hist. Soc. 52t402). I saw another in^thc "bbibe
year on the Vatrak river at Hte* in the same di Strict. Once again
I experienced the thrill of seeing the' bird dive from a con'sLderable
t height, but on this occasion also, the great b*iu. failed to secure it3
quarry. ■iai ■
: - ■' — — ;.__
S «K.R«
:■■'■. : ,
ITOTES AID CCOEKTS
§j , r If any reader ■ kricv*s of a good artist, preferably a birdwatcher,
who sketches or paints birds and would be capable of producing life-
likc scientifically accurate illustrations of Indian birds, would he
j. .please get him to contact Dr. Salim Ali at 33 Pali Hill t 'Bombay 50
? --. .(Telephone l"o. 88425).
P .- ■ , . r • • i ■ ■ . • - y s . • ,. .
pur library .,
• In^continuation of the notice in the Newsletter for July 1963
about eur library, we are glad to announce that the f ollowihg 'books
have been* sent to us by Mr* Samir Sen:
BIRDS. Tfy A. lands borough Thomson* London 1927. * ,
S0?iGS 0.-' WILD tiVim* Hy ;:.M. Nicholson & Ludwig Koch. London 1948.
TftE BIjIDS Qi ■■• CAlCU r i5A>f3fr:?ff, Finn*. Calcutta 19014
; V/ATChlliG BLiBS. By Jarco Pis her .-London 1946.
BII0) 1 ^0GiriTIOT. I ...Sea-birds end Naders. Sy James Fisher. London
• • 'Uffl TO KK0.7 BniTISri^.DS. X^Iforman &."io*» Lbndoh- 1943.
KOW TO KIJOV THE T3tiv$t tiltm* By ?., ilnn. ^nd:'cditibn, Calcutta
- !
HilTlSH KESTIiiG BJD^ f ^ t ?ercival Westell. ^001''
•fME B^II'ISii i4 fi .ir* By E.A.Kw Ennion.. London 1945* : " " fv - f
AUBTRAHAK .BIHD Ml'E. I^jr Charles ) Jarre tt. Melbourne i0if • L
THE CALL 01' Tt ^*.I ^3, 3y Charles S, Bcyne* Revised cd.Lonfon 1945.
BIRD Lti-li C7 •:: ; : , SEASONS. J3y \7. Pcrcival ..'estell, London 1944.
Ti:2-!3IKIJS OP !i;r UCKET* 3y Ludlow Grioccn f Kad Edith V. Folder.
-Harvard University, Cambridge, 1948.
BKITISK/BJiilE* Qy 'Vilfrcd 'Villctt. London 1948.
TIffi BIRDS 0? KUTCFi fy Salin All. Bombay 1945.
-■■ ."
BJTIft' BIRIJS Ii: COLOUU. Edited by F.5.?,. Titter 5: others. London.
.37I7G3 H TIE WILDE3F: 3S . By All. n D. Cruickshnnk. Tfcvv York 1947.
- THE r.UFPED GTOUStff By Henry I&rion Hall. New York 1946.
< GAI.1E BI'DS 07 IiOTA, B033& & CEYLOK, Vol. Ill - Pheasants and Bus-
. . tard Quails. E&f Stuart Baker. London 1930.
CUCKOO FROBklS. fly E.C» Stuart Baker. London 1942.
BIRDS tS BRITAIN. By Prances Htt. London 1948
FAUHA OF BRITISH 131 A, Birds. Sy E.C* Stua-t Baker (a complete set
\ I ,j of 8 volumes) r ££
r£a4
COKKESPOOT-IHCE ♦
■
Rac ial Id entification of Birds
-
With reference to Elr* Joseph George's note about the .Vrynock in news-
letter for July (p. 7), may I rcGister a humble protest against the tenden-
cy of birdwatchers to assign, or attempt to assign, subspecific precision
to their field observations?.. Sight records of subspecies based on one or
two observations, and no specincn3 collected, especially in the case of
controversial races (of which there are far too r.any) t arc of little
scientific Value, aid load nowhere* They serve only to confuse and exercise
the amateur to whom subspecies arc., in any case, of minor significance.
Let us leave the auibblinj over subspecies, their tenability and vali-
dity, and their identification) to the specialists equipped with 'the eye
of faith* who sit in museums surrounded by trryfuls of dry skins and enjoy <
their little fun aid games with the dead* Let us, on the other hand, make
the best of our unmatched opportunities with the living.
Sdlin Ali
How to pronounce * Jaconet' j
Birdwatchers who have stumbled over how to pronounce l Jaccna f will be
interested in the correct pronunciation :nd derivation of the name given
.__ _ .in. the .recent ...publication-El 4DS 0? T! >: -- , ?cp.-LD by Oliver ~Li Austin Jr, of
Florida State ?,?useum. Mr. Austin .yo it 3hould be pronounced 'YS-sa-nfE 1
with the accents on the 'first and last syllables. She name came into
English from the Spanish, who adopted it from the Tupi Miens of the
Amazon basio. ^ p#H- 'j£^
^ '-^ ■ ; ' ''"*-. Rguters, Hew Delhi. „
Bluechceked Bee-eater T-
I was into 10 s ted in your article on the Blueche, eked See-eater in the
July issue of the Newsletter . I had seen four of these birds on 2 December t
1960 near the Vadala salt pans. They were perched on telegraph wires* They
allowed close approach and did not resent observation. One I of them picked
up a \?asp f ram the ground about 3 yards from where I was flitting.
"""''" ' ji ':"■ ■"■'. -. Tata InsiKS^aSftft M.
About our. Newsletter :•£*-•- * * - •'
^— ■■!■ 1 !-■ — — — *- fR •
You will btam^ed 'to hej.f ho\v lately" I received a letter from one Major
Seaton whom I mustfhavc known in Rangoon perhaps over -\>Q years ago! It scorns
some one sent him -a few copies of the Newsletter for Birdwatchers to his
London address* v gn$ he. Crime across, an article or note by Ce.pt* N.S. Tyabji
and immediately got in touch with him. Thus was established - or re-establi-
shed - a contact after almost 30 years. Through Capt. Mtyabji he got my
address, and thus the letter. from him. So the entire credit for re-establish
-went of tfris contact goes to the ITewsl otter . Please accept my grateful
thonkq. rj r
" • A.S. Tyabji, Jarashedpur
•
,
4
*
\
I
-
editorial board
Dr. Salim Alt, F.N.1-,
33 Pali Hill, Bandra, Bombay 50
K. S. Lavkumar,
Rajkumar College, Rajkot
Dr. R. M. Naik,
M. S. University, Baroda
Mrs. Usha Ganguli,
10 Cavalry Lines. Delhi 6
Mrs. Jamal Ara,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda, Hinoo P.O., Ranchi, Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avari.
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Darjeeling
Dr. Biswamoy Biswas,
Indian Museum, Zoological Survey of India,
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan,
XXI/12799 Karikkamuri Road,
Ernakalum.
Editor :
v
HBWSLKTTKK
FOR BIRDWATCHERS
Mne MM3 Sfpl«nt»r
•Vol, 3, No. 9
BIRDWATCHERS
CONTEHT!
September 1963
*'
' f
Recovery of Kinged Birds.. By Salim All
Bird notes from Rajkot, Gujarat. By K.S. Lavkunar
Great Indian Bustard breeding in Rajasthai Desert, 3y Ishwar Prakash
and Pulak K. Ghosh
Where to go- to watch birds. By K.K. Ncelakantan
Non-hereditary white plumage. By (Mrs.) Jamal Ara
The Large Cormorant : United Front. By Nirmalkumar of Jasdan
Cat-and-Mouse antics of a Cormorant. By Sdlim Ali
i
On the nesting habits cf the Indian Robin, .SaxJeoloides fulicata
(Linnaeus). By R.M. Naik, Ph.D. ... ... ••
Review: PAVO : The Indic.n Journal of Ornithology, Vol. I, No.1. (L.F
Notes and Comments • • • • • • " •
Correspondence «*• •*• ••
.
'■
1
2
3
4
5
6
6
7 *
7
8
RECOVERY OF' RIHGED BIRDS
*
Since the Inst ftuoueeifellt (Newsletter Vol. 5, No. 6, June 1963) of reco-
veries of birds ringed under the fflHS/WIO Bird Migration Bw Id Study Project,
ISomatlon regarding t* more recoveries *f our ringed birds has come m.
The particulars are as follows:
Date | Ring No. &
Ringed ' species
16.12.62 j A-22268
Motacilla flava
I thunberffl. (Grey*
Place ringed
Date re-
covered
&iitiii5 ellow
Edanad, Chen-
gannur j Kerala ,
c« 9 20' N.x
76° 38»E."
, •
i
12,11.62
. AB-1690
\ Tringa stagna-
| tills (Marsh
Sandpiper)*
F^und dead
16,5.1963
Place re-
covered
Remarks
^oint Calimere, -
T;m j ore District
Madras State, c_.
10°N. x 80' E.
'Shot by
man
4.5.63
4
Southern
part of
Karaganda
region,
Kazakhstan.
USSR, c.46
H. x 72 E.
c.4170
km.
notth '
of Eda
-nad
Novosibirsk i£.4930
region, neag kg.^
Kupinp, USSR; f
c. 54 22 <N. *
77° 18 r E.
Madras
*Trinsa stagnatilis the Ifersh Sandpiper, aptly, also called little Greenshank,
brlof ±nTe Palaea rctic Region (except western Europe) across middle Asia
"east to Mongolia. It is a seller and slimmer replica of the Greenshanks,
wKn a ver^slender bill, white back and rump and more or less white upper
^ail-coverts, and altogether one of the daintiest and most beautiful of the
trice! In its winter quarters in India it keeps mainly to the sea coast-,
hardly ever seen inland.
Salim Ali
j
: 2 :
BED BOTES PROM EAJKOT, GUJARAT
Normally July is a veiy wet month and most of ~ur annual rainfall is receiv-
ed during this and the next month. The heavy showers are caused by strong
convectional updrafts at the beginning of July, and there is usually much
thunder and lightening to liven the performance.
This stormy beginning is then followed by a steady wrnpL with low drifting
clruds, which in the earlier parts of the mrrning almost percolate through .
the tre estops and in hilly places everything is cool, damp, and misty. After
the glare and head and dust of summer this is very pleasant indeed. In August
the clouds break up end then there are a few days of sun anc| clouds often
with light showers and a brisk breeze. During this period, the crops and
grass start growing rapidly and the countryside looks most charming. Birds
are now busy feeding hungry and vociferouis families •...For the bird photogra-
pher starts a very busy period* The hot sun of September, s*on asserts it-
self over the clouds, and there follows a period of high curaulous clouds,
a gentle breeze, and everywhere there is a luminosity that enhances the
colours of the sky, grassland trees* As if . to join in with the pageantry
if colour, the little flowers start showing, and in grasslands ? we see
carpets of yellow composits, small, but making a' brave show by their massed
growth* The. grawwew now tall and in seed, rustle and quiver as the wind
plays among them* It is a fine period to be out.. Most of the birds are being
followed by fledglings on the wing f but there is again a certain' amount of
song ifi the air. Strangely enough, the Jungle" Wren Warbler is on its eggs
•r has a nest-luad of chicks} it lias to wait for the grass to grow tall
enough to hold its domed nest. This; period is further enlivened by the
arrival of .a. large number of migrants, many on passage to Arabia and Africa.
Among these are the showy Kashmir Rollers and Bluecheeked Be e-'eat or s. "White-
throats, Spotted Flycatchers, and Redbacked Shrikes are plentiful, though
soon ;to leave after a vGry short sojourn with us. There are a few violent
storms with localised rain and strong winds and much lightening and thunder,
and then one morning the. wind veers to the north-west and the skies are clear
and blue and. the monsoon is gone. The grass now turns to a golden yellow or
russet and with patches of green of late varieties. The mimosas and acacias
are in bloom and the air is heavy with their scent and filled with the drone
of bees and other insects. The. cool season has set in and the air develops
an edge to it in the mornings; winter migrants start dropping in and so one
more'"monsoon and a bird-breeding season has gone.
This" year, however, there has been very little rain, ^nd we are faced with
severe water shortage and of course a great need for fodder* The entire
month has been inordinately c^ol and there has been much clrud, but none of
the great storms have materialised, to pour down rains to slake the parched
soil and to fill lakes and wells with life giving water. It is a very bad
season for every one- including the birds and the birdwatchers. .The question'
is what will happen , ; to- the drinking water supply as all the reservoirs are ■
low, having received; wi fresh water. We shall have a very poor winter with
waders unless wd visit the. sea
ooaetSf
Strange as it may seem, I have made an addition to my list directly due to
the drought,- and that too of a bird of mrshes. An old boy of my school
saw a strange bird skulking in his agave hedge some 15 miles from here. For-
tunately for the bipd, -his curiosity did not make him take up a gun, but
instead as the bird 1 seemed loath to fly, they beat around until it was dis-
turbed and flew int« trees of their near-by orchard* Here, strange to tell,
the bird flew from one tree to another until exhausted, and hid under cover
and allowed itself to be caught. As it would not eat grain offered to it,
though resembling a game bird, but nothing like anything seen by "the nimrods
of the village, the boy had the sense, to bring it over to me* At first
glance I was completely nonplussed as to its identity. It was obviously one
of the rails. The key in the FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA, Birds, proved very
handy in placing the bird as a female Kora or Water Cock. Being great skul-
,....**.* 3
**
■*■
: 3. :
kers, they are not seen frequently., and the female looks like a crake and
is probably overlooked as one of those mysterious creatures that tread
reedy labrynths, their identity best left to a future date.
Readers will be happy to know that the bird has been released in the place
it was caught. The question arises as to what a waterside bird was doing
in a field hedge? No doubt, the drying up of its reed-fringed pools in the
near-by stream had forced it to take up temporary abode in the shelter
offered by the hedgegpow, and on being disturbed, it was at a loss to know
where to go, being surrounded by vast expanses of open fields, and so it
took refuge in the orchard where it was captured*
This is an interesting record for Saurashtra. I will now never fail to
give every rail cr moorhen- a second and more careful glance, and every
rustle in a reed-bed will be investigated for the possible, presence of a
male Kora with his heraldic shield over the head.-
K.S. Lavkumar
Apropos Of this note by K.S. Iavkumar we are giving two extracts afcout
the Kora or Watercock which may interest readers.
Frank Finn (1906) in HOW TO KNOW THE INDIAN WADERS (pp. 96-7) writes: "This
is a. peculiarly leggy, long-toed bird, with a shield on the "forehead point
-ed at the back, and growing out there into a long horn in the breeding
male, which also differs much from the female in plumage, and is much lar-
ger. , n
'•Out of the breeding season both sexes are pale brown, heavily streaked
with dark brown above and finely barred with that colour "below. In the
toeeding season the male becomes slaty -black nearly all over.
"In the male the bill, shield, and legs are red; in the female the bill
is yellowish and the legs are dark green; the eyes, which are red in: the
male, being brown, Yaung birds are like the hen, but less barred below.
"The cock is nearly a foot and a half long, with the wing over eight
inches, and the shank three, the middle toe being even longer than ^his.
The hen is Inly fourteen inches in length, with the wing seven inches, and
the shank about two and a half." * • i: .
A letter to the Editor «f the defunct. Stray Feathers fr«n J*R. Cripps dated
July 10th 1874 reads: "Sir, Are you aware that the natives of the Dacca
and Tipperah, districts very often themselves hatch the eggs of the Water-
cock (Gallicrex cine reus )? The midus operandi is to take half a coconut
shej.1, put a layer of cotton in, on top of which place the egg and fill
up with cotton; the shell is then placed on the man's navel, and tied m
with a long strip of cloth, which is wound round the body. Until the egg
is hatched the man ,never bathes. At first I discredited the story, but
many respectable natives assure me that they have known instances of this
being done; they value tho,se birds hatched by man very much. Jerdon says,"
on the authority of Dr. Taylor, that the ' Koran T is kept for fighting pur-
poses; they are kept for the purpose of catching wild ones. When a wild
one is heard calling, the tame bird being let loose finds him out, and
grappling keeps hold until the owner comes up and catches both. I know
two zemindars in the Tipperah district who are enthusiasts at this. Now
2jul^7 is the time for this sport."
It would be interesting to learn from "respectable natives", if such there
be (i), whether this hatching technique and sport are still in vogue, and
details in this connection would be welcome • — Editor
GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD EREEDING IN EAJASTHAN DESERT
During July 1963, twentytwo Great Indian Bustards were observed in the
Fokran-Chandan region* Nine birdj were seen at a time in an overgrazed
grassland of Qynibopogon sp* On the 26th of July, an egg was observed in
„„ ^ «™ Acars nvoi cjotottp which was 15 cm. lone and about 10 cm. broad
*n the wider side. The scrape was much smaller than the one observed by
Shri Dharmakumarsinhji (J. Bombay nat . Hist, sbc. 59:173-184) who records
•a typical bustard-scrape, oval in shape and about a fo.ot in length, point
-ing north-southj in short and long th^n grass with Zizyphuo bushes and a
dry leafless plant close by 1 . This scrape was situated in loose sand and
there was no lining except a few pebbles. It was situated in the centre
of three Cymbopogon stalks which were 10-15 cm. wide and hardly^ cm, tall.
The egg was visible from a distance. Although Aerva tomentft'sa , Zizyphus
mammularia , and' Capparis aphylla bushes were there, ye": the bird preferred
to lay the egg in an open plain. The egg was 100 ran. long and 50 mm. in
diameter at the wider side . Its weight was not taken as it was thought
that handling might scare the bird. The egg was light olive-green in colour
with paler tint on the broader end. It had linear dark brownish streaks.
At .2 p.nu the bird was nowhere near the egg. It was observed hatching it
between 8 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. and in the evening. During the night the egg
was lying unattended.
•
It is Surprising how the bustard eggs survive unprotected in such open
land where hundred of chinkara and thousands of sheep and cattle graze.
There are lots of predators also like the desert cat, desert fox, jackal,
mongoose, and a good many raptores.
Two more eggs have boon reported by our field-staff in this ,area. Hatch-
•ing of -the eggs and growth of the young chicks will be observed.
Ishwar Prakash & Pulak K. Ghosh
• -
• • -Special Animal Studies Div., Central Arid Zone Res- t
earch Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
* * * **
"WHERE TO GO TO WATCH BIRDS
•.
Many an enthusiastic birdwatcher firmly believes that one should do a lot
of trefcking in the countryside in order to come across 'rare* birds, I
have found that if luck f avoirs , ■ 'rare 1 birds will come knocking at our
d^orsl During the, first fortnight of April 1963,, at Ernakulam, in the
heart of the' towh I was able to watch two birds — till then practically
unknown to me — from my house, and watch them to my heart's content.
The first bird was a Drongo Cuck»o (Surniculus lugubris ). Bfly wife drew my
attention to a small dark bird which was clinging to the spear-like,
sprouting leaf of an arecanut tree. Having brought my binoculars tut to
confirm my identification of it as a Pigmy Woodpecker, I decided to scan
the branches of a mango tree close by. What appeared to be a King Crow
was sitting en a mistletoe-covered branch. I wouldn't have taken a second
look at it -if it had not jumped off to take a caterpillar from one of
the leaves. Its flight wasnot at all drongo-like, but even then I did not
take real notice of it. When it fluttered back to a perch, I looked at it
through the glasses and was surprised to see it sitting with its tail laid
horizontally on a few leaves. No Drongo would ever sit crouched like that,
I felt. Then I noticed that the bird had 3 small white feathers on the
hind crown J. The shape of the head and. the bill seemed to be 'different'
too. F# that time the bird had begun to pluck off and swallow, one by one,
some large caterpillars that clung in a row to a mistletoe leaf. As the
bird f s tail moved about I was able to see also that its vent as well as
most of the tail feathers had thin, white crescents on them. There could
be no more doubts about its identity I I was able to watch it for the most
part of half an hour. My only regret was that the bird never uttered its
call. Having eaten a number of the thick juicy caterpillars, leaving
• quite a few still feeding on the leaf, it hopped off and began preening.
Thou^it that was the only time I saw the Drongo Cuckoo here, it was the
5
discovery of this 'rarity* that led to my spotting a Blacknaped Oriole on
the same tree on the Kth of April* Having got into the habit of looking
■ for the return of the Drongc Cuckoo, I was studying the birds m the mango
tree and' found what seemed to he an Indian Oriole, The bird, however, was
not yellow enough to be a male Indiai Oriole while its eye-stripe was too
black and too striking for a female Indian Oriole. The binoculars settled
the question* It was Qriolus chinensis l This bird, however, paid repeated"
visists to our area, gave me my fill of its voice, and obliged me by show-
ing me the back of its head to make confirmation doubly sure* I saw the
same bird almost every day till the 17th of April.
It is interesting to note that both these birds had been attracted to the
T3lace by the occurrence of a particularly suitable kind of food; the Drongo
Cuckoo had undoubtedly come in search of the large caterpillars; the Oriole
had come for the ripe fruit of a large mulberry bush growing 15 yards-away
from the mango tree.
These berries were being greedily eaten by Green Barbets, Redvented Bulbuls,
and Magpie Robins* But neither the Elackheaded nor the Indian Oriole ever
- came near the. mulberry plant, though they used to visit the mango tree
fairly regularly* Why?
It is probable, that mulberry fruit is well known to the Blacknaped Oriole
while it is comparatively unknown, owing to its rarity in this region, to
the other two species of oriole. But if Green Barbets, Bulbuls, and Magpie
Robins (strict residents of the locality) could discover that mulberry
fruit is delicious, whet prevented the orioles from following suit?
If any budding birdwatcher asks me again where he should go to look for
-r* birds, I will tell him, with religious conviction now, "Go home and look art
the nearest trees or ponds, or up into the sky that is right over your
roof" •
K.K. Neelakantan
XXl/12799? Karikammri Road, Ernakulanf,
■ Kerala
* * * *
NON-HEREDITARY WHITE PLUMAGE
So far it has been assumed that abnormal white plumage in wild birds is
hereditary, but studies at the World Bird Research Station in England have
shown that a good deal, but not all, of such abnormal white plumage results
from the intake of excessive artificial food and is non-hereditary* They
feel that with the increasing number of people feeding wild birds such
_» plumage might be on the increase, since it is frequently associated with
the haunts of man, though it varies widely between different countries of
the world, and within countries is much more frequent in some areas than
«• in others*
The World Bird Research would be thankful if readers send them the follow-
ing information about abnormally white marked birds:
Specie s
How much of the plumage affected and where.
Type locality, e#g» garden, park, scrub, forest*
If the bird(s) has been seen for more than a year, please
state if the plumage has stayed the same or altered*
Further Study
For those interested in further study, counts of the proportion of birds
f 6
with abnormal white plumage can be msde in two ways:
(a) On finding, a bird with abnormal plumage, count a hundred other
birds in the same area without regard to species and includ-
ing birds of the same species as the abnormal one. Among
these 101 birds there may or may not be other birds with ab-
normal plumage. While reporting describe the abnormal bird
as given above, and the numbers of the- different species
examined in the hundred together with sex where distinguish-
able. The count can be made over a period of several days.
(b) The second way is to visit a place at random and report on a *
total of hundred birds, giving the names and numbers of spe-
cies, and descriptions of abnormal birds, if any. The most
useful areas are either towns or deep. in the countryside. If
a rural area is studied give the distance to the nearest
town. More than one set of observations cm be made if time
permits*
It must be remembered that negative results are as important as positive
ones, and all reports should be sent to Mr. Noble Rollin, World Bird Re-
search Station, Glanton, Northumberland, England.
(Mrs. ) Jamal Ara
■ * * * . *
THE LARGE CORMORANT : UNITED FRONT
A crisp, cool morning breeze, low-lying clouds covering the hills and^tte
various birds chirping and singing away while searching for insects; J hai
set out on such a morning accompanied by my dogs round the Nakhi lake*
About half-way round, my attention was drawn by five Large Coromorants
which had started their, daily work. They were all proceeding abreast in a
straight line and the amazing part of the whole performance was they were
all diving simultaneously. Blob-blob they would disappear and come out one
by one* The one emerging first would give a sort of look around for the
others, when all five had surfaced, they would again get into formation
and repeat the submerging again. This united front was carried on right
till they came to the opposite shore of the lake whi-h roughly took them
fifteen minutes to reach. This unique sort of team-work among birds is
observed by me for the first time.
Nirnalkumar of Jasdan,
Sanand House, Nakhi lake, Mt* Abu
* * * *
CAT-AND-MOUSE ANTICS OF A CORMORANT
A note in my diary made at Keoladeo Ghana, Bharatpur, 3 years ago reminds
me of this interesting incident. A Large Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo ),
obviously sated, dived and brought up a catfish about 6 inches long in -
its bill. It swam -with fcae quarry to the shore some 30 feet away and drop-
ped it otaiggling on the bank, obvious-ly enjoying the -spectacle. Presently
it picked up the fish again and swam out with it some distance, released it
in the water, dived after it, caught it again and carried it back to the
shore. The bird repeated these manoeuvres, deliberately several times before
jerking the fish into position and swallowing it head foremost, which it
jeemed in no hurry to do. This is manifestly the same play as a cat makes
with a mouse it has caught, and clearly x'or the fun of it.
Salim All
*
: 7
ON THE NESTING HABITS OF TEE INDIAN ROBIN,
SAXICOLQIDES FULICATA (LINNAEUS )
In 1958 I saw a pair of Indian Robin, Saxicoloides fulicata (ilnnaeus)
building a nest' on a fuse-box in our lecture theatre. The nest was complet-
ed towards the end of February and by the end of the breeding season three
successive broods of robins wore raised in "the sane nest.
At the same spot in 1959 a pair built a nest in which once again three suc-
cessive broods were raised.
Again in February 1960, a pair of robins came to nest at the same tradition
-al spot. The female laid the first clutch of two eggs in the first week of
March but with one reason or the other the birds were disturbed quite often >
so the eggs failed to hatch and the female laid in the same nest a second
clutch which was also of two eggs. Out of these eggs one was destroyed but
the other hatched out on 10 April. This time I ringed both .the birds and
their chick. The chick left the nest on thee 1 22nd, but did not leave the
lecture theatre till the 26th; between the 22nd and 26th I often saw the
male bringing food to the chick which had by now turned into fledgling.
After that I did not see this young bird for two days. When I saw it again
on the 29th, I saw it far away from its parents' territory and curiously
enough in association with another pair of robins, which was also ringed
by me earlier. The fledgling was following the female (of this pair} feed-
ing on the ground and I watched its movement for about half an hour. While
still following the female it begged for food time to time and though
though at times the female responded by feeding it, the former often tried
to chase it away. However, the chick persisted in following this female,
and once when it -was mobbed by sparrows, it was this female that rescued
it. During all this time the mate of this female was busy carrying away
nesting material and the fledgling paid no attention to it. After the 29ih
I saw the fledgling quite often and on 18 May when I s a w it for the last
time it was still following the sane female begging for food.
While the fledgling was wandering with other robins, its parents were busy
making their old nest (on the' fuse-box) tidy. Once the .nest was arranged
the female laid the third clutch of three eggs, but of which the egg that
was laid second did not hatch but the other two hatched out by 15 May- Both
the chicks steadily grew up and left the nest together on the 26 May. There-
after, I did not see the chicks but saw their parents several times during
the month of June; the male even visited the lecture theatre from time to
time. After June 1960 I have not seen the female up to this date, (2>U8,63)>
but the male came to the same place to breed again in 1961 «
In 1961 when the male came back in the company of a female that had no
ring, the lecture theatre was converted into a laboratory, "and a number
of changes had been made in the hall. That year, the traditional place of
nesting on the fuse-box was abandoned In favour of a cardboard box lying
on a window sill. In this box the robins managed to raise their first
brood, but after the departure of the chicks the female was killed acciden-
tally and the male left the hall never to return there again. Since then
the robins have stopped nesting in that hall,
. ■ - - R.M. Naik, Ph.D. .
M.S. University, Faculty
of Science, Baroda
REVIEY/
PAVO : The Indian Journal of Ornithology ? Vol. I, No, 1, Published by
the Dept. of Zoology, M.S. University, Baroda
This is the first issue of a half-yearly journal which will be published
by the Society of Animal Morphologists & Physiologists. -As the editor,
Prof, J.C, George says, it is 'the outcome of a long cherished desire to
have a distinctive Indian journal' of ornithology to publish original re-
search papers on the life of Indian birds in particular, and of the birds
of the world at large • '
The first article in the new journal, is an account by J, P. Thaker of the
place of the peacock in India's history and literature. Among the other
contributions Dhruv Dixit has written a carefully analytical account of
the nesting of a Bedvented Bulbul which chose to nest on the cup of a
light elevator in his bedroom, an excellent site from the observer's point
of view. The article is illustrated by photographs as well as sketches by
the author. B.S. Lamba has written about the nesting of the Pond Heron, A
particularly interesting note about the discovery of the Honey-guide in
Nepal has been contributed by R.L. Fleming.
The bird is like a female rose-finch. , When the bees which build hives on
abrupt cliffs and rock walls desert tt^eir hives, the Honey-guide comes in
flocks of thousands to feed on the surplus wax until the cliff is once
more smooth. Dr. Fleming's discovery of the bird was, apparently the first
record in that area and he was justly elated with his success.
Pavo will have the*good wishes of everyone who is interested in the bird
life of our country. And we hope that it will soon establish a place for
itself among the ornithological journals of the world.
L,F*
NOTES AND COMMENTS
In the June-July issue of Natural History there is an interesting article
by Karoly KOffan on the^ways of a parasitic bird. There pre excellent
photographs of a young European Cuckoo being fed by female birds of other
species that were in the neighbourhood. Apparently the hungry cry of a young
bird stimulates not only its own parents real or foster but fenales of
other species also lend a hand. The author transferred a newly etched
cu«koo from a distant Wood Lark's nest on to the nest of a Spotted Flycat-
cher* The new comer ejected the rightful o-aer but the foster perente
dutifully fed it. The persistent cries of -ehis young cuckoo attracted
flycatchers, warblers, song thrushes, and tree sparrows, and it was fed
on earthworms, grubs, caterpillars, etc*
"Some of our readers may have seen a note by Malcolm Macdonald about a
group of Jungle Babblers which looked after the young of their own kind,
published irf 1959 in the «K Bombay naU Hist^ Spc^ 56 (1 ): 132-3, but appa
entl^r social instincts in birds go far beyond their own species. It will
be interesting to learn if any of our readers have come across situations
of this kind.
CORRESPONDENCE
Baroda Birdwatchers' Club
r-
' In 1960 'Stfri Dharmakumarsinhji inaugurated the Birdwatchers' Club. Smt.
Saralaben J. Mehta was elected President, and Prof. J,C. George and Dr. R.
M. Naik as Vice-Presidents.
With the cooperation and help received from the Zoology Department of
the M.S. University, the Club was able to usher in scientific birdwatching
in Baroda.^ This year's activities of the Club started with a film show on
3 August, attended by about 300 enthusiasts. We owe an apology to the many
others who could not be accommodated in the theatre. On 4 August the Club
conducted an excursion to the 'Kamati Baug' to put in track the neophytes.
The grand old man of Baroda gardens, Shri Zal P. Popat, the talented natur
-alist, Shri D.D. Gaikwad, and Prof. George's students explained the birds
to the n€ophytes. £
Tt will be a pleasure for the Club to welcome and help birdwatchers who
: 9 :
happen to drop in at Baroda, They mey contact the Honorary Secretary of the
Club,
A.R.K. Das
Honorary Secretary
Baroda Birdwatchers' Club
c/o Division of Avian Bio logy
M.S. University of Baroda
* * *" *
An unforgetable moment in birdwatching
Thinking over some of the exhilerating experiences I have had in my few
years of birdwatching, I feel I must record the following incident as my
most unf or ge table moment in -bird watching.
The place waatdanad and the day a very rainy one in late March, All day the
inmates of the 1962 spring migration camp were hoping against hope that the
rain would stop in time to allow the evening's netting. Then at 5 p«m» it
happened. The rain suddenly stopped and out stepped a majestic rainbow arch
-ing triumphantly over the dark and white clouds. Soon the wagtails started
arriving too, flocks after flocks of thorn winging their way east to the
nightly roost. The 'inverted cup' of the Edanad sky was soon full of
myriads of 'milling Yellow Wagtails, in various stages of the drop-to-roost.
Caught against a back-drop of the rainbow and clouds their underparts shone
like a million specks of gold. The orange rays of the setting sun added to
their lustre .for a fleeting moment it looked as though the starry firmament
had come nearer. Soon it was all over as the wagtails hit hay but the scene
remains fresh in my mind.
Daniel Ma the w
Santa Cruz
* *
Which is our National Bird?
The official circular of the Government of India on the subject of our
National Bird states that the Peacock /pavo cristatus7 has been chosen as
our National Bird.
Which is our National Bird? The Peafowl /Pavo cristatus/ or the Peacock
which is the male of the species Pavo cri status ?
Joseph George
Central Building Research
Institute, Roorkee
^Jill Government please explain? — Ed*7
*
Strange behaviour of the Whitespotted Fantail Flycatcher!
A pair of Pan tail Flycatcher (Rhipidura albogularis ) built a nest in a
lemon tree near ny house. The nest was complete by the end of April 1963.
On 2 May three eggs were laid. I found that the nest was not left unattend
-ed during that whole day. A crow was driven away at about 17.30, The
incubation continued. Both sexes shared the duty for several days continu-
ously. On 8 May I found one egg frurned one-third muddy coloured. I be tame
suspicious about the other two eggs. I continued my observations. On 11
May at 13.45 I found something unusual happening. There was unrest among
the birds. One of them was pecking in the inside and at the bottom of the
nest. The other bird was very near. The nest was under my eyes at a distan
-ce of a metre. I could not undors-gand the behaviour of the bird, I took
it for granted that the bird was trying to make its accommodation in the
nest safe. In the mesnwhile it took to its wings suddenly. I looked into
: 10 t
the nest* There were only two eggs. A question arose. "What about the "third
one? I thought that it might, have been broken and the birds might be trying
to throw away the debris* I watched steadfastedly- After some time I found
that the bird in the nest was actually pecking at the bottom of the nest.
It then caught something red (about 0.4 cm. long) in its beak and flew
away. It again returned to, the nest* This time the pecking at the bottom
was hard. It shook the nest end the eggs too. One of the eggs turned upside
down. I found a small crack in it. The bird. pecked at that very crack. I
could not understand the situation. The bird caught the egg in its beak and
flew away. I came running back to the nest. The third egg was intact and the
bird was incubating it. .
ly morning I found the last egg lost. And
finished my observations.
On 16 May in the early morning I found the last egg lost. And that
)bs
C.S. Suthar
Sharda Mandir, Vallabh Vidyanagar
Western Railwy.
* *
On the House- Sparrow
When I read your note I decided that I mi$it as well study the sparrows
(a nunber of 'them had moved in during our month T s absence) as the birds had
come to share our home with us. As a first step I put a shallow palmyrah
leaf basket in one of the eaves in the ball. Sure enough a sparrow couple
came and decided to take it on as their homestead. I sat down to watch them.
It took them fifteen minutes (l clocked the time) to make sure it was safe.
It is quite interesting to watch. Mr* Sparrow jumps on the edge of the bas-
ket and hopping sideways makes a tour of the rim of the basket. All this
while the dutiful wife is inside waiting patiently. Then the male sits inside,
and the female starts reconnoittering. When they are satisfied, both, step'into
the basket and we hear a lot of pecking. A complete three minutes of argu-
ment takes place. Only af&er that they start their hunt for building mater-
ials. Our house being a bit isolated, they have not much trouble collect- "
ing grass and straw. Within a very short while, I could sec the basket fil-
led full to the brim with straw. I had left an interspace of a couple of
inches from the roof for the sparrows to go into their nests. Even that
space seems to be filled with grass. When the main nest frame is completed,
the weaving begins* It is qttlte a pretty sight how they perch on the branch
of an acacia, slowly nip a little bunch of leaves and fly to their nest* Then,
Of course, they draw on me by helping themselves to the little bits of cot-
ton or thread that ^ leave about by oversight. The jute threads I find are
first given a complete softening treatment on the ground itself. They stand
on one end of the thread and start pecking till it becomes fluffy. Then it
is carried off.
I kept another basket in the other hall. To my surprise I find sparrows
do not trouble us now. But for the couples in the two rooms there are not
many. What has happened to all the crowd?
v (Mra. ) Rajeshwari Padmanabhan*
Mettur Dam, South India
Zafar Putehally
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwatchers
32-A Juhu Lane
Andheri, Bombay 58
' /
editorial board
Dr. Salim All, F.N J.,
33 Pali Hill, Bandra. Bombay 50
K. S. Lavkumar,
Rajkumar College, Rajkoc
Dr. R. M. Nalk,
M. S. University, Baroda
Mrs. Usha Ganguli,
10 Cavalry Lines, Delhi 6
Mrs. Jamal Ara,
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda, Hlnoo P.O., Ranchi, Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avari,
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc Darjeeling
Dr. Blswamoy Biswas,
Indian Museum, Zoological Survey of India,
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan,
XXI/12799 Karikkamuh Road.
Ernakalum.
>
Editor :
Mr. Zafar Futehallv.
\ i u n 1 1 1 1 1 1;
FOR lUiUIUltCIIEliS
lite 31963 IMikrr
NEWSLETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol. 3, No. 10
October 1963
CONTENTS
'Migratory 1 movements of the Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitana )
By Salim Ali ■ ♦ , . .
Some notes on the nesting and nest behaviour of a pair of Redvent
-ed Bulbuls. By (Mrs.) Usha Ganguli ,. ,
Crake -watching in Delhi. By Julian P. Donahue
Roosting time of the House Swift, Apua affinis (G.E. Gray), By R
M. Naik . . . ,
Unusual visitors to F.anchi. By (Mrs.) Jamal Ara
Some odd bits of bird news from Rajkot. By K.S, Lavkumar
Reviews
THE GOSHAWK. (Z.F.) .,
Notes and Comments *. ., .
Correspondence .. .. .
2
5
7
8
a
10
10
10
'MIGRATORY 1 MOVEMENTS OF THE OPENBILL STORK
(MA5T0MIIS OSCITANS )
In March 1963 I circulated an appeal to the zonal Directors of Lighthouses
in Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta, requesting them to collect 'through their
various lighthouse keepers information concerning any seasonal bird move-
ments observed. In response to this the Head Keeper of Sacramento Light-
house near Kakinada on the east coast (E« Godavari Diet., Andhra), furnish
-ed the following; '
At 3 a.m. on or about 10 June 1963 when there was a heavy wind blowing (c_.
30 to 40 m.p.h.), and when it was raining, dark, and heavily overcast, he
heard some banging noise on the lantern dome. On investigation he found a
large injured bird lying on the balc«ny which, in his own expressive words,
"was made short of for a good feast". In accordance with my instructions
he was considerate enough, unlike Old Father V/illiam and his goose, t*
spare the bones and the beak which were later sent to me for identifica-
tion. This was just as well, since the description of the bird contained
in his letter had only served to lead me completely tff the scent 1 The
remains were those of a young Openbill Stork, and this gives rise t» some
pertinent reflections. The Openbill has always been considered to be, and
doubtless largely is, a "resident" bird, moving about only locally with
the exigencies of the monsoon and resultant water conditions. But it will
be recalled that three Open tills ringed as nestlings in Bharatpur in Sep-
tember/October of different years have been recovered a few months later
up to as much as 500 miles away from the place of ringing — all in a due
easterly direction. In these cases the journeys cannot be accounted for
by shortage of water since it was soon after the monsoon — in the c»ld
weather — before the p-rads and jheels had commenced to dry up. Two expla-
nations suggested themselves: 1) that the young of this stork are given
to widespread wandering after they leave the nest in the same way as young
- Karons, 2) tiiat the speci s subject to regular m ry move-
zents aa yet unrecognised, tn the :-_:_-- alternative the fact that -11
3 recoveries were in exactly the sase compass direction would have t»
be accounted as coincidences. The Sacramento bird could conceivably also
come under the same category, But it is difficult to understand why a
diurnal bird like the Openbill should be up and about on a dark and
stormy night unless it was on routine migration. And this, I understand,
is not an isolated instance. The Openbill along with many other diurnal
species, believed to be of sedentary habit, are frequently" reported to
fly into lights at Hothouses and other "strategic"' points inland dur-
ing overcast weather on dark monsoon nights, e.g. Jatinga in Assam (see
Newsletter 2{l):9-11; January 1962). What are such birds up to?
All this suggests that we have still much to learn about the spatial
movements of our resident birds . 'Though these may be less extensive and
spectacular than true migration as commonly understood, they are never-
theless of very great interest. lighthouse keepers are in a particular-
ly favourable position to supply useful data, and it is to be hoped that
the appeal for their cooperation' will prove increasingly fruitful.
*
-
Salim Ali
*
-
*
SOME NOTES ON THE NESTING AND NEST BEHAVIOUR OS' A
PA IK OF REDVENTED BUEBUIS
•
Recently, a pair of Redvented Bulbuls appropriated an unfinished nest
of Jungle Babblers. Three broods were raised- in it, presumably by the
same pair.
Late in March 1963, I watched Jungle Babblers building this nest in a
Variegated Lemon bush on my lawn, at a height of about five feet, I
thought the bush was too small and too exposed for the Jungle Babbler's
nest. The babblers, for some reason, deserted the nest when it was a
rather untidy shallow cup. On April 7, a Redvented Bulbul was carrying
fine rootlets to this nest. Its mate kept it company, back and forth,
but did not take part in either collecting the material, or building
the nest. In the case of whatever nest-building by Redvented Bulbuls I
have watched, it is only one bird (presumably the female ) that collects
the material and builds the nest, while its mate accompanies it and
excellently looks after the security arrangements. I have seen it chas-
ing and diving at crow-pheasants, tree-pies, and crows, even when these
were at least fifty feot away from the nest. - ■
As the nest cup was already there, the material collected was used only
for lining it. On April 11 there* we re three eggs in it — pale pink with
red-brown markings. I think incubation starts with the laying of the
-first egg as these hatched on three consecutive days, on the early morn-
ings of 18, 19, and 20th April* On the 20th evening, as I gently pulled
the branch (which held the nest at its base) to have a look at the chicks,
their heads shot*up on trembling scraggy necks, they opened their mouths
wide, and silently begged for food. They had not yet learnt to distin-
guish between a parent and an intruder. They were naked and blind. Their
eyes open perhaps 5-7 days af.ter hatching. Both parents took turns to
feed the young ones. To begin with they lrought tiny insects, later I
saw butterflies (which looked like Plain Tigers but are very likely to
be female Danaid Eggflies which are excellent mimics of the Plain Tiger),
green grasshoppers, and grubs, etc. shoved down the throats of the
chicks. The butterflies were given whole — wings and sill This food
iflas supplemented with small berries, green as well as ripe. The female
(?) brooded the chicks at night; when they grew up to fill the nest,
it spent the night at the edge of the 'nest, crouching low. No sound
came from the chicks at feeding time for the first few days, but this
gradually clanged from a thin piping cry to a fearful din during the last
few days, I was afraid the noise would attract marauders. On the morning
of May 1, all the three chicks had left the nest but were still in the same
bush j the youngest stayed near the nest while the eldest was on the lowest
branch. They looked very dumpy with diminutive tails and untidy fluffy plu-
mage. Their wings were net fully developed, but adequate for short flights,
'By 11 a,m, some predator took the sldest chick. The second chick left the
bush some time later, but the youngest spent the night in the sane- bush on
a branch close to the nest. On May 2, after 9 a.m. the youngest chick left
the lemon bush and made for a BougsL nvillea creeper about 15 feet away, but
landed on a flower-bed under it. For the next forty minutes it tried very
hard to reach the centre of the Bougainvillea plant, thick with leaves and
at a height of 5 feet, but failed to make it. One parent brought food twice
when it first landed on the flower-bed, but food was withheld completely
for the next 40 minutes though the parent tried in every way, by soft calls,
by flying back and forth from chick to the plant to coax it to seek safety
of the creeper. The other parent brought food to the second chick stationed
in the same creeper and generally kept guard. By this time the chick in the
flower-bed was quite^ exhausted and lay quietly, exposed to every danger.
The first parent brovght a big yellow lump of food — some vegetable matter
— and fed the chick. But it was perhaps too tired and made no further at-
tempt to fly, I was getting worried about its safety, so I walked up, spread
the loose end of my sari over it, picked it up and put it in the BougaLnvil
-lea creeper. Both the parents were intensely agitated; enc dived for my
head, ' touching my forehead, the other landed on the ground, caL ling in a
piteous note. I was happy to see them feed the chick a little later. The
chicks were in that creeper during the rest of the morning, but by late
afternoon, had moved on to a thick hedge about 25 feet away. I heard them
calling from my neighbour's garden the next day but after that I neither
saw nor heard them.
On May 7, I saw a Redyented Bulbul carrying nesting ruaterial. to the same
nest in the Variegated lime bush I I think it was the same female , and it
had lost its chicks* Had these survived I would certainly have seen or heard
them- It again only lined the nest. Three eggs were laid on 11, 12, and
13th May, The last egg was laid about 5 « 50 in the morning. I was standing
close to the bush supervising some work in the garden when I heard a pecu-
liar soft sound from the bush and turning round saw the female sitting on
the nest. It left in a while and the last egg was in the nest. Both the
birds took turns at incubation, but I do not Toiow which had the greater
share ,
On May 21, I heard a sharp distress call from the lemon bush, and from my
window saw a crow-pheasant in the bush creeping towards the nest which was
hardly a foot away. While the female sat on the nest, the male was hovering
about the bush calling piteously all the while , I rushed out, and the crow-
pheasant flew away pretty fr-ist followed by both the birds which screamed
and dived at it. Luckily the crow-pheasant did not pa^ a second visit. Once
a crow landed on the lemon bush and I heard the distress -call- again and
drove it out. The distress call of the Redvented Bulbul is different from
the usual alarm call;, it is a wail — as if the bird is in acute physical
pain .
I saw two chicks and one egg. in the nest on May 23 , I did not look at the
nest on May 22, so I do not know if two chicks hatched on the same day or
not. The last egg hatched on May 24. The cnicks were f e-d and attended to
as beflore* ,. . - •
My visits to the nest were mostly on the late evening so that I did not
attract the crows. As the nest was just above my eye level, I had to pull
a branch a little to look inside. On May 29, at 5-50 p.m. as I gently pull-
ed the branch, a parent female (?) dived straight at my head. I ducked
instinctively and let go the branch. The bird landed on a branch right on
top of the nest then slowly slid- on to it, covering the chicks, hardly two
feet away from my face I I .left it in peace. On May 30, at the saute time
: 4 :
in the evening, as I pulled the branch, a parent flew at me from the Bou-
gainvillea creeper, I dived but it touched me lightly on the forehead with
its wings. It immediately went back to the bush. I pulled the branch very
gently a second time • It went for my head again, returned to the bush, sat
on a branch about 18 inches from the nest, puffed up its feathers and start
-ed calling in a very agitated manner, I felt that it was calling more in
anger than in fear. I began talking to it softly and held my palja about 8
inches from it meaning to stroke it. It looked as if it was going to jab
at my palm. Wicn my hand came still closer, it moved a few inches away. I
did not have the courage to stroke it and left the place quietly. On May
31, very early in the morning, I saw the feamle brooding the chicks. I
did not disturb it in the evening and at 7.20 p.m. it was sitting low at
the edge of the nest. On June 1, late in the evening, as I slowly pulled
the branch, I found only one chick in the nest. What had happened to the
other two? Had they flown away or were they the victims of a marauder?
The lone chick, as soon as it saw me, it jumped off the nest and landed
on a lower branch. I was terribly sorry. I realized that it was not
safe to inspect a nest at this late stage. The parents were furious and
dived at me. They tried to coax the chick back to the centre of the bush.
A little later, as I was coming to the lawn from the verandah and was
still a few feet away from the nesting bush with no intention of prying
into their private lives again, a bulbul dived straight at me and touch-
ed my forehead lightly I Evidently it recognized me as an intruder. Others
who used that path just before and after me were not attacked! I had
known of crows and Common IVfcmas recognizing a human intruder, but never
expected such intelligency from a Redvented Bulbul, As it grew dark, the
chick went a little further up the bush.
I left Delhi the next day, and when I returned on June 12 there were 3 ^
eggs again in the same ncstl So the chicks from the second clutch had
not survived either, I had to leave Delhi again on June 15 and returned
only on June 30, The nest was empty and there was no sign of any Red vent
-ed Bulbul chicks anywhere in the neighbourhood. In July, on two or three
occasions I saw a Redvented Bulbul pull out some nesting material from
this nest and fly away with it to -my neighbour's gard .
I feel that since chicks were raised successfully in the first two attem-
pts (though they did not survive the fledgling period) a third clutch was
laid in the same nest. The chicks probably did not survive .the nestling
period so no further attempt was made to raise a brood there.
/Ts I write, a pair of Whitethroated Munias have taken possession of this
"deserted nest, and as the base is already there, they are adding a grass
done over itj/
On May 2, when the last chick from the first clutch had left the lemon V
bush for the flower-bed about 15 ft. away, I accidentally discovered the
strong nest attachment of a Redvented Bulbul for the empty nest. At
9,30 a.m. I walked to the lemon bush and was peeping at the empty nest
when a parent screamed end landed on a branch of the bush hardly 3 ft.
away from me, and started calling in great agitation! I left the place
quite intrigued. At 10,30 a.m. I stood again in front of the bush and
peeped into the nest. Again the bulbul was extremely excited, landed on
the bush and called repeatedly. I^y that time the chick was safe in the
shelter of the Bougainvillea plant where I had put it twenty minutes
earlier, I withdrew from the scene but made two more trips to the nest
at 11,30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. and faced the same reaction from the bird.
I visited the bush next at 5.30 p.m. The chicks by now had moved to a
hedge about 25 feet away. The bulbul was greatly agitated to see me in
front of the bush and called repeatedly, but did not come forward to
defend the nest. I witnessed this nest attachment' in another bulbul T s
nest. .On May 7, another Redvented Bulbul began building a nest in a
Hibiscus shrub in a very exposed position at a height of about 6 feet.
A piece of white celophane was incorporated into this nest. The first ^
egg was laid on the morning of May 11; by 10 a.m. a crow had taken t it.
c 5
No eggs were laid in it. On May 14, I was attracted by a Redvented Bulbul's
alarm call and saw a crow approaching the nest. The bulbul called and behav
-ed most excitedly to suggest that the nest was occupied. I was greatly
puzzled and thought that the nest probably held eggs again. The crow appro-
ached the nest, looked inside and left without anything in its bill. I
followed and found the nest empty indeed 1
(Mrs • ) Usha Ganguli
* # * *
CRAKE-WATCHING IN DELHI
The alarm clock rang at 4 a.m. I stumbled outside in the pre-dawn darkness
to awaken the chowkidar, who then woke up the driver. Even though it was
May it was cool enough at this hour to make us put on an extra shirt. After
the driver and I had consumed some tea to wake us up we got in the car and
drove south to Okhla, on a road that would soon be jammed with clamouring
hordes of vehicles. Now the road was nearly deserted, except for sleepy
villagers slowly cycling their cans of milk into the city. In the steely
dawn light we could sec House Crows, which had roosted overnight in the
city trees, beginning to stream into the countryside for their daily depre-
dations, apparently using the tree— lined roadway as an 'avenue' as they
flew.
At Okhla we turned to follow the dirt road that ran alongside the Agra Can-
al, and stopped beside the 3/4 milepost (3 miles, 4 furlongs south of
Okhla), the same area where large numbers of migrating wagtd. Is had been
found roosting earlier in the month (see 'The Search for Migratory Bird
Roosts in Delhi end Eharatpur', Newsletter 2 (6 ) : 1 — 4 J June 1962),
After walking about 50 metres over a ploughed field I came to a small bluff
overlooking at cattail ( Typha ) carsh. Because the water level had dropped
during the dry season, there was a small mudflat exposed among the cattails,
forming a stage where- the crakes would display themselves as I sat on the
bluff.
The discovery of this crake area had been quite accidental. The sharp eyes
of Reed Finfrock noticed the movement of a strange bird in the reeds as we
struggled through the thick mud one day, looking for snakes and turtles. A
closer look (in fact, the bird was collected for verification) revealed a
shy Ruddy Crake (Amaurornis fuscus ) — a new bird record for Itelhil
As the stars began to disappear 1 could see dark shapes darting nervously
about on the mudflat. The Ruddy Crakes are only about the size of a myna,
but their slender red legs, equipped with long-toed feet, help the bird get
about on mud and weeds. Prom a distance they appear uniformly olive-brown
above and paler below, but a close look may reveal an ashy-white throat, '
They are fairly shy, but when startled they will run for tover, with flut-
tering wings, rather than take of f and fly.
t. *
I only saw the Ruddies early in the morning, which is the main reason I had
to ^et up at such a terrible hour if I wanted to see them as thery turned
over sticks and leaves to pick up snails, spiders, and other small animals.
With each step the Ruddy jerks its tail, like the Whitebreasted .Waterhen.
While they were feeding, the Ruddies appeared to be rather silent. There
were other noises coming from the reeds, especially the calls of crow-
pheasants, moorhens, and Whitebreasted Waterhens, which made it difficult
for me to single out a Ruddy's call-. But I did see and hear one bird emit
a short chuck , on a descending scale •
On one of these early morning visits a new bird made its appearance on the
mudflat, alongside the Ruddy Crakes, Purple Moorhens , and Painted Snipe.
This bird was several times bulkier than the Ruddy — almost the size of a
6
: 6 :
White breasted Watcrhen, which is in the sane genus. This strange, brora
crake turned out to be, of all things, a Brown Crake (Ainaurornis akool )
— still another new bird record for Delhi! The Brown Crake is dark
olive above, while the sides of the head and the underparts are bluish
grey* The throat is white.
Two new birds in such a short period of time was enough stimulus to in-
spire me to look for other crakes (family Rallidae) in the Delhi area,
but my efforts were futile •
A very handy guide to Indian waders is Frank Finn's HOW TO KNOW THE INDIAN
WADERS (1920). This paperbacked, pocket-sized book (200 pages, 24 illustra
-tions) deals with storks, ibises, spoonbills, herons and bitterns, egrets,
flamingos, cranes,' rails, bustards, plovers, sandpipers, snipe, and jaqa-
nas. Two years ago the book was still available from the publishers,
Thacker, Spink & Co., Calcutta, for about R£/-. Careful searching might
also reveal a copy of the book cone ealed in the musty comer of a neigh-
bourhood bookstall. Although many of the scientific names have been chan-
ged, the common names conform fairly well with current usage.
There are eight species of rails and.,.crakes generally found in political,
continental India, Some of them are year-round residents, while others
breed north of India and speni the winter with us. It is fascinating to"
think of these birds, normally very reluctant to fly, as migrating hund-
reds, if not thousands, of miles.
I have seen very few of the Indiai reals and crakes (the common term
f rail' refers to those members of the Rallidae with long bills), but per
-haps the very brief dichotomous key below will be of some use. A more "
complete, descriptive key may be published later, if the demand is suf-
ficient. Any personal experiences relating to field identification of
the Indian crakes and rails will certainly be welcomed in this Newsletter .
Finding the birds is often the big problem, since they are rather secre-
tive marsh dwellers. A caroful search of marshy areas, particularly early
in the morning during the dry season, may produce additions to your local
and life lists. Besides, these same habitats are also ideal for bitterns',
another secretive and interesting group of birds.
When observing crakes in the field, pay particular attention to; 1) size,
2) general colour, 3) presence or absence of white spots on the back, arn
white bars on the abdomen, and 4) whether the bill is long and slim or
short and stout*
Key to. the Rails and Crakes of peninsular India and Ceylon
(adult birds only)
. All species below are resident locally throughout India and Ceylon,
unless stated otherwise. Lengths are approximate
1 a. Bill long and slender .. »• •*
b. Bill short and 3tout .. •• •• 3
2 a. White spots on back; abdomen barred with white.
BLUEBREASTED BABIED RAIL. 10 inches
b. No white spots on back; abdomen barred with white.
WATER RAIL. 12 inches
(Breeds only in Kashmir. Winters south to central India.)
3. a! With white streaks or spots on back and/or white-barred
abdomens •• »• ..4
b. No white bars or spots. Throat may be whitish •• 6
4 a. No spots above, but abdomen barred black and white.
BANDED CRAKE. 10 inches
(Head, neck, and breast chestnut)
b. Spotted above; abdomen barred with white .. ..5
-
5 a. Lower plumage (rrey, legs greenish. Brown above.
SPOTTED CRAKE. 9 inches
(Winter only, south to Mysore)
b. Lower plumage bluish or bluish slate, le rf s brownish flesh.
Brown above, DILLON'S CRAKE. 7i inches
(Breeds only in Kashmir, winters south to Ceylon.)
6 a. Large. Nearly size of White breasted Waterhen.
BROW CRAKE. 11 inches
(Breeds south to Andhra Pradesh and Iforsore.)
b. Small. About size of myna
7 a. Slate below, brown above.
ELWES T S CRAKE. 8 inches
(Nepal eastwards, apparently not migrating south in winter.)
b. Pinkish chestnut below, brown above,
RUDDY CRAKE. 8& inches.
(Himalayas and the Gangetic Plain* also Bombay southwards
along Western Ghats, through Kerala to Ceylon. J
Julian P. Donahue
Dept. of Entomology, Michigan State Univer-
sity, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
*
ROOSTING TIME OF THE HOUSE SISIFT, APUS 'aBbTHIS
(Cr.E. GRAY)
While studying the factors influencing the selection of nestsite in the
spent a numberof houTs^atching these birds flying over many parts of the
M S Undve^sity campus. There ere a few buildings on the campus where these
biras Sve established their colonies. IMring the early hours of the morn-
ing and in the evening they fly low in circles, remaining close to their
respective colonies.
Towards the Mfflle of February when the majority of the ir nests contain
eggs, these birds keep on flying past their nesting place* w to about 10
It -nrt thpn exeect for a few birds that remain in the nest to incubate
V£', most of theofhers gradually rise up higher and higher till *^ «e
no longer seen with the unaided eyes of the observer. I have not been able
to ascf rtain whether at the high altitude they keep on flying over their
breedinf gro\^ or more away from it; in fact very little is known about
their movants and we have already initiated the study of this aspect. _
Wherever these birds misht be at noon, they appear high above the nesting
!round in the late afternoon. At about 4 p.m. only a few birds become visi-
SHnd then more and more birds appear, but still they keep on flying at
a high altitude. By about 5,30 p.m. they descend and start ^>gj^
theifcolonies. V,ry soon after that they retire to thexr nests and «
about 6.50 p.B. hardly any swift is seen flying over the campus. At this
time bats take over the place of these birds in the air and start hawing
insects.
Whils observing this routine day after day I noted that the birds m some
Monies r™ for the. night earlier than those in the other colonies the
birds nesting in colonies situated very high (above the ground level) in
exposed parts of tall building,, roost later than those ^longing to the
colonies in dimly lit low buildings. If I quote my observation of 21st
February, in a low building birds reti«d at 6.25 p.m., whereas in an ad-
Joining tall building they retired at 6,40 p.m.
Prom these observations it appears that the intensity of light around nests
: 8 •
determines the roosting time of the House Swift. It gets dark around the
colonies in low buildings (where the interior is dimly lit even.during -
the day) somewhat early in the evening end consequently in these colon-
ies birds are forced to retire early.
R. M. Naik
M.S. University,' Baroda
* * * *
UNUSUAL VISITORS TO RANCHI, BIHAR
May 31, 1957, was an exceptional day for Ranchi City's Birdland. A mild
Nor 'wester the previous evening had made the weather cool and pleasant,
otherwise there was nothing extraordinary. Yet at 4.30 a.m., the Cuckoo
(Cuculus canorus ) visited the grove near my house, and ei led for nearly
two hours cuckoo cuckoo , very softly, in complete harmony with the dawn,
hidden inside a clump of new peepal leaves. Surprisingly enough, as long
as the Cuckoo called, the Koel did not intrude, though it is one of the
earliest callers. The same evening, at 9.45 p.m., the Indian Cuckoo ( Cu-
culus mieropterus ) also visited the grove, and called only twice utho-
dekho , utho-dekho . Both left the same day.
Both these birds are found very close to Ranchi City; the Guckoo lives
in the jungles around Kalamati, 16 miles to the south on the Chaibassa
Road, where probably it breeds; the Indian Cuckoo favours Horhap, 12
miles to the west on the ^urulia Road. It is rather strange, that though
I have lived for nearly 14 years here, that is the sole occasion on
which I have known these birds to visit the city.
(Mrs.) Jamal Ara
* * * *
SOME ODD BITS OP BIRD NEWS PROM RAJKOT
With the growth of the town, cur campus which had been right on the out-
skirts of Rajkot, is now very much in the centre and the country is be-
coming more and more difficult of access from here. Fortunately, we have
had a full decade of tree planting, and so there is a lot of .shade and
this naturally attracts quite a variety of birds. Unfortunately there
are too many crows around and this is sone thing that is a serious obsta-
cle to the breeding birds. On tall nec-r. trees which form a stately rank
on the western edge of the central quadrangle, we have had Black Ibis
successfully raising broods, and it is nice to have them around as they
add an exotic air to the place, though one would wish they had sweeter
voices I A pair now have, a nest but nothing has come of it, as one of the
eggs had been blown out by wind, which is such a constant feature of our
climate here, and the second one hatched, only ix> have the 'nestling fall
out and die. The parents are still about and they will no doubt breed
again. The other morning when all the boys had gone for -their morning P,
T., one of them was probing in the grass of the flooded lawns.
Tailor Birds are increasing in numbers because of new hedges of crotons
and other large and decorative leaved plants, and in fact I had a nest
of a pair on my terrace in a potted plant. Crag Martins, are regular
breeders and they build their nests of mud pellets against wooden raft-
ers of most frequented corridors of the school and with fearless swoops,
snap up *lies and mosquitos from close*, oves heads of people passing
under. Two pairs' have eggs and when off duty, they are seen speeding low
over the lawns .
We are- at the moment laying now grass and so there is a good deal of turn-
ing up of soil. This exposes an inordinate number of qunen termites, and
so the gardeners are attentively waited upon ty a pair of raynas, one of
9
y :
which has its right leg damaged. This particular bird and its mate have
been regularly having their breakfast with me for the last four years.
While writing about Crag Martins, I should have mentioned a thing I saw
this (5th September) evening. A rather stout and well-fed pigeon alighted
on the ground in front of the corridor, where .the pair of martins had
elected to have their homo, and t<~ my surprise and to the discomfiture of
the pigeon, one of the little birds swooped down with deadly accuracy rnt*
the head of Columba* This swoop net having had required result, was f»llow~
-od by another and yet another attack and the pigeon flew off with undigni-
fied haste. I was surprised that a crag martin should have .shown such bel-
ligerency towards a pigeon, as these vegetarians are so harmless and should
rouse no ire anong their neighbours; why then this determined assault? In-
cidentally crag martins collect their nest linings of feathers, by snapping
them up in the air, as they rise up on playful air eddies, or alight on
the ground beside one and pick it up with a quick peck of the beak and then
flying off straight to the nest. House Swifts collect all their feathers "
on the wing, and I have yet to see one rai^s its quarry. Can this be surpri-
sing when one remembers that swifts feed on minute, fast-flying insect prey?
It is like showing astonishment at a sharp shooter knocking down a barnyard
fowl with a shotgun.
Vty July notes to the Newsletter were dismally prophesising a famine, but
fortunately, there have been quite good rains during August and in all we
have received 17 inches to date (5th Sept*), The lakes are still low, but
things are not desultory as they were* Weather conditions look favourable
and in the next few days there is all likelihood of heavy rain.
How right Prof. K.K. Neelakantan is when he says that the best, place to
watch birds is the home garden. His advice can be followed by all of us
and the soundest foundations are laid if birds of the backyard and the
front garden are enjoyed, rather than by making special .trips to special
places, as these are not easy to trgarize, nor are the;y always at short
enough intervals to sustain interest, and to improve the powers of otserva
-tion (a prime necessity in bird-watching) which constant practice **an
give. In the heart of Rajkot, at a stone's throw from my desk, I have had
Indian Pittas, and Pelicans soar overhead, while two days ago, and Indian
Nightjar entered one of the dormitories, and was lodged for the day in a
cardboard carton, to be let nff after dusk, while each night Stone Curlew
frequent the paying fields and their wailing calls are a familiar night
sound. Little Spotted Owlets enter dormitories, no dtubt after thafers
and crickets, and even Large Gray Babblers have wandered among the beds
using mosquito net rods as they would dense bushes and tangled undergrowth.
Magpie Robins, Black Redstarts, and Redbreasted Flycatchers are' regular
winter visitors to our not very sylvan grounds, while a Short-t«ed Eagle
uses particularly tall ccrk tree as its launching tower. Peregrines, Lag-
gars, and Hobbies pay us dashing visits to cause a stir among the •ther-
wise placid pigeon population, while Indian Tree "Pipits are a regular
feature of shaded paths on spring migration. One March, the playing fields
were invaded by large flocks of wheeling Short-toed. La^ks. .Every morning
after the boys have goiie in for their classes, the abandoned grounds are
the feeding grounds of Whitebacked Munias, Red Turtle Doves, Ring Doves,
and Little Brown Doves* Peaf«wl are plentiful and even raise broods on our
water tanks. A Grey Drong» haunts the larger trees in winter, and Black
Drongos have built in a scraggy teak. After all the best birds, like the
best people are those around home; common, everyday individuals. True
indeed it would be exciting to meet a fur smothered Eskimo, or a be-feath-
ered Red Indiaa Chief, and I would never miss a giant Watusi or a fierce-
visaged cannibal from Hew Guinea, but for everyday companionship, the ones
to turn to are those people that share our daily lives, the same is true
of birds. How do you do Mr* Sparrow? Here he comes in with his cheeky airs
and his trailing beakload of strings* I long to see a resplendent Bird of
Paradise, but would he share my home like this commonplace sparrow*
K. S. Lavkumar
: 10 :
THE GOSHAWK. By T.H. White, pp. 158. Penguin Modern Classics. First pub
-lished by Jonathan Cape 1951. Now published in Penguin Books 1963. Price
3s.
The Goshawk", Accipter gentilis , has been traditionally used by falconers
for sport ♦ It is according tc Ripley (SYNOPSIS) an Holarctic breeding spe-
cies* wandering south in winter to Northern Africa, NW. Himalayas, Northern
* Mexico, and Southern U.S.A.
T.H. White has written a superb book describing his attempts minute by min
-ute to train the bird named Gos to become a successful and obedient hunter.
The principle is simple. The raster has to walk about with the bird on the
wrist day and night for the first 80 or 90 hours until the bird driven to
desparation by lack of sleep submits to the will of the master and agrees
to undergo the process of education. But it is only a very determined fal-
coner who can put up with the strain of this initiation. It is a fascinat-
ing story "the record cf an intense clash of wills in which the pride and
endusance of the wild raptor are worn down and broken by the almost insane
will power of the schoolmaster falconer".
In modern democratic socialistic India it may be difficult for any one to
find the time and the opportunity for falconry. In the days of kings and
princes falconry was a respectable pastime. But it may come into its own
again. The menace of birds- to aircraft on some aerodromes has resulted in
hawks being employed to keep the runways and appioach areas clear of larks
and other birds. Perhaps this is a : function for which our Accipiters should
be employed. ;
' * • Z.F.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
The study projects which we have launched so far about cellecting dataa
on the migration of Rosy Pastors and the life history of the House Sparrow
have not yielded much result. A few odd notes have come in, but. much more
information is required and it is hoped that readers will take a more
serious interest in these studies, and fill up their note books with use-
ful data. Please refer back to Newsletters 1(4):4; 1961 and 3(2) : 1-3; 1963
in case the questions formulated for the enquiries have been forgotten.
' * * * *
It is now time to start thinking of the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the
Birdwatchers' Pie Id Club of India, which is the formal 'owner T of this Mews-
letter . Our membership is growing steadily, and we have now got members in
the U.K., U.S.A., Africa, Malayasia, and India. The Newsletter goes out tc
afceut 400 persons, and it is hoped that all our readers who are not too
far away from Bombay will attend the meeting in December, an announcement
about which will be made in our November issue. A draft constitution of
the Birdwatchers' Pi eld Club of India is being circulated herewith for your
comments.
* , „,
CORRESPONDENCE
Purplerumped Sunbird - Nesting Season ■■
The nesting season of the Purple- rumped Sunbird (Cimiyris zelonica ) is
described as 'chiefly December to April and evidently intermittent through-
out the year 1 (Salim Ali). On 11.8.1963 & sunbird 's nest was seen on a
Phyilanthus emblica tree, rather conspicuously located among the light
foliage. The nest was comparatively flimsy and very matter of fact. No
birds were seen anywhere nearby. Besides the period being the month of
August, with 'frequent rains of the receding SW. monsoon and with all the
accompanying adversities for breeding led me to think that this nest was a
deserted one. But on feeling the inside^ of the nest with fingers, to my
surprise it was found to contain two eggs. Later on, on several occasions
8 II S
the female bird was seen incubating both during day and night, I was curi-
ous to know of the future of the brood in such an adverse season. But to
my dismay on 25,8,1963 early morning, by about 6,30 a.m. a jungle crow had
broken off the twig from which the nest was suspended and was seen pulling
open the nest placing it on top of a near-by compound wall. By the time I
reached the spot the crow had already opened up the pouch portion of the
nest and eaten off the eggs.
It is clear from the above that the Purplerumped Sunbird do breed in the
month of August. "Will any of our readers write if uhey have come across si-
milar observation?
N.R. Nair, Trivandrum
* * ¥r *
Peaceful Co-existence
Not long ago it was said that only birds and f»ols fly, Since then man's
supremacy in the air has been established. This poses a problem to the
Traffic-Law makers of the world to ensure safety from collisions. The old
rule that a powered aerodyne shall always give vay tn a non-powered one is
no longer adequate. Besides, in the event of an aeroplane and a. bird having
an argument in the air it is likely that both parties will come to grief.
But for a bird to claim priority and right of way on the ground is something
I ha A never come across in my flying career.
Plying a scheduled service in a Viscount, we had just landed at an aerodrome
in northern India, when I was asked to clear the runway and turn «n to a
taxi-track to proceed to the terminal building. There was a lot of grass on
either side of the track. Suddenly, ahead of me I saw Mother Quail followed
by four or five (i do not remember the exact number) chicks in single file,
starting to cross the track. The distance tetween us was fast closing, but
mother quail was not bothered. She was calmly and surely crossing the track
as if I did not exist at all. As the quail train was crossing from right to
left, I gave way to her (not that I would have killed her otherwise),
P.B.B.
* * * *
Comments on 'How Birds Fly* - Newsletter 3(8)
The article provided vury interesting reading. But I would like to point
out to Shri S.V. Nilakanta that apart from the birds, b-vts (Chiroptera) also
fly in the real sense, as distinguished from the glidings of the flying
squirrels etc. Will Shri Nilakanta elucidate as to how far his aerofoil theory
of flight can be applied to the bats,
N.R. Nair, Trivaa drum
/jo Shri N.R. Nair's question, I can only say that when I had accidentally
caught a number of bats last month, I particularly noticed that the wings of
bats reminded me of the pictures of aircraft that men built in their earliest
attempts to fly. Slender ribs used to be covered with cloth to make wings
with a distinctly convex upper surface. The skin stretched on the curved fin-
ger bones of the bat has a distinct convex upper surface.
As bats fly in bad light, and the wing movements are rapid, I must con-
fess that I have never been able to observe their flight characteristics.
Numerous insects also fly. Mostly their wing beat is an almost invisible
blur of activity, Frankly, observation of all this is beyond the scope of the
average birdwatcher, „ „ -,
S.V. Nilakanta/
Zafar Futehally
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwatchers
32A, Juhu Lane, Andheri, Bombay 58
^
editorial board
Dr. Sallm Ali, F.N. I.,
33 Pali Hill, Bandra. Bombay 50
K. S. Lavkumar,
Rajkumar College, Rajkot
Dr. R. M. Naik.
M. S. University, Baroda
Mrs. Usha Ganguli,
10 Cavalry Lines, Dethi 6
Mrs. Jamal Ara t
4 European Bachelors' Qrs.
Doranda, Hinoo P.O., Ranchi, Bihar
Mr. E. D. Avar!.
Bengal Natural Hist. Soc, Darjeellng
Dr. Biswamoy Biswas,
ndian Museum, Zoological Survey of India,
Calcutta
Prof. K. K. Neelakantan,
XXI/12799 Karikkamurl Road,
Ernakalum.
Editor :
FOR
BIEKWATCHERS
Vol. 3* No. 11
November 1963
'CONTENTS
Regular slaughter of the Indian Pitta by crows. By K.K. Neelakantan
Birds of the Himalayan cultivation. iy K.S. Lavkumar .c
All day watch on a male Baya. By Mrs, Jamal Ara
More strange foods of the Crow-Pheasant, ~By Julian P. Donahue
Two bird communities. Py N. Shivanarayanan, & M.I* Andrews
'Where do Swallows sleep? 1 . By P.V. George & J*S. Serrao ..
Review:
A FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OP EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA, (l,F.) ■
Notes and Comments
■ •
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Birdwatchers' £l«lrf Club
India • • ►"» • *
• •
Correspondence
Appeal for Bird Notes. 3y Salia Ali
1
2
5
7
7
9
9
10
iO
11
12
REGUIAR SIAUGHTER OP THE INDIAN PITTALET CROWS
Sri V. Ravi, Pounder-President of the Nature Study Club, Guntur, lias devoted
No. 8 of their Club Bulletin (September 1963) to an interesting account and
•discussion of the slaughter of Indian Pittas by crows* In my capacity a3 a
Regional Editor of the Newsletter , I am forwarding to you a gist of the arti-
cle with my comments.
The first Pitta seen by Sri Ravi was a bird which, in May 1960, sought refuge
within his house from a number of crows » This bird managed to escape, but was
pounced upon and carried away by a Pariah Kite as soon as it alighted on a
roof. Next summer another fugitive from crows was released late in the even-
ing only to be picked up dead the next morning, 'killed by crows'* A few days
later Pitta feathers were found by other members of the Club. Qi 20 April,
they discovered a Jungle Crow plucking and devouring a Pitta. Three days
later a Pitta was found lying dazed at the foot of a staircase* Sri Ravi man-
aged to revive the bird, but, finding the ungrateful creature trying to injure
itself in its desperate bid for freedom, he releases it. The moment it emerg-
ed into the open, a Jungle Crow caught it and carried it away* On two more
occasions crows were found pursuing or eating Pittas.
Sri Ravi wonders why well-known bird books do not mention that the Pitta is
'subject to constant slaughter* 4 He would like to know whether crows else-
where in India show a similar fondness for the flesh of the Pitta,
Sri Ravi points out that the Pitta Is seen, by ther. in that locality only when,
as a 'refugee », it seeks shelter within their houses (and that only in summer).
On reading Sri Ravi's interesting note, it occurred to me that the Pitta might
be just a bird of passage in that particular locality. Many of our resident
birds react unfavourably to the appearance of an uncommon bird in their midst.
Crows, in particular, are quick to notice a 'stranger', especially when the
stranger happens to be a little too flashily attired like the Pitta, On innu-
narable occasions I have watched flocks of crows, shrieking like the Furies,
2 2
driving immature Serpent -Eagles and Hawk-Eagles from pillar to post when they
seemed to ignore adults of the same species r The only provoking circumstance
on such occasions seemed to be the unfamiliar garb of the juvenile eagles*
Sri Ravi suggests that crows probably come across Pittas only during "those
periods when the Pitta cornea out of thick cover to begin its journey to its
breeding grounds. Perhaps the Pitta's skulking ways and fondness for thick
oover make it appear a 'stranger- to the crow whenever the Pi tta makes a
public appearance • As birds which have just started their return journey to ■
their breeding grounds are normally strong and healthy, there is little reas-
on to believe that the Pittas which fall a prey to crows were emaciated spe-
cimens*
In Madras city and its suburbs the Pitta not infrequently enters houses in
the winter months* But so far as I can remember there was nothing to suggest
that they were seeking asylum from crows or other predatory creatures a iffe
used to assume that such birds were entering buildings for the sake of warmths
I have come across dead Pr'ttas twicer, Once, nearly 20 years ago in Madras t
very near a house; then, 3 t 4 years ago at Ch±ttur ; Kerala-. Both these
birds were picked up dead in places where crows abounded, but apparently no
crow had thought of making a meal of them c In Palghat I have found Pittas
boldly moving about in ope^ places inside \/ooded compounds in the morning
hours, and, on cloudy days, even at noon.. 1 do not now remcmbci ..hcther any
crows were present close by* Though the Pitta spends much of its life wit v-iv "
thick scrub, I have found that it is not particularly afraid of man I hare
very vivid recollections of the capers I cut ? as a bby ? trying to catch Pit-
tas which looked as though they were too stupid to novo away when approached*
Some years ago a friend told me that ii- certain parts of Kerala boys catch
Pittas with the greatest of ease using traps made of the ribs of coconut
leaves. The bait it seems is invariably a dry red chilli-pod-..
The people of Kerala have originated so few legends connected with birds that
I must add also that one of these legends concerns the Pitts, We have a popu-
lar saying which means that the Piota is the last afcage in the i-iet-mor^iosis
of the tadpole I Less imagination may be, but ouch less incredible than the
legend of the *Barnacle : goose I
K-.Kp Keelakantan,
ErnalzuiaT;^
BIRDS OP THE HIMLuYAIj CUHTIV^TION.
In the Himalayas, till 5000 ft 3 , the birdlife is not appreciably different
from that of the adjoining plains But it is above this altitude that it p
composition starts changing. It is a thrill to recognise the hill, species,
and the first to be seen are the Himalayan Redvsnted Bulbuls, which though
like the plains birds, are larger and verj auch darker, with the ear— coverts
standing out very distinctly lighter than the smokey headc As usual they
are about in pairs following each other with much chortling and chattering »
Alongside them daintier White-eared Bul.buls become common among shrubberies
and retrain familiar right up to 7000 ft in pairs with their jaunty crests
curled forwards, and a sulphur— yellow patch on the vent-. They are very con-
fiding birds, and as they make no attempt at being circumspect while going
to and from their nests 7 whether in the process cf construction, or contain
— ing fledglings, they are very easy to locate* These bulbuls are certainly
extremely bold and confiding towards humans =
Collared Bushchats are summer visitors and are seen perched on telegraph
wires, or on the tops of small bushes or some tall stalk in ploughed fields 7
scanning the terrain for moving insect prey*, Male Collared Bushchats are -
very easy to identify; they are sparrow -si ?»ed birds, hare a very bolt up-
right stance, and the dark brown head and light orange breast, are 3et off
by two white cresents on the aides of the neck. The little hen is just one
among those small brewn birds that prove so enigmatic to most people, but the
•general size and shape and habits suggest the identity. These little chats
are very common throughout the plains of India during winter in farmland. Sit-
ting also on wires, or bushes, and or rocks, and trilling a love song are male
Crested Buntings belonging to the seed-eating fraternity. The male is conspi-
cuous by erect crest, overall black plumage and bright chestnut wings, the .
same colour scheme as' sported by the Coucal. The females are brown, but recog
-nizable by the same erect crest as of her spouse. These buntings are birds
particular to hill country throughout India and are plentiful in the lower
valleys, especially if these are rocky and dry, and they are very common cage-
bird on sale in all bird markets. I do not think they make good cage-birds
as they need a very insectivorous diet, and in their natural state must be
playing a very important role in keeping down pests.
It would be wrong to neglect the Common Sparrows which are plentiful every- •
where around villages, for there is every likelihood of some of them- being
Cinnamon Tree Sparrows. The little oocks of the latter species have the same
colour pattern as that of the ubiquitous relative, but the upper parts are a
brl#it cinnamon, while quite often in brightly coloured males, the lower tjarts
are suffused with yellow. Very attractive birds indeed. In the truly temper-
ate farmsteads with rose hedges and young spring wheat, one sees the Dark
Grey Bush Chat. It has the same habit as the Collared Bush Chat, but the
birds are larger, and the male is a dark grey above, with a prominent. ♦tiite
wing bar, and white underparts. It sits perched on bushes and where there are
telegraph wires, on the wire stays, scanning the ground in bushchat-fashion
for prey. The female is again one of those brown birds of nondescript nature,
but" once familiarity has been gained with the call and mannerisms of the male,
it is not difficult to identify her. I have found it very difficult to locate
a Dark Grey Bushchat*s nest, so well is it concealed under some txish. Another
bird seen on bush-tops and along telegraph wires eyeing the ground is the fan i
-liar plains bird, the Rufous backed Shrike. The shrikean bill and the broad
black line through the eye are prominet pointers and when the bird takes off,
flying low over the ground on fast beating wings, the rufous on the lower ba«k
is very distinct. This is an expert mimic and leads many a gullible birdwatcher
up a mountain path, which is certainly more taxing than any proverbial garden
path.
Cfci the grassy verges of terraces, we find the Brown Hill Warbler. It is brown;
it has a very long tail in proportion to its sparrow-sized body, the upper
parts are heavily streaked with darker brown, but what is most diagnostic is
its trilling and "repetitive call uttered from an exposed perch — a sort of
breathless chirrrup-chirr rup-c hirrup and on and on and on, and as the bird
calls it turns- its head from one side to the other producing a ventriloquist
effect. When it flies, the long tail keeps on unbalancing it and so it all
looks very ungainly and dangerous. The warbler wisely keeps to its cover and
is never to be found anywhere else- but. among grass and sh-iubs.
Commonly seen around bushes and hedgerows are small babbler-like birds. They
are a rich brown and seen from close quarters, the whitish streaking is visi-
ble, They hop about on the ground, turning leaves and debris in search of
lurking insects and all the time the tail is flickered and the birds chatter
and murmur to one another. Disturbed, they simply dodge around the bush aid
are in an instant gone. When they fly their rounded tails show a pale edging.
These are Streaked Laughing Thrushes, and are a fitting introduction to a
large and assorted family of birds typical of the Himalayas.
Hounding a bend on the road, one might put up a rabble of small green and black
birds which fly off in Jffunia-f ashion uttering a Jingling cry of alarm. These
aire Himalcyan Green Finches — very charming members of that seed-cracking
family.
. . .»
The House Crow of the plains is replaced by the totally black Jungle Crow
which is found in all types of country from the foothills right 'up to the
eool coniferous "forests, where it gives way to a very similar species, the
•arrion Crow. These two mountain crows are not easy to identify in the field.
*
i 4
Golden Orioles are inordinately common in company with the lovely Paradise Flyeat-
SeX both fatillar to any one ]Mt interested in birdllfe, in the lower reaches
of the vallevs^nd they stray up to 6000 ft. Bat by far the most colourful bird,
speoiallTon the edges of Chir pine forests is the Blueheaded Roch Thrush. It per-
ches on telegraph wires, or on a lower branch of a tree. The male is chestnut be-
£.! ^ a SSt^lue'crown. There are present white 'mirrors' in the wings. "
IZ bird is abo!t the size ofa^na. Every now and then "volplanes off its per-
eh uttering a piercing chee £hee. chee, and it glides down. This is a very foliar
sound oX middle altitudes of the Himalayas. Equally eomon are th e rabblss of
noisey Black Bulbuls, slim dark blue-grey birds, with untidy crested blade heads
^d «d WUsVihe tails are slightly forked giving them on a superficial glance
the appearaiue of a Grey Drongo.
Grey Drongos are fairly plentiful on the edges of pine forests, while in the culti
!vation^crLon0>s so common on the plains are seen, at times even as high up
a r3i7nocks of Ashyheaded Parakeets hurtle from one grove to another, utter
-ing their rasping sereams as they go.
The «ommon *na is met with well up to 70W ft., and I was surprised to see a pair
^thaTS S unlikely eountxy.at Deoban, Chakrata well above this height, staid
^^confidently on green slopes shrouded in the Himalayan mists. In Manali, they
£f plSttfS « her? in Rajkot, but I thought theyhad a slight difference of
v*ee. Jungle %nas can be easily confused witt this species, and they are very
oSn^tai^hTmountatas. The absence of the yellow, bare skin round the eyes
s^ alroX* tuft of feathers over the bill mke them recognisable. They go
around InTofe flocks and breed in crevices in masonary of bridges and retain-
ing walls. They are less conceited than their common relatives.
mTC th rush, as he is everywhere a companion, from the foot of the
Sountalnfto STedges of the enow fields, and even in t* ***** 6^6" he
enlivens the 8«ene»
ihayals. Franklin's Wen Warblers - ■*» «**■ chattering among «»■*"*•*••
K *L%9 anTSxple Sunbirde arc all familiar and even an odd (freen Bee-sater
might dash across the path to snap up a dragonfly.
«<he Indian Cuckoos are heard throughout the day and with the tost Koel calUng
from faTbelow, the double cuckoceuekoo of this gay freelance is a Peasant
SaS ^ir weather. Hounding a turn, one looks over a sheer »"£•»*»
a^to great vultures gliding UP on «$&**£*!& h *^*ato?fetKS!
seireral dark iron^rey Whitebaeked Vulturea, and a lone King Vulture with point
9 2^«TtaM atTsllght f over its back, its head a bright red and a white
J^ffiS on either'ttanks as it banks'into a spiral higher and higher
SLS^taSger *an all these and with very equareeut wings, several
^ coloured H^layan Griffons circle mejegtieally, while above glides.
Sr tSTttaaSl, the Bearded V^ture on motionless wings, its tapering
& cons^cuous S^m the square onel of the others, and as i^Pproa^es
OBMlne W4»e ta audible, a hum of air passing through the stiffly held
prinBiies, .
Kawlring inserts are flocke of twittering swallows with pale reddish rump pat-
SSSltoKe Se R^drumped Swallows. They *uild their inverted, mud^
»igloos f under rock ledges or culverts. Swifts on quivering wings speed past
with graceful mastery of the air* There are several types of swifts in the
mountains from the large and dashing Spinetail to small, brown Ediblenest
Swiftlet. Our familiar House Swifts are also plentiful.
By now the new comer will have heard many a strange song, and seen many a new
form or flash of #olour and motion, and belore long he will be seeing and re-
cognising red and black liveried Minivets, scarlet-crested woodpeckers of se-
veral species, industrious and acrobatic tits, and garrulus bands of laughing
Thrushes. If he has failed to bring along his book on hill fauna, he will be
softly cursing his thoughtlessness, but this should not detgr him from look-
ing at the interesting new birds he meets; by jotting down careful notes and
trying his hand at amateurish sketching, he will be able to identify all
the new introductions on getting home, whenever I am thus handicapped, I have
always resorted to this practice, and I have named strange warbler a£ge* a
fictitious Jamnadas and later identified my Jamnadas *s Warbler as the Blaek-
faced Flycatcher Warbler while the Giddie Up Bird, named for its peculiar
call, turned out to be the Black-and-Yellow Grosbeak. The Usha bird named for
my comapnion who pointed it out to me, was established after many fruitless
and exhasperating attempts as the Blackbrowed Flycatcher Warbler, and a YQTy
nondescript sketch of a crested bird, later helped me to list the Yellownaped
Ixulus on my growing life-list. Several years after I had drawn a pair of
dumpy little birds, BIRDS OF SUKIM carried an illustration which helped me
to place my birds as Pulvettas, and from the sane source with the help of
notes kept much earlier I learnt I had seen a Yellcwbrowed Tit and a Great
Slaty Woodpecker*
K.S. lavkumar
ALL DAY WATCH OH A MA.IE BAYA
Observations carried out in an all-day watch on tha nest building and alli-
ed activities of the male Baya Weaver BLrd (Ploceua phiUppinus ) on May 22,
1955, at Doranda, Ranchi, in the State of Bihar*
Eanohi is 6^2.3 metres above sea-level, with mean maximum and minimum temper
-atures of 29 C. and 18.3 6., respectively. The absolute maximum and mini-
mum are 43.5 0. in May, and 3-3 C. in January, The average annual rainfall
is 137§ mm., the bulk of it from the SW. monsoon, but instability showers
are fairly common. Though situated almost on the Tropic of Cancer (latitude
23 12* K.), the hot weather is mitigated by the altitude. The longitude is
85° 18« E.
On the day of observation, the elements were , as recorded at 083« hours on
May 23: max. temp, 30.7 «♦, nd*. 25.5 C Sunrise took place at 0516 hours,
and sunset at 1828 hours.
Analysis
The observations started at 0500 extended over 13 hours 2S fcLnutea. The bird
actually left the nesting site at 1635, i.e. after 11 hours 15 minutes.
Splitting the day intD two halves, the forenoon was 7 hours (0500-1200), and
the afternoon of 6 hours 28 minutes (1200-1828). In the forenoon the bird
was absent for about 2 hours 22 minutes from the nesting site at different
times ♦ The longest stretch was from G833-&932 and again from 1C05-1 W>«
During the 4 hours 38 minutes of its presence, the hird wove outside 25 times,
inside 19 times, collected materials 31 times and displayed twice.
In the afternoon the tempo of work was very sluggish. Out of the 6 hours 28
minutes the bird was absent intermittently for as many as 5 hours 26 minut-
es. The longesfe gap was from 1345-1518 and from 1200-1343. In the 1 hour 2
minutes of presence at the nest, it wove outside 4 times, and collected
materials only twice. There was no wearing inside or any display either.
!l?he bird left the nest 1 hour 53 minutes before sunset. The roosting tree
* o
is different but in the same ground. The bird returns to the nest very early
in the morning. It was present when observations started at 0500*
Notes
The male was in full breeding plumage.. Gn the day of observation, the nest
in a date palm tree, was half complete. The tree was in the compound of the
Junior conservator of Forests, All material was collected from the fronds of
the same tree. The inside of the nest is woven out of the soft young leaves
at the tops of the fronds, whereas for the outside the tougher and older
leaves are used*
Record of observations at intervals of 5 minutes
^s the record is too long to present, we reproduce only a sample of Mrs.Jamal
Ara's 5 minute interval observations in the late afternoon. It is interesting
to note that this was the day, when the male had half finished the nest, that
a female moved in and took possession of it. — Ed./
Time Habit
1610 Flies off to a near-by -ledr ela toona tree call-
ing h o— jee-e^-q-e occasionally, calls ho-jee-e-e-e
six times before returning to the nest.
1615 Still on nest calling ho-jee-e-e-e , aftgr every
half minute. .
1620 Still on nest, calls ho-jee-e-^e-e thrice in" one
minute , and then ho-jee-c—e-e , ho— jee-e— e-e t
chee, chee , ho-pee-e-e-e , ho-jee-e-e-e- in
another minute,
H625 Ho-jee-e-e-e continues at intervals, then works
on the nest inattentively, goes inside inspect
~lng, calls 21 times during the next five minutes.
1635 Plies away north.
1725 Female comes to the nest silently, gets inside, sees
all round carefully and then flies away after two
minutes.
1730 Female comes back, goes inside nest and then' flies
away, thereafter two females come, one goes inside*
the nest, the other sits on the top of the nest
outside, inspecting carefully every side of the
nest and then flies away, the one inside is still
there*
1735 Female still inside nest examinging every corner
carefully,
1738 She flies away.
1805 Six females come and all want to enter the nest, but
the female arriving first drives them al 1 away
from vicinity of the nest, and a fight ensues on
the date palm, no tone dare enter inside, except
perhaps the chosen future wife who is inside and
drives "all others away.
1810 Fight continues, she has to fight three or four
females single-handed at a time.
1815 Fi$it continues, one inside is still there.
1820 , All females fly away, except the one who was in the
nest, she too then flies away. •
i ^t Weather
1700-1500
sunny, very
hot, light
breeze
1800-1900
Cooling down,
quite pleas-
ant breeze,
clear sky
o
The caLl ho-jee-*e~e-e which is long drawn and in a descending so ale, is more
common than the other call 7 c heep-cheep .-
(Mrs o ) Jemal Ara
* * # *
MORE STRAHGE FOODS OP THE CROW-PHEASANT
The variety of foods of the Crow-Pheasant reported by Mrs, Usha Sanguli on
page of the May issue, and by Saldc Aid CKL page 12 of the June issue, re-
mind me of an unusual experience I had in ITev; Delhla
t-
On 9 July 1961 I set a steel mammal trap under a hedge near my home, in the
hope tbfct I?could collect a mongoose I had seen there I used a piece of
meat to bait the trap, which was a special type known as a ^enibear' trap,
quite unlike the customary steel jaw traps *
For several days the trap ]ay untouched, and the meat quickly became putrid.
Then on July 12th what should i find but a hu^*" „ r >nitor lizard that s in its
attempt to eat the meat, had todggereel the trap, looting its head in a fatal
grip* I removed the lizard and preserved i+ u hen reset the trap, which was
B-fciU baited with the same old piece of neato
Three more unproductive days passed before I caught anything else in the
trap — and then it was aCrovr-Pkeasanti The concussion of the trap hal kill
«ed the bird as it foraged in the brush, apparently when it r too 3 had tried
to eat the six-day old meatr
This is certainly a novel way to colleci; birds, but I hardly recommend it
as a common practice; one fl&gM collect a neighbour ? a dog c
I had tc take up sy Lre'-'line a few days later, and I still hadn't caught a
mongoose a
J a Pa Donahue
Kept a of Ento^ol r-> cry . Michigan State
University, East Lansing 7
Michigan, U.S.A.
* * * *
TWO BIRD COMMUNITIES
.':? e *mrt of our tr^inin^ in the study of ecol^^iCcJ. ^istxiMtion nf birds,
we recently arK^-r^ook two exc i -..j^ns the account of which is given below*
The two places — Timbi and Makarpur*' -->- ' r isiLed by us in ifts: Baroda Dist.
represent two different types of habitat and harouur radically different
bic— communities a The list of birds observed there illustrates the profound
influence of habitat on the composition of avifauna &
Timbi is known for its irrigation dam? The chief vegetations are paddy and
cottono Round the catchment area of the lake, the land is not 3£vel as the
surrounding fields under plough., A species of Cap parjs and some Cassias
were the dominant shrubs near the catchment area The tall reeds in the
shallow regions of the lake were Cyprus sp* On tne sides of the approach
road were avenue trees, mostly cassias s A little away from the road were
maMiiade ditches filled with rain waters
The ground in Makarpura palace is level and the vegetation includes both
indigenous and exotic plants t Phoenix, Mar gosa, and Pi t h e co 1 o bium are some
of the indigenous trees, while Bougainvillaea shrubs represented in main
the uxoti" plants- Artificially made caves in the area where His Highness
used to keep his menageri, now lends shelter to quails B Unlike Timbi area
,„ ♦ 8
I 8 !
the palace woodland is well protected from shepherds collecting foliage and
women felling branches to keep their pots boiling. As a result of this,
crownless palms and trees with dry branches are plenty.
From the study of the above two locd ities, we could get an idea of the dif
!ferent habitats existing in the respective areas, Timbi offers a good col-
lection or aquatic birds, on the other hand, Makarpura mostly terrestrial.
A list of the birds is appended below, and migrants are marked by (m).
Timbi T 4 August 1965
Time: 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
1. little Cormorant: Phalacrocorax niger
2. Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
3. little Egret, Egret ta garaetta
4. Whitebacked Vulture, Gyps bengalensis
Makarpura f 7 July 1963.
Time: 7 a.m. to 9-30 a.m.
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
WhitebackM Vulture, Gyps benga
-lensis
Jungle Bush Quail. Perdicula
asiatioa.
Spotted Dove, Strept ope lia
c linen sis
5. Giselle Crane, Aathropoides vir S o (m) little Brown Jve^ge^p^
6 . Purple Moorhen, Porphyrio porphyrit
Roseringed Parakeet, Psittacula
krameri
7. Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Hrdrophasiar.us BO, ^teffis scolo£acea
chirurgus
8. OoMnon Snipe , Capella fflllinago (m) Crow-Sneasant, Centrogua sinensis
9. Redwattled lapwing, Yanellua jjaie-1- Redrunped Swallow, Hirundo dauriea
G-oldenbacked Woodpecker, Dinopium
benghalense
Roller, Coracias_ bengha lensis
10. Ring Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
11. Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus
malabaricus
12. little Brown Dove, Streptopelia Sene-
gal ens is
13. Pied Crested Cuckoo, Clamator jacobin us
(M)
14. Large Green Bee-eater, Merops superci-
liosus (M)
15. mretailed Swallow, Hirundo, snithii
16. Rufous backed Shrike, Lanius schach
17. Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus
18. Bank Ifcrna, Acridotheres ^in^inianus
19. Rosy Pastor, Pastor roseus (m)
20. Large Grey Babbler, Turdoides mal-
colmi
21. Indian Robin, Saaicoloides fulic ata
22. Indi£n Pipit, A*vg«l« novaeseelandiae
23. TShitethroated Muaia, Lonchura malaba rica
24. Black Drongo, jicrurus adsimi lis
25. Redvented Bulbul, Pycnonotus cafer
Rufousbacked Shrike, Lanius schaob
Black Drongo , Dicrurus adsimilis
Brahminy Myna, Sturnus pagodarum
Tree Pie , Dendrocitta vagabunda
Common lora, Aegithina tiphia
Redvented Bulbul, IVcnonotus cafer
Common Babbler, Turdoides caudatus
Yelloweyed Babbler, Chrysomm a sin-
en SB—
Common "Weaver Bird, Ploceus Philip
-pinus
Purple Sunbird, Kectarinia asiati^a
Prai kiln's T/ren-Warbler, Prinia
hodgsonil
Indian Robin, Saxicoloides fulic ata "
Magpie-Robin, Oopsychus saularis
Whitethroatgd Munia, Lonchura mala-
barica
fl , » * » . 9
Acknow le dgeiie nt
We are grateful to our teacher, Mr. A.R.K. Das who accompanied us on both these
excursions.
N. Shivanarayanan, and M.I. Andrews,
Division of Avian Biology, Zool. Dept,-
M.S. University? Baroda
'WHERE DO SWALLOWS SLEEP?'
The query 'Wnere do Swallows sleep? 1 reproduced below would make interesting
reading, especially to those readers who have taken part in ringing swallows
and other migratory birds at their roosts under the "WHO/MHS Bird Migration
Study Project, The query was by E.H. Aitken ^HA of natural history Dane/,
and was published at p. 327 of the Journal of the Bombay Natural History
Society Vol* 8 (1894). It is dated Karwar, 17 August 1893, and reads:
"Can any of the members of the Bombay Natural History Society tell me
where our Swallows sleep? In the cold season most parts of India swarm with
Swallows, which perch in long rows on the telegraph wires, but not on trees,
in the day-time / They are not on the wires at night, and I very much doubt
their resorting to trees at that time. I think it likely that they sleep in
company, like Bee-eaters j but though I have often startled a company of
Bee-eaters from their roosting tree, I never startled a o leaping Swallow. At
one time I used to meet with large flights of Swallows circling over some
flat-topped rocky hills after dusk, very near the ground. They were not hawk
-ing insects,- but evidently wanting to alight, either on the ground or on
the low Oajoo-nut trees which grew on the hill, I watched them patiently
several evenings, but it was very dark* and If I went near enough to follow
their movenD nts, they took fright at once and went off . w
A query which baffled a naturalist like EHA seventy years back has now been
unravelled by the activities of the TOIO/BNHS Bird Migration Study Project,
Apart from roosts of swallows, those of wagtails, Spanish Sparrows, Buntings,
and Rosy Pastors have been located under the above Project, and their inmates
ringed to learn of their migrations.
P.V* George, and J.S. Serrao
REVIEW
A FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS 0? EAST AM) CENTRAL AFRICA. ty J.G. Williams. Lon
-don 1963, Collins, pp. 271. Price 45s_.
This is a beautifully illustrated and produced book, although it is by no
means a luxury volume. It sets out to fill for Africa the same place that
SaC K BOOK OF VMS BIRDS fills for us. The author finds himself
embarassed by the richness of the avifauna of the regions he has chose d. He
ends his difficulties by deciding to write two books. The present volume
which is the first of them, deals with those birds which are likely to be
noticed by the non-ex P ert birdwatcher; most of them are common and widespread
Snd therefore likely to be observed by interested tourists. Some of the less
"Lon birds are included because their striking appearance or habits makes
it probable that they will catch the eye of seme tourist.
In equating Mr. Williams's aims with those of Salim Ali, I have perhaps been
in c^cu & _„. ... ,_ -. „ «*„, *„ +„ v, i-rt s-n +vi fi i dent lfi cation of
"K.
J?_ 4 — *-n Vin Tfi Mr>. TSH
ii^flto sole aim is to help in the identification of
Acknowle IgsE n*
le are grateful to our teacher, Mr, A. U.K. Das who accompanied us on both these
excursions*
N. Shivanarayanan, and M.I. Andrews,
Division of Avian Biology, Zool. Deptr
M.S. University, Baroda
* * * *
'tchere do swallows sleep?'
The query T Where do Swallows sleep?' reproduced below would make interesting
reading, especially to those readers who have taken part in ringing swallows
and other migratory birds at their roosts under the 'WHO/BJHS Bird Migration
Study Project, The query was by E.H. Aitken ^3HA of natural history fans/,
and was published at p. 327 of the Journal of the Bombay Natural History
Society Vol. 8 (1894). It is dated Karwar, 17 August 1893, and reads:
"Can any of the members of the Bombay Natural History Society tell me
where our Swallows sleep? In the cold season most parts of India swarm with
Swallows, which perch in long rows on the telegraph wires, but not on trees,
in the day-time. They are not on the wires at night, and I very much doubt
their resorting to trees at that time* I think it likely that they sleep in
company, like Bee-eaters; but though I have often startled a company of
Bee-eaters from their roosting tree, I never startled a olBeping -Swallow. At
one time I used to meet with large flights of Swallows circling over some
flat-topped rocky hills after dusk, very near the ground. They were not hawk
-ing insects,- but evidently wanting to alight, either on the ground or on
the low Cajoo-nut trees which grew on the hill. I watched them patiently
several evenings, but it was very dark> and if I went near enough to follow
their movements, they took fright at once and went off."
-v
A query which baffled a naturalist like EHA seventy years back has now been
unravelled by the activities of the TSHO/BNHS Bird Migration Study Project.
Apart from roosts of swallows, those of wagtails, Spanish Sparrows, Buntings,
and Rosy Pastors have been located under the above Project, and their inmates
ringed to learn of their migrations,
P.Vv George, and J.S. Serrao
REVIEW
A FIELD GUILE TO THE BIRDS OF EAST AMD CENTRAL AFRICA. By J.G,
-don 1963. Collins, pp. 271, Price 45s.
Williams. Lon
This is a beautifully illustrated and produced book, although it is by no
means a luxury volume. It sets out to fill for Africa the same place that
Salim Ali's THE BOOK OP INDIAN BIRDS fills for us. The author finds himself
embarassed by the richness of the avifauna of the regions he has chosed. He
ends his difficulties by deciding to write two books. The present volume
which is the first of them, deals with those birds which are likely to be
noticed by the non-eypert birdwatcher; most of them are common and widespread
and therefore likely to be observed by interested tourists. Some of the less
common birds are included because their striking appearance or habits makes
it probable that they will catch the eye of some tourist.
In equating Mr. Williams r s aims with those of Salim Ali, I have perhaps been
unfair to him. Mr. Willi? ts's sole aim is to help in the identification of
the different birds- He makes no attempt to describe their nesting and other
-
- ' - ■
1L-I 1
gr SB
i * .
Mr. WUliraK assuoB: in -is read - s Hi .-..- familiarity with bird-
life* Per the nan who oculd a - iven make a £uess about the family of the
bird he wished to identify, us; press n k would create some pro-
blems*- It would be difficult iowa any bird with the help of t
book unless the user already had some idea of where to look for it* This
is specially true of those species which are illustrated only in black and
white. Here comparison must once more be made with THE BOOK C? IIJDIAN BIRDS
The tables where the species are classified and grouped under headings like
Birds with prominent tails , Birds with prominent bills , Prominent Crests,
long legs, etc, etc. are,' : I think, invaluable. They make identification
easy and quick — and in a book whose main purpose is to help in identifi-
cation this is surely of primary importance.
L.F.
BOTES AND COfiMEHUe
TIME magazine recently sent out a reminder to its subscribers in a language
which would have been appropriate to our own Newsletter . A part of the
text and the illustrations are reproduced belew:
Fmtitiuje.
Vk tfV
jHk £LE£T/</C
Cfifj ME
"Dear Subscriber:
"Maybe you f ve heard about TIME'S affair with the birds. It began with an
otherwise sober story in Science, where TIME'S readers spotted a reference
to an elusive Alaskan bird called the- 'tristle-thighed curlew.'
"And before you could chirp 'ornithology 1 TIME'S eagle-eyed readers had
christened a flock of zany feathered friends. Some of them are shown above.
I hope they give you a chuckle ~ and I hope, too, that you will enter into
the spirit of things and become my favorite bird of all time: The Swift-
winged TIMEcatcher .
"The Swift-winged TIMEcatcher is a TIME reader who renews his subscription
early enough to avoid turning into the most miserable bird in the forest —
the Sad-Eyed Regret — the bird who waited too long and missed getting his
copies of TIME."
BIRDWATCHERS' FIELD CLUB OP INDIA
Annual General Meeting
The 1st Annual General Meeting of the Birdwatchers 1 field Club of India will
be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, 14th December 1963, at the office of the Bom-
bay Natural History Society, at Sunrise, 91 Walkeshwar Road, Bombay 6. (it
may be recalled that all subscribers to the Newsletter for Birdwatchers are
deemed to be members of this Club.)
:— _
end
1 . To consider end approve the Draft Constitution of the Club circulated
with the Newsletter for October 1563.
11
habiis but confines himself to an account of each bird and its habitat. The
idenfification is of course, helped*; by the coloured illustrations of 179
species, and the black and white drawings of 280 more. The system of giving
the size of the bird in inches seems to me less graphic and clear than
Salim All's system of using well-known birds like the sparrow, bulbul, and
myna as standards of measurement*
Mr. Williams assumes in his seft&OM a certain slight familiarity with bird-
life. For the man who could nc-> sven make a guess about the family of the
bird he wished to' identify, usiiig the present book would create some pro-
blems." It would be difficult to "Greek dawn any bird with the help of this
book unless the user already had some idea of where to look for it. This
is specially true of those species which are illustrated only in black and
white. Here comparison must once more be made with THE BOOK OF INDIAN BIRDS.
The tables where the species are classified and grouped under headings like
Birds with prominent tails , Birds with pr om inent bills , Prominent Crests,
Long Legs, etc., etc. are,'"! think, invaluable. They soke identification
easy and quick — and in a book whose main purpose is to help in identifi-
cation this is surely of primary importance.
L.F.
N0T3S AND C01/MEMTS
TIME magazine recently sent out a reminder to its subscribers in a language
which would have been appropriate to our own newsletter . A part of the
text and the illustrations are reproduced below:
TP,£ M> <-zJyT -fe/* N
THE.
?"«"'*'£ I l_L_
PMti tu?"£
"Dear Subscriber:
"Maybe you f ve heard about TIMK's affair with the birds. It began with an
otherwise sober story in Science, where TIME'S readers spotted a reference
to an elusive Alaskan bird called the 'bristle-thighed curlew. 1
"And before you could chirp 'ornithology' TIW's eagle-eyed readers had
christened a flock of zany feathered friends. Some of them are shown above.
I hope they give you a chuckle — and 1 hope, too, that you will enter into
the spirit of things and become my favorite bird of all time: The Swift-
winged TIMEcatcher .
"The Swift-winged TIMEcatcher is a TIME reader who renews his subscription
early enough to avoid turning into the most miserable bird in the forest —
-the Sad-Eyed Regret — the bird who waited too long and missed getting his
copies of TIME."
BIRDWATCHERS ' FIELD CLUB OF INDIA
Annual General Meeting
The 1st Annual General Meeting of the Birdwatchers 1 Field Club of India will
be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Uth December 1963, at the office of the Bom-
bay Natural History Society, at Sunrise, 91 Walkeshwar Road, Bombay 6. (It
may be recalled that all subscribers to the newsletter for Birdwatchers are
deemed to be members of this Club.)
Agenda
*,«* +v,n Tfrfo-P* nrwR-H tut.i cm of the Club circulated
2. To appoint Office Bearers for the ensuing year (January -December 1964).
3. To appoint an Editorial Board for the newsletter for the ensuing year
(January -Dec ember 1964)t
4. To receive a report from Mr.'Zafar Putehally about the finances -of -the
Newsletter .
5. Any other business brought forward with the permission of the Chairman,
* * *
It will be appreciated if readers will send in their considered comments on
the Newsletter and suggestions about the future activities of the BIRDWATCHERS 1
FIELD CLUB OP INDIA. These -will be placed before the meeting, — Ed.
CORRESPONDENCE
Bird notes from Rajkot, Gujarat
I was most interested to read, in the September issue of the Newsletter ,
of R.S. Lavkumar T s note regarding the occurrence in Sauraehtra of the Water-
cock or Kora (Galli c rex ci ne re a ) .
It strikes me that this is perhaps a rather more rare and important occur
-rence than many of our readers will appreciate .
Salim Ali failed to find the bird in either his Ornithological Survey of
Kutch (BIRDS OP KUTCH, p. 10?) or that which he made of the birds of Gujarat
(j. Bombay nat » Hist. Soc . 52:411 )• In both these publications he mentions
that Lester only came across the bird once in Kutch, when a pair, which were
shot by K.H. the Maharao on the 4th July, 1897, were sent to him for identi-
fication.
Both Butler (A CATALOGUE OF THE BIRDS OF SIND, KUTCH, KATHIAWAR, NORTH
GUJARAT, AND MT. ABU, p. 66) and Barnes (J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 6; 137)
consider the bird to be found sparingly in Sind, but not at all in Gujarat,
Dharmakumarsinhji T s (THE BIRDS OF SAURASHTRA, p. 156) says that the bird
is non-resident and very rare in Saurashtra,
I personally have never come across it in the Kaira District of Gujarat
nor have I heard of anyone else doing so.
The bird likes wet, swampy areas and it is evident that this corner of
India is too arid for it, and that those birds which have been seen were rare
vagrants.
S.K. Reeves,
Epsom, Surrey, U.K.
* * * *
Purple rumped Sunbird
To Mr. N.R. Hair's note regarding the breeding season of the Purplerumped
Sunbird in your October issue, I should like to add a few remarks, especially
as he has asked for comment*
Some years ago, in late August or early September, I used to watch a pair
of Purplerumped Sunbirds tending their solitary fledgling in a nest precarious
-ly hanging from a branch of the hedge . One day, after a heavy downpour the
expected disaster took place: the nest had fallen to the ground spilling the
contents* % wife carefully replaced the little bird in its nest and fastened
the nest securely to the bougainvillea, where the parents continued to perform
their duty of feeding their baby.
Amin Tyabji,
Bombay
* t * * *
Recovery of ringed birds
In reading Dr. Sdlim All's note,, in the September issue of the Newsletter
I was struck by his saying, in the footnote, that the Marsh Sandpiper ( Tringa
c!+.p,>mn-hilift\, in its winter Quarters in India, keeus mainly to the sea coast.
and is hardly ever seen inland,
I can find no support for this in the literature whatever, in fact it seems
to point in the opposite direction*
Stuart Baker (FAW OF BRITISH INDIA, Birds, 2nd ed,, Vol, 6, p. 216) says:
'This little sandpiper is not so much of a seashore bird as most of its fami-
ly , keeping much to inland lakes and swamps..,. 1
Dharmakumarsinhji (THE BIRDS OF SAURASHTRA, p, 188) says: 'This is a common
wader which is seen on streams and stagnant pools. In the countryside it is
found mostly during winter ', and again, 'The Marsh Sandpiper is more of
an inland bird, generally seen singly or in small groups though it may gather
in larger numbers on the sea doast, tidal pools, and salt pans,'
Finally, Dr. Salim Ali, himself, having described thebird as a winter visitor
to Kutch, says (BIRDS OF KUTCH, p. 131 > t 'Seen singly or in scattered twos
and threes on the swampy edges of puddles and jheels, often wading into the
shallows. Rarely on saltwater puddles and practically never on the seashore.
On four occasions in the winter of 1957-8, I saw either singletons or small
parties of two to five birds of this species at puddles in the environs of
Nadiad town and two at Vasad on the Mahi river. Both places are in the Kaira
District of Gujarat State and about thirty to forty miles inland from the
sea. The birds were all seen within the period of six weeks, so that had my
watching extended over the entire winter, the number of sightings would,
presumably j have been much greater,
S*K, Reeves,
Epsom, Surrey, U, K,
A Sunbird's or Flower pecker's nest
If any of your readers in the Bombay neighbourhood knows of a sunbird's
or flowerpecker's nest (any species) presently in occupation — with either
eggs or chicks will he please- communicate with the undersigned immediate-
ly? It is wanted for a life history study being undertaken by a post graduate
student of field ornithology,
Salim Ali
.APPEAL FOR BIRD NOTES
Work has started on the long-projected HANDBOOK OF INDIAN BIRDS under the
joint authorship of Dr. Salim Ali and Prof. Dillon Ripley, The manual is
planned to be completed in five volumes at intervals of about a year each.
It will attempt to bring the Bird volumes of the FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA
series (2nd.ed.) up to date for the taxoncmist and museum worker, and also
to provide the field naturalist with a fully illustrated guide to the com-
plete avifauna of the Indian sub-continent. By bringing together all that
is known about Indian birds in life it will serve to emphasize how little
in fact we do know, and thus enable field workers to try and fill *the gaps,
The first volume is expected to be ready for the press in about fifteen
months from now. It will cover the first 450-500 species and subspecies
of Ripley T s A SYNOPSIS OF THE BIRDS OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN etc. The under-
singed will be grateful for field notes by birdwatchers under any of the
following heads: Distribution (additional to what is already published
in the Fauna and other standard works); Habitat (biotopes); Food and
Feeding Habits; Voice and Calls; Migration; Breeding (including courtship,
period of incubation, share of the sexes in incubation and nest-feeding);
Economics jf the bird or any of its parts or products are, or formerly
were, used for particular purposes); Conservation. Any other observations
relating to ecology or behaviour will be welcome. Though the immediate
request is for notes pertaining to the birds to be covered by Vol, I,
those for the subsequent volumes will also be appreciated.
33 Pali Hill, Bandra,
Bombay 50
Salim Ali
Zafar Futehally
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwatchers
lOi TTtV.il T,ane_ AnfJVlt^H.. "ROTtlbaV 58
aBWiSLKTTKK
FOR BIRDWATCHERS
Volume 3-1963 December
\
■ IffiWS LETTER
FOR
BIRDWATCHERS
Vol* 3, No, 12
December 1963
CONTENTS
Recovery of Ringed Birds. By Salira Ali •• • • • •
Tickell's Flowerpecker and Red Tree-ant. By K.K. Neelakantan
More uncommon birds in and around Delhi. By Mrs. Usha Ganguli
Gliders and Birds. By Joseph George .. .. ■«
Birdwatching during 1963- By Zafar Futehally .. ..
Reviews:
1. PRELIMINARY FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OP Tffil INDIAN OCEAN. ( J. G.)
2, NATURAL HISTORY DRAWINGS IN THE INDIA OFFICE UBRARY. (LP.)..
Notes and Comments . • • • ■ • • •
Correspondence . ♦ •• •• • •
6
7
8
8
RECOVERY OF RINGED BIRDS
%
Reports of four more migrants ringed in India under the BNHS/WHO Bird Migra-
tion Field Study Projeft, -and recovered in the USSR have been received since
publishing the last in Newsletter for September 1963, The particulars of these
four birds are:
Date
Ringed
Ring No,
species
and
26.9.1959
16.3.1961
19.12.1962
4.4.1962
A-992
Emberiza me-
lanocephala
(Blatkheaded
Bunting)
A-4777
Motacilla alba
Place ringed
Changalra, Ehuj,
Kut»h £c. 23 18
N., 69 43 f E.)
(White Wagtail)
A samb i a , Kut ch ,
(c. 22° 51 r N.,
69* 32 ■ E.)
A-19082
Motacilla
flava thunber-
gi (Greyheade d
Yellow Wagtail)
Edanad , Chengan-
nur, Kerala, c.
q° on i w. - ifr
9" 20
38' E.
N., 76
Manner & date
of recovery
Found dead,
26.5.1961
Found sick oi
wounded ani
perished,
11.7.1961
Place of recove:
and remarks
Tend zkhbeksk&ia ,
Kavkazskaia piet •/
Krasnodar (c. 45
30' N., 40*^5 T E.)
(c^ 3730 km. NW.
of Kutch.
Zimnyatsky Dist#,
Volgograd Region
(=Stalingrad) c^
38 km. SSW. of
Mikhailovka*
49° 35' N., 43'
07 ' E. (*• 3660
km. NW. of Kutch)
M
Shot by man,
8.9.1963
C-382
Anas "que rque-
dula (Garganey
or Bluev/inged
Teal)
Bharatpur, Raja-
sthan, c. 27 13'
N., 77^2»E.
Shot by man,
15/18,8.1962
14 km. south of
Kara-Baity, Kir-
fhiz SSR (c. 42
50' N., 73 50'
E.) 9± 3700 km.
north of Edanad
Chernobyl Dist.,
Kiev Region ( c,
51° 19' N., 30
14* E.). c^ 4760
km. NW. of Bhart
-pur
TICKELIi'S FLOWERFECXES A5D RED TREE-ANT
The reference to Flowerpecker nests in the November issue of the Newsletter
reminded me of a curious feature of the half-a-dozen Flowerpecker nests seen
by me in the course of two decades of birdwatching. All these nests belonged
to the Tickell's Flowerpecker ( Picaeum eiythrorhynchos ).
Every one of these nests was very close to an occupied nest of the vicious
red tree-ant (which makes a conspicuous rough globe of leaves with some
material very like spider-web). Four of the six nests were in mango trees
and the others in a citrus. As my diaries are not with me now, I am unable
to give precise details; but the fact of the proximity of the ants' nests
and those of the bird is indelibly recorded in my memory by the few attempts
I made to examine the nests and their contents in situl
TTwo- of the nests in mango trees were at a height of 20-25 feet. Two were
found, one at a time, in the same citrus tree which stood very near a kit-
chen. In every case the ants' nest was just a foot or so away from the bird's.
Why is it that one seldom comes across a Flowerpecker 's nest? Though the
nest is small and more or less camouflaged, the feverish activity of the
owners and their habit of advertising their presence always with the chit-
chit-chit notes make it easy to discover the nest. The bird which- brings
food to the nest calls for a time both before and after delivering it. More
-over, if my memory serves rightly, the brooding bird keeps up a distinct
and extremely monotonous sort of call, so that, in one or two days at least,
the birdwatcher is forced to take note of it.
The last nest I saw could not even be approached to a distance of ten feet
because of the antsj yet the nestlings fell a prey to a Tree Pie. So the
presence of the ants, in one instance at least, failed to protect the bird's
nest.
May I request readers who have come across nests of the Tickell's Flowerpec
-ker to refer to their notes and let me know — through the Newsletter —
whether they have clear- evidence of the presence or absence of red ant nests
near the Flowerpecker nests seen by them?
K.K. Neelakantan
MORE UNCOMMON BI^DS IN AND ABOUND DELHI ' '
Last year, I wrote about some uncommon bird visitors in my garden. Since
then I have seen some more uncommon birds in and around Delhi* All of
them are listed as 'very uncommon' in the Delhi Check-list, and two are new
records for Delhi.
In December 1962, I saw a solitary female Large Cuckoo-Shrike in a babool
tree near the dumping grounds in- North Delhi. I was attracted by its harsh
shrike-like call. A* close look was enough to identify the bird, as it looks
much like the Blackheaded Shrike which I had seen before. The Large Cuckoo-
t ^ Shrike, about 11 inches in length, is a darkish grey bird, with a dark line
through the eyes, dark wings edged with grey, and the underside is narrowly
barred grey and white in the female. Its hooked bill and general form remind
-ed me of a Tree Pie without the long tail.
On April 21, 1963, I saw two great Blackheaded Gulls on the Jumna in North
Delhi. Both were immature birds. Although I had seen these birds twice before
this was my first close view of these magnificent gulls. They were bigger than
a kite. The wings were soft grey-brown, with the primaries black, and some
black patches just behind the primaries. The underside of the wings was whit
-ish except for the black primaries. The tail was white with a broad, black
terminal band. The head was white except the crown which was mottled and
streaked with brown. The massive yellow bill had a blaik^.banded orange tip.
The legs were yellow with a greenish tinge. One was quartering the river
with slow, heavy wing beats, while the other was resting in shallow water in
comapny with 5 Brownheaded Gulls in full breeding plumage. These latter birds
WPTO rl uira m^Pa A fair -Unci •PrvrTncT* I o pnnrmnne an 7.p. . ,'■ "H++_~l« 1 n+n-n T eciiio thia hiy>^
The reference to Flowerpecker nests in the Novermber issue of the Newsletter
reminded me of a curious feature of the half-a-dozen Flowerpecker nests seen
by me in the course of two decades of bi rdwatching . All these nests belonged
to the Tickell's Flowerpecker ( Picaeum erythrorhynchos ).
Every one of these nests was very close to an occupied nest of the vicious
red tree-ant (which makes a conspicuous rough globe of leaves with some
material very like spider-web). Pour of the six nests were in mango trees
and the others in a citrus. As my diaries are not with me now* I am unable
to give precise details; but the fact of the proximity of the ants' nests
and those of the bird is indelibly recorded in my memory by the few attempts
I made to examine the nests and their contents in situ]
TTwo of the nests in mango trees were at a height of 20-25 feet. Two were
found, one at a time, in the same citrus tree which stood very near a kit-
chen. In every case the ants T nest was just a foot or so away from the bird's*
Why is it that one seldom comes across a Flowerpecker T s nest? Though the
nest is small and more or less camouflaged, the feverish activity of the
owners and their habit of advertising their presence always with the chit-
chit-chit notes make it easy to discover the nest. The bird which ■ brings
food to the nest calls for a time both before .and after delivering it. More
-over, if my memory serves rightly, the brooding bird keeps up a distinct
and extremely monotonous sort of call, so that, in one or two days at least,
the birdwatcher is forced to take note of it.
The last nest I saw could not even be approached to a distance of ten feet
because of the ants; yet the nestlings fell a prey to a Tree Pie. So the
presence of the ants, in one instance at least, failed to protect the bird's
nest.
May I request readers who have come across nests of the Tickell's Flowerpec
-ker to refer to their notes and let mo know — through the Newsletter —
whether they have clear evidence of the presence or absence of red ant nests
near the Flowerpecker nests seen by them?
E.K. Neelakantan
MOEE UNCOMMON BIIpS IN AND AROUND DELHI ' "
Last year, I wrote about some uncommon bird visitors in my garden. Since
then I have seen some more uncommon birds in and around Delhi. All of
them are listed as T very uncommon 1 in the Delhi Check -list, and two are new
records for Delhi.
In December 1962, I saw a solitary female Large Cuckoo-Shrike in a babool
tree near the dumping grounds in- North Delhi. I was attracted by its harsh
ehrike-like call.' A' close look was enough to identify the bird, as it looks
much like the Blackheaded Shrike which I had seen before. The Large Cuckoo-
4 . Shrike, about 11 inches in length, is a darkish grey bird, with a dark line
through the eyes, dark wings edged with grey, and the underside is narrowly
barred grey end white in the female. Its hooked bill and general form remind
-ed me of a Tree Pie without the long tail.
• On April 21, 1963, I saw two great Blackheaded Gulls on the Jumna in North
Delhi. Both were immature birds. Although I had seen these birds twice before
this was my first close view of these magnificent gulls. They were bigger than
a kite. The wings were soft grey- brown, with the primaries black, and some
black patches just behind the primaries. The underside of the wings was whit
-ish except for the black primaries. The tail wa3 white with a broad, black
terminal band. The head was white except the crown which was mottled and
streaked with brown. The massive' yellow bill had a blafk^-bandcd orange tip.
The legs were yellow with a greenish tinge. One was quartering the river
with slow, heavy wing beats, while the other was resting in shallow wa^er in
comapny with 5 Brownheaded Gulls in full breeding plumage. These latter birds
were dwarfed by the former's enormous size. A little later I saw this bird
pick up a fish about 5 in. x 1^ in. from the river and carry it to still
shallower water. It started picking the fish with its heavy hooked bill. By
this time 5-6 crows landed in the water nearby. Some of them started flying
over the gull's head but no attempt was made to steal the fish. Annoyed by the
crows, the gull, now and then stopped picking the fish, threw back its head,
opened its bill wide and snapped occasionally. The crows were not intimidated
and edged nearer; one seemed to stand right in front of the gull which flew
away leaving the fish in the water. The crows did not try to retrieve the fish,
but soon left the scene. When I looke^ back at the spot some twenty minutes
later, the gull was batk to its fish, this time without attention from the
crows.
From the riverside that day I went to Okhla and saw two Greyheaded Htyn&s feed-
ing near a drain. There were both Common and Bank %nas feeding nearby, which
afforded good comparison. The Greyheaded fityna is slightly smaller and slimmer
than the two former birds. It is sandy grey above, with large pointed feathers
on the head and neck. The underside is rufous and the dark tail has deep chest-
nut on much of the outer tail feathers. This myna has been seen only once before
on the ridge in Old Delhi in September. The two birds at Okhla count not have
been far from their breeding grounds in late April. Could anyone enlighten me
as to where these Greyheaded mynas breed nearest to Delhi?
On April 28, on my second visit to the Jumna in North Delhi 10 Curlew Sandpipers
were seen on a tiny mud island. Most of them wore- in. their chestnut breeding
plumage. These birds were recorded for the first tine in Delhi five years ago
at Najafgarh. The Curlew Sandpiper breeds in the extreme northern part of Asia
about 8#- ,E. longitude. In non-breeding plum go this bird can be easily con-
fused with the Dunlin, from which it can be distinguished by the white rump* I
saw one in eclipse plumage, which was caught in a mist net during the EKTHS/WHO
camp held at Bharatpur in September 1963.
On October 14, 1963 I saw a Kashmir Roller on an electric pole on the road to
ffa^afgarh. Ever since Dr. Salim Ali had shown me one at Bharatpur two years ago,
I felt that this bird perhaps occasionally passed through Delhi on its autumn
migration. In June, while in Kashmir I had watched this Roller carefully. This
bird, with its pale blue head and underside, could be easily distinguished from
the Indian Roller which happened to be sitting on a near-by post. In flight too
I saw the different wing and tail pattern black-tipped, blue wings and
brown-centred, blue tail without the dark band. This bird's occurrence is a new
record for Delhi.
On October 18, my daughter-in-law drew my attention in a male Orangeheaded
Ground Thrush which was sitting- on a low wall under a bush next to a small pool
in my garden. As I turned round it flew off to my neighbour's compound. We had
a very good look at it over the wall, but it soon left the area. This brilliant
-ly coloured Ground Thrush breeds in the foothills. When Mr. Horace Alexander
(who is here these days) saw the spot whej-e I had seen this bird, he remarked
that the only other Orangeheaded Ground Thrush which was seen in a flew Delhi
garden a decade ago also came to a tap to drink (my small shallow pool serves
as a drinking place for many birdds).
On November 7, 1963, while I was out birdwatching with Mr. Horace Alexander op-
posite Humayun's Tomb, he noticed a very, dark bird in company with three Little
Egrets in a very shallow pool. On closer inspection he identified it as the
Indian Reef Heron. It was dark ashy grey all over, with the wings slightly dark
-er. It was almost of the same size as the Little Egret, but with a slightly
broader bill. It had a white chin. It seemed to be much more active in looking
for food in the shallow water than the little Egrets. This was presumably a young
bird as it lacked the two crest feathers. Four days later, when I took three
students out for birdwatching to the same place the bird rose from the same pool
and flew in a westerly direction. As it flew overhead, it suddenly straightened
its bent neck to the full and then the white chin and neck showed up distinctly
against the dark neck. It resumed the bent position of the neck again. The Indian
Reef Heron is exclusively a bird of the western sea-coasts of India. How on
earth did it get so far inland? I should be most interested to know if it has
been reported from any other inland area in India.
Mrs. Us ha Ganguli
GLIDERS AND BIRDS
It is welljknown that in hot countries glider pilots often find themselves
in the company of soaring eagles and' vultures. In the opinion of a pilot
with whom I discussed this subjett recently, birds and pilots watch each
other while trying to locate upcurrents., This is* wh^t he said: 'Glider
pilots often locate upcurrents by observing birds circling in them, A large
number circling at one place is a sure sign of an upcurrent. When the glider
circles in the same current; the birds trail the glider,
'Birds also locate upcurrents by observing others circling, so much so, if
a glider circles at one place, even if there is no upcurrent, the birds
often follow in the wake. They leave the vicinity only when they realise
that they have been misled. 1
Joseph George
Central Building Research Institute,
Roorkee, U.P«
BIRDWATCHING DURING 1963 . ' fc,
As this year draws to a close I would like to make an assessment of what I
saw and learnt during 1963* Unfortunately, inspite of my resolution to keep
careful notes, a glance at my diary reveals that the records are very inade- _
quate. Also I have not followed them up by looking up references. The follow
through process is absolutely necessary if ones stock of knowledge lias" to
increase comensurate with the effort involved in watching. The following
notes are based on the factual records in my diary, and I have added to
them to the extent I thought necessary for making them intelligible.
On 29th December 1962 I was at Kihim. Some of you will remember my note on
the birds of Kihim in Newsletter for December 1961, pp. 3-5> and recall what
a variety of bird sights and sounds this place has to offer. Salim Ali and
Lavkumar were also present so that identification of any species was no
problem. Lavkumar pointed to a bird which I would not have noticed among
all the sandpipers and plovers on the beach, it was a Terek Sandpiper
(Tringa terek) , also called the Avocet Sandpiper because of its upturned
bill. The bird has orange-red legs and once your attention is drawn to this
fact you "oannot overlook it* A little later while walking along the beach
we saw a Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) in its blue phase sitting on a casua-
rina. It had grass-green legs* Almost at the same time we saw one bird on
the rocks which was the same species in its white phase* This bird had
grass-green feet. Late in the evening we heard the Erown Wood Owl. It has
a powerful hoot, and one of its calls is a far carrying choo oo oo ha ha a.
I questioned Dr» Salim Ali about the food of the bird. He said that since
it had feathers on its legs it probably did not catch fish, but lived only
on mice, frogs, and insects — apparently birds with feathered stockings
do not relish wetting them* This bird is common in Gujarat and the breeding
season is from February to March. The next morning we saw a female Rosefinch
in the stubble fields behind the beach. It had a horn coloured conical bill
and the body colour was olive-bfown above. There was hardly any trace of
red in the plumage, and the bird looked more or less like a female house
sparrow. In my diary I had remarked: 'Kihim has been uncomfortably cool
this time* The breeze gets into ones bones, and birds get up very late, 1
Salim Ali saw an Isabeline Shrike (Lanius collurio isabellinu s ), According i
to Ripley it is a winter visitor coming as far south" as Greater Bombay, so
it was quite in ordar for the bird to be in Kihim at th^s time, Salim Ali
remarked on the paucity of birds in Kihim at the time . His explanation was
that the late rains resulted in the grain lying on the ground sprouting
into green plants, and thus depriving the birds of their normal food in
the form of seeds. She situation in th£ village pond however was quite en-
5
: 5 :
couraging, and I liked to believe that this was due to a notice I had hammer
-ed on a post in the tank reading: BOMBAY WILD ANIMALS AND TiOIXD BIRDS PRO-
TECTION ACT 1951 - KILLING OF BIRDS PROHIBITED - PENALTY: Pine R£00/- Jail
Six Months. There were Dabchicks (Podiceps ruficollis ), Common Indian Moor
-hens (Porphyrio porphyrio) , Pheasant-tailed Jacanas ( Hy d ro pha s ianus chirup
-gus )i Bronzewinged Jacanas (Metopidius indicus) . Common Pochard (chocolate
head and neck), Cotton Teal (Nettapus cororoandelianus ) /the smallest of our
wild duck, white predominating in the plum age/ , Common Teal (Anas crecca)
(pencilled greyish), and whistling Teal (Dendrocygna javanica) .
On 21 January 1963? I recorded having seen the Rosy Pastors for the first
time this season on a bombax tree outside my garden at Andheri, Bombay. The
next day we saw quite a few of these birds on the Bombay-Poona road under a
banyan tree feeding on the ground with mynas. At the same place on a karvan-
d a- clad hill-side I saw a bird scuttling through the bushes, and I am prac-
tically certain that it was the Pied Crested Cuckoo ■ It had no business how
-ever to be at this place at this time of the year, when all its other com-
panions had left for their wintering grounds.
On 29th January 1963, I was at Ranchi* A trip to the Hundru Falls did not
produce anything exciting, and I did not have enough time to sit quietly
and watch the birds go past you. The environs of Ranchi contain delightful
stretches of forest but they are fast disappearing and being replaced by
T heavy engineering complexes ■ one of which was opened by, the Prime Minister
on the 16th of last month. The long line of sagwan trees are a refreshing
sight for a visitor from Bombay where the trees are not as stately and shape
-ly. I hope some of these forest tracts will be able to resist the advance
of industrialization. The only birds which made m impact on my mind at
Ranchi were the Pied Kfcrnas. They are easily the most voluble of the myna
tribe.
On 3rd February 1963, we were at Kharakvasla as the guests of Col, Baljit
Singh. Under his firm and imaginative supervision the NDA estate has become
a fine bird sanctuary, and I will refer to this a little later, •
On 17 February 1963 a young kite from the palmyra tree next to our garden
was being looked after carefully by both parents — I watched this nest for
many days. The picture which has remained fresh in my mind is the way the
young bird walked backwards in the nest until it was dangerously over the
edge before defacating to ensure that the nest was not fouled.
On 19 February 1963> I heard Magpie Robins singing at length, but the song
was not too pleasant.
On 3 March 1963, a young male Paradise Flycatcher and a Large Cuckoo-Shrike
were seen in our garden. This is the first time that I saw a Cuckoo-Shrike
in our garden. My attention was drawn to it by its loud call, a double note
— ti-teee . It is a bird with a playful temperament and was chased by dron-
gos quite frequently. There did not seem to be any point to this exercise
except to find out who could accelerate faster while weaving in and out of
the branches of the gulmohr tree.
23 March 1963: 3 pairs of Purplerumped Sunbirds on the Pelt of or urn tree cal
-ling excitingly fluttering their wings, with tails fanned out. They were
obviously courting. It was not possible to make out if the mates had already
been selected, and this communal courtship was only meant to stimulate them
more than an individual affair, or whether there was general competition for
the selection of mates,
28 April 1 963 - Drongos have started to build on the Shivan tree, Gmelina
arborea . For the last two years birds have built on practically the same spot
of the tree. The nest site is in a crotch completely exposed to the sky. At
the far end of the tree in the leafiest portion Redvented Bulbuls have start
-ed to build. Last year too they built in the same place and throughout the
: 6
season they got protection from the attack of crows by the drongos r "Whenever
a crow came within 10 feet of the bulbul f s nest, a drongo shot out from the
blue and chased the attacker away. last year the drongos as well as the bul-
buls bred successfully. This year for some reason the drongos abandoned the
nest, and the bulbuls also went elsewhere, for without the 'air umbrella'
provided by the drongos there was no chance of their being able to protect
their nest or the young,
15 May 1963: Great excitement as Dyal's nest with four chicks discovered
under Mangalore tile of roof (see Newsletter 3(6):7-8, June 1963).
22 May 1963: Two Pied Crested Cuckoos arrived in our garden, looking very
tired and listless, and hot calling at all.
11 June 1963: Whitebreasted Waterhens making a lot of nOise. Subsequently
they nested in our garden and were seen wandering around with their chicks.
First week July 1963: Went to Kharakvasla. Col. Baljit Singh had put up
hides for photography at various places of the N.D.A. estate. Several nests
were kept under close observation by his men. A Yellow-wattled Lapwing had
entered into the spirit of the game very well. As our jeep came near the
nest the bird quietly walked away and stood at a distance of 50 yards quite
unperturbed., knowing fully well from past experience that no harm could come
to the nest. As we got into the jeep the bird started to walk back and while
we were only a hundred yards away it had returned to the nest,
19 September 1963: Left for Jasdan, and stayed at Hingoigadh with Y.S. Shiv
-rajkumar. Saw many delightful birds. Participated in the ringing of the
BNHS/WHO scheme. Was quite thrilling to recapture birds ringed a year or
two ago* Among the recaptures was one Sylvia hortensis ringed in the same _ '.;
place in 1960, and two S. hortensis and Upupa epops ringed in 1962. A Phyl-
loscopus occipitalis netted and ringed this time is a new record for Saurash
-tra. Had the great good fo'rtune to see three Great Indian Bustards about
12 miles from Hingoigadh,
23 September 1963: Returned from Jasdan to find that the flock 'of Common
Green Bee-eaters (Merops orientalis ) which had left the neighbourhood in May,
as they do every year, were back in station.
8 October 1963: A young male Paradise Flycatcher (Tchitrea paradisea) seen
in our garden*
In middle October I went to Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur. It was cheering
to see the notice in the Hazaribagh National Park reading: A BIRD IN THE
BUSH IS WORTH TWO IN THE HAND,
Zafar Futehally
REVIEWS
1. PRELIMINARY FIELD GUI IE TO THE BIRDS OF 5?HE INDIAN OCEAN. By George E.
Watson, Richard 1, Zusi, and Robert W, Storer, Washington 1963. Smithson-
ian Institution.
This field 'guide has been prepared to stimulate interest in the birds
of the northern half of the Indian Ocean and to facilitate gathering fur-
ther data during the International Indian Ocean Expedition.
The birds which have so far been recorded in this region are listed,
and brief notes which emphasize the lack of information on these birds
are given. The 'fragmentary' data available on the birds of Laccadives
are included, but coastal India, Burma, and Malaya, Ceylon, Sumatra and
the Andaman and Nicobar islands are omitted. The Common Myna of India
"»-*.
appears as an introduced species in most of the tropical islands of the re-
gion. It would be interesting to know what the residents of these islands
think of this birdr
Amsterdam Island, a volcanic rock 22 square miles in area, 3000 miles south
of Ceylon and over 1000 miles from the nearest island to the: north, has
anong its bird population, non-breeding migrants such as the Greenshank and
the Common Sandpiper. These birds must have extraordinary powers of naviga-
tion to fly to this island which is but a speck in the vast ocean.
A very useful section of the book is devoted to the collection and prepara-
tion of specimens , Black and whits drawings of the birds in different stages
of plumage, drawing attention to easily recognizable features, should help in
identifying them in the field or at sea,
(j.G.)
* * * *
2. NATURAL HISTORY DRAWINGS IN THE INDIA OFFICE LIBRARY. Ry Mildred Archer,
pp. ix+116 (25 x 19 cm,). With 26 plates. London 1962. Her Majesty's Station
-ery Office, Price 27s 6_d net.
If you were a dinner guest of a British gentleman residing in India in the
18th or 19th Century you would of course be spared the customary show of
your host's animal slides; you could easily find yourself committed to look-
ing through an album of animal and plant paintings executed by your host's
private artist, (An artist cost about 100 rupees a year — much less than
most people spend on photography.) Indeed in those unsettled times, when
miniature painters could no longer rely on the patronage of local courts, many
artists were glad to work for eccentric Englishmen who insisted on accurate
biological details in their paintings But refused to allow them to illumin-
ate them with a rich border ist worked in gold leaf,
'Indian artists were quite prepared to make adjustments and adapt' their style
and methods.... They looked carefully at the English illustrated books which
were shown to them as models and did their utmost to imitate their general
character , At the same time it was difficult for Indian artists entire-
ly to change old habits, unless they were very carefully supervised some
did not always pay close at-ention to detail and might alter form to suit '
their feeling for design Considering the great difference in the ha-
bits of the artist who was trained to produce sobe thing decorative, and the
aim of the master who demanded a scientifically accurate reproduction, the
degree of success achieved was quite remarkable. All the 26 plates in this
book show a remarkable synthesis between beauty and accuracy. The Indian
artist could be a very good camera.
This was the period when the passion for natural history was at its height
in England, and the wonders which excited the Englishman in Asia were not the
wonders of people, customs, and clothes, but of strange plants and animals."
It was at this time that the great gardens of England were stocked with exo-
tic plants — azaleas, peonies, wistarias, rhododendrons. And the native
artist was indispensable in recording and documenting all the newly discover
-ed species,
Cf the drawings and paintings which were commissioned in this way, many have
found their way into the India Office Library*
(L.F.)
: 8 :
MOTES AND COMMEETS
Toxic Chemicals and bird life
This unhappy subject is always on the agenda of international meeting
of the International Council for Bird Preservation. Despite the efforts of
international bodies the use of toxic chemicals has increase every year
since 1954? when the first warnings against its use were issued. A resolu-
tion adopted by the British Section of ICBP at their meeting in 1963 urged
the Government to require that the products which are poisonous to man or
wild life be plainly labelled 'POISON'. There is increasing evidence of
fatal effects of jsuch-lethal doses of toxic chemicals on predatory birds,
especially on fish eating birds.
* * * *
International Wildfowl Research Bureau
The Executive Board of the P.7RB met in June 1963. A resolution drew
attention to the danger to wildfowl from prolonged winters of the type which
occurred in 1962/63. It noted that in those countries where hunting was
closed wildfowl benefitted greatly and others were requested to follow suit.
The Conference also recommended that the SHELDUCK be protected in all coun-
tries for a period of five years.
CORRESPONDENCE
Reproducing of papers already published
May I suggest that you print (or reprint, of course) the articles that
were once published by Hugh Whistler, T The Study of Indian Birdy" (j. Bombay
not. Hist. Soc. 23, etc.)? To many members of the Field Club these articles
may be unfamiliar, interesting., and extremely useful.
Dr Salim All's request for information on our birds has caught me on
the wrong foot. On my transfer to Ernakulam I was forced to send 38 volumes
of my bird-journal to my permanent home. The same circumstance may prevent
me in future from helping you with matter for the Newsletter — unless, of
course, I see something interesting here,
I have on hand something like Mrs, Jamal Ara's observations on a male
Baya -- a series of timed observations of nesting G-oldenback Woodpeckers.
But that sort of thing does not normal^ attract the reader.
Why not try to get a series of articles on the existing bird sanctuaries
in India? The Wild Life Board should be able to provide the material* If
you cm get me the matter, I dont mind trying to put it into some sort of ,
shape.
IC.K. Neelakantan.
A letter from Ceylon
Since I took over the secretaryship ox the Ceylon Bird Club for a few
months I have just begun to see your publication. May I congratulate you
on it; it is easily the best magazine of its kind I have come across.
May I make one or two comments on the last two numbers.
1 • Purplerumped Sunbirds: In Ceylon this bird breeds mainly in the
first half of the year, but a few nests have been found right through
the year. I give figures of the number of records of nests that I have
— they are culled fromthe notes of \v\W.A. Phillips and the Ceylon Bird
*.* q
<V
*\
Club as well as may own ohoervati ons t Jan. 5; Feb. 15; Mar. 27 J Apr. 28;
May 24; June 11; July 8 J Aug. 3; Sept. 2; Oct. 4; Nov, 1; Dec. 3. The mon-
soon begins here in May and from June until mid or late September high
south-west winds prevail over the north-east, dry, part of the country,
while the south-west is also wet. The pair of birds in my garden on the
south-east coast built in June last year, and August this year; in both
cases the nest was destroyed, this year before the eggs were laid, and in
both cases the destruction was probably accomplished by wind and rain.
2, Pittas and Crows; For some years my father lived between the main
road and the sea coast — a distance of some 200 yards — in Colombo, The
main birds were Crows, Sparrows, Magpie Robins, and a pair of Tailor Birds.
But each year during November a Pitta would appear on one or two mornings.
Often it was harried by a company of crows and appeared exhausted. Once I
picked up a dead bird, but though it had been killed by crows it showed no
signs of having been eaten.
3* trios sy Ibises used to be present in moderate numbers in Ceylon, -
but the first record of one this century was at Kalametiya on the south-
east coast in November 1952 where two were seen by Mr. C, E. Norris, I saw
one in the same place on September 11th and again on September 16th this
year* In both cases it was in the company of a large concourse of wading
birds of all sizes from stints to Painted Storks and including upwards of
100 White Ibises. *<Shen the water in the lagoon rose most of the larger
wading birds disappeared and the Glossy Ibis has not been seen again.
Rev, G.C. Jackson
The Mission House, Tangalla, Ceylon
November 14, 1963
* * * *
Pittas and Grows
November issue of the Newsletter is very interesting. The note about
Pittas interested me most.
In my experience 1 have collected dead pittas in Dadar, Bombay, three
times in 1954 and 1956, In August 1954 and July 1955 dead Pittas were col-
lected at the Veterinary College and Haffkine Institute at Parel Bombay
by the respective staff.
From Shri K.K. Neelakantan's note I now feel that these Pittas also
must be victims of crows.
P.W. Soman
Borate^ Natural History Society
* * * *
The 1st Annual General Meeting of the Birdwatchers' Field Club
to Eg held on Saturday, U December 1963 at the rooms of the
Bombay Natural History Society at 91 Walkeshwar Read, Bombay 6
m some suggestions received from readers.
As an item for the future activity of the Birdwatchers 1 Field Club of
India, I submit the following suggestion for consideration at the forth-
coming Annual General Meeting;
The Club should take suitable steps to install at least one
nestbox (artificial nesting site) on each school campus in
India
This should help in making school children aware of birds. The artificial
nesting site will be a spot they can often look to. It can be a regular
nestbox or an empty tin (in a shady place) or even an earthen pot. ( T here
is an element of risk in using the last.)
: 10 :
I wish the" meeting and the Club all success..
Joseph George
Central Building Research Inst.,
Eoorkee, U.P.
I am a member of the Club (Membership No. 237), and am regularly getting
your Ne wsletter from January 1963- I have also received the Constitution
(Draft) of the Club in your October issue and intimation of the meeting
in the November issue. I want to put some of the suggestions listen below
for the consideration of the General body which please put on tne Agenda
items and oblige.
Item - 1. Aether it is possible for the Club to conduct the Bird Study
Campc for a week or for a fo rtni^it for the members of the Club-, If so,
the General body may consider to participate in this type of activity.
Item - 2. The Club will allow its members as a special case and may nomin
-ate to permit on behalf of the Club, to take part in the Bird Ringing
Camps, l*e. Hingolgadh and Bombay*
Item .. 3. The Club should issue a member badge or certificate to its mem-
bers with or without fees.
Kindly do the needful ard let me know accordingly as it is not possible
for me to attend the meeting
Harshavadan G. Gor,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat State
*
* * *
vt<
I have the following points to make regarding the Newsletter and the Club:
Club: Regarding the draft constitution, it seems to me to be asking too
^ch~of the Secretary to undertake the duties of Secretary, Editor of the
Newsletter, and Treasurer. I am quite sure that as the activities of the
Club grow t his will prove far too much for one person. Each of these three
responsibilities are distinct and separate and should be undertaken by
three different individuals.
Newsletter
1. The Newsl etter should be stapled on the centre line, i.e. in the
fold instead of through the side as at present. This should improve page
trimming and neatness.
2. The Club should now select a bird as its symbol, the name of which
shou&d be the name of the Newsletter . We should get an artist to produce
a nice attractive drawing cf the bird which should then always appear
on our stationery, the cover of the Newsletter, etc. Examples, are The
Ibis, The Auk, Favo, etc. The Hornbill adopted by our own Bombay Natural
History Society, the Gannet by the British Trust for Ornithology, the
Grouse by British Birds magazines etc. In this connection may I suggest
the Sarus as a large, elegant bird which is so well known and is omr-
acertistically Indian. Moreover, the name is short and snappy, yet uncom
-mon, and the bird itself gives the artist plenty of **^™*™™J^
a really handsome emblem. The title of the Newsletter, could then betSARUS
- Newsletter of the Birdwatchers T Field Club of xndia.
3. Some simple rules for the guidance of contributors should be issued
such as those printed inside the cov.r of the BNHS Journal. This will
■ lighten the task of the Editor. I certainly think we should insist that
contributors give the scientific na*e of the bird of which they are writ
!ing in -brackets after the first time that its English name is mentioned.
K
! 11 J
We should use the nomenclature of Ripley's SYNOPSIS* "
4» I think we should work towards raisingthestatus of the Newsletter
to that of a journal.
In conclusion, may I take the opportunity of expressing the hope
that you will have a very successful first A.G.M. of the Club. How I wish
I could be there. However, you have my sincerest good wishes for the Club's
prosperity,
S«K. Reeves
Epson, Surrey, England.
Zaf ar PutehaL ly
Editor, Newsletter for Birdwat fliers
32-A Juhu Lane, Andheri, Bombay 5t!
4
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