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Showing 6 results for Birds
Atlas of Birds of Iran. Mohammad Kaboli, Mansour Aliabadian, Mohammad Tohidifar, Alireza Hashemi, Seyed Babak Musavi and Cees C. Roselaar. Iran Department of the Environment, Tehran. 617 pp.
Abolghasem Khaleghizadeh,
Volume 2, Issue 1 (3-2020)
Abstract
General
The text of the book is written bilingually in Persian and English and is printed on thick glossy paper, sized at 25x34 cm. The book is heavy, weighing about 1.5 kg and cannot be held in one hand for long. In the table of contents, each family is indicated with a logo of one species of that family (similar to Mansoori’s Field Guide, 2001). The text starts with 28 pages of introductory general information about birds including a summary of ornithological studies in Iran, Iranian bird checklists, how to use the book, avian morphology and anatomy, avian breeding and migration, how to identify birds, and the major habitats of Iran and conservation categories. This book project was funded by the Iran Department of the Environment. The front cover is illustrated with a picture of a Sind Woodpecker and the back cover with a Hume’s Wheatear.

Terrestrial vertebrates in modified landscapes in northeastern Mindanao, Philippines
Ma. Niña Regina M. Quibod, Kit Neil L. Alcantara, Nicole A. Bechayda, Christian Jay C. Estropia, Jonathan B. Guntinas, Mohammad Asar H. Asar Obin, Ryan M. Raymundo, Emmanuel P. Soniega,
Volume 3, Issue 3 (9-2021)
Abstract
Dinagat Islands hold most of the mineral deposits in the Philippines and have been among the largest mining contributors in the country since 1939. Aside from a massive mining industry, logging is also intensive in this group of islands potentially imperiling its remaining biodiversity. This study primarily aims to determine the species composition of terrestrial vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) in two study areas categorized as modified habitats (mining area and logging area) in the Dinagat Islands. These wildlife species are important bio-indicators as they show sensitivity of the species to anthropogenic disturbances. Suitable field survey methods were conducted for the taxa established and a quantitative analysis was performed to determine the diversity and similarity of the species between the study areas. A total of 65 species were identified in the two study areas: 33 species were exclusively identified in the mining area, 49 species were exclusively identified in the logging area, and 17 species were found in both study areas. It should be noted that among the 65 species, 41 species are either endemic to Mindanao and/or the Philippines, and two species were endemic to Dinagat Islands. This study also recorded the newly described coral snake endemic to the island, Calliophis salitan Brown, Smart, Leviton and Smith. This study indicates that although Dinagat Islands is modified by anthropogenic activities, the terrestrial vertebrate species are thriving. Intensive survey in other modified habitats in Dinagat Islands is the next-step forward to take into account existing wildlife to improve conservation decisions, planning and management on the islands.

Study of winter avifauna diversity from a man-made reservoir in the West Bengal, India
Debayan Gayen, Biswajit Mukherjee, Sanchari Sarkar, Bappa Goswami, Sagar Adhurya, Moitreyee Chakrabarty,
Volume 4, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
The present study was conducted to determine the winter avifauna diversity of the Bakreswar Reservoir, Birbhum district, West Bengal from November 2017 to February 2021 using point count and opportunistic spotting. A total of 174 species of birds belonging to 18 orders, 47 families and 115 genera were noted during the study of which the family Anatidae was the most dominant family with 21 species, followed by the Accipitridae with 19 species, and the Motacillidae and Ardeidae with 10 species each. The Lesser whistling teal Dendrocygna javanica, Red-crested pochard Netta rufina and Bar-headed goose Anser indicus were the most abundant species during the winter months. Four Vulnerable species and five Near Threatened species were also recorded in the study area. Various diversity indices indicated that the species assemblage in 2019–2020 was more diverse than other years. Some species, such as the Common shelduck Tadorna tadorna (Linnaeus, 1758), Swinhoe’s minivet Pericrocotus cantonensis Swinhoe, 1861, Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus (Linnaeus, 1758), Pallas’ gull Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus (Pallas, 1773), Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766), Hen harrier Circus cyaneus (Linnaeus, 1766) and Bonelii’s eagle Aquilla fasciata Vieillot, 1822, are recorded for the first time from this region. Various threats like habitat destruction, habitat degradation and hunting of migratory and threatened birds pose the major problems in the study location.

Diversity and population trends of waterbirds at Lake-2, the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal State, India
Sagar Adhurya, Debayan Gayen, Suvendu Das, Santanu Ray,
Volume 4, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
The focus of the present study was (i) to develop a complete checklist, (ii) to find the seasonal variation of waterbird diversity, and (iii) to assess the population trends of different waterbirds at Lake-2 of the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary (BWLS), Birbhum District, West Bengal, India. The study was carried out from January 2018 to November 2019. All waterbirds spanning in the freshwater lake were counted with field binoculars and digital cameras. The bird count data were used to calculate different biodiversity indices (such as Shannon-Weiner diversity index, Simpson’s Diversity Index etc.). Further, we assessed the population trends of different waterbirds with the data available from eBird. A total of 32 waterbird species belonging to 27 genera, 9 families and 8 orders were recorded during the present study. Dendrocygna javanica (Horsfield) was found to be the most dominant species throughout the year. Maximum richness and abundance were recorded during the winter months (December to February), whereas the highest species diversity was recorded during the monsoon months (March to June). The present study further establishes that both the richness and abundance of the waterbirds at BWLS have increased as compared to the past data. However, various species of wading waterbirds that were recorded previously were not observed during the present study. Moreover, the population trend analysis revealed a strong decline in the population of Mareca strepera (Linnaeus) and a moderate increase in the population of Ardeola grayii (Sykes). Thus, the present study concludes that BWLS supports high waterbird diversity irrespective of its small area.

Photographic evidence for Emberiza melanocephala Scopoli, 1769, Trochalopteron squamatum (Gould, 1835) and Lonchura malacca (Linnaeus, 1766) (Aves: Passeriformes) in the Pokhara Valley of Kaski district, Nepal
Milan Baral, Anisha Neupane,
Volume 4, Issue 2 (6-2022)
Abstract
The Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala Scopoli is a scarce winter visitor and passage migrant bird in Nepal being recorded mainly in the eastern part of the country. Similarly, the Blue-winged Laughingthrush Trochalopteron squamatum (Gould) is an uncommon resident of Nepal with rare observations reported from central-west to eastern Nepal. Also, the Tricolored Munia Lonchura malacca (Linnaeus) is considered as a local resident in Nepal especially in the Chitwan National Park, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Kathmandu Valley. None of these species have been photographed in the Pokhara Valley previously. This study presents the first photographic record of E. melanocephala and T. squamatum, and the first ever record of L. malacca from the Pokhara Valley, Nepal. Emberiza melanocephala was observed during the winter season in bushes of Ipomoea carnea while T. squamatum and L. malacca were recorded during the autumn and monsoon season in evergreen Schima-Castanopsis forest, and clumps of the reed Phragmites karka respectively.
 

Diet of the Merlin Falco columbarius Linnaeus on winter foraging grounds in Western India
Devvratsinh Mori, Raju Vyas, Gourav Dadhich,
Volume 6, Issue 2 (6-2024)
Abstract
The Merlin Falco columbarius, is a small falcon widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America. Merlin falcons are winter visitors to north India. They occur from an arid area in Gujarat to far northeast Arunachal Pradesh. Here, we present details of the Merlin's diet on winter foraging grounds in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Western India, based on a combination of direct observations from 2009 to 2023 and secondary data extracted from various social media platforms. A total of 99 hunting events of Merlin with their prey bird were collected from the study areas, including 39 generated from direct observation of falcon hunting and 60 images of falcons with prey items acquired from various electronic media. The higher number (72) of falcon hunting events were noted from Gujarat, while a lower number (28) of observations were noted from Rajasthan. Of the total of 99 hunting events, 83 were carried out by males, 11 by females, and 5 juvenile falcons observed hunting. The hunting times of the falcons were noted in the morning (67%), in the evening (28%), and the least (5%) were recorded in midday periods. Merlins hunted and consumed 17 different types of smaller birds belonging to seven families; the highest number (45.45%) of prey items were the Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla, from Family Alaudidae and the second highest prey species (7%) was the Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, family Hirundinidae. Most of the prey birds were larks of different species (70.70%), with the remaining prey birds in very low numbers. However, the present study supports an earlier study stating that a higher portion of smaller migratory birds are in the diets of Merlin falcons.

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