Birds of India

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Birds of India

• ENVIS-Center
• Bombay Natural History Society

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What are Birds?

• Warm blooded animals body covered with feather
  which can fly, swim and walk lay eggs shows
  parental care
• They evolved from dinosaurs millions of years ago
• The first bird is called as Archaeopteryx

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Some facts about the birds

• Birds are found all over the world - Antarctic
  and Arctic to Deserts of Sahara and Kalhari,
  Tropical South America and Africa to Himalayan
  forest and Pelagic islands
• They can tolerate extreme cold and extreme heat
• They migrate long distances Arctic Tern trips
  from North Pole to South Pole twice a year
• Some migrate non-stop over the oceans
  Bar-tailed Godwit
• Some flies at very high altitude Bar-headed
  Geese were observed at an altitude of 20,000 feet
  above sea level

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Diversity of the Birds

• There are about 10,000 species of birds found all
  over the world
• Of them 1400 species found in South Asia
• 1200 found in India
• 565 found in Maharashtra
• 350 found in and around Mumbai
• According to our study there were 140 bird
  species in New Mumbai

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Indian Pond-heron Ardeola grayii

• Very common bird found near water bodies
• Mainly feeds on fish, frogs and aquatic insects
• During breeding season get very attractive golden
  plumage

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Indian Shikra Accipiter badius

• One of the common birds of prey found in
  countryside and in forests
• Feeds on small birds, lizards and frogs
• Specialised hunter and hunt the birds in midair.

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Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela

• One of the huge birds of prey. Found mainly in
  well wooded streams in forests
• Specialised in killing reptiles such as snakes
  and larger reptiles
• Build huge nests on big trees

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White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus

• Commonly found near water in marshes and swamps.
• Known for its chorus call during breeding season
• Its long legs and fingers enable it to walk on
  floating vegetaion

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Barn Owl Tyto alba

• Wide spread through out the world. Except
  Antarctica and remote pelagic islands
• Specialised rodent hunter. 90 food contains
  mice.
• Very common bird in Mumbai

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Greater Coucal Centrops sinensis

• Very strong and effective hunter feeds on various
  types of animals such as rats, lizards, frogs,
  insects and small birds
• Member of cuckoo family but makes its own nest
  and takes care of the eggs and offsprings
• Considered as good omen if seen during morning

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Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala

• Common bird found in gardens and well wooded
  areas
• Famous for its typical call from which it gots
  its name
• Feeds especially on fig fruits

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White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

• Found near water bodies, streams, fields and
  water logged areas
• Feeds on variety of animals such as fish, frogs,
  large insects, lizards, small snakes etc.
• Known for its magnificent colours and patience
  for catching the prey

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Little Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis

• As the name suggests it eats honey bees, wasps
  dragonflies and other insects.
• Most of the hunting is carried out on wings
• They live in small flocks and hunt together or
  solitarily
• Very interesting roosting behaviour they sit
  in closely tight flocks in green leafy trees.
• Communal breeding sites

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Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis

• Nests on Palmera Palms
• Highly dependent on palm and could have
  co-evolved with it
• Feeds in air itself live in large colonies
• Nests on palm in colonies

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Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach

• Local migrant to our region during winters
• Small bird of prey feeds on insects, frogs,
  lizards and small birds
• Peculiar habit of hanging the food remains on
  thorny bushes therefore also called as Butcher
  Bird

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Jungle Babbler Turdoides striatus (somervillei)

• Live in groups of 7-9 birds. They are mainly
  members of same clan
• Hunt in groups feeds on insects and berries
• Communal nesting behaviour 2-3 females lay eggs
  in single nest

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Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer

• Commonly found in well wooded and moist areas.
• Feeds on fruits, berries and occasionally on
  insects
• Famous for

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Purple-rumped Sunbird Nectarinia zeylonica

• One of the beautiful birds of India, found every
  where
• Can be seen easily over the flowers sucking
  nectar
• Works as pollinator for many flowering plants

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Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile

• One of the smallest birds of India
• Very active and agile bird
• Very important factor in forest ecosystem works
  as pollinator for many flowering plants

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Oriental Magpie-robin Copsycus saularis

• One of the songster birds of India
• Prefers wooded areas
• Feeds exclusively on insects
• Male sings melodious songs during breeding season

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Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus

• Commonly found in forested areas.
• Famous for mimicking calls of other birds
• Some times steals food from other birds by
  mimicking predators call

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Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda

• Commonly found in forests and well wooded areas.
• Hunt in pairs of parties
• Predator of chicks and eggs of small birds

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Threatened Birds of India
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Why birds are threatened

• Habitat Destruction
• Expansion of Agriculture
• Rapid Industrialization
• Poaching and Trade
• Global Warming and Climate Change

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Categories of threatened birds

• Extinct not seen at least for 50 years
• Critically Endangered likely to be extinct
• Endangered high risk of extinction
• Vulnerable risk of extinction
• Near threatened close to vulnerable
• Least Concern not qualify any of the above
• Data deficient no information available

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Threatened Birds Scenario
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Critically Endangered

• In Central India we have 9 species of the birds
  which come under this category

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White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis

• This species is widely distributed in India
• Till late 1990 it was in abundant but declined
  rapidly
• Cause veterinary use of diclofenac for
  livestock

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Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus

• This species is also widely distributed in India
• Like White-backed Vultures their population
  declined rapidly after 1990
• Cause veterinary use of diclofenac for cattle

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Jerdon's Courser Rhinptilus bitorquatus

• This is endemic bird found in south-eastern
  Andhra Pradesh. Earlier known from few places in
  Central India from Godavari River basin.
• Habitat specialist bird found only in scrub
  forest
• Threats habitat destruction because of human
  activities

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Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti

• This bird is endemic to Satpuda Mountains known
  from only from six places in Central India.
  Because of the Forest Owlet, the Central Indian
  Forests come under Endemic Bird Area
• Only found in dry deciduous forests
• Threats habitat destruction for fuel wood,
  illicit wood cutting, overgrazing and direct
  persecution by tribal

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Endangered

• We have 12 bird species which come under this
  category

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Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps

• Historically spread all over Indian subcontinent.
  Now restricted to only a few places in Rajasthan,
  Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya
  Pradesh
• Habitat specialist birds representative of
  Grassland
• Threats expansion of agriculture, habitat
  fragmentation, overgrazing, pesticides and
  hunting

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Vulnerable

• We have 59 species which come under this category

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Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis

• The species found all over India in large
  wetlands
• The population is declining very fast
• Threats destruction of nesting habitat,
  drainage and pollution of wetlands and dearth of
  food

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Sarus Crane Grus antigone

• Historically widespread all over south Asia and
  Australia. Now declining all over its range
• Threats - primarily threatened by a combination
  of habitat loss and modification (owing primarily
  to agricultural expansion), pollution and
  persecution

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Near Threatened

• We have 58 species which fall under this category

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Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala

• Widespread and locally common resident in South
  east Asia
• It frequents freshwater marshes, lakes and
  reservoirs, flooded fields, paddy fields,
  freshwater swamp forests, riverbanks, intertidal
  mudflats and saltpans
• Threats - habitat loss, disturbance, pollution
  and hunting of adults and collection of eggs and
  nestlings from colonies is cause for concern

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Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor

• Found only in Asia and African Continent
• Every year 10 population decline is observed in
  Africa. It breeds in Little Run of Katch in
  Gujarat
• After breeding, disperse over Indian Subcontinent
• Threats water pollution, disturbance to nesting
  sites and habitat destruction

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Thank You!

• www.bnhsenvis.nic.in envis_at_bnhs.org