Oriental Bird Club
Bulletin 25 • June 1997
The
Oriental Bird Club aims to:
■ encourage an interest in the birds of the Oriental region and their conservation.
■ liaise with and promote the work of existing regional societies.
■ collate and publish material on Oriental birds.
Two bulletins and a journal, Forktail, are published annually
Corporate Sponsors of OBC
The partnership that works for bird conservation in Asia.
Birdquest Birdwatch Canon UK Club 300
Cygnus Wildlife Holidays Focalpoint Kingfisher Tours Leica Camera
Malaysian Tourism Prom. Board Murphy's Wildlife Natural History Book Service Naturetrek Nikon UK Ornitholidays Rohm Electronics (UK) Ltd Sunbird
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours Wildsounds
WildWings
The Oriental Bird Club is a Registered Charity No: 297242
OBC Council
Brian Sykes (Secretary, Representatives Coordinator and acting Sales Officer), David Blakesley (Assistant Forktail Editor), Richard Bosanquet (Membership Database), Seb Buckton (Information Officer), Mike Crosby, Richard Eden (Promotions Officer), Nona Finch, Melanie Heath (Conservation Officer), Tim Inskipp ( Forktail Editor), Pete Morris (Meetings Officer), Adrian Pitches (Publicity Officer), Cohn Poole (Chairman), Nick Pope, Nigel Redman, Steve Rowland (Membership Development), Graeme Spinks (Treasurer), Simon Stirrup, Richard Thomas (Bulletin Editor).
OBC Representatives
Alan McBride and Richard Noske (Australia), Anisuzzaman Khan (Bangladesh), Filip Verbelen (Belgium), Tony Gaston (Canada), Yao-Kuang Tan (China), Jiri Mhkovsky (Czech Republic), Morten Strange and Anders Prieme (Denmark), Hannu Jannes (Finland), Jean-Claude Porchier (France), Axel Braunlich (Germany), Geoff Carey and C. Y. Lam (Hong Kong), Asad Rahmani and Bikram Grewal (India), Rudyanto and Bas van Balen (Indonesia), Chris Murphy (Ireland), Carlo Violani (Italy), Akira Hibi (Japan), Jin- Young Park (Korea), Mike Chong and Allen Jeyarajasingam (Malaysia), Bird Conservation Nepal, Secretary Harris Raj (Nepal), Jelle Scharringa (Netherlands), Oystein Storkersen (Norway), Ashiq Ahmad Khan and Aleem Ahmad Khan (Pakistan), Bias R. Tabaranza, Jr. (Philippines), Lim Kim Seng (Singapore), Sareth Kotagama and Upali Ekanayake (Sri Lanka), Per Alstrom (Sweden), Beat Wartmann (Switzerland), Philip Round and Uthai Treesucon (Thailand), Robert Kennedy (USA), Jonathan Eames and Nguyen Cu (Vietnam).
OBC Editorial Committee
David Blakesley (Assistant Forktail Editor), Mike Crosby, Guy Dutson, Rob Innes, Tim Inskipp ( Forktail Editor), Adrian Long, Cohn Poole, Michael Rank, Nigel Redman, Craig Robson, Helen Taylor, Richard Thomas (Bulletin Editor).
Membership of OBC
Membership of the Club is open to all and for 1997 costs £15 per annum (£10 reduced rate for nationals living in Oriental countries who cannot afford the full rate), £20 Family, £25 Supporting Member (funding one Oriental member in addition to ordinary membership), £25 Libraries and academic institutions, and £45 Business Supporters. Special arrangements for payment exist in USA, Thailand and India. To join or for further details please contact the Membership Secretary, OBC, c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, UK.
OBC Web Site
http://www.netlink.co.uk/users/aw/ obchome.html
Cover illustration:
Chestnut-throated Partridge Tetraophasis obscurus by Dan Cole.
Read more about recent Chinese reports on this species in Around the Orie page 14.
OBC BULLETIN NUMBER 25
1
Contents
2 Club News
6 Conservation Fund
Compiled by Melanie Heath and Carol Inskipp
14 Around the Orient
Compiled by Colin Poole
19 Conservation on the Sangihe and Talaud Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesian
Jon Riley
27 The status of the birds of Dibru- Saikhowa Sanctuary, Assam, India
Anwaruddin Choudhury
25 Birdwatching Areas District Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan
Juba Kylanpaa
32 Field identification of Asian Gyps vultures
Per Alstrom
30 Free Press
Compiled by Guy Dutson
31 ClubWatch Round-Up
50 The Moluccan Scrubfowl Eulipoa wallacei
Dr C. J. Heij and Dr Christny F. E. Rompas
52 Stray Feathers 58 To the Editor
■ Black-necked Cranes acting as foster parents
Otto Pfister
■ Spectacular movements of hornbilis, possibly Plain-pouched Hornbills Aceros subruficollis, in Peninsular Malaysia
Ho Hua Chew and Sutari Supari
61 From the Field
Compiled by Craig Robson
56 Photospot: Whiskered Pitta Pitta kochi
Pete Morris
70 Recently Published
■ Wild Thailand
■ Where to watch birds in Asia
■ The Book of Indian Birds
■ Munias and Mannikins
■ Where to Watch Birds and other Wildlife in Hong Kong and Guangdong
■ The Avifauna of Yunnan China, vol. 1, non-passeriformes
■ Peafowl, their conservation, breeding and management
■ The Avifauna of Wuliangsuhai, Inner Mongolia
■ Towards an ornithology of the Himalayas: systematics, ecology and vocalizations of Nepal birds
■ CD-ROM: Voices of the Borneo Rainforest
2
Club News
Diary Dates
15-17th August 1997,
British Birdwatching Fair, Rutland, UK
The Club will again be present at the Fair, with this year an expanded stall including OBC displays, raffles and merchandise. Please come and visit us.
Sunday 24th August 1997,
Blakeney Village Hall, Norfolk, UK
At this year's annual UK summer Bank holiday meeting, speakers will include Ray Tipper, well known for his excellent slides of waterbirds from Mai Po.
10-17th October 1997,
Regional Meeting in conjunction with Malaysian Nature Society - Bird Group, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Please note these dates have been slightly rearranged, since being announced in the last OBC Bulletin.
Entitled 'Birding in South-East Asia', the meeting will be opened on the evening of Friday 10th October and will be followed on the Saturday by a full day of talks, from a range of local, regional and international speakers. On the morning of Sunday 12th October a post-meeting tour will leave for Fraser's Hill and Taman Negara, lead by OBC co-rep and professional tour guide Mike Chong. Participants will return to Kuala Lumpur on Friday 17th October with the option of travelling to Singapore to join the Singapore Bird Race organised by the Nature Society Singapore Bird Group on 18-19th October.
Entrance to all parts of the meeting in Kuala Lumpur, including dinner on the Friday and Saturday nights, will be Malaysian RM 100, not including accommodation. Local hotels for the meeting and all arrangements for the excursion can be arranged through Meranti Nature Tours Sdn. Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur. The cost of the post¬ meeting tour will be Malaysian RM 1740, based on two people sharing, or RM 2150 for a single room. In addition, if there is sufficient interest, OBC is hoping to arrange a flight package for members from Europe, via leading travel agents
and OBC Corporate Sponsors, WildWings, the return cost of flights for which is likely to be in the region of £389 (Aeroflot via Moscow) through £454 (Gulf Air) to £589 (Malaysian). Note that these prices exclude the £10 UK airport departure tax. People wishing to attend should contact Wildwings directly for firm quotes initially, however, if there is enough early interest, it should be possible to get a group discount on these prices. Anyone interested in the possibility of attending or contributing to either the meeting or the excursion, or wanting further details please contact one of the following; for those in South- East Asia, Mike Chong, Meranti Nature Tours Sdn. Bhd., 223C Jalan Bandar 13, Taman Melawati Metro, 53100 Kuala Lumpur. Fax +60 (0)3 4056492. Or for those outside of the region, Brian Sykes c/o OBC or fax +44 (0)1661 821807.
Saturday 13th December 1997,
AGM. Zoological Society Meeting Room, Regent's Park, London, UK
Speakers will include Nigel Collar of BirdLife International.
February 1998, Joint Meeting with Dutch Birding, Utrecht, Netherlands
Further details will be announced in the next OBC Bulletin.
C
Donations to OBC Conservation Fund
We are very grateful to the following for their financial support towards the work of the OBC Conservation Fund.
The Emirates Natural History Group for again making a very generous donation, providing £500 to support the work of Col. R. T. Chacko on breeding Black-necked Cranes Grus nigricollis in Ladakh, and a further £500 to Mian Mohammad Shafique for his work on the effects of hunting on migrating Sarus G. antigone, Demoiselle G. virgo and Common Cranes G. grus in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan.
Several OBC members have expressed their wish to support the Conservation Fund in a substantial way and, in particular, Ed Keeble has donated £500 to be used towards a specific small
OBC BULLETIN NUMBER 25
3
survey grant, preferably in China, as determined by Council and Thomas Benedict has donated US$500 towards a small survey grant. Many others have sent up to £50 donations with their 1997 subscriptions and, although we cannot write to acknowledge every one, we would like to express our grateful thanks to all these members for their support for the important work of the Conservation Fund.
Finally we would also like to thank 'Athene Northampton' [Richard Eden, Mark Williams, Paul Fuller and Martin Overton (all OBC members)] who, for seeing a Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola, were awarded the prize for rarest bird of the day in the 1996 Birdwatch UK Bird Race. The team generously donated half the prize of £200 from Rare Bird Alert to the OBC Conservation Fund. Also the Scarborough Bird Group for a donation of £40 in return for a talk given by Mike Blair.
Full details of all the projects supported above and others can be found in Conservation Fund News on p.6.
New Representative
The Bird Conservation Nepal society is to take over from Rajendra Suwal as the OBC representative in Nepal. The person to contact will be the Secretary, currently Harris Raj.
Mr C. S. Torei receives the OBC mega-prize draw WildWings voucher from Chris Packham
New OBC Sponsor, Club 300
The OBC are pleased to announce the Swedish 'Club 300', as a new sponsor. Club 300 operates a 'birdline' and pager information service on rare birds found in Sweden with 80% of the profits generated being donated to conservation projects around the world. Since 1990 approximately US$240,000 has been distributed. We are delighted to announce that Club 300 is funding the Relict Gull Lams relictus survey in Inner Mongolia, for more details of this project, see Conservation Fund on page 11.
New Business Supporter
We are pleased to welcome Aonyx Environmental Services of Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia to the Club's business supporters scheme. Their membership will go to support three Malaysian honorary members.
Changes in OBC Council
Brian Sykes has taken over the role of OBC Secretary from Mike Blair. The committee would like to thank Mike for his hard work for the Club Unfortunately he has had to stand down foi family reasons.
Please note that the address of Richard Thomas the Bulletin editor has changed. In particular ht now does not have a contact fax number. Materia for the Bulletin can be mailed to him at 59 Coolidgt Gardens, Cottenham, CB4 4RQ, United Kingdon or emailed to; thomasr@rsc.org
Report on December 1996 AGM
The 12th OBC AGM, generously sponsored agair by OBC Corporate Sponsors NHBS, was wel attended and a great success. Tim Loseby begar the day with some excellent slides of a recent trip to southern India. Tom Evans then gave £ fascinating account of the results of recent surveys in Laos - one of the least known countries in tht region - and the conservation issues that are beim faced there. A last minute addition to the schedule was Otto Pfister, visiting from Delhi, whc impressed the audience with a selection of superl slides taken on his travels throughout India Finally Morten Strange, OBC co-rep for Denmark presented some thought provoking ideas or conservation and development in South-East Asi< based on his years living and working ii Indonesia and Singapore, and of cours» accompanied by his excellent slides.
4
CLUB NEWS
The annual OBC mega-prize draw took a total £2,500, and the main prize of a pair of Leica 8x32 binoculars, donated by Leica Cameras, was won by Alan Wheeldon, whilst the second prize of a £250 travel voucher donated by WildWings was won by Mr C. S. Torei, who accepted his prize from Chris Packham, to whom we are grateful for making the draw. We would also like to thank NHBS, New Holland, A&C Black, Pica Press, WildSounds and Fuji for donating the other prizes and Birding World, Birdwatch and British Birds for distributing the tickets. We would also like to thank New Holland, NHBS, WildSounds and Pica Press for donating raffle prizes on the day.
The draw from among those members who sent in a new Standing Order incorporating the 1997 membership rates or who paid for 3 years at the new rates was made at the Club's AGM. Dr William Bourne, Alex Randall and Nigel Wheatley had their names drawn from the box and have each been sent a copy of 'An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Oriental Region'. Our congratulations to them and our thanks also to Stan Howe for delivering Dr Bourne's copy personally. We should also like to thank all those who returned Standing Orders or who paid for 3 years subscription, as this saves a great deal of administration time for the hard-worked Council.
Finally we would like to thank all those who helped with the catering, particularly Margaret Sykes who both organised and made most of the food, and Ethelyn Counsell who assisted with both baking and operating the stall during the day.
Questionnaire results
Thanks to all those who took part in the OBC members questionnaire, we had over 250 replies from 38 countries, providing us with a lot of very useful information about how members perceive the running and future direction of the Club.
When all the results have been fully analysed a detailed report will follow. However, preliminary analysis indicates some interesting results. It is the Club's publications (particularly the Bulletin) and the work of the Conservation Fund that members find both most interesting and most important. Although meetings were not judged to be quite so important, interestingly a significant proportion of those responding would be prepared to contribute towards the cost of OBC meetings they attend. In terms of the Club's future direction, members see expanding
the Conservation Fund and country special Bulletins as being by far the most important priorities.
Special thanks are due to those members who volunteered to help in the running of the Club, this is much appreciated and everybody will be contacted in due course.
Apology
In the last issue of 'Club News' we congratulated Professor Chen Tso-Hsing on his birthday. It should of course have read Professor Cheng Tso-Hsin. We apologise to Professor Cheng for this error.
Ber van Perlo
The OBC would like to make it clear that the artist of the superb Megapodes plate featured in Bulletin 24 by kind permission of the publishers, Oxford University Press and taken from The Megapodes by Jones, Dekker and Roselaar was, of course, Ber van Perlo.
NHBS OBC Mailorder Book Service
We are pleased to announce that the Natural History Book Service (NHBS) will again be running the OBC Mailorder Book Service. This year, however, the NHBS will not be producing a special separate catalogue. Instead the full new bird book catalogue will be sent to all members as a separate mailing in the near future.
World Birding Conference, Swanwlck, Derbyshire, UK 4-6th April 1997
For the world birder with a keen interest in conservation, SwanwUk was THE place to be over the first weekend of April.
The first World Birding Conference was an opportunity to catch up on research projects from six continents (only Australasia was omitted). From the OBC region we heard talks on Endemic Bird Areas of Asia by Mike Crosby and Bird Migration Through Malaysia by David Wells. Asad Rahmani was also expected to speak but the airlines conspired to prevent his arrival from India.
The conference was a collaboration between all the regional bird clubs together with the British Trust for Ornithology and the British Ornithologists' Union. A varied programme took us from Antarctic seabirds to American raptors to the curious endemics of Madagascar.
OBC BULLETIN NUMBER 25
5
And there was also time for debates on the ethics of collecting - and the value of ecotourism. Clearly, world birders venture to areas with little or no tourist infrastructure in search of little- known species. Should we? Or do these journeys impact on fragile habitats and human communities which should be left alone? If Gurney's Pitta Pitta gurneyi can be used as a case study, then birders' visits to its last refuge in Thailand are pumping money into the local economy and boosting the value of the bird to local people: obviously a positive step. Away from the ethical dilemmas, a fiendish quiz with photos, feathers and sound recordings sorted the world birder from the armchair traveller.
And in the bar, the stories of birding in exotic lands got better and better as the number of empty glasses accumulated.
But with only 200 participants at a venue that could hold twice that number, the enthusiasm for a World Birding Conference in the UK seems limited. It may have been the first AND last such event. That should not be allowed to happen and planning for, perhaps, a one-day event in 1998/9 should start immediately because those involved in threatened birds worldwide need to talk as often as possible - and not just at lofty ornithological congresses. Thanks to Brian and Margaret Sykes for manning the OBC stand at this event.
Contributed by Adrian Pitches
OBC Publications
The OBC wishes to apologise for the very late appearance of some of their publications, especially of Forktail 12. Please be patient! The editors are all extremely busy people with all the OBC work being carried out in their spare time! The OBC Council has agreed the following timetable in order to try to bring the dates that publications appear back on track.
In 1997, Bulletin 25 should appear on time in June. It will be followed in July by Forktail 12. Bulletin 26, the 'Sri Lanka Special' will appear as usual in October 1997.
Forktail 13 will appear in January 1998 to be followed by Bulletin 27 in May, then Forktail 14 in July and finally Bulletin 28 in October. In subsequent years it is proposed to follow the pattern of the first Bulletin in May, followed by Forktail in July and the second Bulletin in October. Please bear with us whilst these changes are being brought about.
OBC members help save Asia’s threatened birds
The Oriental Bird Club is delighted to forge even closer links with BirdLife International - the leading authority on the status of the world's birds - through their Asia Red Data Book project. As many members will know, BirdLife commenced work on Threatened birds of Asia in 1994. The book compilers, led by Nigel J. Collar, will soon be soliciting the help of OBC members. OBC will distribute a questionnaire to all members who are not nationals of Oriental countries. The questionnaire asks for basic information on the countries in which you have seen globally threatened birds. Oriental nationals will be contacted directly by the national co¬ ordinator in their country. From Gurney's Pitta Pitta gurneyi to Steller's Sea Eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus, your information may be vital. Please do not assume that your observations will be of no interest or will be duplicated by others. As an OBC member, you have declared your interest in the future of Asia's birds. You now have an opportunity to help save them.
Further information on the Red Data Book project can be sought from James Lowen at the BirdLife Cambridge office (BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ONA; Tel: +44 1223 277318; Fax: +44 1223 277200; email: james.lowen@birdlife.org.uk).
Sri Lanka Special
A reminder that the October Bulletin this year will be a Sri Lanka Special. Anyone who is interested in sponsoring or advertising in this Bulletin is asked to contact the Promotions Officer, Richard Eden at 31 Claystones, West Flunsbury, Northampton NN4 9UY, UK. Tel/Fax +44 (0) 1604 769 109. email: richard.eden@rohm.co.uk
Anyone who would like to contribute line drawings, photographs or articles on Sri Lanka should contact Richard Thomas at the address given on page 3 as soon as possible please.
6
Conservation Fund
Compiled by Melanie Heath and Carol Inskipp
A total of more than £10,000, supporting 20 projects, was donated in grants for conservation work in the Orient in 1996, and already a number of awards have been made this year. OBC would like to thank the many individuals and organisations whose generous support and sponsorship made this possible. We are also very pleased to announce that Leica wish to continue their support in 1997 and will donate £750 towards the Forktail Leica Award 1997 (total £1,500). Similarly we are very grateful to WildWings who will sponsor the OBC-WildWings Conservation Award (£1,000) again in 1997 to the tune of £600. The closing date for applications for these main awards is 1st September 1997. Applications for small grants may be made at any time during the year, but ideally a few months before the commencement date of the project.
Forktail Leica Award 1995
White-naped Tit Survey, Gujarat and Rajasthan, India
Green Avadavat Amandava formosa by Hil Bruinsma
The 1995 Forktail Leica Award funded a survey of the status and distribution of the White-naped Tit Pams nuchalis in northern Gujarat and Rajasthan. The White-naped Tit is a globally threatened species which only occurs in India. Surveys were carried out in three districts of Gujarat. The species was found to be patchily distributed throughout Kutch, but nowhere common and was also recorded in Banaskantha district. In Rajasthan seven districts were surveyed and the species was found In Pali, Ajmere, Jalore, Nagaur and Jaipur.
Observations on the status of the species indicate that its survival is dependent on its habitat of tropical thorn forest and the conservation of dead and decaying Acacia trees which it uses for roosting and nesting. The patchy distribution of this threatened species may be due to the fragmentation and loss of the scrub thorn forest by human interference. Causes of deforestation in Gujarat and Rajasthan include illegal charcoal¬ making, collection of fuel-wood and fodder, and clearance for cultivation. The species is also threatened by the invasion of its habitat by exotic plants. During the^study evidence was found showing that the Great Tit Parus major and White-naped Tit are not mutually exclusive in their distribution. The Green Avadavat Amandava formosa, another globally threatened species endemic to India, was also observed in Gujarat and Rajasthan during the study.
J K Tiwari
Spot-billed Pelican in Assam The globally threatened Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis
was formerly widespread in India, but has suffered a considerable decline in the past few decades. A study was initiated to find out the current status of the species in Assam with a grant of £500. The survey which was initiated in February 1996 revealed that the range of the Spot-billed Pelican is now primarily restricted to the protected areas of Assam, although
OBC BULLETIN NUMBER 25
7
Narayani River Survey, Nepal
a small population has been recorded from the non-protected areas as well.
In the 1995-96 season breeding was confirmed in Kaziranga National Park (314 nests), Orang Wildlife Sanctuary (23 nests), Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary (2 nests), Majuli River Island (14 nests) and in Ghilamara near Bordoibam-Beelmukh Wildlife Sanctuary (3 nests). Kaziranga is undoubtedly the key breeding site of the species in Assam, although only nine nests were found during the 1994-95 season. The pelican also utilised other sites during winter for feeding: Dibru-Saikhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary (near Guwahati city), Pandihing Bird Sanctuary in Sibsagar District, some parts of the Brahmaputra River tract from Orang to Lakhimpur, Bordoloni wetland near Lakhimpur, and Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary. Around 1000 Spot-billed Pelicans were observed in different wetlands of Kaziranga in March 1996.
The conservation of the Spot-billed Pelican in Assam is a challenging one, but the location of most of the breeding colonies within protected areas is a positive sign. Although Majuli River Island is not an official protected area, the local people have taken the initiative to implement conservation measures to protect the species' nesting colonies and other sites. This effort deserves appreciation. Follow-up conservation measures have been discussed with officials from the Assam Forest Department, Gauhati University, and the Aaranayak Nature Club, a local non-governmental organisation.
Bibhab Kumar Talukdar
A vast network of mountain streams join together to form the Narayani river system, the third largest in Nepal. A stretch of the river 58.9 km long forms the western boundary of the Royal Chitwan National Park which is situated in the subtropical central lowland terai of the country. This stretch of the river forms a relatively secure refuge for waterbirds since it is well protected through park regulations. A grant of £500 funded a survey of this river stretch between December 1995 and February 1996. The objectives were to prepare a checklist of bird species using the study area and to determine the frequency and density of birds there. It was hoped that the study would be a useful contribution to the better understanding of waterbirds of the Narayani river and also provide the basic information necessary for their conservation.
The river fans out in alluvial braided channels, bordered by riverine forest and grasslands which provide suitable habitats for a wide diversity of birds. At the Nepalese/Indian border the river is dammed near Tribeni. During the three month study period the entire 58.9 km stretch was surveyed three times. The survey was limited to the river channels, banks and islands and to bird species directly associated with the river. The survey confirmed that the Narayani river is of outstanding importance for migratory and resident waterbirds. A total of 62 waterbird
8
CONSERVATION FUND
species was recorded, including the globally threatened Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilus javanicus and Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda. Sections of the river which held the highest density of waterbirds were identified.
Despite the strict protection measures operating in the park, birds using the river are threatened by the activities of local communities inhabiting the western bank which lies outside the park. These activities are increasing and include disturbance, illegal hunting, fuel-wood collection, fishing, cattle grazing and replacement of forest by agricultural land along the river course. Illegal bird hunting near the Tribeni barrage seriously affects populations of migratory waterbirds. The river is being polluted by various human activities including industrial effluent from the Vrikuti Paper Mill located near Narayanghat.
A wide-ranging conservation awareness programme for local residents using the participatory approach is needed to ensure long term survival of waterbirds using the Narayani river. Park authorities in close coordination with the appropriate Indian authorities should take the lead to stop the illegal hunting at Tribeni. Regular monitoring of bird populations is also recommended. Finally the entire 58.9 km section of the Narayani river should be declared an area of special ornithological significance to ensure better management.
Narayan Pd Dhakal
Malabar Grey Hornbill Breeding A grant of £500 funded a study to determine the nesting habitat Biology, India requirements and breeding biology of the Malabar Grey
Hornbill Ocyceros griseus, an endemic Indian species. It is a fruit¬ eating specialist of the Western Ghats, which plays an important role in the dynamics of the moist evergreen forests it inhabits. The study was carried out in the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in the Anaimalai Hills of the southern Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu state between December 1993 and May 1994. The results of the survey of nesting habitat requirements are given in OBC Bulletin 21:14. f
The breeding biology was studied by monitoring ten nests. The nesting period seemed to be synchronised with the peak in food availability and the onset of the south-west monsoon. One nest was observed intensively over the 87 day nesting period. At the end of the nesting period, the female and the young simultaneously broke out of the nest. A total of 2,397 items of food was delivered to the inmates of the nest. They included six species of lipid (fat)-rich and nine species of sugar-rich fruits, and at least 14 kinds of animal matter. Lipid-rich fruits formed a major component (37%) of the diet during nesting. Ficus (fig) fruits formed 26%, and animal matter 13.8% of the diet of the hornbills plastered inside the nest. The frequency of sugar- and lipid-rich fruits delivered to the nest was significantly greater in the period before the young hatched. After hatching the frequency of animal food delivered was higher and may provide the growing chick with essential nutritious food. Although the Malabar Grey Hornbill uses a wide range of food
OBC BULLETIN NUMBER 25
9
resources, it was observed that a few species of rare tropical trees producing lipid-rich fruits during the nesting period play an important role in the maintenance of the species. If the Malabar Grey Hornbill is to be conserved, active conservation of its habitat is imperative as it has highly specialised feeding and nesting requirements.
Divya Mudappa
Avifaunal Survey of Maduganga A grant of £500 funded a survey of the birds of Maduganga Estuary, Sri Lanka estuary and associated islets between December 1992 and
December 1993. The 7 km2 estuary has 15 true islets and is situated in the lowland wet zone of south-western Sri Lanka. The vegetation of the islets and surrounding mainland nowadays largely consists of homesteads, plantations of cinnamon, coconut and rubber, and a small amount of scrub. Cinnamon plantations account for the largest area on the islets. Narrow strips of mangroves fringe the islets and mainland. Several islets have permanent human habitation and islets with cinnamon plantations are inhabited by people during extraction periods. Eleven islets were sampled during the study and five of these were selected for regular sampling. The selection was made to include different sized islets and all the habitat types present in the islet system.
Birds on the islets were counted using the variable circular plot method. The data were analysed to indicate the composition, abundance, prevalence and spread of species. In addition, the distribution of species amongst habitats, and density of terns were calculated. Sixty bird species were recorded in the estuary and associated islets; of these 51 were residents and nine were migratory. Of all the habitat types on the islets, plantations supported the least percentage of bird species (26.4% of landbirds). The homestead was the most species-rich habitat type harbouring 71.9% of landbirds. Species associated with water were poorly represented in the area, largely because of the absence of marshy areas and mudflats and because the mainland and islets do not have a shore-line around them, abruptly giving way to fairly deep water. Whiskered Terns Childonias hybridus appeared to use certain parts of the estuary sporadically in high densities.
Recommendations were made for conserving the estuary and increasing the diversity of birds. These should be carried out recognising the needs of local people and their economic gains from the area. Keeping mangroves intact will safeguard islets from erosion, provide breeding places for fish and prawns and shelter for species like Little Eieron Butorides striatus. The number of habitat types available on an islet seems to determine the number of bird species present. There is potential to increase the number of habitat types on several of the larger islets. Maintaining 'Ja-Kotu' (bamboo structures constructed in the estuary to catch fish and prawns) would support fish-eating resident and migratory species.
Mahendra Siriivardhane
10
CONSERVATION FUND
GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Forktail-Leica Award 1996
We are pleased to announce that the 1996 Forktail Leica Award, worth £1500, went to Pratap Singh to carry out important new surveys of bird life in the little-known north eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The award, sponsored by the high quality optics company LEICA, will pay for research in six locations across Arunachal Pradesh, home to several globally threatened species including Ward's Trogon Harpactes wardi and Rusty-throated Wren-babbler Spelaeornis badeigularis. Besides providing much new information on the distribution of many rare eastern Himalayan birds, 19 of which are endemic to the region, the survey will identify areas requiring protection.
OBC-WildWings Conservation Awareness Award 1996
The 1996 OBC-WildWings Conservation Awareness Award, worth £1000, has been given to a team led by Sunita Rao for work on the Nicobar and Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal between India and Burma. This award, generously supported by the travel company WILDWINGS, will pay for educational materials to be used at nature camps for local students and teachers. The camps will emphasise the need for islanders to cherish their rainforests, mangroves and coral reefs.
Indian Bustard in Rajasthan The Emirates Natural History Group has kindly donated £500
to OBC to fund Dr Asad Rahmani's work on the protection of the Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps, the 'State bird' of Rajasthan, India. Dr Rahmani aims to publicise the importance of this highly threatened species in the Thar Desert through the distribution of educational pamphlets and posters and meetings with key decision makers in the area. It is hoped that the project will result in a better understanding of the species and the problems it faces.
Bird survey in Arunschsl A small grant of £500 has been awarded to Raman Athreya to
Pradesh carry out an intensive survey of birfls in Arunachal Pradesh,
North East India. The survey will take place in either Namdapha Tiger Reserve or the Dibang Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. These areas are protected but very little is known about their fauna, the accessibility being difficult, and only a small fraction of the area has been surveyed for birds. Both sanctuaries span areas in excess of 200 km2, extend over an altitudinal range of several thousand metres and support some of the last remaining tracts of good forest in the region.
Survey of Nongk-llem Sanctuary A small grant of £500 has been given to Dr Anwaruddin
Choudhury to conduct a survey of the birds of Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding areas in Meghalaya, in north eastern India. This is a region of high biodiversity and it falls within the Eastern Himalayan Endemic Bird Area. Species found include Manipur Bush Quail Perdicula manipurensis, White-checked Partridge Arborophila atrogularis, Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis and Blyth's Kingfisher Alcedo Hercules. The sanctuary is poorly known and until now has not been
OBC BULLETIN NUMBER 25
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Black-necked Cranes
Crane migration in Pakistan
Threatened species of Yancheng marshes
Relict Gull survey in Inner Mongolia
Conservation awareness campaign on East Java
covered by any systematic bird survey. The survey will provide valuable baseline data which will help protect these rapidly diminishing and precious forests.
Colonel Tommy Chako has been awarded a grant of £500 to study the globally threatened Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis breeding in Ladakh in India and then wintering in Bhutan. This project will included studies of the nesting biology, migration routes and the impact of pesticides and will result in the production of a conservation plan for the species.
OBC has funded Mian Muhammad Shariq for his project investigating populations of cranes (Common Crane Grus grus, Demoiselle Crane G. virgo and possible Siberian Cranes G. leucogeranus) migrating over the wetlands of Lakki, Bannu and D. I. Khan in Pakistan. He aims to collect information on important migration routes and staging areas and also to raise the awareness, especially amongst hunters, of the importance of the conservation of the species.
A grant of £500 has been awarded to Wang Hui to study the threatened species and their habitats in Yancheng marshes along the central coast of East China. This is an important roosting area for 15 globally threatened species including the Black-faced Spoonbill Platnlea minor. The marshes cover a large area with many inaccessible mudflats and estuaries which have not been covered by previous surveys. The project will collect important data in these areas which will help lead to the protection of the area from threats of local economic growth and development.
A grant of £500, kindly donated by Club 300 will fund Xing Lianlian to survey the status and distribution of the globally near-threatened Relict Gull Lams relictus in the Gaxun Nur and Sogo Nur Wetland in the deserts of western Inner Mongolia, China. The wetland is fed by seasonal run-off from the Ruo Shui river in the south and numerous streams from mountains in southern Mongolia. Little is known about the birds or other wildlife in the wetland. From April to October data will be collected on the Relict Gull and other threatened bird species and their habitats.
Koservasi Satwa Bagi Kehidupan (KSBK) Animals Conservation for Life, have been awarded a grant of £500 for their education and awareness campaign to conserve Indonesian wildlife. The project concentrates on East Java and through working with local nature clubs, colleges, schools and other non¬ governmental organisations in the area aims to increase public awareness about the importance of wildlife and species protection. Discussions and workshops will be held addressing wildlife protection, the problems of wildlife trade, threats and necessary actions. This will be aided by the production of posters and newsletters relating to wildlife protection.
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CONSERVATION FUND
Nesting ecology of island breeding birds
Nam Cat Tien National Park
Survey in Pandihing Bird Sanctuary, Assam, India
R. K. Sharma has received a grant of £500 to survey resident and migratory birds in Chambal Sanctuary in Uranachal Pradesh, India. The sanctuary covers a stretch of 425 km of the Chambal river and, unlike most north Indian rivers that flow through densely populated areas, is relatively undisturbed and provides refuge to a host of migratory and resident bird species. The study will particularly examine the population status, habitat preferences and nesting success of the rarer island breeding birds including the globally threatened Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis. This will lead to the production of a management plan for these riverine species.
OBC have made a donation of five books with a total value of US$450 to the Nam Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam. Additionally a pair of binoculars has been provided by the RSPB. The park is situated within the South Vietnamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area, an area extremely important for biodiversity, and home to a range of endemic and threatened species. The park staff are well trained and motivated but unfortunately do not have equipment or reference books. It is hoped that these materials will help them in their task of compiling inventories and surveying the park's resources.
A grant of £500 was awarded to Rathin