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Bugun Liocichla ( Liocichla bugunorum )

Conservation of Birds in India: Issues & Challenges. Dhananjai Mohan IFS, Professor, WII. Bugun Liocichla ( Liocichla bugunorum ). Structure. Salient features of Indian avifauna History of ornithology Significance of birds Birds as a ecotourism resource Conservation issues

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Bugun Liocichla ( Liocichla bugunorum )

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  1. Conservation of Birds in India:Issues & Challenges Dhananjai Mohan IFS, Professor, WII BugunLiocichla (Liocichlabugunorum)

  2. Structure • Salient features of Indian avifauna • History of ornithology • Significance of birds • Birds as a ecotourism resource • Conservation issues • Monitoring birds • Birds as indicators

  3. Total species richness Threatened species richness Endemic species richness Ormeet al. 2005

  4. Indian Avifauna: Diversity 1303 (of 10448) species in the country (IOC, 2011) Includes ca.100 more added by Rasmussen and Anderton (2005) in the subcontinent ~ 13% of world’s avifaunal diversity 27 orders (of 40) and 110 families (of 228) 976 breeding birds South-Eastern Himalayas having 570 breeding birds in 250X250 km grid

  5. Indian Avifauna: Endemism In India, there are only 78 species, i.e. 6% Indian subcontinent also has a markedly low number of endemic genera (12), out of which only two are confined to India (viz., Heteroglaux & Ophrysia). Major families having significant representation in Indian Sub-continent Tree-creepers (71%) Accentors (62%) Laughing Thrushes (55%) Ioras (50%) Barbets (37%) Drongos (38%)

  6. Species richness and endemism

  7. Indian avifauna: influences Influenced by Palearctic, Ethiopian and Oriental regions Oriental region has maximum influence Indo-Malayan South China

  8. New and Re-Discoveries Nepal Wren Babbler (1991) Bugun Liocichla (2006) Large-billed Reed Warbler (2007) Rusty throated (Mishmi) Wren Babbler (2004) Forest Owlet (1997) Jerdon’s Courser (1986)

  9. Why such a diversity Diverse habitats Himalayan snows to tropical oceans Tropical deserts to Wet evergreen forests Trans-Himalayan wetlands to largest mangrove systems of the world 10 bio-geographic zones Rodgers and Panwar (1988)

  10. Diverse habitats Trans Himalayas High mountains, deep valleys, flat and arid plains Wetlands (often brackish): Breeding of birds like Black-necked Crane, Great crested Grebe, Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck Palearctic infuence Mainly in Ladakh and Lahul-spiti

  11. Diverse habitats Himalayan region Immigration Very low speciation within (in situ) the Himalayas Speciation events attributed to vicariance between Himalayas and China/Southeast Asia (Orient)

  12. Diverse habitats Himalayan region Great variation of diversity from east to west Himalayas: (Half's from east to west) Ecological hypothesis Historical hypothesis Altitudinal gradient and birds Data from "wiianalysis" y = 29.266 + 1.5860e-2x - 6.8090e-6x^2 + 2.2170e-10x^3 R^2 = 0.828 50 40 speciesE speciesW 30 Species numbers 20 10 0 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 elevation (m)

  13. The Indian Desert Great Indian and Houbara Bustard Flamingoes Semi-arid Region Dry-deciduous forests, scrub and grasslands Lesser Florican, Green Munia, Malabar and Sykes crested Larks Diverse habitats

  14. Western Ghats Comparatively poorer compared to similar forests of E.Him. Disjunct distribution of many species With Eastern Himalayas Satpura hypothesis With-in Western Ghats 16 endemic species Diverse habitats

  15. The Deccan Peninsula Dry deciduous forests, scrub Forest Owlet, Painted Bush Quail, Painted Partridge, Green Munia, Yellow throated Bulbul Eastern Ghats Jerdon’s Courser, Yellow throated Bulbul Tree Sparrow, Little Spiderhunter Yellow browed Bulbul, White bellied Treepie Diverse habitats

  16. The Gangetic plains Rich in wetlands and dependent birds Large number of marsh dependent/tall grassland birds Striated and bristled Grassbirds, Swamp Francolin, Bengal Florican, Finn’s Weaver The North-east India EBA with 3 RR species Manipur Bush Quail, Greater Adjudant, Diverse habitats

  17. Islands Andaman: 13 endemics Nicobar: 9 endemics Nicobar Megapode, Narcondam Hornbill, Edible nest Swiftlet Coasts Extensive but neglected Chilika, Bhitarkanika, Point Calimere Waders, Flamingoes Diverse habitats

  18. Some interesting distribution patterns Entire subcontinent Himalayas Western Ghats (+ SL) Him + WG Him+ WG + Satpuras + EG

  19. Early history of bird study in India • Vedic times - 250 Sanskrit bird names • Brood-parasitism in the Koelmentioned in Rig Veda • Latitudinal migration of Oriental White Storks in Tamil Sangam literature • Mughal naturalist traditions - paintings, hunting, falconry and documentation • Moguls paintings and memoirs esp. of Babur and Jehangir often contained fine details on behaviour of garden birds. • 1834 AdolpheDelessert ‘Souveniers d'un Voyage dansL'Indes’ • 1752 J. Gideon Loten became Governor of Ceylon • 1781 John Latham ‘General Synopsis of Birds’ • 1790 ‘India Ornithologicus’, 1821-28 Based on Sir N B Kinnear, JBNHS 51(1): 104-110

  20. The foundations T. C. Jerdon Edward Blyth A.O. Hume E. C. Stuart Baker Hugh Whistler Salim Ali Dillon Ripley British Ornithology A long tradition Indian Ornithology The Handbook 10 Volumes American Ornithology

  21. Indian ornithology in 20th century – 2nd half • Sidney D. Ripley (1913-2001) • Smithsonian Institution, US • Bird systematist credited with the first major revision of the taxonomy of the Subcontinent’s birds since the publication of FBI series • Conducted extensive field-surveys esp. in the north-eastern India • His ‘Synopsis’ of distribution and taxonomy of Indian birds formed the basis for the 10-volume ‘Handbook’, co-authored with Salim Ali • Author of highly acclaimed monographs on waterfowl and rails & crakes

  22. Indian ornithology in 20th century – 2nd half • Sálim Ali (1896-1987) • Arguably, the most charismatic ornithologist in the Subcontinent (‘Birdman of India’) • Long association with BNHS • Student of German ornithologist E. Stresemann; a close associate of Hugh Whistler and S.D. Ripley • Ornithological surveys of Central Provinces, Travancore & Cochin, Mysore, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Saurashtra, Gangotri-Mansarovar, and Sikkim • Authored the 10-volume ‘Handbook’ along with S.D. Ripley; several regional field-guides • Involved with research projects including bird migration, economic ornithology, mitigation of birds, bird-hits of aircraft, & ecology of endangered birds • One of the leading figures of conservation movement in Independent India • Received Padma Vibhushan & J. Paul Getty Award

  23. Modern Indian ornithology – Extensions & infrastructure • Institutions • Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai • Centre for Wildlife & Ornithology, AMU, Aligarh • Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACON, Coimbatore) • Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun • Organizations • Several regional bird clubs and organizations (Oriental Bird Club, Bird Conservation Nepal, Ceylon Bird Club & Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, MNS, BSAP, etc.) • Recent initiatives to form a Federation of Indian Ornithologists (to be modelled as Indian Ornithologists Union) based in Bangalore • Programmes • Asian Mid-winter Waterbird Census (Jan 15-20, every year) • IBA (Important Bird Areas) Programme • ‘Migrant Watch’ Programme

  24. The growth of bird study in India Based on data from Aasheesh Pittie (2001) A bibliographic index to the birds of the Indian Subcontinent. 10 fold growth every 50 years Life-history, behavioural and ecological studies are few. Most publications are about species distribution or occurrence. Already there is a space shortage for this kind of information.

  25. The Internet revolution Email discussion groups Nathistory-India ( since 1995 ) Bngbirds ( since 1999) BirdsofBombay Keralabirder India-nature-pixs [Digital images] Delhibirds BengalBird Maharashtra Pakshimitra Rajasthan Naturalists Gujarat OrientalBirding No entry bars Flexible standards for reporting Conservative estimates for most groups > 10 posts/week and > 100 members

  26. Extinct (EX) Extinct Extinct in the Wild (EW) Critical (CR) Threatened Endangered (EN) Vulnerable (VU) Non-threatened Conservation Dependent (CD) Near-threatened (NT) Low Risk (LR) Of less concern Data Deficient (DD) ALLSPECIES Abundant Not evaluated (EV) THREAT CATEGORIES: IUCN Adequate Data Evaluated

  27. Threatened Species Density • Where threatened birds occur throughout the world (Cr, En, Vu) • (152) Brazil • (124) Peru • (122) Indonesia • (112)Columbia • (93) Equador • (87) China • (87) India. • 16CR, 17EN, 54VU • In addition 68 NT • And 3 Data deficient

  28. Pinkheaded Duck : Rhodonessa caryophyllacea Redcrested Pochard : Rhodonessa rufina

  29. Himalayan Quail : Ophrysia superciliosa

  30. Spotted Owlet: Athene brama Forest Owlet :Heteroglaux blewitti

  31. Jerdons Courser : Rhinoptilus bitorquatus

  32. White-rumped (backed) Vulture

  33. Long-billed Vulture

  34. Siberian and Sarus Cranes

  35. Sociable Lapwing

  36. Bengal Florican

  37. Indian Bustard: Ardeotis nigriceps

  38. Lesser Florican : Sypheotides indica

  39. Nilgiri Laughing Thrush

  40. Threatened birds of India |Their conservation requirements By Asad R Rahmani 2012 860 page book. Describes 15 CR, 15 Endangered, 52 Vulnerable, 66 Near threatened and 2 data deficient birds of India based on IUCN redlist 2011

  41. Endemic Bird Area AnalysisBirdlife International 1997 A Restricted- range bird species is a land-bird which is judged to have had a breeding range of less than 50,000 km² throughout historical times ( since 1800). Extinct birds which qualify on the range size are included.

  42. Endemic Bird Area An Endemic Bird Area ( EBA) is defined as an area which encompasses the overlapping breeding ranges of restricted range bird species, such that the complete ranges of two or more restricted-range species are entirely included within the boundary of the EBA.

  43. -     27% (2623) birds are RR Sp. Indonesia highest no. India 14th ranked. - 218 EBA's identified Indonesia highest no with 24 India 13th ranked with 6

  44. Indian EBA’s .Western Ghats 16 RR Sp.: 12 near threatened & 4 least concern .Andaman Islands 13 RR Sp. : 3 Vulnerable & 10 near threatened .Nicobar Island 9 RR Sp: 2 Vulnerable & 7 near threatened

  45. Indian EBA’s (contd.) .Western Himalayas 11 RR Sp.: 1 critical, 3 Vulnerable, 3 near threatened & 4 least concern .Eastern Himalayas 22 RR Sp.: 11 Vu, 1DD, 5 nt, 5 l.c. .Assam Plains 3 RR Sp.: 3 Vu

  46. Important Bird Areas (IBA) • Identify, document, and advocate the protection and management of a network of sites that are important for the long term viability of naturally occurring bird populations

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