Return to trip reports.Report of some bird observations made between January 31 and February 19 1989, during a trip to a series of agricultural institutes in New Delhi (IARI), Hyderabad (ICRISAT), and Shimla (CPRI).
| 31-01 | Delhi. Surroundings of YMCA and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). |
| 01-02 | Delhi. Visit to IARI. |
| 02-02 | Delhi. Morning, zoological gardens and Purana Quila. Afternoon, visit to IARI. |
| 03-02 | Delhi (lv. 12.00 h) - Sultanpur BS (arr. 13.45 h) Afternoon, vicinity of lodge and of Western shore of Sultanpur jheel. |
| 04-02 | Sultanpur BS. W. and E. shores and arid plain E. of jheel. |
| 05-02 | Sultanpur BS (lv. 12.00 h) - Delhi. Evening flight to Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh). |
| 06-02/09-02 | Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Visits to International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and experimental fields. |
| 09-02 | Hyderabad (lv. 07.45 h) - Delhi - Agra (by air). Transfer to Bharatpur by taxi (arr. 16.00 h). Late afternoon, Bharatpur Keoladeo NP. |
| 10-02/12-02 | Bharatpur NP. |
| 13-02 | Bharatpur, via Fatehpur Sikri and Taj Mahal to Agra. Agra - Delhi by air (arr. 20.00 h). |
| 14-02 | Delhi (lv. 06.00 h) - Shimla (arr. 17.10 h) by train. |
| 15-02 | Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI). |
| 16-02 | Shimla, visits to CPRI expl. fields at Kufri and Fagu (altid. 2500 - 2600 m) and to Mashabra (Reg. Fruit Research Institute, Univ. of Horticult. and Forestry). |
| 17-02 | Shimla, CPRI. Night train to Delhi (arr. 06.30 h). |
| 18-02/20-02 | Delhi. Visits to IARI plus expl. fields, and to zoological gardens. |
| 21-02 | Delhi (lv. 03.30 h) - Amsterdam (arr. 08.30 h). |
Records have been grouped into five geographical categories. See itinerary for dates.
DEL = Delhi; records mainly at IARI, Zoo, Purana Quila.
SUL = Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary (Haryana).
HYD = Hyderabad and ICRISAT expl. fields (Andhra Pradesh).
BHAR = Bharatpur or Keoladeo Ghana N.P. (Rajasthan), incl. Agra.
SHIM = Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), CPRI, field stations in Kufri, Fagu and
Mashabra.
Symbols:
+ = species present, no counts n = actual number of species present A or 1 = 1 specimen recorded on at least 1 day B = 2 - 10 per day C = 11 - 100 per day D = 101 -1000 per day E = >1000 per day H = heard only
SPECIES NAME DEL SUL HYD BHAR SHIM Podiceps ruficollis Little grebe 15 C . C . Phalac. carbo Great Cormorant 5 D . 300 . Phalac. fuscicollis Indian Shag 300 . . 1 . Phalac. niger Little cormorant 30 10 10 C . Anhinga rufa Darter . 5 . D . Ardea cinerea Grey Heron . B 20 C . A. purpurea Purple heron . B 1 30 . Ardeola grayii Paddy Bird 10 C 10 D . Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret B 4 C B 2 Egretta alba Great Egret 2 C . C . E. intermedius Intermediate Egret B 10 . C . E. garzetta Little Egret C C C C . Nycticorax nycticorax Night Heron 100 25 . 20 . Butorides striatus Green-backed Heron 1 . . . . Ibis leucocephalus Painted Stork 1000 . . D . Anastomus oscitaus Openbill Stork . 1 2 . Ciconia episcopus White-necked Stork . 2 7 3 . Xenorh. asiaticus Black-necked Stork . 2 . C . Thresk. orientalis Oriental Ibis . 30 . D . Pseudibis papillosa Black Ibis . 18 . . . Plegadis falcinellus Glossy Ibis . . 40 . Platalea leucorodia Spoonbill . 80 . 400 . Phoenicopt. ruber Greater Flamingo . 250 . 15 . Anser anser Greylag Goose . 200 . D . Anser indicus Bar-headed Goose . 70 . 500 . Dendrocygna javanica Whistling Duck . . . 100 . Tadorna ferruginea Ruddy Shelduck 4 6 2 C . Anas acuta Pintail D 1000 200 E . A. augustirostris Marbled Teal . 1 . . . A. clypeata Shoveler D D . E . A. crecca Common Teal 10 D . D . A. penelope Wigeon . 200 . C . A. poccilorhyncha Spotbill Duck C 1000 . C . A. querquedula Garganey . 2 30 40 . A. strepera Gadwall . 100 . 10 . Aythya ferina Pochard . 200 . 100 . A. fuligula Tufted Duck . 50 . 20 . A. nyroca Ferruginous Duck . . . C . Netta rufina Red-crested Pochard . . . 35 . Nettapus coromandelianus Cotton Teal . . . 200 . Sarkidiornis melanotos Comb Duck . . . 7 . Elanus caeruleus Black-shouldered Kite 1 8 2 5 . Milvus migrans Black (= Pariah) Kite D C C 1 C Haliaetus leucoryphus Pallas' Sea Eagle . . . 5 . Neophron percnopterus Egyptian Vulture B 2 . D . Gypaetus barbatus Lammergeyer . . . . 1 Gyps bengalensis White-backed Vulture D D B D B Gyps fulvus Griffon Vulture . . . 1 . G. indicus Long-billed Vulture . B . B C Torgos calvus King Vulture . . . 5 . Aegypius monachus Black Vulture . . . 1 . Circus aeruginosus Marsh Harrier . 3 2 B . C. cyaneus Hen Harrier . . . 1 . C. macrourus Pallid Harrier . 1 2 . . Accipiter badius Shikra 1 2 . 2 . Buteo buteo Common Buzzard . . . 2 . B. rufinus Long-legged Buzzard . 1 . . . Aquila clanga Spotted Eagle . 3 . 10 . A. heliaca Imperial Eagle . . . 4 . A. rapax Tawny/Steppe Eagle 4 3 1 C 4 Hieraetus pennatus Booted Eagle . . . 1 . Falco tinnunculus Kestrel 2 . . . . Francolinus pondicerianus Grey Francolin H C . C . Pavo cristatus Peafowl B 1 . B . Grus grus Common Crane . 200 . 60 . G. antigone Sarus Crane . 4 . 20 . G. leucogeranus Siberian White Crane . . . 9 . Rallus aquaticus Water Rail . 1 . . . Porzana fusca Ruddy-breasted Crake . 2 . . . Amaurornis phoenic. White-br. Waterhen 3 5 2 C . Gallinula chloropus Moorhen . C . D . Porphyrio porphyrio Purple Moorhen . 75 35 C . Fulica atra Coot . D 10 D . Hydroph. chirurgus Pheasant-tailed Jacana . . 1 B . Metopidius indicus Bronze-winged Jacana . . . C . Rostratula benghalensis Painted Snipe . . . 7(1o) . Vanellus vanellus Northern Lapwing . 10 . 2 . V. indicus Red-wattled Lapwing C C . C . V. malabaricus Yellow-wattled Lapwing . . 4 . . V. leucurus White-tailed Lapwing . C . C . Charadrius dubius Little Ringed Plover . . . B . Ch. alexandrinus Kentish Plover . . 1 . . Limosa limosa Bl.-tailed Godwit . 6 . . . Tringa erythropus Spotted Redshank . 2 . 5 . T. totanus Redshank . 3 . 4 . T. glareola Wood Sandpiper . 20 . C . T. hypoleuca Common Sandpiper 1 2 . B . T. nebularia Greenshank . 5 1 C . T. ochropus Green Sandpiper 1 3 . B . T. stagnatilis Marsh Sandpiper . 10 . 3 . Gallinago gallinago Common Snipe . 2 . B . Calidris temminckii Temminck's Stint . 6 . 30 . Philomachus pugnax Ruff . 30 40 25 . Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt . C 2 40 . Recurvirostra avocetta Avocet . 1 . . . Burhinus oedicnemus Stone Curlew 12 . . . . Glareola lactea Little Pratincole . . . 1 . Larus argentatus Herring Gull . 10 . . . Chlidonias hybrida Whiskered Tern . . . C . Sterna aurantia River Tern . . . 50(Agra). Pterocles exustus Chestnut-b. Sandgrouse . 2 . . . Columba livia Rock Dove D D D D E Strept. chinensis Spotted Dove . . 5 1 . S. decaocto Collared Turtle Dove C C C C C S. senegalensis Laughing (Palm) Dove B C C C . S. tranquebarica Red Turtle Dove . 10 . B . Treron phoenicoptera Yellow-f. Green Pigeon . . . B . Psittacula krameri Rose-ringed Parakeet D D D D . Ps. roseata Blossom-h. Parakeet . . 25 . . Clamator jacobinus Pied-crested Cuckoo . 2 . . . Cuculus varius Common Hawk-Cuckoo . 2 . . . Eudynamus scopolacea Koel . . 7 . . Centropus sinensis Common Coucal 3 1 . 7 . Otus bakkamoena Collared Scops Owl . . . 2 . Bubo coromandus Dusky Eagle-Owl . . . 1 . Ninox scutulata Brown Hawk-Owl . . . 1 . Athene brama Spotted Owlet 2 . . 4 . Asio flammeus Short-eared Owl . 1 . . . Caprimulgus asiaticus Indian Nightjar . . . 1 . Apus affinis House Swift B D . D . Cypsiurus parvus Palm Swift . . B . . Ceryle rudis Pied Kingfisher . . . B . Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher 1 . . B . Halcyon smyrnensis White-br. Kingfisher 3 5 C B . Merops orientalis Little Green Bee-eater B 1 C B . M. philippinus Blue-tailed Bee-eater 4 . . C. benghalensis Indian Roller 2 1 C 4 . Upupa epops Hoopoe B C B B . Tockus birostris Common Grey Hornbill . . . 1 . M. haemacephalis Coppersmith 3 . . 2 . Jynx torquilla Wryneck 1 2 . 1 . Dinopium benghalense Golden-b. Woodpecker . . . 3 . Dendrocopus moluccensis Brown-capped Woodpecker . . . 1 . D. mahrattensis Mahratta Woodpecker 1 . . 1 . Eremopterix grisea Ashy-crowned Finchlark . . 2 . . Ammomanus phoenicurus Rufous-tailed Finchlark . . 2 . . Calandrella cinerea Short-toed Lark . 4 . . . Galerida cristata Crested Lark 2 10 1 . . Alauda gulgula Small Skylark 1 2 . . . Riparia paludicola Plain Sand Martin 6 D C C . Hirundo concolor Dusky Crag Martin C . . C . H. fluvicola Ind. Cliff Swallow 4 . 1 D . H. rustica Barn Swallow C D C D . H. smithii Wire-tailed Swallow . . . 2 . Motacilla alba White Wagtail B C . B . M. flava Yellow Wagtail C 5 C B . M. citreola Citrine Wagtail B 2 . C . M. maderaspatensis Large Pied Wagtail . . 1 2 . Anthus cervinus Red-throated Pipit . 1 . . . A. campestris Tawny Pipit 1 . 5 . . A. hodgsoni Olive-backed Pipit . 2 1 C . A. novaeseelandiae Richard's Pipit . . 5 1 . Pericrocotus flammeus Scarlet Minivet 4 . . . . P. cinnamomeus Small Minivet . . . 2 . Tephrod. poudicorianus Common Woodshrike . 3 . 7 . Pycnonotus cafer Red-vented Bulbul C C C D B P. jocosus Red-whisk. Bulbul B 2 . . . P. leucogenus White-cheeked Bulbul . . . C B Lanius cristatus Brown Shrike . 1 . . . L. excubitor Great Grey Shrike . 5 . 1 . L. schach Rufous-backed Shrike 4 10 C B . L. vittatus Bay-backed Shrike 2 5 . 4 . Prunella himalayana Himalayan Accentor . . . . 25 Luscinia calliope Siberian Rubythroat . . . 1 . L.sv. svevica Bluethroat 1 . . C . Copsychus saularis Magpie-Robin 4 3 . B . Phoenicurus ochruros Black Redstart 5 5 2 B . Cercomela fusca Brown Rock-Chat 6 . 2 4 . Saxicola caprata Pied Bush-Chat 1 3 3 6 . S. torquata Stonechat . 1 2 . . Oenanthe deserti Desert Wheatear . 3 . . . Saxicoloides fulicata Indian Robin 7 . 5 B . Myophoneus caeruleus Blue Whistling Thrush . . . . 3 Turdus ruficollis Black-throated Thrush . 4 . 1 2 T. unicolor Tickell's Thrush . . . 1 1 Acrocephalus dumetorum Blyth's Reed Warbler . . . 1 . A. stentoreus Clamorous Reed Warbler . . . 3 . Hippoleus caligata Booted Warbler . . . 1 . Sylvia curruca Lesser Whitethroat 3 C . C . S. hortensis Orphean Warbler . . . 4 . Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaff B B . C . Ph. fuscatus Dusky Warbler . . . 1 . Ph. humei Hume's Yell.-br. Warbler5 10 . 7 . Ph. trochiloides Greenish Warbler . . 1 4 . Seicercus xanthocistus Grey-hooded Warbler . . . . 2 Prinia subflava Indian Prinia 2 C . B . Cisticola juncidis Str. Fantailed Warbler . 3 . . . Orthotomus sutorius Tailorbird 6 2 1 B . Ficedula parva Red-breasted Flycatcher B . . B . Culicipapa ceylonensis Grey-headed Flycatcher 2 . . 2 . Chrysomme sinensis Yellow-eyed Babbler . . . 2 . Turdoides caudatus Common Babbler B . . 7 . T. malcolmi Large Grey Babbler . 5 3 B . T. striatus Jungle Babbler C . C C . Aegithalos concinnus Red-headed Tit . . . . B Parus major Great Tit . . . . 2 Sitta castanea Chestnut-h. Nuthatch . . . 1 . Certhia himalayensis Himalayan Treecreeper . . . . 2 Nectarinia asiatica Purple Sunbird B 4 . B . N. zeylonica Purple-rumped Sunbird . . 1 . . Zosterops palpebrosa Indian White-eye 2 . . . . Acanthis flavirostris Twite . . . . 25 Leucosticte nemoricola Hodgon's Mountain Finch . . . . 10 Coccothraustes icterioides Black-and-Y. Grosbeak . . . . 6 Lonchura punctulata Spotted Munia . . 2 . . L. malabarica White-throated Munia 50 3 5 C . Ploceus philippinus Baya Weaver C . . B . P. manyar Streaked Weaver C . . B . P. benghalensis Black-thr. Weaver . . . B . Passer domesticus House Sparrow + + + + + P. hispaniolensis Spanish Sparrow . . C . . Petronia xanthocollis Yellow-thr. Sparrow . . C . . Sturnus contra Pied Myna B C C . . S. pagodarum Brahminy Myna B 3 C . . S. vulgaris Common Starling C 60 . . . Acridoterus tristis Common Myna D C C D C A. ginginianus Bank Myna C D . . . Dicrurus adsimilis Black Drongo 6 6 C C . O. oriolus Golden Oriole . 3 1 1 . Urocissa erythroryncha Red-billed Blue Magpie . . . . 3 Dendrocitta vagabunda Indian Treepie 1 . . 5 . Corvus macrorhynchos Jungle Crow 1 . 2 . C C. splendens House Crow D D D D .