Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)
Wild birds in the Sibsagar district circa 1987:
http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/forktail/6pdfs/Choudhury-Sibsagar.pdf
GREAT CRESTED GREBE
Podiceps cristatus A fairly common winter
visitor, observed mainly on Sibsagar Tank and Joysagar Tank, also on Dorou
beel.
A maximum of 40 on 21 March. Extreme dates were 5 November and
15 May.
100.-
1991
Bird observations from Sibsagar 37
SPOT-BIlLED PEliCAN
Pelecanusphilippensis Apparently a local migrant
with seven near Phokolai beelon 29 March, singles in the Pani-Dihing area on
15 and 26 July, and two between Gaurisagar and Dikhowmukh on 2 August.
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax Found nesting
on 15 July in a mixed heronry near Milonkur, Pani-Dihing. Associated with
Little Cormorants, Grey and Purple Herons and Glossy Ibises.
YElLOW BITrERN Ixobrychus sinensis One seen near Saragua, Pani-
Dihing, on 26 July.
BLACK BITrERN Dupetorflavicollis Single birds seen several times between
12h30 and 14hOOon 15 July near Milonkur.
ASIAN OPENBll.l Anastomus oscitansA common resident with a maximum
of 25 seen soaring over Hatighuli beelon 15 November.
BLACK STORK Ciconia nigra Two or three were seen on an islet near
Dikhowmukh on 6 December.
BLACK-NECKED STORK Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus One in a field behind
the Dak Bungalow on 13 August and two near Rudrasagar on 8 September.
GREATER ADJUTANT Leptoptilos dubius Now scarce but many sightings,
mainly of single birds.
LESSER ADJUTANT L. javanicus A common resident with a maximum of
four seen in the Pani-Dihing area on 2 January. Two pairs were found nesting
in a Mangifera indica tree in Saraguri on 11 January.
GLOSSY mIS Plegadisfakinellus A fairly common resident with a maximum
of 300 seen in the Pani-Dihing area on 25 October. Found nesting near
Milonkur on 15 July.
GREYlAG GOOSE Anser anserA common winter visitor with a maximum
of 109 on Sibsagar Tank on 23 January.
BAR-HEADED GOOSE A. indicus A common winter visitor with a
maximum of at least 316 on Joysagar Tank on 25 December.
FULVOUS WHISTliNG DUCK Dendrocygna bicolor An uncommon
resident with a maximum of 45 seen on Dorou beelon 13 February. Small
numbers were seen elsewhere in winter, on Phokolai beel on 29 March, near
Milonkur on 15 July and between Sibsagar and Disangmukh on 19 July.
RUDDY SHELDUCK Tadmna ferruginea A common winter visitor with a
maximum of about 700 on Gokal- Tikira chapori.
COMMON TEAL
Anas crecca A locally abundant winter visitor with a
maximum of over 1,000 on Sibsagar Tank on 9 January.
SPOT-BIlLED DUCK A. poecilorhyncha An uncommon resident but large
numbers appear in winter. Maximum of 300 on Sibsagar Tank on 9 January.
.. ,
38
A. CHOUDHURY Forktail6
MALLARD A.
platyrhynchos Fairly common in winter.
GADWAlL A. streperaA common winter visitor.
NORTHERN SHOVELER A. dypeata A winter visitor, occurring only in
small nwnbers.
COMMON POCHARD Aythya ferina A common winter visitor on Sibsagar
Tank but rare elsewhere. Extreme dates were 27 October and 3 April.
FERRUGINOUS POCHARD A. nyroca Twenty on Phokolai beel on 29
November, a few on Sibsagar Tank on 17 and 22 December, and groups of
five and nine seen on Phokolai and Dorou beelson 13 February.
BAER'S POCHARD A. baeri The only record was of seven on Sibsagar Tank
on 8 February.
TUFTED DUCK A. fuligula A common winter visitor with a maximwn of
150 on Sibsagar Tank on 21 March. Extreme dates were 18 October and 12
April.
COTTON PYGMY GOOSE Nettapus coromandelianusA common resident.
OSPREY Pandion haJ:iaetusOne seen near Kandhulijan beelon 2 January.
PAlLAS'S FISH-EAGLE Haliaeetus leuaJryphus Only one seen - near
Milonkur on 15 July.
EURASIAN GRIFFON Gypsfulvus Singles seen near the Dak Bungalow on
23 January and near Disangmukh on 2 February. Ali and Ripley (1983) state
it occurs as far east as western Assam and so these are the first records for
Sibsagar District and eastern Assam.
RED-HEADED VULTURE Sarcogyps calvus Two near Disangmukh on
25 October and one near Mori-Disang beelon 31 December.
EASTERN MARSH-HARRIER Circus (aernginosus) spilonotusA male seen
on Doboli chapori, offDisangmukh, on 7 February was the first record for the
Brahmaputra valley. Ali and Ripley (1983) record it only for Cachar and
Manipur.
HEN HARRIER C. cyaneus Single males were seen at Hatighuli on 15
November, near Netaipukhuri on 20 November, near Ghoka-Singarajan on
27 December and on Doboli chaporion 7 February.
PIED HARRIER C. melanoleuaJsSingles seen near Phokolai beelon 29 March
and 29 November and at Balijan, Pani-Dihing, on 20 November.
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE Aquila clanga Singles seen at Samukjan-
Boloma, Pani-Dihing, on 20 November, Phokolai beel on 29 November and
on Doboli chapori on 2 December; two near Saragua on 27 December.
KALIJ PHEASANT Lophura leucomelana A confirmed report ITom Sola
1991
Bird observations from Sibsagar 39
ReselVed Forest. Extinct in the Meteka area near Sibsagar town but may still
exist in Diroi, Dilli and Abhoypur ReselVed Forests.
RED JUNGLEFOWL
GaDusgaDusRare but still widely distributed.
COMMON CRANE Grus grns Fifteen seen on Doboli chapori on 2 February.
A vagrant to Assam according to Ali and Ripley (1983).
NORTHERN lAPWING Vanellus vane/lus A fairly common winter visitor
with a maximum of 25 on Doboli chapori on 2 February. Ali and Ripley
(1983) state that it is rare and erratic in Assam.
GREY-HEADED lAPWING V. cinereus A fairly common winter visitor,
arriving in October.
GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola About 12 seen near Phokolai beel on
29 November. A vagrant to Assam (Ali and Ripley 1983).
SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus One or two in the Balijan area,
Pani-Dihing, on 20 November.
WHISKERED TERN Chlidonias hybridusA fairly common resident.
BlACK-BEUlED TERN Sterna acuticauda One at Disangmukh on
7 February.
umE TERN S. albifronsOne at Disangmukh on 7 February.
COllARED DOVE StreptopeliadecaoctoAn uncommon resident.
ORIENTAL PIED HORNBllL Anthracoceros albirostrisNow rare, found in
Diroi, Sola, Abhoypur and Dilli ReselVed Forests.
GREAT HORNBllL Buceros bicornisNow very rare. A relict population may
survive in Abhoypur and Dilli ReselVed Forests.
ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING Aplonis panayensis Very rare. One near the
Dak Bungalow, sometime in March or April.
BANK MYNA Acridotheresginginianus First noted in the Fulai-Dighali area of
Pani-Dihing on 25 October. Seen subsequently in several localities in Pani-
Dihing and adjoining areas, mostly singles or pairs but twice small parties
were seen. These were the first records for the area, extending the range of the
species a considerable distance east. The previously recorded limit was
Kamrup at 91?45'E (Ripley 1982).
JUNGLE MYNAA. fuscus Common resident.
WHrrE-VENTED MYNA A. grandis First noted on 14 February when a
pair was seen on a silk-cotton tree near the Dak Bungalow. Several pairs were
seen in the same area during the next two days. The first record for the plains
of the Brahmaputra and the second for Assam. The first record for Assam was
of a pair obselVed by the author in the North Cachar Hills in February 1986.
40
A. CHOUDHURY Forktail6
Other species recorded were: Little Grebe
Tachybaptus rujicoOis, Great
Connorant Phalaaocorax carbo, Indian Connorant P. juscicoOis, Little
Connorant P. niger, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster,Grey Heron Ardea
cinerea, Purple Heron A. purpurea, Little Heron Buwrides striatus, Indian
Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii, Cattle Egret Bubukus ibis, Great Egret Egretta
alba, Intennediate Egret E. intermedia, little Egret E. garzetta, Cinnamon
Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus, Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygnajavanka,
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta, Eurasian Wigeon A. penelope, Black Kite Milvus
migrans, Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus, White-rumped Vulture Gyps
bengaknsis, Long-billed Vulture G. indkus, Shikra Accipiter badius, Tawny
Eagle Aquila rapax, White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenkurus,
Watercock
GaOU:rexcinerea, Common Moorhen GaOinula chioropus, Purple
Swamphen Porphyria porphyria, Eurasian Coot Fulka atra, Pheasant-tailed
Jacana Hydrophasianus chirnrgus, Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indkus,
Red-wattled Lapwing
VaneOus indkus, Asiatic Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva,
Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatilis, Green Sandpiper T. ochropus, Wood
Sandpiper T. glareola, Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos, Black-winged
Stilt Himanwpus himantopus, Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus,
River Tern
Sterna aurantia, Yellow-footed Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera, Rock
Pigeon Columba l?via, Red Turtle-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarka, Spotted
Dove S. chinensis, Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indka, Alexandrine Parakeet
Psittacula eupatria,
Rose-ringed Parakeet P. krameri, Common Koel
Eudynamys scolopacea,
Greater Coucal Cenr:ropus sinensis, Lesser Coucal
C. bengaknsis, Spotted Owlet Athene brama, Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis,
Common Kingfisher
Akedo atthis, Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsiscapensis,
White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Merops leschenaulti,
Blue-tailed Bee-eater M. philippinus, Green Bee-eater M.
orientalis,
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis,Hoopoe Upupa epops, Lineated
Barbet Megalaima lineata, Blue-throated Barbet M. asiatica, Coppersmith
Barbet M. haemacephala, Black-rumped Goldenback Dinopium benghalense,
Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker
Picoidesmacei, Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula,
Plain Martin
Riparia paludkola, Barn Swallow Hirnndo rustica, Large Cuckooshrike
Coracina novaehoOandiae,
Common lora Aegithina tiphia, Redwhiskered
Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus, Red-vented Bulbul P. cafer, Black
Drongo DU:rnrus macrocercus, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo D. remifer,
Spangled Drongo
D. hottenwttus, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo D. paradiseus,
Black-hooded Oriole
Oriolus xanthornus, Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta
vagabunda, House Crow Corvus splendens, Large-billed Crow C.
macrorhynchos,
Great Tit Parus major, Asian Magpie-robin Copsychus saularis,
White-rumped Shama C.
malabarkus, Common Stonechat Sa:xU
latorquata,
White-tailed Stonechat S.
leucura, Striated Warbler Megalurus palustris,
Common Tailorbird
Orthowmus suwrius, Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula
parva, Grey-headed Flycatcher CulU:U:apaceylonensis,White Wagtail Motacil/a
alba, Grey Wagtail M. cinerea, Yellow Wagtail M. jlava, Yellow-hooded
Wagtail M. citreola, Paddyfield Pipit Anthus (novaeseelandiae) rnfulus, Rosy
---
1991
Bird observations from Sibsagar 41
Pipit
A. rosealUS,Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus, Brown Shrike Lanius
cristalUS,Grey-backed Shrike L. tephrorwlUS,Chestnut-tailed Starling Stumus
malabaricus, Asian Pied Starling S. contra, Common Myna Acridotheres tristis,
Hill Myna
Gracula religiosa,Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker DU::aeumcruentatum,
Oriental White-eye
Zosterops palpebrosus, Eurasian Tree-Sparrow Passer
montanus, House Sparrow P. dmnesticus, Baya Weaver PkJceus philippinus,
Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata, Chestnut Munia L. malacca.
