1. Threatened Birds of Central India
by
Girish Jathar
Scientist-In-Charge
ENVIS-Center
B o m b a y N a tu ra l
H i s to ry S o c i e ty
2. Why birds are threatened
• Habitat Destruction
• Expansion of Agriculture
• Rapid Industrialization
• Poaching and Trade
• Global Warming and Climate
Change
3. The Concept of Threatened Birds
• BirdLife International and IUCN have categorized the status
of various species and given them the current status
• The term “Red Data Book” came into existence in the early
1960s when IUCN–The World Conservation Union, in
conjunction with ICBP (the International Council for Bird
Preservation, now BirdLife International)
• In 1963, International Red Data Book were conceived by the
late Sir Peter Scott as “ a register of threatened wildlife that
includes definition of degree of threat”
• In 1980 the first bird ‘Red Data Book’ was published by the
International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP)
• In 2000 ‘Threatened Birds of the World’ was published by
BirdLife International
4. 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
5. Threatened Birds Scenario
Species World India
Critically Endangered 181 9
Endangered 351 12
Vulnerable 674 59
Near Threatened 795 58
Total 2001 138
6. Indian Perspective
• In India BNHS is designated partner of BirdLife
International
• With the help of BirdLIfe International and Royal
Society for Protection of the Birds (RSPB), BNHS
started Important Bird Area programme (IBA) in
1999
• This programme identified 465 IBA sites in India
• In central India there are 60 IBA sites
7. Endemic Bird Area
• In India there are seven
Endemic Bird Areas and
five Secondary Areas
• Central Indian Forests
(Secondary area)
- dry deciduous forest
- scrub forest
- wetlands
- grasslands
9. 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
• Conservation – BNHS initiative –
-Vulture Conservation Center at
Pinjore, Buxa and Nagaon
- Nation wide Ban on diclofenac
- Vulture advocacy programme
- Comes under Schedule I of Indian
Wildlife ( Protection) Act. 1972
10. 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
• Conservation – BNHS initiative –
-Vulture Conservation Center at
Pinjore, Buxa and Nagaon
- Nation wide Ban on diclofenac
- Vulture advocacy programme
- Comes under Schedule I of IndianWildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
11. 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
• Conservation – BNHS is carrying out long
term study in Sri Lankamalleshwar Sanctuary
in Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh.
- Comes under Schedule I of Indian
Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972
12. 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
• Conservation – BNHS carried out three year
study in Satpuda. Several recommendations
have been put forward for its protection and
conservation.
- Comes under Schedule I of Indian
Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972
13. Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
• It is a migratory bird visits India during
winter
• Inhabitant of Europe and west-central Asia
• The population is decreased rapidly in this
decade
• Threats - increasing use of pesticide and
change in land use pattern
• Conservation – declared as critically
endangered and protected by law in
various countries. Listed in Appendix I of
CITES.
14. Pallas's Fish Eagle Haliaetus leucoryphus
• Very recently included in Critically
Endangered category
• Inhabitant of large wetlands. It is a breeding
migrant to India.
• Threats – habitat loss and destruction,
pollution on large water bodies due to
pesticides and industrial effluents
• Conservation - included on Appendix II of
CITES. It is listed in Schedule I of the
Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act
1972
16. 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
• Conservation - listed in CITES Appendix I. It
is listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
- BNHS is carrying out conservation and
awareness Campaign in many states.
17. Lesser Florican Sypheotides indica
• This bird is endemic to India and
Nepal. Historically spread all over
peninsular India
• Habitat specialist bird-
representative of Grassland
• Threats - habitat loss, hunting and
failure of monsoon rains
• Conservation - this species is
protected under Schedule I of the
Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972
19. 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
• Conservation - this species is
protected under the Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
20. Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
• This species is resident species
in central and northeastern
India
• Threats - loss of nesting sites is
a major threat along with
pesticides poisoning and direct
persecution
• Conservation - this species is
protected under the Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
21. Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga
• Found all over palearctic region;
winter migrant to India
• Population is declining very fast
• Generally found near water bodies
and open areas
• Threats - habitat loss and
degradation, exploitation, human
disturbance, pollution, and shortage
of prey
• Conservation – comes under
CITES Appendix II. Protected
under Indian Wildlife (Protection)
Act. 1972
22. Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
• Found all over palearctic and in
India. Some population is
winter migrant to India
• Mainly found near water bodies
• Threats - changing land use
practices, pesticides,
persecution and declining prey
• Conservation - this species is
listed in Appendix I of CITES,
Protected under Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
23. Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni
• The Lesser Kestrel is an extremely
widespread falcon species. It is a rare
winter visitor and passage migrant in
India
• Occasionally seen in large flocks
• Threats - Intensification of
agriculture and increased use of
pesticides
• Conservation - this species is listed
on Appendix II of CITES and
Protected under Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
24. 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
• Conservation - this species is listed on
Appendix II of CITES. Protected
under Indian Wildlife (Protection)
Act. 1972
25. Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis
• It was once very common on all large
river systems in central and northern India
• A decline in numbers has occurred,
paralleled by a fragmentation of its range,
and it now only breeds at scattered
localities
• Threats - increased human usage of
wetlands, many feeding areas have been
over-exploited, polluted, flooded or
drained and destruction of nesting
colonies
• Conservation – protected under Indian
Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972. The
National Chambal Sanctuary (5,400 sq.
km ) contains one of the healthiest
skimmer populations in Asia
26. Stoliczka‘s Bushchat Saxicola macrorhyncha
• Found in a circumscribed area of
semi-arid country in north-western
India and eastern Pakistan. Known
for its erratic movements in winter
• Mainly prefers open grassland
habitat and scrublands
• Threats - the main threat is
agricultural intensification and
encroachment and overgrazing by
livestock
• Conservation - good population is
found in Desert National Park.
Protected under Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
27. Green Munia Amandava formosa
• It is endemic to India where it is distributed
locally from southern Rajasthan, central
Uttar Pradesh and southern Bihar to
northern Andhra Pradesh
• Population is declining very rapidly
• Threats – most famous as cage bird and
highly priced in wildlife trade. Along with
this pesticides and habitat loss influencing
the population
• Conservation – the species appears on
CITES Appendix II and Protected under
Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972.
Some populations are safe in protected
areas of Central India
29. Darter Anhinga melanogaster
• Widespread resident in South Asia.
The species is generally uncommon
and declining throughout Asia.
• It’s a water bird found in large
wetlands
• Threats - it is primarily threatened
by habitat loss, disturbance (at
feeding grounds and colonies),
hunting and pollution
• Conservation – protected under
Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.
1972. Found in may protected areas
of Central India
30. 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
• Population is declining slowly
• Threats - habitat loss, disturbance,
• pollution and hunting of adults and
collection of eggs and nestlings from
colonies is cause for concern
• Conservation – protected under Indian
Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972. Many
nesting colonies are in protected areas
31. 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
• Conservation – this species is
protected under Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972. BNHS taken
initiative to protect flamingo habitat in
Mumbai
32. Oriental White Ibis
Threskiornis melanocephalus
• Mainly occur in South and South
East Asia
• It inhabits freshwater marshes, lakes,
rivers, flooded grasslands, paddy
fields, tidal creeks, mudflats, salt
marshes and coastal lagoons
• Threats – mainly drainage of
wetlands, disturbance, pollution,
agricultural conversion, hunting and
collection of eggs and nestlings from
colonies
• Conservation - this species is
protected under the Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972
33. Lesser Grey Headed Fish eagle
Ichthyophaga humilis
• Found mainly in South Asia.
• Population is declining all over its
range
• It frequents large forested rivers
and wetlands
• Threats - loss of forest habitat
along rivers, siltation,
overfishing and increasing human
disturbance
• Conservation –this species is
protected under the Indian
Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972
34. Pallid Harrier Circus macrorus
• It breeds primarily in the steppes of
Palearctic region and Winters in India
• Mainly prefers Scrub, savanna and
wetlands
• Threats –destruction and degradation
of steppe grasslands, intensive
grazing of wet pastures and the
clearance of shrubs and tall weeds
and rapid expansion of agriculture
and direct persecution
• Conservation - this species is
protected under the Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972. Some
protected areas like Velavadar
National Park, Gujarat holds good
population. Similarly in Sailana
Wildlife Sanctuary.
35. Malabar Pied Hornbill
Anthrococeros coronatus
• It is restricted to central and southern
India
• Mainly found in undisturbed moist
broadleaved deciduous and evergreen
forests
• Threats – rapid degradation and
fragmentation of habitat, shifting
cultivation, forest fire, and logging
• Conservation - This species is
protected under the Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act. 1972. Found in
various protected areas. In Madhya
Pradesh it is found in Pench and
Bandhavgarh National Parks.
