This document discusses bird conservation efforts in Kerala, India. It identifies threatened bird species that are priorities for conservation, including vultures, wood pigeons, and flycatchers. Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Kerala are classified based on the threatened species they support. Conservation plans are proposed to protect high priority IBAs and monitor key species. Next steps include increasing surveys, protecting unique habitats, and engaging conservation groups and media to promote IBAs and address urgent threats to threatened birds.

1. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Threatened Birds & IBA
Network of Kerala
Praveen J

2. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Contents
• Bird watching vs. Bird Conservation
• What to Conserve ?
• Threatened Birds of Kerala
• Conservation Plan
• Kerala IBAs
• Monitoring
• Future Course

3. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Bird Watching vs. Bird
Conservation
An Oriental Turtle Dove sighting at
Thattekkad WLS is good news for a bird
watcher.
 FOCUS ON VAGRANTS
Regular sightings of Nilgiri Wood Pigeons at
the Thattekkad WLS is good news for a bird
conservationist!
 FOCUS ON ENDEMICS
“Rare” does not always imply “Threatened”

4. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
What to Conserve ???
• Conserve Species that have
– Most of its range falling with in Kerala
• e.g. Black & Rufous Flycatcher
– Significant part of its global population is resident or
wintering in Kerala.
• e.g. Oriental Darter
– A dis-junct range and has strong likelihood of genetic
isolation in the near future.
• e.g. Oriental Broad-billed Roller
• Conserve a habitat (biome) & hence a bird
community that is unique to Kerala
• e.g. Southern Montane Wet Grasslands
• Do not create conservation plans for vagrants.
– e.g. A plan for conserving Lesser Florican habitats in
Kerala is irrelevant.

5. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Threatened Birds for Kerala
Conservation Priority A
• White-rumped Vulture CR
• White-bellied Shortwing VU
• Nilgiri Wood Pigeon VU
• Broad-tailed Grassbird VU
• Oriental Darter NT
• Black & Rufous Flycatcher NT
• Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush NT
• Nilgiri Pipit NT

6. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Threatened Birds for Kerala
Conservation Priority B
• Greater Spotted Eagle VU
• Pallid Harrier NT
• Nilgiri Flycatcher NT
• Malabar Pied Hornbill NT
• Black-bellied Tern NT
• Black-tailed Godwit NT
• Black-headed Ibis NT
• Great Hornbill NT

7. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Threatened Birds for Kerala
Conservation Priority C
• Nilgiri Laughing Thrush EN
• Indian Spotted Eagle VU
• Lesser Adjutant VU
• Greater Grey-headed Fish Eagle NT
• Lesser Fish Eagle NT
• Yellow-throated Bulbul VU
• Painted Stork NT
• Tytler’s Leaf Warbler NT
• Indian Vulture CR

8. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Threatened Birds – Vagrants
• Christmas Is Frigate Bird
• Spoon-billed Sandpiper
• Sociable Lapwing
• Lesser Florican
• Green Avadavat
• Imperial Eagle
• Houbara Bustard
• Lesser Kestrel
• Kashmir Flycatcher
• Wood Snipe
• White-naped Tit
• Spot-billed Pelican
• Cinereous Vulture
• Ferruginous Duck
• European Roller
• Laggar Falcon
• Red-headed Vulture

9. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Conservation Plan
• Prioritize the IBAs in Kerala
– Three classes (A, B & C)
– Based on number of threatened species it houses.
– Based on the health of the population of the species.
• Use a thumb rule
– Have at least two class A sites conserving “Priority A”
species
– Have at least one class A site for conserving “Priority
B” species
– Have at least one class B site for conserving “Priority
C” species

10. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Kerala IBAs - Class A
White-rumped Vulture, Indian Vulture, Lesser
Adjutant, Pallid Harrier
Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, Black & Rufous
Flycatcher, Nilgiri Pipit, White-bellied Shortwing
(Nilgiri Blue Robin), Tytler’s Leaf Warbler, Nilgiri
Flycatcher
Great Hornbill, Lesser Fish Eagle, Grey
headed Fish Eagle, Lesser Adjutant
Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Great Hornbill, Lesser
Fish Eagle, Broad-tailed Grassbird, Black &
Rufous Flycatcher, Oriental Darter
Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush, White-bellied Shortwing,
Nilgiri Pipit, Broad-tailed Grassbird, Black & Rufous
Flycatcher, Tytler’s Leaf Warbler, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Pallid
Harrier.
Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Grey-breasted Laughing
Thrush (merdionale)
NEW
All small sholas &
grasslands of
Munnar RF
including
Mathikettan,
Mannavan

11. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Kerala IBAs - Class B
Great Hornbill, Nilgiri Laughing Thrush,
Lesser Adjutant
White-bellied Shortwing (Nilgiri Blue Robin)
Broad-tailed Grassbird
Malabar Pied Hornbill, Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush
(jerdoni), White-bellied Shortwing (Nilgiri Blue Robin)
Great Hornbill, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon
Yellow-throated Bulbul
Grey-breasted Laughing Thrush
Broad-tailed Grassbird
Great Hornbill
NEW
NEW
NEW
NEW
High altitude
ecosystems of
Camel Hump
Mountains
Mid-altitude forests
of Siruvani & high-
altitude ecosystems
of Muthikkulam-
Elival
Mid and low
altitude forests
Mid & high altitude
forests and grasslands
of Palode range
.

12. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Kerala IBAs - Class C
Degraded Forests
Data deficient
Degraded habitats. Require re-
evaluation wrt dis-junct speciesDegraded habitats due to
tourism pressure
Small area. mid-altitude forests
Small area. mid-altitude forests
Small area. mid-altitude forests
Data deficient
Degraded Forests
Small area. mid-altitude forests

13. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Kerala IBAs - Wetlands
Class A
Oriental Darter, Greater Spotted Eagle, Black
tailed Godwit, Black headed Ibis.
Congregation: > 30000
Class B
Black-bellied Tern, Painted Stork
Congregation: > 10000
Class A
Oriental Darter, Black-tailed Godwit, Greater
Spotted Eagle.
Congregation: > 25000
Class B
Greater Spotted Eagle, Indian Spotted Eagle.
Congregation: > 15000
NEW
Bharathapuzha
estauary and
adjoining river beds.

14. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Proposed New IBAs - A Summary

15. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Monitoring – Species, Diversity &
Threats
Systematize the survey methodology across
the state – Achieve Uniformity of Coverage
 Grid: 5 x 5 sq.km with 4 transects of 3.5 km each
 Encounter sightings along an existing near-
straight line transect.
 Field hours: 3hrs in forenoon, 2hrs in afternoon.
 Avg. walking pace of 1-1.5km / hr. 5km
Base Camp
5km
Radially outward
transects
25 sq.km
Guidelines for a survey: No of base camps.
Site Area Preferred No of
Base camps/Grids
Base camps
during last survey
Nelliampathy R.F 150 6 5
Parambikulam WLS 285 11 10
Aralam WLS 60 3 6
Periyar Tiger Reserve 777 30 5 ?
Can we make
the survey
coverage more
uniform ?

16. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Future Course
 Documentation
 Increase coverage in data-deficient areas
 Identify & prioritize disjunct population of species to conserve.
 Identify unique biomes & bird communities for Kerala
 Planning
 All areas demarcated as Class A IBAs should be notified as PAs
 Penetrate the management plans of Class A IBAs to clearly
identify measures to protect threatened birds.
 Implementation
 IBCN Network (as individuals & society) of the state takes the
lead.
 Use media effectively to promote IBA concept – among people
and among the Green Brigades of the state.
 Create “tiger teams” to solve issues requiring urgent
conservation attention.

17. 20th Jan 2007 Praveen. J, KeralaBirder
Questions
Mail to
paintedstork@gmail.com