Tarnetar Fair, Gujarat, India

Courtesy:- Times of India.

Population of rare birds- Indian Bustards, set to rise

There is some hope for the Great India Bustard, which is believed to be on the verge of extinction. The bird population, which was around 48, is likely to cross 50 mark and record an increase of around 15-20%.


In 1998, only 29 bustards were found in Gujarat and after that there was no sighting. Finally, nearly after eight years, the bird was again sighted in 2005-06 in Abdasa, Gujarat, India. It was then that a study was taken up by the Gujarat Ecological Education Research, and the findings were heartening. The bird population was spread across Abdasa Taluka. The study reveals that a total of 35 Indian Bustards were counted in the winter population survey. The umber in the post-monsoon period hit 48, of which 21 were females.

Forest officials said an internal survey by department afforded some encouragement. The official’s said that they spotted chicks, which was a sign of healthy breeding in the area. The majestic bird is locally known as Ghorad. The population is likely to be around 55.

Officials said that the sanctuary is just 202 hectares in size, which was not enough. They said hat during the internal survey, more birds were spotted outside in open areas rather than in the sanctuary. The shy bird, resembling the ostrich, is a good flier but prefers to walk in open spaces. The bird even roosts and breeds tin the open.

The official’s census will be conducted in Abdasa and Naila Taluka where the birds have been spotted. “The census will be taken up in the last week of September or first week of October,” said the conservator of Forest D.K. Sharma.

Courtesy:- Times of India.

Snake Festival in Bishnupur (Kolkata), West Bengal, India

Lesser Floricans arrive at Velvadar Park for breeding

Forest department to conduct a census of the rare birds

Lesser Floricans, one of the 50 rarest birds in the world, arrived at the Blackbuck National Park (BNP), Velavadar 40 kms away from Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. The large birds, which belong to the bustard family, fly from Peninsular India to this national park for breeding during the monsoon. As of now, there are about lesser Florincans at the park, but the exact number will be known after a census this weekend.

“It’s a rare sight to watch the spectacular courtship of this bird, in which the male can jump over a meter high to impress the female and attract her, sometimes up to 500 times a day,” assistant Conservator of Forests, BNP, J.S. Solanki said. The males leap suddenly from the grass with a peculiar croaking or knocking call, flutter their wings and fall back with slightly open wings. At the apogee of the leap, the neck is arched backwards and the legs as if in a sitting posture.

The Lesser Floricans is regarded as endangered because its population is declining, primarily as a result of poaching and loss and degradation of dry grassland. The grassland in Velavadar park provides an ideal and safe place for breeding to this bird. These birds start laying eggs in August to September period. After breeding, these omnivorous birds move into peninsular India.

The male in breeding plumage has the head, neck and lower parts black. The throat is however white. About three long ribbon like feathers, about 4 inches long, arise from behind the ear-coverts on each side of the head and extend backwards curving up and ending in a speculate tip. The neck and scapulars are mottled in white with V-shaped marks. The wing coverts are white. After the breeding season, the male tends to have some white in the wing. The female is slightly larger than the male. The females and males in non breeding plumage are buff with black steaks with darker markings on the head and neck. The back is mottled and barred in black. The neck and upper breast are buff with the streaks decreasing towards the belly. The breeding areas of the Lesser Floricans are today restricted mainly to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, some areas in southern Nepal and parts of Andre Pradesh.

Courtesy:- Times of India.