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.

Forest department to conduct harrier count again

The state forest department is going to take fresh re-count of the harriers at Blackbuck National Park (BNP), at Velavadar in Bhavnagar district, in the second week of the January 2011.

Recently, forest department and volunteers had conducted population estimation
Of harriers at BNP and around 895 harriers were recorded. BNP is world’s largest communal roosting site of harriers, which are now among the endangered species.

According to J.S.Solanki, assistant conservator of forest, BNI earlier in September, forest officials had counted harriers and about 1,300 were spotted at BNP “We had hoped that due to the good monsoon, more harriers would come this year but, in the recent population estimation process, about 895 harriers were reported. It is possible that harriers may have stayed in other grassland in nearby areas and might come to BNP later so, in order to better understand this situation, we decided to conduct the again population estimation again,” said Solanki.

Unlike last few years, the prolonged monsoon and good rainfall in the region would have replenished food chain for the harriers around the BNP and other areas as well. The slender, long, bare-legged, long- winged and long- tailed hawks with an owl-like facial Ruff, Harriers are considered as farmers’ friends as they are predators. Their diet includes large insects and especially Locust, Fish, Reptiles especially Snakes, Lizards and Skinks, birds (both land and water) and small mammals (rodents).

“Of the l6 Harrier species in the world, four types of harriers migrate to BNP every year. These include Montagu Harriers, Pallid Harriers, Eurasian Marsh Harriers and Hen Harriers. All the four species have arrived,” said R L Meena, Chief Conservator of Forest, Junagadh circle (wildlife).

“There may be many factors behind the less number of harriers making it to BNP this season. We need to understand the situation with further studies,” Meena said.

Courtesy:- Times Of India.

Farmers near Velvadar Blackbuck Park, Bhavnagar, India to be educated about Harriers

“#Blackbucknationalpark, Velavadar, is the largest communal roosting site of Harriers in the world. Harriers, the slender, long bare-legged, long-winged and long-toiled #Hawks with an owl like facial ruff, are considered farmers’ friends as they are predators. Harriers are vital indicators of an ecosystem’s health as their pray base are insects on corps. However, for many years now, farmers have started using pesticides in their fields and this badly affects the food chain of the Harriers. The food chain is an important aspect for the conservation of birds”, said JS Solanki, assistant conservator of forests, BNP, Velavadar.

Forests officials said that about 150 farmers from nearby villages are expected to take part in the awareness programme. ‘Experts and forests officials will present various aspects of the importance of Harriers to our ecological system. Various presentations in this regards will be shown to farmers. Officials from Agriculture Department will suggest the alternatives of the pesticide for their crops which are not harmful to Harriers,” said Solanki.

“The food chain of the Harriers should be kept as it directly affects the population of the bird and farmers’ role becomes crucial in this regard”, he said.

Courtesy :- Times Of India, Friday, 17th December, 2010

Aal Izz well for harriers at Velavadar Park

Over 1,300 Sighted So Far, Numbers May Go Beyond
2,200 By November-end


Rajkot: Unlike some previous years, this winter season is going to be a special treat for wildlife and nature lovers as harriers, a rare and endangered species, have started arriving in large numbers at Blackbuck National Park (BNP), Velavadar, from Siberia. BNP Velavadar in Bhavnagar district is the largest communal roosting site of harriers in the world.
The forest department con ducted an initial population estimation exercise of harriers at BNP on October 29-30. The number of harriers sighted at the park was between 1,350 and l,400, which, forest officials said, is very impressive in comparison to the previous years. Last year only 979 harriers were sighted here, with the number being lowest in a decade.
Forest officials said the final population estimation would be conducted at the end of November during the peak season. “We are expecting the total number of harriers to go beyond 2,200-in the peak winter season when the final counting would be conducted,” said J.S. Solanki, Assistant Conservator of forests at BNP
Of the l6 harrier species in the world, at least four types — Montagu, Pallid, Eurasian Marsh and Hen — arrive at BNP every year. This season, all the four species have arrived. “This year, because of good rains and overall favorable weather, harriers are likely to be sighted in good numbers,” said forest official.
Harriers, the slender, long bare-legged, long-winged and long-toiled hawks with an owl-like facial ruff, are considered as farmers’ friends as they are predators. Their diet includes large insects, especially locust; fish; reptiles especially snakes; lizards and skulks, birds (both land and water) and small mammals (rodents).
Harriers are vital indicators of the health of ecosystem as its pray base is insects. “Harriers adapted to a lifestyle in open landscapes having habitats like wetlands, grasslands, crop fields, reeds and sedges, salt marshes and dray barren lands. Harriers often roost communally at night, both on pas sage and in winter quarters,” said a forest official.
“The good rain has created a favorable condition for harriers. Owing to impressive crops around the BNP, food chain for the harriers is also very good this time. These could be among the main
Reason for the arrival of large number of the migratory birds,” Solanki said.
The harriers are the only diurnal ‘raptor group or birds of prey’ nesting and roosting on the ground. The communal roost sites are critical resources for harriers’ survival as they spend considerable time over there. “These communal roosting sites are usually grasslands where they get concealment and protection from both predators and cold weather,” he said.
“Harriers generally start congregating at these sites about half an hour or so prior to sunset. They spend time pre-roosting in open ground close to their roost site, engaging themselves in resting, preening and vocalizing. This is probably done to attract others to increase the flock size. Just after sunset, an intensive inspection of the grassland—their roost site— is carried out and within hour they settle down for roosting. Early morning, around sunrise, they leave the roost and head towards their respective foraging grounds,” said Solanki.

Courtesy:- Times Of India, Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India.