Birds of Ansupa

Susanta Nanda
Dr. Samrat Gowda
Dr. Fanindra Bhusan Nanda
Tuhinansu Kar

Published by
CHILIKA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Plot No. 493 (P), Palaspalli, Pokhariput Road,
Bhubaneswar-751020, Odisha, India
Phone/Fax: 91(674)2590485
Email: Chilika@chilika.com
Website: www.chilika.com

First Published:
2019

© Chilika Development Authority/ Authors

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronics, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior
permission of the copyright owner
For educational purpose can be sited as: Nanda, S., S. Gowda, F.B. Nanda
and T. Kar (2019). Birds of Ansupa. Chilika Development Authority,
Bhubaneswar: 200p.

Front Cover: Red-crested Pochard by Dr. Samrat Gowda

Back Cover: Asian Openbill by Tuhinansu Kar

Design & Layout:

Khirod C Pati, Bhubaneswar

Printed at:
Duduly Process & Offset, Bhubaneswar

ISBN: 978-93-5391-211-6
Author’s Note 8
Acknowledgement 10
I. Introduction 11
II. Birds in Indian culture and literature:
a comprehensive analysis 18
III. Species Description
1. Lesser Whistling Duck 23
2. Bar-headed Goose 25
3. Ruddy Shelduck 27
4. Red-crested Pochard 29
5. Garganey 31
6. Northern Shoveler 33
7. Gadwall 35
8. Indian Spot-billed Duck 37
9. Northern Pintail 39
10. Common Teal 41
11. Cotton Teal 43
12. Little Grebe 45
13. Slaty-breasted Rail 47
14. Baillon’s Crake 49
15. White-breasted Waterhen 51
16. Watercock 53
17. Purple Moorhen/Purple Swamphen 55
18. Common Moorhen 57
19. Eurasian Coot 59
20. Painted Stork 61
21. Asian Openbill 63
22. Yellow Bittern 65
23. Cinnamon Bittern 67
24. Black Bittern 69
25. Black-crowned Night Heron 71
26. Indian Pond Heron 73
27. Cattle Egret 75
28. Grey Heron 77
29. Purple Heron 79
30. Great Egret 81
31. Intermediate Egret 83
32. Little Egret 85
33. Black-headed Ibis 87
34. Little Cormorant 89
35. Indian Cormorant 91
36. Great Cormorant 93
37. Oriental Darter 95
38. Eurasian Thick-knee 97
39. Great Thick-knee 99
40. Black-winged Stilt 101
41. Pacific Golden Plover 103
42. Little Ringed Plover 105
43. Kentish Plover 107
44. River Lapwing 109
45. Yellow-wattled Lapwing 111
46. Grey-headed Lapwing 113
47. Red-wattled Lapwing 115
48. Greater Painted Snipe 117
49. Phesant-tailed Jacana 119
50. Bronze-winged Jacana 121
51. Black-tailed Godwit 123
52. Temminck’s Stint 125
53. Little Stint 127
54. Common Snipe 129.
55. Common Sandpiper 131
56. Green Sandpiper 133
57. Common Greenshank 135
 58. Common Redshank 137
59. Wood Sandpiper 139
60. Marsh Sandpiper 141
61. Little Pratincole 143
62. Indian Skimmer 145
63. Little Tern 147
64. Whiskered Tern 149
65. River Tern 151
66. Black-bellied Tern 153
67. Osprey 155
68. Western Marsh Harrier 157
69. White-bellied Sea Eagle 159
70. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 161
71. Blue-tailed Bee-eater 163
72. Common Kingfisher 165
73. Pied Kingfisher 167
74. Stork-billed Kingfisher 169
75. White-throated Kingfisher 171
76. Peregrine Falcon 173
77. Western yellow Wagtail 175
78. Grey Wagtail 177
79. Citrine Wagtail 179
80. White-browed Wagtail 181
81. White Wagtail 183
82. Streak-throated Swallow 185
83. Red-rumped Swallow 187
84. Wire-tailed Swallow 189
85. Barn Swallow 191

IV. Glossary 192

V. Bibliography 195
Appendix-I 197
Birds of Ansupa 8

AUTHORS’ NOTE

Ansupa is the largest freshwater lake of Odisha. The lake

and its catchment area, is the home to many bird species. As it is not
coming under any protected area like Chilika, Hirakud etc, this region
failed to drag the attention of researchers and scientists. Due to lack
of systematic survey and effort the figure was uncertain for years.
Recently sporadic attempts were made to understand the species
richness and abundance of the landscape. So to fulfill this information
gap, book on ‘Birds of Ansupa’was prepared.
The community composition of birds is often used as an
important parameter by many ecologists and researchers. For the
sustainability of wetland ecosystem, presences of waterbirds are
utmost important. The birds which reside in the wetland for foraging,
breeding, roosting etc. are known as ‘waterbirds’. Apart from these,
few birds, partially dependent on wetlands are known as ‘wetland
dependent birds’. Both are collectively called as ‘wetland birds’.
These birds have profound impact on wetlands. They played a
significant role in maintaining the wetland biodiversity, weed
management; fish stock management, insect pest control, nutrient
and biogeochemical cycling etc. These birds are very much sensitive
to any kind of structural and chemical changes to wetlands, known
as bioindicator. Therefore, wetland birds can be used as a model to
understand the ecological health status of wetlands.
Among all waterbirds, few species are residents to this region;
some are local and long distant migrant. India is the major part of
Central Asian Flyway as it provides stopover site to 90% of bird
species of this migratory path. In India, Odisha is the eastern most
state. Due to the geographic position and topography, diverse types
of wetlands have been created in the state. These wetlands harbour
numerous wetland birds as per their characteristics.
This book provides extensive information on 85 species of
wetland birds of Ansupa and its catchment area.Subsequently, a
 Birds of Ansupa 9

tentative checklist of 109 species of Landbirds (Appendix-I) is given.

This book follows Kumar et al. (2005) to avoid the confusion on
categorizing wetland dependent birds.The latest and updated
taxonomy of the book follows Praveen et al. (2016).The introduction
part put light on wetlands further provides basic information about
Ansupa lake and its catchment area such as its location, topography,
water and soil quality, climatic condition, waterlevel maintenance,
biodiversity and habitat diversity. This part further continues to explain
the socioeconomic importance and livelihood opportunities at the lake,
successful story of weed management and restoration.This ends with
an important section the background of avian research at the lake. A
special segment is given which analyzes on cultural and literary
aspects of birds in India. This part justifies the importance of birds in
our cultural heritage.Species description part covers the Common
name, Scientific name, Family, Order, Size, International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN)Red list Status, Wildlife Protection
Act (1972) schedule, Residential status, Local Name, Field characters,
Habits and habitat, Food and Nesting ecology. In case of migratory
birds, their resident countries are mentioned by following Balachandran
et al. (2009).In this book, colour photographs of wetland birds are
taken from various wetlands of Odisha, not necessarily taken from
Ansupa Landscape. Utmost care has been taken to maintain the
quality of the photographs. Finally, the supportive literatures which
are used to prepare the book are given in the bibliography section.
Those literatures will be helpful for Bird Researcher and enthusiastic
persons to know more about birds.
However, it is not claimed that the checklist of birds given in
the book, is final and complete. There is always a scope for new
addition, which will further strengthen the database.
Hope this book will be serving as a supportive material to
know more about birds for researchers, scientists, wetland managers,
tourists and forest workers to know more about this unexplored
landscape.
Authors
Chilika Development Authority
Birds of Ansupa 10

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors are thankful to Dr. R.N. Samal, Mr. M. K. Jena,

Mr. B. K. Acharya, Mr S. K. Mohanty, Mr. P. K. Mohapatra and Dr.
K. S. Bhatta and for their valuable discussion and suggestions during
the preparation of manuscript.

Our heartiest thanks to Dr. Jajnaseni Rout for preparing the

map and satellite imageries for the book.

While preparing this book the staffs of Ansupa Lake has

provided help in identifying the local name of different birds and helped
us in studying the nesting patterns. They assisted in survey work
inside the Lake and its periphery. We extended our heartiest thanks
to them.

We are thankful to Dr. Subrat Debata, Amit Kumar Bal, Gayatri

Devi, Arajush Payra, Pijush Payra, Sudhir Kumar Jena, Bibhu Prasad
Panda and Swarup Fullonton for permitting us to use some of their
photographs in this book. We extend our heartiest thanks to Prof.
Chitta Ranjan Mishra & Sri Kalidas Mohapatra for their help to
improve the manuscript.

We are thankful to Shri Khirod Chandra Pati for designing the

book.

We express our thanks to all the staffs of Chilika Development

Authorities, for their constant cooperation during the preparation of
book.
 Birds of Ansupa 11

INTRODUCTION

Wetlands:
Since time immemorial, humans are related to wetlands. Human
civilisation started and proliferated in the shoreline of wetlands.
Wetlands providemany ecosystem services and are super market of
nature for their high productivity. Survivals of most developed
civilisations were highly dependent on the survival of wetlands. These
are the most diverse habitat which constitutes nearly 6% of Earth’s
surface area. Being the transitional zone in between terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystem, it supports spectacular abundance of biological
diversity. Generally wetlands have two key characteristic features
i.e. hydrophytes and hydric soil,which provide the uniqueness to this
ecosystem. These features have played a vital role for growth of
biotic community. Cowardin et al., (1979) classified the wetlands in
to five types on the basis of water depth (2m), source of salinity
(coastal or inland) and vegetation pattern in the deeper portion as
Marine, Estuarine, Lacustrine, Palustrine and Riverine respectively.
Out of these, Lacustrine lakes are mainly shallow, open, freshwater
lakes with sparse vegetation.

Ansupa:
Odisha is blessed with two lakes of international significance.
One is the largest brackish water lagoon of Asia with Estuarine
character and a Ramsar site i.e. Chilika and another one is the largest
Lacustrine lake of Odisha i.e. Ansupa. It is an oxbow lake and an
ancient part of River Mahanadi. This being a part or ‘Ansa’ of the
river, the lake is further named as ‘Ansupa’. Ansupa Lake spreads
over 182 ha with total catchment area of 5231 ha. The lake is situated
in the Banki block of Cuttack district, in between the latitude
20°26′28.43″to 20°28′44″ and longitude 85°35′56.74″ to 85°36′30.01″.
Birds of Ansupa 12
Topography:
Biogeographically, the lake is situated amidst undulating hilly
ranges of Eastern Ghats. Some hills, which surround the Ansupa are
Saranda (124m) on the west, Bishnupur (65m) on the East, Dhangarh
(160 m) on the North and Betlapahad (105 m) on the North-west
direction. The length of Ansupa Lake is about 3 Km and the width
varies in between 250 m to 500 m.

Geology, Soil, Bathymetry and Other Parameters:

The rock formations of the area are mainly from pre-cambrian
age and are composed of Khandalite and Charnokite rocks. The Soil
of the lake is silt loam or clay loam and the adjacent area is mainly
sandy in nature mixed with clay. In Ansupa, maximum depth of 2.64
m was recorded at the central part of the lake whereas minimum
depth was recorded 0.31 m. with mean depth of the lake being 2.51
m, with seasonal variation. The area of the lake was recorded as 182
ha in monsoon and it shrinks to 142 ha in the summer season. The
Hydrogen ion Concentration (pH) value of Lake Water is 8.74, which
indicate that the water is slightly Alkaline in nature. Turbidity of the
lake is 19.4 NTU whereas Dissolve Oxygen (DO) Content of the
Lake is recorded 5.5 ppm which is ideal for propagation of wildlife
and Fisheries.Similarly Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is recorded
3.74mg/l in the lake.

Climate:
The climate of Ansupa is Tropical with three distinct season
i.e. summer, monsoon and winter, and is influenced by South-West
Monsoon. The maximum temperature is 43°C during hottest month
May and minimum 12°C during January with the mean 28°C
temperature round the year. It receives1020.9 mm rainfall annually
with the mean precipitation 85.1 mm. Average wind speed recorded
is 10 km/h.
 Birds of Ansupa 13
Water level Maintenance:
It is a floodplain wetland as it receives and stores flood water
from the river Mahanadi through three inlet-outlet channels. Those
are ‘MayuriChannel’, ‘HulhulaNallah’ and ‘KabulaNallah’.These
Nallahs and Channels serve as the medium of effective water
exchange between river and Ansupa, which ultimately increases the
water storage capacity of the lake by removing siltation and aquatic
weed. It also helps in improving riverine fish stock.

Biodiversity:
The lake and its catchment area isa treasure of biodiversity.
Faunal diversity includes 61 species of Fishes, 3 species of Prawns,
10 species of Amphibians and Reptiles, 54 species of Dragonflies
and Damselflies, 88 species of Butterflies, 194 species of Birds and
26 species of Mammals. Similarly, 244 species of macrophytes were
recorded from the lake including 182 species of semi-aquatic and 62
species of aquatic microphytes. It is also home to 32 species of
Zooplanktons and 44 species of Phytoplanktons.

Habitat:
Ansupa Lake and its catchment area is broadly composed of
diverse habitats including (a) Open water area of lake (b) Agricultural
field (c)Bamboo Forest (d) Moist Deciduous Forest and (e) Riverine
area. These habitats ultimately influence the species composition of
the ecosystem. Besides the lake area, there are many small to
mediumsized ponds situated in the catchment area which harbours
waterbirds.

Socio-economic importance and livelihood opportunities at

Ansupa Lake
There are thirteen villages situated inside the catchment area
of Ansupa with a population of around 18 thousand. The lake provides
Birds of Ansupa 14
ample livelihood opportunities for local communities in terms of fishing,
agriculture, ecotourism andcollection of aquatic plants etc. Abundant
fish stock of the lake provides year around fishing opportunities for
more than 65 families,belongs to Subarnapur and Malbiharpur villages
in the lake. A majority of people also cultivates rice and vegetables in
the adjacent areas of the lake. Humus soil with various organic
fertilizers and nutrients, results in good crop productivity. Ansupa is
famous for its scenic beauty and congregation of waterbirds. This
has stimulated ecotourism opportunities for local communities.This is
slowly gearing up and is peaking in winter. Ansupa and its adjacent
area harbours so many edible and medicinal plants. Sustainable harvest
of these plant parts may create opportunities for local villagers. For
example; Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) flower has religious value which
can be collected and sold. Additionally,seeds of this plant with high
nutritional value can be used as vegetable. Furthermore, seeds of
Makhana plant (Euryale ferox) can be used as vegetable & has
plenty of medicinal value too. Similarly, fruits of Water Chestnut
(Trapa sp.) are commercially important.

Weed Management and emergence of Water spread area of

the Lake
Heavy siltation and agricultural runoff from nearby areas of
lake causes eutrophication in the lake. From satellite imagery data of
Landsat Multi Spectral Scanner (MSS) taken on 18th January 1973,
it was observed that the lake had good water spread area which
gradually covered by Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia sp.) and other
aquatic weeds. The past twenty year analysis of the IRS LISS III
data shows that the average water spread area of the lake is 205.09
Ha.Chilika Development Authority has been initiated the process of
removing of the aquatic weeds manually by engaging local people as
well as mechanically by utilizing a Amphibian Weed Harvester. This
has given good result in reviving the lake.
 Birds of Ansupa 15
Background of Avian Research at Ansupa:
Wetlands constitute 4.43% of total geographical area of the
state. Unfortunately, wetlands present outside the protected areas
have drawn least attention.Though these are potential waterbird
congregation sites, still the status is not very clear.

Ansupa is the largest freshwater lake of Odisha and a lake of

national importance. But very few systematic studies have been
carried out here to know the status of avifauna, an important
component of the ecosystem. The lake was previously known as
“Hansapata” as it supported thousands of migratory ducks (‘Hansa’
is the general term which is locally used for all species of migratory
and resident ducks). The waterbird congregation of the lake attracted
many poets and writers. In recent scientific literature, Vijayan et al.
reported 42 species of birds in 2004 from Ansupa. Subsequently, in
the book National Wetland Atlas: Orissa, it mentions regarding the
presence of 20 species of birds from the lake in the year 2010.Later
on Pradhan et al., 2013 recorded 60 species of birds from this region
which includes waterbirds, wetland dependant birds and landbirds.In
a recently published article, Payra et al. (2019) reported the occurrence
of 147 species of birds from this landscape. Additionally, they reported
the presence of Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani Blyth,
1845, as a first photographic evidence for the State, from this region.
TTT
Birds of Ansupa 16

Satellite Imageries of Ansupa

 Birds of Ansupa 17

Map of Ansupa
Birds of Ansupa 18
Birds in Indian culture and literature:
a comprehensive analysis

Birds are cosmopolitan species and well known for its

charismatic beauty. Since time immemorial, the various aspects of
birds such as their flying skills, feather patterns, calls, courtship
behaviour etc. have been hypnotizing human being. Therefore, they
have occupied special position in our rich culture and literature with
respect to different time period. Simply, they are undivided part of
our heritage. In Vedic literature, such as Vedas, Samhitas, Bramhanas,
Upanishads, Aranyakas and Sutras have frequently depiction of birds.
Near about twenty species of birds were mentioned in above said literature
such as Anya-vâpa (Cuckoos), Ulûka (Owls), Kapinjala (Patridges), Câsa
(Wagtails) etc. The famous Mantra of Mundakopanishad which describes
about the relationship in between Supreme soul and Soul through the
symbolic representation of bird. That is
‘Dvasuparnasayujasakhaya
Samanamvrksamparisasvajaate!
Tayohanyahpippalamsvaduatti,
anashnananyoabhijakashiti’
Like Vedic Literature, the great Indian epics, Ramayana and
Mahabharata, also depict the story of different birds. Regarding the
creation of Ramayana it is said that sage Valamiki was overwhelmed
with sorrow by witnessing that a Sarus Crane in distress after a
poacher killed its partner. Sarus Crane is well known for their love
and loyalty. This incident was inspired him to write the epic Ramayan
so it is obvious that birds frequently appear in Ramayana. Major
characters like Jatayu and Sampati are Vulture siblings; they protest
the ill deeds of Ravana. Other than this, there is also description of
birds in elsewhere of the epic such as Lake Pampa is thickly populated
with varieties of song birds, waterfowls and Peafowls. A lot of stories
are there based on birds are found in our ancient literature. This
establishes a holistic relationship of human being with nature of mutual
respect and kindness. ‘Panchatantra’, an ancient book of fables, is
an amalgamation of stories about various birds and animals we come
across in our daily life. Similarly, the tales of ‘Jatakakatha’, a very
famous story book based on Lord Buddha’s past life incarnation, also
depicts various species of birds. These stories convey, through the
 Birds of Ansupa 19
birds and animals, various morals and philosophies to aid human beings
lead a qualitative life.
Wide references are there to use birds as messengers of lovers
are found In the Sanskrit drama and poetry of Kalidas and Bilhana. In
‘Vikramarvasiyam’, a play written by Kalidas, the protagonist Pururavas
is seen in utilizing several birds to locate the whereabouts of his missing
beloved. He engages Cuckoo, Duck and Goose for this purpose.
‘Hansadutam’, ‘Maraladutam’ and ‘Koilikavyam’ are some of the
literary creations where birds play a vital role.
The 11th century lyrical poem ‘Caurapanchasika’ by Bilhana
uses bird as metaphor in rich verses where the hero compares his
beloved with a wild Goose. Another classic creation in Sanskrit in
12th century is “Naisadhacharita” by Shriharsha. It depicts the story
of Nala and Damayanti. In this poem, a wild Swan is the main
character. The deliberation of Swan with Nala is not only poetic but
touches a philosophical height. Later the Swan plays the vital role in
the union of two loved souls.
Presence of birds are also influenced our traditions. Many
Astrologers advices to feed the human dominated landscape
associated birds such as Crows, Pigeons and Babblers etc. for good
fortune. As tradition, Crows are offered food in annual death ritual of
Hindu Culture known as Shraddha. It is believed that, Shraddha is
not completed unless a crow has taken the food (Known as Kakabali).
Many birds have spiritual significance in Indian Culture and heritage.
Pigeon is the symbol of peace. Crow is the messenger of ancestral good
will. Peacock, the national bird of India, is associated with our deity. Even
Crane, Heron and Pigeon are emulated in different yogic postures. Similarly,
Eagle, Kite and Vulture stand for heroism and war.
As per Indian Mythology, Parrots, Doves and Partridges are
the symbol of wisdom. The “Sukamuni” (Parrot saint) is believed to
have conquered the limit of wisdom. He is well versed with the Vedic
literature. Some birds permanently associated with Hindu God and
Goddess. ’Kama Deva’, or the God of love, is represented by a parrot.
Owl is associated with Goddess Laxmi. Garuda or the Eagle is the vehicle
of almighty Shree Vishnu. Peacock is highly associated with God
Kartikeya. Swan is attached with Lord Brahma and Goddess Saraswati.
Birds of Ansupa 20
Many birds are related with Myth too, which is interpreted in
many ways by different countries across the world. For an example,
in India, Owl is treated as the symbol of sorrow and darkness. In
China, it is considered as a sign of upcoming misfortune. In Mexican
culture, Owl is regarded as sacred to the God of rain. The general
notion of an Owl is that of an evil night demon.
Like Sanskrit, mention of avifauna in the ancient Odia literature
is manifold, starting from Sarala Mahabharat of 15th Century to till
date. Most popularly, birds are used as strong metaphor in the poems
which accelerates the charm of beauty. Metaphors like Maralagamini
(walk like a Duck), Pikabachani / Kokilakanthi (voice like Cuckoo),
Kokanamkarunaswaram (sad note of night bird -Shellduck),
Hansamdutam (Swan messenger), Shanti kopata (Messenger of piece
-Dove), Khanjannayana (Eyes of Wagtail bird) etc. were frequently
used in different epics and poems of Odia literature.
Even so many poems are there, which have a lot description
on birds and their behaviour with vernacular names. For example,
the famous epic ‘Chilika’ by Radhanath Roy and ‘Ansupa’ written
by Damodar Mishra dealt with a number of birds enshrine in the
poems. Mention of Asian Openbill, Kingfishers, Lapwing, Tern,
Cormorant, Swamphens, Egrets, Dove & Parakeets enlighten about
the avifaunal composition of the wetlands at that time period.
Birds play a vital role in our heritage. They are not only the
source of happiness but also exemplify evolution of independent human
thought. They are joyful companions of trees, hills and other flora
and fauna. Bird symbolizes purity and divinity of nature. Sometimes,
they also point out bodily yearnings or spiritual liberation. The sacredness
associated with birds and their numerous examples and descriptions in
our historical and religious texts only strengthen the fact that nature
has been deeply embedded with wisdom and purity that is conveyed to
us through our two-winged friends. Man and nature very much require
such bridges of communication to achieve and expand harmony in the
earth. Birds are beautiful and divine creations of God and they bring
happiness and prosperity. The above values and examples should be
handed down from generation to generation and compassion for the
living should be put to everyday use.
TTT
 Birds of Ansupa 21
Bird Morphology:
External morphology of a bird
(Vanellus malabaricus)

1. Beak 13. Thigh

2. Head 14. Tibio-tarsal articulation
3. Iris 15. Tarsus
4. Pupil 16. Feet
5. Mantle 17. Tibia
6. Lesser coverts 18. Belly
7. Scapulars 19. Flanks
8. Coverts 20. Breast
9. Tertials 21. Throat
10. Rump 22. Wattle
11. Primaries 23. Eyestripe
12. Vent
Birds of Ansupa 22
 1. LESSER WHISTLING DUCK

Scientific Name: Dendrocygna javanica (Horsfield, 1821)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 40-42cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Hansarali
Field Characters: It is a predominantly brown and chestnut coloured
duck with slaty-grey bill, dark eye with conspicuous yellow eye ring
and plumbeous-blue legs. The bird has brownish forehead and crown
remaining part of head and neck is light grey, Wings are rounded,
dark brown with chestnut wing coverts and golden orange feather
margins on upper parts. The bird has black rump, brown tail, chestnut
upper tail-coverts, and underparts. Sexes are alike. Juvenile is duller
in colour.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird stays in pair or in small to
medium sized groups of 10 to 15, sometimes in large flocks as well.
Often found in and around weedy tanks, village ponds, small
waterlogged areas and roosts on trees during daytime near water. It
prefers reedy freshwater marshes, shallow pools, lakes with emergent
vegetation and submerged trees in plains.
Food: Mainly vegetarian feed on aquatic plants, arable crops and
also frogs fish, molluscs and insects as opportunistic
Nesting: The bird breeds in Monsoon, in between June to October.
Laid eggs inside the tree holes lined with twigs, grasses and leafs,
occasionally it made nests on ground among marshy reeds. Eggs are
ivory white in colour and normal clutch size is 6 to 8.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 23
Birds of Ansupa 24
 2. BAR-HEADED GOOSE

Scientific Name: Anser indicus (Latham, 1790)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 71-76cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name:
Field Characters: It is a large size waterbird of silvery grey and
white colour. Head is white with two prominent broad black bars.
Upper one is longer than the lower and across the occiput region
from eye to eye and the other one is shorter below on nape. Neck is
brown with a white stripe on each side. It has bright whitish face,
throat, chin, vent and under tail-coverts, ashy breast, bill yellow with
black tip, feathers have whitish border, remaining upper plumages
pale ashy and bright yellow legs. Sexes are alike Juvenile is like
adult but paler and without black bars on head and white stripes on
neck.
Habit and Habitat: Generally it is a gregarious bird, voracious feeder
in grasslands on riverbanks. Arrives at October and leaves by mid-
March. The bird is mostly active during dawn and dusk also active in
night. Birds rest on sandbanks and small islands among large
waterbodies in daytime. Generally occurs on large jheels and rivers,
winters on rivers, reservoirs and jheels in plains, also coastal islands.
Food: Exclusively vegetarian, comprising arable grasses, winter
crops, tubers and paddy stubble.
Migrating From:India: Ladakh, Outside India: Kyrgyzstan, Central
China, Tibet and Mongolia
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 25
Birds of Ansupa 26
 3. RUDDY SHELDUCK

Scientific Name: Tadorna ferruginea(Pallas, 1764)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 61-67cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chakua
Field Characters: It is a large bright orange brown duck with creamy
white head and neck.Black beak is short and thick.Leg, feet and tail
are also black. Primary feathers are black whereas secondary
feathers black with overlaid glistening green. It has white secondary
and under wing coverts which is prominent during flight. During
breeding season, male has a conspicuous black collar on neck during
breeding season which lacks in female and nonbreeding male.
Habit and Habitat: Very commonly the bird is seen in pairs; also in
large congregations. It prefers riverine habits, brackish and freshwater
lakes and extensive mudflats. It is a very common winter visitor. It
feeds by grazing on river bank and fields; roosts on sandy islands. Its
arrival time is October and mostly departure by late April or May.
Food: It is an omnivorous bird, its diet comprising of grains, aquatic
plants, algae and aquatic invertebrates.
Migrating from:India: Ladakh, Outside India: Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 27
Birds of Ansupa 28
 4. RED-CRESTED POCHARD

Scientific Name: Netta rufina(Pallas, 1773)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 53-57cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Ranga Gendi
Field Characters: It is a medium sized duck. Male has prominent
golden-orange upper foreneck, head with crest; red eye with black
pupil; bill is bright crimson red with light yellow terminal tip. The neck,
rump and upper tail-coverts are brownish black. Flanks and wing
bases are whitish. Tail is greyish brown. Legs and feet are light red.
Female has greyish brown upper plumage; whitish neck and
underparts. Crown is dark brownish; bill is light black with reddish
terminal third end. Wings are liked male but; lighter brown, white
replaced by grey. Male during eclipse period similar with female but
abdomen and belly regions are browner. Crest is prominent and bushy.
The brightness of eyes, bill and feet remain same.
Habit and Habitat: It is a diving duck which usually prefers deep
open waters occasionally visits shallow regions. It is a gregarious
bird, often found in large flocks along with diving ducks and easily
identified in the field from a distance due to prominent golden-orange
head. Generally, it is very shy and cautious. It feeds by diving into
deep water. It arrived by late October and November and generally
departs by mid-March. It prefers large jheels, reservoirs, marshes
and wetlands with plenty of submerged plants also found in rivers.
Food: Omnivorous birds, comprising of aquatic plants, algae, seeds,
also aquatic animals.
Migrating form: Western Europe and Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 29
Birds of Ansupa 30
 5. GARGANEY

Scientific Name: Spatula querquedula (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 37-41 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chandanapatia Gendi
Field Characters: It is a small sized, predominantly brown coloured
duck. Male has a spectacular broad white supercilium touching the
neck; spotted pinkish brown head and neck having a large brownish-
black bill. The bird has bluish-grey forewings; green speculum
bordered with two white bands and white underwings which are
prominent in flight. Upper plumage is blackish-brown with light
brownish edges. Scapulars are long and glistening black with white
median ribs; dark spotted brown stern; light brown breast, white
underparts, brownish wave marked sides. Females are with mottled
brown upperparts and whitish underparts spotted brown head with
prominent narrow white supercillium. During eclipse period, Male is
like female, but with adult male wing coloration.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird, often flocks in large amount
at inland wetlands such as lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes and tanks. It
is a dabbling duck, shy and cautious in nature. Generally it stays
among emergent vegetation and reeds.
Food: It prefers vegetative parts, comprising of seeds, roots and
occasionally eats aquatic insect larvae, worms and molluscs.
Migrating from:Central Siberia and Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 31
Birds of Ansupa 32
 6. NORTHERN SHOVELER

Scientific Name: Spatula clypeata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 46-49 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chatua Gendi
Field Characters: It is a medium sized duck having a peculiar spatula
shaped beak. Male has glistening green head and neck greyish-black
beak; yellow eyes; orange legs and white breast. Abdomen and flanks
are dark chestnut. Upper wing covert is light blue, milky white wing
bar and metallic green speculum Female is predominantly spotted
dark brown and buff. Upper wing covert is with greyish-blue; light
green speculum is white edged above and below. During eclipse
plumage, Male is like female but large, wing coloration is similar with
adult male.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird, usually find in small flocks.
A surface feeder and also feeds by moving its bill in shallow waters
in sweeping and sideways manner. It arrives by mid of October and
departs by mid-April. It occurs in almost all types of shallow
freshwater like jheels, lakes, rivers, reservoirs, irrigation and village
tanks.
Food: It mainly prefers aquatic invertebrates, such as molluscs,
crustaceans, insect larvae, worms also occasionally eats aquatic
plants.
Migrating From:Central Siberia and Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 33
Birds of Ansupa 34
 7. GADWALL

Scientific Name: Mareca strepera (Linneaus, 1758)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 45-51cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Matia Gendi
Field Characters: It is a medium sized, grey brown colour duck.
Male has whitish belly; head grey spotted and breast have semicircle
markings. Beak and eyes are black. A prominent chestnut patch is
there on secondary covert along with the black and white speculum.
Upper and lower tail coverts are black and distinct. Female is like
male but lacks semicircle marking. It is often confused with female
Mallard but duller and smaller with white inner secondaries, chestnut
on wing and orange-yellow leg. Eclipse plumage of male is like female
but greyer and upperpart lightly marked.
Habit and Habitat: It is a common winter visitor to Indian subcon-
tinent. Gregarious bird often found in small flock of same species or
in mixed flock with other dabbling ducks. Prefers swallow water
with aquatic vegetation. It feeds on surface of water, usually shy and
cautious. It found inside freshwater reedy marshes and jheels with
extensive aquatic and emergent vegetation, also in open water of
dams and reservoir.
Food: Primarily vegetable parts, comprising of aquatic plants and
grains of arable crops, occasionally molluscs and aquatic insects.
Migrating From:Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 35
Birds of Ansupa 36
 8. INDIAN SPOT-BILLED DUCK

Scientific Name:Anas poecilorhyncha J.R. Forster, 1781

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 55-63 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migrant
Local Name: Banahamsa
Field Characters: It is a large sized, blackish-brown colour duck
having scaly pattern plumage. It has light grey head and neck; spotted
breast and having black beak with bright yellow sub-terminal part
and black terminal end tip. Two loral spot of orange-red colour at the
base of bill is present on either side of forehead. The crown from
forehead to nape is dark brown.It has prominent dark and broad eye-
stripe and light brown edged feathers. Wing is dark brown having
glossy green speculum with narrows black and white margins; tail
darker and coral-red legs and feet. Though sexes are alike but female
has less prominent loral spots, slightly smaller and duller than male.
Juvenile is like adult but light coloured, without red spots at base of
bill and less spotted below.
Habit and Habitat: It is a social bird and occurs in small flocks dur-
ing nonbreeding season, usually occurs in pairs during breeding sea-
son. Birds were seen with chicks near wetlands after breeding sea-
son. It feeds by moving its bill in shallow waters or by walking in marshy
vegetation. It prefers freshwater vegetation covered jheels, lakes, res-
ervoirs, marshes and tanks with extensive emergent vegetation, occa-
sionally found on riverine sandbars and permanent islands.
Food: Mainly vegetative parts, comprising of aquatic plants, seeds
sometimes crops too such as rice, occasionally aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds in Monsoon in between June to September. Nest
is prepared on ground; platform of grasses and weeds in dense
vegetation at margins of wetlands also prefers remote islands inside
the large rivers. Usually, 6-12 greyish white eggs were laid.
TTT
Birds of Ansupa 37
Birds of Ansupa 38
 9. NORTHERN PINTAIL

Scientific Name: Anas acuta Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 51-56 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Lanji Gendi
Field Characters: It is a large sized duck and one of the commonest
winter visitors. Male has head, face and neck dark-brown; neck long;
bill and leg dark grey. Lower neck and breast is white, white stripe
extended in either side of neck up to nape region. Hind neck and
back finely silver grey coloured. Belly is white whereas rump is black.
In wing, upper tail coverts is greyish black; under tail covert is dull
white with broad buff patch and speculum is glossy bronze green.
Tail is long and pin like pointed, which is clear on field identification
pointer. Female are spotted light brownish with plain black beak lacks
grey patch. Tails are pointed but without pin like feathers; wings also
lack prominent speculum. During eclipse period, male looks like
female, but have bill and upper wing pattern as breeding male.
Habit and Habitat: It is one of the regular and abundant migratory
duck species to India. The bird is highly gregarious always found in
medium to large flocks of hundreds; often found in pairs. Highly active
during morning and evening periods; also feeds at night and roosts
during day on high mound or sand bars. The bird is shy and cautious
during roosting and active time. It is also secretive during eclipse
period. It arrives by September and early October and mostly departs
by March. It prefers lakes, marshes, reedy and vegetation-covered
ponds, wet paddy fields and rivers.
Food: Primary food is vegetative matters like plant seeds, crops and
aquatic plants. Also prefers molluscs as well as other invertebrates.
Migrating from:Central Siberia and Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 39
Birds of Ansupa 40
 10. COMMON TEAL

Scientific Name: Anas crecca Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 34-38 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chitrakhadi Hansa
Field Characters: It is a small sized duck, having a beautiful distinctive
speculum composing of black, metallic green and buff which is more
prominent in flight. It has a black bill and olive-grey legs. Male has
dark chestnut colour head and neck. A dark glistening green band
with pale border starts and surrounds the eye touching the back of
the neck. Breast is spotted brown and white whereas flank region is
marked with dark brown wormlike zigzag lines over white. Abdomen
white and tail light brown; feathers are light brown bordered. Undertail
covert is black and brown. Female has spotted brown and buff plumage
with dusky brown belly. Wing has black and green speculum. During
eclipse period, male has blackish-brown crown and nape.
Habit and Habitat: It is one of the most common and abundant
migratory species. Usually found with other species of dabbling ducks
in a small to medium sized flock. It arrived earlier mostly during the
late August and early September and departed in March. It prefers
mainly freshwater shallow inland wetland like tank, jheels, marshes,
pools, reservoirs and rivers with marshy vegetation and reeds
Food: It prefers mainly vegetative parts of aquatic plants; their seed
and crops also. Occasionally eats aquatic invertebrates.
Migrating From:West and Central Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 41
Birds of Ansupa 42
 11. COTTON TEAL

Scientific Name: Nettapus coromandelianus (J.F. Gmelin,1789)

Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Size: 30-37cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Khadi Hansa/Bengarali
Field Characters: It is the smallest one, among all Indian wild duck
species having rounded head, short beak and legs. Sexually dimorphic.
The male is predominantly black and white. A prominent black collar
round the lower neck, blackish green forehead and crown is present.
The bird has bright white head and neck having a black beak; crimson-
red iris, blackish-brown upper part which is completely overlaid with
glossy dark green colour,underparts white; tail brown and legs are
black. White wing bar can be seen conspicuously during flight. Female
bird has dominant dull brown plumage; a dark line passes through
eyes started from beak, indistinct white wing-bar. Non breeding male
is as like as female but darker upperpart, distinct white wing-bar is
also there.
Habit and Habitat: Very common bird can easily found in inland
wetlands from small village tanks to large lakes in small flocks to
large one. Usually, the bird is seen in pairs during breeding season.
Sometimes perch on overhanging branches. It can stay calmly inside
aquatic vegetation and flights swiftly when get approached.
Food: Omnivorous bird, but chiefly prefers vegetable parts,
comprising aquatic plants, arable crops, but also eats crustaceans
and insect larvae.
Nesting: It breeds during Monsoon in between July to September. It
uses the natural hollow in a standing tree as nest, near water.
Sometimes the bird covered the inner part of nest with grass and
feather. Normal clutch size varies in between 6 to 12 and bright white
colour eggs.
TTT
Birds of Ansupa 43
Birds of Ansupa 44
 12. LITTLE GREBE

Scientific Name: Tachybaptus ruficollis (Pallas,1764)

Family: Podicipedidae
Order: Phoenicopteriformes
Size: 23-29 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Panidubuki
Field Characters: It is a small and tailless water bird with short,
straight and pointed bill and silky white underparts. A white wing
patch of secondaries distinct in flight. During breeding (summer)
forehead, crown and nape are blackish-brown. Lore, face, and chin
are dark chestnut. Upper plumage is light blackish brown with dusky
brown flanks. A small white patch presents at the base of the beak
and tip yellow. Reddish brown iris; legs are green. In non-breeding
(winter), Light brown with dull whitish chin, pale rufous neck and
whitish underparts. Sexes are alike. Juvenile is paler with dark brown
forehead and crown. The sides of the head and lower neck are brown;
the lower plumage is white with very little brown.
Habit and Habitat: Found singly or in pairs among aquatic vegetation
of inland water bodies. It is an expert diver and good swimmer.
Immediately dives in to water for safety when get disturbed. Shy in
nature and hide among emergent vegetation. It skitters along water
by half flying. It stays in loose flocks in open waters during
nonbreeding season, but singly or in pairs in vegetation during breeding
season. Often found in pond, lake and small rainfedwaterbodies with
aquatic vegetation.
Food: Mollusca, fish, tadpoles, crustaceans and aquatic insects.
Nesting: The bird breeds throughout the year and nest is like a pad
of aquatic weeds on floating vegetation.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 45
Birds of Ansupa 46
 13. SLATY-BREASTED RAIL

Scientific name: Lewinia striata (Linnaeus, 1766)

Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Size: 24-29cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migratory
Local Name: Kirimeti
Field Characters: It is a medium sized waterbird, having long and
straight bill. Male has crown to hind neck chestnut colour. Upper
parts are dark brown with narrow white bars broken into spots on
lower back and primaries. Chin and throat white breast grey, red iris
and bill. Sides of head, foreneck and breast ashy-blue.Under tail-
coverts dark brown with conspicuous white bars. Legs are olive-
grey. Female has duller head and neck,whitish on belly whereas paler
upper part. Juvenile has rufous-brown streaked with dark brown
coloured crown and neck; the white bars and spots are absent.
Habit and Habitat: Usually found in solitary or in pairs, more common
and frequent illusive waterbird. It flights attained typical rail type
with slow and labored flapping. It can swim and dive occasionally.
Found in reedy swamps and mangroves, margins of village tanks,
inundated paddy fields.
Food: Omnivorous, marsh plant shoots, seeds, molluscs, crustaceans,
worms and insects.
Nesting: Breeds from mid-June to September, all over its range,
nests usually placed on the edge of marshes.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 47
Birds of Ansupa 48
 14. BAILLON’S CRAKE

Scientific name: Zapornia pusilla (Pallas, 1776)

Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Size: 17-19cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Local Migratory
Local Name: Shiphala Chiri
Field Characters: Smallest among all Indian rails, a marsh dwelling
bird. Bill and legs are pale green. Upperparts streaked black and
white colour whereas, breast and anterior abdomen grey. Supercilium
presents sides of head and neck. Juvenile is like adult but paler above;
brown eye streak broader; almost white below, sides of neck, breast
and flanks suffused with ruddy brown. Sexes are alike.
Habit and Habitat: Generally stays singly or in pairs. Very illusive
bird, hides in reeds, marshes and other shrub like aquatic vegetation.
It is crepuscular in nature.
Food: Chiefly vegetarian. Feed on seeds of aquatic plants and
occasionally on invertebrates like molluscs and insects.
Migrating From: India: Kashmir Outside India: Europe, East and
Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 49
Birds of Ansupa 50
 15. WHITE-BREASTED WATERHEN

Scientific Name: Amauronis phoenicurus (Pennant, 1769)

Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Size: 30-32 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Dahuka
Field Characters: Adult has common slaty-grey upperparts with
prominent white face and breast. It is a stub-tailed, long legged marsh
bird with greenish or yellowish bills and legs with swollen reddish
base to upper mandible. Chicks are black and juvenile has greyish
face, sides of necks and breasts. Sexes are alike but male is slightly
larger than female.
Habits and Habitat: Usually seen singly or in pair, near the reeds
and thickets on water logged land and agricultural field. Swampy
ground over growth with reeds, bushes and bamboo on the margins
of fresh water bodies constitutes the favourite place of the White-
breasted Water-hen. The tail is held up and jerked as they walk with
displaying red under parts. It is not illusive as rails but shy in nature.
Waterhen is a silent bird except during the rains when it breeds.
Food: It probes its bill in mud or in shallow water to feed on small
insects and molluscs. Also depend on small fishes and seeds and
roots of aquatic vegetation.
Nesting: The nesting season started with the south-west monsoon, lasting
from June to October. Before mating, courtship involves bowing, billing
and nibbling. They made their nest in a dry location on the ground in
marsh vegetation near waterbodies. The nest is shallow cup-shaped made
up of twigs and creeper stems. The normal clutch size is 6 or 7 and eggs
are rather long, smooth ovals, cream or pinkish-white in colour streaked
and blotched with some shade of reddish brown. Incubation period is
about 19 days. Both sexes take part in the process of incubation and
shows parental cares. To escape from predation, chicks often dive
underwater or hide themselves inside marshes.
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Birds of Ansupa 51
Birds of Ansupa 52
 16. WATERCOCK

Scientific Name: Gallicrex cinerea (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)

Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Size: 39-43cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migratory
Local Name: Hutuma
Field Characters: A typical rail like waterbird, sexes looks alike in
nonbreeding plumage but female considerably smaller. Male has dark
brown upper parts and pale buff with fine wavy darker bars at lower.
Legs and feet dull green, bill yellow, red frontal shield projecting above
crown and bright red eyes buff white under tail-coverts. Juvenile is
almost like female but less barred below.
Habit and Habitat: Usually seen singly or pair. Crepuscular in nature
actively feed in early morning or late evening. Also active in cloudy
weather. Male is aggressive during breeding season. It is also secretive
like other rails but sometimes can be seen in open while foraging.
When disturbed, flew away some distance and hide inside vegetation.
It prefers swamps, low-lying waterlogged paddy and other fields,
tanks, ponds, canals and channels with emergent vegetation.
Food: It is a chiefly vegetarian bird, depends upon seeds and fresh
shoots of wild rice and other grasses as food. Also prefers aquatic
insects and molluscs.
Nesting: Usually breeds in Monsoon from June to September. In a
cup shaped deep nest made up of grasses along marshes, 3 to8 eggs
are laid. Eggs are white or pinkish to brick red longitudinally blotched
and spotted with reddish brown.
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Birds of Ansupa 53
Birds of Ansupa 54
 17. PURPLE MOORHEN

Scientific Name: Porphyrio porphyrio (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Size: 39-43 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Kama chadhei
Field Characters: It is a purple bluish colour rail, having with long
red legs and toes. A distinct white patch is found under the tail and
red frontal shield contiguous with a heavy red bill. Sexes are alike.
Juvenile looks greyer, black bill and orange-brown legs and feet
Habits and Habitat: The bird frequently seen in reed-covered
swamps, edges of jheels and village tanks cover with aquatic
vegetation. It spends time in search of food by stalking through the
reed beds.. It moves on partial submerged vegetation, constantly by
head bobbing and tail jerking. The birds are not particularly shy or
secretive. They run in to cover when disturbed, doesn’t like to fly
unless forced. The can walk fast on vegetation and attained flight
with constant and rapid stroke on water surface. In flight, the neck is
extended and the long red leg and the ungainly feet trail behind. The
birds are noisy in breeding season.
Food: Their diet consists of mainly shoots,paddy crops and other
vegetable matters. Also eats insects and molluscs.
Nesting: Breeds in Monsoon in between June to September. The
nest is made of rush paddy or grass stems firmly interwoven,
sometimes placed on a floating vegetation and small shrubs from 1 to
3 feet above water level. The normal clutch consists of 3-7 eggs
varying from pale yellowish-stone to reddish buff in ground colour,
blotched and spotted with reddish brown.
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Birds of Ansupa 55
Birds of Ansupa 56
 18. COMMON MOORHEN

Scientific Name: Gallinulla chloropus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Size: 30-38 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migrant
Local Name: Mandiakhai
Field Characters: A medium sized dark aquatic rail having red
frontal shield and base of bill; tip of bill yellow; dark grey coloured
Head and neck and remaining upperparts dark brown. Brown colour
wings have white border while closed and conspicuous white undertail
coverts. Long greenish legs and orange ring at the base of tibia.
Sexes are alike. Juvenile has more brownish colour with greenish
brown bill and forehead.
Habits and Habitat: The moorhen prefers thick reedbeds and
vegetation near ponds and tanks. It lives in pairs or gregariously very
shy in nature. The birds walk with a peculiar bobbing of the head at
every step, accompanied by the little erect tail jerking, displaying the
white underneath prominently. If disturbed it runs swiftly to cover
and disappears, inside reeds and weed vegetation. It looks like a
small duck inside water. In spite of its unwebbed feet, it can swim
well by depressing the fore part of the body and by lifting up hind part
of the body showing up the white under tail coverts. They fly with
continuous rapid wing strokes on water surface with extended legs
and necks before attending true flying position. Especially birds are
very noisy during the breeding season.
Food: Their diets are consists of grass roots, seeds, aquatic weeds,
insects and amphibians.
Nesting: The Moorhen breeds in monsoon in between June to August.
The nest is a bulky structure of sedges and weeds placed among aquatic
plants also seen in low shrub near water. The clutch size is 5-12 and eggs
are pale yellowish to warm buff stone color blotched with dark reddish
brown. Incubation lasts about 21 days and shared by both parents.
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Birds of Ansupa 57
Birds of Ansupa 58
 19. EURASIAN COOT

Scientific Name: Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Size: 32-42 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migratory
Local Name: JuiKaima
Field Characters: A medium sized, black, tailless rail. It looks like
duck on water from the distance with prominent white pointed bill
and white frontal shield. It has brownish black head, greyer black
neck and greenish leg. Sexes are alike. Juveniles are greenish brown
colour above and mottled white below.
Habits and Habitat: As a resident bird, this is found throughout the
year in lakes, jheels, village tanks and swampy areas. But population
vastly increased in winter by addition of immigrants from other parts
of country and across borders. When alarmed the bird preferred to
get out of the way by skittering along the water by half running and
half flying manner. They can swim gracefully by bobbing head and
neck gently along with each stroke of legs. They are expert divers
and capable of remaining submerged for considerable time. Flight is
attained by continuous rapid wing strokes, neck out stretched and
legs trailing behind the blunt barrel shaped body.
Food: The diet consists of mainly aquatic insects, molluscs, shoots,
aquatic weeds and paddy and other vegetation.
Nesting: Breeding season is Monsoon chiefly July-October. The
nest is large compact mass of dead reeds or grasses, and placed
slightly above water level. Normal clutch size is 6-10 and eggs are
of buffy-stone colour and spotted with reddish brown colour.
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Birds of Ansupa 59
Birds of Ansupa 60
 20. PAINTED STORK

Scientific Name: Mycteria leucocephala (Pennant, 1769)

Family: Ciconiidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 93-102 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Near Threatened / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Jangilabaga
Field Characters: It is a large black and white water bird having big
heavy orange yellow bill, long leg and long-neck. Bill is curved inward.
Yellowish orange face is waxy and un-feathered. Upperpart white;
wings are blackish-green and white. The bird has black wide breast
band and tail-quills, Greater wing-coverts are distinct with rich rosy-
pink colour. Legs and feet are pinkish red. Sexes are alike. Juveniles
are dull dirty brown with heavily edged neck feather lacks barred
breast band. Legs and bill are lighter than adult.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird generally found in small
groups. It roosts colonially in trees also occasionally on sandbanks
and mudflats. Feeds with beak, partly submerged inside shallow water.
Rests mainly outside of water.
Food: Chiefly fish, frog, occasionally aquatic insects and reptiles.
Nesting: It breeds in large colonies during early monsoon from June
to January in colonies. Nest made with the sticks on large trees lined
with leaves, straws etc. near water. Usually clutch size varies from
2-5 eggs. Eggs are dull white sometimes it has brown spots and
streaks. Both sexes share parental care.
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Birds of Ansupa 61
Birds of Ansupa 62
 21. ASIAN OPENBILL

Scientific Name: Anastomus oscitans (Boddaert, 1783)

Family: Ciconiidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 65-69 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Gendalia
Field Characters: It is a small white stork having blackwings and
tail. It has dull greenish-black bill with arching mandibles.There is a
gap in-between the mandibles at close range and legs are pinkish.
The white plumage of the upperparts is replaced with dull smoky-
grey feathers, during non-breeding season. Juveniles are dusky
brown-grey with blackish-brown mantle. Gap in bill develops slowly.
Habit and Habitat: The bird is mainly solitary or in small flocks.
Found in the congregation at the time of nesting. They are very
common waterbirds of many wetlands such as marshes, shallow
wetlands like lakes and reservoirs, paddy fields, riverbeds, etc.
Food: Feeds in shallow water on molluscs, frogs, fishes and other
small animals.
Nesting: It breeds in large mixed heronries during late monsoon
from August to March. Nests are mainly circular platforms of twigs
with a swallow depression at center covered with leaves. Nests are
made on trees, near water. Normal clutch size is 2 to 4 and eggs are
white and textured.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 63
Birds of Ansupa 64
 22. YELLOW BITTERN

Scientific Name: Ixobrychus sinensis (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 37-38 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Haladia Baga
Field Characters: It is a small size bittern having a short neck and
pointed long bill. The bird is sexually dimorphic. Male has prominent
black crown and crest. Underpart is whitish with dark brown colour
longitudinal line from chin to belly and upperpart chiefly buff brown.
Side of the face, neck and head orange brown. Hindneck rufous
brown. It has brown wing with black flight feathers; tail black; and
yellowish bill. Legs and feet are yellow. Female mostly similar with
male but they have streaked brown crown, neck and breast. Juvenile
are likely female but having upperparts dark rufous-brown with broad
prominent buff fringes; heavily streaked below and the longitudinal
line on breast are more prominent.
Habit and Habitat: The bird is solitary, shy and secretive. It hunts
alone, can stay motionlessly inside reed vegetation. Generally, it is
crepuscular and nocturnal, also more active on cloudy weather. It
prefers scrubby swamps with reeds, inundated paddy fields, village
pond or tank with vegetation.
Food: Very voracious feeder on fish, frog and aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds in monsoon period from June to September. Nests
were pad of soft reeds, leaves in side reed bed or bushes at the
edges of pond. Clutch size varies in between 4 to 6, eggs are greenish
blue. Both parents incubate eggs.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 65
Birds of Ansupa 66
 23. CINNAMON BITTERN

Scientific Name: Ixobrychus cinnamomeus (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 36-39 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Keshari Baga
Field Characters: It is an unmistakable bittern of dark cinnamon
colour. Sexually dimorphic. Male has cinnamon upperparts, paler
wing-coverts, whitish chin, throat and upper foreneck with a dark
median stripe down the foreneck. The foreneck is covered with buff
edged black feather along with long breast feathers. Remaining under
plumage and wings pale chestnut; bill yellow; legs and feet yellowish
green. Female is darker cinnamon-brown upperpart with black crown;
spotted buff brownish wings; buff-rufous below with dark brown
longitudinal lines from chin to vent and a line down middle of foreneck
and breast. Juvenile are like female, but mottled above and heavily
streaked below.
Habit and Habitat: The bird is solitary, shy and secretive. It hunts
alone, can stay motionlessly inside reed vegetation. Generally, it is
crepuscular and nocturnal, also more active on cloudy weather. It
prefers scrubby swamps with reeds, inundated paddy fields, village
pond or tank with vegetation.
Food: Voracious feeder on fish, frog and aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds in monsoon in between May to September. Nests
are small pad made with twigs and leaf in reeds or in a dense thick
marsh. Usually eggs are white and clutch size varies in between 4 to 6.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 67
Birds of Ansupa 68
 24. BLACK BITTERN

Scientific Name: Ixobrychus flavicollis (Latham, 1790)

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 37-39 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Kala Baga
Field Characters: It is a large sized and predominantly black colour
bittern. Sexually dimorphic. Male has greyish black upper plumage
with shining bluish colur. Long, pointed dull reddish-black beak with
yellowish tip and pale lower mandible. A rufous dotted line is present
in the middle and running down. Chin and throat are white with
yellowish patch is present on either side of foreneck. The bird has
dark streaked underparts mainly breast and abdomen whereas legs
and feet are dark brown. Female has brownish upperparts and paler
below with streaks on breast. Juvenile has blackish crown, dark brown
upperparts and underparts mottled chestnut and buff.
Habit and Habitat: The bird is generally crepuscular and nocturnal;
mostly active during overcast days. Nongregarious bird, motionlessly
freeze among reeds for hunting. Mostly found inside the inland jheels,
marshes and swamps with thick overgrown beds.
Food: Feed on large fish, frog, molluscs and aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds in monsoon in between June to September. Nests
are small pad made with twigs and leaf in reeds or in a dense thick
marsh. Normal clutch size is four and eggs are bluish white. Both
parents share parental care.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 69
Birds of Ansupa 70
 25. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON

Scientific Names: Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 62-64 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Rati Baga
Field Characters: It is a stocky small sized heron with short neck
and legs. During breeding season, it has a grey wings, ashy black
back and scapular. Crown, nape and occipital crests are black with
two or three very long narrow white plumes. Forehead and a stripe
above the eyes are white. Remaining underpart is greyish white
including tail. Eyes are ruby red, legs are pink and bill is black. Non
breeding plumage is streaked brown colour with pale greenish legs
along with light yellowish bill. Juvenile is pale-smoky brown with bright
yellow eyes and resembles adult Indian Pond-Heron except for white
wings.
Habits and Habitat: It is a nocturnal or crepuscular bird except in
breeding season. Generally gregarious bird, roosts in dense trees during
daytime and active often at dusk. Mostly found near rivers, lake,
jheels and paddy fields.
Food: Chiefly fish, frog, aquatic insects such as Odonata larvae.
Nesting: Breeds in pure colonies from May to September. Nests
were made with dried twigs lined with leaves on dense and tall trees.
Clutch size varies from 3 to 5 greenish blue coloured eggs. Incubation
period lasts 24-26 days. Nesting sites often found near villages. Both
the parents incubate eggs and take care of young one.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 71
Birds of Ansupa 72
 26. INDIAN POND HERON

Scientific Name: Ardeola grayii (Sykes, 1832)

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 42-45 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Pokhari Baga
Field Characters: It is a stocky, earthy-brown colour bird at rest.
It looks snow-white in flight. It has a pointed yellow bill, which is
black at tip and bluish at base; whitish chin, throat and foreneck;
green legs. At the time of breeding season, long white or buff coloured
occipital crest were formed along with ashy brown upper breast,
deep maroon and long hair like plumes on black and white under
parts. During non-breeding season, it has prominent streaked dark
brown head and neck. Also it has brown mantle, white streaks on
scapulars and white underparts. Sexes are alike.
Habit and Habitat: This is the most common species of egret which
is found everywhere. Found near water, even near small ditches and
rainfed fields. The bird generally found solitary occasionally in small
groups when hunting, gregarious when roosting, nests in colonies. It
sits motionlessly near water for hunting a prey. Found in Streams,
jheels, marshes, ponds, rice fields, village tanks, ditches and wells.
Food: It chiefly depends on fishes, frogs, crabs and other aquatic
insects.
Nesting: It breeds in Monsoon in between May to September. Nests
were made by using dried twigs on leafy trees along with other species
of egrets and cormorants. Nesting sites can be found within
anthropogenic habitat, not necessarily in remote areas or near water.
Normal clutch size is varies in between 3 to 5, eggs are pale greenish
blue. Both sexes incubate eggs.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 73
Birds of Ansupa 74
 27. CATTLE EGRET

Scientific Name: Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Ardeidae
Size: 48-53 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Gai Baga
Field Characters: It is a snow white bird. During Nonbreeding
(winter) period, it often resembles with Little Egret, but always
identified by yellow bill and black feet. During breeding, Golden buff
plumes developed on head, neck and back. Also it has orange-red
bill, lore and yellow eyes. Sexes are alike. Juvenile looks similar with
adult but having blackish bill, leg and feet.
Habit and Habitat: It is gregarious at the time of feeding and roosting,
often found in grazing field accompanying village Livestock.
Food: Feeds on insects disturbed by animals. It often feed on damp
grassland, fallow, paddy fields, and periphery of canals, lakes, and
reservoirs, Chiefly insects such as beetles and grasshoppers, besides
earthworms.
Nesting: The bird breeds in Monsoon in between June-September.
Often breeds in mixed colonies along with Cormorant and Pond herons
on large trees, often away from water. Nests are made up of dried
twigs. Normal clutch size is 3-5. Eggs are pale blue colour. Both the
parents incubate the eggs.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 75
Birds of Ansupa 76
 28. GREY HERON

Scientific Name: Ardea cinerea Linnaeus 1758

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 90-98 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Dhusar Baga
Field Characters: It is a large sized,long-legged and long necked
ashy-grey bird. It has a narrow head, pointed yellow bill, black stripe
above eyes further continues as long black occipital crest and white
crown and forehead. it has a long ‘S’ shaped white neck distinct
black dotted line present in the middle of foreneck. Elongated black-
streaked white feathers are present on breast; underparts greyish-
white; and upperparts ashy-grey. Darker central feathers are with
black tips; primaries, outer secondaries, primary coverts black and
tail grey. Female is similar with male but smaller with less developed
occipital crest and pectoral plumes. Juvenile is brown and darker
grey with fore neck more conspicuously black-streaked and without
lengthened scapulars and breast plumes.
Habit and Habitat: Though the bird is active in both day and night
but mostly crepuscular. Generally it is solitary; still it roosts communally
in winter. It stands motionlessly for hours inside shallow water to
catch prey. It is found in jheels, marshes, rivers, lakes, estuaries,
mangroves, coral reefs and offshore islands.
Food: Carnivorous,its diet consists of fish, frog and aquatic
invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans, small mammals and
molluscs. Opportunistically, juveniles of other birds can be eaten.
Nesting: It breeds in Monsoon mostly in between February to June. It
is a colonial breeder, and breeds along with other co-breeders like other
species of egrets and cormorants, darters etc. Usually nests were made
by dried sticks with the central depression lined with grass. Clutch size
varies from three to six. Eggs are deep sea green colour.
TTT
Birds of Ansupa 77
Birds of Ansupa 78
 29. PURPLE HERON

Scientific Name: Ardea purpurea (Linnaeus, 1766)

Family: Ardeidae
Order:Pelecaniformes
Size: 70-94 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Khaira Baga
Field Characters: It is a tall and thin waterbird with long slender
snake-like neck, purplish grey upperpart where as lowerpart dark
chestnut black. It has dark yellow beak, black occipital crest and
crown. Three black lines are there, a line is down hindneck black,
second line present in between gape to crest and the third line down
whole length of side of neck. Rest of the head and neck is rufous.
Foreneck is rufous with black streaks. Chin and throat are white.
Long fascinating plumes on upper breast are buff white with black
and chestnut streaks and rest of upperparts are slaty black and rich
chestnut. Underparts are chiefly chestnut and black, legs reddish-
brown. Both Sexes are similar but female with less developed occipital
crest and pectoral plumes. Juvenile is cinnamon-brown.
Habit and Habitat: Mostly found solitary. It inhabits inside dense
aquatic vegetation. It is secretive and active in morning and evening.
It stands inactively inside swallow water with aquatic vegetation to
catch prey. Occasionally steals fishes from fishing nets. It prefers
marshes grass, lakes, jheels, rivers and paddy fields.
Food: Chiefly fish, frog, also water insects.
Nesting: It breeds in between June to March. Usually it prefers its
own colony. Nests were made with sticks like other egrets on large
trees, reed beds etc. Clutch size varies from 3 to 5 eggs and eggs are
greenish blue. Both sexes shares parental cares.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 79
Birds of Ansupa 80
 30. GREAT EGRET

Scientific Name: Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Ardeidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 80-104 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: BadaJhalia Baga
Field Characters: It is a large sized snow white bird with a distinct
yellow beak, ‘S’ shaped long neck and long black legs. Non breeding
bird has yellow bill with blackish tip. Long legs are black. Breeding
birds has black beak and bluish lore. Long, transparent ornamental
white plumes (aigrette) developed from breast and back during this
time which extends beyond tail. Sexes are alike. Juvenile is pure white.
Habit and Habitat: The bird is diurnal in nature. Generally found
solitary though it roosts and feeds along with other species of egrets.
It spreads the ornamental filamentous plumes in a fan shape during
courtship display. It stands motionlessly for hours inside shallow water
to catch prey. It is commonly found in jheels, marshes, rivers, lakes,
estuaries, mangroves and agricultural field.
Food: Carnivorous, Feeds on fish, frogs and aquatic insects
Nesting: It breeds in mixed heronries of storks, darters and
cormorants, etc. Generally breeds from May to November, on large
trees. Often found near anthropogenic habitat not necessarily near
water. Nests were made with dried sticks. Normal clutch size is
three to four. Eggs are pale green in colour. Both sexes share incubation
and feeding chicks.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 81
Birds of Ansupa 82
 31. INTERMEDIATE EGRET

Scientific Name: Ardea intermedia Wagler, 1829

Family: Ardeidae
Order:Pelecaniformes
Size: 46-56 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident /Migrant
Local Name: Jhalia Baga
Field Characters: It is a comparative medium sized snow-white
egret having a thick neck, thick and short bill. Often confused with
‘Great Egret’ but it is separated by size and shape. During non-
breeding season, bill is yellow with black tip, yellow lore and brownish
legs. During breeding season, it develops ornamental filamentous
plumes on breast and back and the bill turns black. Neck has gentle
curve. Sexes are alike.
Habit and Habitat: It is diurnal mostly found in small flocks. It
roosts and feeds communally. It migrates locally during winter. Often
found solitary while foraging. It occurs in lakes, reservoirs, marshes,
pools with vegetation, jheels, estuaries, mangroves and tidal creeks.
Food: Mainly depend on fishes, frogs and aquatic insects as food.
Nesting: It breeds in colonies in mixed heronries from May to
November. Nests were made with dried twigs on large trees, along
with other co-breeders like egrets, herons and darters. Nesting sites
were often found near human habitation. Normally clutch size is 2 to
5, and eggs are bluish green.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 83
Birds of Ansupa 84
 32. LITTLE EGRET

Scientific Name: Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus, 1766)

Family: Ardeidae
Order:Pelecanifopmes
Size: 55-65 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Sana Jhalia Baga
Field Characters: It is pure white bird like the other egrets with
pointed, slender black bill and legs and yellow feet. During breeding,
two long narrow plumes were developed from nuchal crest,
filamentous ornamental feathers (aigrettes) on breast and back. A
thick bunch of dorsal plumes extends beyond the tail. In case of
non-breeding birds, the ornamental plumes are absent.Though
occasionally, some of the back plumes are retained. Sexes are alike.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird sometimes found solitary.
It roosts communally on trees. The bird spreads its ornamental plumes
in a fan shape during courtship display. Juvenile is most similar with
adult but lack of ornamental plumes. It is very commonly found
inmarshes, jheels, lakes, rivers, paddy fields, mudflats, etc. but rarely
seen in seashores.
Food: Food consists of Fish, frogs, crustaceans and aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds in late summer and monsoon in between May to
September. It nests on large trees in colonies, often in mixed heronries.
A swallow nests is made with dried twigs, lined with straws, leaves
etc. Most often, nests are built in near human habitation such as
village and roads. Normal clutch size is 4 and eggs are pale bluish
green colour.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 85
Birds of Ansupa 86
 33. BLACK-HEADED IBIS

Scientific Name:Threskiornis melanocephalus (Latham, 1790)

Family: Threskiornithidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 70-75 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Near Threatened / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Dhala Bajeni
Field Characters: It is a large white bird having long inward curved
black bill, prominent naked bluish-black head and neck, glossy black
legs and feet and grey ornamental feathers. Blood red patches on
under wings are conspicuous during flight. Sexes are alike. Breeding
bird has long ornamental plumes round base of neck, elongated inner
secondaries; some slaty-grey in wings and scapulars. Non-breeding
bird lacks neck-plumes, elongated inner secondaries and slaty-grey
ones in wings and scapular. Juvenile has feathered head and neck
except face and patch around eye. Patch of bare skin underwing is
black, not blood-red as in adult.
Habit and Habitat: The bird is gregarious, occurs in moderate to
large flocks. Usually the flock is made with the same species or in
company with storks, egrets and spoonbills. Actively forages in mud
and shallow water. It probes in mud with partially opened bill;
sometimes it can submerge entire head and neck in to mud. It
inhabited in rivers, jheels, freshwater marshes, reservoirs, tanks, paddy
fields, occasionally tidal mudflats and lagoons, etc.
Food: Carnivorous, chiefly fish, frogs, molluscs and aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds in mixed colonies from June to March. Nest is a
stick platform on trees in or near water. Normal clutch size is 2 to 4;
eggs are bluish or greenish white.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 87
Birds of Ansupa 88
 34. LITTLE CORMORANT

Scientific Name: Microcarbo niger (Vieillot, 1817)

Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 46-50 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Sana Panikua
Field Characters: It is a small and black colour aquatic bird with
thick and hooked bill.It has thick and short neck, stiff tail and without
whitish gular skin. Breeding bird is black with glossy bluish-green;
dark silvery grey upper part of back and wing-coverts. It has dark
eyes, short white occipital crest, and a few white silky plumes on
forehead, sides of head and neck and whitish gular skin. Non-breeding
individual has no crest and other white feathers and plumes at base
of lower bill appear white occasionally extended up to throat. Sexes
are alike. Juvenile has brownish upperpart and paler underpart with
white throat and central abdomen.
Habits and Habitat: The birds are found in singly also in large flocks
in lakes and reservoirs and large rivers. It hunts on fish in groups.
These are excellent diver and swimmer mostly found in lakes, rivers,
irrigation reservoirs, canals, prefers village tanks, estuaries, etc.
Food: Largely fish, also tadpoles, frogs and crustaceans.
Nesting: It breeds in late summer and monsoon in mixed colonies
from May to September. Nests are circular mass, made with dry
twigs having a shallow central depression on medium to large trees
along with egrets and herons. Normal clutch size varies in between
2-6 eggs. Eggs are glossy light bluish green in colour.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 89
Birds of Ansupa 90
 35. INDIAN CORMORANT

Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax fuscicollis Stephen 1826

Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 60-63 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Panikua
Field Characters: It is a predominantly black waterbird with blue-
green eyes, slender dark brown bill longer than little cormorant, yellow
gular skin, white spotted throat, black legs and feet; scaly effect on
back and wings are visible on a closer look. Sexes are alike. During
breeding season, upper plumage of the bird looks bright bronze-black
whereas under plumage is glossy black. A distinct white tuft of feathers
on each side of the neck behind eyes are present. Few specks also
present on head. Non-breeding bird has whitish throat, yellowish gular
skin and brownish underparts head and neck. White plumes are absent.
Juvenile has Scaly bronze-brown upperparts with black primaries
and tail and whitish underparts.
Habits and Habitat: Gregarious bird found in large flocks.
Sometimes feeds with Little Cormorant often misidentify due to this.
Locally common; undertake local movements depending on water
conditions It always prefers to inhabit inside freshwater lakes, jheels,
reservoirs, rivers, estuaries, and mangroves.
Food: Chiefly fish.
Nesting: The bird breeds during late monsoon gregariously in between
July to February on large trees generally present inside island. Nests
are circular mass made with dry twigs. Usually clutch size varies in
between 3 to 6 and eggs are pale bluish green. Both sexes are
incubated and show parental care.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 91
Birds of Ansupa 92
 36. GREAT CORMORANT

Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax carbo Linnaeus 1758

Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 70-102 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Bada Panikua
Field Characters: It is a black waterbird with a slender bill which is
hooked at tip and stiff long tail. Sexes are alike. During breeding
season, the bird has glossy black plumage with metallic blue-green
lustre; throat and facial skin is white, bright yellow gular skin bright
silky white plumes on head and neck; a broad white patch on flanks.
During non-breeding (winter) season, yellow gular pouch is pale yellow;
white of head and neck and the white patch on flanks disappeared.
Juvenile has brownish upperpart and whitish underpart.
Habit and Habitat: Generally gregarious bird, often found in small
groups occasionally stays solitary. Hunt fishes in small groups in the
deep water zone. It forms large flocks during breeding season. The
bird prefers habitat like reservoirs, lakes large rivers and coastal
wetlands.
Food: Carnivorous, voracious fish feeder.
Migrating From:China and other parts of the Indian subcontinent
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 93
Birds of Ansupa 94
 37. ORIENTAL DARTER

Scientific Name: Anhinga melanogaster Pennant, 1769

Family: Anhingidae
Order: Pelecaniformes
Size: 85-97 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Near Threatened / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Sapapakhi
Field Characters: It is a large bird like cormorant but with long
slenderneck; narrow head; pointed bill and fan-shaped tail. A white
streak is present from eye to sides of the neck; white chin and throat.
Head and neck of the bird is velvety chocolate-brown. Upperpart is
black back and wings are longitudinally streaked and mottled with
silver-grey; entirely black below, including legs. Sexes are alike.
Juvenile has lighter brownhead and neck; lower back to upper tail
coverts dark brown. Mantle narrowly streaked with rufous and silver-
grey colour, brown below; paler tail-tip.
Habit and Habitat: The bird usually found solitary some times in a
small flock. It roosts in a small flock on large trees. It swims in a
large water body with submerged body with only snake-like head and
neck extended outside the water, which the bird turns from side to
side. Mostly the birds are found inside the lakes, jheels, reservoirs,
rivers, ponds, marshes and mangroves, also coastal waters. Usually
basks on trees near water bodies or sand bars like cormorant.
Food: Chiefly on fish, occasionally swallows too large ones. It throws
the fish to the air and then engulfs the head first.
Nesting: It breeds in monsoon in between June to October. It is a
colonial breeder. It breeds along with egrets and herons in heronries.
Normal clutch size is three to four. Eggs are elongated pale greenish
blue. Nests are made with twigs on large trees near water.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 95
Birds of Ansupa 96
 38. EURASIAN THICK-KNEE

Scientific Name: Burhinus oedicinemus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Burhinidae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 39-41cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Chasamaakhia Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a large sandy brown bird with heavily streaked
upperparts and underpart is whitish. Head is thick and streaked. Large
roundish eyes are with broad supercilium which touches at side of
neck with creamy moustachial stripe. Black tipped bill with yellowish
base. Two wing bars are present on wings which are prominent during
flight. Long and bare yellow legs are with distinct ‘thick knees’. Sexes
are alike.
Habits and Habitat: Mostly it is a solitary bird. Very secretive bird
and cautious for strangers. Highly active during dawn, dusk and night
but very less in day. It sits on ground by folding its long leg which
gives a perfect camouflage, when get alarmed. It inhabits in
scrublands, irrigation lands, riverine beds etc.
Food: Diet consists of insects, worms, lizards etc.
Nesting: It breeds in summer season mainly in between March-
June.Usually it laid 2-3 oval shaped eggs in simple scrape nest on
bare ground or riverine beds. Eggs are pale brown or off white and
heavily streaked and blotched with chocolate brown. Both sexes share
parental cares.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 97
Birds of Ansupa 98
 39. GREAT THICK-KNEE

Scientific Name: Esacus recurvirostris (Cuvier, 1829)

Family: Burhinidae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 49-51cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Near Threatened / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Chasamaakhia Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a large wading bird having sandy greyish
upperpart and whitish underpart. Large beak is black and yellow at
base also upwardly curved. Eyes are big and roundish with distinct
white eyering. White narrow supercillium and creamy moustachial
stripe is present along with two black bands. Black wingbar bordered
with whiteline can be seen in rest. During flight, round white wingpatch
is prominent with contrast to black flight feathers. Long legs are
yellow and bare, with distinct ‘thick knees’. Sexes are alike.
Habits and Habitat: Mostly it is a solitary bird also found in small
flocks. Very secretive bird and cautious for strangers.Highly active
during dawn, dusk and night period but very less in day time. A fast
runner and can swims occasionally. It runs by bending down its head
and sits on ground by folding its long leg which gives a perfect
camouflage, when get alarmed. It inhabits in open grassland,
scrublands, irrigation lands, riverine beds etc.
Food: Diet consists of insects, worms, lizards etc.
Nesting: It breeds in summer season mainly in between March-
June. Usually it laid 2-3 oval shaped eggs in simple scrape nest on
bare ground or riverine beds. Eggs are pale brown or off white and
heavily streaked and blotched with chocolate brown. Both sexes share
parental cares.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 99
Birds of Ansupa 100
 40. BLACK-WINGED STILT

Scientific Name: Himantopus himantopus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Recurvirostridae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 35-40cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Ranapa Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a medium sized wader characterized by
grey or black and white plumage and long red leg. Along with this an
adult bird has black slender bill and crimson-red legs. Male bird has
head white with very few black spots; upperpart of wings glossy
black and underparts is black; tail light greyishbrown; remaining other
parts of body is glossy white. A typical whitish ‘V’ shaped on back
can be seen in flight. Female has head and hindneck dusky white
along with brownish grey; upperpart of the wing is brown and
underpart is black. Juvenile has brownish upperpart with buff fringed
feathers.
Habit and Habitat: It is agregarious bird, occurs in small to medium
sized flock throughout the year. It breeds in colonies along with terns
and other colonial ground nesting birds. It walks slowly in the shallow
water and mud while foraging. It forages inside shallow water by
completely submerging its neck and head. It prefers freshwater and
brackish water marshes, village tank, reservoirs and shallow margin
of lakes, rivers, lagoon and saltpan.
Food: It is mainly a carnivorous bird; diet consists of molluscs, aquatic
insects and other invertebrates etc.
Nesting: It is a ground nesting colonial bird, breeds in between March
and August. It made nests on a mound surrounded by shallow water.
Nests are simple scrape made on ground lined with grasses or other
aquatic weeds. Normal clutch size varies in between 3 to 4 eggs.
Eggs are glossy, brownish, heavily blotched and streaked.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 101

Birds of Ansupa 102
 41. PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER

Scientific Name: Pluvialis fulva (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)

Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 23-26cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is one of the most common medium sized
wader having greyish leg, short neck and golden brown plumage.
Sexes are similar. Upperpart is spotted brown, dull white and golden
yellow whereas underpart is whitish during nonbreeding season.
Breast part is densely spotted with brown, grey and yellow. It has
buffed head, streaked neck, black beak, light blackish yellow face
and greyish white underwings. During breeding season (summer),
this bird is quite unmistakable to identify. Bright golden-yellow, black
mottled upperparts; face, lore throat and remaining underparts are
black. A conspicuous white forehead, supercilium is runningdown
through the side of the neck and breast.
Habit and Habitat: Gregarious bird, often found in solitary to large
flocks of same species. Also forage with other wading birds. Very
shy and cautious; often runs faster or fly away when get disturbed.
It is a typical wader bird and forages on mudflats or flooded fields by
dipping the beak. Arrives in India during late August and departs by
May. It prefers wet grasslands, coasts, tidal mudflats, muddy banks
of rivers and flooded agricultural field.
Food: It is carnivorous birds mainly feed on insects, small molluscs
and crustaceans.
Migrating from:North Central and East Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 103

Birds of Ansupa 104
 42. LITTLE RINGED PLOVER

Scientific Name: Charadrius dubius Scopoli, 1786

Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 14-17cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a typical small plover having dusky brown
upperpart with very indistinct narrow whitish wing bar, small and
black beak, yellow leg and white forehead, chin and throat are clearly
diagnostic features of the bird during nonbreeding season. Also whitish
neck ring and a brown line are present on breast which is separating
the whitish throat to abdomen. During breeding season, a black band is
present on the head and passing through eyes up to neck and another
one is running as a pectoral band. A whitish patch is present on forehead
and black fore-crown is separated from dusky brown cap by a thin
white line running back over eyes and ear-covert. Striking yellow eye-
ring is present in breeding plumage. Juvenile has a dull brownish head
and breast; whitish fringes are present on black pectoral band.
Habit and Habitat: Mostly seen in pairs or in very small flocks. It
moves randomly over wide area for feeding, in a typical plover manner.
It runs swiftly over mud flats then randomly stops and dips its bill for
foraging and then run away. It generally mixed with other waders. It is
illusive in the habitat until not moving. It prefers sandy, pebbled margins of
lakes, rivers, pools, mudflats, grasslands, intertidal zones, tidal creeks, etc.
Food: It is a carnivorous bird; primarily depend on insects, worms
and other tiny invertebrates.
Nesting: It breeds in summer season in between March to late May.
It made simple scrape nest on bare ground or on sandy soils near
water. Usually it laid 2-3 greenish grey colour eggs with brown spots
and randomly wavy lines. Eggs are pointed in one end and other end
is broad. Incubation period is about 18 days and extremely cautious
during incubation.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 105

Birds of Ansupa 106
 43. KENTISH PLOVER

Scientific Name: Charadrius alexandrinus Scopoli, 1786

Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 15-17cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migratory
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a small sized wading bird like Little Ringed
Plover. Sexes are similar but female is paler than male. During non-
breeding (winter) season the bird has dusky brown upper part, whitish
underpart, blackish legs, whitish forehead ,broad white supercilium,
dusky grey crown, white hindneck collar, brownish eye stripe and an
incomplete brownish breast band. During breeding (summer) season,
male has an identical black forecrown and rufous crown is there.
Also it has a black eye stripe and incomplete breast band. Female is
more or less as in non-breeding plumage. Juvenile is alike with female
but dusky brown buff is present on upperparts.
Habit and Habitat: Gregarious bird, often found in the mixed flocks
of other small waders. It stays either in pairs or small groups. Birds
are scattered over large areas for foraging. It usually prefers seashore,
riverbeds with sandbars, and sandy margins of lakes, ponds, and
saltpans.
Food: Carnivorous often prefers small crabs, sand hoppers and other
insects.
Migrating From: India: Northern India, Southern India, Gujarat
Outside India:Central Asia
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 107

Birds of Ansupa 108
 44. RIVER LAPWING

Scientific Name: Vanellus duvaucellii (Lesson,1826)

Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 29-32cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Near Threatened / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Nadi Tentei
Field Characters: Typical plover like bird with black bill, head and
occipital crest; upperparts dusky grey-brown. Upper tail coverts and
tail is white along with terminal black band. Chin, cheek and throat of
the bird is white, hind neck of the bird is grey along with whitish
border and a black patch is present on abdomen. Remaining
underparts is white. A conspicuous black wing tip and a broad white
wing bar are there on upperwing, which are clearly seen during flight.
It has whitish underwings and blackish legs with feet.
Habits and Habitat: Generally solitary or in pairs, rarely found in
very small flock while foraging. Scattered and moved around the
large field for foraging. It feeds by running short distance quickly
then stop and probes its bill into mud or field for few time and then
proceeds in same manner like plovers. It is a vigilant and noisy bird.
Often gives alarm calls when approached. It chases the intruder with
high pitch call. Usually found in riverine sandbars and banks, also
found in fallows, dry fields, canals etc.
Food: Mainly Carnivorous bird prefers molluscs, crustacean, insects,
fish, frogs and tad poles.
Nesting: It breeds during summer season, in between March to
June. It makes a simple scrape nests on sand bars of rivers near
water. Nests are quite illusive and very tough to find it. Usually, the
bird laid 3-4 eggs. Eggs are pointed on one side and another side is
broad. Eggs are glossy greyish brown with blotched and spotted brown
marks. Occasionally nests were well decorated with small molluscs.
Both parents incubate eggs and shows parental cares.
TTT
Birds of Ansupa 109
Birds of Ansupa 110
 45. YELLOW-WATTLED LAPWING

Scientific Name: Vanellus malabaricus (Boddaert, 1783)

Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 29-32cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Haladia Tentei
Field Characters: It is a medium sized, wide spread wader having
elongated body, long leg and a bright wattle. The bird has black bill
with bright yellow base, gape and wattle. A black crown is there
edged with a thin white line. Upperparts are dusky brown with black
leading edges of secondaries. White wing bar is conspicuous along
with black flight feathers during flight. Tail is white with a broad black
sub-terminal band. Neck and breast is brown. Remaining underparts
is white bordered by a thin black line. Legs and feet are bright yellow.
Sexes are similar. Juvenile has light sandy brown upperparts along
with prominent buff fringes, whitish underparts, brown cap and small
wattle of dusky yellow coloured.
Habit and Habitat:Mainly this bird found in pairs or rarely in small
groups during nonbreeding season. Scattered and moved around the
large field for foraging. It feeds by running short distance quickly
then stop and probes its bill into mud or field for few time and then
proceeds in same manner like plovers. Often gives alarm calls when
approached. Mainly occurs in fallows, dry fields, near jheels, keeps
away from muddy shores.
Food: Chiefly insectivorous such as grasshoppers, beetles, etc.
Nesting: It breeds during summer season, in between March to
August. It makes a simple scrape nests on dry and bare ground or
sand bars of rivers near water. Usually, the bird laid 3-4 eggs. Eggs
are pointed on one side and another side is broad. Eggs are glossy
greyish brown with blotched and spotted brown marks. Incubation
period is 20- 24 days.
TTT
Birds of Ansupa 111
Birds of Ansupa 112
 46. GREY-HEADED LAPWING

Scientific Name: Vanellus cinereus (Blyth, 1842)

Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 34-37cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Dhusaramundi Tentei
Field Characters: It is a larger plover with red iris, yellow eyelids,
black tipped yellow bill and long yellow legs. Head and neck grey
rump, upper tail coverts and tail is white it last with a broad black
band. Primaries are black whereas secondaries are pure white. A
distinct black pectoral band is present. Sexes are alike. Juvenile is a
light brown without dark pectoral band.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious birds often found in a small
flock or in pairs. It is commonly associated with other Lapwings.
Arrives by September-October and departs by March end or April.
It occurs in marshes, jheels edges, riverbanks, grazing fields and
mudflats.
Food: It is a Carnivorous bird usually found insect worms and
molluscs.
Migrating From:North East China, Russia and Japan.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 113

Birds of Ansupa 114
 47. RED-WATTLED LAPWING

Scientific Name: Vanellus indicus (Boddaert, 1783)

Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 32-35cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Tentei
Field Characters: It is a most familiar plover bird with black tipped
dark red bill, distinct facial crimson red-wattle and eyelids and bright
yellow legs. It has black head, neck and breast; upperparts bronze
brown; underparts white. A broad white band, starting from behind
the eye, is present in both side of the neck and touches the whitish
underpart. Upper tail coverts and tail is white with a broad black
band. Primary and secondary feathers of the wing are black and a
white wing bar is prominent during flight. Sexes are similar. Juvenile
has dull black cap, chin, throat and fore-neck along with the side line
present either sides of neck are dull white.
Habit and Habitat: Generally crepuscular and nocturnal still it is
active during all time of the day. Often it is seen in pair or threes or in
very small flocks. It feeds by running short distance quickly then stop
and probes its bill into mud or field for few time and then proceeds in
same manner like plovers. Often gives alarm calls when approached.
It chases the intruder with high pitch call. It is found in jheels, ditches,
tanks, puddles, open agricultural field, countryside and open grounds
near water.
Food: A carnivorous bird prefers insects, molluscs and other invertebrates.
Nesting: It breeds during summer season, in between March to
August. It makes a simple scrape nests on dry and bare ground or
sand bars of rivers near water. Nests are quite illusive and very tough
to find it. Usually, the bird laid 3-4 eggs. Eggs are pointed on one side
and another side is broad. Eggs are glossy greyish brown with blotched
and spotted brown marks. Incubation period is 20- 24 days.
TTT
Birds of Ansupa 115
Birds of Ansupa 116
 48. GREATER PAINTED SNIPE

Scientific name: Rostratula benghalensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Rostratulidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 23-25 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: A medium sized water bird having long leg, with
long straight and slender bill slightly decurved at tip. Female is larger
than male and difficult to identify in nonbreeding period. In breeding
plumage, female has white patch around the eyes and extended behind
it. Head and neck chestnut colour. A white band present over
shoulders to side of the breast and lower breast blackish. Upperparts
of the bird, metallic olive green with buff and blackish streaks and
markings lower side white. Pale colour line present along the centre
of the crown extended up to bill. The male is less attractive than
female and lack of chestnut and black on neck and breast. Usually
found single or in pairs in vegetation covered swamps.
Habits and Habitats: These are found in reed covered swamps,
vegetation bordered jheels, tanks and water logged paddy field. It is a
resident species but also moves locally according to favourable conditions.
It is mostly crepuscular and much more active in the early morning and
evening, possibly even at night than the day time. It is a strong and swift
runner too can rush among reeds when get disturbed. It is also a good
swimmer.
Food: Omnivorous, usually feed on insects, crustacean and molluscs,
as well as paddy grains and vegetable matters.
Nesting: The painted snipe breeds throughout the year. The nest is
simple scrape nest made up of grasses or reeds. It is placed on
ground in grass in the edge of a marsh or on borders separating
waterlogged fields. The eggs 3 or 4 are some shade of yellowish
stone colour, blotched and streaked with brown.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 117

Birds of Ansupa 118
 49. PHESANT-TAILED JACANA

Scientific Name: Hydrophasianus chirurgus (Scopoli, 1786)

Family: Jacanidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 39-58 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Lambalanji Kalichadhei
Field Characters: In breeding time, the bird has prominent white
face, throat and foreneck; wing covert also white. Hindneck pale
yellow colour bordered with black line. Bill is short and legs are pale
bluish colour. Upperpart dark brown whereas ventral part blackish
brown. Tail coverts and tail are black. Tail is pointed and elongated
like pheasants during breeding time. Sexes are alike. In nonbreeding
plumage, the bird is chiefly pale brown and white, with a black necklace
on upper breast and long sickle shaped tail is absent. Juvenile is dull
brown colour with a black line mark on neck.
Habits and Habitat: The bird is fairly common on aquatic vegetation
covered lake, jheel, tank or any swamp areas. It is quite open and
less secretive like Bronze-winged Jacana. The long spider like toes
helps to balance the body weight, so that it can run over the most
lightly floating leaf without producing a ripple.
Food: Its diet consists of vegetable matters as well as insects and
molluscs.
Nesting: The breeding season is during monsoon principally June to
September. The nest is made up of reeds and other grasses etc. like
Bronze-winged Jacana, placed on floating vegetation. Occasionally
the eggs are even laid on bare lotus leaves. The clutch size consists
of 4-10 oval shaped unmarked eggs, glossy greenish- bronze or rufous-
brown in colour.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 119

Birds of Ansupa 120
 50. BRONZE-WINGED JACANA

Scientific name: Metopidius indicus (Latham, 1790)

Family: Jacanidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 28-31 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Kali Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a long legged waterbird with glossy black
head, neck and breast, metallic greenish- bronze back and wings and
cinnamon red rump. A distinctive broad white stripe present behind
eye to nape. Bill is short and yellow coloured with bluish shield. It has
elongated spider like toes which helps to move on floating vegetation.
Sexes are alike but female is slightly larger. Juvenile has a rufous-
browncoloured crown, brownish upperpart and whitish underpart.
Rufous buff present around the breast.
Habits and Habitat: It inhabits in lakes, jheels and tanks covered
with floating and emergent aquatic vegetation. The birds are
crepuscular and most active in early morning and late evenings. They
are also active in other times of the day. It moves in to nearest
accessible reeds when alarmed. It can dive well but a poor flyer. The
flight is attained by rapid wing strokes are often slow along with the
extended neck and the leg hanged under the tail. It is noisy during
breeding season.
Food: Most preferable diets consist of vegetation seeds, roots.
Sometimes insects and molluscs are also eaten.
Nesting: Breeding season is monsoon in between June to September.
The nest is prepared by the deposition of weeds placed on floating
vegetation in a circular mass. The normal clutch consists of 4-5 eggs.
Eggs are glossy bronze brown in colour with an irregular network of
black or dark brown lines.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 121

Birds of Ansupa 122
 51. BLACK-TAILED GODWIT

Scientific Name: Limosa limosa (Linnnaeus, 1758)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 36-44cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Near Threatened / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Dangua
Field Characters: It is a medium sized wading bird having greyish
brown upperparts, white tail with prominent black terminal bar;
underparts white; legs and feet greyish-green. Small head, long neck,
long bill and leg and slimmer body are characteristic features. Pinkish
bill is long, straight and slender having one third black end. Broad
white wing-bars, white rump and black tail-tip are distinctive during
flight. Sexes are similar but female is slightly larger and longer bill. In
summer, breeding plumages appears as chestnut head and breast,
bars on flanks along with white chin,throat, abdomen and lower back.
Habit and Habitat: A gregarious bird often occurs in large flocks. It
is very swift in flight. Commonly found in stagnant waters and at the
mudflats. Flocks often foraged in shallow water up to the belly and
feeding with head and neck submerged. Mostly found at inland jheels,
shallows and mud banks of rivers, lakes and reservoirs, sometimes
also in brackish lagoons, tidal waters and coastal saltpans.
Food: Chiefly carnivorous prefers molluscs, crustaceans and other
invertebrates also feed on seeds of aquatic plants.
Migrating from:Central Asia and Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 123

Birds of Ansupa 124
 52. TEMMINCK’S STINT

Scientific Name: Calidris temmincki (Leisler, 1812)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 13-15cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chuin Sima
Field Characters: It is a tiny wading bird very similar to Little Stint
but separated by uniform greyish brown above, brown forehead; white
outer tail-feathers and greenish legs. During nonbreeding (winter)
plumage, the bird has brownish grey upperpart, greyish brown head
and breast, distinct breastband and less visible supercilium; underpart
is white. Bill is short, black and downwardly curved. Iris is black.
Sexes are similar. In breeding (summer) season the bird is similar
with non-breeding adult but has dark brown head, chest and above.
Habit and Habitat: Usually found solitary, though sometimes occurs
in small flocks. It forages at the margins of water bodies. It arrives
by September and returns by May. It prefers fresh water habitat
with vegetation riverbank, pool, lake, brackish marshes, mudflat and
tidal lagoon
Food: It is a chiefly carnivorous birds, diets consists of small molluscs,
crustaceans, insects and other invertebrates.
Migrating From:North Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 125

Birds of Ansupa 126
 53. LITTLE STINT

Scientific Name: Calidris minuta (Leisler, 1812)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 13-15cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Sima
Field Characters: It is a small wading bird. During non-breeding
(winter) period,bill and leg black, forehead and indistinct supercilium
are white; upperparts pale grey-brown with dark centered feathers,
brownish outer tail feathers which is prominent during flight. Tail is
shorter than the wings and has whitish wingbar which is prominent in
flight. Underparts are white with light streaks on breast. Sexes are
similar. During breeding (summer)season the bird has whitish forehead,
neck and supercilium. The bird has rufous grey streaks on cap and
hindneck. Feathers on back are black having broad rufous edges.
Foreneck and upper breast have lightly visible dark brown spots.
Juvenile is almost similar with adult bird in summer plumage having
light grey hind neck, whitish rufous mantle and white supercilium.
Underpart is white.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird, mostly found in large
flocks of hundreds. It flies in mixed flocks with other waders in coastal
areas. Also found solitary, it constantly run randomly here and there
on mud for food by probing its short bill. Entire flock flies
simultaneously and very swiftly when gets disturbed.It arrives in small
numbers by August and departs by April-May.
Food: A carnivorous bird, diet consists of small molluscs, crustacean,
insect and other invertebrates
Migrating From:North West and North Central Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 127

Birds of Ansupa 128
 54. COMMON SNIPE.

Scientific Name:Gallinago gallinago (Linnaeus. 1758)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 25-27 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Huruda
Field Characters: It is a wading bird; adult has dark brown
upperparts with pale stripes, neck and breast part heavily streaked
with black, rufous and buff spots. Underpart is white. A buff median
stripe is present on head and supercilium. Basal half of the elongated,
straight bill is olive-yellow and terminal half is blackish. Leg is short
and dull olive-green colour. Juvenile is similar to adults, but with whitish
fringes on mantle feathers and wing-coverts. Sexes are alike.
Habits and Habitat: The bird ishighly elusive and solitary in nature.
Also occasionally found in flocks. Usually, it is crepuscular and
nocturnal, also feeds in other time of the day. It prefers to crouch on
the field than flying and flushed immediately after close approach.It
arrives by end of August and departs by April.It occurs at swampy
edges of jheels, marshes, around reservoirs, paddy fields, muddy edges
of rivers and pools. It probes it’s slender like bill in to soft mud to
obtain small invertebrates as food.
Food: Carnivorous, diets consist of small molluscs, aquatic larvae
and worms etc.
Migrating From:Northern Europe and Northern Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 129

Birds of Ansupa 130
 55. COMMON SANDPIPER

Scientific Name: Actitis hypoleucos (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 19-21cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a medium sized wader having long legs.
Non-breeding (winter) plumage of the bird is olive-brown upperpart
and whitish underpart. Head and sides of neck are dark ashy brown;
breast is light brown and streaked. Supercilium is pale and not
prominent;beak is black and short. Legs are and shortolive greencolour.
The rump and tail are brown with outer whitish tail feather. A
prominent small white patch is present on shoulder. White wing bar
and brown rump is conspicuous in flight.Sexes are alike. Breeding
(summer) plumage is darker above and irregularly barred, foreneck
and breast are heavily brown-streaked. Juvenile has brown upperpart
with buff fringes.
Habits and Habitat: Generally it is a solitary bird. It runs along the
edge of waterbodies and picks up small invertebrates from muddy
ground. It continuously wags its tail and bobs the head, while feeding.
It is found in inland waterbodies, village tanks, banks of stream, ditches,
rivers, canals, lakes; tidal creeks, rocky seashores etc.
Food: A carnivorous bird, feed on small molluscs, crustaceans and
aquatic insects etc.
Migrating from:Central Asia and Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 131

Birds of Ansupa 132
 56. GREEN SANDPIPER

Scientific Name: Tringa ochropus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 21-24cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a medium sized wader having stockier body.
Non-breeding (winter) adult bird has ashy brown head and neck and
other upperparts is dark brown with glistening green bronze. Tail is
white with lightly visible blackish bars. Legs are green and short. Bill
isBlack with reddish base. Faint eye stripe, brown eye with whitish
eyelid.Underpart is white whereas neck, breast and flanks are with
fine brown streaked. Upperparts of wings are dark as well as lower
part. Sexes are similar. Breeding (summer) bird has darker upper
parts than nonbreeding adult which is spotted lightly with white. More
whitish streaked crown and neck, heavily streaked breast. Juveniles
have browner upperpart with buff edged feathers. Looks very similar
with Wood Sandpiper but separated by more whitish rump and tail,
darker surface of upper and underwings.
Habit and Habitat: Generally it is a solitary bird, occasionally gathers
into small flocks. It runs on mud flat in search of food and feeds at
water edge also wades in shallow water and probes by bill. It generally
favours small wetlands like village tanks, puddles, streams, marshes,
cannals, and agricultural fields.
Food: Mainly carnivorous diet comprising of molluscs, crustacean,
and aquatic insects
Migrating From: Central Asia to East Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 133

Birds of Ansupa 134
 57. COMMON GREENSHANK

Scientific Name: Tringa nebularia (Gunnerus, 1767)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 30-34cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Kaduakhumpi
Field Characters: It is a medium sized slim and elegant wader having
distinct whitish-grey body, long neck and greyish green leg. Upperpart
is dark greyish-brown and underpart white during non-breeding
(winter) season. The bird has white forehead, face, foreneck rump
and tail. Tail has almost invisible with terminal barring. Grey sreaked
head, hind neck and sides of Head. Long, slender and lightly up curved
bill is greenish-brown having a black tip. Leg and feet are olive-green.
Sexes are alike. During summer or breeding bird have heavily streaked
and spotted upperparts, head neck and upper breast. Juveniles are
more brownish upperparts than nonbreeding adult. Feathers are edged
with paler buff. Neck and upper breast are heavily streaked.
Habit and Habitat: It forages in a scattered manner with same
flock or in mixed flock of sandpipers, occurs in small to medium sized
flocks. It runs around on mud often probing for food and wades in
shallow waters. It arrives by second half of August and departs by
end of April. Mostly found at swampy edges of freshwater ponds
and lakes paddy fields and marshes also intertidal mudflats, brackish
water lagoons and saltpans.
Food: Mainly Carnivorous diet comprising of tadpoles, molluscs,
crustaceans, insects
Migrating from: Central Asia, Central and East Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 135

Birds of Ansupa 136
 58. COMMON REDSHANK

Scientific Name: Tringa totanus (Linnnaeus, 1758)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 27-29cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chota Batanachaha
Field Characters: It is a medium sized wader having a long elegant
body, slender like bill, small head, long neck and leg. During non-
breeding (winter) season, the bird has spotted grey-brown upper parts
and whitish underparts. Legs are long, orange-red, projected behind
beyond tail in flight. Base of the bill is light red and tip black. Abdomen,
rump and tail are white but the terminal part of the tail is barred with
brown, looks prominent during flight. Breast finely streaked with
brown. Dark greyish wing and semicircular white wing bar is
distinguished in flight. Sexes are alike. Upperparts is heavily streaked
and spotted with black and reddish yellow during summer as breeding
plumage. Breast is heavily and finely streaked and spotted with brown
Sexes are similar. Juvenile has brownish above and bordered with paler
buffs. Underparts heavily streaked with brown and light orange legs
Habit and Habitat: Mostly found solitary or in small groups along
with other waders. It is a very cautious and noisy wader. It feeds by
picking from surface while walking on muds and shallow water. It is
found at marshes, muddy edges of rivers, lakes, muddy pool, mud
banks of mangroves, saltpans, tidal creeks and estuaries. Often arrived
in September and leaves by mid-April.
Food: Carnivorous bird, diet comprising of molluscs, aquatic insects
and worms.
Migrating From: India: Ladakh and Kashmir Outside India:
Mongolia, Russia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 137

Birds of Ansupa 138
 59. WOOD SANDPIPER

Scientific Name: Tringa glareola Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Scolopacidae
Order:Charadriiformes
Size: 18-21cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a slim and medium sized wader. During
nonbreeding (winter) season, the bird has grey-brown upperpart
spotted with white. Underpart is white with light brown breast. It
has distinct white supercilium extended behind eye. Beak is short
and straight mainly black colour with olive green base. Legs are
short and greenish yellow. Tail is white with blackish barred terminal.
Sexes are similar. Breeding (summer) bird has darker upperparts
with conspicuous white spots. Juvenile has darker brown upperparts
with buff edged feathers. More spotted and streaked breast also
with buffs.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird, often found in singly or
small sized flocks. It shows larger flocks during time of migration. It
also shows territorial behaviour, continuously wagging its tail and
often wades in mud and in shallow waters for feeding. It prefers
inland water bodies, marshes, village tank, agricultural fields, lowland
and tidal creek
Food: A carnivorous bird, diet comprising of tiny fishes, molluscs,
crustaceans and other benthic fauna etc.
Migrating From:Central and East Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 139

Birds of Ansupa 140
 60. MARSH SANDPIPER

Scientific Name: Tringa stagnatilis (Bechstein, 1803)

Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 22-25cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chunchimunnia Chaha
Field Characters: During Non-breeding (winter) season, the bird
has greyish-brown upperparts and milky white underparts. Head is
short with whitish forehead and supercilium. Sides of head, lower
back and rump are white. Black bill and greenish legs are quite
important features. Sexes are alike. During breeding (summer)
plumage, the bird has brownish grey upperpart which is barred and
blotched and whitish undepart. Foreneck and upper breast are brown
spotted; barred flanks are seen during this period. Juveniles have
heavily streaked upperpart with black, feathers are bordered with
paler buffs, crown, sides of neck and hindneck are streaked.
Habit and Habitat: A solitary bird occasionally found in small flocks
or in mixed flock during the time of foraging at the edges of water
bodies, agricultural fields and mudflats. Arrives by mid-August and
departs by end of April. It occurs at swampy edges of freshwater
ponds and jheels, Paddy fields and marshes also intertidal mudflats,
brackish water lagoons, saltpans.
Food: Chiefly carnivorous, diet comprising of molluscs crustaceans,
insects and worms.
Migrating from: Central Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 141

Birds of Ansupa 142
 61. LITTLE PRATINCOLE

Scientific Name: Glareola lacteaTemminck, 1820

Family: Glareolidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 16-19cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident/Local Migratory
Local Name: Batahana
Field Characters: It is a small, sandy grey colour bird having brown
forehead. A black line is running from eye to beak. Wings are long,
narrow and pointed. Upperpart of wing is greyish, underpart is black.
Primary feathers are black whereas secondaries have whitish base
and black tip; these features are prominent in flight. Tail is white,
square shaped with a broad black band. Underparts is smoky brown
lightly shaded with rufous, except lower breast and abdomen are
white. Legs and feet are short and dark brown. Non breeding adult
bird lacks black line in between eye to beak and rufous upper breast,
in case of rufous, it is streaked. Juvenile has scaly upper plumage
having indistinct buffs. Throat and foreneck are spotted with black.
Habit and Habitat: It is a gregarious bird, found in large flocks
around rivers and lakes. Crepuscular in nature; generally feeds at
evening hours. Mostly found in large rivers with sand bank, streams
and lakes etc.
Food: Insectivorous bird, feeds on beetles, bugs and termites.
Nesting: It is a colonial breeder and breeds in summer in between
February to April. Simple scrape nests are made on sand bars or on
ground. It laid 2/3 eggs, which are brownish or greyish; blotched or
streaked; extremely camouflaged with substrate. It behaves like
broken winged bird to distract the intruder from its nest. Both sexes
incubate the eggs and take care of chicks. Incubation period lasts
18-20 days.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 143

Birds of Ansupa 144
 62. INDIAN SKIMMER

Scientific Name: Rynchops albicolis Swainson, 1838

Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 40-43 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Vulnerable/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Panichiri
Field Characters: It is a large sized Tern like waterbird having
black and white plumage. Long orange red bill with yellow tip and
orange base, bent downwards but lower mandible is longer than the
upper and sharp. Forehead, neck-collar and wing-bar are white.
Crown, eye and down to the nape are black. Upperparts blackish
brown and underparts are glossy white. Legs and feet are bright red.
A very long pointed wing with dull white underpart. Wings project far
beyond the slightly forked tail at rest. Sexes are alike, but female
slightly smaller. Juvenile has a streaked brown forehead; upperparts
lighter brown, scalloped with fulvous white; tail feather brown-tipped.
Habit and Habitat: It forages by flying lower over water with the
bill open and lower mandible skimming the water surface. It grabs
the fish so quickly with head movement when it touches the tip of the
lower mandible. It hunts actively during dusk and dawn time, also
other time of the day, also active in moonlight nights. It occurs in
undisturbed large rivers with sandbanks, reservoirs, and lakes.
Food: Carnivorous, mainly small fish and insect larvae.
Nesting: It breeds in summer in between March-June in the remote
and isolated sandbars of large rivers. Simple scrape nests were made
on loose sand. Clutch size varies from 1-5. Eggs are grayish brown
in colour, spotted and streaked with brown colour. Incubation period
longs up to 21-24 days. Both the parents incubate eggs and shows
parental care.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 145

Birds of Ansupa 146
 63. LITTLE TERN

Scientific Name: Sternula albifrons (Pallas 1764)

Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 22-24 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Chota Gangoi
Field Characters: It is a small grey and white Tern. In non-breeding
period (winter), forehead, crown and nape has whitish black colour.
Bill looks prominent blackish and legs and feet are black. Breeding
(summer) plumage includes white forehead, crown and nape glossy
black and bill and legs orange yellow. Juvenile has dark wavy bar on
upperparts white forehead and crown speckled Brownish-black;
blackish nape finely dotted with white.
Habits and Habitat:It feed alone or in small flocks flying back and
forth over river, lakes, tidal creeks and other inland water surface
scanning for food. It dives so quickly over prey.
Food: Generally carnivorous, primary diet consists of small
fish,crustaceans and other aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds from late April to mid-June in large rivers and
lagoons; nest is a simple shallow depression on grounds or sand bars.
Clutch size varies from 2-3, eggs are greyish green spotted with dark
brown color.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 147

Birds of Ansupa 148
 64. WHISKERED TERN

Scientific Name: Chilidonias hybrida (Pallas, 1811)

Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 21-25 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident/ Migratory
Local Name: Chota Gangoi
Field Characters: It is a silvery white colour Tern with a pointed
reddish-black bill, lightly forked tail (almost squarish) and red legs.
Wings are projected beyond tail in rest. In Nonbreeding period, it has
dull greyish white upperpart and whitish underpart, white forehead
along with black streaks, blackish head and nape.In breeding time
(summer), the cap and nape down to below eyes turned to black.
Remaining upperpart is greyish white whereas belly is black. Sexes
are alike.
Habits and Habitat: Mostly found in small to medium flocks. It
prefers mostly large rivers, inland lakes, marshlands and reservoirs.
It flies and hovers continuously over waterbodies, hunts fishes from
certain height by diving in to the water. It rests at night on rocks, nets,
bamboos etc.
Food: Carnivorous, tadpole of frogs, small fish, crustaceans and
aquatic insects
Migrating From: Other parts of the Indian Subcontinent.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 149

Birds of Ansupa 150
 65. RIVER TERN

Scientific Name: Sterna aurantia J. E. Gray 1831

Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 38-43 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Near Threatened/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Nadi Gangoi
Field Characters: It is a silvery white colour waterbird with a pointed
yellow bill, deeply forked tail and short red legs. During non-breeding
time (winter), cap looks dull greyish white with black streaks and bill
duller with dusky black tip. In breeding time (summer), the cap and
nape down to below eyes converted to glossy black. Upperpart is
greyish white, underparts white. Juvenile has a brown forehead and
broad supercilium, buffy white grey upperparts. Sexes are alike.
Habits and Habitat: Mostly found solitary, occasionally found in
small flocks. As name suggests, it prefers mostly inland large river,
lakes and reservoirs. It hunts fishes from certain height by diving in
to the water in closed wings. Occasionally they follow foraging
Cormorant flocks to get easy catch. It roosts at night on sandbanks
or mudbanks. Very aggressive during parenting period both the sexes
incubating eggs.
Food: Carnivorous, tadpole of frogs, fish, crustaceans and aquatic
insects
Nesting: It breeds in summer in between February to June. As it is a
colonial breeder, often breeds with Pratincoles and other species of
Terns. Nest is a shallow depression on bare sand or mud islets in rivers
or lakes. Normally, 2/3 greenish grey to buffy stone blotched and
streaked with brown color eggs laid. Incubation period is 20-23 days.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 151

Birds of Ansupa 152
 66. BLACK-BELLIED TERN

Scientific Name: Sterna acuticauda J E Gray, 1831

Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Size: 32-35 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Endangered/ Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Kalapetia Gangoi
Field Characters: It is a medium sized, slender Tern. During non-
breeding (winter) period, head looks white streaked with black, and a
dusky black patch present behind eye. Bill has dull yellow colour
with dusky black tip. Upper plumage greyish whereas under plumage
is white with slightly grey colour on foreneck and breast. Tail is deeply
forked and shorter during winter. Legs are orange red. In breeding
(summer) period, forehead, crown, down below to eyes and nape is
glossy black colour whereas cheeks, chin and throat pure white.
Upperpart is ashy-greycolour; underpart is black. Tail is longer and
pointed. Juvenile has buff-greyish upperpart, feathers with pale buff
white edges. Sexes are alike.
Habit and Habitat: Often found in flight in search of fishes in large
rivers, lake and jheels. It rests on sandbanks and submerged
sandbanks. It feeds by swiftly diving and hunting vertically from air.
Mostly it is an inland freshwater Tern.
Food: It is Carnivorous, also depends on fish, crustacean and aquatic
insects.
Nesting: It breeds in summer inside large rivers on sandbars or small
islands. It makes simple scrape nest on sand bars. Clutch size is 2/3
eggs. Eggs are pale or dark with brown spots. Both parents incubate
eggs and take care of chicks.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 153

Birds of Ansupa 154
 67. OSPREY

Scientific Name: Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Pandionidae
Order:Accipitriformes
Size: 55-58 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-I Part-III
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chanchana
Field Characters: It is a large sized raptor with predominantly white
and brown plumage and having long wing with distinct angle at carpal
joint. Adult bird has white head, black beak and yellow iris. A dark
brown band passing through the eyes touches the dark brown back.
It has white underparts and underwing-coverts with a black patch at
carpal joint. Streaked dark brown band present at lower neck. Sexes
are alike but female has darker brownish plumage and well prominent
neck band than male. Juvenile is almost similar to adult but with buff
edged upper part and less prominent neck band.
Habit and Habitat: Usually found solitary. It glides, perches
frequently on dead trees, bamboos or pillars inside or in vicinity of
wetland. It occurs in major rivers, reservoirs, lakes, jheels, coastal
lagoons and estuaries.
Food: Mainly feeds on fish.
Migrating from: India: Ladakh and Kashnir Outside India: Europe,
Asia, North Africa.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 155

Birds of Ansupa 156
 68. WESTERN MARSH HARRIER

Scientific Name: Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Accipitridae
Order: Accipitriformes
Size: 54-59 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chanchana
Field Characters: It is a stout bodied harrier with sexually dimorphic
plumage. Male has dark reddish brown upperpart with pale yellow
streaks. Light rufous breast and head which are heavily streaked. It
has dark rufous greater upper wing covert having grey secondary
and black outer primary feathers. It has grey tail, yellow legs, feet,
iris and cere. Female has chiefly dark brown with paler head, throat
and shoulder lacks greyish tail. Juvenile is almost similar with female
with entirely dark with pale head and throat.
Habit and Habitat: Found solitary, usually perches and soars over
marshland and shallow water area. It prefers reedbeds, marshes,
lakes, flooded paddy fields and coastal lagoons.
Food: It depends onFrogs, fish, weak birds, lizards, field mice and
Rats, large insects as diet.
Migrating from: South Sweden and Denmark, Turkestan and
Mongolia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 157

Birds of Ansupa 158
 69. WHITE-BELLIED SEA EAGLE

Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucogaster (J.F. Gmelin, 1788)

Family: Accipitridae
Order:Accipitriformes
Size: 66-71 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-I
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Chila
Field Characters: It is a large sized raptor bird. Adult bird has ashy-
brown upperparts; milky white head, neck, and underparts. Tail is
short, ashy brown with white edges. Flight feathers are black. Greyish
hooked bill having black tip and grey cere. Sexes are alike but female
is larger than male. Juvenile has brownish upper plumage with pale
head, distinct dark breast band, and whitish tail with brownish sub
terminal band.
Habit and Habitat: Mainly found in pairs or in solitary. Frequently
soars and circles at a good height. Perch on Bamboos, pillars, dead
trees etc. inside wetland or nearer to it. It also spends time on rocks
or dead trees, usually near water. It inhabits in sea coasts, lagoons
and estuaries; occasionally visits rivers, fresh water lakes and creeks.
Food: Carnivorous bird prefers small ducks, water snakes, fishes
etc.
Nesting: It breeds in between October to June, varies in localities.
It made huge twig nest lined of grasses and green leaves on tall
trees, electric towers etc. near shoreline. Usually it laid two white
eggs. Incubation and parental care shared by both parents.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 159

Birds of Ansupa 160
 70. CHESTNUT-HEADED BEE-EATER

Scientific Name: Merops leschenaulti Vieillot, 1817

Family: Meropidae
Order:Coraciiformes
Size: 18-20 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Nalimundia Balishua
Field Characters: It is a medium sized bird with colour contrasts.
Adult bird has dark chestnut crown, hindneck and upper back which
are distinguished features than other Bee-eaters. It has greenish upper
plumage, bluish rump and tail, yellow chin and throat. A black stripe
is passing through the eyes and dark rufous-black stripe present on
throat. Tail is broader and slightly forked. Sexes are alike. Juvenile is
much paler than adult, chestnut crown is absent or dull.
Habit and Habitat: It has a peculiar flight and aerial launch. Often
perch on treetops, electric or telephone wire and feeds on high above
canopy. Forage solitarily, at sunset, gathers makes noise and
communally roosts on high trees. It lives in deciduous or evergreen
forest near water.
Food: Mainly insectivorous, diets consist of bees, dragonflies, ants,
termites, etc. occasionally butterflies.
Nesting: Breeds mainly in summer season, in between March to
June. It makes tunnel shaped nest on sandy soil and earth cuttings
mainly near vicinity of water, Clutch size varies in between 5 to 7 and
eggs are pure white and roundish oval shaped.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 161

Birds of Ansupa 162
 71. BLUE-TAILED BEEEATER

Scientific Name: Merops philippinus Linnaeus, 1767

Family: Meropidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Size: 23-26cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident/Local Migratory
Local Name: Nilalanjia Balishua
Field Characters: Adult bird has elongated bluish central tail
feathers; blue rump and tail, greenish head and back; downward curved
black beak; chestnut throat and upper breast; black eye stripe passed
through eyes with slight bluish touch. Sexes are alike. Juveniles have
deep bluish rump, tail upper and tail covert, and lightly visible rufous
throat.
Habit and Habitat: The bird is solitary while foraging but found in
large flocks at the time of perching and roosting. It perches on exposed
telephone and electric wires. It hunts insects during continuous flights.
It roosts on trees. It found often near waterbodies such as irrigation
tank, lake, river, reservoir, canal and sandy seashore
Food: Mainly insectivorous; feed on dragonflies, bees and other
insects.
Nesting: Mainly in summer season, in between March to June. It
makes tunnel shaped nest on sandy soil and earth cuttings mainly
near vicinity of water, Clutch size varies in between 5 to 7, and eggs
are pure white and roundish oval shaped.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 163

Birds of Ansupa 164
 72. COMMON KINGFISHER

Scientific Name: Alcedo atthis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Size: 38-40 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Chota Macharanka
Field Characters: It is one of the smallest Kingfishers. It has bluish
back, greenish blue upper wing covert and chestnut orange under
parts. Finely banded blue and black crown.Chestnut lore and auricular
part.Chin, throat and neck sides are white. Tail is short and thick.
Long straight thick pointed bill and eyes are black. Legs and feet are
bright red. Sexes are alike.
Habit and Habitat: Very fast flier with rapid wing stroke, vocalized
while flying. It perches on small height around 1-2m and rapidly
entered in to water to catch prey. Very commonly found in streams,
canals, ditches, ponds, rivers and lakes
Food: Mainly small fishes, tadpoles, and aquatic insects.
Nesting: It breeds in summer in between March to June. Usually
3-6 roundish oval pure white eggs are laid in an earthen tunnel nest
along river banks, canals and ditches.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 165

Birds of Ansupa 166
 73. PIED KINGFISHER

Scientific Name: Ceryle rudis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Size: 31 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Macharanka
Field Characters: It is a large Kingfisher with a black and white
blotched plumage. Black bill is large and long. Eyes are black and a
black eyeband touches the hindneck. Broad white supercillium present
on eye. A small crest is present on streaked black crown. Wings and
tail are black and white. Male has double black breastband but female
has single and usually broken breastband is present.
Habit and Habitat: Mostly found solitary or in pairs. It hunts by
hovering over water with bill pointing down along with rapid
wingstrokes.Also it can hunt vertically downwards to catch fishes.
This peculiar habit of hunting makes it different among all Kingfishers.
It is noisy while hunting. Usually found in ponds, lakes, cannals, water
reservoir, slow running stream and river etc.
Food: Diet comprise of mainly fish, tadpoles and aquatic insect.
Nesting: Breeds in late summer and early monsoon; 5-6 roundish
oval white eggs are laid in an earthen tunnel along river banks, canals,
earth cuttings etc.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 167

Birds of Ansupa 168
 74. STORK-BILLED KINGFISHER

Scientific Name: Pelargopsis capensis (Linnaeus, 1766)

Family: Alcedinidae
Order:Coraciiformes
Size: 35-38 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Macharanka
Field Characters: It is a large Kingfisher having huge blood red bill,
brown head, bluish green upperpart, blue tail, brownish underpart
and yellowish hind neckcollar. Leg and feet are red. Sexes are alike
but female is larger than male. Juvenile has barring underparts.
Habit and Habitat: Mostly found solitary. Moderately forest
dependent and generally remains hidden amidst over hanging vegetation
at wetlands. Mostly found in Lowland areas, rivers, streams, irrigation
channels and lakes.
Food: Diet comprise of fishes, frogs, lizards mice and young birds
also crabs and water beetles etc.
Nesting: Breeds in between January to August. Usually 4-5 glossy
white roundish oval eggs are laid in horizontally earthen tunnel nest
along river bank, canal etc. Both parents take parts in incubation and
other parental care.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 169

Birds of Ansupa 170
 75. WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER

Scientific Name: Halcyon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Size: 26-28 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Macharanka
Field Characters: It is a large sized Kingfisher with a heavy and
large red bill, chocolate-brown head, hindneck, upper back, and lesser
secondary covert of wing and underparts except white throat and
centre of breast. It has glistening greenish blue upperparts, rump and
tail. In flight, the white wing patch is prominent and contrast to black
flight feathers. Sexes are alike. Juvenile is duller than adult and have
a brownish bill.
Habit and Habitat: It is a most commonly available kingfisher found
almost every water bodies. Usually found solitary. It perches on
telephone or electric wires, poles and branches. A noisy bird and
rapidly hunts prey from a particular point. It is found in village ponds,
lakes, forests, agricultural field, canals, rivers etc.
Food: Diet consists of fishes, crabs, beetles, tadpoles, grasshoppers
and other insects. Occasionally eats small birds too.
Nesting: It breeds in between mid-summer and monsoon; usually 4-
7 white and spherical eggs are laid in an earthen tunnel nest along
river banks, canal bandhs, earth cutting etc. Both sexes take part in
parental care.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 171

Birds of Ansupa 172
 76. PEREGRINE FALCON

Scientific Name: Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771

Family: Falconidae
Order: Falconiformes
Size: 38-40 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Migratory
Local Name: Chila
Field Characters: It is a stocky raptor and fastest flying bird. Adult
bird has black head and bluish grey barred upperparts. Heavily spotted
and barred underpart is reddish brown. Pointed wings and under wing
covert is also spotted and barred. A broad black cheek stripe is present
on white chin and throat. Tail is short and square with heavily barred
below. Bluish beak has black tip and bright yellow cere. Leg and feet
are yellow. Sexes are alike but female is larger. Juvenile has dark
brown upperpart and darker head. Underpart is rufous-white and
heavily streaked.
Habit and Habitat: Mostly found solitary. It flights faster with rapid
wing stroke. It attacks swiftly on flying preys and hunts actively in
dawn and dusk hours. It winters near large lakes, rivers, mangroves,
sea coasts and marshes.
Food: Chiefly hunts ducks, waders and other wintering waterbirds.
Migrating From:North Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 173

Birds of Ansupa 174
 77. WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL

Scientific Name: Motacilla flava Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Motacillidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 16-19 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Haladia Chachadhei
Field Characters: It is a small and slender bird, having a long tail,
olive green upperpart and yellowish underpart. Two white wing-bars
are prominent. Colour variation occurs depending on races. Male
(Breeding) has greenish yellow to dark grey crown and ear coverts.
Female and non-breeding plumage is brownish with straight pale
supercilium. Juvenile has dark malar stripe and prominent breast band.
Habit and Habitat: Found as solitary or in small loose flocks. It
continuously wags its long tail up and down. Typically associates
with grazing livestock while foraging and captures insects disturbed
by the animal’s hooves. It runs short distance with active and energetic
steps. It flies in undulating manner with typical wing stroke. It is
found in marshy areas with short vegetation, margins of rivers, lakes
and jheels etc.
Food: Insectivorous, diet consists of flies, pentatomid bugs, beetles
and weevils.
Migrating from: Scandinavia to Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 175

Birds of Ansupa 176
 78. GREY WAGTAIL

Scientific Name: Motacilla cinerea Tunstall, 1771

Family: Motacillidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 19 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Migratory
Local Name: Chachadhei
Field Characters: It is a predominantly grey and yellowish Wagtail.
Adult has narrow white supercilium. Head, upperparts, rump and tails
are greyish. It has a long tail comparing to other Wagtails. Brownish
wings have yellowish white wingbars. In breeding plumage, male has
black throat and yellow underparts. In case of females, it has white
throat and paler yellow underparts.
Habit and Habitat: The bird mostly found as solitary or in pairs.
Typically moves like other species of wagtail. It feeds on ground with
continuously by waging its tail in up and down manner. It is very
common near marsh areas, lakes, rivers and inland waterbodies.
Food: Mainly insectivorous, diet comprising of beetles, locusts,
dragonflies, snails and small seeds.
Migrating From:Himalayas.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 177

Birds of Ansupa 178
 79. CITRINE WAGTAIL

Scientific Name: Motacilla citreola Pallas, 1776

Family: Motacillidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 16-19 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident/Migratory
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a small, slender and long tailed bird having
diagnostic yellowish face and head and greyish back. Male has bright
yellow head and underparts, black mantle and prominent whitish
wingbar. Female has broad yellow supercilium, face and throat.
Greyish crown; upperpart and underpart mainly yellow. Juvenile
hasbrownish crown, ear-coverts and mantle, pale supercilium and
buff-white underparts.
Habit and Habitat: A gregarious bird, often found near water with
vegetation. It winters around lakes jheel and tanks. Sometimes
forages on floating vegetation in lakes. It wags tail in up and down
manner and flight pattern also resembles with other species of
Wagtails.
Migrating from:Siberia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 179

Birds of Ansupa 180
 80. WHITE-BROWED WAGTAIL

Scientific Name: Motacilla maderaspatensis J.F. Gmelin, 1789

Family: Motacillidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 21 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a large wagtail with pied plumage which
separates it from all other wagtails. Adult bird has blackish upperpart,
head, neck and breast. Wingband and Supercilium are white. Sexes
are alike but male is black whereas female is brownish. Juvenile has
brownish grey head, mantle and breast, with white supercilium.
Habit and Habitat: Most often seen in pairs or in small flocks near
inland waterbodies, banks of rivers, cannals, lakes and irrigation
barrages. It wags its tail in up and down manner and flight pattern
also resembles with other species of wagtails.
Food: Mainly insectivorous, diet comprising of beetles, locusts,
dragonflies, snails and small seeds.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 181

Birds of Ansupa 182
 81. WHITE WAGTAIL

Scientific Name: Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Motacillidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 18 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident/Migratory
Local Name: Cha Chadhei
Field Characters: It is a small Wagtail with black and silvery white
plumage. Adult has black and white head, greyish or black mantle,
black wing-coverts and black neck and breast. Color variations may
occur among different races. Sexes are alike Juvenile has greyish
head, mantle and breast with whitish supercilium.
Habit and Habitat: Usually found as solitary or in pairs. It moves
around wetland and field for foraging and wags its tail continually up
and down. It inhabits near rivers or in hill streams during summer,
winters in open areas near marshes, rivers, stream, canal, lakes etc.
Migrating from:Europe and Asia.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 183

Birds of Ansupa 184
 82. STREAK-THROATED SWALLOW

Scientific Name: Petrochelidon fluvicola (Blyth, 1855)

Family: Hirundinidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 16-19 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident/Migratory
Local Name: Chataka
Field Characters: It is a small and compact Swallow. Adult has
glossy purplish blue upperpart with narrow white streaks on mantle.
It has chestnut forehead and crown. Brown streaked chin, throat
and breast and rest of underparts are fulvous white. Rump pale brown
and tail is broad and squarish. Sexes are alike. Juvenile has duller
upperparts, browner crown, and brownish mantle and wings.
Habit and Habitat: A gregarious bird, perches on telephone and
electric wire. It roosts communally along with other Swallows. In
winter morning, roosting flock size may vary up to thousands. It
forages in close proximity to water with other Swallows. Very
commonly found in agricultural field, lakes, rivers, canals and
reservoirs etc.
Food: Mainly insectivorous, diet comprising of midges, gnats and
other insects.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 185

Birds of Ansupa 186
 83. RED-RUMPED SWALLOW

Scientific Name: Cecropis daurica (Laxmann, 1769)

Family: Hirundinidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 16-19 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migratory
Local Name : Chataka
Field Characters: It is a slender, small and fast flying bird. Adult
has distinct rufous or chestnut rump.Neck, sides of the head,
supercilium and rump are rufous-orange. Upperpart of the bird is
glistening bluish black whereas underparts pale white, with fine brown
streaked throat and upper breast. Tail is long and deeply forked. Sexes
are alike. Juvenile has less shining bluish crown, mantle and wing;
paler neck-collar and rump; and shorter tail streamer
Habit and Habitat: It spends maximum time of its life on wings.
Social bird and prefers communal roosting. Gather in huge number in
winter and during migration. It is frequently seen in close packed
flock on telephone wire, roost communally in reed bed. Very often
found in upland cultivation and on open grassy hill slopes during
summer and in open scrub area, cultivated land, lakes, reservoirs and
rivers etc.
Food: Insectivorous, diet comprising of Dipteran, Coleopteran winged
ant and termite.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 187

Birds of Ansupa 188
 84. WIRE-TAILED SWALLOW

Scientific Name: Hirundo smithii Leach, 1818

Family: Hirundinidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 14 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident/Migratory
Local Name : Chataka
Field Characters: It is a slender, small and fast flying bird. Adult
has shining purplish blue upper part, peculiar bright chestnut cap;
bright pure white underparts and two long tail-wires projected out
from tail feathers. Sexes are alike, but female has shorter tail-wire
than male. Juvenile has dull brownish blue upperparts and dull
brownish crown.
Habit and Habitat: Though it is a solitary bird but often found in the
mixed flocks. Generally found in vicinity of water, either while perched
or foraged over the water surface. Often roosts communally in reed
beds, electric and telephone wire Very often found in cultivation land,
bank of rivers, jheels, lakes and reservoirs etc.
Food: Insectivorous, mainly aquatic insects.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 189

Birds of Ansupa 190
 85. BARN SWALLOW/COMMON SWALLOW

Scientific Name: Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758

Family: Hirundinidae
Order: Passeriformes
Size: 18 cm
IUCN/WPA Status: Least Concern / Schedule-IV
Residential Status: Resident and Local Migratory
Local Name : Chataka
Field Characters: It is a slender, small and fast flying bird. Adult
has glistening purplish blue head, neck and upperpart. Rusty forehead
and throat, bluish black breast band and underpart is pale white. Black
wings are long, narrow and pointed. Tail is black and deeply forked
having long tail-streamers. Sexes are alike. Juvenile has pale orange
forehead and throat, breast-band is browner and less prominent;
upperparts are duller; and tail less deeply forked with shorter tail-
streamer.
Habit and Habitat: It spends majority of its life by flying. It is very
swift and agile flier. It forages over low shallow water, highly sociable
and roosts in large flocks on telephone and electric wires. Found on
inland water bodies, rivers, lakes, ponds etc. Generally found near
water.
Food: Insectivorous
Migrating From: Himalayas.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 191

 Glossary

This section deals with frequently used wordsin the book and their
meanings which follows Kumar et al. (2005).

Adult: a bird that has attained its definitive plumage.

Aquatic: frequenting water.
Breeding plumage:a different plumage acquired by many species during
the breeding season.
Cap: a well-defined patch of colour or bare skin on the top of the head.
Carpal joint: the small bones of the ‘wrist’ joint.
Cere:a waxy fleshy covering at the base of upper beak
Collar: a well-defined band of colour which encircles or partly encircles
the neck.
Colonial: nesting in groups or colonies rather than in isolated pairs.
Contour feather: any feather forming part of the outer surface of the bird’s
plumage.
Cosmopolitan: Worldwide in distribution or at least occurring on all
continents except Antarctica.
Coverts: the contour feathers that overlap the main wing or tail feathers.
Crepuscular: active at dusk.
Crest: a tuft of elongated feathers on the crown.
Crown: the top of the head.
Decurved or downncurved: curved downward.
Dimorphic: of species or sexes having two colour forms.
Diurnal: active during the day.
Eclipse: dull female-like plumage of male ducks (drakes) for a period
after the breeding season.
Edges: outer feather margins, which can frequently result in distinct colour
on wings or tail.
Endemic: restricted to certain area or region.
Eyebrow or supercilium: a conspicuous stripe of colour running above
but not through the eye.
Eye ring: feathered ring immediately surrounding the orbital ring.
Eye stripe: a stripe that runs horizontally from the base of the bill through
the eye and beyond.
Filoplume: a thin, hair like feather.
Birds of Ansupa 192
Flight feather: the long well developed feathers of the wings and tail used
during flight. The flight feathers of the wings are divided into primaries
and secondaries of wings.
Fringes: complete feather margins, which can frequently result in a scaly
appearance to body feathers or wing coverts.
Frontal shield: a fleshy, featherless and often brightly coloured area on
the forehead.
Fulvous: tawny, dull yellowish-red or red wine coloured.
Gregarious: a species often found in flocks when feeding in the non-
breeding period, etc.
Gular pouch: a loose and pronounced area of skin extending from the
throat.
Immature: a bird in a plumage in between juvenile and adult.
Iris: the coloured membrane which surrounds the pupil of the eye and
which can be brightly coloured.
Jheel: a shallow lake in a low-lying natural depression, usually with
floating and submerged vegetation, reed beds and partially submerged
trees.
Juveniles: a bird in its first plumage that replaces the downy one.
Leg projection: indicates that part of the legs project beyond the tail
when the bird is in flight.
Local: occurring or common within a small or restricted area.
Lores: the area between the eye and the base of the bill sometimes
distinctively coloured.
Mandible: the lower or upper half of the bill.
Mantle: the back of a bird together with the upper surface of the wings.
Migrant: a bird that regularly passes through an area on its way to or
from its normal breeding range.
Moult: the process of shedding and replacing feather.
Nape: back of neck.
Noctural: a species active at night.
Nomadic: wandering or erratically occurring species, which has no fixed
territory when not breeding.
Non-breeding plumage: plumage worn by birds when not breeding.
Omnivorous: eating almost any kind of plant and animal food.
Ornithology: the study of birds.

Birds of Ansupa 193

Plume: a feather larger or longer than the feathers around it, generally
used in display.
Polygamy: the formation of a sexual bond between one male and more
than one female.
Primaries: the outermost and longest flight feathers on a bird’s wing,
usually numbering 10.
Race or subspecies: a geographical population of a species that is slightly
different from other populations of that species.
Range: the geographical area or areas inhabited by a species.
Recurved or upcurved: bent upwards.
Resident: staying in one place all the year, non-migratory.
Roosting: the bird is said to be roosting when either actually sleeping or
resting for more than a brief nap.
Rufous: reddish-brown.
Rump: lower back and base of tail.
Scapulars: a group of feathers on the shoulder.
Secondaries: the large flight feathers along the near edge of the wing,
inward from the primaries.
Speculum: a distinctively coloured area on the wings of a bird, especially
the metallic-coloured patch on the secondaries of some ducks.
Subadult: young birds, with a mixture of immature and adult plumage, the
last stage before full adult plumage.
Subterminal band: a dark or pale band, usually broad, at the tip of a
feather or feather tract (especially the tail).
Tarsus: the lower, usually featherless, part of a bird’s leg above the feet.
Taxonomy: the science of classification of organisms.
Tertials or tertiaries: the innermost flight feathers on a bird’s wing,
immediately adjacent to the body.
Trailing edge of wing: the rear edge of an extended wing.
Underparts: under surface of body from throat to undertail-coverts.
Upperparts: upper surface of body including wings and tail.
Vent: the area around the cloaca (anal opening) just behind the legs
(should not to be confused with the under-tail-coverts).
Vermiculation: irregular, wavy marking, reminiscent skin attached to the head.
Wattle: a lobe of bare, often brightly coloured skin attached to the head.
Wing-bar: a line across the wing contrasting in colour with the rest of it.
Wing projection: used to describe the projection of the tip of the primaries
beyond the tail when a bird is at rest.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 194

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ali, S. (2002). The book of Indian Birds, Oxford University Press, India.
326 pp.
Balachandran S., P. Sathiyaselvam, and S. Panda (2009). Bird Atlas of
Chilika. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, Chilika Development
Authority, Bhubaneswar. 326 pp.
Cowardin, L.M., V. Carter, F.C. Golet, & E.T. LaRoe (1979). Classification
of wetlands and deepwaterhabitatas of the United States. FWS/OBS79/31
Grewal, B., B. Harvey, and O. Pfister (2002). A Photographic guide to
birds of India, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal,
Bangladesh and Bhutan.Christopher helm, London.512 pp.
Grewal, B., S. Sen, S. Singh, N. Devasar& G. Bhatia (2016). A pictorial
field guide to birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh. Om Books International, India. 791 pp.
Grimmet, R., C. Inskipp& T. Inskipp (2014). Birds of the Indian
Subcontinent, Oxford University Press India.528 pp.
Kumar, A., J. P. Sati, P. C. Tak, and J. R. B. Alfred (2005). Handbook on
Indian Wetland Birds and their Conservation. Zoological Survey of
India.468 pp.
Nair, M.V., S.M. Pradhan, & A.K. Pradhan (2012). Common Nesting birds
of Odisha- a photographic Guide, Wildlife Organisation, Forest &
Environment Department, Government of Odisha. 160 pp.
National Wetland Atlas: Orissa, SAC/EPSA/AFEG/NWIA/ATLAS/28/
2010, Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad,India, 204p.
Pattanaik C., S.N. Prasad, C.S. Reddy (2008). Warning Bells in Ansupa
Lake, Orissa. Current Science, Vol.94, NO. 5 Page-560
Payra, A., S. K. Dash, H. S. Palei, A. K. Mishra, R. K. Mishra, S. Rout
(2019) Updated Avifaunal list of Ansupa lake and its adjoining areas,
Cuttack, Odisha, India, with notes on the record of Grey-necked Bunting
(Emberizabuchanani) Ela Journal of Forestry and Wildlife Vol.8 (1 & 2):
558-568 ISSN 2319-4361

Birds of Ansupa 195

Pradhan, R. N., U. P. Das, R. K. Mohapatra and A. K. Mishra (2013).
Checklist of Birds in and Around Ansupa Lake, Odisha, India. Int. Res. J.
Environment Sci. Vol. 2(11), ISSN 2319–1414
Praveen, J., R. Jayapal& A. Pittie (2016). A checklist of the birds of India,
Indian BIRDS, 11(5&6) 113-172.
Rahmani, A.R. & M.V. Nair (2015).Threatened birds of Odisha. Oxford
University Press, India. 180 pp.
Swain, K.K. and S. Debata (2018). Birds of Chandaka Wildlife Division.
Department of Forests and Environment, Government of Odisha, 120 pp.
Vijayan, V.S., S.N. Prasad, L. Vijayan and S. Muralidharan (2004). Inland
wetlands of India-Conservation priorities, SACON, Coimbatore.
TTT

Birds of Ansupa 196

 APPENDIX-I
List of Landbirds found around Ansupa
FAMILY COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME
Phasianidae Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Phasianidae Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus Linnaeus, 1758
Phasianidae Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus (J.F.Gmelin,1789)
Phasianidae Common Quail Coturnix coturnix (J.F. Gmelin,1789)
Columbidae Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Columbidae Rock Pigeon Columba livia J.F. Gmelin, 1789
Columbidae Spotted Dove Stigmatopelia chinensis ( Scopoli, 1786)
Columbidae Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838)
Columbidae Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis (Latham, 1790)
Columbidae Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Columbidae Yellow-footed Green pigeon Treron phoenicopterus (Latham, 1790)
Caprimulgidae Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus Latham, 1790
Apodidae Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasinensis (J.E. Gray, 1829)
Cuculidae Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomentis merulinus (Scopoli, 1786)
Cuculidae Jacobin Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus (Boddaert, 1783)
Cuculidae Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Cuculidae Common Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius (Vahl, 1797)
Cuculidae Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis (Stephens, 1815)
Turnicidae Yellow-legged Buttonquail Turnix tanki Blyth, 1843
Accipitridae Shikra Accipiter badius (J.F. Gmelin, 1788)
Accipitridae White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa (Franklin, 1831)
Accipitridae Black-winged Kite Elanuscaeruleus (Desfontaines, 1789)
Accipitridae Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus (Temminck, 1821)
Accipitridae Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis (Temminck, 1822)
Accipitridae Black Kite Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783)
Accipitridae Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela (Latham,1790)
Strigidae Spotted Owlet Athene brama (Temminck, 1821)
Strigidae Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum (Tickell, 1833)
Strigidae Collard Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena Pennant, 1769
Tytonidae Barn Owl Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769)
Upupidae Common Hoopoe Upupa epops Linnaeus, 1758
Picidae Greater Golden-backed Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes lucidus (Scopoli, 1786)
Picidae Lesser Goldenbacked Woodpecker Dinopium benghalense (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picidae Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus (Vieillot, 1818)
Ramphastidae Brown-headed Barbet Psilopogon zeylanicus (J.F. Gemlin,1788)
Ramphastidae Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus ( Stratiusmuller, 1776)
Meropidae Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis Latham, 1801
Coraciidae Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Falconidae Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758
Falconidae Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera Daudin, 1800
Psittacidae Plum headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala (Linnaeus, 1766)
Psittacidae Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria (Linnaeus, 1766)
Psittacidae Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769)
Campephagidae Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus (J.r. Forster,1781)
Campephagidae Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei (Horsfield, 1821)
Campephagidae Black-headed Cuckooshrike Lalage melanoptera (Rüppell, 1839)
Oriolidae Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus (Linneaus,1766)
Oriolidae Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo Sykes,1832
Artamidae Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus Vieillot, 1817
Aegithinidae Common Iora Aegithina tiphia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Dicruridae Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817
Dicruridae White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758)
Birds of Ansupa 197
Dicruridae Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Rhipiduridae White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola Lesson, 1831
Laniidae Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Laniidae Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schachLinnaeus, 1758
Corvidae RufousTreepie Dendrocitta vagabunda (Latham, 1790)
Corvidae Large-billed Crow Corvus culminatus Wagler, 1827
Corvidae House Crow Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817
Monarchidae Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azuera (Boddaert,1783)
Monarchidae Indian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Dicaeidae Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile (Tickell,1833)
Dicaeidae Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorynchos (Latham,1790)
Nectariniidae Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica (Linnaeus, 1766)
Nectariniidae Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus (Latham, 1790)
Irenidae Jerdon’sLeafbird Chloropsis jerdoni (Blyth, 1844)
Ploceidae Black-breasted Weaver Ploceus benghalensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Ploceidae Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Estrildidae Red Munia Amandava amandava (Linnaeus, 1758)
Estrildidae Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Estrildidae White-rumpedMunia Lonchura striata (Linnaeus, 1766)
Estrildidae Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Estrildidae Black-headed Munia Lonchura malacca (Linnaeus, 1766)
Passeridae House Sparrow Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Motacillidae Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi Vieillot,1818
Motacillidae Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus Vieillot,1818
Emberizidae Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani Blyth, 1845
Paridae Black-lored Tit Machlolophus xanthogenys (Vigors,1831)
Alaudidae Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark Eremopterix griseus (Scopoli, 1786)
Alaudidae Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula Franklin, 1831
Cisticolidae ZittingCisticola Cisticola juncidis (Rafinesque, 1810)
Cisticolidae Plain Prinia Prinia inornata Sykes,1832
Cisticolidae Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis Sykes, 1832
Cisticolidae Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius (Pennant, 1769)
Acrocephalidae Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis (Temminck& Schlegel, 1847)
Pycnonotidae Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Pycnonotidae Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766)
Pycnonotidae White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus (Lesson,1841)
Phylloscopidae Common Chiffchaf Phylloscopus collybita (Vieillot,1817)
Phylloscopidae Greenish Leaf Warbler Seicecrus trochiloidies (Sundevall, 1837)
Zosteropidae Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus (Temminck,1824)
Timaliidae Indian Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus horsfieldii Sykes, 1832
Pellorneidae Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps Swainson,1832
Leiothrichidae Jungle Babbler Turdoidesstriata (Dumont,1823)
Sturnidae Rosy Starling Pastor roseus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Sturnidae Asian Pied Starling Gracupica contra (Linnaeus, 1758)
Sturnidae Brahminy Starling Sturnia pagodarum (J.F. Gemlin,1789)
Sturnidae Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica (J.F. Gemlin,1789)
Sturnidae Common Myna Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Sturnidae Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus (Wagler, 1827)
Muscicapidae Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Muscicapidae Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Muscicapidae White-rumpedShama Kittacincla malabarica (Scopoli,1786)
Muscicapidae Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica Pallas,1811
Muscicapidae Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus (Swainson,1838)
Muscicapidae Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicillia (Pallas, 1831)
Muscicapidae Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata (Linnaeus,1766)
Turdidae Orange-headed Thrush Geokichla citrina (Latham, 1790)

Birds of Ansupa 198

Sri Susanta Nanda, IFS is currently working as
Chief Executive, Chilika Development Authority. He
has joined Indian Forest Service in the year 1989
and posted as Divisional Forest Officer in various
Forest Divisions during initial days. Later he
served as Director in various departments of
Government of Odisha. For his contribution to
forestry sector, he was honoured with the Indira
PriyadarshiniVrikshamitra award in 2007, the
highest award in Forestry in India. After joining
the CDA, his work is commendable for eviction of
the illegal prawn gherries from Chilika Lagoon
which allowed restoring the wetland of international
importance. He is the key person for restoration of
the Ansupa Lake. Apart from this, he is an avid
Naturalist and Conservationist. Being a scientific
person, he has published many research papers
related to wetland biodiversity in various
international journals. He has also co-authored
the prestigious book ‘Fish and Shellfish Diversity
and its sustainable management in Chilika Lake’.

Dr. Samrat Gowda, D.S, IFS is working as the

Additional Chief Executive of Chilika Development
Authority. Additionally he is also In-Charge of
Divisional Forest Officer of Chilika Wildlife
Division. He has joined Indian Forest Services in
the year 2012. Later he has worked as DFO in
various forest divisions of Odisha. He has
completed his Ph.D in Plant breeding and Genetics
from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New
Delhi in the year 2012. He has published many
research papers in several reputed international
journals. Dr. Gowda is one of the young, talented,
promising forest officers of India. As a wetland
manger, he is committed to protect birds and other
aquatic biodiversity. Besides this, he is an eminent
Naturalist, Conservationist, Conservation
photographer, Creative artist and Writer too. He
has documented many precious moments of bird
behaviour through his lens from various
sanctuaries and wetlands of Odisha.

Birds of Ansupa 199

 Dr. Fanindra Bhusan Nanda, OFS is presently
working as Assistant Conservator of Forest in
Chilika Development Authority. He is a sincere and
dedicated forest officer. Being an outstanding
officer, he has rescued and saved various species
of Birds, Mammals and Reptiles. He is the key
person in the discovery of a rare grass species
Coix aquatica from Similipal Biosphere Reserve.
Besides the forest officer, Dr. Nanda is a well-known
face as a dynamic Poet, Writer, Critics, Editor and
Researcher in Odia Literature too. He has written
more than 25books and recipient of several
prestigious literary awards. He played a significant
role in publishing various wildlife articles and books
in regional language.He is a sincere forest officer
and a passionate wildlife lover.

Tuhinansu Kar is an enthusiastic wildlife

researcher with special interest on Mammals and
Waterbirds.He has been studying the Breeding
Ecology of Threatened waterbirds since last three
years.His research findings have been published
in many national and international scientific
journals. He has also co-authored the book ‘Habitat
Utilization Pattern of Vulnerable Indian Skimmer:
A Remote Sensing and GIS approach’. He got his
Master’s degree and Master of Philosophy degree
in Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural
Resources from Central University of Orissa,
Koraput. He is currently working as a Junior
Research Fellow (JRF) in Chilika Development
Authority.

Birds of Ansupa 200