(delhibirdpix) BNHS Press Release: List of threatened bird species in India rises to 154

Press Release    List of threatened bird species in India rises to 154 Habitat destruction is primary reason behind decline in bird numbers   Mumbai: Recent studies by BirdLife International and BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) in India have revealed that the list of threatened bird species in the country has risen from 149 in 2008 to 154. Destruction of habitat is the prime reason for all these disappearing species. According to BirdLife studies in Asia, the condition of Great Slaty Woodpecker has deteriorated from "Least Concern" to "Vulnerable", while that of Rufous-backed Bunting has deteriorated from "Vulnerable" to "Endangered".   Commenting on the decline in bird numbers, BNHS director Dr Asad Rahmani said, "It is extremely alarming that almost 13% of world's birds are either critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. Great Slaty Woodpecker is an addition from India into the vulnerable category, primarily due to habitat loss. The fact that now 154 bird species from India are threatened, as against 149 last year, is an indicator of further deterioration of the environment."   Dr Rahmani, who is also a member of the Global Council of BirdLife and Chairman of BirdLife Asia Council added that supposedly common species in India like Nilgiri Blue Robin and White-bellied Blue Robin have been included in the endangered category. Himalayan Quail and Pink-headed Duck are considered extinct in India since they have not been seen for nearly 100 years. But as there is still hope to rediscover these birds, they have been included in the critically endangered category.   BNHS and IBCN (Indian Bird Conservation Network, which was set up by BNHS) have been working on several critically endangered species like Bengal Florican, Jerdon's Courser, Sociable Lapwing, Forest Owlet and four species of vultures. Dr Rahmani has been working on the Great Indian Bustard for 30 years. This bird, one among the 16 endangered species in India, is very likely to become critically endangered soon, unless concrete steps are taken for the protection of its habitat.   Globally, the picture is no different. BirdLife has announced extinction of Alaotra Grebe in the 2010 IUCN Red List update for birds. This bird was restricted to a tiny area of east Madagascar and it declined rapidly after carnivorous fish and nylon gill-nets were introduced to the lakes in which it lived. "Invasive alien species have caused extinctions around the globe and remain one of the major threats to birds and other biodiversity", said Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife International's Director of Science, Policy and Information.   Other bird species suffering globally include Zapata Rail, a wetland bird from Cuba that is now critically endangered due to the menace of introduced mongooses and exotic catfish and pressure on wetlands. The Great Knot and Far Eastern Curlew are now under serious threat due to drainage of wetlands and pollution. Wattled Curassow and White-bellied Cinclodes from the Americas, Australian Painted Snipe and Kofiau Paradise-kingfisher from the Pacific, Black Crowned-crane and Ludwig's Bustard from Africa and Corsican Nuthatch from Europe are also seriously under threat. Only a few species like Azores Bullfinch from Europe and Yellow-eared Parrot from Columbia have shown some increase in numbers after they got strict protection.   In light of the alarming situation of several bird species in India, BNHS strongly urges the Government of India to start special programmes for the protection of birds and their habitats. BNHS has identified 466 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) across India, which are crucial bird habitats. At present 200 among them are not officially protected. BNHS feels that all such areas should be protected and the local communities should be involved in such conservation measures in such a way that it becomes a win-win situation for all with a sustainable development model.   --- Atul Sathe, Public Relation Officer, BNHS-India List of Threatened Birds of India 2009 - Common Names (and scientific names) CR= Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened, DD = Data Deficient Sr Sr. Species Category 1 1 Himalayan Quail Ophrysia superciliosa CR 2 2 Pink-headed Duck Rhodonessa caryophyllacea CR 3 3 White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis CR 4 4 Christmas Island Frigatebird Fregata andrewsi CR 5 5 White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis CR 6 6 Indian Vulture Gyps indicus CR 7 7 Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris CR 8 8 Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus CR 9 9 Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis CR 10 10 Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus CR 11 11 Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius CR 12 12 Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus CR 13 13 Jerdon's Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus CR 14 14 Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti CR 15 1 Large-billed Reed-warbler Acrocephalus orinus DD 16 2 Sillem's Mountain-finch Leucosticte sillemi DD 17 1 Green Peafowl Pavo muticus EN 18 2 Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis EN 19 3 White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata EN 20 4 Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri EN 21 5 White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala EN 22 6 Oriental Stork Ciconia boyciana EN 23 7 Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius EN 24 8 Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus EN 25 9 Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps EN 26 10 Lesser Florican Sypheotides indicus EN 27 11 Masked Finfoot Heliopais personatus EN 28 12 Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer EN 29 13 Narcondam Hornbill Aceros narcondami EN 30 14 Black-chinned Laughingthrush Strophocincla cachinnans EN 31 15 Nilgiri Blue Robin Myiomela major EN 32 16 White-bellied Blue Robin Myiomela albiventris EN 33 1 Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica NT 34 2 White-cheeked Partridge Arborophila atrogularis NT 35 3 Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra NT 36 4 Tibetan Eared-pheasant Crossoptilon harmani NT 37 5 Hume's Pheasant Syrmaticus humiae NT 38 6 Falcated Duck Anas falcata NT 39 7 Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca NT 40 8 Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor NT 41 9 Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala NT 42 10 Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus NT 43 11 Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus NT 44 12 Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis NT 45 13 Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster NT 46 14 Laggar Falcon Falco jugger NT 47 15 Red Kite Milvus milvus NT 48 16 Lesser Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga humilis NT 49 17 Grey-headed Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus NT 50 18 Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus NT 51 19 South Nicobar Serpent-eagle Spilornis klossi NT 52 20 Andaman Serpent-eagle Spilornis elgini NT 53 21 Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus NT 54 22 Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax NT 55 23 Andaman Crake Rallina canningi NT 56 24 Beach Thick-knee Esacus giganteus NT 57 25 Great Snipe Gallinago media NT 58 26 Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus NT 59 27 Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa NT 60 28 Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata NT 61 29 Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis NT 62 30 Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda NT 63 31 Andaman Wood-pigeon Columba palumboides NT 64 32 Andaman Cuckoo-dove Macropygia rufipennis NT 65 33 Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica NT 66 34 Nicobar Parakeet Psittacula caniceps NT 67 35 Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda NT 68 36 Andaman Scops-owl Otus balli NT 69 37 Andaman Hawk-owl Ninox affinis NT 70 38 Ward's Trogon Harpactes wardi NT 71 39 European Roller Coracias garrulus NT 72 40 Brown-winged Kingfisher Pelargopsis amauroptera NT 73 41 Blyth's Kingfisher Alcedo hercules NT 74 42 Austen's Brown Hornbill Anorrhinus austeni NT 75 43 Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus NT 76 44 Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis NT 77 45 Yellow-rumped Honeyguide Indicator xanthonotus NT 78 46 Andaman Woodpecker Dryocopus hodgei NT 79 47 Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha NT 80 48 Andaman Drongo Dicrurus andamanensis NT 81 49 Andaman Treepie Dendrocitta bayleyi NT 82 50 Rufous-vented Prinia Prinia burnesii NT 83 51 Grey-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus priocephalus NT 84 52 Nicobar Bulbul Hypsipetes nicobariensis NT 85 53 Rufous-rumped Grassbird Graminicola bengalensis NT 86 54 Long-billed Bush-warbler Bradypterus major NT 87 55 Tytler's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus tytleri NT 88 56 Rufous-throated Wren-babbler Spelaeornis caudatus NT 89 57 Long-tailed Wren-babbler Spelaeornis chocolatinus NT 90 58 Blackish-breasted Babbler Sphenocichla humei NT 91 59 Chevron-breasted Babbler Sphenocichla roberti NT 92 60 Giant Babax Babax waddelli NT 93 61 Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush Garrulax nuchalis NT 94 62 Rusty-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx hyperythra NT 95 63 Firethroat Luscinia pectardens NT 96 64 Black-and-rufous Flycatcher Ficedula nigrorufa NT 97 65 Nilgiri Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudatus NT 98 66 Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis NT 99 1 Nicobar Megapode Megapodius nicobariensis VU 100 2 Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis VU 101 3 Manipur Bush-quail Perdicula manipurensis VU 102 4 Chestnut-breasted Partridge Arborophila mandellii VU 103 5 Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus VU 104 6 Blyth's Tragopan Tragopan blythii VU 105 7 Sclater's Monal Lophophorus sclateri VU 106 8 Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichi VU 107 9 Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus VU 108 10 Baikal Teal Anas formosa VU 109 11 Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris VU 110 12 Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus VU 111 13 Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus VU 112 14 Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis VU 113 15 Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni VU 114 16 Saker Falcon Falco cherrug VU 115 17 Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus VU 116 18 Nicobar Sparrowhawk Accipiter butleri VU 117 19 Indian Spotted Eagle Aquila hastata VU 118 20 Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga VU 119 21 Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca VU 120 22 Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata VU 121 23 Sarus Crane Grus antigone VU 122 24 Hooded Crane Grus monacha VU 123 25 Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis VU 124 26 Wood Snipe Gallinago nemoricola VU 125 27 Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris VU 126 28 Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis VU 127 29 Pale-backed Pigeon Columba eversmanni VU 128 30 Nilgiri Wood-pigeon Columba elphinstonii VU 129 31 Pale-capped Pigeon Columba punicea VU 130 32 Red-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus VU 131 33 Dark-rumped Swift Apus acuticauda VU 132 34 Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis VU 133 35 Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus VU 134 36 White-naped Tit Parus nuchalis VU 135 37 Grey-crowned Prinia Prinia cinereocapilla VU 136 38 Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus VU 137 39 Bristled Grassbird Chaetornis striata VU 138 40 Broad-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola platyurus VU 139 41 Marsh Babbler Pellorneum palustre VU 140 42 Rusty-throated Wren-babbler Spelaeornis badeigularis VU 141 43 Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler Spelaeornis longicaudatus VU 142 44 Snowy-throated Babbler Stachyris oglei VU 143 45 Jerdon's Babbler Chrysomma altirostre VU 144 46 Slender-billed Babbler Turdoides longirostris VU 145 47 Bugun Liocichla Liocichla bugunorum VU 146 48 Black-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis flavirostris VU 147 49 Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa VU 148 50 Grey-sided Thrush Turdus feae VU 149 51 White-browed Bushchat Saxicola macrorhynchus VU 150 52 White-throated Bushchat Saxicola insignis VU 151 53 Kashmir Flycatcher Ficedula subrubra VU 152 54 Yellow Weaver Ploceus megarhynchus VU 153 55 Green Avadavat Amandava formosa VU 154 56 Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola VU

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