Interesting diagram showing the distribution of the various sub-species of the pied/white wagtail (Moticilla alba).

Slaty-headed parakeet (Psittacua himalayana)

Threatened
Birds of India

List of 147 Endangered birds
Updated 2010

http://www.kolkatabirds.com  

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Risk Category

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CRITICAL (14)

Himalayan Quail Ophrysia superciliosa
Pink-headed Duck Rhodonessa caryophyllacea
White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis
Christmas Frigatebird Fregata andrewsi
White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis
Indian Vulture Gyps indicus
Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris
Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus
Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis
Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus
Jerdon's Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus
Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti

ENDANGERED (15)

Green Peafowl Pavo muticus
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis
White-winged Duck Cairina scutulata
Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala
Narcondam Hornbill Aceros narcondami
Masked Finfoot Heliopais personata
Oriental Stork Ciconia boyciana
Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps
Lesser Florican Sypheotides indicus
Nordmann's Greenshank Tringa guttifer
* White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major ^2010U
Nilgiri Laughingthrush Garrulax cachinnans

VULNERABLE (54)

Nicobar Scrubfowl Megapodius nicobariensis
Swamp Francolin Francolinus gularis
Manipur Bush-quail Perdicula manipurensis
Chestnut-breasted Partridge Arborophila mandellii
Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus
Blyth's Tragopan Tragopan blythii
Sclater's Monal Lophophorus sclateri
Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichii
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus
Baikal Teal Anas formosa
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris
Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus ^2010N
Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni
Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus
Nicobar Sparrowhawk Accipiter butleri
Indian Spotted Eagle Aquila hastata
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug ^2010D
McQueen's Bustard Chlamydotis undulata
Sarus Crane Grus antigone
Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis
Wood Snipe Gallinago nemoricola
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris ^2010N
Indian Skimmer Rynchops albicollis
Yellow-eyed Pigeon Columba eversmanni
Nilgiri Wood-pigeon Columba elphinstonii
Pale-capped Pigeon Columba punicea
Rufous-necked Hornbill Aceros nipalensis
Dark-rumped Swift Apus acuticauda
White-naped Tit Parus nuchalis
Grey-crowned Prinia Prinia cinereocapilla
Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus
Bristled Grassbird Chaetornis striata
Broad-tailed Grassbird Schoenicola platyura
Rusty-throated Wren-babbler Spelaeornis badeigularis
Marsh Babbler Pellorneum palustre
Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler Spelaeornis longicaudatus
Snowy-throated Babbler Stachyris oglei
Jerdon's Babbler Chrysomma altirostre
Slender-billed Babbler Turdoides longirostris
Bugun Liocichla Liocichla bugunorum
Black-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis flavirostris
Beautiful Nuthatch Sitta formosa
Grey-sided Thrush Turdus feae
White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major
Stoliczka's Bushchat Saxicola macrorhynchos
Hodgson's Bushchat Saxicola insignis
Kashmir Flycatcher Ficedula subrubra
Finn's Weaver Ploceus megarhynchus
Green Avadavat Amandava formosa
Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola

NEAR THREATENED (64)

Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica ^2010N
White-cheeked Partridge Arborophila atrogularis
Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra
Tibetan Eared-pheasant Crossoptilon harmani
Mrs. Hume's Pheasant Syrmaticus humiae
Falcated Duck Anas falcata
Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca
Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus
Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis
Darter Anhinga melanogaster
Laggar Falcon Falco jugger
Lesser Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga humilis
Grey-headed Fish-eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus
Nicobar Serpent-eagle Spilornis minimus
Andaman Serpent-eagle Spilornis elgini
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax
Andaman Crake Rallina canningi
Beach Thick-knee Esacus giganteus
Great Snipe Gallinago media
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda
Andaman Wood-pigeon Columba palumboides
Andaman Cuckoo-dove Macropygia rufipennis
Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica
Nicobar Parakeet Psittacula caniceps
Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda
Andaman Scops-owl Otus balli
Andaman Hawk-owl Ninox affinis
Ward's Trogon Harpactes wardi
European Roller Coracias garrulus
Brown-winged Kingfisher Halcyon amauroptera
Blyth's Kingfisher Alcedo hercules
Brown Hornbill Anorrhinus austeni
Malabar Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus
Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis
Yellow-rumped Honeyguide Indicator xanthonotus
Andaman Woodpecker Dryocopus hodgei
Andaman Drongo Dicrurus andamanensis
Andaman Treepie Dendrocitta bayleyi
Nicobar Bulbul Hypsipetes nicobariensis
Grey-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus priocephalus ^2010N
Rufous-vented Prinia Prinia burnesii
Rufous-rumped Grassbird Graminicola bengalensis
Long-billed Bush Warbler Bradypterus major
Tytler's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus tytleri
Rufous-throated Wren Babbler Spelaeornis caudatus
Long-tailed Wren Babbler Spelaeornis chocolatinus
Wedge-billed Wren Babbler Sphenocichla humei
Giant Babax Babax waddelli
Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush Garrulax nuchalis
Grey-breasted Laughingthrush Garrulax jerdoni
Rusty-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx hyperythra
Firethroat Luscinia pectardens
Black-and-orange Flycatcher Ficedula nigrorufa
Nilgiri Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudata
Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis
 

* Note: White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major has been split into
         i) White-bellied Blue Robin Myiomela albiventris
        ii) Nilgiri Blue Robin Myiomela major
        based on taxonomy used by Birdlife International in their 2010 report. Both species
        have been uplisted to Endangered from Vulnerable (2008).
 

Photos from Jolikote by Sammy Das

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http://birdswalton.blogspot.com/

Which parakeets am I likely to see in Chandigarh?

(These are not my photos - taken from the internet)

Rose ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

About 40cms. Very common throughout India and indeed, there are feral or naturalized populations worldwide including south-east England! The adult male has a black neck ring and pink nape band. The female and young have no band. Conservation status: Least Concern

Alexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)

58 cm. Not as common as the rose ringed, but similar looking, but with a distinctive reddish shoulder patch. Some feral populations found in Europe also. Conservation status: Least Concern

Plum-headed parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala)

33 cm. This species is endemic (only found in) to the Indian subcontinent. Less common in urban areas but found in the forests. Conservation status: Least Concern

Slaty-headed parakeet (Psittacula himalayana)

You’re more likely to see these parakeets if you visit Kasauli or beyond. Conservation status: Least Concern

There are 335 species of parakeet worldwide. Eleven species occur in India.

• Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria
• Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
• Slaty-headed Parakeet Psittacula himalayana
• Grey-headed Parakeet Psittacula finschii
• Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala
• Blossom-headed Parakeet Psittacula roseata
• Blue-winged Parakeet Psittacula columboides (Endemic)
• Red-breasted Parakeet Psittacula alexandri
• Nicobar Parakeet Psittacula caniceps
• Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda
• Vernal Hanging-Parrot Loriculus vernalis

Now this is amazing!!!

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Printable version

Bird-mimics steal meerkats' food

By Victoria Gill Science and nature reporter, BBC News Drongos often follow groups of meerkats as they forage Drongos in the Kalahari mimic the alarm calls of other species in order to steal food, scientists have found. The birds "play tricks" on meerkats in particular, following the little mammals around until they catch a meal. The drongos then make fake alarm calls that mimic other species and cause the meerkats to run for cover, allowing the drongos to swoop in. The findings are reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The scientists suggest that by mimicking other species, drongos keeps their deception "believable". "It's a nifty trick," said Tom Flower, the Cambridge University PhD student who carried out the research. He began his work studying meerkats in the Kalahari Desert and quickly noticed their reaction to the drongos' alarm calls. When a predator was in the area, the birds could make an alarm call and the meerkats would immediately dash for cover in boltholes. "But when the drongos saw a meerkat with a large food item such as a gecko, larvae or even a scorpion, it would make a false alarm call that sounded the same as the calls they made at predators, even though there were no predators around," he told BBC News. Crying wolf The researcher then turned his attention to the drongos. He followed and studied 100 birds, and discovered that they mimicked the alarm calls of several other species. This appeared to persuade the meerkats that there was a dangerous predator in the area and they should abandon their food and hide. SOURCES More on Tom Flower's work with drongos More behavioural science from the Kalahari Meerkat Project Mr Flower likened the discovery to one of Aesop's fables. "Using your own alarm call won't get you too far - just like the boy who cried wolf - the responder will stop listening to you," he explained. To avoid being ignored, the birds appear to deliberately change the type of call they make - to alter the species they mimic - when meerkats stop responding to their alarm calls. "This might keep their deception racket going, increasing their food stealing profit," said Mr Flower. "It would be like the boy in Aesop's fable mimicking the voice of another villager when he cried wolf in order to continue fooling the villagers." Although most of the species they impersonated were other birds, drongos even managed a meerkat alarm call. Mr Flower thinks the birds may have learned by trial and error that meerkats are likely to find their own alarm call "particularly convincing". This is one of the first studies to show a function for vocal mimickry. "It's very common in birds, but [previously] we had no idea why they did it," said Mr Flower.

The wildlife of the world is disappearing, not because of a malicious and deliberate policy of slaughter and extermination, but simply because of a general and widespread ignorance and neglect.