SOUTHERN INDIA & THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS 2006

 

“Our first morning’s birding, in the shola forests around the hill station at Ooty produced memorable encounters with a host of South Indian specialities – our first party of strutting Grey Junglefowl, our first demure Nilgiri and secretive Black-and-orange Flycatchers, our first furtive Indian Blue Robin, our only Nilgiri Blue Robins and our first troops of Nilgiri Langurs.  Our first Painted Bush-quail encounter was possibly our best (but was still too brief) while our first White-cheeked Barbet took us a long time to find (in a tree with not too many leaves!) but then performed admirably.

 

The following day we descended a steep ghat road back to the plains, stopping to admire a pair of Malabar Parakeets, then Grey-headed Bulbul, Changeable Hawk-eagle, a marauding party of Bonnet Macaques and later a glowering Brown Fish-owl before an elephant encounter forced a premature departure.  On to Jungle Retreat where Indian Pittas serenaded our dawn and a lucky few were treated to excellent studies of a party of normally very elusive Red Spurfowl but sadly there was no beer available with which to celebrate adding Jerdon’s Nightjar to our growing list.  Tawny Eagle, Large Grey Babbler, Blyth’s Pipit and innumerable others were added next day before we saw a change of venue and pace as the moist tropical monsoon forest at Topslip beckoned and the wildlife certainly welcomed.  A cosy pair of daytime roosting Ceylon Frogmouths, majestic White-bellied Woodpeckers, several parties of elusive Rufous Babblers and Malabar Wood Shrike were some of the immediate highlights and White-bellied Treepies abounded, as did Wild Boar – at times it was as much as we could do not to fall over the latter. 

 

We were soon on the move on again to Rajamalai on the Eravikulam plateau.  Our local guide had staked out a cooperative Malabar Whistling Thrush right outside our accommodation and this was just the first of numerous exciting encounters near Munnar.  We’d no sooner arrived at the sanctuary than Kerala Laughingthrushes, a fantastically obliging White-bellied Blue Robin and several Nilgiri Pipits were seen.  Even the park’s Nilgiri Tahr obliged.  Another guide then took us to a site for Nilgiri Woodpigeon and soon found us our quarry.  A party of exceptionally inquisitive Wynaad Laughingthrushes welcomed us to Periyar where other goodies included Malabar Thrush, Western Crowned Warbler and a heard only Ceylon Bay Owl.

 

For those staying on for the extension it was time to fly east to Chennai and out to the tropical Andaman Islands for a marked change of pace.  Dawn on the Andamans was earlier, significantly earlier, than on the mainland and we made the most of the daylight, rapidly finding on most of the available endemics.  Some, such as the Andaman Bulbul and Andaman Flowerpecker were common and easily found while others like the Andaman Teal certainly weren’t, but even they eventually gave themselves up and we came away having seen no less than 56 teal!  Andaman Crake, normally the most elusive of the Island’s endemics, even obliged on two consecutive days.  We had equally superb views of the typically evasive Andaman Woodpigeon and even managed to reel in all of the night birds – Andaman Scops Owl first, then Andaman and Hume’s Hawk Owls, Andaman Nightjar and finally the endemic subspecies of Oriental Scops Owl.  Superb stuff and what a gorgeous supporting cast of White-collared Kingfishers, Edible-nest Swiftlets at zero feet and Black-naped Orioles at almost every turn…a great way to end off a very successful and enjoyable tour.”  Paul Holt

 

Bird List:

 

The order, English and scientific names follow those used

 

As on all Sunbird tours species are only included on this list if they were seen, or heard, by the leader and at least one participant.

 

Key to the status codes:

 

Column 1 =    total number of days that the species was recorded on the core portion of the tour

Column 2      =  maximum daily count for that particular species on the core portion of the tour

Column 3 =    total number of days that the species was recorded on the Andaman Islands extension

Column 4      =  maximum daily count for that particular species on the Andaman Islands extension

H                  =  denotes a species that was heard but was not seen

(H)                =  denotes a species that was heard more often than it was seen

 

Little Grebe

3

30

 

 

 

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Spot-billed Pelican

1

22

1

600

 

Pelecanus philippensis

Little Cormorant

6

40

1

400

 

Phalacrocorax niger

Indian Shag

3

20

 

 

 

Phalacrocorax fuscicollis

Great Cormorant

4

20

 

 

 

Phalacrocorax carbo

Oriental Darter

2

50

1

8

 

Anhinga melanogaster

Little Egret

5

200

4

50

 

Egretta garzetta

Western Reef-heron

1

10

 

 

 

Egretta gularis

Pacific Reef-heron

 

 

2

2

 

Egretta sacra

Great Egret

3

100

5

70

 

Egretta alba

Intermediate Egret

5

2000

3

5

 

Egretta intermedia

Grey Heron

4

6

1

20

 

Ardea cinerea

Purple Heron

2

4

 

 

 

Ardea purpurea

Eastern Cattle Egret

5

300

5

300

 

Bubulcus coromandus

Indian Pond-heron

10

40

1

50

 

Ardeola grayii

pond heron sp.

 

 

4

6

 

Ardeola sp.

Striated Heron

 

 

4

2

 

Butorides striata

Black-crowned Night-heron

 

 

1

10

 

Nycticorax nycticorax

Painted Stork

 

 

1

50

 

Mycteria leucocephala

Asian Openbill

2

3

1

100

 

Anastomus oscitans

Woolly-necked Stork

2

5

 

 

 

Ciconia episcopus

Glossy Ibis

 

 

1

40

 

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-headed Ibis

 

 

1

50

 

Threskiornis melanocephalus

Eurasian Spoonbill

 

 

1

30

 

Platalea leucorodia

Lesser Whistling-duck

 

 

1

4

 

Dendrocygna javanica

Bar-headed Goose

1

49

 

 

 

Anser indicus

Cotton Teal

1

100

 

 

 

Nettapus coromandelianus

Indian Spot-billed Duck

1

10

 

 

 

Anas poecilorhyncha

Northern Shoveler

2

40

 

 

 

Anas clypeata

Andaman Teal

 

 

1

56

 

Anas albogularis

Northern Pintail

 

 

1

10

 

Anas acuta

Garganey

1

300

1

12

 

Anas querquedula

Oriental Honey-buzzard

7

2

 

 

 

Pernis ptilorhynchus

Black-winged Kite

3

2

1

2

 

Elanus caeruleus

Black Kite

6

40

2

20

 

Milvus migrans

Brahminy Kite

9

20

2

8

 

Haliastur indus

White-bellied Sea-eagle

 

 

5

22

 

Haliaeetus leucogaster

White-rumped Vulture

1

3

 

 

 

Gyps bengalensis

Short-toed Eagle

2

1

 

 

 

Circaetus gallicus

Andaman Serpent-eagle

 

 

3

2

 

Spilornis elgini

Western Marsh Harrier

1

1

1

1

 

Circus aeruginosus

Pallid Harrier

1

1

1

1

 

Circus macrourus

Montagu's Harrier

1

1

 

 

 

Circus pygargus

Shikra

4

1

1

2

 

Accipiter badius

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

1

2

 

 

 

Accipiter nisus

White-eyed Buzzard

1

1

 

 

 

Butastur teesa

Steppe' Buzzard

2

2

 

 

 

Buteo buteo vulpinus

Black Eagle

3

2

 

 

 

Ictinaetus malayensis

Tawny Eagle

3

1

 

 

 

Aquila rapax

Steppe Eagle

1

2

 

 

 

Aquila nipalensis

Bonelli's Eagle

2

2

 

 

 

Hieraaetus fasciatus

Booted Eagle

1

3

 

 

 

Hieraaetus pennatus

Changeable Hawk-eagle

 

 

1

2

 

Spizaetus limnaeetus

Crested Hawk-eagle

2

2

 

 

 

Spizaetus cirrhatus

Osprey

2

1

 

 

 

Pandion haliaetus

Common Kestrel

7

8

1

1

 

Falco tinnunculus

Peregrine Falcon

 

 

 

 

 

Falco peregrinus

Grey Francolin

4

8

1

1

(H)

Francolinus pondicerianus

Jungle Bush-quail

2

2

 

 

H

Perdicula asiatica

Painted Bush-quail

5

4

 

 

(H)

Perdicula erythrorhyncha

Red Spurfowl

2

4

 

 

 

Galloperdix spadicea

Grey Junglefowl

9

6

 

 

 

Gallus sonneratii

Indian Peafowl

3

20

 

 

 

Pavo cristatus

Yellow-legged Buttonquail

1

1

 

 

 

Turnix tanki

Andaman Crake

 

 

3

3

(H)

Rallina canningi

White-breasted Waterhen

3

2

3

2

 

Amaurornis phoenicurus

Purple Swamphen

2

5

 

 

 

Porphyrio [porphyrio] poliocephalus

Common Moorhen

 

 

3

3

 

Gallinula chloropus

Eurasian Coot

1

400

 

 

 

Fulica atra

Pacific Golden Plover

 

 

4

30

 

Pluvialis fulva

Grey Plover

 

 

3

3

 

Pluvialis squatarola

Little Ringed Plover

1

6

1

7

 

Charadrius dubius

Kentish Plover

1

15

1

2

 

Charadrius alexandrinus

Lesser Sand Plover

 

 

4

95

 

Charadrius mongolus

Greater Sand Plover

 

 

2

21

 

Charadrius leschenaultii

Yellow-wattled Lapwing

1

15

 

 

 

Vanellus malabaricus

Red-wattled Lapwing

6

2

1

1

 

Vanellus indicus

Pintail Snipe

 

 

1

10

 

Gallinago stenura

Common Snipe

1

1

 

 

 

Gallinago gallinago

Bar-tailed Godwit

 

 

3

2

 

Limosa lapponica

Whimbrel

 

 

4

25

 

Numenius phaeopus

Common Redshank

1

15

3

30

 

Tringa totanus

Common Greenshank

1

10

3

2

 

Tringa nebularia

Green Sandpiper

1

2

 

 

 

Tringa ochropus

Wood Sandpiper

 

 

4

6

 

Tringa glareola

Common Sandpiper

4

2

4

6

 

Actitis hypoleucos

Rufous-necked Stint

 

 

3

58

 

Calidris ruficollis

Long-toed Stint

 

 

3

15

 

Calidris subminuta

Dunlin

 

 

1

2

 

Calidris alpina

Curlew Sandpiper

 

 

3

35

 

Calidris ferruginea

Black-winged Stilt

2

20

 

 

 

Himantopus himantopus

Brown-headed Gull

1

1

 

 

 

Larus brunnicephalus

Gull-billed Tern

1

2

1

2

 

Gelochelidon nilotica

Lesser Crested Tern

1

2

 

 

 

Thalasseus bengalensis

Great Crested Tern

1

2

 

 

 

Thalasseus bergii

Little or Saunders's Tern

 

 

2

1

 

Sterna albifrons or S. saundersi

Whiskered Tern

1

400

1

5

 

Chlidonias hybrida

White-winged Tern

 

 

1

1

 

Chlidonias leucopterus

Rock Pigeon

10

100

4

40

 

Columba livia

Nilgiri Woodpigeon

3

1

 

 

 

Columba elphinstonii

Andaman Woodpigeon

 

 

1

4

 

Columba palumboides

Oriental Turtle-dove

1

2

 

 

 

Streptopelia orientalis

Laughing Dove

2

20

1

2

 

Streptopelia senegalensis

Spotted Dove

9

20

1

10

 

Streptopelia chinensis

Red Collared-dove

1

1

4

80

 

Streptopelia tranquebarica

Eurasian Collared-dove

5

50

1

4

 

Streptopelia decaocto

Andaman Cuckoo-dove

 

 

2

3

(H)

Macropygia rufipennis

Emerald Dove

 

 

4

2

(H)

Chalcophaps indica

Grey-fronted Green-pigeon

2

3

 

 

H

Treron affinis

Andaman Green-pigeon

 

 

2

3

 

Treron chloropterus

Mountain Imperial-pigeon

3

5

 

 

 

Ducula badia

Green Imperial-pigeon

2

2

5

15

 

Ducula aenea

Vernal Hanging-parrot

9

20

5

10

(H)

Loriculus vernalis

Alexandrine Parakeet

 

 

1

3

 

Psittacula eupatria

Rose-ringed Parakeet

6

8

1

2

 

Psittacula krameri

Plum-headed Parakeet

5

8

 

 

 

Psittacula cyanocephala

Malabar Parakeet

8

20

 

 

 

Psittacula columboides

Red-breasted Parakeet

 

 

5

15

 

Psittacula alexandri

Long-tailed Parakeet

 

 

1

3

 

Psittacula longicauda

'Southern' Coucal

8

2

1

1

 

Centropus [sinensis] parroti

Andaman Coucal

 

 

5

15

(H)

Centropus [sinensis] andamanensis

Blue-faced Malkoha

1

2

 

 

 

Phaenicophaeus viridirostris

Asian Koel

4

4

4

8

 

Eudynamys scolopaceus

Grey-bellied Cuckoo

2

1

 

 

 

Cacomantis passerinus

Fork-tailed' Drongo Cuckoo

 

 

 

 

 

Surniculus [lugubris] dicruroides

Common Hawk-cuckoo

3

1

1

1

(H)

Hierococcyx varius

Indian Cuckoo

 

 

3

3

H

Cuculus micropterus

Ceylon Bay Owl

1

1

 

 

H

Phodilus assimilis

Andaman Scops-owl

 

 

1

1

 

Otus balli

Oriental Scops-owl

1

7

 

 

(H)

Otus sunia

'Andaman' Oriental Scops-owl

 

 

3

3

(H)

Otus sunia modestus

Indian Scops-owl

1

1

 

 

 

Otus bakkamoena

Brown Fish-Owl

2

1

 

 

 

Ketupa zeylonensis

Spotted Owlet

2

1

 

 

 

Athene brama

Brown Hawk-owl

1

2

 

 

 

Ninox scutulata

Hume's Hawk-owl

 

 

3

2

 

Ninox obscura

Andaman Hawk-owl

 

 

2

2

 

Ninox affinis

Ceylon Frogmouth

1

2

 

 

 

Batrachostomus moniliger

Jerdon's Nightjar

1

2

 

 

 

Caprimulgus atripennis

Andaman Nightjar

 

 

2

2

 

Caprimulgus andamanicus

White-bellied Swiftlet

 

 

5

200

 

Collocalia esculenta

Indian Swiftlet

5

100

 

 

 

Aerodramus unicolor

Edible-nest Swiftlet

 

 

1

1

 

Aerodramus fuciphagus

Indian White-rumped Spinetail

2

3

 

 

 

Zoonavena syvatica

Brown-throated Needletail

4

30

4

15

 

Hirundapus giganteus

Asian Palm-Swift

 

 

1

20

 

Cypsiurus balasiensis

Little Swift

 

 

1

6

 

Apus affinis

Crested Treeswift

6

5

 

 

 

Hemiprocne coronata

Malabar Trogon

5

3

 

 

 

Harpactes fasciatus

Common Kingfisher

5

3

2

2

 

Alcedo atthis

Blue-eared Kingfisher

 

 

2

1

 

Alcedo meninting

Stork-billed Kingfisher

2

2

4

2

 

Pelargopsis capensis

White-throated Kingfisher

10

6

6

10

 

Halcyon smyrnensis

Collared Kingfisher

 

 

4

8

 

Todiramphus chloris

Lesser Pied Kingfisher

2

4

 

 

 

Ceryle rudis

Blue-bearded Bee-eater

1

1

 

 

H

Nyctyornis athertoni

Little Green Bee-eater

5

20

 

 

 

Merops orientalis

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

1

1

5

15

 

Merops philippinus

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

5

6

2

10

 

Merops leschenaulti

Indian Roller

5

4

1

3

 

Coracias benghalensis

Common Hoopoe

3

6

 

 

 

Upupa epops

Malabar Grey Hornbill

5

4

 

 

(H)

Ocyceros griseus

Indian Grey Hornbill

1

4

 

 

 

Ocyceros birostris

Great Pied Hornbill

 

 

 

 

H

Buceros bicornis

White-cheeked Barbet

11

6

 

 

(H)

Megalaima viridis

Malabar Barbet

7

15

 

 

(H)

Megalaima malabarica

Coppersmith Barbet

2

3

1

2

 

Megalaima haemacephala

Eurasian Wryneck

1

1

 

 

 

Jynx torquilla

Indian Pygmy Woodpecker

5

2

 

 

 

Dendrocopos nanus

Spot-breasted Pied Woodpecker

 

 

3

4

 

Dendrocopos analis

Rufous Woodpecker

1

1

 

 

 

Micropternus brachyurus

White-bellied Woodpecker

4

2

 

 

 

Dryocopus javensis

Andaman Woodpecker

 

 

5

4

 

Dryocopus hodgei

Lesser Yellownape

2

2

 

 

 

Picus chlorolophus

Common Flameback

3

2

 

 

 

Dinopium javanense

Black-rumped Flameback

2

2

 

 

 

Dinopium benghalense

Greater Flameback

2

3

 

 

 

Chrysocolaptes lucidus

White-naped Flameback

1

1

 

 

 

Chrysocolaptes festivus

Heart-spotted Woodpecker

3

3

 

 

 

Hemicircus canente

Indian Pitta

1

4

 

 

(H)

Pitta brachyura

Jerdon's Bushlark

1

3

1

3

 

Mirafra affinis

Ashy-crowned Finch-lark

2

6

1

2

 

Eremopterix griseus

Rufous-tailed Lark

1

3

 

 

 

Ammomanes phoenicura

Greater Short-toed Lark

1

1

 

 

 

Calandrella brachydactyla

Malabar Lark

2

6

1

2

 

Galerida malabarica

Eurasian Crag-martin

1

2

 

 

 

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Dusky Crag-martin

1

5

 

 

 

Ptyonoprogne concolor

Barn Swallow

8

50

6

100

 

Hirundo rustica

House Swallow

 

 

4

6

 

Hirundo tahitica

Hill Swallow

3

10

 

 

 

Hirundo domicola

Wire-tailed Swallow

2

20

 

 

 

Hirundo smithii

Red-rumped Swallow

5

20

1

4

 

Hirundo daurica

Forest Wagtail

3

10

4

4

(H)

Dendroanthus indicus

White-browed Wagtail

6

4

 

 

 

Motacilla maderaspatensis

Western Yellow Wagtail

 

 

1

30

 

Motacilla flava

       "            "           "

 

 

1

1

 

Motacilla flava beema

       "            "           "

 

 

1

3

 

Motacilla flava thunbergi

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

 

 

1

1

 

Motacilla tschutschensis taivana

 

 

 

2

5

 

Motacilla tschutschensis simillima

Grey Wagtail

12

10

4

2

 

Motacilla cinerea

Richard's Pipit

 

 

2

10

 

Anthus richardi

Paddyfield Pipit

4

10

1

6

 

Anthus rufulus

Tawny Pipit

1

2

 

 

 

Anthus campestris

Blyth's Pipit

1

2

1

5

 

Anthus godlewskii

Long-billed Pipit

1

4

 

 

 

Anthus similis

Tree Pipit

1

1

1

1

 

Anthus trivialis

Red-throated Pipit

 

 

1

1

 

Anthus cervinus

Nilgiri Pipit

1

6

 

 

 

Anthus nilghiriensis

Large Cuckooshrike

1

2

3

2

 

Coracina macei

Andaman Cuckooshrike

 

 

 

 

 

Coracina dobsoni

Black-headed Cuckooshrike

1

3

 

 

 

Coracina melanoptera

Small Minivet

5

20

3

12

 

Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

White-bellied Minivet

1

2

 

 

 

Pericrocotus erythropygius

Scarlet Minivet

 

 

5

20

 

Pericrocotus speciosus

Orange Minivet

8

8

 

 

 

Pericrocotus flammeus

Pied Flycatcher-shrike

5

6

 

 

 

Hemipus picatus

Malabar Woodshrike

5

10

 

 

 

Tephrodornis sylvicola

Common Woodshrike

1

4

 

 

 

Tephrodornis pondicerianus

Asian Paradise Flycatcher

6

6

 

 

 

Terpsiphone paradisi

Black-naped Monarch

2

3

4

4

 

Hypothymis azurea

White-browed Fantail

2

4

 

 

 

Rhipidura aureola

White-spotted Fantail

2

2

 

 

 

Rhipidura albogularis

Grey-headed Bulbul

1

4

 

 

 

Pycnonotus priocephalus

Andaman Bulbul

 

 

4

12

 

Pycnonotus fuscoflavescens

Flame-throated Bulbul

3

4

 

 

 

Pycnonotus gularis

Red-whiskered Bulbul

11

50

5

40

 

Pycnonotus jocosus

Red-vented Bulbul

10

25

1

3

 

Pycnonotus cafer

Yellow-throated Bulbul

1

2

 

 

H

Pycnonotus xantholaemus

White-browed Bulbul

4

12

 

 

(H)

Pycnonotus luteolus

Yellow-browed Bulbul

7

8

 

 

(H)

Iole indica

Square-tailed Black Bulbul

2

30

 

 

 

Hypsipetes ganeesa

Common Iora

6

4

 

 

 

Aegithina tiphia

Gold-fronted Leafbird

5

2

 

 

 

Chloropsis aurifrons

Jerdon's Leafbird

2

1

 

 

 

Chloropsis jerdoni

Brown Shrike

7

4

5

5

 

Lanius cristatus

Bay-backed Shrike

4

10

 

 

 

Lanius vittatus

Long-tailed Shrike

8

10

 

 

 

Lanius schach

Orange-headed Thrush

4

2

3

3

 

Zoothera citrina

Indian Blackbird

1

1

 

 

H

Turdus simillimus

Eyebrowed Thrush

 

 

1

1

H

Turdus obscurus

Malabar Whistling-thrush

8

7

 

 

(H)

Myophonus horsfieldii

Asian Brown Flycatcher

1

1

2

1

 

Muscicapa dauurica

Rusty-tailed Flycatcher

2

14

 

 

(H)

Muscicapa ruficauda

Red-throated Flycatcher

 

 

2

1

 

Ficedula albicilla

Kashmir Flycatcher

1

1

 

 

 

Ficedula subrubra

Black-and-orange Flycatcher

3

6

 

 

 

Ficedula nigrorufa

Verditer Flycatcher

1

1

 

 

 

Eumyias thalassinus

Nilgiri Flycatcher

4

6

 

 

 

Eumyias albicaudatus

White-bellied Blue Flycatcher

4

3

 

 

 

Cyornis pallipes

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

4

4

 

 

(H)

Cyornis tickelliae

Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher

6

10

 

 

 

Culicicapa ceylonensis

Blue-headed Rock-thrush

2

2

 

 

 

Monticola cinclorhynchus

Blue Rock-thrush

1

1

 

 

 

Monticola solitarius