The elusive New Year messenger

Today is Avurudu but have you heard the messenger of the New Year, the koha? �The song of the koha, or the Asian Koel, is a special part of the Avurudu season, like the Western cuckoo is termed the first harbinger of Spring. But do we hear the koha’s melodious song as frequently as in the past or is it fading away like other Avurudu symbols such as erabadu flowers and cadju puhulam?

Some readers reported hearing koha’s song less frequently this year. “I haven’t heard the koha in my neigbourhood,”lamented Gayani Karunatilake, who lives in Nugegoda.�Reaction is varied. Responding to a query posted on the Facebook group“Nature”, Kavinda Jayasooriya said he noticed koha calls had increased this year.

Posting on the same group, Jagath Gunawardane, an ardent birdwatcher, said that based on his observations the koha’s call was less frequent now. “The calling reached a peak during the last days of March, and now we are having a reduction in calling. It will be even less during the New Year days,”he predicts.

Sarath Ekanayake, had a different view. “During March-April this year, kohas could not be seen or heard in my surrounding area around Kandy,” he said.

“I saw the koel in February but haven’t heard the calling.”�Mr Ekanayake also shared an interesting observation from a villager of Ambalangoda who said the koha was being found in large numbers in home gardens in the area, sometimes in flocks of five to seven birds.

Another interesting observation that the koha is now making that “culturally important” call not only in April, but in a highly random manner throughout the year. �The Asian koel is omnivorous, and the large numbers of crows solve their housing needs so the bird can adapt to rapid urbanisation. Ornithologists in general do not see a decline of its numbers. “But no one can say that even the koha is perfectly safe as there can be unexpected phenomena affecting even common birds,” says Chandima Fernando of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL).

“The house sparrow was once very common around Sri Lanka. But they are not to be seen any more in many areas. This population decline could have occurred over a period of time but because we haven’t monitored them, we didn’t realise they were in trouble,” he said.

Addressing the Annual BirdWatchers’ Conference organised by FOGSL on March 30, Mr. Fernando said everyone could help in the conservation of birds by properly documenting and sharing those casual observations.

“If you observe the birds around you throughout the year, you can easily monitor any changing patterns of different birds” he added. “Different people have different perceptions on whether the Asian koel is found in their gardens as frequently as last year and whether its song is heard.

“If we kept a record last year on days we heard the koha, or the numbers in which they visited our gardens, then we can compare those records and make conclusions as we have a data set to compare.”�These simple observations collectively could be used as scientific data to monitor any decline or change in population.

Mr. Fernando also revealed that FOGSL plans to launch another Citizen Science program called “Garden Bird Watch” and welcomes the Sunday Times readers interesting in joining the initiative to send an e-mail to fogslcs@gmail.com or call FOGSL secretariat on 011-2501332.

Perhaps this Aluth Avurudu is the best time to pay some attention to the common birds. Why not start by observing the koha this year? If you can capture any photographs of kohas, send them to the Sunday Times.

The bandit bird

The Avurudu song of the koha is the song of the male vying with other cuckoos to impress a mate. The melody signals the start of the breeding season, which usually coincides with the April festive season.�As the koha’s melodious song is seasonal it is commonly believed that the Asian koel is a migratory bird but Prof.Sarath Kotagama says this is a misconception. The Asian koel could be seen in our home gardens throughout the year if we look closely.

The Asian koel, like many other cuckoos, lay eggs in the nests of other species. Different cuckoos target the nests of different birds. Our beloved “Avurudu koha”selects the crows as foster parents for its young.�The male koel deliberately distracts the crows to allow the female koel to lay its egg in the crow’s nest. A single egg is usually laid, and sometimes the female egg even throws out the host’s egg.

Some baby cuckoos eject the host fledgeling but the koha young are not hardwired to that bad habit. Nevertheless they are very active and quick and eat most of the food brought to the nest by the foster-parents, which eventually causes the baby crows to starve.
By the time the crow mothers realise something is wrong the koel is strong enough to flee the nest and the angry foster parents.
The male Asian koel is blackish with red eyes, while the female is spotted and often mis-identified as a different species.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/130414/news/the-elusive-new-year-messenger-40857.html

Birds detected at BIA raises Interpol concern

Exotic species brought into country illegally to be sold at exorbitant amounts Questions over co-ordination of various agencies involved in implementing Animal Diseases Act

The recent detection at the BIA of an attempt to smuggle several exotic varieties of birds into the country has triggered interest of the Interpol that is probing whether this was part of a global live animal trafficking trade. Interpol’s Environmental Crime Committee in a letter to the Criminal investigation Department (CID) has requested any intelligence that the CID may have gathered from investigations into the illicit trafficking of birds, the Sunday Times learns. The recent detection was of a consignment of 121 live birds brought down by a regular importer who had documents to support the import of only ten birds as per the permits issued by the Department of Wild Life Conservation (DWC). These permits are given only after a quarantine report is obtained from the importer as required under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The market value of the birds was around Rs. 13.6 million but the declared value was just US $ 1130 (around Rs. 120,000). The man was fined Rs 450,000 and the birds were handed over to the National Zoological Gardens where they will go on display in about a month’s time. The ten birds for which the man had proper documentation were handed over to him. While most of the birds were varieties of parrots, what was disturbing was that among them were several small exotic varieties of duck and a pair of swans which are high-risk carries of Avian flu (bird flu). Customs Bio-Diversity unit Director General Samantha Gunasekera who led the detection having kept tabs on the importer for more than a year and having been tipped off by an informant said this was perhaps one of the few cases that was detected while in other instances live animal and bird cargo are smuggled into the country for ornamental purposes to be sold at exorbitant rates. Another shocking revelation was the amount people are willing to pay to buy different types of macaw and cockatoos to keep as pets. The blue and gold Macaw, indigenous to South America is sold at around Rs.1. 2 million while prices of other exotic birds range between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. One million. (See graphic for prices of imported birds sold in Sri Lanka). “The bird consignments come from Bangkok but the birds originate from South America, Australia or New Zealand,” Mr.Gunasekera said. While the Customs Department makes the detections, the quarantine office run by officials of the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) are entrusted with checking live cargo. “The importer has to inform the Department when the consignment is due and our officials check them when they arrive to give clearance. If there is some suspicion we keep the animals or birds at a quarantine centre outside the airport and release them later,” a spokesman for the Department Dr. Susil Silva said. However, the Sunday Times learns that the DAPH has come under criticism particularly that the live cargo is not examined properly and that regular importers are allowed to leave with the goods without proper scrutiny. When questioned Dr.Silva said the Department works with the resources available and that so far the Department has ensured that no diseases are brought into the country. “We have to implement the Animal Diseases Act and that is what our officials do,” he said. The Sunday Times found out that with varying government agencies involved in enforcing laws pertaining to this area, there seemed a lack of co-ordination. For example the Department of Wild Life Conservation (DWC) which issues permits and is entrusted with carrying out raids now functions under the Ministry of Agrarian Services and Wild Life whereas it was earlier under the Ministry of Environment which formulates policy on environment related matters. The co-ordination between the DAPH and the Customs too seemed inadequate. Environment activist and lawyer Jagath Gunawardena said although the Flora and Fauna Ordinance provides adequate laws to deal with the import and export of live and endangered species of both animal and plant what was lacking was its implementation as well as trained officers. “The law has been amended to meet present day situations but it has to be better implemented and we need more trained personnel so that we can close the loopholes that exist,” he said. Meanwhile, Samantha Gunasekera of the Customs said that other than the import of live animals, the unchecked import of various types of plants and fish too has proved to be hazardous to local bio diversity. “I warned many years ago that the import of piranhas and knife fish was detrimental to the survival of fish species. Their import was banned much later but now these fish are found in our waterways,” he said. He added that similarly other types of animal imports could cause much harm. “The Customs sometime back detected a pair of ferrets that had been imported as pets but these creatures are a highly invasive species and if released into the wild could wreak havoc by killing off many of the smaller animals found here,” he said. One of the 121 consignment of birds that were detected at the airport. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera “We need to educate the public as well as have better trained people to ensure that both local bio diversity is protected and there is no trafficking of endangered species,” he added. Permits before pets The Department of Animal Production and Health has reiterated that those who want to bring their pets (cats, dogs, birds etc.) into the country need to obtain an import permit from the Department prior to their arrival in Sri Lanka. An official said despite many public notices to this effect, many airline passengers still continue to bring pets without a valid permit and this has caused inconvenience to the quarantine officers who are forced to send them back to the countries from where they were flown in. He said, sometimes the pets are not accepted by the respective countries and are sent back to Sri Lanka, causing further inconvenience to officials and the owners. Locals target endemic birds as pets A bird-import racket was busted by the Customs last week, but another covert and illicit bird trade is being conducted within the country. The operatives catch birds in remote areas, sometimes deep in the jungles, and supply these to pet shops. The law allows only exotic birds to be kept as pets, but these pet shop owners deal in any indigenous birds. Parrots, munias, the black-headed oriole, grackles and even sparrows are among the birds being traded. The grackle, or Hill Myna, known locally as Salalihiniya, is especially vulnerable. The bird is in big demand because it comes under the business category of “birds that can talk.” The racket came to light last year when a Galle resident was caught in the act of delivering grackles caught in the wild to a pet shop in Mount Lavinia. Acting on a tip-off that birds were being transported to Colombo, Madura de Silva and Nadeeka Hapurarachchie of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle, accompanied by members of the Flying Squad of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, lay in wait near the Mt. Lavinia pet shop in question. The grackle, or Hill Myna A three-wheeler drew up in front of the pet shop, and a man stepped out. He was caught in the act of handing over a plastic crate containing grackles to the pet shop owner. The man told the Flying Squad the grackles were caught in the jungles of Gampola. He said he had also supplied other bird species, including the Layard’s Parakeet, a bird endemic to Sri Lanka. It is understood that the illicit bird business has been going on for quite some time. The bird supplier and the pet shop owner were both fined. Madura de Silva told the Sunday Times that there seems to be a growing demand for endemic local birds. Some of these birds have permanent nesting sites, and repeatedly visit the same tree and tree hole to lay their eggs. This makes them easy prey to bird catchers. It is quite common for villagers to keep birds, such as the mynah and the rose-ringed parakeet, as pets. Usually, these are birds that have been found abandoned or lost as fledglings, and out of compassion the villagers adopt the birds and take care of them. It is a different situation in the towns and city, where illegal bird trading is a lucrative business. While these birds may not be threatened species, they could be in danger if they became heavily targeted species, warned Madura de Silva. All indigenous and migratory birds, except five bird species, are protected under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance of Sri Lanka. The five unprotected species are the Large-billed Crow, the House Crow, the Rose-ringed Parakeet, the Scaly-breasted Munia and the white-backed Munia. The Rose-ringed Parakeet and two species of Munia are often available for sale in pet shops. It is illegal to keep even unprotected bird species without a licence, says environment lawyer Jagath Gunawardane. He believes there are a few organised groups engaged in the illicit bird trade, but the “situation is not out of control.” He recommended a proper investigation to review the situation. Source:http://sundaytimes.lk/120219/News/nws_13.html

Environmentalists’ support sought to identify birds

The residents of Wennappuwa, Lunuwila are seeking the support of wildlife authorities and environmentalists to identify and take care of an isolated bird family of an unknown and uncommon bird species.

The isolated bird family consisting of eight baby birds and parents were saved from crows by residents last Saturday. Of them, two baby birds had died.

The mother bird and six youngsters had been provided protection in a cage by the residents.

The male bird was seen hovering around the area where the other birds are caged. The length of the female bird is around two and a half to three feet. Its height is around one foot.

Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/01/23/news22.asp

Green-billed Coucal: threatened with extinction

by K. G. H. Munidasa

One morning a previous week I was up at six and seated in the verandah with the pair of binoculars in my hand.

The first bird to call was the Indian Pitta or "Avichchiya", and then a White-breasted Kingfisher in the distance. Next the Orange-breasted Blue-Flycatcher broke into song at 6.30 in the back yard, as usual.

In spite of the overnight rains, the day turned out to be bright and many birds began to vocalize around the house. As the rays of the sun touched the tree tops, I focused the binoculars on the Champak "Gini-Sapu" tree standing hardly 30 yards from the verandah. A pair of Pompadour Green Pigeons were already there searching for ripen pale-brown fruits, relished by many birds which regularly visit the garden.

Barbets

There were several Brown-headed and Yellow-fronted Barbets, busy selecting the fruits of their choice, and a solitary Crimson-breasted Barbet or Coppersmith. Soon a pair of Green Imperial Pigeons and a Ceylon Grey Hornbill arrived, dispersing all other feasters.

My attention was drawn to an unfamiliar bird-call in a tree fifty yards away to my right. It was an Ebony or "Kuluwara" with clusters of dark green leaves, growing adjacent to a leafy Jak tree.

The call poo-hoop characteristically similar to that of the commoner Common Crow-Pheasant, familiar bird in most home gardens in the low country, continued for about ten minutes. I failed to spot the strange caller however much I tried, and finally saw a black bird with bright chestnut back flying off from the opposite direction.

I jotted down a note in my field book and set about referring the bird literature in my book shelf. After perusing the observations of many an authority on the subject of Lankan bird species. I could fix my chance sighting only on the Green-billed Coucal or "Batta Attikukula", an endangered species.

If I would quote the Annotated Checklist (1978 Revised Edition), the Ceylon Coucal Centropus chlororhynchus Blyth has been first described from Avissawella in Western Province, Sri Lanka in 1849. The Author, W. W. A. Phillips adds "Local but resident, in small numbers, in the jungles and dense bamboo and cane-brakes of the Wet Zone, and intermediate areas and ascends the Hills on the south-western slopes to altitudes of 2,500 feet."

Records

According to the Ceylon Bird Club records, Green-billed Coucal is a very sly and elusive bird far better known by its calls than by sight, whose range is rapidly dwindling, and if no remedial measures are taken there can be no doubt that its days will soon be numbered.

Similar to the common species, only rather smaller and slighter, the gloss on the breast, hind-neck and upper back purplish and bronze; the wings darker chestnut.

The feathers on the crown are longer and looser. Bill pale apple green and the irides deep red or dull crimson.

Thy cry is a sonorous-hooo-poop, hooo-poo-poop- the poop being lower-pitched.

Up to end of the last century this rare species has more often been recorded from the Sinharaja Man and Biosphere Reserve, Peak Wilderness (Adam's Peak) Sanctuary, Gilimale Forest, Ingiriya Forest Reserve (Bodhinagala), Hakgala, Kanneliya and Hiniduma to mention a few.

Instances of breeding or nesting of the Green-billed Coucal was not recorded from any of these localities until 1997, when a party of club members who visited Sinharaja in September that year came across a nest and a fledgling of this coucal at a place called Mulawella, outside the main forest.

The nest was reportedly placed within the crown of a small tree covered with creepers amidst thick growth of bamboo (Batta), about 10 to 12 feet from the ground, not properly hidden in the foliage.

The young coucal had left the nest and was waiting on a nearby branch.

Its tail was very short and the back was black as in the young of the Common Coucal.

However, a bit of purplish sheen visible on neck suggested that it was not of the latter species. As they watched an adult Green-billed Coucal came up and fed the young.

In April 1998, another party recorded a pair with a young at a forest patch in the Sinharaja.

The adults perched separately, 6-8 feet from the ground. On closer approach the young crept into the forest, led by the adults, and made a "Chewick" - "Chewick" note.

Source:http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/01/01/spe08.asp

Sinharaja bird wave – On the wings of a wildlife spectacle

The Sinharaja rainforest’s ‘Mixed Species Feeding Bird Flocks’ is a unique spectacle that can also be promoted as a tourist attraction, a leading zoologist said recently. Addressing a gathering of wildlife enthusiasts and tourism industry representatives at a lecture titled “Sinharaja Bird Wave” at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce auditorium, Prof. Sarath Kotagama, said that two or more species feeding and moving in the same direction is known as a ‘Mixed Species feeding flock’.

In Sinharaja, some of the flocks could have as many as 35-50 individual birds from dozens of different species. It is a spectacular sight and the usually silent Sinharaja forest erupts into a cacophony of bird calls for a few minutes, as the flock approaches. On an average, there could be about 12 different species of birds, with some flocks recording as much as 30 - 40 different birds. Some researchers have recorded flocks consisting of over hundred individuals.

The birds do not stay for a long time in one place, as they move forward all the while feeding. In a few minutes, the noise recedes and the forest is once again engulfed in silence. Bird flocks is a phenomenon well documented but least understood, Prof. Kotagama said. Researches have revealed its formation, function and other interesting scenarios. The nucleus or the centric bird species that take the lead in forming the bird flocks are the Orange-billed Babbler and Crested Drongo. Usually, in the morning, the Crested Drongo that inhabits the forest canopy, starts calling, which is believed to be the wakeup call to other members of the flock. Then the Orange-billed Babblers start steering the flock forward.

The Sinharaja rainforest, as its name implies, receives plenty of rain. This feature hinders birds from locating food and therefore moving in a group helps them to find food. It is believed that this ‘feeding efficiency’ is one of the reasons for these flock formations. Interestingly, various birds travel in the flock at different levels. A rainforest can be divided into different levels, based on height and vegetation, namely ground, under storey, sub canopy, canopy, above canopy and emergent. Different birds specialise at different levels. For example, when the Orange-billed Babblers feed on the under storey, they disturb lots of insects which take flight. These become easy prey for the birds hovering above at canopy level.
Security is the other major advantage these birds enjoy moving as a unit. Many birds mean many eyes. So they are able to detect a predator and warn others, says Prof. Kotagama. An added advantage is that these birds move at different levels, so that dangers at all levels are covered. When a predator like an owl is present, some of the birds flock closely to mob the intruder. Unable to bear the continuous mobbing by the chattering birds the predator usually gives up and departs.


Prof. Kotagama said that researchers have also identified vocal signals used by the birds to communicate. Of them, the most important is the ‘alarm call’. The Crested Drongos play the role of sentinels, usually warning of any danger from above. As soon as the Drongos make the alarm call, the whole flock goes silent and ‘freezes’, so as not to reveal their location to the probable predator. Only after the Drongos give the ‘all clear’ call do they come out.

Bird watching is becoming popular around the world and Sri Lanka can easily be promoted as one such destination. However, it was important to highlight and present the unique features within the country, if we are to become an Ultimate Wildlife Safari as Sri Lanka Tourism is trying to promote. Citing ‘The Gathering’ which has been nominated as one of the 10 Best Wildlife Spectacular events of the world by LonelyPlanet, Prof. Kotagama said the mixed-species Bird Flocks can be presented to the Tourism industry as the ‘Sinharaja Bird Wave’.

Public lecture
The ‘Sinharaja Bird Wave’ is one of four lectures organised by the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), together with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). Sri Lanka Tourism has declared September the month of Wildlife, particularly focusing on ‘The Minneriya Elephant Gathering’, recently named as the 6th Best Wildlife Spectacle of the World, by the prestigious travel guide LonelyPlanet.

The final lecture of the series will be on Blue Whales, to be delivered by Gehan De Silva Wijeratne on September 28, at 5.30 pm, at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Auditorium, Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2.The Lecture is open to the public free of charge.

International conference on bird flocks in Sinharaja
An International Conference on Bird Flocks was held recently in Sinharaja.
Prof. Kotagama and other zoologists started their researches in Sinharaja as far back as 1981. This was a landmark research started soon after logging at Sinharaja was completely stopped in 1978. Since then, the research on Bird Flocks continued with over 500 observations to date, making the feeding flocks of Sinharaja the most studied Bird Flocks in the world.

To share this knowledge with other researchers who conduct flock studies in other parts of the world, the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL), a local affiliate of BirdLife International, organised an International Conference on Mixed-species Bird Flocks recently in Ratnapura and Sinharaja rainforest. The conference was attended by international experts on bird flocks. Another objective of the conference was to afford university students interested in Ornithology, to get international exposure on flock studies and scientific research.

Workshop on location
FOGSL will also conduct a special four-day workshop on Sinharaja Bird Flocks for bird lovers, in Sinharaja, starting October 8. The team will leave the University of Colombo on October 8, and stay in the rainforest. FOGSL has also opened their trips to non-members and those interested in obtaining an ornithological background knowledge to ‘Sinharaja Bird Wave’. Further details of the programme could be obtained from Prof. Kotagama’s office on fogsl@slt.lk or call 2 501 332.

Source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110925/News/nws_27.html