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Important Bird Areas & IBCN

IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAMME OF INDIA

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An effective way to save birds is to save the places where they live; the identification of such representative habitats is carried out through the Important Bird Areas Programme of BirdLife International. BirdLife International is a partnership of organisations working for the conservation of birds and their habitats and through these the diversity of all life. The Bombay Natural History Society [BNHS] is the BirdLife Partner Designate in India and is coordinating the programme in India. The Indian IBA Programme is being funded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds [RSPB], the BirdLife Partner in the United Kingdom.

IBAs are sites of international significance for bird conservation. They are part of a wider, integrated approach to conservation that embraces site, species and habitat protection and will be used to reinforce the existing protected areas network. They will contribute to the conservation of biodiversity as sites which are rich in birds are also likely to be rich in other species.

The IBA Programme will gather, use and disseminate information on key bird species and the sites that are important for them through active participation of people. The IBA programme will also try to involve communities living in and around IBAs in their conservation.

Aim

The IBA Programme aims to identify, document and advocate the protection and management of a network of sites that are important for the long-term viability of naturally occurring bird populations across the geographic range of those bird species for which a site-based approach is appropriate.

The IBA programme will produce inventories of internationally recognized sites vital for the conservation of birds. It will identify, document and protect a network of sites which covers all these habitats and species. Given that birds are good indicators of overall biological diversity, most IBAs will also be important for other animals and plants. The IBA programme aims to identify and promote the protection of networks of key sites for the conservation of birds and other Biodiversity in all regions of India.

The aims of the IBA Programme include to:

Contribute in the development of national conservation strategies, highlight sites which are threatened or inadequately protected
Help build regional and national networks of ornithologists and conservationists.
Guide the work of international and national NGOs
Influence global conventions, e.g. Biodiversity, Ramsar; etc.

The Indian IBA programme will also try to contribute in:

Help identify high biodiversity areas
Help identify future priorities for birds and biodiversity conservation action
Provide decision makers with high quality biodiversity information for sustainable land and resource use
Assist governments in the implementation of international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity
Provide material for education and training
The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

Site based approach

The Important Bird Areas (IBA) Programme of BirdLife International is a worldwide initiative aimed at identifying and protecting a network of critical sites for the conservation of birds. The IBA programme is a site-based approach, which identifies sites of international importance for the conservation of birds and other biodiversity and collates and disseminates key information. Information availability of the importance and location of such sites is fundamental to the success of a site based conservation strategy.

Birds are one of the best-researched taxa in India and a fairly reliable indicator of biodiversity loss. Given that birds are good indicators of overall biological diversity, most IBAs will also be important for other animals and plants. A significant proportion of bird (and other animal and plant species) can be effectively conserved by the protection of key sites, either as official protected areas (national parks and reserves) with necessary and appropriate management, and or through the promotion of sustainable land-use practices (Mallari et al. 1998).

Scope of the IBA Programme

The IBA Programme incorporates the conservation of species and the sites essential for their conservation it therefore covers the entire country and a wide range of habitats has a very wide scope.

Species

The programme not only covers the 79 Globally threatened birds in India (comprising of Critical Endangered, Vulnerable and Data Deficient and Conservation Dependent species) but also covers species that are endemic or have restricted ranges, congregatory birds and assemblages of species that are typical to a habitat or biome.

Habitats

As the programme covers a wide array of bird species, it also ranges across various habitats such as wetlands, islands, coastal areas, deserts, forests, grasslands and agricultural ecosystems.

Geographic range

The BNHS organised 9 regional workshops to identify IBAs for every state and union territory of India. With the exception of Daman and Diu & Chandigarh, IBAs have been identified for all the states and union territories of India, including those like Meghalaya for which there was very little data.

Limitations of the IBA approach

The IBA approach only works for those species for which a site-based approach is appropriate. Bird species with highly dispersed or nomadic distributions may not be protected through this approach. Some bird species are not well protected by the IBA approach (such as large raptors, cranes and bustards, which are dispersed at low densities across wide areas and nomadic species).
For others, the IBAs might be only appropriate across some of their ranges or for parts of their life cycles, (e.g. colonial nesting species that disperse extensively during the non-breeding season) (Barnes 1998).
Any strategy for the long-term protection of biotic diversity should encompass evolutionary and biogeographic considerations. The IBA programme attempts to take this into account by selecting a network of sites that were spread through most habitats and in different areas of the species distributions. However sub-specific variation was not taken into account. Any future assessment should attempt to include sites where different morphs and subspecies (particularly endemic and restricted range subspecies) are located (Barnes 1998).
The IBA programme is just one approach to bird conservation. It is not in the whole and the only answer. The IBA criteria are fairly stringent and many sites that are of undoubted local, provincial and national importance fail to qualify as IBAs. This does not mean that they are not important for conservation; on the contrary these sites often fulfill vital conservation roles at local scales. It must be emphasised that sites not designated as IBAs are not dispensable and their role in a wider land-use conservation strategy may be as vitally important as that of any IBA (Barnes 1998).

Process of IBA identification and Selection.

Literature Survey

The foundation of this project is laid in the data on bird numbers and distribution generated through the numerous field surveys and research programmes carried out in India during the last few decades. Exhaustive literature surveys were undertaken and information was gathered from various sources including national environmental organizations, individuals, scientists, protected areas staff, natural history museums, research institutions, universities and publications. Unpublished material held by research and conservation organizations were also analysed during this study. A draft list of 3000 sites was drawn up at the end of this process. This list included records of vagrancy and historical occurrence of bird species, this had to be filtered.

Workshops and consultation

Researchers, ornithologists, local forest officials, bird enthusiasts were consulted through workshops, meetings and correspondence to identify a list of IBAs throughout the country. Emphasis has been given to the participation of governmental and non-governmental conservation bodies and academic institutions. Regional workshops were held in which contributions have been made by a vast network of ornithologists, birdwatchers, personnel working for the forest departments, and conservation experts across India and the world. State coordinators of the Indian Bird Conservation Network have been involved in collating and assessing the data for each state in collaboration with Bombay Natural History Society.` The participants reviewed the draft list and added and deleted sites based on current information and possibility of occurrence of species at sites. The workshop list identified about a 1,000 sites.

Identification of gaps.

There was a lacuna of information from several areas in India and for certain species. Sites could not be identified for some species and states like Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland and several districts from other states. This was mainly due to lack of data from these areas.

Surveys for sites and species

Surveys were then commissioned and successfully executed for data deficient species and areas in several states like Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Kerala, Orissa, and Bihar.

Capacity building training workshops

Some areas remained unexplored largely due to the lack of skilled manpower to execute the surveys. The Indian Bird Conservation Network conducted several training workshops in bird census techniques. A manual for bird census was also developed and distributed.

Site prioritisation

Three hundred and thirty five sites that are confirmed IBAs have been chosen from the workshop lists. The number of sites in this list is increasing as new information keeps coming in. These sites are identified on the basis of bird numbers and species complements that they hold, and are selected such that taken together they form a network throughout the species biogeographic distributions. This network may be considered, as a minimum essential to ensure the survival of these species across their ranges, should there occur a net loss of remaining habitat elsewhere through human or other modification. Therefore the consequences of the loss of any one of these sites may be disproportionately large. The continued ecological integrity of these sites will be decisive in maintaining and conserving birds for which a site based approach is appropriate. Legal protection, management and monitoring of these crucial sites will be important targets for action and, many but not all bird species may be effectively conserved by these means. Patterns of bird distribution are such that, in most cases it is possible to select sites that support many species (Heath and Evans 2000).

Circulation of Draft lists

Draft lists are continuously circulated to experts for comments and updating information. Several additional sites are being identified as IBAs as new information comes.

IBA Inventories

The Asian IBA Inventory is scheduled for publication in the year 2002, followed by the Indian IBA inventory in 2003. State IBA inventories for each state in India are also on the anvil. These inventories are intended to provide comprehensive information on IBA sites and species and to be used as an advocacy tool for site and species conservation to enable informed decision making.

Advocacy, awareness and involvement of local communities

The IBA process does not stop at identification and documentation of sites. It encourages widespread ownership of the concept especially at the grass root level. The IBA project also involves local communities living in and around IBA sites in their conservation.

Important Bird Areas and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)

Both the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and IBA are complementary methods with biodiversity conservation as their common goal. The IBA relates to several aspects and components of the NBSAP and is featuring as a sub thematic rewiew note in the NBSAP.

Status of IBAs

IBAs are the first comprehensive study in which sites have been identified for bird conservation. 335 IBAs have been identified so far. This list however is dynamic and not a fixed list of sites. It is anticipated that several new IBAs will be identified.

Around 90% of IBAs in India are important for one or more of the 79 globally threatened species in India and 47% for the 74 restricted range species found in India. Almost all IBAs fall under at least one biome and hold some of the 374 bird species that fall in the biome criterion.

IBAs are also important for species that congregate in large numbers such as congregatory terrestrial birds, wintering and passage waterbirds and breeding seabirds almost 17%of IBAs have been identified for theses species. (For a list of IBAs Appendix VIII.)

International recognition

IBAs are recognised by intergovernmental bodies and international treaties such as the Biodiversity and Ramsar conventions. The Global Environment Facility recognises IBAs in their own strategies and action plans, while the European Union has used them as a basis for legal judgments (Heath and Evans 2000).

Some International conventions and programmes are particularly relevant to sites and species, these are: The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl habitat (Ramsar Convention), Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of wild animals (Bonn Convention), Convention on Biological Diversity and UNESCO's Man & Biosphere Programme (Evans 1994).

The IBA criteria are compatible with the Ramsar criteria set for wetlands of international importance, yet only 16 IBAs are Ramsar sites, IBAs that qualify the Ramsar criteria should be considered for designation as Ramsar sites for the internationally important numbers of waterbirds that they hold.

IBAs not covered under the protected area network

The 92 National Parks and 480 wildlife sanctuaries in India respectively cover 35,357.82 sq. km and 1,15,451& sq. km, which constitutes 4.58% of the country's 32,87,213 sq. km of geographic area (Kutty and Kothari 2001). A high proportion of IBAs in India does not fall within the protected areas system. With 45% of the IBAs still unprotected, IBAs should be designated under national laws where appropriate. While legal measures may not always guarantee protection on the ground, they demonstrate to all sectors of society and branches of government, the official recognition and importance of a site.

Bird species can be conserved by protection of sites, and by choosing the richest sites we can conserve many species at the same time, this also makes the best use of the scarce resources that are available for conservation. The Important Bird Areas (IBAs) process is about identifying and protecting those critical sites. IBAs form a network throughout a species� range. As habitats become more threatened, this network will become increasingly important to make sure that these species survive across their ranges. IBAs may include the best examples of the species� natural habitat.

Places where a wide variety of birds are found tend to have a wide variety of other forms of life. As IBAs are defined using birds, but they help to protect other wildlife as well.

The sites are selected using scientific methods, but it is also a very practical approach. The existing protected area network will form the backbone of network of IBAs and new sites will be proposed to fill the gaps. Ideally, each site should be large enough to support self-sustaining populations of as many of the species as possible for which it was identified. The IBA approach is only suitable for those bird species for which a site based approach is appropriate site-based approach, this approach however, does not suit all birds. Thus the IBA Programme is only one tool in the armory of conservation and needs to be combined with other conservation strategies in the wider environment.

Points to remember, IBAs:

are places of international significance for the conservation of birds at the global, regional or sub-regional level,
are practical tools for conservation,
are chosen using standardised, agreed criteria applied with common sense,
must, wherever possible, be large enough to support self-sustaining populations of those species for which they are important,
are places which can be defined and distinguished from surrounding areas, and which are feasible to conserve,
where possible preferentially include, where appropriate, existing Protected Areas,
are not appropriate for all bird species and, for some, are only appropriate in parts of their ranges,
should form part of a wider, integrated approach to conservation that embraces sites, species and habitat protection.

I. Categories and criteria to identify Important Bird Areas

The following categories and criteria are the standard guidelines for the identification of IBAs. These guidelines were used with scientific backup and with common sense. A site must meet at least one of the criteria described below (BirdLife International, undated).

(A1) Globally Threatened species: The site regularly holds significant numbers of a globally threatened species, or other species of global conservation concern. This category refers to species classified as globally threatened with extinction, Conservation Dependent or Data Deficient according to the new IUCN criteria for threatened status. The site qualifies if it is known, estimated or thought to hold a population of a species as categorized to this new IUCN criteria. Population-size thresholds for globally threatened species are set regionally, as appropriate, to help in site selection.

The word 'regular' and 'significant' in the criterion definition are intended to exclude instances of vagrancy, marginal occurrence, ancient historical records etc. 'Regularly' includes seasonal presence (and at longer intervals, if suitable conditions themselves only occur at extended intervals, e.g. temporary wetlands such as Chhari Dhand in Kutch district of Gujarat). However, sites that have the potential to hold threatened species, following habitat restoration work or re-introductions may also be considered. Near Threatened (NT) species can also be included in this category as defined and listed in (Collar et al. 1994).

(A2) Restricted Range Species: The site is known or thought to hold a significant component of the restricted-range species whose breeding distributions define an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) or Secondary Area (SA).

Restricted Ranges species are defined as all landbirds which have had, throughout historical times (i.e. post 1800 AD, in the period since ornithological recording began), a total global breeding range estimated at below 50,000 km². Species with historical ranges estimated to be above this threshold, but which have been reduced to below 50,000 km² by habitat loss or other pressures, were not covered because the EBA project seeks to locate natural areas of endemism for birds, which are also likely to be important for other unique animals and plants (although it is recognised that many species' ranges will have been severely altered by human impact prior to 1800 AD). Restricted range landbirds which have become extinct since 1800 AD were included in the analysis, because they have helped to identify areas which have concentrations of such taxa (Stattersfield et al. 1998).

Seabirds were excluded from the analysis because their distributions are determined by different factors to those which affect landbirds and other terrestrial taxa, and they are therefore considered to be best treated as a separate group for conservation purpose (Stattersfield et al. 1998).

Endemic Bird Areas relevant to India:

1. Western Ghats

2. Andaman Islands

3. Nicobar Islands

4. Western Himalayas

5. Eastern Himalayas

6. Assam Plains

7. Southern Tibet ( Though the area primarily lies in Tibet, portions of it also extend into India)

Secondary Areas in India:

1. Eastern Andhra Pradesh

2. Southern Deccan plateau

3. Indus plains

4. Central Indian Forests

5. North Myanmar lowlands (mainly in Myanmar but also includes lowlands of India)

(For a list of Restricted range bird species in India that qualify this Criteria please see Appendix III.)

(A3) Biome-Restricted Assemblages: The site is known or thought to hold a significant component of the group of species whose distributions are largely or wholly confined to one biome.

A biome may be defined as a major regional ecological community characterised by distinctive life forms and principal plant species (Crosby 1997). No system of global biome classification has been found which can be adequately used as a basis for generating bird species lists. Therefore, it is necessary that we should have a regional approach, which may result in inter-regional differences but at the over all scale at which biome division are recognised may be comparable.

This category applies to groups of species with largely shared distributions of greater that 50,000 km², which occur mostly or wholly within all or part of a particular biome and are, therefore, of global importance.

The major biomes in India as classified by BirdLife International are as follows:

BIOME 05: EURASIAN HIGH MONTANE (ALPINE AND TIBETAN)

BIOME 07: SINO-HIMALAYAN TEMPERATE FOREST

BIOME 08: SINO-HIMALAYAN SUBTROPICAL FOREST

BIOME 09: INDOCHINESE TROPICAL MOIST FORESTS

BIOME 10: INDIAN PENINSULA TROPICAL MOIST FOREST

BIOME 11: INDO-MALAYAN TROPICAL DRY ZONE

BIOME 12: INDO-GANGETIC PLAINS

BIOME 13: SAHARO-SINDIAN DESERT

(For a list of biome wise distribution of bird species that qualify this Criteria for each biome please see Appendix IV.)

(A4) Congregations: This category applies to those species that are vulnerable because they congregate at sensitive sites when breeding or wintering, or while on passage. The term 'water-bird' is used here in the same sense as the Ramsar Convention uses 'waterfowl' and covers the list of families more precisely defined by Wetlands International in Rose & Scott 1994. Congregatory non-waterbird species (A42) include both terrestrial species and those families of seabird not covered by Rose & Scott 1994 such as Procellaridae, Hydrobatidae, Pelecanididae, Phaethontidae, Sulidae, and Fregatidae.

This category has four sub-division:

(A4i). Site known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, � 1% of a biogeographic population of a congregatory waterbird species. For the thresholds of this criterion, relevant flyway populations are combined to produce biogeographic population estimates.

(A4ii) Site known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, � 1% of the global population of a congregatory seabird or terrestrial species. This category covers non-water bird or terrestrial birds or sea birds are not included by Rose & Scott 1994.

(A4iii) Site known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, � 20,000 waterbirds or � 10,000 pairs of seabirds of one or more species. Use of this criterion is discouraged where data quality permits A41 and A42 to be used.

(A4iv) Site known or thought to be a 'bottleneck site' where at least 20,000 storks (Ciconiidae), raptors (Accipitriformes and Falconiformes) or cranes (Gruidae) pass regularly during spring or autumn migration.

Table 1 Categories of criteria for site selection under the Ramsar Convention (adopted at the Conference of the Parties, 7 May 1999).

Representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region.
Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
Supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
Supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
Regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
Regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.
Supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and / or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and /or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity.
An important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.

Criteria A41 and A43 identify wetlands of international importance (Ramsar Sites), being similar to Ramsar criteria 5 and 6 respectively in the table1.

'Water bird' as 'seabird'

The term 'waterbird' is used in the same sense as that used for 'waterfowl' under the Ramsar Convention.

'Biogeographic population'

'Biogeographic' is used in the sense of a zoogeographic realm, e.g. the Palearctic, which are large geographical regions in which the organisms present tend to be different from those of other realms. Thus such regions are characterized largely through the shared distribution patterns of many species. All 'populations' of a given species that are resident or migratory through this region are combined to form the ''biogeographic population'. We do not have sufficient flyway population information at the moment, but through the IBA programme we may be able to get good information.

1% thresholds and applying the criteria

1% threshold figures have been defined for all congregatory waterbird species, including species for which no thresholds are currently recognized under the Ramsar Convention. Wetlands International has collaborated in generating numberic thresholds from range estimates and from unpublished population data.

There is a logical inconsistency between criterion A41 for waterbirds (1% or more of the biogeographic population) and criterion A42 for seabirds (1% or more of global population of seabirds). It was felt, however, that the alternative of using 1% of the global population for waterbirds would, as well as departing from the criteria used under the Ramsar Convention, have insufficient biological justification, since relatively well defined, discrete flyway populations can be distinguished within Asia for many migratory waterbird species. Taking 1% of global population would over-emphasis waterbirds endemic to Asia, since many widely distributed species may rarely occur at congregations exceeding 1% of the global population, over much of their range.

A43 and A44 criteria are applied at the site level only, not to individual species.

The A44 criterion embraces sites over which flying migrants concentrate, e.g. at narrow sea-crossings, along mountain ranges or through mountain passes. Conservation of the land beneath may be necessary to protect the site and its birds from threats such as shooting and the construction of lethal obstacles such as power-lines and high radio-masts. Also included under A44 are migratory stop-over sites and nocturnal roosts which may not hold 20,000 or more storks, raptors or cranes at any one time but which, nevertheless, do hold such numbers over a relatively short period due to the rapid turnover of birds on passage.

How do the IBA criteria relate to the identification of Ramsar sites under the Ramsar Convention

The Ramsar (or Wetlands) Convention defines a wetland as 'an area of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed 6m' (Article 1). Article 2.1 of the Convention also states that 'the boundaries of each wetland [�] may incorporate riparian and coastal zones adjacent to the wetlands, and islands or bodies of marine water deeper than 6m at low tide lying within the wetlands, especially where these have importance as waterfowl habitat'.

The criteria for identifying wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, as adopted at the Conference of the Parties on 7 May 1999, fall into eight categories given in the tablexxx. There is a strong relationship between the Ramsar categories for waterbirds and the IBA criteria. Ramsar criterion categories 6 was one of the main criteria used in identifying IBAs. It has been used for both non-breeding populations of waterbirds and for breeding concentrations of some congregatory species. Average (preferably five years) of seasonal peak numbers have been used to assess whether the 1% threshold is met, although this was not possible for every area or country due to lack of five-year data sets. Ramsar criterion category 5 has also been applied to many IBAs. However it has not always been applied as an independent criterion, because criterion 6 was given preference where suitable data were available. Many IBAs also comply with Ramsar criteria categories 2,3 and 4 particularly wetland sites (such as Keoladeo National Park) that are important for birds other than waterbirds.

Thus, overall, IBA criteria comply with the Ramsar criteria for birds. However, one divergence is that IBA criteria A41 may be applied to congregations of waterbirds in grassland and marine habitats (not classifiable as wetland habitat under the Ramsar definition). Some of the congregatory sites especially 1% thresholds for some waterbirds may be met in grasslands areas (Ramsar criterion 6), the Ramsar wetland definition excludes these sites from consideration under the Convention, therefore their eligibility for designation as Ramsar Sites has be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Appendix I

Important Bird Areas: summary of global categories and criteria

Category

Criterion

Notes

Globally threatened species

The site regularly holds significant numbers of a globally threatened species, or other species of global conservation concern.

The site qualifies if it is known or thought to hold a population of a species categorized as Critical, Endangered, Vulnerable, Conservation Dependent or Data Deficient.

Restricted-range species

The site is known or thought to hold a significant component of the restricted-range species whose breeding distributions define an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) or Secondary Area (SA).

The site also has to form one of a set selected to ensure that, as far as possible, all restricted-range species of an EBA or SA are present in significant numbers in at least one site and, preferably, more.

Biome-restricted assemblage

The site is known or thought to hold a significant component of the group of species whose distributions are largely or wholly confined to one biome.

The site also has to form one of a set selected to ensure that, as far as possible, all species and habitats characteristic of a biome are adequately represented.

Congregations

(i) The site is known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, � 1% of a biogeographic population of a congregatory waterbird species.

Or

This applies to waterfowl species as defined by Rose and Scott (1997). Thresholds have been set by combining flyway populations within Asia. For species lacking quantitative data, thresholds were set by estimating 1% of the Asian biogeographic population.

(ii) The site is known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, � 1% of the global population of a congregatory seabird or terrestrial species.

Or

This includes those seabird species not covered by Rose and Scott (1997). Where quantitative data were lacking, numerical thresholds were set by estimating 1% of the global population.

(iii) The site is known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, � 20,000 waterbirds or � 10,000 pairs of seabirds of one or more species.

Or

This is the Ramsar criterion for waterbirds, the use of which is discouraged wherever data are good enough to permit the use of (i) or (ii).

(iv) The site is known or thought to exceed thresholds set for migratory species at bottleneck sites.

Thresholds are set regionally or inter-regionally, as appropriate.

Appendix II

Indian Red Data Book threatened bird species* (BirdLife International 2000)

SPECIES

ENGLISH

SPECIES

ENGLISH

1

Pelecanus crispus

Dalmatian Pelican

41

Gallinago nemoricola

Wood Snipe

2

Pelecanus philippensis

Spot-billed Pelican

42

Tringa guttifer

Spotted Greenshank

3

Fregata andrewsi

Christmas Island Frigatebird

43

Eurynorhynchus pygmeus

Spoon-billed Sandpiper

4

Ardea insignis

White-bellied Heron

44

Rhinoptilus bitorquatus

Jerdon's Courser

5

Ciconia boyciana

Oriental Stork

45

Rynchops albicollis

Indian Skimmer

6

Leptoptilos javanicus

Lesser Adjutant

46

Columba eversmanni

Eastern Stock Pigeon

7

Leptoptilos dubius

Greater Adjutant

47

Columba elphinstonii

Nilgiri Wood-pigeon

8

Oxyura leucocephala

White-headed Duck

48

Columba punicea

Purple Wood Pigeon

9

Anser erythropus

Lesser White-fronted Goose

49

Otus alius

Nicobar Scops-owl

10

Cairina scutulata

White-winged Duck

50

Heteroglaux blewitti

Forest Owlet

11

Anas formosa

Baikal Teal

51

Apus acuticauda

Khasi Hills Swift

12

Marmaronetta angustirostris

Marbled Teal

52

Aceros nipalensis

Rufous-necked Hornbill

13

Rhodonessa caryophyllacea

Pink-headed Duck

53

Aceros narcondami

Narcondam Hornbill

14

Aythya baeri

Baer's Pochard

54

Pycnonotus xantholaemus

Yellow-throated Bulbul

15

Haliaeetus leucoryphus

Pallas's Fish-eagle

55

Hypsipetes nicobariensis

Nicobar Bulbul

16

Accipiter butleri

Nicobar Sparrowhawk

56

Turdus feae

Grey-sided Thrush

17

Aquila clanga

Greater Spotted Eagle

57

Brachypteryx hyperythra

Rusty-bellied Shortwing

18

Aquila heliaca

Eastern Imperial Eagle

58

Brachypteryx major

White-bellied Shortwing

19

Falco naumanni

Lesser Kestrel

59

Saxicola macrorhyncha

Stoliczka's Bushchat

20

Megapodius nicobariensis

Nicobar Megapode

60

Saxicola insignis

Hodgson's Bushchat

21

Francolinus gularis

Swamp Francolin

61

Garrulax cachinnans

Rufous-breasted Laughingthr

22

Perdicula manipurensis

Manipur Bush-quail

62

Pellorneum palustre

Marsh Babbler

23

Arborophila mandellii

Chestnut-breasted Partridge

63

Spelaeornis badeigularis

Mishmi Wren-Babbler

24

Ophrysia superciliosa

Himalayan Quail

64

Spelaeornis longicaudatus

Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler

25

Tragopan melanocephalus

Western Tragopan

65

Stachyris oglei

Snowy-throated Babbler

26

Tragopan blythii

Blyth's Tragopan

66

Chrysomma altirostre

Jerdon's Babbler

27

Lophophorus sclateri

Sclater's Monal

67

Turdoides longirostris

Slender-billed Babbler

28

Catreus wallichi

Cheer Pheasant

68

Paradoxornis flavirostris

Black-breasted Parrotbill

29

Syrmaticus humiae

Mrs. Mrs. Hume's Pheasant

69

Prinia cinereocapilla

Grey-crowned Prinia

30

Pavo muticus

Green Peafowl

70

Chaetornis striatus

Bristled Grass-Warbler

31

Grus leucogeranus

Siberian Crane

71

Schoenicola platyura

Broad-tailed Grassbird

32

Grus monacha

Hooded Crane

72

Ficedula subrubra

Kashmir Flycatcher

33

Grus nigricollis

Black-necked Crane

73

Parus nuchalis

Pied Tit

34

Grus antigone

Sarus Crane

74

Sitta formosa

Beautiful Nuthatch

35

Rallina canningi

Andaman Crake

75

Amandava formosa

Green Munia

36

Heliopais personata

Masked Finfoot

76

Ploceus megarhynchus

Finn's Weaver

37

Ardeotis nigriceps

Great Indian Bustard

77

Gyps bengalensis

White-backed Vulture

38

Houbaropsis bengalensis

Bengal Florican

78

Gyps indicus

Long-billed Vulture**

39

Sypheotides indica

Lesser Florican

79

Gyps tenuirostris

Slender-billed Vulture**

40

Vanellus gregarius

Sociable Lapwing

*Species listed ad Critical (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU), Data Deficient (DD) or Conservation Dependent (CD) in the Asian Red Data Book. Near Threatened (NT) species have not been included.

* *The taxons of Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) and Slender-billed Vulture(Gyps tenurostris) were initially described a separate species but have been treated as subspecies and known as Long-billed Vulture (Gyps indicus) since the early twentieth century. Recent studies have shown that the two forms are distinct species that are not even each other's closest relatives (BirdLife International 2001).

Appendix III

Endemic bird areas in India with the list of restricted range bird species found in them:

1. Western Ghats

1.	Nilgiri Wood Pigeon	Columba elphinstoni
8.	Blue-winged Parakeet	Psittacula columboides
9.	Malabar Grey-Hornbill	Ocyceros griseus
10.	Nilgiri Pipit	Anthus nlghiriensis
11.	Grey-headed Bulbul	Pycnonotus priocephalus
12.	Black-and-OrangeFlycatcher	Ficedula nigrorufa
13.	Broad-tailed Grassbird	Schoenicola platyura
14.	Small Sunbird	Nectarinia minima
15.	Grey-breasted Laughingthrush	Garrulax jerdoni
16.	Nilgiri Flycatcher	Eumyias albicaudata
17.	Indian Rufous Babbler	Turdoides subrufus
18.	Nilgiri Laughingthrush	Garrulax cachinnans
19.	White-bellied Blue Flycatcher	Cyornis pallipes
20.	White-bellied Shortwing	Brachypteryx major
21.	White-bellied Treepie	Dendrocitta leucogastra
22.	Wynaad Laughingthrush	Garrulax delesserti

2.Andaman Islands

1.	Andaman Serpent Eagle	Spilornis elgini
2.	Nicobar Megapode	Megapodius nicobariensis
3.	Andaman Crake	Rallina canningi
4.	Andaman Wood Pigeon	Columba palumboides
5.	Andaman Cuckoo-dove	Macropygia rufipennis
6.	Andaman Hawk-owl	Ninox affinis
7.	Narcondam Hornbill	Aceros narcondami
8.	Andaman Black Woodpecker	Dryocopus hodgei
9.	Andaman Drongo	Dicrurus andamensis
10.	Andaman Treepie	Dendrocitta bayleyi
11.	White-headed Starling	Sturnus erythropygius

3.Nicobar Islands

1.	Nicobar Serpent-eagle	Spilornis minimus
2.	Nicobar Sparrowhawk	Accipiter butleri
3.	Nicobar Megapode	Megapodius nicobariensis
4.	Andaman Wood Pigeon	Columba palumboides
5.	Andaman Cuckoo-dove	Macropygia rufipennis
7.	Nicobar Parakeet	Psittacula caniceps
8.	Andaman Hawk-owl	Ninox affinis
9.	Nicobar Bulbul	Hypsipetes nicobariensis
10.	White-headed Starling	Sturnus erythropygius

4.Western Himalayas

1.	Himalayan Quail	Ophrysia superciliosa
2.	Western Tragopan	Tragopan melanocephalus
3.	Cheer Pheasant	Catreus wallichii
4.	Brooke�s Leaf Warbler	Phylloscopus subviridis
5.	Kashmir Flycatcher	Ficedula subrubra
6.	Kashmir Nuthatch	Sitta cashmirensis
7.	Orange Bullfinch	Pyrrhula aurantiaca
8.	Spectacled Finch	Callacanthis burtoni
9.	White-cheeked Tit	Aegithalos leucogenys
10.	Tytler�s Leaf Warbler	Phylloscopus tytleri
11.	White-throated Tit	Aegithalos niveogularis

5.Eastern Himalayas

1.	Khasi Hills Swift	Apus acuticauda
2.	Ward�s Trogon	Harpactes wardi
3.	Chestnut-breasted Hill-Partridge	Arborophila mandellii
4.	Blyth�s Tragopan	Tragopan blythii
5.	Sclater�s Monal	Lophophorus sclateri
6.	Beautiful Sibia	Heterophasia pulchella
7.	Broad-billed Flycatcher Warbler	Tickelli hodgsoni
8.	Brown-capped Laughingthrush	Garrulax austeni
9.	Grey Sibia	Heterophasia gracilis
10.	Hoary-throated Barwing	Actinodura nipalensis
11.	Brown-throated Fulvetta	Alcippe ludlowi
12.	Rufous-throated Wren-babbler	Spaeleornis caudatus
13.	Rusty-bellied Shortwing	Brachypteryx hyperythra
14.	Rusty-throated Wren Babbler	Spelaeornis badeigualris
15.	Snowy-throated Babbler	Stachyris oglei
16.	Streak-throated Barwing	Actinodura waldeni
17.	Striped Laughingthrush	Garrulax virgatus
18.	Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler	Speleornis longicaudatus
19.	Wedge-billed Wren-babbler	Sphenocichla humei
20.	White-naped Yuhina	Yuhina bakeri
21.	Black-browed Leaf Warbler	Phylloscopus canator

6.Assam Plains

1.	Manipur Bush Quail	Perdicula manipurensis
2.	Blackbreasted Parrotbill	Paradoxornis flavirostris
3.	Marsh Babbler	Pellorneum palustre

7.Southern Tibet

Giant Babax

Babax waddelli

Secondary Areas in India with a list of restricted range species found in them:

1. Eastern Andhra Pradesh

Jerdon's Courser

Rhinoptilus bitorquatus

2. Southern Deccan plateau

Yellow-throated Bulbul

Pycnonotus xantholaemus

3. Indus plains

Sind Sparrow

Passer pyrrhonotus

4. Central Indian Forests

Forest Owlet

Heteroglaux blewitti

5. North Myanmar lowlands

Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush

Garrlux nuchalis

Appendix 4 Biome wise distribution of bird species

BIOME 05: EURASIAN HIGH MONTANE (ALPINE AND TIBETAN)

BIOME 07: SINO-HIMALAYAN TEMPERATE FOREST

BIOME 08: SINO-HIMALAYAN SUBTROPICAL FOREST

BIOME 09: INDOCHINESE TROPICAL MOIST FORESTS

BIOME 10: INDIAN PENINSULA TROPICAL MOIST FOREST

BIOME 11: INDO-MALAYAN TROPICAL DRY ZONE

BIOME 12: INDO-GANGETIC PLAINS

BIOME 13: SAHARO-SINDIAN DESERT

BIOME 05: EURASIAN HIGH MONTANE (ALPINE AND TIBETAN)

LOCATION: The Altay-Sayan mountains in south-eastern Russia, western Mongolia and north-western China, the Tien Shan and Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China, and northern (Trans-Himalayan) Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar (extends westward into the central Asian republics, the Middle East and Europe). Open habitats at and above the tree-line, mainly above c.3,600 m.

KEY HABITATS: Scrub and open habitats at and above the tree-line, including alpine and subalpine scrub and grassland; inland cliffs and rocky slopes; scree and boulders; montane wetlands; gravel and sand plains.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: Southern Tibet (EBA 133; 2 species); Eastern Tibet (EBA 134; 2 species); Southern Xinjiang mountains (SA 076; 1 species); Mongolian mountains (SA 077; 1 species); Northern Qinghai‑Tibetan plateau (SA 078; 1 species).

SPECIES

ENGLISH

1.

Gyps himalayensis

Himalayan Griffon

2.

Lerwa lerwa

Snow Partridge

3.

Tetraogallus tibetanus

Tibetan Snowcock

4.

Tetraogallus himalayensis

Himalayan Snowcock

5.

Perdix hodgsoniae

Tibetan Partridge

6.

Grus nigricollis

Black-necked Crane

7.

Gallinago solitaria

Solitary Snipe

8.

Gallinago nemoricola

Wood Snipe

9.

Ibidorhyncha struthersii

Ibisbill

10.

Larus brunnicephalus

Brown-headed Gull

11.

Syrrhaptes tibetanus

Tibetan Sandgrouse

12.

Columba leuconota

Snow Pigeon

13.

Melanocorypha maxima

Long-billed Calandra Lark

14.

Calandrella acutirostris

Hume's Short-toed

15.

Anthus roseatus

Rosy Pipit

16.

Anthus spinoletta

Water Pipit

17.

Lanius tephronotus

Grey-backed Shrike

18.

Prunella collaris

Alpine Accentor

19.

Prunella himalayana

Altai Accentor

20.

Prunella rubeculoides

Robin Accentor

21.

Prunella fulvescens

Brown Accentor

22.

Zoothera mollissima

Plain-backed Thrush

23.

Turdus kessleri

Kessler's Thrush

24.

Phoenicurus hodgsoni

Hodgson's Redstart

25.

Phoenicurus erythrogaster

White-winged Redstart

26.

Grandala coelicolor

Grandala

27.

Saxicola insignis

Hodgson's Bushchat

28.

Garrulax henrici

Prince Henri's Laughingthrush

29.

Leptopoecile sophiae

White-browed Tit-Warbler

30.

Phylloscopus fuligiventer

Smoky Warbler

31.

Phylloscopus affinis

Tickell's Warbler

32.

Phylloscopus griseolus

Olivaceous Leaf Warbler

33.

Tichodroma muraria

Wallcreeper

34.

Leucosticte nemoricola

Plain Mountain-finch

35.

Leucosticte brandti

Black-headed Mountain-finch

36.

Rhodopechys sanguinea

Crimson-winged Finch

37.

Carpodacus pulcherrimus

Beautiful Rosefinch

38.

Carpodacus rhodochlamys

Red-mantled Rosefinch

39.

Carpodacus rubicilloides

Streaked Rosefinch

40.

Carpodacus rubicilla

Common Great Rosefinch

41.

Carpodacus puniceus

Red-fronted Rosefinch

42.

Montifringilla nivalis

White-winged Snowfinch

43.

Montifringilla adamsi

Tibetan Snowfinch

44.

Montifringilla taczanowskii

White-rumped Snowfinch

45.

Montifringilla ruficollis

Rufous-necked Snowfinch

46.

Montifringilla blanfordi

Plain-backed Snowfinch

47.

Pseudopodoces humilis

Tibetan Ground-jay

48.

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Yellow-billed Chough

BIOME 07: SINO-HIMALAYAN TEMPERATE FOREST

LOCATION: The mountains bordering the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in southern and western China, northern Pakistan and India, Nepal and Bhutan, the mountains of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Taiwan, northern Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, and the Altay-Sayan and Tien Shan ranges in south-eastern Russia, western Mongolia and north-western China (extends westward into Afghanistan and the central Asian republics). Mainly between c.1,800 and 3,600 m.

KEY HABITATS: Broadleaf evergreen forest; Broadleaf deciduous, mixed broadleaf-coniferous and coniferous forest; Montane grassland.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: Western Himalayas (EBA 128; 11 species); Central Himalayas (EBA 129; 3 species); Eastern Himalayas (EBA 130; 22 species); Qinghai mountains (EBA 135; 2 species); Shanxi mountains (EBA 136; 2 species); Central Sichuan mountains (EBA 137; 11 species); West Sichuan mountains (EBA 138; 3 species); Yunnan mountains (EBA 139; 3 species); Fan‑Si‑Pan and northern Laos (SA 082; 4 species).

SPECIES

ENGLISH

49.

Tetraophasis szechenyii

Buff-throated Partridge

50.

Arborophila torqueola

Common Hill Partridge

51.

Ithaginis cruentus

Blood Pheasant

52.

Tragopan satyra

Satyr Tragopan

53.

Tragopan temminckii

Temminck's Tragopan

54.

Pucrasia macrolopha

Koklass Pheasant

55.

Lophophorus impejanus

Impeyan Monal

56.

Columba hodgsonii

Speckled Wood-pigeon

57.

Psittacula derbiana

Derbyan Parakeet

58.

Indicator xanthonotus

Yellow-rumped Honeyguide

59.

Dendrocopos darjellensis

Darjeeling Woodpecker

60.

Dendrocopos himalayensis

Himalayan Woodpecker

61.

Delichon nipalensis

Nepal House-martin

62.

Prunella strophiata

Rufous-breasted Accentor

63.

Prunella atrogularis

Black-throated Accentor

64.

Prunella immaculata

Maroon-backed Accentor

65.

Zoothera dixoni

Long-tailed Thrush

66.

Zoothera monticola

Larger Long-billed Thrush

67.

Turdus albocinctus

White-collared Blackbird

68.

Turdus rubrocanus

Chestnut Thrush

69.

Brachypteryx stellata

Gould's Shortwing

70.

Luscinia pectoralis

Himalayan Rubythroat

71.

Luscinia pectardens

Firethroat

72.

Luscinia brunnea

Indian Blue Robin

73.

Tarsiger chrysaeus

Golden Bush-robin

74.

Tarsiger indicus

White-browed Bush-robin

75.

Tarsiger hyperythrus

Rufous-breasted Bush-robin

76.

Phoenicurus erythronota

Rufous-backed Redstart

77.

Phoenicurus caeruleocephalus

Blue-capped Redstart

78.

Phoenicurus schisticeps

White-throated Redstart

79.

Hodgsonius phaenicuroides

White-bellied Redstart

80.

Garrulax albogularis

White-throated Laughingthrush

81.

Garrulax striatus

Striated Laughingthrush

82.

Garrulax ocellatus

Spotted Laughingthrush

83.

Garrulax lineatus

Streaked Laughingthrush

84.

Garrulax subunicolor

Scaly Laughingthrush

85.

Garrulax elliotii

Elliot's Laughingthrush

86.

Garrulax variegatus

Variegated Laughingthrush

87.

Garrulax affinis

Black-faced Laughingthrush

88.

Xiphirhynchus superciliaris

Slender-billed Scimitar-babbler

89.

Pnoepyga albiventer

Greater Scaly-breasted Wren-babbler

90.

Spelaeornis troglodytoides

Bar-winged Wren-babbler

91.

Spelaeornis formosus

Spotted Wren-babbler

92.

Spelaeornis chocolatinus

Long-tailed Wren-babbler

93.

Pteruthius xanthochlorus

Green Shrike-babbler

94.

Minla strigula

Chestnut-tailed Minla

95.

Minla ignotincta

Red-tailed Minla

96.

Alcippe chrysotis

Golden-breasted Fulvetta

97.

Alcippe vinipectus

White-browed Fulvetta

98.

Heterophasia capistrata

Rufous Sibia

99.

Yuhina gularis

Stripe-throated Yuhina

100.

Yuhina occipitalis

Rufous-vented Yuhina

101.

Myzornis pyrrhoura

Myzornis

102.

Conostoma oemodium

Great Parrotbill

103.

Paradoxornis unicolor

Brown Parrotbill

104.

Paradoxornis fulvifrons

Fulvous-fronted Parrotbill

105.

Tesia castaneocoronata

Chestnut-headed Tesia

106.

Tesia cyaniventer

Grey-bellied Tesia

107.

Cettia major

Chestnut-crowned Bush-Warbler

108.

Cettia flavolivacea

Aberrant Bush-Warbler

109.

Cettia acanthizoides

Yellow-bellied Bush-Warbler

110.

Cettia brunnifrons

Grey-sided Bush-Warbler

111.

Bradypterus major

Long-billed Bush-Warbler

112.

Phylloscopus subaffinis

Buff-throated Warbler

113.

Phylloscopus pulcher

Orange-barred Leaf Warbler

114.

Phylloscopus maculipennis

Grey-faced Leaf Warbler

115.

Phylloscopus magnirostris

Large-billed Leaf-Warbler

116.

Phylloscopus occipitalis

Western Crowned-Warbler

117.

Seicercus poliogenys

Grey-cheeked Flycatcher Warbler

118.

Muscicapa ruficauda

Rusty-tailed Flycatcher

119.

Muscicapa ferruginea

Ferruginous Flycatcher

120.

Ficedula hodgsonii

Rusty-breasted Blue Flycatcher

121.

Ficedula strophiata

Orange-gorgeted Flycatcher

122.

Ficedula superciliaris

Ultramarine Flycatcher

123.

Ficedula tricolor

Slaty-blue Flycatcher

124.

Ficedula sapphira

Sapphire Flycatcher

125.

Niltava sundara

Rufous-bellied Niltava

126.

Aegithalos iouschistos

Rufous-fronted Tit

127.

Cephalopyrus flammiceps

Fire-capped Tit

128.

Parus rufonuchalis

Rufous-naped Crested Tit

129.

Parus rubidiventris

Rufous-bellied Crested Tit

130.

Parus melanolophus

Spot-winged Crested Tit

131.

Parus dichrous

Brown Crested Tit

132.

Parus monticolus

Green-backed Tit

133.

Sylviparus modestus

Yellow-browed Tit

134.

Sitta himalayensis

White-tailed Nuthatch

135.

Sitta leucopsis

White-cheeked Nuthatch

136.

Certhia himalayana

Bar-tailed Tree-creeper

137.

Certhia nipalensis

Rusty-flanked Tree-creeper

138.

Dicaeum melanoxanthum

Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker

139.

Aethopyga ignicauda

Fire-tailed Sunbird

140.

Serinus thibetanus

Tibetan Siskin

141.

Carduelis spinoides

Yellow-breasted Greenfinch

142.

Carduelis ambigua

Black-headed Greenfinch

143.

Carpodacus rubescens

Blanford's Rosefinch

144.

Carpodacus nipalensis

Dark-breasted Rosefinch

145.

Carpodacus rodochrous

Pink-browed Rosefinch

146.

Carpodacus vinaceus

Vinaceous Rosefinch

147.

Carpodacus edwardsii

Dark-rumped Rosefinch

148.

Carpodacus rodopeplus

Spot-winged Rosefinch

149.

Carpodacus thura

White-browed Rosefinch

150.

Pinicola subhimachalus

Crimson-browed Finch

151.

Haematospiza sipahi

Scarlet Finch

152.

Pyrrhula nipalensis

Brown Bullfinch

153.

Pyrrhula erythrocephala

Red-headed Bullfinch

154.

Pyrrhula erythaca

Grey-headed Bullfinch

155.

Mycerobas icterioides

Black-and-yellow Grosbeak

156.

Mycerobas affinis

Collared Grosbeak

157.

Mycerobas melanozanthos

Spotted-winged Grosbeak

158.

Mycerobas carnipes

White-winged Grosbeak

159.

Pyrrhoplectes epauletta

Gold-naped Finch

160.

Urocissa flavirostris

Yellow-billed Blue Magpie

BIOME 08: SINO-HIMALAYAN SUBTROPICAL FOREST

LOCATION: South-eastern China, Taiwan, the Himalayan foothills of Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan, and the mountains of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and peninsular Malaysia. Mainly between c.1,000 and 2,000 m.

KEY HABITATS: Lower montane rain forest; Hill evergreen forest; Pine forest.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: Chinese subtropical forests (EBA 140; 5 species); South-East Chinese mountains (EBA 141; 5 species); Hainan (EBA 142; 4 species); Da Lat plateau (EBA 145; 8 species); Taiwan (EBA 149; 15 species); Myanmar‑Thailand mountains (SA 080; 1 species); Doi Chiang Dao (SA 081; 1 species); Southern Laos (SA 083; 2 species); Kontum Plateau (SA 084; 3 species); Thailand‑Cambodia mountains (SA 085; 1 species).

NOTES: A few of the species of this biome range into the mountains of peninsular Malaysia, and there is therefore some overlap with the Sundaic montane forest (Biome 15). Note that the division of this biome from the Indochinese tropical moist forest (Biome 09) is particularly difficult, with some species listed for the two biomes overlapping in altitudinal range.

SPECIES

ENGLISH

161.

Microhierax melanoleucus

Pied Falconet

162.

Arborophila rufogularis

Rufous-throated Hill-Partridge

163.

Bambusicola fytchii

Mountain Bamboo-partridge

164.

Syrmaticus humiae

Mrs. Hume's Pheasant

165.

Prozana bicolor

Black-tailed Crake

166.

Psittacula himalayana

Slaty-headed Parakeet

167.

Psittacula finschii

Grey-headed Parakeet

168.

Chrysococcyx maculatus

Asian Emerald Cuckoo

169.

Batrachostomus hodgsoni

Hodgson's Frogmouth

170.

Alcedo hercules

Great Blue Knigfisher

171.

Anorrhinus tickelli

Brown Hornbill

172.

Aceros nipalensis

Rufous-necked Hornbill

173.

Megalaima franklinii

Golden-throated Barbet

174.

Megalaima asiatica

Blue-throated Barbet

175.

Dendrocopos atratus

Stripe-breasted Woodpecker

176.

Blythipicus pyrrhotis

Bay Woodpecker

177.

Pitta nipalensis

Blue-naped Pitta

178.

Coracina melaschistos

Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike

179.

Pericrocotus roseus

Rosy Minivet

180.

Pericrocotus brevirostris

Short-billed Minivet

181.

Spizixos canifrons

Crested Finchbill

182.

Pycnonotus striatus

Striated Bulbul

183.

Pycnonotus leucogenys

Himalayan Bulbul

184.

Pycnonotus flavescens

Flavescent Bulbul

185.

Alophoixus flaveolus

White-throated Bulbul

186.

Hypsipetes mcclellandii

Rufous-bellied Bulbul

187.

Hypsipetes leucocephalus

Black Bulbul

188.

Chloropsis hardwickii

Orange-bellied Leafbird

189.

Lanius collurioides

Burmese Shrike

190.

Monticola cinclorhynchus

Blue-headed Rock-thrush

191.

Zoothera wardii

Pied Thrush

192.

Zoothera marginata

Lesser Long-billed Thrush

193.

Turdus unicolor

Tickell's Thrush

194.

Turdus dissimilis

Black-breasted Thrush

195.

Turdus boulboul

Grey-winged Blackbird

196.

Cinclidium leucurum

White-tailed Robin

197.

Cinclidium frontale

Blue-fronted Robin

198.

Enicurus schistaceus

Slaty-backed Forktail

199.

Cochoa purpurea

Purple Cochoa

200.

Cochoa viridis

Green Cochoa

201.

Garrulax galbanus

Yellow-throated Laughingthrush

202.

Garrulax gularis

Rufous-vented Laughingthrush

203.

Garrulax cineraceus

Ashy Laughingthrush

204.

Garrulax rufogularis

Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush

205.

Garrulax caerulatus

Grey-sided Laughingthrush

206.

Garrulax merulinus

Spot-breasted Laughingthrush

207.

Garrulax sannio

White-browed Laughingthrush

208.

Garrulax squamatus

Blue-winged Laughingthrush

209.

Liocichla phoenicea

Red-faced Liocichla

210.

Pellorneum albiventre

Spot-throated Babbler

211.

Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis

Spot-breasted Scimitar-babbler

212.

Pomatorhinus erythrogenys

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler

213.

Pomatorhinus ochraceiceps

Loyd's or Longbilled Scimater Babbler

214.

Napothera brevicaudata

Streaked Wren-babbler

215.

Stachyris ruficeps

Rufous-capped Babbler

216.

Stachyris pyrrhops

Black-chinned Babbler

217.

Babax lanceolatus

Chinese Babax

218.

Leiothrix lutea

Red-billed Leiothrix

219.

Cutia nipalensis

Cutia

220.

Pteruthius rufiventer

Rufous-bellied Shrike Babbler

221.

Gampsorhynchus rufulus

White-hooded Babbler

222.

Actinodura egertoni

Rusty-fronted Barwing

223.

Minla cyanouroptera

Blue-winged Minla

224.

Alcippe cinerea

Yellow-throated Fulvetta

225.

Alcippe cinereiceps

Streak-throated Fulvetta

226.

Alcippe brunnea

Dusky Fulvetta

227.

Alcippe nipalensis

Nepal Fulvetta

228.

Heterophasia annectens

Rufous-backed Sibia

229.

Yuhina castaniceps

Striated Yuhina

230.

Yuhina nigrimenta

Black-chinned Yuhina

231.

Paradoxornis gularis

Grey-headed Parrotbill

232.

Paradoxornis guttaticollis

Spot-breasted Parrotbill

233.

Paradoxornis atrosuperciliaris

Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill

234.

Paradoxornis ruficeps

Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill

235.

Prinia criniger

Brown Prinia

236.

Tesia olivea

Slaty-bellied Tesia

237.

Cettia pallidipes

Pale-footed Bush-Warbler

238.

Seicercus xanthoschistos

Grey-headed Flycatcher Warbler

239.

Seicercus affinis

White-spectacled Flycatcher Warbler

240.

Abroscopus albogularis

Rufous-faced Flycatcher Warbler

241.

Abroscopus schisticeps

Black-faced Flycatcher Warbler

242.

Muscicapa muttui

Brown-breasted Flycatcher

243.

Ficedula monileger

White-gorgeted Flycatcher

244.

Niltava macgrigoriae

Small Niltava

245.

Aegithalos concinnus

Red-headed Tit

246.

Parus spilonotus

Black-spotted Yellow Tit

247.

Sitta formosa

Beautiful Nuthatch

248.

Aethopyga saturata

Black-throated Sunbird

249.

Arachnothera magna

Streaked Spiderhunter

250.

Saroglossa spiloptera

Spot-winged Starling

251.

Sturnus sinensis

White-shouldered Starling

252.

Oriolus tenuirostris

Slender-billed Oriole

253.

Oriolus traillii

Maroon Oriole

254.

Garrulus lanceolatus

Black-throated Jay

255.

Dendrocitta formosae

Grey Treepie

256.

Dendrocitta frontalis

Black-browed Treepie

BIOME 09: INDOCHINESE TROPICAL MOIST FORESTS

LOCATION: Southern Nepal and Bhutan, Bangladesh, extreme southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Mainly below c.1,000 m.

KEY HABITATS: Lowland evergreen rain forest; Semi-evergreen rain forest; Moist deciduous forest.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: Annamese lowlands (EBA 143; 8 species); South Vietnamese lowlands (EBA 144; 3 species); North Myanmar lowlands (SA 079; 1 species).

SPECIES

ENGLISH

257.

Ardea insignis

White-bellied Heron

258.

Arborophila atrogularis

White-cheeked Hill- Partridge

259.

Polyplectron bicalcaratum

Grey Peacock-pheasant

260.

Heliopais personata

Masked Finfoot

261.

Columba punicea

Purple Wood Pigeon

262.

Dinopium shorii

Himalayan Flameback

263.

Gecinulus grantia

Pale-headed Woodpecker

264.

Pitta cyanea

Blue Pitta

265.

Iole virescens

Olive Bulbul

266.

Enicurus immaculatus

Black-backed Forktail

267.

Garrulax monileger

Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush

268.

Garrulax pectoralis

Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

269.

Garrulax ruficollis

Rufous-necked Laughingthrush

270.

Alcippe rufogularis

Rufous-throated Fulvetta

271.

Prinia cinereocapilla

Grey-crowned Prinia

272.

Cyornis poliogenys

Brooks or Pale-chinned Flycatcher

273.

Melanochlora sultanea

Sultan Tit

274.

Ampeliceps coronatus

Gold-crested Myna

275.

Dicrurus annectans

Crow-billed Drongo

BIOME 10: INDIAN PENINSULA TROPICAL MOIST FOREST

LOCATION: The Western Ghats and isolated areas of moist forest in the Eastern Ghats and elsewhere in peninsular India, and the wet zone of Sri Lanka. Mainly below c.1,000 m.

KEY HABITATS: Lowland evergreen rain forest; Semi-evergreen rain forest; Moist deciduous forest; Hill evergreen forest.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: Western Ghats (EBA 123; 16 species); Sri Lanka (EBA 124; 23 species); Central Indian forests (SA 075; 1 species).

SPECIES

ENGLISH

276.

Phaenicophaeus viridirostris

Small Green-billed Malkoha

277.

Batrachostomus moniliger

Ceylon Frogmouth

278.

Caprimulgus atripennis

Jerdon's Nightjar

279.

Collocalia unicolor

Indian Edible-nest Swiftlet

280.

Harpactes fasciatus

Malabar Trogon

281.

Anthracoceros coronatus

Malabar Pied-hornbill

282.

Megalaima viridis

White-cheeked Barbet

283.

Megalaima rubricapilla

Crimson-throated Barbet

284.

Hirundo domicola

Hill Swallow

285.

Iole indica

Yellow-browed Bulbul

286.

Myiophonus horsfieldii

Malabar Whistling-thrush

287.

Pomatorhinus horsfieldii

Indian Scimitar-babbler

288.

Rhopocichla atriceps

Black-headed Babbler

289.

Nectarinia lotenia

Loten's Sunbird

290.

Lonchura kelaarti

Black-throated Munia

BIOME 11: INDO-MALAYAN TROPICAL DRY ZONE

LOCATION: Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka (dry zone), southern Nepal and Bhutan, Bangladesh, southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Java only).

KEY HABITATS: Dry deciduous forest; Dry evergreen forest; Thorn forest; Semi-desert scrub; Wooded grassland; Secondary grassland; Arable land; Abandoned farmland.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: Irrawaddy plains (EBA 132; 2 species); Eastern Andhra Pradesh (SA 071; 1 species); Southern Deccan Plateau (SA 072; 1 species).

NOTES: This biome includes a wide range of habitats, including both forests and open country. Many of the species listed have adapted to man-modified habitats, and these are given in angled brackets (i.e. species name). Some species have changed their distributions so much that they may not prove to be useful in identifying IBAs for the protection of this biome - these are given in double angled brackets (i.e. species name).

SPECIES

ENGLISH

291.

Pseudibis papillosa

Red-naped Ibis

292.

Gyps bengalensis

White-rumped Vulture

293.

Gyps indicus

Long-billed Vulture

294.

Sarcogyps calvus

Red-headed Vulture

295.

Butastur teesa

White-eyed Buzzard

296.

Falco chicquera

Red-headed Falcon

297.

Francolinus pictus

Painted Francolin

298.

Coturnix coromandelica

Rain Quail

299.

Perdicula asiatica

Jungle Bush-quail

300.

Perdicula argoondah

Rock Bush-quail

301.

Perdicula erythrorhyncha

Painted Bush-quail

302.

Galloperdix lunulata

Painted Spurfowl

303.

Pavo cristatus

Indian Peafowl

304.

Pavo muticus

Green Peafowl

305.

Sypheotides indica

Lesser Florican

306.

Vanellus malabaricus

Yellow-wattled Lapwing

307.

Cursorius coromandelicus

Indian Courser

308.

Treron phoenicoptera

Yellow-legged Green-pigeon

309.

Psittacula cyanocephala

Plum-headed Parakeet

310.

Psittacula roseata

Blossom-headed Parakeet

311.

Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii

Sirkeer Malkoha

312.

Bubo coromandus

Dusky Eagle-owl

313.

Strix ocellata

Mottled Wood-owl

314.

Caprimulgus asiaticus

Common Indian Nightjar

315.

Ocyceros birostris

Indian Grey-hornbill

316.

Megalaima zeylanica

Brown-headed Barbet

317.

Megalaima lineata

Lineated Barbet

318.

Dendrocopos mahrattensis

Yellow-crowned Woodpecker

319.

Dinopium benghalense

Black-rumped Flameback

320.

Chrysocolaptes festivus

White-naped Woodpecker

321.

Mirafra erythroptera

Red-winged Bush Lark

322.

Mirafra assamica

Bengal Bush Lark

323.

Eremopterix grisea

Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark

324.

Calandrella raytal

Indian Short-toed Lark

325.

Galerida malabarica

Malabar Crested Lark

326.

Galerida deva

Syke's Crested Lark

327.

Coracina melanoptera

Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike

328.

Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

Small Minivet

329.

Pericrocotus erythropygius

White-bellied Minivet

330.

Tephrodornis pondicerianus

Common Woodshrike

331.

Pycnonotus luteolus

White-browed Bulbul

332.

Aegithina nigrolutea

Marshall's Iora

333.

Saxicoloides fulicata

Indian Robin

334.

Cercomela fusca

Indian Chat

335.

Dumetia hyperythra

Tawny-bellied Babbler

336.

Turdoides malcolm

Large Grey Babbler

337.

Turdoides striatus

Jungle Babbler

338.

Turdoides affinis

White-headed Babbler

339.

Prinia buchanani

Rufous-fronted Prinia

340.

Prinia sylvatica

Jungle Prinia

341.

Prinia socialis

Ashy Prinia

342.

Rhipidura aureola

White-browed Fantail- Flycatcher

343.

Parus nuchalis

Pied Tit

344.

Amandava formosa

Green Munia

345.

Padda oryzivora

Java Sparrow

346.

Sturnus malabaricus

Grey-headed Starling

347.

Sturnus pagodarum

Brahminy Starling

348.

Acridotheres ginginianus

Bank Myna

349.

Dicrurus caerulescens

White-bellied Drongo

350.

Artamus fuscus

Ashy Woodswallow

BIOME 12: INDO-GANGETIC PLAINS

LOCATION: Plains of Pakistan, northern India, southern Nepal and Bhutan, Bangladesh, extreme southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam.

KEY HABITATS: Wetlands; Moist/marshy grassland; Scrub on marshy ground.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: Assam plains (EBA 131; 3 species); Indus plains (SA 074; 1 species).

SPECIES

ENGLISH

351.

Francolinus gularis

Swamp Francolin

352.

Houbaropsis bengalensis

Bengal Florican

353.

Saxicola leucura

White-tailed Stonechat

354.

Saxicola jerdoni

Jerdon's Bushchat

355.

Chrysomma altirostre

Jerdon's Babbler

356.

Turdoides earlei

Striated Babbler

357.

Turdoides longirostris

Slender-billed Babbler

358.

Prinia burnesii

Rufous-vented Prinia

359.

Chaetornis striatus

Bristled Grassbird

360.

Graminicola bengalensis

Rufous-rumped Grassbird

361.

Ploceus benghalensis

Black-breasted Weaver

362.

Ploceus megarhynchus

Finn's Weaver

363.

Acridotheres albocinctus

Collared Myna

BIOME 13: SAHARO-SINDIAN DESERT

LOCATION: Pakistan and north-eastern India (extends through southern Iran to the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa).

KEY HABITATS: Desert dunes; Gravel and sand plains; Stone desert; Oases.

ENDEMIC BIRD AREAS AND SECONDARY AREAS: None.

SPECIES

ENGLISH

364.

Ardeotis nigriceps

Indian Bustard

365.

Pterocles senegallus

Spotted Sandgrouse

366.

Caprimulgus mahrattensis

Sykes's Nightjar

367.

Dendrocopos assimilis

Sind Woodpecker

368.

Ammomanes deserti

Desert Finch Lark

369.

Alaemon alaudipes

Greater Hoopoe-lark

370.

Hirundo fuligula

Pale Crag-martin

371.

Pycnonotus leucotis

White-eared Bulbul

372.

Hypocolius ampelinus

Hypocolius

373.

Saxicola macrorhyncha

Stoliczka's Bushchat

374.

Rhodopechys githaginea

Trumpeter Finch