Avifauna of Chilika, Odisha: Assessment of Spatial and Temporal Changes

Abstract

Waterbird populations in Chilika were systematically monitored since 2011 for assessment of status and trends and conservation needs. A gradual increase in the population of migratory species such as; Common Teal Anas crecca, Greylag Goose Anser anser Garganey Spatula querquedula and Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala was observed over the last 4 years. On the contrary, the population trends show a general decline for two common dabbling ducks, Northern Pintail Anas acuta and Gadwall Mareca strepera and major diving ducks Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula and Common Pochard Aythya ferina. Decline in population of waders like Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus, Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, Little Stint Calidris minuta and Ruff Calidris pugnax since 2011 corresponds with their global decline. The observed counts for 45 species recorded during the study exceeded their known 1% of the bio-geographical population.

The five species of ground-nesting birds at Nalabana Bird Sanctuary have abandoned the sites, and the breeding population of River Tern Sterna aurantia and Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica has partially shifted to unprotected nesting areas like Panchakudi and Maldiguda in the central sector of the Chilika.

The neck collar studies indicated the partial shifting of the wintering populations to sites located further south of Chilika in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Re-sighting of neck-collared geese has also established high site fidelity to Chilika in four consecutive winters. Similarly, several colour-flagged waders, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Redshank were sighted in the subsequent winters. Colour-flagged studies reveal the movement of some waders between Chilika and Point Calimere, and the connectivity with the Yellow Sea of China and South Korea. Though the Indian sub-continent is the primary wintering ground for the Central Asian Flyway population, the linkage of Chilika with the East Asian – Australasian Flyway was established during the current study. Ringing studies also further confirm movement and the existence of site-fidelity in several wader species. The study calls for urgent attention to securing the mudflats of Nalabana Island, especially for habitat specialist waders.

Appendix: List of Waterbirds and Water-Dependent Birds Recorded in Chilika During 2001–2015 (Status: R Resident, M Migrant, SM Seasonal Migrant, B Breeding)

Sl no.	Common name	Species name	Migratory status
1	Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	R/B
2	Great Crested Grebe	Podiceps cristatus	M
3	Spot-billed Pelican	Pelecanus philippensis	R/SM/
4	Little Cormorant	Phalacrocorax niger	R/B
5	Indian Shag	Phalacrocorax fuscicollis	R
6	Great Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	R/SM
7	Darter	Anhinga melanogaster	R
8	Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	R/B
9	Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	R/SM
10	Purple Heron	Ardea purpurea	R/B
11	Large Egret	Casmerodius albus	R
12	Median Egret	Mesophoyx intermedia	R
13	Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis	R
14	Indian Pond-Heron	Ardeola grayii	R
15	Black-crowned Night-Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	R/B
16	Yellow Bittern	Ixobrychus sinensis	R/B
17	Chestnut Bittern	Ixobrychus cinnamomeus	R/B
18	Black Bittern	Dupetor flavicollis	R
19	Painted Stork	Mycteria leucocephala	R
20	Asian Openbill-Stork	Anastomus oscitans	R
21	Oriental White Ibis	Threskiornis melanocephalus	R
22	Eurasian Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodia	R
23	Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus ruber	M/M
24	Lesser Flamingo	Phoenicopterus minor	M
25	LargeWhistling-Duck	Dendrocygna bicolor	R/M
26	Lesser Whistling-Duck	Dendrocygna javanica	R
27	Greylag Goose	Anser anser	M
28	Bar-headed Goose	Anser indicus	M
29	Lesser White-fronted Goose	Anser erythropus	M
30	Brahminy Shelduck	Tadorna ferruginea	M
31	Common Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna	M
32	Comb Duck	Sarkidiornis melanotos	SM
33	Cotton Teal	Nettapus coromandelianus	R/B
34	Gadwall	Anas strepera	M
35	Eurasian Wigeon	Anas penelope	M
36	Spot-billed Duck	Anas poecilorhyncha	R/SM/B
37	Northern Shoveller	Anas clypeata	M
38	Northern Pintail	Anas acuta	M
39	Garganey	Anas querquedula	M
40	Common Teal	Anas crecca	M
41	Red-crested Pochard	Rhodonessa rufina	M
42	Common Pochard	Aythya ferina	M
43	Ferruginous Pochard	Aythya nyroca	M
44	Tufted Pochard	Aythya fuligula	M
45	Brahminy Kite	Haliastur indus	R/B
46	White-bellied Sea-Eagle	Haliaeetus leucogaster	R/SM/B
47	Pallas’s Fish-Eagle	Haliaeetus leucoryphus	R/M
48	Western Marsh-Harrier	Circus aeruginosus	M
49	Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	M
50	Water Rail	Rallus aquaticus	R/SM
51	Brown Crake	Amaurornis akool	R/SM
52	White-breasted Waterhen	Amaurornis phoenicurus	R
53	Baillon’s Crake	Porzana pusilla	R/SM
54	Ruddy-breasted Crake	Porzana fusca	R/SM
55	Watercock	Gallicrex cinerea	R/SM/B
56	Purple Moorhen	Porphyrio porphyrio	R/B
57	Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	M/B
58	Common Coot	Fulica atra	R/M/B
59	Pheasant-tailed Jacana	Hydrophasianus chirurgus	R/B
60	Bronze-winged Jacana	Metopidius indicus	R/B
61	Greater Painted-Snipe	Rostratula benghalensis	R
62	Pacific Golden-Plover	Pluvialis fulva	M
63	Grey Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	M
64	Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius	M
65	Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus	R/M/B
66	Lesser Sand Plover	Charadrius mongolus	M
67	Yellow-wattled Lapwing	Vanellus malabaricus	R
68	Grey-headed Lapwing	Vanellus cinereus	M
69	Red-wattled Lapwing	Vanellus indicus	R
70	Pintail Snipe	Gallinago stenura	M
71	Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago	M
72	Black-tailed Godwit	Limosa limosa	M
73	Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	M
74	Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	M
75	Spotted Redshank	Tringa erythropus	M
76	Common Redshank	Tringa totanus	M
77	Marsh Sandpiper	Tringa stagnatilis	M
78	Common Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	M
79	Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola	M
80	Terek Sandpiper	Xenus cinereus	M
81	Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	M
82	Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	M
83	Asian Dowitcher	Limnodromus semipalmatus	M
84	Great Knot	Calidris tenuirostris	M
85	Red Knot	Calidris canutus	M
86	Sanderling	Calidris alba	M
87	Little Stint	Calidris minuta	M
88	Rufous-necked Stint	Calidris ruficollis	M
89	Temminck’s Stint	Calidris temminckii	M
90	Long-toed Stint	Calidris subminuta	M
91	Dunlin	Calidris alpina	M
92	Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	M
93	Broad-billed Sandpiper	Limicola falcinellus	M
94	Ruff	Philomachus pugnax	M
95	Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	R/M/B
96	Pied Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta	M
97	Great Stone-Plover	Esacus recurvirostris	R
98	Collared Pratincole	Glareola pratincola	R/M
99	Oriental Pratincole	Glareola maldivarum	R/B
100	Small Pratincole	Glareola lactea	R/M
101	Heuglin’s Gull	Larus heuglini	M
102	Pallas’s Gull	Larus ichthyaetus	M
103	Brown-headed Gull	Larus brunnicephalus	M
104	Black-headed Gull	Larus ridibundus	M
105	Gull-billed Tern	Gelochelidon nilotica	R/M/B
106	Caspian Tern	Sterna caspia	M
107	River Tern	Sterna aurantia	R/SM/B
108	Lesser Crested Tern	Sterna bengalensis	M
109	Large Crested Tern	Sterna bergii	M
110	Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	M
111	Little Tern	Sterna albifrons	R/M/B
112	Saunders’s Tern	Sterna saundersi	M
113	Whiskered Tern	Chlidonias hybridus	M
114	White-winged Black Tern	Chlidonias leucopterus	M
115	Black Tern	Chlidonias niger	M
116	Indian Skimmer	Rynchops albicollis	SM
117	Small Blue Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	R
118	White-breasted Kingfisher	Halcyon smyrnensis	R
119	Black-capped Kingfisher	Halcyon pileata	R
120	Lesser Pied Kingfisher	Ceryle rudis	R
121	Large Pied Wagtail	Motacilla maderaspatensis	R
122	Citrine Wagtail	Motacilla citreola	M
123	Yellow Wagtail	Motacilla flava	M
124	Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea	M

1. Name reference: Ramsar (2007) Hand book 1 4th edition. Wise Use of Wetlands