World at your feet: Bird Photography in Pondicherry

Report on Ousteri Lake, Puducherry

Record of Birds:

A total of 166 species of birds belonging to 47 families were recorded from the Ousteri lake and its environs during the present study (Appendix 5), which included 75 aquatic species. Of the 47 families, Muscicapidae is the dominant one with 16 species and followed by Accipitridae (12 species), Ardeidae (11species) and Anatidae (10 species). Of this 166 species, Spoon-billed sandpiper is “Critically endangered” and White-bellied Sea Eagle comes under the category of “Endangered”.Apart from these, birds such as Flamingos, Darter, Spot-billed Pelican, Great white Pelican, Painted Stork, Eurasian Spoon Bill and Pallid Harrior are coming under Near Threatened category (Balasubramanian and Vijayan 2004). Apart from these, the present study results in the addition of following notable species such as Great-white Pelican, White-browed Fantail, Franklin’s Prinia, Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamigo, Dunlin, Ruff, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black-headed Oriole, Common Iora, Indian Silverbill, Grey Headed Lapwing, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Osprey, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, Jungle Babbler, Tawny-bellied Babbler, Rosy Starling, Black-rumped Flameback, Southern Grey Shrike, Crested Tree Swift, etc.

Among the aquatic birds, Little Egret, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Eurasian wigeon, Little Cormoramts were recorded in more number during the present survey. Birds such as Spot billed Pelican, Darter, Black Bittern, Purple Heron, Night Heron and Grey Heron are the important species, could be seen throughout the study period. Eventhough the birds such as Painted Stork, Northern Shovelor, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Common Teal, Gargany, Black headed Ibis and Common Pochard were very commonly recorded by Chari et al. (2008), we have rarely seen in the study period. Birds such as Black Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill and Spot-billed Duck are very rare species and seen only once during the entire study period. The following birds viz., Bronze-winged Jacana, Great White Pelican, Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamingo and Woolly-neckedStork are the important wetland birds, are reported first time during the present study from the study area and could see only once during the entire study period.

Among the terrestrial birds, Asian Palm Swifts werevery commonly seen in and around the lake followed by White Headed Babbler, Common Myna, Jungle Crow, Black Drongo, House Crow, Red-vented Bulbul and Blue-tailed Beaeater. During the present study period, birds such as Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Jungle Grow, Black-shouldered Kite, Black Headed Oriole, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black-capped Kingfisher, Stork-billed Kingfisher were seen rarely (N < 10) in the study area. White-browed Fantail, Ruff, Dunlin, Grey-headed Lapwing, Rufous-winged Bushlark and Bay-backed Shrike were seen only once during the entire study period. Line transect survey resulted in the documentation of 135 avian species (Table 11), of which, Little Egret is the dominant one with 355 individuals followed by Common Myna (n=338), and Asian Palm Swift with 337 individuals.