Birds in Sariska National Park
K. Sankar, D. Mohan and S. Pandey
Sariska Tiger Reserve (7617' - 76 34' N and 275' - 27 33' E), situated in the Aravali hill range, is located in the district of Alwar, Rajasthan. Sariska is in the semi - arid part of Rajathan (Rodgers and Panwar 1988).
The tract is mainly hilly and undulating and has numerous narrow valleys, two large plateaus: Kriaska and Kankwari, and two lakes: Mansarover and Somasagar. Silisad Lake is situated along the north-eastern boundary of the reserve. The total area of the reserve is 800 km2, of which 30.2 km2 is a buffer zone and 497.8 km2 is the core zone.
According to Champion and Seth (1968) the vegetation of Sariska comes under (1) Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest and (2) Tropical Thorn Forest. The dominant vegetation types include Anogiessus forest, Boswellia forest, Acacia - mixed forest, Butea-mexed forest, Ziziphus woodland, scrub land and riverine forest. The climate of this tract is subtropical, characterised by distinct winter (November to February), summer (March to June), monsoon (July to August) and autumn (September to October). In winter the temperature drops to 0 and in summer it rises as high as 47 . The average annual rainfall is around 600 mm.
[Key to Abbreviations]
A total of 211 species was recorded, of which 120 were resident, 73 were migrant visitors and 18 were considered to be vagrants. In the list the following codes are used:
R = resident
W = winter visitor
S = summer visitor
M = monsoon visitor
V = presumed vagrant
? = uncertain status
B = confirmed breeding
PB = probably breeding
GREY FRANCOLIN [Francolins pondicerianus] R. B. Abundant.
[* * * Scientific Name of The Indian Birds * * *]
| BLACK PARTRIDGE | [Francolinus francolinus] | R, B. Bare - Karnakawas scrubland only. |
| RED SPURFOWL | [Galloperdix spadicea] | R, B. Rare - rocky |
| RAIN QUAIL | [Coturnix coromandelica] | R, B. Common |
| BLUE-BREASTED QUAIL | [Coturnix chinensis] | R, B. Rare |
| JUNGLE BUSH-QUAIL | [Perdicula Asiatic] | R, B. Rare. |
| YELLOW-FOOTED GREEN-PIGEON | [Treron phoenicoptera] | W. Fairly common - flocks of 30 - 50 birds |
| PAINTED SPURFOWL | [Galloperdix lunulata] | R, B. Rare |
| INDIAN PEAFOWL | [Pavo cristatus] | R, B. Abundant. |
| COTTON PYGMY-GOOSE | [Nettapus coromandelianus] | R, PB. Common. |
| GADWALL | [Anas strepera] | W. Rare. |
| COMMON TEAL | [Anas crecca] | W. Fairly common. |
| MALLARD | [Anas platyrhynchos] | W. Rare. |
| SPOT - BILLED DUCK | [Anas poecilorhyncha] | R, PB. Common. |
| NORTHERN PINTAIL | [Anas acuta] | W. Fairly common in Silsisad. |
| NORTHERN SHOVELER | [Anas acuta] | W. common in Silisad. |
| RED-CRESTED POCHARD | [Netta rufina] | W. Common. |
| COMMON POCHARD | [Aythya ferina] | W. Rare. |
| TUFTED DUCK | [Aythya fuligula] | W. Rare. |
| ORIENTAL HONEY-BUZZARD | [Pernis ptilorhyncus] | W. Rare |
| SMALL BUTTON QUAIL | [Turnix sylvatica] | R, B. Common. |
| BROWN-CAPPED WOODPECKER | [Dendrocopos nanus] | V. One near Sariska, November 1986 |
| YELLOW-CROWNED WOODPECKER | [Dendrocopos mahrattensis] | R, PB. Rare. |
| BLACK-RUMPED FLAMEBACK | [Dinopium benghalense] | R, B. Fairly common. |
| COPPERSMITH BARBET | [Megalaima haimacephala] | W. Common. |
| INDIAN GREY-HORNBILL | [Ocyceros birostris] | R, B. Rare |
| EURASIAN HOOPOE | [Upupa epops] | R, B. Common. |
| INDIAN ROLLER | [Coracias benghalensis] | R, B. Common |
| COMMON KINGFISHER | [Alcedo atthis] | R, PB, Rare. |
| WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER | [Halcyon smyrnensis] | R, PB. Common. |
| PIED KINGFISHER | [Ceryle rudis] | R, PB. Rare. |
| LITTLE GREEN BEE-EATER | [Merops orientalis] | R, PB. Rare. |
| BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER | [Merops philippinus] | R, PB. Rare. |
| PIED CUCKOO | [Oxylophus jacobinus] | M. Common. |
| COME DUCK | [Sarikidiornis melanotos] | R, PB. Rare. |
| COMMON HAWK-CUCKOO | [Cuculus varius] | R, B. Common. |
| INDIAN CUCKOO | [Cuculus micropterus] | V. One Seen near Kundli road, 23 June 1989 |
| ASIAN KOEL | [Eudynamys scolopacea] | R, B. Bare. |
| SIRKEER MALKOHA | [Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii] | R. Rare. |
| GREATER COUCAL | [Centropus sinesis] | R, B. Rare. |
| ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET | [Psittacula krameri] | R, B. Fairlly common. |
| PLUM-HEADED PARAKEET | [Psittacula cyanocephala] | W, B. Fairly common. |
| LITTLE SWIFT | [Apus affinis] | R, B. Common. |
| BARN OWL | [Tyto alba] | R, B. Rare. |
| INDIAN SCOPS-OWL | [Otus bakkamoena] | R, B. - one heard, 12 November 1991. |
| BROWN FISH-OWL | [Strix ocellata] | R, B. Bandipul stream. |
| MOTTLED WOOD-OWL | [Strix ocellata] | R, PB. One at Slopka waterhole, 8 June 1988. |
| SPOTTED OWLET | [Athene brama] | R, B. Common. |
